A.B is a Caribbean born artist out of Boston, Mass. He's very talented and has a big vision. Check out our latest interview where we get to chop it up with A.B and he talks about his mentality, influences, creative style and much more! Make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel and Follow on Spotify and Apple Music!
Boston Culture: Where did you grow up? How was that like?
A.B: I grew up in Antigua and Barbuda it’s an island in the Caribbean but my parents are from Guyana which is a country in South America so everything i know I know from them. In the Caribbean we have a different kind of trap, it’s all about hustling and doing what you have to do to survive I believed Saint Jhn said the same thing he’s also from Guyana. I wanted to be different I wanted to do things differently rap isn’t big in the islands so I’m hoping that I could shed some light for the Caribbean artist that are in the United States creating rap music.
Boston Culture: How did you get your name?
A.B: My real name is Abiel so playing soccer growing up everyone called me A.B so it just stucked from then on.
Boston Culture: Talk to us about “Middle of the Day” - from its inception stages to the creative visual recording process. How did you and Chaney Da Director come up with the initial concept?
A.B: So I was opening for Jay Gwaupo and I knew I needed to document it, I went searching on Instagram and stumbled upon Chaney, he initially was only suppose to film a vlog which will be coming out soon, but I dropped it on him last minute and ask if he could do a music video within that vlog and he said yes, shout out to Chaney but on the video end of things I gave him a concept and I told him he has the 100% to do whatever he thinks should be done and he did a super good job with the limited amount of clips he had and he has helped me out a lot along the process so definitely be prepared to see a lot more collabs between us.
Boston Culture: What was the best advice you got early in your career?
A.B: The best advice I got was from collectively my family, my girlfriend GeGe and also Chaney himself they all should love and support and said not to give up on my dream or to feel discouraged because they can see me making it in music I just have to stay consistent and not let anything get to me.
Boston Culture: Walk us through the first time you ever made a song.
A.B: I loved music my whole life my Dad is a Dj and my Grandfather would literally sit down and play oldies for 5-6 hours straight my mom and aunts love music and dance so I’ve always had that love for music in me. The first time I wrote a song was back in high school joking around with my friends and I just started putting the pen to paper and it stuck now the song was pretty bad but that’s where I knew that I can make it but it isn’t till this year where I’m giving it a push.
Boston Culture: Top 3 favorite producers/rappers?
A.B:Too many to even list I’m not even going to put it in order but I’m not gonna talk about back in the day I’m gonna talk about current day artists #1 is drake if anyone doesn’t have drake in their list they are capping. I love pop smokes, Fivio Foreign is my guy Sheff g is also my guy I’m really hoping to push to meet them or to get a feature I also like Trippie, lil uzi, Kendrick, Cole like I said it’s way too much I listen to everything.
Boston Culture : Walk is through your creative process in the studio
A.B: I’m more of a listen to a beat and write type of person but I believe as an artist you have to do both so I’m hoping that the more experience I get I could just hop in the booth without any idea of what I’m doing and drop something fire.
Boston Culture: What do you dislike about the art world/music industry?
A.B: I dislike the fact that the love isn’t there most independent people just chase music to get a quick cheque and think that hard work isn’t behind it. All the people you consider great in all aspect of life loved what they did look at Jordan, Kobe, PAC, Biggie they all loved what they did money comes along with being the greatest and that’s something I’ll always remember throughout my journey.
Boston Culture: Who or what are some of your biggest influences?
A.B: Biggest Influences are definitely my Dad and my Grandfather without them I wouldn’t know how to love music like I said I’m a guy that likes a lot of artist of different genres not only rap so without them I wouldn’t have been able to come up with different melodies or to be as versatile as I am A.B has a couple of love songs in the chamber locked up nobody knows about.
Boston Culture: Talks to us about your younger mentality.
A.B: I’m a guy that whatever I said I do I’m gonna do it, I wanted to be a pilot I was going to pilot school at the age of 11 that dream faded away. I wanted to go at least semi pro in soccer that dream faded away due to an injury and now I’m focused on the music. I always quote Kobe he said “Put all your eggs in one basket, and if it doesn’t work out, make more eggs.”
Boston Culture : What do you think of the music scene in the State?
A.B: I think the music scene in Boston is growing I originally moved to Florida and came to Boston for school but the love I received while being out here is what gravitated me to stay, I definitely would love to collab with Red Shaydez she’s someone that these Mass rappers should try to look up to male or female it doesn’t matter have u seen the stuff she’s accomplished in the last couple months?? The New England revolution posted her for black history month it doesn’t get better than that other than her in fairly new to this area but I’m definitely building my connections slowly.
Boston Culture : Tell us about your goals for 2021.
A.B: 2021 is the first push towards my music career, I believe that everything happens for a reason and that this is the right path I need to go down, by the end of the year I’m hoping to have at least 2000 subscribers on YouTube and about 10k streams across all platforms I want to make goals that are achievable.
Boston Culture: Did the pandemic affect any of your plans?
A.B: No if it want for the pandemic I wouldn’t be where I’m at today I initially got injured during the summer while home from the pandemic, this may sound weird but if it wasn’t for that injury I wouldn’t have pursued music I believe God makes things happen for a reason.
Boston Culture : What brands should sponsor you?
A.B: Starter for sure I love starter jackets I’m hoping I could do a collab with them and 2k I’m a huge 2k player so if I could get one of my songs in the game that would be huge.
Boston Culture :Anything else we missed you want to tell your fans?
A.B: To the fans thank you for your support i am grateful for the amount of love and support so far it’s much more to come God Bless be safe where your mask so we can get these concerts going.
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