GingaC on his mixtape 'London to Sheerness', experimenting different genres and future plans.

Back in January, we got in touch with Sheerness rapper GingaC, talking about his mixtape 'London To Sheerness', future goals and plans for his career and talks on experimenting with all kinds of music genres. Be sure to check out all of his music on YouTube and follow him on his musical journey.

Yes GingaC, could you please give yourself and introduction for those who may not have listened to your stuff before?

Alright then, so I am GingaC, I’ve been doing music properly since 2013 when I started to take it seriously and then things picked up and started taking it like a job and doing it properly in like 2018 when I first got signed to a record label and co-signed by a few big names, which is why I started to really push my career and started to believe in myself. I started to work heavily with M.R, who is holding it up for the same town as me, Sheerness in Kent. M.R, I'm not gonna lie, opened a few doors for me and then I just sort of went on from there really, he sort of taught me how to crawl and I taught myself how to work, it just went on from there though bro, and the rest is history. And as far as where I’m from bro, I’m from Sheerness, a little island in Kent, ME12 to be precise, which is in a borough called Swale with a population of about 20,000 people in the whole island, it’s a bit of a shithole, but it is what it is bro. I’m originally from London but I’ve lived in Sheerness the most, which is why my mixtape is called ‘From London to Sheerness’. That reminds me, are you local, have you ever been to Sheerness?

Sounds sick man, what’s it like living in such a small area compared to living in London, in terms of music? Would you say you had more accessibility in London? I’m in Lancashire at the moment, never been to Kent, to be honest, but there’s always time, originally from Essex though so just across the pond from you man!

Yeah, bro, a million per cent, I find that’s what it is, I have to go London anyway. When I was a kid, my dad always used to take me to London all the time, he worked in London but he used to take me up there all the time and make a point about taking me up there. That’s what he used to say to me, he used to say ‘I’m taking you up here now so that you understand how to get about in London and learn more about city life’ he said to me ‘take it from me, anything that you’re gonna want to do with your life, you’re gonna be coming here a lot’ and he was right bro. London’s really the hub for music I think, when I go to places like Birmingham, Manchester and places like that, they say to me "So you live in London" or "You live close to London" and when I say yeah they always say so "Why would you be here ‘cause everything’s in London".

That’s when I realised bro, the biggest platforms in this country are based in London init, all the big radio stations, all the big music platforms, so there’s really not much you can do in a small town, definitely down here it’s a blessing that it is only an hour away, a straight fifty minutes away from South London, if it weren't for that it would be a lot harder yeah, because London is the hub and I find myself going to London for at least three or four times a month to do what I need to do, London’s where it’s at.

A thousand per cent, London is the place to be, what is it about Sheerness that you love most?

What I love about Sheerness is honestly the community so like everyone knows everyone, it’s not a very private place - if you’ve lived here for five years, everyone knows you. Sheerness is just like that, it’s a bit of a soap opera place, there’s all gossips, everyone knows everyone else’s business. I’m not gonna lie, I love that, it’s a bit cringe but we kinda look out for each other in a way. If you are Sheerness for a small amount of time people will recognise that you’ll be alright, and people will look out for you. And the fact it’s right next to the beach and a lot of people don’t have that, and I take that for granted, that I literally have the beach and the sea on my doorstep, it’s not a sand beach which is disappointing but a lot of people say to me "It’s like being on holiday when I’m here", "It’s like going to Brighton". Obviously, I don’t see it like that because I’m from here but it is that.

I respect that a lot, nothing better than a tight community AND a seaside, moving away from home life, how would you describe your music?

I would say it’s rap with a melody, it’s like singing and rapping at the same time so that to me is like wavey like back in the day. Max B originally to me started the wave music, then people like Wiz Khalifa sort of carried on that wave, like it’s still rap but it’s not at the same time, it’s more singing, so I call that trap wave and that’s how I’d describe that.

Have you ever made a track in a specific genre, listened back to it and thought ‘actually that isn’t for me’ or are you an absolute G in all genres?

I haven’t actually done a genre and looked back and thought- No, I have actually, like reggae music man, that's not really me, like overall I don't really think I sound good on that, it’s a bit cringy. I experimented a bit with that and it weren't too, yeah, but apart from that, no there's genres I just won't bother touching. Like you won't catch me screamo or anything like that, I think the furthest I’ll go into a genre is a little bit out of my comfort zone is smaller hip-hop or R&B and the only reason why that's out of my comfort zone is ‘cause I haven’t really mastered that craft yet, but I still feel like it is something that I could if I put energy into it. But there is obviously certain genres like opera, you know, I don't mind a bit of heavy metal, but not too heavy, not what I would try and do you know, there’s certain genres you know, I just feel like it's not really worth it. Definitely not the avenue that I'm trying to go down at the moment.

That could change, though. You never know. You know, in 10 years, a lot can change or in five years, a lot can change and I might feel completely differently. Who knows? In five years, bro, I could be making reggae music, I could be in a rock band because you never know where life is going to take you, but at the moment, definitely not. I'm definitely going to stay in this lane.

It’s always good to experiment though, for sure, talk to me about your favourite rappers and musicians.

Definitely my favourite rapper in the UK, my favourite rapper is Black The Ripper. He, I would say, is still one of the best rappers in the UK and obviously hasn’t released any music for coming up for three/four years now. I've listened to him since I was a little kid and he was someone that I managed to connect with a few years after he passed away. After listening to him for about 10 years, I managed to connect with him when I warmed up for Iron Bars, who he worked with a lot and obviously then through that I've managed to sort of connect with him on a bit of a personal level and have a bit of a smoke and a chat with him and that a few times and that I will take to my grave because yeah is one of the best bro. Million per cent.

Skinny Man, uncle Skinny is one of the best in the UK who I listen to a lot. I listen to a little drill here and there, Bandokay Fizzler, Headie One, Digga D and all of them. But I'll just give that a listen because that's what's current and I like to stay in with what’s current, you know, I mean but c’mon man Skinny Man, Black The Ripper, definitely the very best don't get much better than that in this country. But that being said, I'm very heavily influenced by the US scene I always have been since I was a little kid, I'll say a little bit more than the UK scene because I've been into this culture and rap since I was about 5-6 years old, ‘cause of my dad. By the time I got to an age where I can develop my own taste, and get into something properly was the 50 Cent era, so I was about 7-8 years old and obviously 50 Cent, G unit and then 50 Cent and The Game at their big famous beef and that that was all a little bit of me. The original D Block, Jadakiss and Styles P when they used to bring out their mixtapes. Obviously that's what I've tried to do with ‘London to Sheerness’ is give it that old school mixtape feel, that’s why I got DJ Terror to host for me in that, because that was also of grew up on originally, so I was always very heavily influenced by 50 Cent G unit as a kid. Then that led over the years to me getting really into Mac Miller, ASAP Rocky, Currency Spitter and Wiz Khalifa, and I’d say now, the ones that stuck with me since I was a kid, the main two are Wiz Khalifa and Currency Spitter. They are to me, the two very best in the world, bro. You don't get much better than that.

So really overall, I'd say top four, Currency Spitter, Wiz Khalifa, Skinny Man and Black The Ripper, but really Currency and Wiz Khalifa really do hold it up for me, bro. Million 1000%. Yeah, that's where it's at.

Big respect to Black The Ripper, a huge influence in the scene for sure, I’ve seen his Dank Of England stuff at events like Green Pride in Brighton 2019. Your music taste is sick, in your opinion, what does it take to be a successful artist?

Yeah, Green Pride, I was there bro, I remember that. That was actually a really good day. That night was the night that I warmed up for Iron Bars and we went on a big smoke that night. I remember that day, that day there is one of them days that I will take to my grave, bro.

What, and you were there? You were at Green Pride, absolutely wicked. What does it take to be a successful artist? I would say just consistency and staying true to yourself, and understanding that. You know a cult following is better than being world famous, not always about money. It's about how you can inspire people, and it's about how you can create a legacy and something that's going to live forever. That's exactly what I'm saying is going to inspire people. Being successful is obviously different for different people and success for me is like similar to what Black did, you know, to create something that inspires a lot of people and not giving a fuck, being true to who you are, creating something that will live forever, creating a legacy that people could pass on and carry on something that people can look up to. A real message, a real meaning that's been successful to me, bro.

Not many people know Skinny Man like that on a wide scale of things, not many people know who Currency Spitter is. Not many people know about Spitter like that. Not many people know about Black like that they have what you’d call a cult following, but what they have done will live forever. They've always stayed true to themselves. They've built their own little empires, do you know what I mean, and that to me is success bro.

Yeah, I was there, one of the stall vendors, been there a couple of times! Legacy is everything for sure, proper inspirational stuff.

This gets better, so you’re a vendor as well. My God, this gets better. Have you met me at any of the events? It’s possible. You should go to ‘A Bud Before’ I've got to the last three of them and they’re fucking wicked. I've performed at last free obviously, you know Flirtad, we shut ‘em down bro. Fucking wicked. That's mental. You’re a vendor as well, bro. My God, I've just followed your page, we will have to talk on a different note about that, that’s mad.

Not me personally, just help out on the stools, I don’t smoke but I respect others for their reasons. Do you think upcoming rappers feel they need to be a part of a ‘smoking scene’ to create an image around their profile?

Okay, makes sense. Makes sense. Yeah, you should go to ‘A Bud Before’ man, when the next event’s on, it’s brilliant. Absolutely epic. You’ll definitely have a good time.

I don't, you know, because there's a lot of people that don't really... I feel like that’s died out for that maybe that used to be a thing a lot more and has died out a bit as the years have gone by because a lot of the newcomers and that, that are blowing up now and ain't going on about the weed and that as much - They would smoke weed, but they don't go on about it. I’ve noticed as much as it used to be that weed is becoming more accepted. I know it's obvious. Yeah, so not really and I think if you do that, then you're a dickhead man, in all honesty. You should just stay true to who you are if you don't smoke weed, you don’t smoke weed, do you know what I mean?

I do get what you're saying though. A lot of rappers obviously do smoke weed and it does go hand in hand with the culture and that yeah, but if you don't, you don't. You definitely shouldn't smoke weed to fit in. My opinion is you should definitely smoke weed as a medicine man, if you feel it's gonna genuinely help you as a person, nothing to do with fitting in.

Hundred per cent be true to yourself, back to you a bit more, what’s the dream, the end goal?

I would say the end goal is just kind of that bro. It’s to sort of, just to create something that will last, something that will live forever, that will always sort of live on through my fanbase and through other people, you know. That's like the goal for me in music and the other end goal for life is just to have a bit more money behind me to just settle down. Maybe have kids and that ‘cause right now, living in life, I've got no ties, just out here doing my thing, so that would be my overall goal and to do something a little bit more in the cannabis industry and connect that with the music.

It’s a special thing to have for sure, what are your plans for the rest of your year?

All I can say for that, that I want to put out there ‘cause I don't like talking about things before they happen, is that there will be a few more visuals for ‘London Sheerness’ before that's wrapped up. There will definitely be a ‘Modern Day Hippie 2’ this year million, 1000% and maybe, maybe ‘London to Sheerness 2’, but definitely a ‘Modern Day Hippie 2’ this year. Apart from that, there's that I wanna do about travelling this year and work on getting my strain out there a bit more, Ginger Kush, which is obviously my own strain that I’ve been working on for a good few years now and I'd like to get that there a bit more this year and travel around a bit to places where it's legalised and push that.

I respect your grind, on a deeper level, what does music mean to you?

Absolutely everything. Everything. I couldn't imagine my life without music. It's always been there since I was two years old. My dad got me a compilation CD with songs like ‘Wheels On The Bus’ and kids' songs like that. When he used to put it on I used to say things up so I didn't speak properly ‘cause I was two I’d just say "I want shouting music, I want shouting music" and then all I meant by that, which is normal music and when he’d put on like a bit of Nirvana and Public Enemy, I would sit there bopping my head to it and that would keep me entertained. Music is everything. It always has been. I don't know what we're doing about music.

There's a guy called Doctor Z. Shout out to doctor Z, he has a phrase that says "Music and weed is all I need" and literally that’s it, that’s the one bro, music and weed is all I need.

Shout out to him man, do you have anything you’d like to add before we wrap up?

Just keep streaming ‘London to Sheerness’ If you haven't downloaded it yet then definitely do that on Moderndayhippie.com, you can download it straight off there. There will be a few upcoming shows this year, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that.

Thanks to everybody that came to the tour. Also thanks to everyone that just bought a T-shirt because it was my first official merch drop, which was T-shirts for the tour. Keep your eyes peeled for ‘Modern Day Hippie 2’ and definitely more visuals that will come in later on in the year.

Thank you for your time man, proper clean-hearted guy, is there anyone you’d like to shout out, anyone that’s helped you, or anyone you think’s coming up at the moment?

No, not at the moment that I can really think of, that I would really want to shout, I’m a bit stoned and brain dead but no, not really, not like that at the moment. Yeah, shout out to the plug bro.

Respect it, thanks again, really nice chatting with you brother.