Meet LiL MC | Rapper, Producer, Hip Hop Educator, Event Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with LiL MC and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LiL MC, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
Being a role model for my son is incredibly important to me. My son hasn’t expressed a divine interest in music in the way that I have, but I think thats the beautiful thing about children. Children are not replicas of their parents, they are their own autonomous beings. While I can’t deny I would love for my son to share my interest in music, I also find joy in observing him become his own person. To impose my own desires onto him would be to deny him the freedom to make his own decisions, to make mistakes, to fail, to recover, to fight for redemption. I think a lot of times parents feel like their children need to represent them faithfully for the sanctity of their own ego, but thats an incredible burden for a child to carry- the honor of their family. The most important thing I’ve ever done as a parent has been accepting my child for who he is, loving him unconditionally, and leading by example. I’m a human and I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. Rather than shelter my son from these mistakes, creating some sort of elaborate lie surrounding the fabric of my life, I tell him the truth, even if I am ashamed to admit it. Sometimes the truth can be difficult to swallow, so of course I choose how and when to divulge certain pieces of information to him, but ultimately I think it serves him best to hear the truth now, rather than be fed lies only to find out later that everything he’s been told has been fabricated. I know many people might disagree with my approach, but I’ve always been the type to believe that the world can be a cruel and unforgiving place and in order to navigate through it clearly, we must remove our rose-veiled glasses. I think it’s these ugly truths that also allow us to see the inordinate beauty- a beauty we would quickly overlook had we not been privy to the ugly.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a rapper first and foremost but musically, artistically and professionally I’ve expanded to doing so much more. I’ve been writing songs and playing piano since I was 6 years old, and I experimented with different instruments throughout my childhood. As a child, my father introduced me to classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix but as I got older I developed an interest in Hip Hop & RnB. Growing up I was also an avid reader and aspiring writer, as well as an active participant in theater. The amalgam of all of my artistic interests created a unique lens by which I was able to perceive the world and create a unique style of music. I was not born into a musical family, I didn’t grow up in a city where rappers were getting signed, and my friends didn’t share the same affinity for music as I did. I was deeply influenced by the world around me, and inspired by my favorite artists (Kurt Cobain, Tupac, Biggie, Big L, Led Zeppelin, Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill) but I was also given the space to create my own lane. I’ve always made provocative music with the intent to arouse, inspire, and disturb. I’ve never created elevator music that could just be played in the background, my music is intended to be disruptive. When you hear my music, see my videos, watch my performances or read my comic books what you are processing is the combination of my love for Hip Hop culture, my punk-rock roots, my Venezuelan heritage, my rebellious nature, and my love for theatrics and storytelling. What you get is LiL MC, the Ratchet & Woke, Cyber-punk rap assassin.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m not the best tour guide because I’m such a workaholic but chances are if my best friend came visiting I would have guest list tickets for a myriad of dope live events and shows. I would definitely have to introduce them to Oakland by bringing them to Ruckus Rumpus Revival, formerly known as Tourettes Without Regrets, so they could witness the most insane underground burlesque variety show and rap battle ever created. I’d have to take them barhopping on Telegraph for First Friday so they could get the real Oakland experience. In the afternoon it would be food trucks and music at Lake Merrit, then maybe a studio session at Skyline Studios, later a dance party at Crybaby & Hello Stranger, dinner at Cholita Linda or Souley Vegan, maybe a show at the Fox Theater or a movie at Alameda Theater.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to shoutout my partner UnLearn The World who has not only served as an endless pool of inspiration, but is also my mentor, collaborator and producer. All of the music I made in the beginning stages of my artistic career were incredibly dark and depressing. He pointed out that my music didn’t align with how I presented myself to the world. Even though people perceived me as this fun and vivacious rapper, I had initially used music as a way to process my pain and trauma. He helped me realize that if I wanted to take my music to the next level, I needed to create music for more than just my own catharsis. He invited me to explore ways to integrate all aspects of my personality into my music, making it enjoyable for the audience while still remaining authentic to my experience. Throughout my career I have always trusted his advice when it comes to the music industry, art, branding, marketing and beyond. He represents Hip Hop down to his core and has a deeper love for this culture than anyone I’ve ever met.

Website: www.lilmcmusic.com

Instagram: @Lilmc.music

Twitter: @lilmc415

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilMcSF/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lilmc944

Other: https://lilmc.goalgetters.ai/

Image Credits
1. (cover photo) Sarah Arnold 2. Chris Otrebla 3. Sarah Arnold 4. Sarah Arnold 5. Kaila Love