The Rundown: Adam Es
Written by Greg Harris
We have crossed many paths and came across a spectacular spectrum of artists on “The Rundown”. We gave light to the talents in Florida with the likes of Austin Dowdy and BigbabyScumbag, and we moved to the north where we can have our insight from the mind of 203Noah, who’s respectively running things in Connecticut. As we continue to our grand search of brightest creatives, we head to the West Coast to get inside the mind of rising Los Angeles artist, Adam Es.
If you’ve been following the site for some time, you know how far Adam has come to deliver a project that provides some much thought. We recently had a chance to speak to him about it, his upbringing in the Golden State, who were his influences and more.
Check out the interview below
How's Your Modern Life?
My modern life is actually a lot more peaceful than it has been. Way more opportunity and a lot of blessings being sent my way. I finally feel like a light to myself as far as growth and self worth is concerned.
What are three things you have to do when you wake up in the morning?
I have to eat my fruit & drink water.
I have to play music. I can't go without it. Wether it's something super chill to a way hyper transition I gotta play some jams. I have to check my weather app.
Growing up in the West Coast, how was your upbringing?
Growing up in the South Bay/LA it's really a melting pot of a ton of cultures and opportunities to excel yourself. You can go the tradition school route. Which is what a lot of people do here, or you can dare to follow a dream in something that isn't guaranteed. There's always a little gang activity here or there, but mainly it's a place where you can chill and grow up to be whoever you want. I always felt the urge to be a dreamer and to follow that narrative rather than be a cookie-cutter suburbia dude. I was forever pushed to he who i am and what I want to be. By my parents my loved ones and closest friends. Growing up here I felt the need to be important to make an impact.
Who were among some of your influences when you were younger before you became an artist?
My influences when I was younger were the pro skaters, chefs, musicians, and imagination. I played Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 all the time when I had it; seeing Nyjah as a young lad on their inspired to skate. That shit made me wanna pursue and try something I've never thought I could do. Emerald was such a sick chef he has the sauce before anyone else. Twista was so dope to be because he would rap really fast. Missy Elliot was super creative with her music videos. Adventure Time & Regular show influenced me to always have a cool friendship and to be a warrior and work for what you believe in. BET 106& Park they freestyle Friday's always had me excited! That made me want to start rapping even more. Seeing Kid Cudi & Kanye freestyle written on BET inspired me so heavily. Cudi was a huge influence on me before I even made music.
We've been familiar with your music in the past but it's a new route you've taken with Dark Flower Escape where you explore the elements of drugs, girls, and life. Explain how you advanced your sound on this project?
I started to make music from the soul and with the intent to inspire and shift the social norm on what was going on right in front of my face. Everyone goes through pain everyone will experience drugs, but what happens when you go overboard? What happens when drugs are your life? What happens when you have no one but yourself? You find a way and make a way to escape. The pitfalls and abysses that come with the over saturation of drug usage is what fueled this project and sound. I advanced everything because I knew how I wanted it to FEEL. I was more open I was able to be find myself being more creative and make something with some longevity. My experiments with drugs helped create a fresh sound and new perspective on boom bap, wavy sounds, 808s, and actual music. There's a reason why the intro to my album is a jazz record and it continues to feel like a wavy acid jazz club for the first quarter of the project.
How was the process of making Dark Flower Escape ?
The process of making DFE was a long one! I been writing this album since I was 19, I'm 21 now! I knew I had to create something with a perspective and narrative that can captivate a moment in time of how I feel and what it's like to be an abuser of the things you love most, lost and can never find again. I wrote like a handful of songs early 2016 and kept em for a while. Still just budding the idea of what I really wanted to say and get across.
I was actually gonna make another album, but I didn't like the name anymore. I recorded this record literally anywhere and any place I could. DIY OR DIE! bedroom, closets, homies studio set ups. Literally anywhere I could record I did. I got all the beats from producers I really rock with and rock with me.
It was a mutual exchange of creativity and the love of music that helped this thing be what it is , as well. It took me a while to write and record everything; but it was worth it. Funny thing is that a lot of the features were been done, but they all got sent last minute so we were rushing to mix em and fit em in lol so cool though. I love them features.
What are some of your favorite songs from the project and why?
Oh man! favorites songs gotta be PRESS PLAY, MISSION,FLOWERSMOON, PLSDONTHML, LOVE, & ALL I FEEL
How do you feel like you set yourself apart from other artists in California?
I set myself apart because I don't follow the clichés. Everyone wants to make YG type songs, make pop songs, follow the TDE formula and flow, or make airy acoustic rap pop. I decided to pave my own lane and ride all up in it. No traffic. I have a smooth sound with introspective lyrics, great 808s, groovy beats, and dope flows. I separate myself by being ME. I don't force a sound that isn't for me and force write a song. To me if I have to write something in order to be "on" then fuck that. I'm making music for the kids, for the people who don't know where they are gonna be in a couple years but have dreams. The odd balls the outcasts the recovered druggies. I make real music with the intent to heal the world. That's how I separate myself.
What are three things you want to accomplish with this project?
I want to accomplish:
1. A genuine fan base
2. Some of my fav underground artists to notice me.
3. To be recognized as a creative entity
"I started to make music from the soul and with the intent to inspire and shift the social norm on what was going on right in front of my face. Everyone goes through pain everyone will experience drugs, but what happens when you go overboard? What happens when drugs are your life? What happens when you have no one but yourself? You find a way and make a way to escape. "
In three ways, how do you want to revolutionize California music ?
The revolution of California's music is already here people jjst have to stop being lazy and actually listen. There's so much amazing music out there and people just need to keep a look out for it. But personally I'd revolutionize it by allowing it to be more musical again. To allow it to have more depth to it than just the regular turn up shit. That's what people kinda look at LA or the Bay as. Party towns with dance music. Also, nowadays all these SoundCloud lames are coming to the city and making the scene way more wack & copy & paste. Literally when all these super large rappers come into town and live here they influenced the way my people are approaching music. Stealing away the culture we already have, which is golden. I'd say the only way to revolutionize the music scene in California especially LA is to remember what we actually do, and why people come here. We are the most creative spot to be in. It's time to block out the others and grow with each other.
What are three things you want accomplish before you die?
I want to accomplish:
1. Meeting all my idols, kid cudi, tyler etc
2. Travel the world
3. Get my parents a house and have them set for life; they don't gotta work a day in their life again.
Follow Adam here and view his video for his single, "Mission" below