We are excited to bring this interview to our readers. It has been some time since our last Spotlight Feature and we are back and better. As you know with the Rooted Minds Blog, part of our mission is to shed light on the Emerging Music Scene and the creatives making a way for themselves. We've been introduced to someone who is building his empire and using speed to get it done. So without further ado, let's get to know Sonick.
Tommy Cunningham, better known by his stage name Sonick, is an American recording artist from the city of Milwaukee. He is best known for his fast speed of rapping and for being known as a silent killer by way of performance. Sonick hopes to one day hold the title of fastest rapper, much like his biggest inspiration, Twista, did in 1992. (To beat this he will have to top at least 598 syllables in 55 seconds!) As an artist Sonick, is coming for his spot in Hip Hop culture with his latest single "Baggin!" The song is an artist introduction and description of mindset during his recent move to Phoenix, Arizona.
Sonick The UnderDawg’s “The Boss” single is coming out this Fall. It’s just the latest in his long list of quality records following his album “Lyfe through Lyrics.”
This new single will be his first studio roll out since touching down in the desert and its only available through an exclusive link (below) until it’s hard launch in October.
Sonick plans to introduce himself by sending out this track and gearing up to collaborate with new west coast faces. Bringing speed rapping and his midwest vibe to Arizona has made him stand out among the local scene! His speed and flow are reflective of the most distinctive and memorable styles used in music history like Twista, Sonic the Hedgehog, and more. Sonick’s records tell stories about mentality, stature and willingness to be determined. You can put his music on your “get ready for work” or “gym” playlists.
Stats:
Words Per Min: About 500
Youtube Subscribers: 25
Instagram Followers: 1.3k
Spotify Listeners: 118
Enjoy an exclusive listen to Sonick's "The Boss" available here for a limited time only.
Here's our Interview with Sonick:
Rooted Minds: How did you find your flow as a rapper? Have you always had a quicker flow, or did you practice to gain your speed?
Sonick: Honestly, the speed has always been in me. I can remember being a kid and reciting every word of Busta Rhymes', "Break Yo Neck". The real challenge was with rapping Twista's "Mr. Tung Twista" though. When it came time for me to fulfill my destiny, ...my style, flow and name kinda just fell into my lap.
Rooted Minds: How long does it take you to memorize your lyrics?
Sonick: It really depends off the song. If it's a song where the verses are moderately slow paced then maybe a day or two. But for something like "Boss" where it's a rapid fire flow throughout, then maybe 3 or 4 days.
Rooted Minds: What advice would you give to a young artist looking to grow as a "fast rapper"?
Sonick: My advice to the young bulls coming up wanting to tung twist is to remain yourself. A lot of times people will tell you to slow it down but let the lyrics come how they come. If the wordplay and patterns are on point, they'll rewind to catch what they missed.
Rooted Minds: You really found a way to connect with your new community by releasing your music in a down to earth way. How did you come up with this pre release plan? Do you think this release technique sets you apart from other artists?
Sonick: Sending out personal releases before launch has always been my way of promoting my music. I know that this industry we're in is about building and maintaining relationships. So with my technique, it's about standing on a common love and making products accessible for the ones that rock with me. Only time will tell whether it sets me apart from the opposition.
Rooted Minds: In the song “Boss” you are quite confident. How did you gain this confidence as a rapper? Is it hard knowing that the present day music industry is probably the most competitive, since many people can become so called “sound cloud rappers”
Sonick: Not at all. Getting recognized is hard no matter what industry you're in, but that's just me. I've always been confident in whatever I do. "Boss" was just one of those records where I had to re-establish myself in a city where almost no one knows me. It's like, even though I'm starting over in a new city, I'm not starting over as an artist. Music is competitive but no matter how many competitors there are, I'm coming for top rank.
Rooted Minds: What do you want the people of Arizona to know about you?
Sonick: I want listeners in Arizona to know that I'm more than just a Rapper. I'm an entertainer, a businessman, a strategist. I was put here to make people who feel like they can't, know that they can. Even when the odds are stacked against you there's ways to push past any obstacle.
Rooted Minds: Who are your biggest musical influences outside of Twista? Who did you grow up listening to.
Sonick: Besides Twista, I listened to No Limit, Pac, Big, Jay...the list goes on. You can say that they had an influence on my music. Growing up I was exposed to many different genres of music, mainly R&B. Which I think helps add to my creativity.
Rooted Minds: Favorite song by Twista?
Sonick: If I had to choose ONE it'll probably be "Overdose". That's the first joint that jumps out to me. Or any song from his album "Kamikaze".
Rooted Minds: Favorite song to perform live? Hardest song to perform live?
Sonick: My favorite song to perform would be "Roof Off" because it's the first song that got me noticed in my city (Milwaukee). Which is ironic, because it's also the hardest song to perform. Only because it's one of the first songs I recorded as a solo artist but I never got a performance version made. And I HATE performing over vocals, so I do it without any. You can imagine the difficulty of tung twisting a whole song with no hype man or backing vocals. It's pretty intense.
Rooted Minds: What is the biggest lesson you've learned so far navigating the music industry?
Sonick: Biggest lesson I've learned is that not everyone has your best interests at heart so watch who you have managing your business and accounts. If you're gonna bet on anybody make sure it's YOURSELF. Don't give up, you got it. 🖤✊🏾💯
Interview Conducted by Mary Violet, Zera Mingo and Dom Root for Rooted Minds Blog
#Hustle (Official Music Video) - Sonick
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Website http://www.sonickmusic.com/
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Peep our last feature with Rozotadi
More about Dom Root
I am from Inglewood, California, currently working in Phoenix, Arizona as a Sound Engineer (Live, Recording, and Mixing). I am a Music Producer and Creative Artist looking to build portfolio and for live performance opportunities. I graduated from Arizona State University studying Creative Writing and Philosophy. I later studied audio production technologies at Mesa Community College, before taking on more freelance work.
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