Artists to Watch: Get to Know SKMBJARRELL
SKMBJarrell aka SheKnowsMeByJarrell is a 25-year-old rapper from Berkeley, California. For SKMB, his vision in his music is that it should bring emotion out of people, good or bad. The Bay Area has a unique spirit and sound that is to be celebrated and embraced, while in tandem experimenting with new sounds. SKMBJarrell seeks to envelope a lighthearted vibe around everyone who comes across his music with hopes to inspire many more to chase their dreams while he’s on his own journey of self-discovery.
Gulie Carrington: Good afternoon and nice to see you! Where are you chatting with me from?
SKMB JARRELL: I’m in Fairfield California, near the Bay area, about an hour away from San Francisco and Sacramento.
GC: Nice, I’m coming to you from South Florida, namely Coconut Creek. I know you’ve been to Miami, and honestly, that’s all you need to see when you visit! So, I’ve got a few things I want to chat with you about so we can learn more about you. For starters, what got you into music?
SK: For me, it was my older cousin who introduced me to Rap specifically, and also a lot of old school jams like Earth, Wind and Fire. It was the emotion that provoked me to explore it more, the music that makes you bob your head or a lyric that floats above you in your mind long after you hear it- that made me want to give other people that experience with the pieces that I write.
SKMB explains that this, coupled with the support of his family was the catalyst that pushed him forward to create. Admittedly, getting their initial support proved to be a challenge, but his parents and two sisters was more than enough to give him the strength to continue on his path.
GC: Right on. What pushes you to move forward, and where do you get your inspiration and ideas?
SKMB: I believe it’s the emotion and exploring that. We all have our different perspectives; one person can listen to a song and think “this is dope!” and then I’ll listen, get inspired and say, “It’s time for me to go write” so even just hearing music motivates me to create. Live shows also provide an unparalleled level of energy that I can’t help but match on stage, I recall Kid Cudi radiating energy to the crowd, so every time I perform, that’s what I have in mind for what I’m trying to achieve.
GC: That’s awesome. Feeling the energy in a room during a live musical performance is something I’ve dearly missed, (as well as getting to see Kid Cudi of course). How would you describe the music you create? Are your projects thematic?
SKMB: No, not really. I’m still trying to find my own specific sound. I want to create fun, but timeless music. I want my more personal and emotional tracks to engage with it in a positive way, I want people slow dancing to my songs, listening in the car, vibin’ in your room, whatever makes you feel good!
GC: I love that! Speaking of vibes, tell me a bit about your creative process.
SKMB: I haven’t been routine based; I’ve always been free flowing. Back in high school, I would go to the library and just write. Actually, when I was getting on a schedule and trying to build a routine, I quickly realized how much of a detriment it was to my creativity. For me, it’s best to let things come naturally.
GC: Do you have a recent track in mind you can refer to in terms of your creative process? Tell me how that came about.
SKMB: One of my most recent projects is ‘Butterfly’, it’s currently unreleased- my roommate made the beat! It’s different, it’s more melodic which is perfect for me since I’m evolving and trying out new sounds. It’s the perfect signifier for change, this process of becoming a butterfly from a caterpillar.
GC: That’s beautiful! What or who is your dream collaboration?
SKMB: It has to be Pharrell. That Neptunes sound is crazy. There’s something to be said about how he is able to blend his sound with the artist’s sound and birth something totally unique, ear-catching and TIMELESS.
GC: Pharrell is the GOAT and I agree that sonically, he definitely has the Midas touch!
So, we’ve been in a pandemic for over a year, I’m curious how you’ve used the internet to your advantage and how it’s impacted you, and how you’ve seen others use it to their advantage, or disadvantage?
SKMB: The Internet can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it. A lot don’t know, me included, there is a bit of a learning curve where some get it naturally and others don’t. The internet is oversaturated with music, but the advantage is that everyone gets the opportunity to choose and now, artists can make a living off of their music when they couldn’t before. The artist has power now and people don’t even realize they have it and continue to chase label deals. If you’re talented, you can do it on your own instead of funneling it to machine who is going to try to profit off of you.
GC: I love that point you made and would love to add to it. A lot of artists excel on the internet because they put out more than just their music, they are putting their personality and humor out there as well and that’s what their audience is seeing and appreciating.
What’s the best advice you’ve received in regard to your career?
SKMB: “Be yourself.” The music I create is for people to get to know me, and the artists I identify with put their whole selves into their work and it makes me feel like I know them personally. For example, when 21 Savage first came on the scene, I wasn’t a fan, but once I started watching his interviews and got to know him, I thought he was so smart, and it made me appreciate his music. YOU are the product, so make sure you’re doing that with your music so you can connect to the people.
GC: What’s one message you want people to get from your music?
SKMB: I want to inspire people to do whatever they want to do. At the end of the day, life should be fun. From the beats I choose, to the lyrics I write, I want you to enjoy yourself.
GC: What a note to end on. Thank you so much! It’s shameless plug time! Tell me what you’ve got coming next.
SKMB: I’ve actually wanted to do some interviews, so this is great! I have a bunch of singles in the works, ‘Parade’ is going to drop very soon. I’m about to be creating a lot of content, freestyles, but right now my concentration is on the singles. I want to grow my fanbase, my streams, and complete my EP.
‘Butterfly’ coming out soon.
GC: I’ll be looking out for that one. Thanks for sitting down with me! It was great getting to know you.
Check out SKMB Jarrell on:
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