EXPLORING THE PHENOMENON OF MECHIE SO CRAZY

Artist Mechie So Crazy gives insight into his creativity in his sit-down with Bleu.

DJ Chalant

Bleu: You released your debut EP just last month, what was the creative journey like for you from start to finish with that?

Mechie: It was actually super dope. This was the first EP that I have ever put out throughout my career. It’s always been single after single after single, so this one was pretty much like my baby. I connected with a guy named K Major, who’s produced a lot of Jacquees, Usher, Future, Chris Brown… also OG Parker is on there too. And it was just a creative process. We would go to a studio, just vibe out, play beats, and we really created everything from scratch. Maybe one or two songs are already completed so we just had to add verses, but everything else was literally made from scratch. I literally had my hand in pretty much everything from the whole creative process, picking out the beats, to the writing process. It was just a vibe man, it was just super dope to actually get the chance to show all of my talents in all different genres of music because I got Afrobeats on there, I got hip-hop on there, I got R&B on there, so it was just super dope to not box myself in and just be completely creative and open.

Bleu: I’m glad that you said that, talking about the different genres, because the next thing that I wanted to ask was what do you hope the aesthetic journey will be for your listeners from the first track to the last? What do you want them to hear? What do you want them to see? What do you want them to feel while they’re listening to the entire EP?

Mechie: Really just the emotions that I felt you know?! Like I’m a crazy guy, I’m super dope and I’m a lover you know what I mean, so I wanted to convey that. I didn’t want to just box myself in, I didn’t want to just do all R&B because I’m not just an all R&B guy, you know I mean? I like going to the club, I like turning up, I like rap music, you know what I mean. I like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and you know, I love all of these types of music, and I feel like I would be doing a disservice to just put one type of genre on my project, when I’m capable of doing everything, you know what I mean. And when people listen to it, I just want them to just go with the motion, just go with how it makes you feel you know, because that’s what I look for. As soon as something come on, I’ll be like “Oh fuck, this about to do, is about to go somewhere” you know what I mean, like, that’s what I look for. No matter if it’s a club song, or an R&B song, whatever type of song it is, when you press play on it, it’s either going to be some anticipation, so you’re gonna be like “Shit, hold on, I gotta see where this goes”. Or is it going to be immediate like “Oh my god, dang, this fire”, you know what I mean. But I want that mystery there, I want people to actually listen and be like “he can do everything”. That’s what I want people to listen to, and actually take from it.

Bleu: Nice, And I thought that you said your music is fitting from the dance floor to the bedroom, or even just to write out to, and you talked about having all those different genres as a part of your EP. What about those genres inspire you? And then how would you describe your signature sound and style in all of that?

Mechie: Yeah, well, I rapped before I sang, so I always listen to hip-hop music. I always listen to rap music, and I started my career off being a club host, so I would host the clubs and actually play my song while I’m hosting it. So the club environment and me turning up it’s always just gonna be me, you know what I mean, so I had to convey that. Because even when people see me in social media or whatever, or out and about, they see I’m lit, you know what I mean, so I don’t want you to see me being a lit guy, and then being like “eyy, that’s two different people,” you know what I mean. That’s not me, you know? And when it comes to the Afromusic man, that’s just like, all of that stuff it just makes you feel so good, it just makes you feel amazing, it just makes you dance, move... I mean, just the soundtracks alone, when they come on, it just makes you move, you know, just like Wizkid’s Essence, if that song just plays with the beat, you’re gonna still black out to it, you know what I mean? Because not too much has to be said, you know, and that’s what I love about that, that’s what I love about that type of music, and when it comes to the R&B, it’s like I’m a nasty dude man, it’s just like I love women, I love being intimate, I love being physical, so I had to convey that, like, I had to do that.

Bleu: Yeah, I like it, you’re right about that afrobeats, I don’t even know who the artist is, I think it’s called Calm Down or something like that…

Mechie: Yeah, it’s the [sings] “Baby come down.”

Bleu: Yeah, that’s it!

Mechie: Man listen, it’s just the instruments. I don’t even know what it is, it just makes you feel good. But it shows that too, when you look into their videos and stuff that people do over in Ghana, and all of these places. They’re all just like, no matter their circumstances, they dance, they get up, they’re happy, and it makes them feel good, you know what I mean? So that’s how it makes me feel, you know what I mean. I’m pretty sure that’s how it makes everybody feel, so I had to put that in there. I’m the type of guy… like, the type of music that I like to listen to, I make, you know what I mean. I’m going to make some stuff that I would listen to. I’m not going to sit here and do songs that I wouldn’t press play on myself you know what I mean. So if I stamp this, I know everybody is going to stamp it too, because it’s what I love to do.

Bleu: I like it. And this is kind of like, not a factor for me, or surprising or anything, but I had actually after I got the email from Alicia, I was like “I know him, where do I know him from.” I don’t know what you call it, like those Snapchat channels that are at the bottom, like nobody you actually follow or subscribe to on Snapchat, but there will always be a channel of you, and I was like “Oh, that’s where I know him from”.

Mechie: It would always pop up on the main page with everybody.

Bleu: Yeah!

Mechie: It’s like a For You Page for Snapchat, if that makes sense.

Bleu: Yeah, yeah, that’s it. That’s exactly it. So since we know that you sing now, what motivates you to pursue music in the way that you do.

Mechie: Just being a kid, and hearing music and it actually making me feel something, you know. That’s what it all comes down to. You know, when I was a kid, when I was about 10 years old, I first started when I was singing in the church choir. I always would dance, I always just had like the groove, you know what I mean. I never knew exactly how to dance, and choreography and things like that. Even when it comes to singing, weather it’s my peers or people that I’m dealing with business wise. So I’m finally free to the point where I can do whatever I want, drop music whenever I want, and I have no restraints. So now, this is the time to really go 100 with the music, because everything else, like I said, the opportunities keep knocking. So, while those are there, this is what I really really love. So I want to kind of nurture it and take it where it needs to be before I step out, because if you give everything 30%, nothing is going to be 100%, so I want to give something my all, and this is that.

I really didn’t know how to sing, but I could sing, I just had a voice. You know, a lot of people, well everybody got a voice, but not everybody knows how to sing, you know I mean. Everybody can hold a note, but not everybody can sing. That actually came and developed over time, me getting into a group, and getting vocal lessons, and then I started to realize I didn’t know what harmony was. I started to learn harmony, runs and riffs, and things like that. And the same way when it comes to dancing, we had a choreographer, and that just tapped into so many different things about my artistry. So I always was this guy, like I always was this artist, I always was the life of the party, the guy that wants to have fun, the “Ladies Man,” like I always was that person. I always was that guy, even when it comes to TV and entertainment. I never was a guy that people saw like, you know what, I see you being a teacher or being a doctor… no one ever said that about me growing up. A lot of people used to say “I don’t know what you’re going to do, but you’re going to have a lot of money, because I can feel it”. Or they’ll be like, “man you know what? You’re going to be an entertainer, or you’re going to be famous, or you’re going to be this, or that…” Like, that was always kind of like people’s opinion about me, and once I got older I kind of started to see it for myself. And that’s when I kind of took the initiative to stop everything else, and just really pursue it because people are not going to lie to you. If everybody says the slope is high, I’m not going to go over there and touch it, because they say it’s high.

Bleu: It makes sense.

Mechie: Everybody just says it is, so let me go ahead and give it a shot, so that’s what it came down to.

Bleu: Right. And with that, you mentioned the TV shows, so we’ve seen you go from social media sensation to reality show, and now you’re creating your own space in this next wave of new music. How have those transitions been, or have they been transitions, because you just said those are still things that you would still be working on, but how has it been jumping from that to the next level?

Mechie: There have definitely been transitions, because when you get fans, they know you for why they’re there. If I got fans from TV, they know me for TV, if I got it from YouTube, they know me for YouTube, if I got it from a relationship, they know me from a relationship. So, everything is always a transition because I’m getting fans from so many different places, and not just one space. So I always have to reintroduce “Hey look, I do this too” or “Hey look, I do this too”. So I started with music, from when I was in a group and touring with Mindless Behavior, Jacob Latimore, Diggy Simmons, OMG Girls, Trevor Jackson, all the young stars, so that’s where I started from. So my core fanbase, they know me for music. But then you have different races and ethnicities that watch MTV, so now I got the caucasian community, the asian community, all the different ethnicities, that’s liking me for “Oh he’s a TV personality”, “Oh he’s a sex symbol” “Oh he’s this or he’s that”…so you always have to transition in some type of way. Even in music, if I’m doing R&B now, but I want to do a hip-hop album, I might have to make a transition to letting them know “You know I want to be respected for this too now, so I have to figure this out”. I feel like that’s the reason why I put everything on that same project, to make that transition more smooth. Because a lot of people have already seen from my last singles that, it’s R&B, I sing and dance, but I do so much more, so it’s always going to be a transition, but I feel like I handle it pretty cool, and everything happens at the right time, everything is on God’s timing, so there are no mistakes. The transitions are happening the way they’re supposed to.

Bleu: I think it’s crazy that you mentioned Jacob Latimore, because he is literally the last interview I had before you.

Mechie: Oh dope!

Bleu: He was our last cover, and he’s the last person I interviewed before you. Yeah he was cool, and he gave my friend a shoutout because she’s obsessed with him. And I was like “I think you’re too old for him, but I’ll get him to say your name”. So you just gave the world your debut EP, but what can we expect on the horizon from you in the near future, well, throughout the rest of 2023.

Bleu: Makes sense. I was supposed to be a doctor, and look at me, I’m a magazine editor.

Mechie: It’s just what comes natural, man, what comes natural to you. What comes natural and feels good, that’s what it came down to for me. Basketball was something that I always loved to do. I played college ball, things like that, but it was never my love, it was just a passion of mine, something I was good at. But, just entertaining, it just came naturally. Especially with certain teachers, it just came naturally.

Bleu: I like it. And we’re going to jump down to one of these other questions, because what you’ve said, just took me into it. Outside of music, what other passions or projects do you have going on?

Mechie: I’ve done TV shows, like Ex On The Beach, The Challenge things like that. A lot of TV shows continuously reach out to me, so that’s something that I’m going to tap into as well, along with pushing this EP more and more, because, the bigger that you get in one lane, a lot of other doors and opportunities open up for you. So, really the focus is pushing this EP, because everything else it’s just going to happen from that. It’s just going to trickle down you know? I’ve modeled before, I’ve done shoots before, as far as for magazines and things like that, so modeling is never out of the picture, acting is not out of the picture, TV shows are not out of the picture. Everything is there, everything is just about timing, it’s about the right time. And for right now, it’s a time for me to actually put my imprint when it comes to the music, because it’s always been there, but, there’s always been some obstacle that I need to get over, weather it’s within myself, or

Mechie: Tour. I’ve been pitched for a lot of tours, coming up with a lot of different mainstream artists, but also putting together my own. This is a year for me to feed my core fanbase, that’s like everybody. You have 500,000 followers but maybe 100,000 would be there, and really be supporters. Maybe less. Social media is nothing but nosey people. I’m trying to feed my actual fans, the people that are actually going to press play, not all the rest of the people that just think I look good, this is the year that I actually feed my fans. And actually get up close and personal with them, so doing more tours, more spot days, more events. Just really showing more face, especially after the years we had with covid, where we couldn’t really touch people. So now, this is a year for me to touch the people. That’s what this whole year is about. It’s about touching the people that have been there rocking with me.

Bleu: Okay, and you mentioned you’re going on tour with other artists. Can you say who they are yet?

Mechie: I mean, I hadn’t solidified those yet, so I don’t want to sell one before it’s time.

Bleu: And I don’t want you to.

Mechie: But it’s a lot of dope female and male artists that’s touring this year, that by the grace of God I’ll be opening up for, so we’ll see.

Bleu: And what do you want fans to know about you that they might not already know, or anything that we haven’t already discussed since we’ve been having this conversation?

Mechie: Oh that’s a difficult one. Something that they don’t already know? I’m a pretty open guy. I don’t think it’s something that they don’t already know, but I want them to know that I’m really appreciative of the support that I’ve been getting in the past and currently. And I’m going to keep putting my foot on their necks. That’s pretty much it.

Bleu: Alright, that was actually all that I had. Is there anything that you want to share that we might not have touched on...

Mechie: No, I think this is cool. I appreciate it, I appreciate it, for sure.