What’s Brewing with Brandon Vee

By Maiya Sinclair

Spiritual, Intentional, Funky, Groovy and Real are all words I would use to describe the music and vibes that Brand Vee makes. He hails out of Brooklyn, New York but finds himself an Orlando, Florida Transplant of the last 6 years.

Brandon’s musical journey begins rooted in jazz and classical composers with Bach being one of his favorites. As a child he would listen to this music on his cassio that he describes as dark and having the ability to paint beautiful vivid pictures. He finds his music career coming full circle as he’s started weaving his lyricism into his music and incorporating live instruments. He now finds that he’s in control and creating music from a place where he should have been creating from all along.

Being that he is one of five children and the middle child, he has found that it has made him more observant. Growing up he described himself as an anti-social nerd. He didn’t really like school or people but realized that he was able to express himself in poetry. During his childhood he thought he wanted to be a stuntman, a pilot, and lastly a doctor. As any adult knows, trying to figure out your life’s purpose can be difficult. When his mom stepped in to help, she told him that he would be confined to his room until he could figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. After sometime in his room he rushes out and tells his mom he wants to be a rapper. His mom was shocked but was supportive. That’s when he decided that music would no longer be a hobby but something that he would take seriously and put his all into.

These seeds inspired him to record “Java Love”, which at its core, critiques the way Black Women are treated by society. He at first considered making the song political and a way to critique the state of society amid the George Floyd protests, but instead he wanted to discuss when did Black People ever get a break from all of that. He used “Java Love” as a way to give us a break from struggling and protesting to get some fresh air and feel some joy and love.

Being a rapper is not all there is to Brandon Vee, he is a girls dad and that has been very fulfilling as it has allowed him to tap fully into his Divine Feminine Energy. He says his daughters have taught him how to be mindful not only to how he parents and treats them but also how he creates music. He makes clean music (cursing/swearing free) He now creates music with them in mind so they can listen to his music with him.

One of the most poignant statements he made was “As an artist you can only reflect from the place that you are currently in.” The music that he makes now is very indicative that he has evolved beyond one of the darkest periods in his life. After experiencing a car accident he states that there is a part of him that died. Who the world sees him as right now is after rebirth and new life.The car crash was the breaking point. It showed him that he couldn’t control everything. Deciding to surrender after experiencing a life threatening car accident, Brandon decided to create “the Coldest Winter” where he explored his trauma that led him to a path of healing. Evolving from this place has played a tremendous role in the type of music that he makes. He has transformed mentally, physically and spiritually as he states, “I wear my spirituality Outward. I bring it with me everywhere. It is important that people feel something with my music. I don’t preach my beliefs but I plant seeds.”

These seeds inspired him to record “Java Love,” which at its core, critiques the way Black Women are treated by society. He at first considered making the song political and a way to critique the state of society amid the George Floyd protests, but instead he wanted to discuss when did Black People ever get a break from all of that. He used “Java Love” as a way to give us a break from struggling and protesting to get some fresh air and feel some joy and love.

When thinking about the social climate of the world and the George Floyd Protests he says that we should “Just Be A Good Person.” With love being at the center of his work and his life, Brandon describes that he’s had Malcom and Martin moments. He realizes that the differences between the two got smaller as they grew in age. He believes in both systemic change as well as accountability. He doesn’t quite want to put it in his music because he’s still learning and bearing witness to what is taking place in the world.

With a new album coming in March, Brandon Vee has amazing things on the horizon. After completing a show with Lion Babe he has many things to look forward to. “Hopefully I can bring something new into people’s lives. If it’s not my music, maybe it’s my spirituality or my choice to consciously parent. I want you to keep an open mind. Love first and always use Love as your north star and a foundation for how you show up in the world.”

It is important that people feel something with my music.