Benny Okoto -Interview [July 2022]

The Hip-hop genre has an enormous fanbase and the music and artist are also significant in number but among them, Benny Okoto is a popular name. He is a rising star in the music industry. We were grateful enough to have him and he answered some of our questions and tells us about his journey in the music industry and give hints about his vision for the future. So stay with us till the end and learn about the rising star of the music industry.

What are your legal name and your artist name?
Benny Okoto.

How old are you?
I am 28.

Where are you from and where are you currently based?
Raleigh, North Carolina.

What genre do you consider your music?
Hip-Hop/Rap, Soul, RnB, Soultrap, Alternative Rock, Indie Pop,, Afrobeat, African Highlife, Electronic, etc.

What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
The sonics and when the lyrics of the song can represent a timestamp in life or get you through difficult times.

What got you into music and who or what inspired you to make it?
I have always been around music listening to it passively. I was always intrigued by the sonics especially when I would ride in my mom’s car and pieces of the Rumours album by Fleetwood Mac would play on the radio. I wondered how another human or group of humans could craft such sounds. It wasn’t until I first heard “Touch The Sky” by Kanye West ft. Lupe Fiasco’s video on BET’s 106 Park that me really start envisioning hip-hop as multi-dimensional and not just about the streets, drug dealing, and taking advantage of women. The video, sonics/instrumentation, and Lupe’s verse had a profound impact on my decision to start making music. Later in middle school, I started to write poems and in high school, I decided to pick up a mic and turn those poems into raps on beats.

Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Jay-Z, Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks), Lil Wayne, Pink Floyd, Whitney Houston. There’s more I listen to a wide array of artists, bands, and musicians and pull from it all. Their authenticity to themselves and dedication to their craft is the reason why I do what I do now. Jay’s and Wayne’s confidence and presence on a track whenever you heard what they released you could feel it it almost teetered on the edge of arrogance but you need that if you make hip-hop/rap music. Ye’s ingenuity, creativity, bravado, and production. Lupe’s intricacy in verses rhyme, metaphors, and similes. Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd are the sonics really. Whitney’s voice and vocal range were just so pure don’t think we’ll see another like her for real.

Which instrument is your favorite to play and why?
The piano. I grew up learning to play it but it wasn’t really until I started composing my own music that I really found its use. Every instrument I think is based on its scales so if you know it transitioning to other instruments or incorporating them is almost seamless.

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Yea I play sports like soccer (soccer is my favorite) and basketball in my spare time. I also program in many different languages HTML, CSS, Javascript, C/C++, Java, Kotlin, etc as well as develop apps and software. I have familiarity with hardware (microcontrollers) such as the Texas Instruments MSP series and Arduino. Not too good at working with these but would love to work on more projects with them in the future. I love the computer and technology so anything related to this realm I thoroughly enjoy. Also, cinematography, photography, and videography are interests of mine. Physical art such as painting and sculptures, and surrealism has always been my favorite style.

Describe your favorite part about being a musician.
The process. One day or time you may catch lightning in a bottle so to speak where the feeling is captured instantaneously and then other days are arduous. They both serve their purposes. The process for me is ever-changing once I either experiment or learn how other musicians are doing what they do in order to create what they create.

Describe your creative process when you write new music
Really depends on how I’m feeling, what the song may require, how the instrumentation is structured, or what feeling I want to convey. It’s ever-changing really, never set.

Which skills have you gained that help you perform effectively as a musician?
Imagine the crowd in their underwear. Nah, I’m joking practice. They say repetition is the father of learning. The more you have failed in life or at what you love doing or anything really. The better you will eventually become if you don’t accept that you will stay where you are currently.

Which qualities do you think to make a musician great?
Can your music get someone through difficult times? Can your music be the soundtrack to someone’s night, day, year, or life? Can your music be the point of access to memories both good and bad? I think that’s what makes a musician great.

Is there another musician you’ve mentored or trained? Describe what you’ve done to help them.
Well my collective T$A has worked with many musicians and they have helped me evolve and I have them. We just provide a ground where we let the creativity flow freely. I take that approach in every creative room I step into.

Have you ever participated in any music competitions? Did you win any prizes?
Nah, not really.

Describe your favorite venue for performing.
Not a physical place but packed out, people vibing, raging, cooling, having the time of their lives whatever that may mean for them.

What is your most recent song?
“Private Dance” is my recent song the genre of the song is hip-hop & rap.

What is your favorite song you’ve made?
My favorite is” Ever Told”.

Do you have any weaknesses that you’re actively working to improve on?
The recording process. I want to get to and complete an idea quicker.

What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
My production and songwriting.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I want to collaborate with “Cleo Sol”.

What is your main goal in your music career?
As far as I can go with this whatever that may be.

What is one message you would give to your fans?
Thanks to anyone and everyone that has ever pressed play on one of my tracks, means more than you know. More coming stay tuned.

Check Out Benny Okoto

Thank you very much Benny Okoto for sharing the experience of your music carrier and we wish you to be more successful ahead. And of course, everyone feels free to listen to him and it’s guaranteed that you are going to be a fan of him. Once again thank you very much Benny Okoto.