Interview With ELITE FOR Band
ELITE FOR is a trio of masked performers with an incredible live backing band. Their passionate drive to CREATE has blended Hip-Hop and R&B with well-crafted Electronic synths. Retro vibes taken from the 80s and 90s are represented to the fullest, as their music invokes the nostalgia we have all grown to love. We are sharing our recent interview with the band here.
Twist Online : Please introduce yourself to the readers and how and when did you first get into music?
ELITE FOR : We are ELITE FOR, the illest rap and r&b nerds this side of the planet. We’ve been into music for as long as we can remember. Our first release ever was in July 2016 with our self-titled track “Elite For” and at 8k+ plays, we’re just getting started.
Twist Online : Our readers will like to know about your band members and their responsibility in band?
ELITE FOR : The 90s called and ELITE FOR answered. The music consists of many sounds, but currently we’ve been rockin’ to the tunes mainly produced by Izzy Man, who’s been featured on Talib Kweli’s Blacksmith Community Mixtape in 2010, and warmed up the stage at the Roots Picnic 2012 for Macklemore, Naughty By Nature, Solange, and The Roots. The tracks are co-produced and written by former battle rap emcee and nationally accredited slam poet Danny Zenith. The songs are also written and composed by nationally renowned opera and R&B singer On-Ki, bringing smooth nostalgia back into trap rap, and we’re all responsible for making music that speaks planets.
Twist Online : Any particular reason for wearing masks during performance?
ELITE FOR : So far, the masks are something we’ve been doing in our music videos to make them more theatrical and express ourselves in a non-human way. We want people to rock with us because they like the music, not because of what we look like or what we’re wearing, things like that. We want fans to be about the music and not whether or not we look like what a rapper or singer should look like. It also opens and frees us to do any and all sorts of music. It literally pushes us to create freely.
Twist Online : Tell us about your recently released song?
ELITE FOR : “ELITE FOR” is not only our band name, it’s also our anthem. “What you elite for?” is a mantra of sorts. It’s like asking yourself why you strive to be successful. What drives you to become one of the elite? It also represents our ascendance from where we came from. We were all separate artists and now we’ve come together to create something we thought impossible. We’re all really proud of the music we’ve been able to create as it’s pushed all of us to be the very best that we never were.
Twist Online : You performed all over NYC. Any particular performance that’s unforgettable?
ELITE FOR : Our inaugural show was at “Skillosophy” at Livestream HQ in Brooklyn. It was an event that brought multi-dimensional artists together, so we were surrounded by visuals, paintings, photographers, and other musicians. It was our first show ever and we ended up opening for Hip-Hop legend Pete Rock. That was a great night that unified our thoughts of wanting to push music forward while paying respects to the forefathers and mothers of hip-hop, R&B, and soul that came before us.
Twist Online : Are you inspired by someone in the music industry?
ELITE FOR : On the production side, we’re heavily influenced by a Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Nujabes, and Pharrell Williams. We just absolutely love the seamless amalgamation of old jazz samples with new electronic sounds with the soul of rap. We use these same principals when creating jams laced with Gameboy sounds, Super Nintendo samples, and Saturday morning cartoon lyrics. On the writing and composing side, we love the rhythms and poetry of Busta Rhymes, Aesop Rock, and MF Doom, with a hint of that smooth-side with Childish Gambino and Kehlani.
Twist Online : Are you influenced by any particular music genre?
ELITE FOR : We’re influenced by a vast array of styles. If it’s dope, we’re listening. Maybe not Country music as much… but there is a place for everything. We grew up listening to Metal, Techno, Rap, Pop, Classical, and everything in between. If it gets our minds moving we’re influenced by it.
Twist Online : Are you working on any new project?
ELITE FOR : We are set to drop our first album, the “HM EP” in January.
It will be a digital release, available on iTunes and Spotify. We have tons of videos and tracks on the horizon, and we’re probably dropping a few before the year is over. Keep a look out for it at www.elitefor.com as well! Thanks for vibing with us!
