10 Questions with Nikko Gray(@nikkogray) ~ /./
Where’d you grow up, and how has that influenced your sound?
I grew up in England and Holland . I guess it’s a combo of being exposed to a variety of different music from the surrounding countries, and my mother’s knowledge of music that influenced me the most early on in life . I gravitated towards soul type stuff when I was about 6 or 7 . But i’ve always listened to everything and relate to it all on different levels. We’re all multidimensional so why not?
What category would you place yourself in musically?
Love Music . (see above)
How did you meet Afta-1, and what’s it like working with him?
I met Afta-1 through Imani Waddy (founder of Gas’d and Pronounced Love collective) . There was all this hype about his music and I at first hadn’t even considered working with him, as I’d only heard Aftathoughts and felt like ‘why/how would anyone even sing over this’?. I was just excited to meet a friend of Imani’s cause Imani and I were so close, I figured Afta would be hella cool too. So we drove down to his house in MoVal and he played us some new stuff he was working on at the time (namely ‘Marvelous Magical Jackobious Son (A Sweaterless Suite)’) and my jaw literally dropped! I was trippin! Then he played a rough version of what would become ‘ESP (A Four Page Suite)’ . . . and asked if I’d want to sing on it.
This was right around the same time I’d started working on Love Seen with Nevin Thomas . Nev and Afta grew up together. We spend the entire summer together just sitting in on each others sessions and hanging out. Every sunday we’d have a Jam sesh at DJ Gabe Real’s studio in Pomona . It was Afta, Speak (on the drums), Gabe, Pheo, CJ, sometime Dmn Slyr and KenBts would drop by, or whomever was around that was musical . I learned so much from those sessions . And I’ve learned even more from Afta. . . just seeing how he creates, makes mistakes, and re creates, was really dope to me . That summer was really dope . I learned a lot .
What’s the meaning behind the title of the EP “Love Letters From Yellow”?
It’s a very long story/place/person/concept/theme/color/song etc.
How do you make each project representative of you as an artist?
I have the hardest time doing things I don’t want to do when it comes to music. I’m learning that more and more everyday. So I suppose thats how.
Love seems to be a dominant theme in your music, what is your definition of love?
Everything .
What would you like your music to say to other people
I guess what I’d needed to hear for a while… that it’s just art. So don’t trip.
How did the Log.Os collective come about?
I met Kenneth Barrientos during the time we were having those jam sessions. I remember he came to DJ Gabe Real’s studio and played us the final mix of “Level”s by Bilal which he co-produced. He’s so quiet I had no idea he made such amazing music! He invited me to work on some stuff and briefly explained the project to me. Then we just started recording whenever I could make it down to the studio. Each time, he’d play some new stuff that he’d been working on with Iman Omari, and I was blown away. I actually didn’t even meet Iman until the entire project was finished! We always joke about that being a conspiracy… I wasn’t sure Iman was a real person for a while! hahah
Are there any producers or artists that you want to work with in the future?
Absolutely! But I have no clue who they are. I feel very greatful for the producers I’ve been working with so far. I used to have a list of people I’d hoped to be able to work with someday, but now I really don’t feel that way. 80% of the music I listen to is created by the people I’m making music with. Its amazing!
Are you working on anything in particular at the moment?
Yes… I’ve just begun demoing new stuff for new material. EP’s are on their way very soon.
thank u 4 thee opportunity to accomplish this! hope all is well in ur universe queen ~ peace.
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NIKK❍ GR▲Y .www.NikkoGray.comwww.TriangleCircleTriangleSquare.com
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The Inner City's Cliche 
Reblogged this on Pumps and Roses and commented:
Great interview introducing another audience to a really cool artist.
thnk u queen ~
Anytime.