Photo via Phif
It’s no secret that hip hop is the flashiest of musical genres. Whether you want to call them flexes, stunts, or any other slang for boastful bars, they appear in abundance in contemporary rap. On the flip side, when an artist can tell you his or her story without telling you what they spend their money on, it connects much more to the average listener. That’s the case for Phif, who brings you into his world on his latest EP, Eastside.
Phif hasn’t released a solo project since 2018’s Beautiful Nightmare, but has maintained a presence within the city’s hip hop scene. That time away from the microphone was necessary, though, to live out transformative experiences that would ultimately comprise the material for Eastside. Phif’s sincerity comes out in the reflective bars that bring in opener “5AM Stretch.” By follow up track, “Me7o,” Phif is back to full form.
“It’s been a while. I have a lot to write about. I have a lot of music compiled from the past few years” said Phif. “This EP is about life situations. It’s about the things that I was going through, and the place that I was in. It’s more personal.”
No matter what type of music someone makes, it isn’t easy to put autobiographical material out to the world. In hip hop, especially, any semblance of vulnerability can be mistaken for weakness. For Phif, however, it is a challenge that he both revels in and succeeds at overcoming.
“As a man, it’s kind of tough to be vulnerable regardless” said Phif. “Then you add to the fact that hip hop isn’t the most vulnerable sport. It’s usually flashy, who’s the best, things of that nature. So when you take the time to put yourself into opening up and showing your supporters your life and what you’re going through, it just makes for a better experience. It just feels more real.”
|
|
The artists surrounding Phif have their own stories to tell, but the atmosphere created by the clique helps projects like Eastside come together. Rappers Mo’City, PaperStacks, Peez, C’zo, and Dassolo are all closely woven together, and that shows as the crew celebrates one another’s successes.
“I look at all of them as family” said Phif. “It’s a great feeling to have people so close to you with similar interests. You’re all pushing each other be the best that you possibly can be in what seems like an impossible chase. It’s not about the money, though I think we all want that. We just love to make music, so we try to make each other better.”
That creative environment has helped Phif develop plenty of music. In addition to the most recent release, he currently has another pair of follow-up projects recorded. More information about those bodies of work and visuals from this EP will be coming soon. Eastside is currently available on all streaming services.
