303live: Introduce yourself
Boonhamin: The names Boonhamin, skateboarder turned hip hop head. I started rapping about 14 years ago… Didn’t think much of it as a kid growing up, just thought it was cool freestyling at parties with all the homies…. As time went on, I invested in recording and dj equipment. Then I decided to start taking this party hobby a little further. My first show was with Slimkid3 of the hip hop group The Pharcyde. From there I started recording a bunch of songs with other hip hop artists and producers. Moved to Colorado and started a group called Observatory and ended it after our DJ (DJ Jimmy Hands) passed away two years after. After that, moved to Denver and started another hip hop collective called Are You Serious… We’ve recorded a few mixtapes, dropped a full length lp, and opened for some big names throughout the years. I have a few more projects coming soon with new producers and artists in the works. So, that’s my past in a nutshell… Where do we go from here?
Q1: How long have you been performing? Where are you from?
I’ve been doing shows for about 10 years… Originally from Minnesota and South Dakota… Moved to Colorado 7 years ago.
Q2: Explain your story behind your name.
Emcee name Boonhamin (Just acquired randomly) Group: Are You Serious (Came up with the name because we wanted to turn a phrase into a known name)
Q3: You have quite the collection of music videos, which is your favorite and why?
From the videos I’ve done… I’d say “Music” is my favorite… Shows the style of the people individually in the group
Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24tuFzlwpDk
Q4: Who are your most influential contemporaries and why?
As far as other artist that I look up to… Over the years I’ve developed my style after Aesop Rock, The Roots, Atmosphere, Wu-Tang, all the old school hip hop heads, The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, CL Smooth and all the classics.
Q5: What was most memorable about opening for Macklemore?
Playing with Macklemore was definitely a cool experience, him and Ryan Lewis are down to Earth people. I’m proud of how far they have come and especially doing it independently.. (quite the accomplishment)
Q6: What’s next for you?
Whats next for me? I have a couple mixtapes about to come out and a new Are You Serious album in the works… You can always check out www.areyouserious.net for new releases.
Q7: What advice would you give to another young artist?
Advice for other artists…. “Change the game, don’t let the game change you.” Always find excitement in what you do… If you lose passion or focus, take a break… Just like anything else in this world, if you don’t enjoy doing it… What’s the point?
