Mally Black talks new album, inspirations

Twenty-one-year-old Richmond-based rapper Kemal “Mally Black” Davis said he has been dropping rhymes for as long as he can remember, but it wasn’t until recently he became serious about it.

“Rapping was something I was always passionate about,” Davis said. “I would just start spitting all the time whenever I was with anyone.”

Davis is currently working on his upcoming album, “40 Mondaze,” set to release on Dec. 5.

Davis said he has an extensive support system of friends which has been essential in his work and where he sees himself going in the new critical years.

“Honestly, it was the feedback that drew me in more,” Davis said. “Having people tell me I was good gave me some confidence and made me think I should actually do this seriously.”

He said acknowledging his support base as crucial in character building needed to pursue music is a shift from the hypermasculinity often bolstered in American culture at large, but especially seen in rap culture.

“To care about what others think of you is wack, but I get it,” Davis said. “It can feel sometimes that as an artist there’s something I’m just not allowed to say or talk about it, but it’s my music at the end of the day.”

From the outside, Davis said it may seem like he’s not be focused on promotion and marketing, which isn’t a completely false assumption.

“I just recently decided that this what I’m going to do,” Davis said. “I used to just drop my work for people to hear and now I’m taking the time to promote and brand myself cause I’m just starting to do this seriously.”

He said his most recently released work, “These Daze” features a range of beats and rhyming styles: from critical and introspective spoken-word esque tracks to muted synth beats with fast paced rhymes on tops.

Davis has also done work with other artists like Don Lebanon and works with a variety of beat makers.

“I rarely meet with the people I’m collaborating with,” he said. “I can pay for a beat and get it via email. I can listen to a park of a collaborative track and drop my verses from online interactions.”

Davis said this allows him freedom as an artist to work with various other producers and gives him space to try out different rhymes and beat combinations. Davis said he’s also used social media to his advantage, despite some problematic aspects to it.

“Social media is a double edged sword, but it does more for than against you,” Davis said. “A lot of artists aren’t making that much money anymore. The music game is unfiltered and saturated but if your music is good, it’s good. People will listen.”

According to Davis, while he is working on his career as a rapper and wants to be known as such, he is critical of people who limit the identity of rappers to their lyrics.

“You have to remember that the music is just part of who I am,” Davis said. “I’m not only my lyrics. I’m Mally Black sometimes, but I’m also Kemal a lot of times and the lyrics need to be remembered as just that.”

To keep up with Davis’ music follow him on Twitter @mallyblackout, and on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/mallyblack

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STAFF WRITER

Siona Peterous
Siona is a senior majoring in political science with a concentration in international relations and a double minor in media studies and Arabic and Middle Eastern studies. She is heavily influenced by her family’s immigrant background and often writes about the intersection of politics with identity. Siona is an advocate for grassroots activism and political movements, and her dream job involves multimedia-based investigative journalism. She has a plethora of life goals but is only focusing on two right now: learning as many languages as possible and perfecting her Instagram aesthetic.peterous@commonwealthtimes.org