PG County, Maryland artist MuhTeyOh has been budding for quite some time now. With a couple dope projects under his belt, “HiiLiife,” the body of work that essentially but us onto him would best summarize his artistry. With the release of his latest EP “Days Before Forever,” MuhTeyOh has managed to cover a lot of ground sonically. As artists grow and develop, they start delivering these next level bodies of work that capture where they’re currently at in their lives. With an extensive body of work, it’s evident that MuhTeyOh shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/351371495″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]His latest single “Emotion” gives us a clear overview of what we can expect from MuhTeyOh as the year nears to an end. With production from whatrvr, the record features Jamestina. Both artists manage to build off each others energy in a way that makes for a cohesive listen from beginning to end. We had the chance to catch up with MuhTeyOh for an exclusive interview where we discussed work ethic, recording process future plans and much more.
How did you start making music and what gave you the motivation to stay with it?
MuhTeyOh: I first began making music when I played the drums in several bands and churches growing up, later I started writing songs with my father and then started rapping at the end of high school. I think when I first performed on stage and people told me I had something, it gave me the push I needed to actually continue.
What are some of the biggest mental tools you can obtain to be successful in this field?
MuhTeyOh: For me, truly understanding who you are and becoming aware of emotional intelligence, helps me navigate through some of the trials in my field. People get so caught up in how things are “supposed” to be handled, but forget you can’t expect yourself from others who don’t move like you.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/662144201″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Being from Maryland, how is the underground music scene out there?
MuhTeyOh: It’s packed with heavy hitters such as LAIDgang, but it’s so much talent here. Each artist I follow has their own style and sound that still reflects where we are from, it’s beautiful. From Rappers, singers, and Dj’s DMV not only Maryland is definitely an area to keep an eye out for; some of the biggest artists out now are from here.
Do you have a favorite musical project that you’ve worked on?
MuhTeyOh: Mine. But no seriously, I work with a lot of people but my collective-mate (Lil Rocket) had me involved in his most recent project ‘Live Fast. Die Never.’ which was a very hands-on journey, so honestly, I would say that experience was pretty eye-opening mostly because he produced like 95% of his music so it was dope to be apart of that.
What do you like to do for fun outside of working on music?
MuhTeyOh: I really enjoy my alone time, I’m an introvert so I’m almost always alone. But I really enjoy quality time with a handful of people, recently I decided to take a female friend of mine out to dinner and just talk, sometimes I’ll go late-night driving or on walks. I watch Bojack Horseman, that has inspired a lot of new ideas for me.
From an artists standpoint, how involved should the artist be in the post-production stages?
MuhTeyOh: I have always been one who tries to do as much as possible, I think for an artist it is very important to have your touch on all aspects of the product you’re creating. Song creation, format, artwork, roll out, etc. It teaches you way more and gives you a better sense of ownership, in my opinion.
Can you talk about your last EP “Days Before Forever” a little bit?
MuhTeyOh: ‘Days‘ was a bite-size look into the sonics of my upcoming EP “Nothing Lasts Forever”. The material progresses from a poppy love story that takes you through a more vigorous vibe of boasting and then lands you back on the trail of where my mind always falls; things coming to an end. I wanted the project to be short and tell a story of three different emotions, showing people the type of textures that will be apart of my next work, love-driven, lyrical, and vulnerable. I like to think that “Nothing Lasts Forever” is a coming of age project and I work towards showcasing my growth as an artist mostly in it.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/777436383″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]If you were to describe your sound, how would you describe it?
MuhTeyOh: Moody. My sound is interesting, I have found it more this year but it usually consists of lyrical descriptions of my past and off-kilter melodies that people for some reason enjoy listening to [laughs.]
What’s your recording process like?
MuhTeyOh: Get a beat, listen to it over and over again, figure out the subject matter based off the vibe of the song then freestyle some lyrics or melodies. After I lay that down, I listen back and start adding actual lyrics. Then after that, I usually record the whole song then go back and rewrite and clean up little things and figure out the cadence I want to use and make other minor adjustments.
Are you currently working on new music?
MuhTeyOh: Yes. I probably have like 8 unreleased songs, and of course my EP, I’ve been doing a lot of collaborations lately as well so that’s been fun.
