MaLLy is putting the finishing touches on his upcoming album The Colors of Black, slated for an April 8th release. His latest offering “City Of Fear,” is dark but truthful, highlighting some of the injustices that plague society. In speaking with HipHopDX, MaLLy discusses his thought process when making his track and new project, what his chemistry is like with producer Last Word, and what’s next in his pursuit to spit the truth.
HipHopDX: How did you come up with concept for “City Of Fear”?
MaLLy: I came up with the concept of “City of Fear” after hearing the instrumental Last Word made. The beat inspired me to think about the issues in the world like unemployment, natural disasters, poverty, police brutality, and the disparities in education. While writing, I thought to myself: What would happen if a group of people and myself got together and said “F this, we’re done laying down and conforming just to get by for little to nothing” to combat this. In addition, I pictured a mixture of old some of my favorite ’80s flicks like Robocop and The Running Man to stay focused on the concept of rebellion.
DX: There’s such a darkness to the track. Are you afraid it might be viewed as pessimistic?
MaLLy: The track is very dark. I am not worried about the song being pessimistic. I wanted to shed light on the idea of a person (myself) or others speaking out about the conditions that they may be experiencing first hand or from afar. Those conditions I speak on about politics, disenfranchisement, poverty, and being ignored are at an all time high. Hopefully, this song inspires people to really live their lives vs. just living through their life with the risk of outside powers taking control.
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DX: Does “City Of Fear” reflect the tone of The Colors Of Black?
MaLLy: “City of Fear” showcases one of the several tones of the album. The overall tone and feeling is a very personal one, and that was intentional. I tried my best in being deliberate about what message I was delivering. While making this album, I was in a very introspective space professionally and musically. For a time, I was really concerned about being recognized as a rapper for notoriety and not change and growth. In 2014, I am a totally different person and find myself being more vocal about life and how I see it beyond the flashing lights.
DX: You’ve worked with Last Word for years. What is your chemistry like in the studio?
MaLLy: Our chemistry has begun to advance since we first started recording and performing music in 2011. Our process is very collaborative in the recording and engineering process. During the creation of this album, we tried new tricks for my writing, vocal inflection, production, etc. We’re very honest and see eye to eye on making the best songs we can make. I believe us performing on stage first made the transition to the much stronger. I definitely have a lot of respect for him because he helped me hit my stride in writing and thinking outside the box as an artist.
DX: What’s next for MaLLy?
MaLLy: I definitely have plans for more music with Last Word and others, new music videos, community service, and hopefully some touring.
