Pouya Speaks On His Fitness Journey, Anxiety, Florida Rap, & Being A Rolling Loud Mainstay

Each time Rolling Loud publicizes a brand new pageant, there are a couple of artists you could virtually at all times count on to see on the lineup. A kind of names belongs to Florida underground rap phenom, Pouya.

Ever for the reason that inception of the world’s largest hip-hop pageant, Rolling Loud, Pouya has been rocking the stage in Miami, California, New York, and in all places in between. At this level, he is a mainstay at Rolling Loud, performing fan favorites together with “Suicidal Ideas within the Again of the Cadillac,” in addition to newer moshpit-friendly information just like the Denzel Curry-assisted “Wig Cut up.”

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At solely 26-years-old, Pouya has constructed a legacy for himself past simply music, representing an underdog determine in hip-hop and rising out of the underground to grow to be certainly one of Florida’s hottest artists, regardless of by no means switching to a sound most well-liked by the mainstream. Pouya continues to be doing precisely what initially introduced him to notoriety, and he continues to evolve as an artist, especially on his most recent album Blood Was Never Thick As Water.

Exploring completely different musical genres on the challenge, together with jazz and different kinds, Pouya stayed true to himself and opened up like by no means earlier than. We caught up with the rapper backstage at Rolling Loud New York final month, the place we spoke about his standing as a Rolling Loud mainstay, his health journey, nervousness, the present state of Florida rap, and, in fact, his new album.

Learn the unabridged editorial copy of HNHH’s new interview with Pouya beneath, and catch him on tour with Jasiah earlier than the 12 months closes out.

Picture offered to HNHH by the artist’s PR

HNHH: What was it like performing this 12 months at Rolling Loud New York? And are there any variations between the gang in Miami and in New York?

Pouya: The ambiance is nice, the power is nice. I really feel like in New York, we actually started working exhausting to please the gang. Someplace like Miami, they don’t care. They simply wanna flip up. However in New York, they wanna hear you, and in case you’re not fireplace, they’re not gonna actually… I knew occurring stage that I used to be actually gonna must rap my ass off, or else they’re not gonna fuck with me.

Most undoubtedly. You simply dropped your new album, how’s every thing going with that?

I simply dropped my new album, Blood Was By no means Thick As Water. It’s going nice. It’s being obtained very well. About to go on tour— the tickets are promoting, the merch is promoting. I’m so blessed. I’m so grateful proper now with how my album’s going. Folks actually find it irresistible, and I’m honored.

How does your new album differentiate out of your older catalog?

All my albums, I at all times attempt to step into a brand new world. When you hearken to my albums, one album gained’t sound just like the final. It doesn’t imply that one album is especially higher than the opposite— they’re simply completely different. I really feel like this album is extra jazzy. I did a variety of slower, jazzy… this album was extra instrumental— a variety of saxophone, and violin, and piano. I used to be very impressed by the film Taxi, the soundtrack for that film. I actually cherished that soundtrack, and once I heard it, I used to be like, “I wanna attempt to incorporate these jazzy sounds with rap music,” and I really feel like I did fairly nicely on the album.

Are you excited in regards to the tour developing? A few years again while you have been going to Europe, you have been speaking about how your anxiety affected traveling for you.

I nonetheless cope with heavy nervousness earlier than reveals, however I’m nonetheless excited as a result of the reveals are nice, and as soon as I get on stage, all that nervousness goes away as a result of the gang reveals me a lot love. It’s earlier than the reveals the place the nervousness hits. However I find it irresistible.

You’ve got been working in your health this 12 months, placing on some muscle and holding your followers up to date all through the journey. What impressed the change?

Truthfully, what actually impressed that’s I used to be simply taking a look at myself someday and I used to be like, “I’m a scrawny little bitch, I have to get some muscle tissue.” I really like myself. I really like the best way I look regardless, however I used to be like, “I’ll in all probability look higher with some muscle tissue,” I’ll be more healthy as nicely. It’s actually extra for the well being. I knew it could assist my nervousness. I knew it could assist with melancholy and all varieties of psychological points. I knew it could be good for my life and that there could be advantages from it.

Completely. You’ve got carried out at so most of the Rolling Loud festivals at this level. What retains you coming again?

I used to be there for the reason that first-ever Rolling Loud. Matt and Tariq, the fellows who run Rolling Loud, are actually good pals of mine. They at all times handle me, they at all times be certain that I’m booked, they at all times put me on the most effective phases, they provide me every thing I need, they watch my set. I’m so grateful for these guys. I’ll at all times help Rolling Loud as a result of they supported me from day one.

What do you suppose of the present state of Florida rap?

It’s nice. We acquired a variety of nice rappers. We acquired Denzel Curry, we acquired me, we acquired Fats Nick… Ski Masks the Droop God, DJ Scheme. There’s too many to depend. It’s nice. All of us help one another, and it’s a household on the market.

What’s developing subsequent for you?

Music movies— extra music, extra albums, extra mixtapes, extra touring. I really feel like I’m nowhere close to my pinnacle or peak but. I really feel like I acquired a lot time to say what I acquired to say. Simply extra music.