Sadot

WHO?MAG: What would you want to bring to the music industry?
Sadot: Skill and boldness. A lot of artists have thrown out the skill aspect in lieu of the now fabled 15 minutes of fame. More people in the industry just aren’t bold. They’re afraid to experiment, afraid to try something new, terrified of being themselves. So instead they follow a cut and paste formula, and are ironically punished for it.

WHO?MAG: How has being from North Philly influence your music?
Sadot: Just being from Philly sucks you into to a tradition of not compromising. We have a thriving underground scene of artists that are the real deal. Jill Scott, Musiq, Jazmin Sullivan. They are all popular now, but they’ve been around here for years and they still managed to make an imprint in the game by being who they want to be. That just became apart of me when I got serious into music. I made the decision to always push the envelope, no matter the outside influence.

WHO?MAG: Tell me about Swag on Swoll?
Sadot: On the surface, its just bravado over a high energy club beat. Digging deeper it represents my inner struggle to shine without selling out my values. It’s even in the hook, that my “Swag” will not be broken. You can’t tell me anything, I’m going to do me, you can’t stop me, and the compromisers will get thrown by the wayside. So while I can express this, I was also able to display my lyrical ability while still being appealing to the casual listener. This is also part of a series of concept songs that will be on my album.

WHO?MAG: What is Versastyle Ent?
Sadot: It will be the ultimate entertainment company. This is the culmination of my dream. A powerful company that provides the service of creativity. Without power, you change nothing, and this is where it will come from. Versastyle will be Record Label, Film company, Fashion, writing, publication. Everything is the goal. As of now it consists of many talented people working to help each other get to the top. Myself, P.C. Beats, Thato Dadson, M. Will, Young E, Kennedy DeSousa. We’re growing everyday.

WHO?MAG: What were your influences musically.
Sadot: Everybody says Big, and he was an influence later on but from a young age its always been 2pac and Bone thugs in Harmony. Then as I got older and started rapping I went through the hardcore phase with an influence from Cassidy and Big L. Those two still have a place in my sound but its been now primarily influenced by Lupe Fiasco, Common, Mos Def, The Roots, and Rock music.

WHO?MAG: What kind of advice can you give your fellow upcoming artist?
Sadot: Make LOTS of friends that can help you get what you need. Be a value giver so that you can benefit each other. Also don’t try to reinvent the wheel. You don’t need to stress the nuances of what’s going to sell. Just prepare yourself to get into the business, and stay there. Just doing what is natural to you will be enough. You never know what the people will love, but you can guarantee they’ll hate a fake.

WHO?MAG: What is your opinion on the direction music is heading?
Sadot: With the exception of a few artists, its about to be all R&B. The good rappers don’t know how to break through so everybody is biting off of T-pain. The only real consistent hits are R&B. These artists are clinging on to the safety net of the month, but this won’t last. Its only a trend. People need to do their own thing, and stop letting these labels mess everything up. Oh yeah, and the digital age is here. Its time to get on that, because online is the way to go now to get heard and to get money. CD’s are dead.

WHO?MAG: What is next for Sadot?
Sadot: I’ve got an audition to open up for Maino and a few other people, I’ll be doing some shows bi-weekly in Delaware thanks to Cartel, The First Crusade mixtape is nearly done, the Swag on Swoll video shoot will start filming soon, I’ll be working on another Power 99 FM appearance where I’ll bring my new song, the press kit is nearly complete so that the V.S. tour can get under way. I’m just moving forward. Only go further, go home, or go harder.