IamG drops a new EP La Mia Vita, and Above Average Hip Hop is intrigued. We are always looking for those out of the box thinkers and are listening for how that new age hip hop influences the game. IamG is one of the newest rappers out there who is clearly making his mark in the industry, unloading his single to the EP “100 Grand” earlier this year. He tells us how his east coast presence plays into that west coast trap and reveals a bit about his influences as a rapper and songwriter.
“I’ve always wanted to make west coast music … But, I didn’t want to bite off the sound — I wanted to contribute to the sound.”
–IamG
His music has an overwhelming feel; you can’t help but be absorbed by the group. Now with his new EP La Mia Vita available on iTunes, IamG tells Above Average Hip hop the story of the past three years of his life. And with his new single 100 Grand, IamG’s life is looking as dope as his music.
Originally from Maplewood, New Jersey IamG expressed the love he has for his community and how it has profoundly impacted his music. Mixing his east coast roots with Iamsu’s west coast beats IamG brings that new age sound to life by telling the story of his life. After listening to La Mia Vita, it is fair to say that IamG is above average, and that is why he is featured here on Above Average Hip Hop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qyACYJVL0U
You have a new EP La Mia Vita available on iTunes, what can you tell me about it?
This is the first project that I have dropped in like three years. I went through a ton of different stuff when I graduated college and then I started touring with Mike Stud and used that to get a national fan base and tried to build from there. So La Mia Vita means My Life and talks about the different things that I have gone through in the past three years leading up to the songs that you here now. I am in a better place as you can see from the music.
You have this new single called 100 Grand featuring Iamsu. Whats up with that?
100 Grand is my new single. I grew up in New York, and when I moved out to LA in 2014. I wanted to make sure that now that I’m out here – I mean I’ve always liked West Coast beats; I’ve always felt like I’ve belonged and wanted to make west coast music or that kind of style. But, I didn’t want to bite off the sound — I wanted to contribute to the sound. So when I played it for Iamsu, he was like – yo hop on it and come to the video. He helped me to have something to promote in the Bay area and the West Coast, so it meant a lot that he came in and helped me with that.
I like your sound. Tell me about the work you have done with the producer Tommy Brown.
I’m working with Tommy now for my newer records, and he’s just looking forward to working with me and wondering what I’m doing, who I’m working with and how I’m working through some of those situations. Now that I linked up with Tommy Brown, I’m looking to come back at the top of the year with radio. I want to make some new things, and I’m working on another project with bigger features, and I’m just trying to go bigger and to do better at radio. Those are what my sights are on. So Tommy is helping me do that for sure. Stay tuned for that!
Speaking of radio, you have tours with Mike Stud featured in Esquire TV, that’s pretty cool, whats going on with that?
Yeah, the TV show honestly, I mean I wish people would have caught on to what we were doing earlier. But now that we finally got the show and stuff, it was crazy having the cameras. That shit was crazy. Any of my fans who don’t know about that might want to check it out because it was a crazy ride. If you want to see anything about what tour life is like or how hectic that shit is, I would say check it out! You will see me on there.
Moving out to LA from New Jersey, you were discovered by DJ Whoo Kid. What was that like?
I was sitting in German class, and I get a call, and this lady answered and was like “hey, is this IamG?” I’m sitting there thinking — who calls me IamG? — because I just started rapping. Everyone that knows me calls me Grant! She’s like, “please hold for Whoo Kid”. He just brought me into the game. He wanted to put together like a northeast regional tour with me and this other guy Chris Webby. We were like the new college scene kids that they were trying to promote. It helped. But the first tour I did with Mike was my first national tour. I was doing frat parties and stuff before and we were selling like 400 tickets a night, but when I started touring with Mike that number Jumped up to 1000 to 2500. So the crowds got bigger! But Iam thankful for it, because if it wasn’t for Whoo Kid, he was the one who made me think – OK, like he sees something, maybe I’ll stick with it! I mean I was a soccer player up until I was about to go to college, so the whole idea of being a rapper or a song writer ten years ago was probably the last thing on my mind.
You have some upcoming performances in London and Amsterdam this year. When is that kicking off?
I’m doing those shows with Futuristic. I have a show coming up in London I think on December 6, and I have another in Amsterdam like two days later. Check out Futuristic; he’s dope if you don’t know him already and his tour. I’ll be on it the European phase so check those out!
