RS: Tell us how you got started.
CB: So it may come as a surprise to most people, but my passion for writing and producing hip hop music didn't come until I arrived at Stonehill my freshman year. I specifically remember writing a rap verse just to try it out and see how I felt - bearing no intention of taking in anywhere..at all. I decided to recite the verse to my close friends one night and was shocked at the response. It was nothing but love and genuine admiration towards the true potential I showed by writing that one verse. But it was the incredible Rex Mac who prompted me to hone that potential. His advice to me was to embrace this unexplored genre and to not stop writing. Given Rex's musical credentials and his seemingly untouchable knack for producing his own style of rap music, it was not hard for me to take his advice seriously. From that point, the rest was history.
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| Chris Borelli |
RS: What are some of your proudest accomplishments?
CB: Since I've started out, I've learned that I truly love performing just as much as producing - if not more. So almost any type of performance opportunity means the world to me. Given that, I would say that some of my proudest accomplishments include featuring on Rex's opening set at Spring Weekend two years ago - having barely started rapping seriously, opening for Cobra Starship last year in my own set, performing my first paid college gig at Simmons College in Boston, and being featured on the Vans Warped Tour this past summer.
RS: What was it like being a featured artist on the Warped Tour?
CB: Being featured on Warped Tour was absolutely incredible to say the least. I was on a 6-day stint with the tour, which took me to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Mass, and Connecticut. More than anything else, it gave me a little taste of what the tour life is really like - which was the most significant takeaway. Every performance I had on tour was an incredible one. Performing in a different state almost every day, in front of people who have never heard your music before, is unlike anything else and only confirmed that this is exactly what I want to do for a living. It was perhaps one of the most exhausting experiences I've had, but by far one of the most memorable. I hope to be on it again this summer so we'll see how the cards fall with that one.
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| The artist Macklemore |
RS: Who are your current favorite artists at the moment?
CB: I'm open to just about all types of music and am willing to explore aspects of almost any genre. But I particularly appreciate the works of Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, Macklemore, Drake, and my musical sensei Mr. Rex Mac himself.
RS: What equipment do you rock with to make your beats? What helps your creative process to make those beats?
CB: I construct all of my instrumentals using a program called Reason. I then record all of my vocals on Garageband. My process for producing almost all of my instrumentals involves a great deal of inspiration. I've found that I often am inspired quite easily by other artists' songs, instrumentals, performances, or just anything musical in general. Thus, most of my beats and songs are inspirationally derived from other beats and songs by other artists. If I'm truly moved by a song or a beat, I'll internalize the musical concept, reconstruct my own concept based on specific sound components of that particular song, and then create my own portrayal of that inspired concept in the form of an original instrumental. It's the most fun I could ever possibly have when it all goes the way I want it to.
RS: Where can we find you online?
CB: I'm currently in the process of reworking my personal website (chrisborellimusic.com). But other than that, I am on almost every mainstream media outlet there is. You can keep up with all of my musical endeavors on my Facebook music page by searching and 'liking' Chris Borelli 4LM. I have quite a few videos on YouTube as well. On top of that, I am also on Twitter @ChrisBorelli4LM, any and all follows are greatly appreciated.
RS: What are your future plans? Any shows or releases we should be aware of?
CB: My musical future is undefined, but I have hopes on making this music heard on the largest scale possible. Ultimately, my goal is to instill a new sound into the world of hip hop and help solidify the idea of substance being a norm in today's music industry. As of now, I have no major performance opportunities that you should be aware of..yet. But do expect a brand new wave of sound to hit the streams in the very near future. You could perhaps look forward to a brand new single hitting iTunes very soon, with the accompaniment of an official music video. You could also perhaps look forward to the release of my first original EP in the near future. And you could even think about looking forward to a jam-packed mixtape for the summer. All of these things will come to fruition in due time, but patience has been the key virtue since day 1. So please don't sleep on me! With quality work comes quality time. But stay excited, I'm on my way.
Rex Macipinlac '13
Image credit: allindstrom.com and Chris Borelli