Newport-raised rapper Frankie Tha God wants the world to know that he has arrived. With influences including Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa, the 23-year-old rapper compares himself to “a beast out of its cage,” and hopes to represent Rhode Island’s talented music scene one song at a time.
Cliché: Are you originally from Newport, Rhode Island?
Frankie Tha God: I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but I was raised in Newport. I also spent a lot of time down south with my father in Memphis, Tennessee, which played a big role in my life.
How did you first get started in music? Was there anyone who provided inspiration to help you get started?Living down south with my father and being around my older brother who rapped a lot influenced me to want to pursue the music dream. As I’ve gotten older, mainstream artists like Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa inspired me to take my music more serious.
Tell us about the music scene in Rhode Island. Is East Coast hip-hop a big influence on Rhode Island music?
The music scene in Rhode Island is great. We have a lot of talent that doesn’t get noticed, though. I wish an established star would come here and actually see that people here are hungry and grind hard. At one time, East Coast hip-hop had a really big influence on the music here, but as the new generation has evolved, I hear a lot of trap/drill music.
How would you describe your style?
I would say my style is like night and day. I have a wild side to me that people love and a laid back vibe that people can listen to when they don’t feel like partying.
What is the largest venue you’ve performed at? Were you nervous?
The largest venue I have ever performed at was Club Simons opening for a Chicago artist named Lil Bibby. At first, I got nervous because so many people showed up…That was the best show I’ve ever performed at. The crowd was lit!
What’s your dream venue?
A dream of mine has always been to perform at the BET Awards.
Can you explain your “Exodus” video? What influenced you to make such a dark video?
“Exodus” is a video of me because I’m a project that’s been worked on for a very long time. I was created to annihilate. Once I became too much to handle, the scientists held a meeting and were given orders to kill the project, but the project escaped from headquarters, which happened to be an old abandoned church. I wanted to give a message to the world that I am a beast and I’m out of my cage!
What do you hope to do with your music?
I hope to inspire others and motivate my listeners by helping them get through their day. I hope to make it big because this has been a dream of mine since I was a child.
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Introducing Frankie Tha God: Photographs courtesy of Frankie Tha God
