cARTer.
Hailing from Houston Texas with an LA swag we’re back again with the homie cARTer. The fairfax native shares his relationship with other LA artists, humble beginnings, and more check it out.
I first came across you & your music in 2008 on the track “Everybody Knows Us” what’s your relationship with Dom Kennedy an Pac Div?
–They are associates of mine & were some of the first artists I worked with when I moved to LA in 2006, I put together that campaign by talking Bobby Hundreds into letting me style The Hundreds holiday lookbook for that season, and instead of doing the conventional models and photographers concept, I pitched to him a new innovative way to market the line as well as branding myself with other local talent through a song music video with us wearing his clothes which was also suppose to be an entire project to follow up that you know as “Everybody Knows Us” the song.
We all know your originally from Texas, what exactly brought you out to Los Angeles?
-Fate, my mother was originally born in LA and my grandparents resided in Inglewood & Hawthorne a majority of my life before they both passed. As a kid me being my mother’s only son my grandfather whom I’m named after would press me about moving to LA but I wasn’t with it, I would visit but still didn’t wanna make that move. After he passed I was living in seattle at the time and had the opportunity to come to LA for a Lupe Fiasco & Pharrell video shoot for “Gotcha”, I had visited the city a few times prior to that and was already entertaining the idea of moving there so once I got that invite I looked at it as the door opening opportunity for me to pursue my dreams.
How would you describe your sound? Would you say it’s more “LA” influenced or influenced more by Houston?
–Both, but in my opinion my sound is generally Texas with some Cali and some Midwest & Eastcoast influences. Me being born & raised in Houston being a fan of the DJ Screw Southside music & the Swisha House Northside music with some Dallas influence due to me living there also and indulging in there club/party scenes heavily. If you understand the Houston underground scenes you know that the early Southside stuff was heavily LA & Bay Area (West Coast) influenced with other genres and regions too. The Northside Swisha House is a mixture of that, commercial radio, and TV stuff, so I already had that LA & Bay Area in my system before I even knew it. Living in Seattle & surrounding areas they are also heavily influenced by underground Bay Area music as well as some South & Midwest stuff too. I lived in Connecticut for a year as a teenager, and in that time I became a huge fan of East Coast artist and there movements etc, but I also have to contribute some of my style to the energy of early Memphis & Atlanta stuff that was a major factor in the Houston club and car culture when I was coming up. But the biggest attribute to my musical taste and style has to be my father’s music collection and selections varying from anything you can think of any artist any genre, I describe him to people as the Original Hipster if that makes any sense or better yet Hippie in his era.
I see “SDF” incorporated with basically everything you do, what exactly is that for those who don’t know?
-SDF (STAYDOWNFOREVER or Social Development Fundamentals) is a non profit organization I administrate and am developing with my supporters as well as other like minded individuals who are interested in working with an organic street level awareness for the people by the people to better our social dynamics universally and worldwide through any and all creative efforts, it also means Stay Down To Earth. The terminology “stay down” derived from “down” or “being down with someone or something”, “I’m down” etc. is a renowned street slang meaning “Im with it” , “I’m with you” , “I’m hip” , “I get it” , “I got you” (Reference the definition for the word “Down” excluding the obvious). SDF we going up!
I’ve seen you pop up on “The Hundreds” blog, what’s your relationship with Ben & Bobby?
–They are also associates of mine that I was introduced to by my mentor Sal Barbier while I was working at his lifestyle shop www.slb23.com on Fairfax & Rosewood, which used to be next door to THLA. When I first started on “the block” (Fairfax between Rosewood & Oakwood) most of the people there were cliqued up like prep games, Bobby & Ben being the owners of TH were the same but they also had mutual respect for everyone there worker or brand owner, and that left a lasting impression on me and how I moved forward in business with my relationships thus far and it also made me remain loyal to them and their brand and campaigns. Early on I would use clothes from TH and other brands on the block when I assisted Monica Rose, a stylist to the stars who had me pull looks for her clients and ben Hundreds as well as Nick Diamond & Luda R.I.P. (Crooks & Castles) were big supporters in my efforts which helped me garner a better relationship with them and their brands that continues to this day.
Essential things you always carry on you and why?
–A bandana I keep folded in my back left pocket to shade my face from the sun or to wipe off sweat or to just swag if that’s how I’m feeling that day or at that time, my Element cruiser board because with that I’m never stranded or to make those quick store runs, and a lighter because I’m always sparking something up or lighting incense. Can’t forget my shades, you’re going to need those for sure on a nice sunny day in Los Angeles, California.
How do you feel about the re emergence of the west coast unsigned movement, I.E Pac Div having much success on their album GMB and YG just dropping his new tape etc?
-Both of those acts have had or still do have deals with major labels I’m not sure, Dom is the only unsigned/never signed artist with regional as well as national success without having any major label backing or support out of most new acts coming out of the West Coast. I’m happy for him and all of the success from those artist and their efforts in that region but in my opinion not to many of them have a true “West Coast” sound or style but YG, most of their biggest records are southern influenced I can say my time there and my efforts behind the scenes can be an attribute to that. I quote, “in my opinion”.
Who are some producers you like to work with now, and who would you like to work with in the future?
-I would like to work with DJ Mustard, Mike Will Made It, Mr. Lee, Space Ghost Purrp, Kid Cudi, Big Krit, J. Cole, Cory Mo, Hit Boy & Chase N. Cashe, Key, K. Roosevelt and in the future I would like to work with DeVante Swing, Shock G, Zaytoven, Shawty Redd, Swizz Beats, Mike Dean, The Neptunes, Timbaland, Juicy J and all the producers I came up with Chinky P, Monster Yori, Jackpot Jeef, Curt Monumental, Drewbyrd & DJ Mr Rogers, SOV and any others I left out.
Who is your favorite Houston and La rapper of all time?
-My favorite Houston rapper is a tie between Fat Pat & Pimp C and my favorite LA rapper is Domino but he really from Long Beach but it’s still the same.
What can we expect from Carter in 2013?
Progression, more content, music, visuals, art, perspectives, & innovation in all of my efforts. I relocated back home to Houston last year and I plan on catching up and doing my part as far as representing the city and the state as well as myself in the best way possible showing the world about SPACECITY, TEXAS. Expect nothing but greatness from cARTer and STAYDOWNFOREVER this year and many more to come.
