Interview with Phase One

Phase One was picked as GFX Artist of the Month for October, check the interview I done with him below.

OPENING

Tell us a bit about yourself, your name, age, where you’re from, and anything else?
My real name is Marcel, 20 years old birthday coming soon at the end of november, I live in morehead city. gotta huge buzz after I sold my first beat to Jr Writer. got contacted by joey jihad, an workin wit shawty Lo right now. GFX has never been my thing I just started doing them as I was a rapper. as a rapper its hard to get “Free beats or covers” these days. people dont like to mess witchu when it come to things like that. so I did it for struggling artist. thats how I came across wit the gfx

GRAPHICS

How long have you been designing? What first got you interested?
as a rapper I just needed covers do on a quick an go movement. I had a group that needed covers, but noone would do them. all that in one made me do everything from beats to rap to gfx.

What’s your inspiration?
struggling artist is what I target.

What software do you use to design?
I use photoshop cs2, I dont believe in change so I didnt upgrade.

Say someone comes to you asking for a logo, what is the process you go through designing that logo? Like drafting it on paper, showing the client, drafting it on the computer…
well when it comes to logos thats a hard thing to do, just cant whip up something. if there a person who wants simple an effective I draw it an try to make it on the pc. if there all gangsta I can whip that up in seconds cause I feel gangsta is a easy thing to do, anyone in america can be gangsta these days. lol

When did you decide you wanted to take your designing seriously?
I never took this serious I only stayed good enuff for people to love what I do, when I post an have people look at my stuff, I never really care what things they say. if it looked good to me, then it looked good to me

What are you trying to do with your designing? What is your goal for your designs?
well I just like doing covers, and myspace banners. covers cause I like to see the outcome, an banners are good cause its more space to work with. I just wanna do me at the end of the day, just do gfx for fun

Are you in a team of designers or do you just work alone?
I just do my stuff alone, its no need to bring people in anymore cause they just gonna fall back when they dont feel like they got it anymore

What are some accomplishments that you have achieved, and are most proud of?
I took in FL Studio’s maybe a year back an to be on soundclick in the top 10 an 20 is the grestest. seein yourself on myspace top 100 in your state is great to. being contacted over the phone about gfx and beats is great also.

CRAZYPELLAS / INTERNET

Can you tell us how you found CrazyPellas? If you remember.
well I was lookin for a site other then my home site. at the time I had just started makin beats, an I liked choppin vocals in my hooks. this artist by the name of yung miss told me to come here, an the fam here showed love alot better then the home site. sometimes its better to leave home

Has this forum helped you at all in your designing journey?
now it has help a ton far as gfx work. I like to look at others work on this site, an then I say to myself ima top this watch, an then I get a responce quick. so I like that an it helpped a ton

What made you post your designs online?
I just wanted to get a feel in what to do to make my art better then other so feedback is a great way to tell

Do you feel like the internet is helping you as a designer?
oh yeah fosho, I just cant be lazy haha, thats my thing I become lasy knowing I can do gfxs pretty quikc.

IN CLOSING

Do you have any upcoming projects, events or anything?
I got the franchise’s album I did all the beats on it an did the cover an you can check him out at myspace.com/ncfranchise

10 years from now where do you want to be?
mr super producer an im on my way to it, im tellin yall

Any shoutouts you want to give out?
I want to shoutout myspace, soundclick, hiphopfame.com crazypellas.net my man franchise an jayo for copin beats an cover from me, my make rick ross jones for coppin the ima real G beat from me an makin it a hood classic wit the video for it. I like to thank youtube.com for lettin me host contest to promote my gfx an beats, an if there anyone i missed sorry.

Finally, thanks for doing the interview.

You can check out some of Phase One’s work in the Graphics and Homemade Beats forums on CP, and his MySpace and Soundclick.