INTERVIEW : SAN LORENZO

San Lorenzo, a San Antonio native sat down with us this week to discuss how growing up in San Antonio has influenced him along with how he goes about creating music. San's music is a unique twist between Alt Rock and Hip-Hop, no like it actually is, he's not just another wanna be rockstar who puts the "Alt-Rock" tag on a Soundcloud song that is very clearly Rap/Trap, as I see this happen a lot. San was genuine throughout the whole interview which made learning about his inspirations and influences extremely fun to talk about. Also what do you think about Wifisfuneral stealing his song? I'm pretty convinced it was stolen, let us know in the comments what you think!

INTERVIEW

Q. So how old are you, where did you grow up and where do you live now?

A. “I just turned 20 in November. I was born & raised in San Antonio, Texas (there’s no correlation between my stage name “san Lorenzo” & the city I’m from, just saying). I have a lot of family in Mexico & I can speak decent Spanish; a lot of people here in San Antonio speak spanish. It’s like 75% Mexican. I’m 3/4 Mexican myself. I have white skin & green eyes, but Mexican culture has surrounded my life and was a big factor in my upbringing.”

Q. Can you explain how that culture has had an impact on your upbringing and also what the creative scene is like in San Antonio ?

A. “Well i can speak another language. If it wasn’t for my Mexican family I definitely would only be able to speak one language haha!

I feel a part of two worlds. Anglo people act a certain way around only Anglo people, and because my skin is lighter than the average Latino I guess it makes Anglo people feel okay to say stuff they wouldn’t say if I was obviously Mexican.

The music scene here in San Antonio is fucking dope. There’s some great hardcore bands like Bloodhound & Junkie, we have some fantastic new age artists like Swanny Ivy & PaintItBlues, there’s a strong presence of grungy, west coast / 3rd coast style music headed by 80’s Blond & Deadset, & Hoodlum gives a voice to the people of San Antonio’s infamous barrios. A few people have broken the city’s tight grip in respect to furthering their career, but it doesn’t happen often. The rapper Blake did (but fuck him he blew up off a beat my homie made that he stole & never gave any sort of production credit)

There can be a lot of tension in the San Antonio music scene, but i feel like that’s in every city. The fact that so few people make it out of the city makes people extra weary about who they wanna work with.

I just do my own thing tho. I’ve worked with multiple San Antonio artists, but that’s because I genuinely felt that that particular artist needed to be a part of whatever I was creating at the time."

Q. Who are some of your favorite people that you have worked with and who are some people you want to work with in the future?

A. “ I love working with Wvmkr. We go way back, like 8th grade type shit. He’s a fantastic musician.

I’ve worked with Idknotsure, Deathnotes &!Gxxdrich (the members of Deadset) Lil Gohan, Benzo, & Ders (the members of D&D). I’ve worked with Nikhil Mukherjee, a close friend & amazing guitarist/vocalist. I’ve worked with Parisian guitarist Cxld Blxxd, Las Vegas based producer Lil Fuckface, & some guys out in Richmond, Virginia - Clwdwlkr, Yoki & Rashawn.

Damn can i mention something else??? I thoroughly suspect Wifisfuneral bit my song Dead Faces for his song Been 2 Hell & Back off his Ethernet tape hahaha.

Q. So what are some of your career goals, big or small?

A. “I would love to make music with Lou Reed - but he’s definitely dead. Other than that I guess getting in the studio with JK the reaper, Earl sweashirt, & Tyler the Creator would be lit. I just make music. Any attention or recognition i get from the vessel I use to express myself & to connect with others, music, is just a gift. I just make music to keep me sane. Lately i’ve been producing my own music & I absolutely love it. It makes it so much more personal & comforting to listen to.

Q. So what do you feel is the toughest thing to conquer when it comes to creating?

A. “It’s usually almost effortless, but sometimes i really want to get across a specific theme or message, and then i become super self critical & take my time”

Q. What’s your favorite classic album or song?

A. “Heroin by Lou Reed, definitely the most honest song ever written, fav classic albums would be transformer by Lou Reed, Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin, & The Doors’ first self titled album.

The first rap album i bought was Tha Carter III. I was in 6th grade and it changed my life.”

Q. Please forgive me because I’m going to sound ignorant but who is Lou Reed

A. “No dude you’re chillin!! A lot of people haven’t, don’t worry.

He was a musician from New York. He was in a band called the Velvet Underground from ‘64-‘73, (Andy Warhol discovered them & then became their manager pretty much) then he pretty much went solo after that.

He was basically a soundcloud rapper of the 60’s and 70’s.

People HATED what he was doing with music, but now it’s revered.

Q. We finish the interview and you step outside and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning $10 million. What would you do?

A. "damn!!

10 million.. i’d get my mom a house in Monterrey, Mexico & one in Sydney, Australia. I’d have a little skatepark & a poolside studio at my house for sure. My dream car is the red BMW from Paid in Full, so i’d cop a car identical to that. I’d give my friend Ben a bunch of money to help out his brand new skateboard company, 941.

Then i’d just travel man. I’d go take mushrooms with the Oaxaca people in Mexico. I’d go make some music in some very secluded places for sure."

Q. What are your favorite brands?

A. “i don’t really care about brand names. I love supreme for what they did and how they did it, but i think brands are a little weird. I love Vans cus that’s the best skate shoe hands down “

Q. What’s your favorite pair of Vans?

A. “The pro slip ons”

Q. Favorite sports team and athlete?

A. “Sports freak me out bro, People living thru other people’s lives basically - searching for some kind of connection & expression by aligning themselves with a “team”... shit’s weird bro, The game of basketball and the game of soccer is so dope. but i get weirded out by people that like ritualistically watch sports games “

Q. You get to curate a song, you can pick 3 artists and up to 2 producers who you picking to build a hit?

A. "Earl Sweatshirt would co produce a track with me for myself, lucki & jk the reaper. I fuckin love Lucki, dude is a master lyricist"

Q. Favorite food and restaurant?

A. “Fav food would be Ceviche (shrimp cooked in lime juice without any heat / flame) and my fav restaurant is a place here in San Antonio called Puerto de Moriscos."

Q. Is there anything you wanted to touch on that I missed?

A. "One last thing i’ll say about me and my music:

I’m just doing me. I think desire is a major cause of stress and anxiety, so I have removed desire from my creative process. I just make music that I like. I’m not trynna do anything with my music, i’m just doing it. It makes me happy and keeps me on earth. If i had to pinpoint my sound i’d say it’s new age psychedelia rap infused with lo fi & acoustic sounds at times. I like bringing to life a certain emotion, or an array of emotions when i make songs. I create suspended moments of sound, both with the lyrics i speak and the music I produce myself."

Regarding Wifisfuneral stealing his song

"I mean i feel cheated bc he has made hella $ off that song & the video for it. Plus tour money. Hell yes i want people to know he bit my shit, and every time i hit him up ab it he ignored me. He’s definitely favorited other tweets of mine, so there’s proof that this famous rapper had prior knowledge of this little underground san antonio artist... hahaha! He always rapping about being real n shit...

“Sometimes the lies get millions of views”

You can Follow San Lorenzo on his social media below.

Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud