Ivan Ives is not the typical rapper. At 6′5″ the Russian spends the majority of his time working his rhymes with synthesizers layered over throwback golden-era beats. Delivering fervor and precision and a fresh song each month, he’s right on target.

Name: Ivan Ives
Location: Los Angeles, CA
File Under: Supersonic Hip-Hop, Rap

URB: How did you get into music?
IVAN IVES: I went on a camping trip when I was a kid with my family in the winter; I wandered off into the snow because I was enamored with the look of the forest. A bear came up on me and threw me to the ground. He told me that if I didn’t make music and spread my message, he would come back and kill me on my 24th birthday. I’m still alive.

URB: You’ve laid down tracks with The Cool Kids and a bunch of others. And you got some great press right off the bat. What’s the secret?
IVES: When I was working on Iconoclast in 2007, I knew I wanted to step up my game and get name features on my music to make sure more people heard it. 2Mex, my first mentor in hip hop, was the first one to get on a track. Then Vast Aire did Victory with me, then O.C., then the rest followed. As far as press goes, I’m always grinding and putting my work out there in any way I can. So I guess people notice.

URB: Do you prefer live gigs to studio sessions? Why or why not?
IVES: I always love to be in the studio creating. It’s the most exciting thing to me. But live shows are great. You get to connect with fans and share an experience. It’s inspiring.

URB: For someone in the game for just a few years, you have quite the discography (9 releases in 4 years) and toured a lot. How do you stay motivated… And keep it fresh?
IVES: The bears. They’re watching me. But on the real, I’m always creating. Making music, videos, everything. I’m doing this “First of the Month” project where I release a new track each month. I have a dozen rhyme books with so many lyrics I’ve written that are still waiting to be used. I can’t imagine NOT doing music — I have no idea what I would do with myself.

URB: What’s inspiring you lately?
IVES: Aside from the NWO, bloodlust, and angry ex-girlfriends — I’d say life in general inspires me. There’s so much to explore.

URB: Who do you dream of performing or working with?
IVES: One person I really want to do a track with is Trent Reznor. There’s others of course, but he’s currently at the top of the list. Then again, I couldn’t ask for a better producer than Fresh, who has produced a beautiful heap of music for me.

URB: What can we expect for 2010?
IVES: I’m gonna stay on this “First Of The Month” thing. Instead of making one album, building the anticipation, and having everyone blow their load within the first week of hearing it, I’m releasing a new single on the first of every month for 2010. I actually made a chart where you can keep track of it here. That’s giving my fans something to look forward to every month and is keeping 2010 very interesting. At the end of the year, they will have my full album sitting in their iTunes. I don’t think anyone has ever done that before. If they have, I don’t care. It’s still a dope idea. I’m also doing videos from tours and life and whatever inspires me that day. You can expect some more dope collaborations too. Always creating.

URB: What’s the most valuable part of using Sonicbids?
IVES: Sonicbids gives artists the opportunity to really get some dope press and coverage. It gives anybody and everybody the opportunity to be something great.

Ivan Ives “California”

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Ivan on Sonicbids || Official Site

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