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Discovering poetry paired with a love for old-school hip-hop, ESQ began writing his own verses at a young age that were based on his surroundings, seeing at second-hand the experiences
VICTORIA, BC–From Esquimalt to Esquire, Mr. ESQ's growth as an artist shows itself beyond his stage name. With10-year hiatus from the Victoria, BC hip-hop scene after being released from incarceration, the rapper is now representing Western Canada with a sound that resonates with West Coast hip-hop.
Discovering poetry paired with a love for old-school hip-hop, ESQ began writing his own verses at a young age that were based on his surroundings, seeing at second-hand the experiences his two older brothers were having in their Victoria suburb of Esquimalt. His love for Tupac and the late rapper’s straightforward and emotive lyrics and cadence inspired freestyling in his late teens.
Many hip-hop themes surround bragging about money, but Mr. ESQ’s latest single “Rich Problems,” collaborating with friend and Vancouver rapper MadChild, makes a hit about having too much money and why it’s a problem that nods to the bars of OG L.A. gangsta rap, with the beats of melodic early 2000s hip-hop dance hits. In ESQ’s reality, the music is less about glamorizing money and more about the metaphorical meaning of the riches of life, and being real about both the struggles and the success.
“[MadChild] just came over to my place. He pulled up in a G-Wagon and I just said, ‘Oh, you got rich problems.’ And we laughed about it and carried on about the day. And then we went into the studio and that's the first thing that came to my mind and that's the hook in the song. The beat came on and I was like, okay, ‘The only thing you really got is a rich problem’ and it was uphill from there,” explains ESQ. “I've been at the bottom myself and had nothing. And then even though I'm not crazy rich, I feel like I'm rich with family and I'm rich with loyalty and things like that. You can't really put a price tag on that kind of thing.”
On his upcoming record, Esquire, the rapper is acknowledging his past while appreciating his present, detailing life pre-incarceration and his rebuilding process. Mixed and mastered by DJ Stelo and producer and Death Row Records alumnus Chris “The Glove'' Taylor, known for his working alongside Dr. Dre on tracks “California Love,” and Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Dogg World,” the album is ESQ’s graduation to writing about his first-hand experiences as well as topics that affect others–including,abusive relationships, sexual assault, mental stability, drug addiction, and his hometown–balancing between upbeat club tracks and deeply momentous perspective.
“I've worn a lot of different hats and walked a lot of paths throughout my life. Getting locked up at an early age for a decade really put things in perspective to me and I had to grow up pretty fucking quick in my life,” says ESQ. “I did the whole thing selling drugs, driving for escort agencies, and being a little punk kid hanging out on the corner pushing dope and things like that. It's not the life I wanted to live, so I had to change some things. I shine a light on these things in my music. Not in not in terms of glorifying it, but in terms of using it as a deterrent for younger men that were in the same position as me growing up because things are different in retrospect when you look at it and say, wow, I wish I would have done things differently.”
Mr. ESQ’s connection with the West Coast runs even deeper. His label Predominant Studios’ founder and owner, Jackie Best, grew up around Death Row labelmates and in full circle fashion linked Mr. ESQ to some of his hip-hop heroes. The impact and legacy those artists have on him have led him to create a hip-hop career aiming to help others through his own story, and the story of Mr. ESQ can be heard with no filter on Esquire–giving more to the rapper than riches can buy.
“If you're a young man or woman and you're going down that path and want to make a change or you're looking for something to help change your mind. Definitely throw on some of these records and utilize those before you go and make the same mistakes I did. Reach out, my DM’s are always open. I'll answer all questions for all my fans and I'll help anybody that needs help”
Esquire is set to be released in July. Stay connected to Mr. ESQ on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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