Karras – Delusional (Jack Lim Mix) (Spotify)

Artist shared with Nagamag few words about his project and this song:

"Hip-hop was the music that I first fell in love with of my own accord when I was seven. By the time I was of an age to start playing in bands though, punk was what I was surrounded by and so that’s what I churned out. For over a decade I played in countless punk and metal bands. However, when my last band broke up, I decided I needed to make music on my own terms without relying too heavily on others. Still needing a musical outlet, I felt magnetized back to what had lit the pilot light of my drive for music two decades prior. There were definitely people who thought even the idea of me rapping was laughable. It got to me a bit but I didn’t let it stop me. Many late nights, churning up nothing but subpar lyrics and flows, I would feel defeated and an imposter. I’d listen to the rappers I loved and admired and feel foolish even trying to make music in the same genre. Several times I told myself I was done. It wasn’t worth all the failure and discouragement. For some reason though I couldn’t quit. I’d always pick it back up and try again. With a handful of years of practice and study I eventually I went from terrible to not half bad. I’m not under any illusion that I can currently compete with the majority of established underground rappers, but what I do know is, is that I keep getting better and making bigger strides. I’m finding more people who dig what I’m doing and want to support it. And I’ve learned that I can handle the continual feeling of defeat in order to pursue the passion that I cannot seem to shuck. I think it takes a small does of delusion to keep at it. I’m okay with that.

karras.bandcamp.com/

This song was a particular challenge for the producers who made the various versions. I recorded my vocals to a J Dilla track that fit the mood perfectly. Dilla being well-known for the “drunken drummer” approach, made the tempo difficult for a producer to successfully recreate. I wanted these producers to build an original and unique beat around my already recorded vocals and reverse engineer me a track that not only matched my vocal melodies but also my exact rhythm. I didn’t want them scooting my takes much or having to pitch correct to fit their melodic chord progression. Many talented producers gave it a shot and a few of them came through with some damn great beats. This version by Jack Lim is a whole different take than I would have expected stylistically and I wound up loving it. I think he brought a nice pop bounce to it that I've yet to establish in my catalog."

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