Digital Drop Presents: The Rap Up With Rashad Stark

Digital Drop recently chatted it up with the SNB's own Rashad Stark about his project SOAR 2, his upcoming project Vigilante, his goals and artistry, past projects and more. 

Digital Drop: What's good, appreciate you doing the interview.

Rashad Stark: Thanks for havin' a young G. I fucks with the Drop God. I always wanted one of these yo.

DD: I want to talk about your latest project SOAR 2. We'll start off simple...what does S.O.A.R. mean?

RS: S.O.A.R used to stand for "Seniors Over Any Rank." Back in high school, that was the name of my crew back too. Before I joined Starz & Bombz (laughs) my senior year. Now it means "SNB Over Any Rank".

DD: How does SOAR 2 compare to the first one?

RS: In a nutshell? SOAR 1, I rapped over industry beats. On SOAR 2, I rapped over my own production. SOAR 1, I rapped okay. SOAR 2, I rapped my ass off. On SOAR 1, I did a lot on my own. With SOAR 2, I got help from everybody. Everyone was a part of it. Grammy Family, ISH, OSP, Spence, FAM, Sparkz, and my niggas. It was a beautiful thing.

DD: On Twitter you said something along the lines of people can critique SOAR 2 however they want because you weren't giving it all you could. Can you explain that?

RS: Yeah, I can finally clear this up. SOAR 2 was for ME. I made music how I wanted, without worrying what people will think. But as an artist, you cant always make music for just yourself. You make music for people to listen to and enjoy. My next project will truly deserve more credit and love than 1,000 fuckin' listens the first three days. Basically, like my old head rMell said: "I'm not dropping NEOGEO for just all my friends to listen to it."

DD: Word. I can respect that. Did you have any goals while making SOAR 2? Did you accomplish them?

RS: Yup. Have Fun. Make great music. Work more with my team. Learn humility. I dropped this project on a Friday night, when niggas and hoes was getting wasted. Most would say I'm a dumb ass. (laughs) but I slowly had to remind myself that I do this for the love of it. Not for the attention, money or bitches.

DD: Do you feel SOAR 2 is getting the recognition it deserves? Do you think this is your best project yet?

RS: NOPE. SLEPT ON LIKE SHIT. I got AMAZING features by some epic artist in the area some of the best. ILL ass production. Savage and versatile rapping, a little bit of everything. Like...come on. Not to sound cocky, but I work harder than most. Ask my niggas. I don't know. Still can't decide between Finally A Hero and SOAR 2. Finally A Hero was like a fuckin' album.

DD: I wanted to ask you personally somethings I have been hearing. Why wasn't I shouted out on Press Start? Did you diss me on Kings of Wylin' or am I just crippin' nga? We got beef son? If so the choppa right here....

RS: (laughs) Son I did though! I think Steezy cut it off after I said "I will go down this muthafuckin list, I don't give a fuck". (laughs) A lot of names were left out. My bad Drop.  It's one specific blog we dissed but it was neither Digital Drop nor B2P. The choppa isn't needed. You the homie.

DD: Oh? So it was all Steezy fault. Tell em' I got that choppa for that lisp. 

DD: You have this Tyler, The Creator-esque inner voice thing throughout the tape. Any reason for that?

RS: I haven't found a original way to do it, but the voice is used to express my inner conflict. As a hero, I refer to it as me being contained in a "black suit". The suit represents my mentality when I'm focused on my life as a rapper. I won't really go into detail, my music speaks volumes. Just know that I'm working on being more creative with showing the darker side of me.

DD: Alright. One thing I really thought was done well on SOAR 2 was the production. Particularly the joints you produced. Is that something you set out to do when making the tape or did it just happen?

RS: Fuck yeah fam, I did that on purpose. rMell inspired me to produce because, I mean rapping is cool, but its' not enough to express my creativity. Hipsters and Hypebeast made me want to be more than a rapper. I wanted to be an artist. (After this I will probably be called a dick rider, but I mean, Kanye cant inspire everybody first.. Right?)

DD: The only criticism I do have about the tape is the track Carnage II. You got mad deep on it and spoke about your father, your faith and other personal subjects. To me it showed a lot of growth and maturity in your subject matter. A real highlight of SOAR 2. Than you threw all that shit out the window with the track after it Kings of Wylin (laughs). To me it felt of place and ruined the mood that Carnage II created. I feel if Carnage II would've been placed somewhere else it would have had a bigger impact and stood out more. Would you agree?

RS: (laughs) I did that on purpose yo. I'm such a depressed person, that a lot of the time, all I want to make is depressed music. My last project had my most emotional content in it. I didn't want to expose potential listeners to my sad ass simpin' shit. People who realllyyyyy listened all the way through, will hear Carnage II, and those are the people that matter. I do agree and slightly regret placing it there though.

DD: Everyone's favorite track seems to be Childish Simplicity, that beat is mad ill by the way. Why do you feel the track is so well liked? Is that your personal favorite, if not what is?

RS: Yo, that's my shit! Like. If I HAD to choose a favorite, I'd def have to say that Childish Simplicity is my favorite. It's so organic, and fun sounding. Ezito is my favorite rapper homie at the moment. You heard it, he bodied my shit! Also, it's one of my best beats. Amazing. I think people like it because, 1. They can relate, 2.the beat is ill, 3. Ezito ripped it at the end and 4. my singing at the very end was Frank Ocean worthy. I ain't gay though.

DD: No Frank sneak dissing will be allowed but how you let my mans Jadakiss (E.U) serve you like that?

RS: I mean, look. He a hoe. If I ever see him on the street, he got this llama to his dome. No words. All verb. Ya bish!

DD: I want to talk about TDOG (The Death of Gohan). That joint is tough man. I remember when y'all sent me it way back. I'm glad to see it made SOAR 2. The reason why is because you earned my respect with that verse. Everyone kills that joint. What inspired the name and how did you come up with the concept for it?

RS: Thank you Drop Dizzle and we got the name from the concept basically. The concept is us bodying our friend Son Gohan (Ex member of the SNB). Sadly, we didn't body him (being nice), but the concept is still epic. Its like, every verse is a scene in the actually movie, where Gohan is getting fucked up (laughs) and at the end he dies. On SOAR 1, he bodied me and Steezy. On SOAR 2, we showed that shit changed. My nigga dont' underestimate us.

DD: You gotta stop with the dizzle man (laughs) alright? Let's talk the future now. What can we expect from you next...Vigilante? If so what can we expect to hear on that tape, that would be different from your past projects?

RS: Yes fam, Vigilante is next. All I can really say is, Vigilante is gonna be my everything but molded into my own sound. Like, it's hard to explain. Just know, I'm finna make a real classic. No rookie flaws. No minor mistakes. A couple surprises. Simply, the best of Rashad Stark. Something the PEOPLE can love.

DD: Oh. Another thing since where on the subject of Vigilante. Explain where your "Hero" complex came from and why are you dropping for Vigilante?

RS: Glad you asked. In the last question, by "sound", I meant my image. My content. I'm more sure about myself. One thing I have found out is the rap game doesn't want a hero. It's considered corny. But they do NEED one. They need niggazs like me to make music. Besides that, I'm becoming something darker than a hero. My struggles are real. I've went from a Peter Parker vibe, to a more insane Bruce Wayne. It's apparent in my music. I've just changed a lot. I have new ideals, I'm not a kid anymore. Shit is about to get harder. This is what I really want fuck the industry, I'll do this my way.

DD: Alright that's it...anything you want to add? S/Os?

RS: I just want to say I won't be dropping shit for a while. I got four mixtapes (and a beat tape under my belt). Niggas need to starve for this next one. Do a few features here and there but that's about it. Oh, and maybe something from me and Steezy collab heem...*cough* or the group tape *cough*. I shouted out errybody on "Press Start" already forreal (laughs). Shout out to my nigga Drop for having me. S/O to my sensei CJ. S/O to my brother Spencer. S/O to my team. Teni got a Wolf Monkey! Rashad Stark Out!

Rashad Stark's SOAR 2 available for download!