It's Lyrical Warfare Out Here!

Written by Sarah Hernandez

It’s about that time for the Ghost to come out from the dark and into the Spotlight … and by Ghost I mean Ghost Da Lyrical, underground rapper, also known as Hakim Wassi-Hill, who was born in Brooklyn but represents the place in which he grew up; Queens.

... We’re always talking about what makes these underground artists unique, and I think Ghost is easy to separate from the pack because of his incredibly creative lyricism.

Ghost Da Lyrical currently has two mixtapes out; his first called “Many Faces of a Ghost” and his sophomore mixtape called “Dream Eater”. Both of them showing that Ghost is more than your average underground rapper, and the second showing a substantial amount of growth from the first. We can only expect his next mixtape, “Mainstream Killah”, will demolish the previous ones.

Check out our Q&A with Ghost Da Lyrical below, along with a video of him performing "Hold Da Throne"

Q: So Ghost Da Lyrical, when did you start making music and why?

A: I didn't choose to make music, or rap. It chose me. I am drawn to it like a moth is to a flame. It's encoded in my DNA.

Q: Can you briefly describe your music for anyone who may have never heard it before?

A: If you listened to hip-hop during its golden years, than my music is for you. I indulge in the art form in it's truest form, because after all, I am an artist. My words are the paint, the beat is my paintbrush, and the world is my canvas.

Q: What or who influences/inspires your music?

A: Despite the long list of influential artists I listen to at my leisure (Biggie, Big Pun, 2Pac, Big L, Busta Rhymes, ONYX, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, Wu-Tang just to name a few) what influences my music as of lately is the everyday struggles of my life.

Q: How did the name Ghost Da Lyrical come about?
A: "Ghost" is a name I carry from my childhood, in reference to my demeanor. "Da Lyrical" was tacked on from a homie in high school who found out I had a way with words.

Q: How much does music mean to you?

A: Music is the very air I breathe. It has gotten me through some of the roughest stages of my life, and continues to hold me down, even when no one else is around.

Q: Who are you currently listening to in hip hop, or even in other genres, whether commercial or not?
A: My Indie hip-hop list is as follows: Izzo Flii, Mike Classic, Naji President, Eric Sosa, Elohim Marino. As far as other genres go, I like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, One Republic, Breaking Benjamin, Secondhand Serenade. I have an ear for general good music, no matter the genre.

Q: So "Mainstream Killah" will be dropping March 4th. Can you give readers some insight on what to expect from it?

A: You can expect nothing short of a masterpiece. The music speaks for itself, I won't brag about how my tape is "a movie" or "epic". See for yourself, I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

Q: And this will be your 3rd mixtape right? How do you feel you have grown as an artist since the making of that first mixtape?

A: My first mixtape, "Many Faces of a Ghost", was that trial and error period in my career. Since then I've grown substantially as an artist, becoming more efficient, and versatile. The 2nd mixtape, "Dream Eater", let everyone know I'm serious as an artist and as an emcee. No more mistakes, and "Mainstream Killah", will prove to be that flawless piece of work that it's predecessors can't measure up to.

Q: What do you feel is the key to success as an emcee?

A: To be true to yourself, and to stay as versatile as possible.

Q: Any last words?

A: Shout out to The Spotlight, shining light on the underground emcee!


Check out Ghost Da Lyrical on:

facebook.com - Ghost Da Lyrical 

ghostdalyrical.blogspot.com

twitter.com/GhostDaLyrical