Giano

How the did started with all this??
I’ll try to make this extremely long story shorter, lol. I started at a young age. I grew around hip hop music. My uncles were DJs in NYC and my family in general has a great appreciation for world music. That has always been a major influence for me. When I was around 9 years old I wrote my first rap verse and used to make beats for other kids rapping at the lunch table at school. By 12, I had recorded my first at-home demo and learning all the lyrics to my favorite emcees at the time. Ages 13-14, I was performing at talent shows and recording more demos. By high school, I was battle rapping at lunch and after school. I started to know God at 18 and stopped writing for a while to develop as a person, until I was inspired to write again. At 19 I felt the creative spark again, which led me to more writing and recording throughout college and finally in 2003, decided to actually start making professional recordings. The rest is history in the making.

What's the message to transmit with your music??
The message I want to transmit with my music, in short, is “healing”. I want to create great music that helps to heal the mind, heart, and soul. I follow Jesus and His teachings, so that’s a major influence in my life and art. However, many of my fans and supporters are from various social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds because I have diverse topics in my songs. I seek to be relevant to what’s going on in the hip hop community and provide hope to inspire people through the not-so-good times.

What's your method at the time of writing a song??
If the concept is “deep” and requires more thought, I may do some research, or speak to some people to get a greater perspective of the concept – sort of similar to how actors engulf themselves in their characters to create the best performance. Other times, a song comes like freestyle and I don’t have to write it down at all (except for liner notes for people to read). Then, sometimes I may be sitting down in a room or in a meeting and just start to write the thoughts down until a verse or song appears on the paper. Inspiration comes from everywhere. Once it’s in my head, it’s hard to get out, haha.

Which is your music influences??
I’m influenced heavily by lyrical, “conscious”, or influential hip hop artists like Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, Eminem, Rakim, Pharoahe Monch, Black Star, the Roots, Common, Nas, Jay Z, Lupe Fiasco, Black Moon, and the list goes on. I’m also influenced heavily by world music. I really dig chill-out, 70s R&B/soul, trip hop, pure moods instrumentals, sounds of nature, classical, world jazz, and ethnic rhythms. My music is also influenced by abstract and surreal art, human culture, and philosophy. Some of the most wonderful ideas I’ve been blessed to come up with have developed from visiting an art museum, attending an opera, or reading some excerpt of poetry, scientific innovation, and of course the Bible.

What plans do you have for the future??
I’m currently doing events performing and promoting my current project, Beautiful World. On deck, I have a project entitled B-Sides and Remixes, Vol. 2, which is an EP I hope to get out around February of 2011, and then I’ll be working on my new album for late 2011 or 2012. I plan to do more performances and get on some overseas concerts/tours. I also would like to get involved in some social programs or events to positively impact different communities.

Which has been the funniest prank you have been or took part while on tour or after a show??
I’ve never played a prank on anyone (or had one played on me) on tour or after a show…sometimes there are some “tipsy” concert goers, who give me a good laugh while I’m performing though.

If you were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you and your band (If any) are, ¿Who would you send to look for help?
Well, hopefully my cell phone would still have reception and I could call someone close by or service (police, tow truck, etc.) help. If not, I’ll use the GPS on my phone and start walking, lol .... And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
LOL…well, (1) I’m a vegetarian, and (2) I’m a solo act most times, so I wouldn’t have to worry about eating any of my band members. But, if I got that hungry, I might have to walk and start knocking on random people’s doors to get some food or hope to find some farm and eat their veggies and fruit, lol.

Which country you would love to play?
Wow, there are so many I’d like to play: Spain, Brazil, the UK, South Africa, Jamaica…the list goes on.

With which bands you would love to share stage??
That’s a long list too, haha. Radiohead, Sade (the whole band and her), the Roots, Blue Stone, Portishead, DJ Krush, Double Edge, whoever is in Esthero’s band…again, the list goes on

Are you OK, with the direction the band is going actually?
With the direction, yes; with the current span of influence, never, because there’s always room for improvement. My mind and creativity always challenge me to go far beyond whatever comfort zone I create for myself with projects. So, every project allows my fans and supporters to see a new side of Giano’s personality and character. Because of my love for music and the arts, I always try to introduce new production, new instruments, and elements of world music and culture into the music I produce. Only God knows the limit!

Check out more of this artist by going to: myspace.com/pngproductionz