Urban Buzz Factor Artist Spotlight: Emcee SES Da Great

Jesse Atkinson: Give us some background info as to who you are.

SES Da Great: My name is SES Da Great. I’m an emcee, producer, leader, activist, architect and entrepreneur. I was born and raised in Newburgh, NY.

JA: What is the significance of your stage name?

SDG: My stage name is SES Da Great. “SES” are my initials. “Da Great” part is what I strive to be and how I want to be remembered.

JA: Who is your target market?

SDG: My target market consists of people who consider themselves TRUSIC (True, righteous, unique, successful, inspiring, creative). It’s always been hard to narrow that down because a lot of different people relate to my music.

JA: What is your USP? (Unique Selling Proposition) and what sets you apart from other artists?

SDG: I’m commercially appealing, yet highly intellectual. I’m an artist who is socially aware and dedicated to changing minds through music. I create value based entertainment and rap with purpose.

JA: What single or project are you currently pushing?

SDG: My first single is called Intelligence (The New Sexy). It is off my debut album #ALLIN

JA: What is the philosophy by which you live by?

SDG: My philosophy is TRUSIC. TRUE refers to being well informed and loyal to my beliefs without fear of consequences. RIGHTEOUS refers to acting selfless with a strong sense of morality. UNIQUE means accepting my differences as strengths and as qualities that make me extraordinary. SUCCESSFUL refers to living with purpose by setting and achieving goals. INSPIRING signifies being a source of motivation for positive results. CREATIVE means thinking outside of the box, being imaginative and innovative. That’s what we call the TRUSIC code and that’s the lifestyle of my movement and what I embody.

JA: Which artists have inspired you?

SDG: To be honest, I’m more inspired by great leaders such as Marcus Garvey, Dr. John Henrick Clarke, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Fred Hampton Jr. But musically I’ve always been inspired by Marvin Gaye, KRS-1, Bob Marley, Chuck D, Ghostface Killah, and Nas.

JA: Who does your production?

JA: What is your opinion of the current state of the music industry?

SDG: My opinion is that the artists have lost control of the art. Corporations dictate the culture and trends. Collectively artists, fans, DJs, and those actively involved in the industry have to wake up and recognize the impact that music has over society. We can choose to build or destroy.

JA: If you can change one thing about the music industry what would it be and why?

SDG: Balance. I’m all for a good club song or a “idgaf” song, but the majority of my week I need some substance. Artists who are providing substance need the same marketing, platforms, and promotions as artists who aren’t saying shit. That’s what’s missing.

JA: Are there any singers that you would like to collaborate with in the future?

SDG: Yes, I would love to work with Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius, Bryson Tiller, Anthony Hamilton, and The Weeknd.

JA: What producer would you like to collaborate with in the future?

SDG: What I wouldn’t give for a J-Dilla collaboration smh. But since he’s making fire beats for Our Creator, I would love to collab with 9th Wonder, Timbaland, Large Professor, Metro Boomin, 14 Kt, Daft Punk, Pharrell, and Just Blaze. That album would be amazing.

JA: What is your favorite movie and favorite book?

SDG: Two of my favorite movies are Black Dynamite and Hidden Colors. As far as favorite books, I have a bunch so I’m going to have to give you three, Think and Grow Rich, Miles Davis Autobiography, and Yurugu.

JA: What is your favorite part of your live show? How has it evolved?

SDG: When I first started rapping live I always felt weird because people would stare at me without really nodding their heads like most hip hop shows. It used to make me feel like they weren’t into my music. Until I got off stage and everyone would come up to me and personally share their appreciation for the lyrics that I rapped. It did two things for me, one it encouraged me to continue to write songs that would reach people on a personal/human level, and two it made me look for beats that would make heads knock while I rap.

JA: What is your EP or Album going to be like?

SDG: Secretly, ALLIN is an acronym. But you would have to wait and hear the album to understand the journey. I will say this though, it’s going to be impactful, inspiring, energetic, thought provoking, and a TRUSIC ode to Hip Hop. That balance that the industry has been missing.

JA: What is your website?

JA: Any final words for the people.

SDG: I want to say to whomever is reading this; I challenge you to support the music and artists that reflect the world you want to live in.