“I wanted it to be legendary” said Cinque38 in his in-home studio in West Philadelphia. On March 1st artist Cinque38 (Cinque Akbar) release DaBottom, a Love Story, his debut full length album. At 21 years old he displays a patience and wisdom seldom seen in young artists. His music and sound stems from hip-hop, and you wouldn’t be wrong to call him a rapper, however Cinque38 shies away from this label. “I’m an activist, I’m a visionary and I want to empower people” he says, “Music is a tool to empower them”.
Much of the inspiration for this album comes from its name. DaBottom refers to Mantua, a small neighborhood which lies at the bottom of West Philadelphia, surrounded by the Schuylkill river and ever encroaching city universities, and is where Cinque38 grew up. His patience is illustrated in the process of preparing the album. He began creating this project when he was 17, and while young, his music matured exponentially over the following four years. The album never lingered, but rather blossomed. Cinque38’s ambition led him to self-produce, engineer and record the entire project.
“I remember going to work with producers early on and I didn’t like their vibe” he says. “They weren’t honest about how to best utilize my time.” These uncomfortable experiences motivated Cinque38 to teach himself to produce his own music, while also offering him the ability to craft his own sound; one that is truly unique in today’s age of hip-hop. This independence gave him 100 percent creative control. From the sound structure to the cover art, Cinque38 had complete influence over this project.
DaBottom, a Love Story delivers 16 tracks lyrically filled, with a poetic tone. While artists such as Drake, Roddy Rich and Lil Uzi Vert dominant the hip-hop Billboard charts, Cinque38 takes a sharp right turn in his music style. These artists are undoubtedly talented, but they’ve mastered the template to use their music to become financially successful, while possibly sacrificing the emphasis of their art. While Cinque38 acknowledges the necessity of financial independence, he isn’t motivated by stardom or glamour. On “Operation Skyfall” he raps “Ray said I shouldn’t talk about the rapist shit/said talkin about the secrets never made me rich.” Similarly, on “Eleventh Hour” he states “My superstitions got me stuck at a frequency/the fame aint my vibe, I like to make my moves secretly.” Rather, financial success motivates Cinque38 for selfless reasons. He’s determined to not just aid his family, but his present community as well. He raps on “Big and Pac”, “Fuck a chain n****, this aint for fame/the block needs heavy fixing, I can paint a picture of its pain.”
At a young age, it’s apparent he’s not afraid to go against the grain. As a student of history, he’s takes great interest in the lessons of war. “I look at the (music) industry today as old warfare, armies lining up in similar formations to slaughter each other”. To the contrary he says “I approach my music with a guerrilla warfare mindset”. He acknowledges the game young artists must play to reach the heights of the music industry, however he’s content with forging a new path. From talking with him you get the sense that he’s a purist, and it shows it his music. Like a chess player whose queen is boxed in, every lyric is strategically place, none are wasted. Every song is prioritized and offers a deliberate message.
When making the album he attempted to create a record that you could enjoy as a relaxing background ambiance, but could also capture and hold your attention with each line if you desired. The album is unique in it that has multiple themes. It is radical in its activist content, but possess a tone so that you feel at ease as if walking in the park yet, still provokes a Philly bravado that can spark your confidence. “I want people to be able to keep coming back to this album and hear something new each time” says Cinque38. He hopes listeners can take lessons away from his own mistakes and triumphs, all of which he articulately describes. Not only does he present his own experiences but, he examines the intricate problems of society, from politics and religion to classism.
Artists like Chance the Rapper, Lauren Hill, Kendrick Lamar and Tupac have all been inspirations for Cinque38, and undoubtedly their influence is heard in his music. This album encapsulates Tupac’s activist spirit, along with Lauren Hill’s melodies and Kendrick’s lyricism. But his inspirations go much further than just those. “I’m just someone who loves music” he says. From jazz, to blues, to soul music, they all are found in DaBottom, a Love Story.
Cinque38 certainly has a poetic style of rapping, which he acknowledges doesn’t conform to the popular sound of hip-hop today. However, he’s confident in his to ability for his music to be popularized. Artists like Andre 3000 and Kendrick Lamar have certainly succeeded at popularizing their music while also preserving their originality; there’s no reason that Cinque38 can’t as well. He’s felt the pressure to adapt to the music industries standards, but he doesn’t waiver. For when his music does reach popular recognition, he says “I look forward to telling people I told you so.”
This is only the beginning for Cinque38. To follow DaBottom, a Love Story he has an EP titled Fronts in the books, and he would like to create an ambitious catalogue of 9 albums total. Additionally, along with his brother, he opens his studio up to fellow artists looking to record music. It’s here where he’s able to put his production experience to use, and it’s one of the many ways he’s also able to use music experience to give back to West Philly.
As we continued talking, I asked him his thoughts on the focus of his debut project. DaBottom is everything for Cinque38. It made him who he is and gave him his drive. “It (DaBottom) doesn’t discriminate” he says, “It doesn’t matter who you are, or if you’re having a good day or bad day, it treats you the same”. I find this project offers a similar sentiment. It comes at you straight by putting its intentions front and center. DaBottom, a Love Story doesn’t discriminate by rejecting certain listeners, nor does it cater to any. It’s simply presented to be appreciated, but if one is bold enough to dive deeper into the its contents the rewards are endless.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinque38/?hl=en
Music Links: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/cinque38/dabottom-a-love-story-4
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