2. Interview:
You should document the process of getting your interview. You should produce a range of questions and also a list of
interviewees.
You should provide an unedited transcript of the interview as well as at least one draft of it.
Interviews can be written in whatever style you prefer.
3. Interview:
1. Why do you want to get into this scene?
2. What’s your opinion on the recent deaths in the industry?
3. What’s your opinion on the drug use in the industry?
4. What was it like to meet Mac miller?
5. Favourite artists?/ Artists that inspire you? & why?
6. Opinion on the X and peep song? (Was it just for profit)
7. Favourite rap album & why?
Ideas of people to interview:
Zak – Big fan and met mac
miller
Aaron- Wants to get into the
industry
Melvin- produces similar
music
5. Interview:
My interview I conducted with a fan of all the music
went very well and I think he said some things that I
really agreed with, I think it really worked well and he
definitely knew what he was talking about hence why I
decided to interview him.
6. Copy:
All the other written elements of your fanzine are up to you but should be documented here. If you decide to write a
review, a polemic, an article or anything else, it needs to be documented here.
Drafts are good so it is worth writing a first draft then producing a second which not only checks for spelling and grammar
errors but also ensures that your work has a consistent style, quality and structure.
Recording your research, as and when it happens, is also a very strong idea. If you need to look up a fact or read an article,
record that.
7. Article
This industry is quite controversial at the moment with the amount of things that have happened lately. With the passing of
a few artists recently. I do really think this is something that needs to be addressed. A lot of artists realize they have a
problem with it and I think its something that needs to be supported and that people need help with. I think it also shows
the way that the spotlight can affect peoples mental health and that is definitely a part of why all these rappers have issues
with drugs. H3H3 said on one of his podcasts with Post Malone “You don’t generally get addicted to drugs unless you have
something underneath that you are treating” and I think although that’s a big statement to make with a lot of these rappers
within this industry I think it is definitely true as there is a documentary on Mac Miller who sadly passed away in September
this year due to a drug overdose and he had said in this interview “I hate being sober, I just wanted a drug to do,” and this
was because that was how he dealt with his mental health and I think we need to help these people realize that its not a
healthy coping mechanism to deal with their issues and if they need help they should be able to get it.
After Lil peeps death, a lot of artists such as lil pump, lil uzi vert and others, started a movement of being “Anti xan” which
was the drug that peep was taking and overdosed on and although the xans peep took was tampered with I think it was
becoming too mainstream to take xans and it was definitely becoming an issue. A lot of the rappers got on top of this
movement and I thought it was really going to blow up and help people realize the issue. However some people who have
stood with the anti xan movement have continued to glorify things like “lean” which is sprite mixed with codeine syrup
which I think is just as big of a problem. I think although the anti-xan movement was a start but there’s still a lot to be done.
It breaks my heart to hear quotes from mac miller that say “Overdosing is not cool, there’s no legendary romance. You don’t
go down in history because you overdosed, you just die” and then to learn what happened to him. They realize what they
are doing and they talk about it but no one gives them the help they need.
8. Lil peep Fact file:
Real name: Gustav Elijah Ahr
Favourite cartoon: Scooby doo
Fave video games: RPG games
First tattoo: His mums birthday and initials so
she wouldn’t get mad at him for his first tattoo
at 14
Mac Miller fact file:
His key to success: hard work
His favourite Airport: Atlanta
Height: He is 5’7”
Music: He was actually a self taught artist
XXXTentacion:
Real Name:
Favourite disney movie: Monsters Inc
Age: He doesn’t speak about his age because
he feels like people will judge his knowledge
off his age but he passed at 20 years old.
9. Recently there was a song released as a collaboration of Lil peep and XXXTentacion called “Falling down.” This has
been quite a controversial subject at the moment on whether it should have been released or not. Since the two
rappers have passed away they cant make comments them selves. I asked a few people what their opinion was on
the whole situation and everyone I spoke to said they definitely thought it was don’t for profit which I actually
agree with. I think the fact of what people close to peep have said about his opinions on X and the allegations held
against him I don’t think that this song would of naturally happened between them as artists. I definitely think the
industry might have pushed it but I personally only think its been released due to the deaths and purely for profit.
Personally I saw it everywhere when it first came out but now its died down and I’ve seen it no where after the
release date. It almost seemed like everyone was excited about it and then realized that it was generic and all for
profit and stopped listening to it. I think the sound was also not classic peep or X it seemed like it had been made
to be a radio song and to make money. Overall I just wasn’t a fan of the song or the story behind it. I know that lil
Tracey has said that he doesn't understand why he wasn’t allowed to release a song with some of peeps samples
but X was even though Peep and X weren’t actually friends. Overall I think it was a huge commercial move and I
think It was definitely done for profit but I know that a lot of people Have different opinions on the situation.
Article
10. Zak- Fan of both artists
Being a fan of both Peep and X I
don’t think this is something
they’d have actively pursued.
Although they made similar
music X and Peep didn’t actually
know each other. The song
that’s been released doesn’t
sound authentic to the music
they made when they were alive
so I 100% think that song was
made to be commercial and
profitable
Leon- Fan of neither
I have never listened to the
both of them, but from
what I have heard the song
was produced for profit
Charlie- Fan of neither
From just a purely first glance at the
song with minimal knowledge of the
deaths and the culture of the music I
would have said that this was made
purely for profit but after looking
into it a bit more, which is what the
culture around the music would be
doing everyday, I found out that one
of Lil Peep's fellow members of
GothBoiClique Fish Narc said that
Peep rejected XXX for his abuse of
women and spent lots of time and
money getting his songs removed
from Peep playlists
11. Okay so how did you get into the music you’re into? Like mac and peep etc
Ok so Mac miller I was introduced to through an ex girlfriend, she was super obsessed with the
guy. In terms of Peep and soundcloud rap as a whole, I’m into a YouTube called Adam 22. He’s
an X bmxer who began making videos in the underground rap scene in LA. He’s responsible for
artists such as Peep, XXX, Lil Skies, Juice Wrld getting exposure and making it to a mainstream
audience
What’s your opinion on the drug use in the industry? Especially with the recent deaths due to
overdoses
I definitely don’t think it’s a positive thing, especially for the younger generation. We know that
rap is becoming more mainstream meaning younger audiences can access and consume it which
creates an argument around drug use and it’s supposed “glorification”. However the topic of
drugs has always had its place within hip hop, it paints a real life picture of the world and real
situations. So it’s a difficult one because I don’t believe we should stop it. A lot of artists use
there music as a kind of therapy so I think they should be free to talk about their problems.
However I think it’s up to the hip hop community to realise this is a problem and help said
artists
12. What was it like to be mac miller?
Yeah it was what I expected! From listening to his music and me being a marijuana user myself I knew
he used that aswell as other substances. When I met him he was definitely high and I told him how
stoned he looked However I could tell he was a lil uneasy meeting so many of his fans at once. He had
anxiety and depression and I can imagine after doing a bunch of shows, touring and then meeting
people who see you as an idol. I can imagine it’s pretty daunting and nerve racking. But overall it was
amazing to meet him and share the experience with my then girlfriend
Do you think mental health is the reason for a lot of
the drug use? Or is there another reason?
Partially. I think mental health as a whole is on the rise. I think this is due to the pressures of
modern society. The worlds population is growing and people are struggling to find not only their
way in life but also their purpose. I’m not saying this is the only thing that has led to the rise in
mental illness but it definitely doesn’t help. In answer to your question I think people who have
mental illness would rather self medicate or use an illegal drug as a form of escape for their
problems. So there’s definitely some correlation between mental health and drug use / abuse
And lastly who are some of your personal favourite artists?
Within rap I was a big fan of Mac miller RIP. But I also like
Juice wrld I think he’s one to watch over the next few
years. I also like mainstream rappers such as Drake,
Kendrick and Big Sean
