Interview with Transit

Foto: Transit
Transit

9. August 2012 | His debut album nearly topped the Canadian iTunes charts and his single "I'm So Indie" has been viewed by nearly a quarter million people on YouTube. Transit, based in Calgary, could be Canada's next big musical export. We were able to talk to the man behind Transit, Daniel Bennett, about his musical aspirations, his own favorite song and what he thinks about social media platforms as an artist.

Note: © myFanbase 2012 - The interview is exclusive to myFanbase and may not be published on other websites or the like. You may share the first 2 questions or up to 160 characters if you link back to this site. Translations other than English and German may be posted with full credit including the writer's name and link to this site.

1. How would you describe your music in one sentence?

Intelligent, passionate hip-hop so relatable you'll swear you're sitting next to him on the bus.

2. Was there something like a light bulb moment when you were young, maybe a concert, a certain song or a record that made you dream about a career as a musician?

I memorized the words to Tupac's song "Changes" before ever hearing it because my family didn't want me listening to explicit music. As I read and memorized the lyrics that I printed off the Internet, I realized how deep they were, and felt the desire to express my message to people.

3. Are there any artists that might have influenced you or inspired you some time?

I'm really inspired by Atmosphere and the rest of the Rhymesayers movement. I really appreciate how they built their own label and found success without compromising their integrity. I feel they paved the way for guys like me.

4. How do you develop your songs? What part comes first, music or lyrics?

Always music first. As a rapper rhythm is a very crucial part of your delivery. If you write before you hear the beat, it will be much tougher to make the lyrics cater to that beat.

5. What song is most important to you? Why and how did it develop?

A song I wrote on my last album called "Underdog." It's the story of a friend of mine who passed away last year from cancer. The song describes his story from him being first diagnosed, to beating cancer, to biking across Canada to fundraise for cancer, to being re-diagnosed, to eloping with his fiancee to his eventual demise. It was the most difficult yet inspiring song I've ever written.

6. In what aspects did your music change compared to when you started to make music?

I've worked really hard on developing different flows (or cadence). Basically I've worked on rapping faster and more intricately. I used to have a very onedimensional flow, as I really own focused on my lyrics. I want to be the full package now and be able to out flow and out write my competition.

7. What has been the best experience so far as a musician?

Watching the success of my last album "22" has been the best experience so far. The album ended up hitting #2 on iTunes for Canadian hip-hop albums (next to Drake's "Take Care") so that was truly an incredible moment for me.

8. What can you tell us about your current projects?

I have a free EP titled "Public Domain" releasing online on August 21. The EP features two of my favourite Canadian rappers, Mad Child of Swollen Members and Kyprios (formerly of Sweatshop Union). I also have a full length album which will be released in Winter 2013.

9. And what are you aspiring to in the future, what do you want to achieve?

I want to be able to feed myself and my future family off of my music, while still knowing that I kept true to the art-form.

10. With whom would you like to go on tour?

Jay-Z. If we're going to go all hypothetical I might as well think big, haha.

11. What record would we find in your CD-player right now?

Blueprint's "Adventures in Counter-Culture" or Regina Spektor's "Our View From The Cheap Seats."

12. What do you think, as artists, about platforms like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace?

Foto: Transit
Transit

They are so neccessary in today's culture. The reality is that "music" television stations aren't playing music videos much anymore, and radio stations are so corporately run that in order to be heard you need to utilize the free opportunities that come along with social networking. Plus, connecting with your fans via twitter/facebook etc. makes it easier to connect with them in the music you make.

13. myFanbase is a website that is devoted to American television shows. Do you have a favorite show?

"Entourage"! I've seen every episode 3 or 4 times. I also LOVE "How To Make It In America" & am really choked they cancelled it after the second season.

Thank you very much for the interview and all the best.

Maria Gruber - myFanbase

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