Soaking Up The Funk With UK Rapper ABSORB
It all started with a teenage dream of becoming an R&B singer/songwriter, but as Ben’s vocal chords developed over those early years, he learned he was built for a different dream. The songwriting stuck, but instead of singing the tracks, he found himself talking the tracks with more intensity, authority, and vigor than his singing voice allowed. His R&B dream eventually died, but ABSORB rose out of the ashes and the quest to become a rapper began.
“I write from the heart, perform every gig as though it's the last one I'll ever do, and most of all, leaving a lasting impression is the aim. I tend to focus on grime, dubstep and sometimes a little bit of drum and bass but I try not to listen to too much of these genres as thinking outside of the box is so important.”
ABSORB is finding himself crossing milestones with his music. His latest single, “Oi You!” (produced by The Heavytrackerz) received national airplay in the UK. Earlier this year, he got the opportunity to perform in London - something he has always wanted to do. His freestyle rap videos like this one are taking YouTube by storm. The inspiration for his songwriting?
“Most of my initial chorus ideas (which is where I tend to start every track) come from doing things totally unrelated to music. I can be doing the washing up, hoovering, sitting in traffic or in the shower for example, and all of a sudden, an idea for a harmony, a flow or two or three words will just pop into my head. My influences come from all over the place which is why my Voice Memos app on my phone is a lifesaver as I never know when I'll get inspired.”
Another go-to app on his phone? The BeFunky Mobile App. Promoting his music effectively is crucial to growing ABSORB’s network. For his on-the-go lifestyle, BeFunky’s Mobile App has all the photo editing tools he needs. His favorite edits involve overlays, adding text, and adding effects with filters that range from subtle to shocking.
“I edit photos using the app which can then be used across lots of social media platforms. The text facility with its large library of fonts helps me spread the word about new tracks or if I have an inspirational quote that I'd like to share, I can rely on BeFunky to make everything look really sharp.”
For more intense editing and creating promotional materials like show flyers, ABSORB has found the BeFunky Graphic Designer to be intuitive and inspiring. What he likes most about BeFunky’s web platform?
“I mostly like BeFunky’s simplistic layout. It doesn't pretend to be Photoshop like some apps do. Once you start using it, you get the sense that everything is where it's meant to be rather than having to spend a long time searching for things. It's user-friendliness means I can edit with no hassle whatsoever.”
Want more ABSORB? Check out his bandcamp here. And for all the creative inspiration and tools you need to promote your band, follow the link below:
