I recently came across None Like Joshua through many of the other artists I have interviewed. I decided to see what all the fuss was about. What did I find? A talented musician who gives us intelligent, real lyrics. I am happy to say We did a little interview!

How did you get into rapping?

I’ve been rapping since I was like 9. Me and my childhood friend Douglas used to rap Limp Bizkit all the time. I was a huge nu-metal head growing up: Linkin Park, Kid Rock, Slipknot, the whole rap-rock scene was my shiz in middle school. I started getting into drumming though, and started taking it way too seriously, along with playing guitar, bass, and piano. Eventually, I tried auditioning for music schools after high school and got rejected by each one of them. Thank God I did.

The first rap song I wrote was over one of Introspective Minds’ beats (a good friend of mine in Atlanta), and I asked a girl to prom while reciting it. It ended like, “I don’t think you got a problem with me, so I would like you to follow me, back to the car where I can ask you, will you go to prom with me?” She said no, but…whatever………..JK!

Ended up getting into a music business major in New Orleans, and my freshman year, when I heard Buck 65 for the first time, I was like, “Holy Christmas, this is what I want to do. I want to be like Buck 65.” Then I heard Bike for Three, his side project, and thought, “Holy Hannukah, that’s the music I want to make. I want to mix indie hip-hop with electronica.” 

Started producing crappy beats in garageband, then started getting better with Logic, and then one of my friends suggested I check out Emancipator, who is now one of my favorite trip-hop artists of all time, and I thought, “Man, this song would be great with lyrics.” I recorded it, put it on Youtube. Stuff hit the fan. People wanted more and more from me from Bonobo, Nujabes, Flying Lotus, Glitch Mob, all these awesome trip-hop and glitch hop artists. Finally, someone asked me, “Hey, you ever heard of Flux Pavilion?” Then boom sha, more and more electronic music and dubstep, and it just filled my world.

People were telling me, “Wow, dude. You actually put smart lyrics over music that doesn’t usually have smart messages. Good job.” I figured out this was my calling. The message of indie hip-hop with the sick beats of EDM. 

How did your music evolve into what it is today?

Oh man. My freshman year, at first, I was mixing electronica/hip-hop and acoustic pop cause I was taking a songwriting class. THAT turned out to be a bad idea. So I decided to go full hip-hop and electronica, making beats on my keyboard until I upgraded to an mpd, and I still had the intent of providing insightful lyricism over EDM, since no one else was. Then I decided to mix a little nerdcore over Ephixa’s “Lost Woods” even though I had rapped about robots and super heroes before, but he liked it enough to feature on his channel, and it just blew up big time. I can’t thank him enough for paving the way for my career.

What can people expect on the upcoming album with PITCHEDsenses?

People can expect a real journey through my mind, along with Eric’s (PITCHEDsenses) mind. I met him over YouTube like a year ago and we’ve been trying to finish this album since then. It’s a mix of experimental electronic music, and pretty much my life in verbal form. We’re also providing some literature to explain what influenced the lyrics and the music, so people don’t have to wonder or ask too many questions. I think it’ll be very nice and really break the fourth wall in music.

Tell me about an artist (of any kind) that changed your way of thinking.

I hate it when I answer questions that are going to be asked later. Buck 65 changed everything for me. His lyrics, music, endeavors, adventures, I wanted to be him. I still do. Buddy Rich was a huge influence rhythmically. I used to watch his drum solo videos all the time in high school, and wanted to be faster and faster and more solid like him, and I feel that trying to learn how to play drums like he did helped me with my flow. Imogen Heap was also a huge influence in my production skills. Damn, I love her. 

Really love your words in “Wrong Turn” .. what inspired these words?

Ah, my dear, you’ll have to wait to download the album on nonelikejoshua.com or psenses.deand read the literature behind the song. Mwahahahahahaha! Sorry.

Are there some future projects you can share with us?

Gah too many to share. Veela, Noisestorm, Feint, Boyinaband, Coyote Kisses, Dubsolutly, SubVibe, JustRock, Sound Remedy, Moleman, and if you don’t know who any of these people are >__< now you know! I’m pretty much booked for at least a month with how many collaborations I’m doing, and yet I want to do MORE AND MORE AND MORE! I love it. Also, my original album that I produced, The Impermanent, will be released this season. It’s a mix of my trip-hop roots with my newfound love for dubstep. Hope my old and new listeners enjoy it.

Any last words? :)

Just want to say Happy Birthday to my dad. I hope he likes the present I cooked him. Also, want to say thank you to everyone who really believes in what I’m doing, especially when I try to work with bigger artists and bigger companies, and I get shot down, ignored, or just screwed over quite often. We are going to take over the world, I promise you, one way or another. There are none like us, and I plan to show the world that. Most of all, thank you for listening, and thank you for interviewing me, Elena. Let’s go see if my dad likes his present.