Vagabond Maurice Brings Eclectic Knowledge To His Musical Journey – 4th Shore Hip Hop

Chicago’s underground hip-hop scene is as vibrant as any city in America, thanks in part to artists like Vagabond Maurice. The Slumpgang777 affiliate has always been known for his reflective music inspired by the likes of Nujabes and J Dilla, and he considers himself part of the family. His influence extends beyond music as well, as he incorporates his knowledge of fiction writing, as well as some of his favorite pop culture references, into his artistic creations, resulting in a complete and robust style that sets him apart. From forming a relationship with Lunxch Raps to how his animation influences aesthetics, we asked Maurice a little bit about his musical journey and what to expect as he continues to be one of the leaders of Chicago’s underground music.

How did you first connect with Slumpgang777?

I connected through Lunxch a long time ago, in college actually. I performed a lot of Slam Poetry and participated in events like Open Mics, and I often saw him at events held by student organizations. I’m not sure how the conversation started between the two of us, but we quickly became friends. He would send me some of his work for me to critique, and we would work from there. To be honest, Lunxch was even one of the main reasons I started rapping seriously. I was majoring in fiction writing in college, performing poetry, and being a presenter was not something I thought I was capable of. But yeah, college. We were also known as Terra 5 at that time. Rest is history.

Your music is full of old school influences that have helped you develop your signature sound. What inspired you to develop that old-school sound?

Honestly, you are a product of your inspiration and a reflection of your influences, so the sound and the old school vibe, to me anyway, is just something I grew up on and listened to. I’m first generation born in the United States, so while my parents were from Liberia, my Pops worked as a DJ for a while, playing funk, hip-hop, jazz, and many other types of records.

So, for me, I’m not necessarily cultivating an old-school sound, I’m just making music that I’ve loved for a long time. Paying homage to Nujabes and J Dilla and Native Tongue Posse and Soulquarian music genres, I come from the same family tree.

A lot of your cover art is also inspired by anime. Can you tell us a little bit about how that impact came about?

I became a fiction writer because I wanted to write about the world I saw through film, television, literature, and comics. I love the combination of well-written stories and amazing artwork, so I’m naturally drawn to pop culture because that’s what I grew up with and I embrace it. Interestingly, the cover art for my last two albums – done by Kao – was definitely inspired by the Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki art style. Or, at least, that was my inspiration when pitching the concept to The Kao.
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This year dropped singles and visuals as well as more original content. I only lost one song last year and I have to make up for it. Maybe an EP will take shape soon, but my focus is on staying consistent, so that’s my plan of action.
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