Mac Nif: At about 11 years old, I took an interest in poetry. I enjoyed writing and performing my poems. This was a skill that was inherited from one of my grandfathers, Wayne Locke aka Oba Maja.
MusicsWeek: What inspired you to become a musician?
Mac Nif: Once I translated poems into songs, the feedback that I got from the audience was amazing. The very first song that I performed was written by my cousin’s husband. I performed it in front of school peers in elementary and people loved it. This gave me the confidence to write my own songs and perform and record as well. Over time my fanbase grew.
MusicsWeek: How do you know when a song is truly finished?
Mac Nif:I know that a song is truly finished when I can express my full message and perform it confidently. When I feel good about the flow of it and what I am communicating in the song, then I know it is ready.
MusicsWeek: Do you have a favorite album or artist that influences your work?
Mac Nif: One of my favorite artists is Money Man. I can relate to the things that he speaks about. I also gain wisdom, motivation, and positive energy from his music.
MusicsWeek: What's the most challenging part of being a musician?
Mac Nif:The most challenging part is being independent and putting everything together by myself and still having the energy and dedication to focus on making quality music.
MusicsWeek: What inspires your songwriting? Do you draw from personal experiences or fictional stories?
Mac Nif: All my songwriting influences are drawn from personal experiences. In my music, I talk about things I have been through, things that I witnessed, and things that I aspire to do in the future.
MusicsWeek: Who is your dream collaborator or artist to work with?
Mac Nif: My dream collaborator to work with is Nas. I grew up listening to Nas. He always had substance and deep positive messages in his music.
MusicsWeek: What are some of the most important lessons you've learned as a musician so far?
Mac Nif: Some of the most important things that I learned are to be consistently dedicated to working on the craft, be careful of doing business with people who are not legitimate, network with the right crowds, and don’t be afraid to be genuine if your style isn’t what’s popular now.
MusicsWeek: How do you balance your music career with your personal life, and what self-care practices do you prioritize?
Mac Nif:I balance by doing something related to music every day in my spare time. Although I have a lot of things going on as far as work, school, and being a parent, I do something small every day such as research, marketing, and networking. When I have more availability, then I do the things that are more time-consuming such as recording, performing, shooting videos, editing content, etc. As far as self-care, I love to travel, meditate, work out, and read. I also do things to boost my self-esteem such as go to the barber shop, buy clothes, and take drives in one of my vehicles.
MusicsWeek: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?
Mac Nif:When I am not making music, I enjoy learning, boat cruises, and spending time with my daughter, family, and quality people.
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