The Jamaica-born Hip-Hop artist Clane Matthew who strives to change the lives of others through his music. Drawing in inspiration while growing up of reggae, dancehall, and then after being introduced to Kendrick Lamar, Clane Matthew strives to achieve what he does in his music and shine a light in all of the darkness that goes on in the world. Recently, Clane Matthew released his incredibly personal story of a single “An Immigrant Story,” and it is something that we couldn’t help but feel was eye-opening to what we may not always see on the surface.
“An Immigrant Story” is an in-depth story on Clane Matthew’s life, opening up with an intimate monologue before exploding in energy once the main beat kicks in - and when the beat hits, it hits us hard like a truck and sends us flying off our chair. Featuring edgy, slightly dirty 808 drums, a tense but slightly calming piano riff, and then Clane Matthew’s exciting hyped-up lyrics are perfectly told through the use of his graceful flow. It was clear to hear how much effort Clane Matthew puts into his music, his influence of Kendrick Lamar is easily heard, and we cannot recommend enough for everyone to take a listen to Clane Matthew’s music and learn something new.
You can find “An Immigrant Story” here.
Welcome back to BuzzMusicClaneMatthew! We’re loving the personal connection in the lyrics of “An Immigrant Story”, what was your inspiration to put a personal song like this together and show the world?
Well, the song serves as the intro to my upcoming album of the same name. The album "An Immigrant Story" serves as the story of triumph over my struggles as an immigrant in a new country where my family and I had to make new lives. When immigrants first come to this country it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The experience is much darker and filled with agony, stress, and pain. And what made it worse is that 2008 was the recession, and everyone was losing their jobs. So when we first arrived my dad lost his job, and my mom couldn't work, and my sister had to drop out of school. There was barely enough to help us get by, and when there's lack, there's frustration, anger, sadness, and depression; and that took a toll on my family and I for three to five years. So what this album serves to do is to make light of the struggles immigrants face when they leave their countries and to also serve as a beacon of hope for those who are in the same position. I want them to know that no matter what they're facing, there is hope for a better and brighter future; you just have to put your mind to it and let faith, hope, and determination be your drive.
We’re loving the edge that you have in the backing beat of this release, how did you come up with the drum and piano groove? How did you decide that groove is what best suits the story you are telling?
Well, my experience was rough so I wanted the beat to represent the harshness of what I experienced. I combined a piano and Caribbean steel drum to play the same melodies, and I cut the high end and some of the low-end frequencies out of the piano to make it have a dark melancholic tone so it could complement the mood of the song. I used the steel drums just to represent my identity as a proud Jamaican boy who beat the odds. After that, the bass and drums were no problem. I just had to make sure the hi-hats, claps, snares and kicks all complemented that dark harsh vibe that I was aiming for, and once that was done, I just used the bass to follow the melody of the piano and steel drums while cutting out some of the notes to make the bass sound independent with a mind of its own.
We're loving the opening and closing monologue in “An Immigrant Story”, what was the thought process with coming up with the words that you said? Or was it free-styled?
It was a way of making the song personal with the listeners. Anyone who has experienced some heavy stuff could relate to this song, and with the closing and opening monologues it would give them a feeling of inclusion and acceptance, knowing that now that they've beat the odds, they're grateful for what the experience has taught them and how it has shaped them into the person they are today. Music is supposed to be a story and should be able to speak to the soul, and that's why I added in the monologues, to share an experience with the listeners
How has growing up in Jamaica influenced the music that you create today? How do you see your music transforming for future releases?
It has influenced me a lot. On the technical side, it gave me the ability to mesh two cultures into one when it comes to creating sounds, flows, and melodies. On the other side, it was mostly the experiences of my life on the island and the struggles I faced when I left. Everything that I faced caused me to become a person that will always care for another, and when I realized I had the gift for music, I decided to use music as my method of making change by bringing awareness, knowledge, peace, love, and positivity to the people who need it. Honestly, I have no idea how my music will transform. Every day I wake up, I get new ideas. My brain is spontaneous and quick so I really don't have an answer. We just have to watch and see it together. I do know one thing: the purpose will still be the same.
What else can we expect for 2020?
In 2020 expect change. I've gotten countless messages from people all over the globe that the first thing they do to start the day is listen toClaneMatthew. They say I give them the inspiration they need to keep going, and that's really touching and heartwarming. Knowing that your music is touching souls and transforming lives is an awesome feeling like no other; and I can't wait to see what the rest of the world has in stores for me.