Toronto rapper VNCHY presents ‘Hold Me Down’, his new Bijan Amir-produced single from ‘EMINENT’, his forthcoming mixtape which will also feature production from Jordon Manswell and Jason Amos.

Noisey premiered another Bijan Amir collaboration ‘Owens’ (read) as well as ‘Godlevel’ (read), and The Source premiered his ‘NEVERLAND’ EP in 2015 (listen). VNCHY recently made Hip Hop Canada’s ‘Top 5 Up and Coming’ list as well as a mention on Boi-1da’s ‘Toronto: The Majors, The Minors & The Newcomers’ piece.

VNCHY is co-founder of creative house and public entertainment firm MVMNT Collective, and throws a series of events through Toronto known as the ‘Get Familiar’ parties.

“The world will know peace when love overcomes hate,” says VNCHY about the inspiration for the new single. “However love can get you killed. Makes you feel like the world can never know peace. A beautiful struggle. A struggle that can get heavy – so if I’m going to be with anybody they gotta be able to take the pressure. However those you love are also a weakness. You can never have your weakness exploited – tread cautiously”.

Urban Vault caught up with Toronto based rapper VNCHY recently for a quick chat, check it out below:

How did you get your stage name?

The stage name VNCHY derives from the ‘Renaissance Man’ Leonardo. The connection stems from versatility and the ability to see the world through various perspectives. There is a lot to me as an artist and everything has to be communicated in dosages. I have yet to release a mixtape, let alone an album so people would be mistaken to believe that they have me figured out.

What made you decide to become a rapper?

I never decided to be a rapper per se, it was more so that Hip Hop as a culture was just something that best reflected my personality, but I’ve always been able to hear the good that other genres possess. This undoubtedly had an effect on me, for the better I understood myself the better I could communicate my ideas and paint these pictures. I’ve always used the allegory of a painter to describe my craft, a painter who can only communicate to his people through paintings. He has no facial expressions, no body language, just the movements of his hands. In order for him to communicate with the masses he needs a lot of different colors, canvases and brushes. Music’s not so different – it’s a method of communication and if you wish to communicate to the masses you need to be a craftsman.

What’s the first rap song you ever heard?

To be quite honest with you, I can’t remember the first rap song I ever heard. But, when it comes to rap, ever since I was a kid I’ve always been a B.I.G fan. As far as moments I’ve cherished with music go, James Blake was something of a wonder to me. His pictures were always so vivid; if you’ve never heard “Fall Creek Boys Choir” you should check that out asap.

How did ‘Hold Me Down’ come together?

Ironically enough, ‘Hold Me Down’ really came together in the studio. It was a melody that I really had a lot of fun piecing together. While I was laying down the vocals, my producer Bijan Amir went to work on creating the beat and within minutes we had the whole studio on a wave. It really is an iconic moment for me personally, and it comes as a shock to a lot of people. But then again, if it isn’t fun it isn’t interesting. I think we’ll stick to shocking people.

What are your predictions for 2016?

I think 2016 will be a big year for my team and myself. I’ll be getting much more close and personal with my fans. It’s time to tear down venues and give the critics something to hate. I have a lot prepared already and a lot more on the way. The first highlight of 2016 will be in Toronto, Ontario on January 28th at Parts and Labour. I’ll be headlining my very first show with an excellent cast of supporters. I have no doubt it’ll be one for the books.

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