Q+A: Isaac Zale

Vancouver B. C’s own Isaac Zale is an independent artist taking his time in his journey to crafting his own lane. This 24-year-old rapper/music engineer is taking what it means to be a DIY artist being an independent rapper, producing his own music, while running his own record label Burgundy Soul. Perhaps he may be the staple of being a DIY artist, lending a helping hand to upcoming producers and sharing tips as to what they need in order to become a music engineer. From his previous album, None of the Keys Fit, listeners are catching a bit of fast rapping containing words with feelings of every punchline Zale spits. His latest project, Father of the Zodiac, features UnoTheActivist, Smokepurpp, Chris Patrick, Kota The Friend, SwuM, Denzel O$i, Blu, and Mick Jenkins, which he has collaborated with three times. Isaac Zale has gone a different approach for his newest album, where he feels more at home with a distinct sound and finds his style of flow. With his latest album, listeners can feel Zale’s comfortability in his sound and rapping of where the rapper has found his lane.

We chilled with Isaac Zale, to talk about his newest album Father of the Zodiac, being a DIY artist owning his record label Burgundy Soul, and his favorite producers that influence his sound. 

How’s going it how are you feeling about the drop of your newest album Father of the Zodiac?

I feel good I feel like it's a definite improvement from my last work and it's the first time I actually can listen to one of my albums and kind of feel comfortable with where my voice is and has gotten and my abilities because even my old stuff there was always something that threw me off about the way it sounded but this is the first time personally, I can say I have it right. 

When you look at your 2020 album None of the keys fit what do you think you learned from that album that you helped you make your newest album Father of the Zodiac?

I think for the longest time I felt like to be kind of taken seriously as a talented rapper I had to rap fast. The more I just kind of just like chilled out with it and just listen to the way the music felt and focus on melodies. With the help of my manager, he helped me ease out of cramming so many words into the stanzas he’s just like say what you wanna say but get the point across with fewer words it doesn’t have to be super quick that was one thing I learned and I’m grateful that I learned it quick because I listen back to my old stuff to me it’s like full-body cringe.

How does it feel to be working with artists you grew up listening to and now you’re collaborating on songs together?

So my three favorite artists are Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, and Mick Jenkins so when I first made the first song for Mick Jenkins I was like flabbergasted and then we made three more songs together and now at this point I'm very grateful and I take it and I'm like this is amazing this is something that I've always wanted my whole life and nobody can take this away from me and I'm just insanely happy even if I look back at the old songs and I realize I don't like the way my voice sounded in those songs because like I was really young when we first made it I'm still so grateful that like he's one of my favorite artists ever.

How does it feel for you to be on Tik Tok giving producer advice and breaking down how you mix and master your own music? 

It's honestly frustrating when you're starting in music, and you have no idea what to do when all you go to is YouTube. Even then, it's tough; anyone who DM's me asking me anything, I'll immediately tell them exactly what they need to get. I'm constantly sending Amazon links because people want to know what to get. I ask what their budget is, and they tell me I'm sending over an Amazon link soon. I don't see a point in being a weird kind of gatekeeping type dude. If someone has questions, I'm gonna answer and help them out. I always tell people if you have any questions, ask me I'm not gonna leave you on read most of the time I'm not unless I'm driving or something, but even then, follow up telling what you need.

Not only being a rapper but you’re also a producer and produce your own music as well. What producers can you say inspired your sound?

Damn my favorite producer is Madlib he’s my favorite I, unfortunately, cannot emulate that sound because I can't afford samples but I honestly, I love it, Kanye West to Dr. Dre The Alchemist I really like Knwledge and if Knxwledge ever wants to flip any of my freestyles he can do it.

With you being a DIY artist and having your own record label Burgundy Soul. What advice would you give to artists who would like to go down the route of being independent and owning their record label?

Wake up early wake up at like 5-6 AM every morning just learn how to mix even if you don't have anything to record go download random stems, download random sounds, download acapellas, and just mix something every day for at least two to three years and then you know it'll just come to you cause the more you do it the more you hone your ear it gets easier but the engineering process for me, in the beginning, was insanely hard for me to learn but it's just how bad you want it you know like if you really wanna learn something like there's people who know how to do like crypto and stuff like that and that looks way harder than engineering to me so if they could do that I’m sure they can go into being music engineer.

We see a few artists from Cordae to Tyler the Creator asking fans beforehand to go into their new albums with an open mind and to not pre-judge their new albums. When fans go to take their first listen of Father of the Zodiac, what do you think listeners should do before pressing play on your album?

Make sure all the groceries are in the fridge and the floor is swept and the beds are made before you listen to my album haha no but really, I just want people to start my album from the front the top and then end at the bottom that’s all!