Q&A: ARMSTRONGWW
ArmstrongWW (worldwide) is a Cameroonian born musician based in the city of Houston, Texas. A strong believer of honest music, Armstrong uses his platform to tell stories from his own life experience. The criticism of society that the young 18-year-old artist makes is full of wisdom and knowledge. We talked to him about those society matters and more in a recent Q&A.
In your new track, “Hey” you sing: “Almost quit rapping, I was under pressure.” Can you explain the circumstances and pressures you were under?
I think the thing most people who want to become musicians don’t realize is that life doesn’t stop just because you decide to follow your passion. For me, at a time I was working day in and day out to grow my brand and make music yet my bills, school, and family obligations were all taking a toll on me. Then came the problem of mental health itself, with relatives and friends passing away it felt like everyday I was losing the drive to continue with what I loved. This is all what drove me to almost throw in the towel and follow the normal path which I dread so much. The thing that brought me back to my senses was when I started acknowledging my growth and looking at the fans who support me. Although I don’t make enough money from music to live a “perfect” life, I know that 1,000 fans can turn into 1,000,000 fans with hard work. So I continue to work on connecting with those who love my art, and doing whatever it takes to make sure everything I touch sees success. It’s just a game of how much can you endure to get what you want, and right now for me it’s anything.
At the end of each of your videos, they end with the words, “stay free.” Each individual has their own perception of what it means to stay free. What is your philosophical meaning behind those words, and would you say it is reflective of who you are?
In a world that every action is dictated by social norms for the worst or for the best, I believe a free state of mind is crucial. By this I just mean to tell my fans to question everything because the time you stop asking questions is when you start being controlled. Even in the music industry, many never succeed because they have been brainwashed into thinking success is diamond chains, cars, and multiple sexual partners. So all a large record label has to do is offer an artist a bad deal yet a $200,000 advance and the artist will take the deal. This often ends with the label draining the artist for however much money he/she can make, then discarding them like trash. So I always want all those who run into me through my music or personal life to ask questions, and never let anyone use the promise of dreams to take advantage of them. Looking at my current state, I would say my “Stay Free” statement reflects who I am but also who I want to be. I am not completely free because I still fall victim to my needs, but I am working on being someone who controls his life in whatever he does.
In "Blood N Water," you address serious matters like police violence, racism, and education for kids. Can you give us your thoughts on what it means for you to speak up and educate your listeners?
I’m glad you used the word educate because knowledge is the one concept I say holds more value than any other concept that exists. When it comes to oppression, I feel education within the minority community is the main solution that has been paid the least attention to. By education I don’t mean the modern school system but education of how deep this racism has affected our communities and how we can build more power in a land built on our backs. I chose to speak on this topic frequently because as a young black male, I have seen too often those around me fall victim to a system that has been brewed for hundreds of years. Everything from gang violence to drug addiction can all be traced back to the impoverished conditions that Blacks in the USA have been forced to endure and adapt to. So I spend my time learning and digesting how this demise was brought upon so I can express it through the universal language of music. Although everyone may come from a different walk of life, music can allow us to understand problems we had no previous knowledge on and spark conversations that can lead to solutions. Blood N Water was exactly that, not a solution but a conversation, a teenager trying to process this knowledge to the best of his ability and encourage others to do the same.
Although your lyrics are dark, you preserve hope as an essential piece in each of your songs. What keeps you hopeful?
It’s going to sound strange, but babies. Although I have no children of my own, every moment I get to teach someone younger than me is a moment I believe transcends my purpose. The youth is the future, and I know that I have to do whatever it takes to grow a future of success and not despair. Many might say I’m a baby myself because I am a teenager, but I still find meaning in educating our generation even those my own age. I know whenever I am promoting my music or working on my business that I can not stop because if I do, I won’t have the chance to reach the youth that might need the words I have to say. This is because the words of Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Chance The Rapper and many other musicians all reached me and changed my life. If they had stopped, I know my life right now would’ve been different for the worst. So the youth will always keep me motivated and working for a better future.
Another recurring theme in your song is the recognition of relevant things in life, such as love. In your title song, “Je t’aime,” you take the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of love and relationship. Can you describe what love is today?
Love is a topic that I have mixed feelings about. On one hand I am a lover so it means the world to me, but I also feel it has been diluted extremely. Today love is less about the feeling to protect and care for another person, and more about made up rules. There are people who will say they love someone, yet never take the time to understand the person and the problems that make them. What I mean to say is that love is not unconditional, it is more about fairytale standards rather than connection. Like I said though, I have mixed feelings so I still cannot deny that love is the best thing in the world. At the end of the day I love my music, I love my family, I love my friends, and I will hopefully love my future partner. So my job is to make sure the love I have for any of those things is unconditional and is true.
Lastly, can you tell us which artist you are listening to at the moment?
As of now, the artists I listen to daily include Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Cooke, Mort Garson, Noname, and Queen. I also listen daily to other Houston artists including Twenty24Four, O.E, Tobe Nwigwe, Bowen, and Baba. My music taste varies a lot so I try to make everyday a new experience by introducing myself to someone I may not have listened to as much before or a genre I am not familiarized with.