Syntry
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Syntry

Houston, Texas, United States | SELF

Houston, Texas, United States | SELF
Band Hip Hop Spoken Word

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"Syntry interview at Aj&dbs"

Syntry --- Houston,Tx

How did the project come into existence? To be honest with you, I never really sat down and planned out a set schematic for my recent EP, "3rd Coast Development". This record is simply a collection of new songs that I felt captured my mood at this juncture in my life.

Who are the members of the band if any and please tell us about it? Well, it's just me. I've been writing since the age of 18 or 19, give or take. Being a poet at heart, I've always poured a lot of my time and energy into the lyrical/metaphorical side of the artform. Originally, I was a member of a large "Wu-tang-esque" group that was eventually wittled down to 4 members. With a deal on the table, that group fell apart due to in-fighting. With that said...here I am!

How would you describe your sound/genre? Deeply poetic and snarky. I often tell people that my music is like spoken word on steroids.

What formal training or previous experience do any of the members have? None, really. Writing, producing, and even mixing...all self-taught. But to me, that's what makes my music so interesting. Completely unaffected.

Are you working w/ a producer on your upcoming album? = On my most recent record, I worked with Chris Watts, a producer I've known and worked with for the better part of ten years. He produced one joint, the rest of the record is self-produced.

Who would you say has been the biggest influence on the bands sound or that you have used as inspiration for your music? = Aw man, that’s easy! Rhyme-wise, it moves in this order: B.I.G., DMX, Method Man, and Nas. Conceptually and artistically, I’d have to go with Kurt Cobain. When it came to self expression, that dude truly “got it”.

What advice would you give to others starting out? = If you don’t speak, you don’t eat. You can’t just be dope and expect everyone to notice you, those days are long gone.

Where can people go to learn more about you and hear your music? = Several places. They can peep me at sonicbids.com/Syntry , jango.com/music/Syntry , and on facebook.

If you could play anywhere in the world or with anyone you wanted where and who would it be with? I always thought it would be dope to be invited to play at some of those huge music festivals(i.e. SXSW, Bonaroo, SummerJam, etc.), but no one place in particular. As far as the other question, I don’t know, I’m kind of a loner. If I had to choose, I guess I would go with Lupe Fiasco because dude seems to get the full gist of song creation.

What has been your greatest experience so far either individually or as a whole? = Getting a couple my songs played on the radio, 97.9 The Box in Houston, Tx.

Do you have any upcoming events or news you would like to tell our readers about? = I’ve already started working on the next installment in my mixtape series, “Day of…Vol.3”, which I’ll be releasing sometime in the fall of 2011. You can look forward to remarkable lyricism and some truly memorable song writing with this one. I’m humble, but honest. The s**t will be dope.

Where do you see yourselves or hope to be in about 5 years? = A respected and regarded act...a critical darling...an underground treasure...you know, the usual. Seriously speaking, I plan to be on to some bigger and better things. Trust me, this won’t be the last you hear from me.

- Aj&dbs


Discography

Day of (2005)
Day of...Vol. 2 (2008)
3rd Coast Development EP(2011)

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Bio

Standing alone isn't just routine, it's become necessity. {Enter} Evan Shackelford. I hail from Acres Homes, one of the largest neighborhoods on the north side of Houston, Texas. Here, reality met me and swiftly fashioned my understanding of life and the world. From that, and early influences consisting of B.I.G, DMX, Method Man and Nirvana, grew my fondness with unearthed wisdom and true artistic expression. Free-styling begat Scribbling. Scribbling begat Verse. Verse begat Song. And Song, in all confidence, coined the pseudonym "Syntry."

Now, with that s**t out of the way, I can speak a little bit about my rhyme history. My introduction into this industry was with an underground "Wu-Tang-esque" group of MCs who referred to themselves as the "Invadaz."
That was short-lived. Coming out of that situation, I invested all of my time into the development of a well-rounded MC. Now, don't get me wrong, I was nice back then, but there was no sting. No punch. No...defining factor. The change came when I took the poetry that was so dear to me; the rhymes that entertained me, and... spawned a co-existence. My intensity grew, as did my skill level. Soon after that, I linked up with a couple my friends and founded a group called "Ahthenik." Though an album was setup, with two singles under our belt and offers from indie labels, the power-house fell apart due to personal conflicts within the group. Fresh from that disappointment, I brewed up the idea for an original mixtape. "Day of" dropped in the spring of 2005. Receiving nods for both lyrical ability and song creation, I decided to keep the wheels moving. I've continued to create with the understanding that it's the message, not the messenger; the work of art, not the artist; the philosophy, not the philosopher, that draws the masses and feeds the intrigue.