(Brendan Howe)

I interviewed Brendan Howe. Brendan is a 16-Year-old musician and was born in Rochester, New York where he still currently lives. His passion for being a rap freestyler has recently blown up for his inspirational music on TikTok-https://www.tiktok.com/@brendanxhowe?lang=en  His best song in my opinion is “The Hallway”.

@brendanxhowe

“The hallway” #fyp #xyzcba #rapper #DoritosFlatLife #ItWasntMe

♬ original sound – HOWE

 “The Hallway” is about a dream that he has where his older self tells him he is destined for greatness if he keeps putting in the work.

I chose Brendan for this interview because I can connect to him. We both have an interest in music. I love to play the drums and I have been playing drums for the past four years. Brendan loves to rap. So, what do we have in common besides being close in age. Well, in order to rap Brandan needs a catchy beat and that’s where the drums come in. I also chose to interview Brendan because, unlike much of the rap music out today, his music has meaning that I can connect to and be inspired by. For instance, his song “The Hallway”. I also believe that if you put in the time and effort you can achieve your dreams/goals. 

By doing this interview with Brendan, I learned that Brendan cares about his fans and is willing to spare his time and will make an effort to connect with them and  help them out. This interview has also allowed me to find out how professional Brendan is. I wasn’t sure what kind of responses I would get from a 16-year-old. I thought I might get short effortless answers but to my surprise he took the time to come up with intelligent answers that impressed me. 

(The interview) 

Why are you passionate about your job or role?

I’m passionate about music because it’s a part of everyone. If I can get an important message through something that everyone listens too, I might be able to change lives. – Brendan

What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today?

Time. It’s always a race against time and sometimes I didn’t have enough time because of other things. – Brendan

What advice would you pass onto someone who is interested in becoming a rapper?

Don’t rap about things you don’t do and always be yourself. The advice I would pass on to anyone trying to succeed in this, “He who says he can and who says he can’t, are usually both right”. Chase your dreams – Brendan

Would you be open to further contact from Riverside students and if so, how can someone contact you?

I’m always up for giving advice and support, Instagram is the best way to contact me! – Brendan https://www.instagram.com/brendanxhowe/

Who is your favourite Rapper?

My favourite rapper is  J. Cole- Brendan

Do you have a favourite song from J. Cole?

Probably “Snow On Tha Bluff” because of the messages he sends!!- Brendan

“Snow On the Bluff” tells of the anger a woman feels about the recent death of George Floyd. It addresses the protests against racism in the United States and the police brutality that is happening around the world. 

This interview I had with Brendan inspired me to find the time to continue to work on my own music. Brandan says to always be yourself, to chase your dreams and not doubt yourself. So, for the past few weeks I’ve been doing exactly that. My old band members and I have gotten together and are starting to work on a new song that we love and have always wanted to perform. Making sure we know what we are singing about and reminding ourselves that we we will make it will keep us focussed. I have learned a lot more than anyone could have presumed and I hope I can use what Brendan taught me through this interview assignment in my school, music and life experiences.