With the release of his sixth big project and first album under his new label, SoundPulse, with the band Lost for Words, Crunch is taking on a new power and new dimension. Crunch, known for his behind-the-scenes efforts at pivotal moments in hip-hop history, has years of hard-earned experience, personal stories, and raw honesty to bring to this newest hip-hop track. He is the result of playing double on Tupac in Poetic Justice and Above The Rim, and first hand experience of vulnerability in music.
During this interview, Crunch shares his personal experiences that inspired the Lost for Words song, his emotions while writing and recording the masterpiece and much more. He also shares anecdotes from his career that he’s not remembered for, such as introducing a young Christina Milian to the entertainment industry.
Lost for Words is more than just a release, it’s a testament to perseverance, genuineness, and a strong resurgence of substance in hip-hop. With no holding back, nothing left unsaid, Crunch is ready to tell his story. This is a music of truth, of experience, of a voice unshushed and unrepressed.
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Crunch, “Lost for Words” drops right after signing with SoundPulse, what’s the triumphant vibe you’re bringing to hip-hop with this sixth major release?
The triumphant vibe I’m bringing to hip-hop is my own rap style, and my own story.
From doubling Tupac in “Poetic Justice” and “Above The Rim” to your own front-stage moment—how does that legendary backstory fuel “Lost for Words”?
Well my backstory fuels the words because working with Janet Jackson and PAC made me understand that being a music artist, you absolutely have to be vulnerable. You have to willing to share some real life experiences with the world. You’re telling things that happened behind closed doors or something you experienced somewhere else. My backstory tough me that music is being relatable.
You’ve got decades of industry wisdom, launching careers like Guy Oseary’s, take us into the creative spark: what real-life grind birthed this track?
When I played the beat I knew right away that this is a Crunch beat. And I knew right away what I was gonna talk about. For me the beat gave story telling vibes, true life story vibes. I wrote the song about being in a relationship with somebody that can be troublesome, but some how is the victom and what’s killer is friends and family believe they’re the victom. Not sayin I’m perfect just sayin the manipulation is wild.
Fresh off April 29th release, walk us through the studio process: beats, bars, or “aha” moments that made it Crunch through and through?
The beat made it easy to write in the studio, because the vibe gave me exactly what to base the story on. I put the beat on repeat, it didn’t take long for the words to come because I lived the story, so then it’s making the story rhyme line for line.
The thought process while coming up with the lyrics brought back the moments that inspired the story. After I finished writing the lyrics I went the booth and dropped a few takes to make sure the performance was tight. Once I was satisfied with the performance it was time to mix the song. I did the mix, mixing to me is finding the sweet spot on the level of the vocals.
Featuring a young Christina Milian in your early video, how do those early connections shape the authenticity in “Lost for Words”?
Christina Millian being in my video shaped the authenticity in Lost For Words, by me not getting acknowledgment for putting her in my video when she was 13 years old. Which was when her family first moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. And that’s what she did, she played an acting role in my video as a girl dancing in her bedroom to my song titled Turn It Up. Some time later after she was getting roles and signed a record deal.
My manager at the time said the director of my music video took Christian’s clips and shopped them around and got acting jobs from it in Los Angeles. Then she brought her singing talent in the picture and got signed to a record deal. Wikipedia makes no mention of me.
This influenced the authenticity in Lost For Words because I learned that some times you gotta toot your own horn, tell your own story because someone else just might not want you to have accolades or success. My manager said if the world knew I was responsible for her blowing up, I would be more famous than her so it’s all been kept quiet.
“Lost for Words” as a pivotal single post-four albums and two mixtapes, what themes of struggle or breakthrough does it unpack?
It’s a definite break through, finally getting the FaceTime (😇no pun intended) I always searched for while working with superstars. Knowing my day is coming just not knowing when. A continual grind no matter the circumstances lead me to you and this interview.
SoundPulse backing your wisdom now, any production collabs or lessons from Tupac’s era that leveled up this release?
Great question because I asked PAC let’s do a collabo. He said ok he would talk to the label. But the unfortunate happened so it never came to be. The lesson’s I held, from 2Pac are to be your authentic self, be vulnerable and tell your story and the rest will fall in place.
Describing Tupac time as a “cool learning experience” which industry gems directly influenced “Lost for Words” lyrics or flow?
Gyms that influenced lost for words are being yourself in this music and don’t be afraid to where your heart on your sleeve. Whatever your heart pumps express that. Somebody can relate.
Street cred meets major label heat, why’s this the hip-hop reset listeners need right now?
This is the hip-hop reset listener’s need because we’re taking it back to content and substance. Not just violence and money. I’m from the streets of Los Angeles, at a point I had one foot on the movie set with John Singleton, Tupac, Janet Jackson, Regina King, Joe Torry and more.
After a day of work with the rich and famous I went back home in South Central LA, back to life as usual. Hanging with the homies and not being a model citizen (😇we’ll keep it at that). I respect these artist grind telling their story gettin their increment’s. At the end of the day we are still the person we are. Some of us will be on to bigger and better things, but still have a desire to be into what we’ve always been into as a have not.
Sixth release momentum: album on deck, video drops, or live shows channeling that Tupac-era energy?
Bro you ask the best questions. I recently cooked up the Lost For Words official music video. While filming I was torn between being completely myself and letting that come across on screen or toning myself down to be more camera and viewer friendly, and remembered that the person you are in the studio dropping the bars with conviction, well you gotta match that same energy with the visuals.
Certain expressions I felt would be too rigged for the viewer. On set I quickly understood the assignment which is to be who you are what ever your authentic expression’s are. You gotta throw caution and hold back in the wind and be you. PAC had the same dilemma when it came to the BIG screen. He had to figure out how to be himself but not be too much or too raw for the screen.
