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Mikhail Stukov: So R-Mean, tell us a little about yourself, where your from?
R-Mean: I'm originally Armenian. But I was born in LA and raised in Amsterdam for 18 years. After graduating high school I decided to move back to LA to pursue music. I kind of used college as a tool to move... I ended up graduating from UCLA with a bachelor in physiological sciences and then went on to graduate with a Doctorate in pharmacy from Pharmacy School at Loma Linda University. So I am actually a pharmacist as well, but I have currently given that up to pursue music. Music is the best medicine afterall.
Mikhail Stukov: When did you first become interested in music? When did you start rapping?
R-Mean: I've been really into music my whole life. I remember being only a few years old listening to old Micheal Jackson records with my aunt. Always wanted the headphones on. I started gravitating towards Hip Hop music when I was prolly like 9 or 10. My last couple years of high school is when I started rapping... Just for fun at first of course. But I started taking it more serious over the years. Officially I put out my first project in 2005 called Broken Water. That was officially my start, but I would say the last 4-5 years is when I've really been seriously pursuing this. Building a team and just being dedicated on a whole 'nother level.
Mikhail Stukov: What exactly pushed you to give up stable career in pharmacy, and start music career where you don't know what tomorrow is like ?
R-Mean: I believe in following your passion in life. I could make money in pharmacy but I will never be happy. I much rather heal and touch people thru music than medication. I don't believe in living with regrets so a part of me is happy and proud I went to school and got a doctorate level degree, but on the other hand I believe in not having a plan B if you want plan A to work. So now I decided what I should have maybe decided earlier, which is to FULLY dedicate myself to music
Mikhail Stukov: I think a lot of your fans will support me in saying
that your choice was absolutely right. Congrats on all the success you
achieved in music industry. Anyway, why the name is R-Mean ?
R-Mean: My real name is Armin. I just spelled it as R-Mean, but it's basically my real name.
Mikhail Stukov: What has been the key to your success? Where do you get your inspiration from?
R-Mean: I think it's all about consistency. It's a slow gradual climb. But it's
all about who can keep grinding and being patient without giving up.
Consistently putting out good music and delivering each time. I consider
myself far from where I wanna be, but people have been supporting
lately and it feels great. That alone inspires me to keep going. Just
what I go thru and what I see around me in every day life is my main
source of inspiration.
Mikhail Stukov: I'm sure you have a lot of goals to achieve and you will get what you
want and be where you wanna be, good luck on that fam. How did you
promote yourself to be in the position you are in now? What advice do
you have for any artist on the come up?
R-Mean: I think the 2 most important things are Consistency and building a team. Consistency
because things really take time and you have to have the patience and
the drive to consistently keep grinding , keep creating and keep putting
out solid work. And the team is absolutely necessary to help every move
and for u to expand.
Mikhail Stukov: Agree that team building is very important. So who do you prefer to work
with ? Where is your studio based and who is you videomaker ?
R-Mean: I work out of a couple studios in the LA area and a couple different
engineers. The engineer that mixed my latest project "7 Deadly Sins"
goes by the name of Segal. MultipleGrammy winning, incredible talent. He
was Dr. Dre's engineer for years and mixed albums like Chronic 2001,
Slim Shady LP, Marshall Mathers LP, Outkast Stankonia, Xzibit Restless,
CypressHill, Wu-Tang, and the list goes on. My video team is great too.
Mainly it's Alex Kodo, who's also my manager and co-owner of Pentagon
Records with me, who's in charge of my videos. He's directed most of
them including "Lost Angels" with The Game, "She's Gotta Go", and my
latest 2 videos "Father In Heaven" and "Sick World".
Mikhail Stukov: Wow! That sounds like a very experienced team, but who would you like to work with in the nearest future, I mean rappers and producers ?
R-Mean: Sh*t man I could name a buncha big names that would be dream collabs like Dre, Kanye, Eminem, Nas... But also people like Dj Premier, Alchemist, Harry Fraud, etc. The list goes on. There's so many dope artists and producers. It just depends on the record you working on, what direction you wanna go in and who fits for that vibe.
Mikhail Stukov: So you got the best in your list, hope you'll be able to make it with every one of them. Now, what you consider your best achievement by now? What was your biggest shot?
R-Mean: I don't know if I actually had a big "shot" but some of my proudest achievements are my Sway In The Morning freestyles that I really killed, selling out the House Of Blues on Sunset in LA, Lost Angels with The Game, and of course the OpenWounds1915 movement and everything it came with like performing on Time's Square in New York for 10-15 thousand people and being able to represent for my people in Hip Hop. I'm very proud of my new album "7 Deadly Sins" as well. I think it's an incredible body of work.
Mikhail Stukov: Could you please tell me about your typical day ?
R-Mean: I'm in studio mode now so right now I wake up around 8-9am. Eat
breakfast and try to get a workout in before hitting the studio in the
afternoon usually till about 1-2am. And then sometimes there are shows and events I attend. Here and there I got a video or photo shoot as well. As long as I'm productive every day I'm happy. I def also make time for family to go see my nephews and niece and my mom.
Mikhail Stukov: How does it feel when you perform live? Describe your live performance
R-Mean: Live shows are the best. I believe it's one of my strong points and
as an artist I pride myself in that. I think true artists put on a real
show. As of now my live shows are myself my
DJ and my drummer. And usually a vocalist and sometimes some guest
rappers / singers. But it all just depends on what type of show or venue
I'm playing. I'm actually doing Rhymefest LA
this year opening up for Raekwon and Immortal Technique on November 20th
in LA. Whoever is in LA should definitely come thru!
Mikhail Stukov: What live show was the most memorable to you? Which one of them was a total success to your mind? Was it the very first one?
R-Mean: I remember my first real show was outside of a Panera Bread
restaurant like an open mic and we had that place packed. It's funny
looking back at it. I'll always remember that one. The first time I
opened up for Bone Thugs, Nas, and Method Man were all real dope too.
But my most memorable must've been when I sold out House of Blues in LA.
That's a legendary venue where everyone from Tupac to Eminem have
performed so that was definitely memorable. Another crazy one was
performing in Armenia this passed summer. Ot was my first time in the
motherland... The energy and the love was on a whole different level.
Mikhail Stukov: It's really cool to hear such and an emotional speech! It really does
feel like it was real excitement for you. Now getting down current music
situation, what are your thoughts on how things are going in the music
industry right now?
R-Mean: I feel like the industry is confused. Hip Hop is so big and universal now there are a lot of different styles. Kendrick Lamar and J Cole are winning and then Young Thug and Future are winning too. I think it's important as an artist to understand who you are and what your lane is and stick to it. Do what you best at and not just what you hear on the radio. Often the industry tries to convince you as an artist what kind of music u gotta make. And that never works. The internet is a gift and a curse but technology has caused the game to be oversaturated. Everybody raps. And because of that the talented people get lost in the mix of all the garbage out there. I dont know if I answered your question....But basically it's each man for themselves out here and u gotta grind and make sure u stand out somehow.
Mikhail Stukov: You definitely answered my question, I see your point and agree with it.
So what is coming soon from R-Mean ? Video ? Project ? New songs ?
R-Mean: I just released a new video for "Sick World" off my 7 Deadly Sins
LP. Definitely already working on the next one. I'm also working on a
"surprise" project that I plan on releasing before the end of the year. Besides
that we are still pushing 7 Deadly Sins doing a lot of shows, events
and interviews for the rest of the year. Hopefully I'll get on a tour
soon and come to that side of the world!
Mikhail Stukov: Do you have plans to visit Russia ?
R-Mean: I dont have it planned as of now but I would love to. I get a lot of mail from supporters over there
Mikhail Stukov: Thank you very much for your time R-Mean. Anything else you want to add?
R-Mean: Just thank you for having me and for all the support. I truly
appreciate it. Please make sure to follow me on social media Facebook /
Twitter / Instagram @Rmean Snapchat - Rdashmean. The
new album "7 Deadly Sins" is out now. The latest video "Sick World" is
out as well, and be on the look out for new music before the end of the
year. Peace and Much Love!
