AntonForever Discusses Latest EP Before We Eat, His Music Inspirations, and What He Looks For in a Collaboration
Producer and recording artist AntonForever. Photo courtesy of AntonForever.
DMV music producer and artist AntonForever starts the year off with a bang with his latest EP project Before We Eat. The EP has 6 songs featuring artists JG Riff, Tracy Nostra, Nast B, Lil Los, Starsh, Tweeze, and BlaxRo. Before We Eat dropped in early February, his most recent project since his highly anticipated album The Kitchen. During this EP, we hear more of AntonForever as more than just the producer but as a recording artist as well.
“I usually like to think of my latest as my greatest,” Anton says when asked about how he felt about his favorite piece of work. “This project is the most complete project I would say. I knew this time I wanted to do it differently. I wanted to treat everything with more level of care, meaning marketing, quality of music, PR this time instead of solely focusing on the music aspect. I just feel like this is well-rounded.” Music has always been an essential part of Anton's life. Once he knew he wanted to do it, he got to work!
His unique introduction by a female voice echoing “AntonForever” introduces us to the mixture of 2000 and trap beats signature style. Before We Eat and The Kitchen has songs that will remind you of the Old Kanye, Slow Jamz, and the nostalgia of it all. When it comes to influences on his music, he says “I take from everywhere… I listen to a lot of different stuff. My inspiration can come from a 2000 hip-hop jaunt. Sometimes I like somethin’ slow, some days I want Rylo ‘No Cap’ joints.” I asked Anton who he makes music for and his answer was simple. “I create for me… I don’t have a specific person in mind. More like a general audience. I feel like I’ve gained the trust of my ear to make music that I like.”
When it comes to Anton’s creative process, “It's [mostly] based on ‘Can I feel it, do I feel this?’ If I make a beat that I think is cool but I'm not really feeling the emotion of the beat, I'll save it and move on to the next joint. Cause it's like, I can only build on what I’m currently feeling.” While deep into the process, he also believes in giving himself resting periods when it comes to the infamous ‘creative block’.
Before We Eat features a range of artists. When asked what qualities Anton looks for in a music collaborator, it had a lot to do with character. “What I like in an artist is what I like in people in general. Do you have peace or manners? Are you going to speak? I like people that I can get along with pretty much.”
2022 is going to be an exciting year for AntonForever fans as he reflects on his journey. If he could give advice to his younger self, he’d say, “You're going in the correct direction. I believe in life, in general, stuff happens when it's supposed to happen. I knew I wanted to make music and so I made music.”
