by Paige Watkins
“When it’s all said and done, I want to be mentioned amongst the greatest to ever rap.”
Malcolm Elliott is a 20 year old musician from the West side of Detroit. He was introduced to the art of music through the saxophone in the 3rd grade, an instrument he continues to play as a music student and a member of the Wayne State University Jazz Ensemble. Malcolm is a poet, who translated his gift for words from poetry to rap. He recently released his mixtape, Era of Adolescence & this week, we were able to catch up with the young artist to talk about his music, his inspiration and his goals.
““No matter what, music has always been a passion of mine.””
Malcolm Elliott began playing the saxophone in elementary school. He developed a love for music and stuck with the instrument, continuing to play at Renaissance High School and as a music student at Wayne State University. A member of the Jazz Ensemble at WSU, Malcolm has an immense respect and appreciation for the craft and his love for music is shown through his commitment to his saxophone as well as through his rap music.
Starting off as a writer who wrote poetry, Malcolm made the decision to become a rapper when others started to take notice of his talent. Rappers he knew heard his poetry and had begun asking him for features on their songs. He started rapping, and the rest is history.
Malcolm draws his inspiration from those around him. There are multiple sources responsible for being his muse. But, he is really motivated to make great music by other "subpar" rappers who have entered the game on a whim and make a mockery of the craft. Malcolm's favorite rapper growing up was Lupe Fiasco. He greatly admired Lupe's witty metaphors and slick wordplay. And he looked to Lupe as an example of a great emcee.
What's next for Malcolm Elliott?
“My ultimate goal is to be a legend and spread awareness about the real issues that plague our society.”
He wants to bring great music back to Hip Hop, specifically the scene in Detroit. He has a deep-rooted passion for music and is encouraged by that as he works to put out music that people love and want to hear more of. Malcolm wants to be one of the greatest to ever rap. And he is well on his way after a very successful release of his debut mixtape, Era of Adolescence, that dropped last month.
Support Malcolm Elliott by following him on Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud