I first heard Craigy F’s music last summer,a few tracks stood out to me. One that caught my ear was ‘Puffy’ so I searched for more & I came across his HeartBreak Kid album. That album contained a few more tracks that I kept finding myself hitting repeat on like ‘Hoes on Deck’ ‘Wave’ & ‘Hbk’ I’ve been introducing people to Craigy F’s sound every chance I can get,he has the perfect sound for this season. It’s cold out,you’re in the car with your friends headed to a party or even at the club it’s exactly what you need to mellow out and vibe to. Recently I had the opportunity to speak to the young artist,as usual I always try to have a discussion where readers will want to go find out more about the artist. Check out the small Q&A below:
Siete Flournoy- You got this sound,I think a lot of people will catch on soon. Describe your sound,your music & how different you are from other artists.
Craigy F- The sound that you hear is something me and my nigga AG bring to the table every time you hear a project from us … I can’t really explain it.. But to me it’s just something that comes from moments in our mind even our life we wanna take the people sonically where we been and where we going … So when you hear those verses and the undertones under it we want to make you feel like what it is to be us what it is to be a young Jiggy nigga that’s representing our movement our brand #TheRidge… I think what makes me different from what else that is out there in this music world is I’m really just being me on everything that I do … So when you hear my music I’m not gonna give you that I be in the trap and I just caught a body type shit… I’m not doing that I only can speak on my life and where I want to go with it and how to take it to another level each and every time …that’s what you going to hear when you listen to me… Another is I don’t like to be boxed in at all … One of my favorite lines ever is “Switching lanes is the best lanes” … Meaning my lane is me doing whatever I wanna do nothing and nobody can ever get in the way of that I just be swerving through everything with ease [Laughs] haha..
Siete Flournoy- For somebody if this is their first time clicking on a Craigy F post,what would you like them to know about you as an artist?
Craigy F- I would love for them to know that I’m young nigga making non believers into believers… I want them to know that I come from nothing so there was no excuse on why I couldn’t be something… I want them to know that what they hear is a reflection of me and what surrounds me and where Im coming from and where I’m going …I want them to know that I love what I do and go hard everyday and night just so I can get a chance to share my thoughts and dreams with the world … I’m very passionate about this and I’m going to make it happen cause this is all I have … I want them to know that I’m here to make my family and my team proud and my city cause with out them there is no Craigy F.. So when they click that post I want them to know this is the guy they about to listen too.
Siete Flournoy- That ‘PUFFY’ track is tough. I was playing that all summer at ignorant volumes. You admire Diddy? how’d that track come about ?
Craigy F- Before I even knew anything about music around the ages of like 5 , 6 or 7 all I knew was that puffy was the Jiggy fly cool wavy nigga in the industry from fashion to personality and bad boy was the mean machine just killing everything and he had a gorgeous Spanish woman … At that age I wanted to be in bad boy I ain’t know how to rap or anything but I just wanted to be rappin and dancing like puffy… As I got older puffy always remained to be that nigga in my eyes and one of the most influential and inspiring individuals in our culture. So that puffy record y’all be hearing on my Soundcloud was just me showing love and showing whenever you feel like you that nigga dance like puffy [Laughs] haha like who don’t wanna do that I feel like everybody can relate to that … Oh you passed that exam with A+ you starting dancing like puffy … If there’s gonna be a visual to that I want puffy in it with me with a shinny suit y’all gotta help me make that happen [Laughs] haha.. But yeah shoutout to puffy thank you for everything MMM was crazy fire too.
Siete Flournoy- The culture is shifting again,new players are entering the game and ready to take up a lot of spots. The Internet is responsible for making guys hot or leaving them completely unnoticed. How useful is Twitter and social media to you?
Craigy F- I think social media for me personally is very useful I get to see new people sharing my music everyday I get to show them that I see them and let them know that I appreciate them to the fullest .. I’m from CT(Connecticut) to see women from Toronto to Los Angeles to Atlanta ect.. Tweeting lyrics to my songs or sending me random videos of them singing my songs on snapchat Twitter IG YouTube it’s amazing to me … Makes Social Media Very Dope.. But I don’t get wrapped up in it I know there’s still another world other than social media and that’s the real world … I just remain humble and keep on doing what I’m doing.
Siete Flournoy- The music,is the most important foundation of it all,you’re dropping a new project real soon. Talk about this new wave of music you’re putting out. Is this your best work to date?
Craigy F- Oh yes I’m very excited about this new music coming … The start of 2015 is when I personally think I caught my tempo you know … I started off with “Puffy” and that was dope just on how everybody caught on … Then I dropped my first album in the summer “Heartbreak Kid” that was very Jiggy for me … Dropped some Records on soundcloud that’s getting over 100k plays like this really has been amazing such a blessing.. But the crazy thing is we just getting started… I honestly have over about 60 records ready to go that hasn’t been heard yet/ released ….But back to the question … Yeah I’m getting ready to drop the second installment to the “RidgeSeason” series…. It’s a joint project with me and AG … I think AG one of the best out here right now he been doing this longer than me I just learn a lot from him and everything … Me and him really work great together … That’s why we got this movement and brand called #TheRidge and our city loves and supports us to the fullest now we just want the world to hear… As far as it being the best project I’ve done yet …of course it is I’m growing everyday in life so you going to get that in new music every time I want it to be better than the first RidgeSeason I want it to be better than Heartbreak Kid … Definitely can’t wait for y’all to hear … I wanna say it will be ready for the world at any given moment now … Follow me on social media everywhere @CraigyF to stay updated.
Siete Flournoy- Who does Craigy F listen to? Who are your top 5 favorite artists right now?
Craigy F- I listen to everybody I honestly like where music is going with the artist we have now personally … I’m listening to Travis Scott , AG,Young Thug, Future, Khelani , Marcus Supreme, Justin Beiber, Drake, Troy Ave & Young Lito, Tiller, Tory Lanez man I don’t know I’m listening to a lot right now I love where every thing is going though I can’t complain…. As Far As My Top 5 Artist Right Now no order though : Drake Future Travis Scott Beiber And Thugger … It might change next week tho [Laughs] haha.
Siete Flournoy- I see in your videos you keep it really cool,who has influenced you? From your fashion sense to how you approach the studio,where do you draw your inspiration from?
Craigy F- To be honest I was just born this way I’ve always been just laid back chill and observe and learn from people in general type of person … As far as fashion wise I just like what I like i don’t really care what others think of it … I can make a simple black hoody look fly and Jiggy cause I know myself I know I’m that nigga on the inside so I’m him on the outside as well …and there’s nothing wrong about me feeling that way not being cocky at all … its just–it is what it is and how I am…I’m on a got damn wave right now I ain’t worried about the nonsense [Laughs] haha… As far as making music and looking for inspirations for these records it just goes back to me and what I’ve been through and what my surroundings are and the people in my life …that goes from friends to family to girls I fucked with to the girls my niggas fucked with to people I just met in a different city to the city I was in ect … I just pick pieces from everywhere to everything and put it in a song … And I then I share it with the world.
Siete Flournoy- I’m out here in Southern California & I’ve been pushing your music on to a lot of people. I’m responsible for a lot of folks iTunes Libraries & when I first played your song,”Hoes on Deck”–I got the initial “who’s this” but when that hook dropped,all the girls at the crib were singing it “I’m Soooo Drunk Right Now” how does it feel hearing things like that ?
Craigy F- Thanks I appreciate you doing that for the kid man deadass.. But I like said earlier it’s really amazing it’s truly a blessing I gotta thank the man above every time I see and hear that because as an artist I don’t care what these other niggas say when you people sing and relate to your music especially women you hit a certain spot a that millions of artist want as well like your now apart of that person in some type of way and that’s one of the best feelings in the world.
Siete Flournoy- As an independent artist,how’s the grind been for you? I’m a big pusher of “Don’t Cheat The Grind” & I’ve seen a lot of artist on the come up “buy followers”,”buy YouTube views”,”buy soundcloud streams”,& even buying comments & likes. Have you ever felt the need to fake it till you make it or do you enjoy the uphill battle?
Craigy F- The grind has been real and tough and till this day it still is and it’s never going to stop even when we way on I know me as a person I’m never satisfied I always want to take it to bigger and better place whatever that place and moment is I want it so bad. Now we selling out our shows in our city we are traveling to do shows in different cities there was a time when none of that was possible … But we made it possible just going hard … I would wake up go to work at the hospital do a double get out record all night do it all over again … Gotta get this money for these beats videos studio etc… Wanting to get to that point when all I’m working on is music and my family and team is living good … But we getting there we can’t stop we won’t stop… As far as buying views and followers and comments at the end of the day it’s not real it’s never gonna be real and it will never feel genuine so I will never go that route … I’m fine with the slow grind I’m fine with if you love it you gonna share it with somebody if not you gonna keep it moving … I’m too real of a nigga to do the corny shit people do for attention .. But to each is own but that’s not for me and what I represent.
Siete Flournoy- Describe a day in the life of Craigy F. What’s going on in your mind when you first wake up,& how do you approach studio time.. Are you super focused when you hit the booth?
Craigy F- The day in the life of Craigy F it depends on what type of day it is … 97% of my life right now is grind getting to money somehow … When I first wake up most of the time it’s either ahh I gotta get up and go to work or I gotta get up I have 24 hours to do this this and that … I’ll hit AG and My brother ramp up like “yo niggas recording today” then we set the time up and get straight to work I’m super focused when it’s time to work and record I like gettin things done that’s Mainly the reason I have so much music to give to the world right now … I stay up all night writing or I got in the booth and have fun see what comes to mind … The other 3% is just dealing with life family relationships etc.
Follow Craigy F on Twitter @CraigyF , Instagram CraigyF
Wave Provided By: Siete F 
Inquiries – mikeflournoy@thedosemusic.com