Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonio Ferreira Jr.
Hi Antonio, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
As I came up here in Maryland with a foreign background, a lot of different influences were hitting me, especially being initially raised a First Baptist filled with hymns, live instrumentation and the diverse history from Brasil. The influence of my older artistic sister inspired me at first, her CDs like Urban Legend and The Love Below drew me to hip-hop. I was that one kid in a band that had a day in chorus, I and my friends would mess around on the old Yamaha keyboard in the basement, so music and sports were pretty much my life. Fast forward, I drop out of the band because as a percussionist, I felt isolated sometimes since we would be separated from the class at times.
I still pursued music though. My first DAW (digital audio workstation) was fruity loops and the rest is history. I was introduced to another beat maker and friend named Magnus Andretti. He was and still is great friend that always pushed me to apply myself more and more.
Another fast forward, I’m dropping out of college because it wasn’t for me, I started bartending to earn some bread to support the dream. Had trouble having a solid foundation, and a safe space to create, until my good friend 3astman invited me to cohabit in this place out Silver Spring. Watched him build a professional studio from the ground up with the help of a few friends, and from there I started building my creative space.
As time passed, I learned another DAW more and more, and eventually started performing where ever I could. Along the way, I also needed a visual representation of my message, the feelings I try and convey with my art. Tied all my skills under one tree and Fuhhrarities was born. Had a few monikers prior, Keepitrio and G.R.I.M. but Fuhhrare is what stuck the best.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. Fractured family…not only is most of my extended family out of the country, my direct one is divorced. Before graduating high school, my mentor broke into my house and raided my mom’s jewelry cabinet. That made it difficult to bring anyone else over to my house at the time and also skewed my trust in people around me. Until more recently, I was kicked out not once, but three times at three different houses.
One and two, because I was pro-cannabis before it became what it was today, and three because I worked late and wasn’t home a lot to help around. I even slept in my car for a few months one winter, soliciting childhood areas I knew were safe. Otherwise, just financially staying afloat you know, following your dreams not only is expensive financially but mentally and time-wise as well. Balancing my time between work, life and my passion is an ongoing battle too.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
A self-produced, self-managed rapper that also models, and designs his fliers, logos, and digital art. I’m a cultivator and a bartender outside of the creative aspect of my life.
I’m known mostly for my beats, grabbing a mic on stage as well as my visual eye for colorful and intricate designs. Being able to excel on all these fronts is special in its way. A jack of all trades per se and not many others can say that.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
When Nelly dropped “Grillz” I was still in middle school. Hearing that song come on at the dance and feeling excited to go on and battle my classmates on the dance floor, that’s up there for me.
Pricing:
- MP3 License Agreement (Beat) – $100
- Wav License Agreement (Beat) – $150
- Exclusive License Agreement (Beat) – $350
- Original Rare Edit – $50 or $35 per 5+
- Rare Tee Varietal Season II – $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fuhhrare.univer.se
- Instagram: Instagram.com/fuhhrare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuhhrareprodIT/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fuhhrare
- Youtube: YouTube.com/fuhhrare
- SoundCloud: SoundCloud.com/fuhhrare
- Other: Distrikkollective.com/fuhhrare
Image Credits
@theyungkeanu and @shotsbyj_
