Nate the Space God – An Interview with Rob Smittix

Nate the Space God.

RRX: I didn’t know that Albany Lou was your father up until it was your birthday, which was just a few days ago. Your Dad posted on social media that you (his son) was celebrating a birthday and I’m over here like oh, no way!

NTSG: You didn’t know that Albany Lou is my father? That’s usually what people know me for nowadays.

RRX: I knew your Dad’s music for a long time and personally for a few years. I just had no idea that he had a son who rapped. I know it was just your birthday but may I ask how old are you?

NTSG: Twenty-two

RRX: Have you been doing any shows?

NTSG: Not yet but we do have a show scheduled sometime in the near future. My Dad’s talking to my manager about it. The whole YNUS crew is going on a tour later in the year.

RRX: That’s dope, so you’re going to perform with your Dad.

NTSG: Yeah, it’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait!

RRX: Locally Albany Lou has been one of the most recognized rappers for a long time but also your Dad’s getting airplay on Shady 45 (Eminem ‘s station on Sirius XM) constantly. HE’s really making a name for himself. I mean Jadakiss did a promo with him for his birthday. Does it add any pressure? Do you feel like you’re in his shadow at all?

NTSG: Some what but not always. I know my music is very different from my father’s so I don’t feel like I’m in his shadow completely. That’s what I think about that.

RRX: What do they call the old guys now that rap?

NTSG: Old heads?

RRX: Old heads, right! So being an old head myself, a lot of us don’t appreciate the new stuff as much. We’re all stuck in the 90’s. What I really like though about you’re music is that you’ve got a different sound man. I’m not knocking these young cats but a lot of them sound the same. A lot of them are saying the same things, a lot of them don’t have good messages. When I listen to your songs, I can clearly tell you’re doing something unique. It’s also music that I think can vibe with different communities. Not just the rap scene but I think the skate scene would dig your sound too. You know? You’ve got that mass appeal.

NTSG: My music isn’t really much about the outside world. I don’t know if you know but a lot of young rappers are always talking about stuff that’s happening outside. For me, my music is very personal to myself. It’s about problems I go through. I turn into a formality of stuff that other people also go through. It’s relatable. You know?

RRX: You definitely relate. In the video where your sitting on the chair, like you’re in therapy or whatever. You said something in that song about doing it you’re own way. I can see that.

NTSG: That’s the Scotch song. For the music video, it was cool but it didn’t really represent me as a person. I literally talk about driving my 2007 Honda Civic, I don’t talk about driving Bentleys or super expensive cars. The whole idea behind The Evil album in which that song is from… the idea is I need money and I need it now. My talent is going to get me there. It’s me having confidence in my own ability to become a big artist. I want that and it’s showing my hunger for that.

RRX: Well you’ve got a lot of good people in your camp that’s for sure. That’s going to help you out. A lot of people don’t have that to start out with. I think even without the camp, you probably could still reach those goals but it doesn’t hurt. How long have you been doing music?

NTSG: I’ve been doing music professionally now for about five or six years.

RRX: What inspires you?

NTSG: 100% my father. I was basically a student of hip hop since forever. I remember my Dad throughout my childhood showing me the classics. I understand old school, a little bit. I’m not a huge listener of old school but I do understand it. I used to listen to Biggie, Nas, Busta Rhymes, obviously X and all of those guys. I love their music, I used to have it on repeat all of the time. As a kid I would be in my room and I would walk over to my Dad’s room as he was recording his music. I thought it was fire. But I never started until about 2017, that’s when I actually started writing music. My Dad kept telling me “you can do it!.” He saw my potential and I just kept going from there.

RRX: Being a younger rapper I do want to thank you for not mumbling. Thank you for allowing me to understand each and every word that you say, very clearly. That’s the old head in me talking again.

NTSG: Don’t worry about it, I completely get it.

RRX: You’re Dad probably has some of that old head vibe too, I’d imagine.

NTSG: Oh yeah, of course.

RRX: I just really get down with the bad messages in music. I’m always happy when people are doing something creative, whether it’s good or not, it doesn’t really matter because they’re doing something and I’m all about that. I support that but man… the messages that’s kids are getting from a lot of rap music nowadays. Don’t get me wrong we had a lot of that stuff too but… it’s getting out of hand, people are getting hurt. I appreciate you, doing you’re own thing and not following the leader. What’s your take on that?

NTSG: For me personally when I look at that kind of music , I usually just leave it alone. As an artist I stay in my own lane and not try to ruffle any feathers. They are completely in their own right to make that type of music.

RRX: 100 Percent, I agree they have the right.

NTSG: It’s a freeform, it’s an artform. The gang violence the gun violence and talking about drugs and selling them has been around for a long time but the way it’s presented has changed drastically. It’s not carelessly thrown out there but it’s glorified. I don’t get bothered by it that much because that’s their thing. I don’t really go out of my way to talk bad about any artist because they’re just trying to get to where I’m trying to get to.

RRX: Anything you’d like to tell people out there who are just now being introduced to you?

NTSG: Everything does not sound like ‘Scotch’ or The Evil album. My newest album “Caught in a Web and Smiling” is a complete R&B project. It’s all love music. The Falling In Winters Detour album looks into the dark and dreary world of being alone, isolated and it’s not all hip hop. Not everything I do is hip hop, so there’s bound to be something you like.

RRX: I think so.