P Gutter – Interview – A Hot Minute

“A Hot Minute” Questions – P Gutter

Xperience Liaison Wiz Hoffa brings us P. Gutter. Interview by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: We all get into creative pursuits for different reasons. Some people get into music and the arts to escape; for some, it’s a natural outlet. Was was music, and creativity in the larger sense, for you?

PG: Creating and performing music has been a huge part of my life since the age of five. Over the years it has transformed into different forms of music but it has always been more than an art form for me. Music is a biological part of my anatomy. God has blessed me with a gift that I can’t turn off. I didn’t choose to make music, it chose me.

RRX: Where was the first place you felt comfortable performing? People talk about places where they cut their teeth musically. Where was that for you? And does that place, or that scene still exist, or was it lost to time?

PG: Albany, NY is my hometown. I perfected my live performance by performing on every stage in the city before taking my show on the road.

Albany still has a talented music scene but unfortunately most of the venues where I performed coming up have closed their doors.

RRX: Music is both word and note, beat and measure, and message. If your music was laid out like a story, what’s the main character like? What’s the plot? And what’s one of the big moments that turned the story around?

PG: The main character spent his life overcoming adversity. Being successful in-spite of insurmountable odds. I’m not even supposed to be alive. Everything in my life that tried to destroy me has failed and only made me stronger and more resilient. My hustle is relentless and I’m grateful to be in the position I’m in right now. The big moment that turned my story around was the birth of my 1st son. I was doing dirt in the street with no fear of consequences because I no longer valued my own life due to the tragic loss of multiple close loved ones. The news that I was gonna be a father took the focus off of my own pain and depression. Now I had a reason to live. My life had a new found purpose and responsibility that was bigger than me. Failure was no longer an option. Success was not just a goal. Now success was mandatory.

RRX: Creative people move culture, especially musical performers. We have to thread the circumstances in our lives in a way to affect others. And this is sometimes a responsibility put on us. How do you, specifically, move culture?

PG: When I’m creating new music I make a conscious effort to create something that is authentic and resonates with the listener. I do that by drawing from my own life experiences and choosing production that provides the perfect canvas to paint that picture. My music is inspirational and full of verses that provide hope to the listener.

RRX: Music is a good traveling companion. Play it in a car on that long ride and the miles disappear. But you gotta have something to play. You have something out, maybe more than one thing – can you tell us about some of it?

PG: I have recently released some big records that you can listen to online right now. Two of those records are “Money Talks” featuring Jadakiss and “What It Came Wit” featuring Fat Joe and DJ Drama

RRX: One of the biggest challenges musicians face is getting their name out there. There’s so much competition, and technology makes it possible for everyone to be out there with a well-produced offering. What’s your favorite way to promote?

PG: I make it a point to promote across all of the social media platforms. My favorite way to promote will always be in person at live shows, podcasts and radio stations because no form of promotion will ever beat word of mouth especially after an individual is excited about the real life connection they had with an artist in-person. Promoting in-person also separates you from the masses who are all trying to promote their music the same way on the same platforms.

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