Phorensicz is an independent hip-hop artist from Frankfort, Kentucky and a member of the hip-hop collective Basement Up.
During his time with Basement Up, Phorensicz has reached many benchmarks in his career as an artist. “While with Basement Up, we were fortunate enough to be a part of a festival at Western Kentucky University, where we opened for Lupe Fiasco. That was probably one of the coolest opening gigs, because for that one night, it felt like we were a major act, instead of some guys who did music from Frankfort.”
Since then, he has released an EP, “Novelty Gone,” and continues to work as an artist, which will hopefully allow him to spread his sound to a wider audience. Get to know him, his thoughts on the Louisville hip-hop scene, whether he's an U of L or UK fan and his major influences.
Louisville.com: Tell me about Basement Up. How was the collective created? Who are the members and what brought you all together?
Phorensicz: It started off as a group of several emcees from Frankfort, Kentucky (where I’m originally from) some years back under the original moniker of Basement Upstairs. We released a few projects and performed regionally during that time period. After some personnel changes and a period of dormancy, we decided to reboot the group as a trio featuring Allen Poe, Matty Ritch and myself sometime around 2011. It was also during that time that we decided to shorten up the name to just Basement Up.
Louisville.com: Tell me more about your EP “Novelty Gone”. If you had to describe the EP in one word, what would it be?
Phorensicz: Nostalgia. Basically, the concept of the project was to tell a quick story of some events in my life that shaped my development musically, and seeking to rekindle those feelings of nostalgia when you feel that you’ve lost them as you’ve grown older.
Louisville.com: What is your favorite song/project you’ve created in your career?
Phorensicz: I have several favorites, but one song-wise would have to be “Far From Famous” which featured SoundJones, Savannah Turpin and was produced by California based producer MKSB. This was a track off my "Novelty Gone" EP and was really fun song to record and watch come together.
Louisville.com: Which artist in Louisville is your favorite to collaborate with?
Phorensicz: I’m still fairly new to the scene here, but so far I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with producer Filthy Rich and the duo EMDW for a track on their upcoming project. I’ve also had the privilege to share the stage with a lot of the artists/groups from here over the years. Louisville has a very talented hip-hop scene, and music scene in general, and it’s definitely in my plans to collaborate with more artists in the future.
Louisville.com: How is the hip-hop scene in Louisville different from that of Frankfort? Large differences? Bigger opportunities in Louisville? Explain.
Phorensicz: Opportunity is one of the biggest differences I would say between the two scenes. Frankfort, mainly due to its size, has a very small music scene and not many venues for performing. So when you do music there, especially hip-hop, you’re really limited on your resources. Louisville however, seems to offer a lot more options from a music standpoint. More venues, blogs, magazines, radio, etc. that tend to feature local based hip-hop.
Louisville.com: Where does your musical inspiration derive from?
Phorensicz: As cliché as it may sound, a lot of my inspiration is truly derived from my life experiences. Whether it was my growing up in a small town, being a father, or just everyday observations, there always seems to be something I can draw on to be creative, musically.
Louisville.com: Which artists influence your style?
Phorensicz: I grew up on a wide spectrum of music, from hip-hop to soul, and gained a ton of influences in the process. I’d say Wu Tang, Nas, Outkast, Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix and Marvin Gaye to name a small few. But I could literally name hundreds from different genres if we had the time.
Louisville.com: If you could be an opening performer for anyone, who would it be?
Phorensicz: There are several different artists that come to mind, but right off I would probably say Kendrick Lamar. He’s one of my favorites doing it right now.
Louisville.com: Describe your dream performance. The venue? The opening act?
Phorensicz: I think a dream performance would be to headline my own tour, whether it be national or international, and with backing from a live band. As far as opening acts, I’d more than likely bring along some up-and-coming artist to let them get some exposure as well.
Louisville.com: How do you separate yourself from other artists?
Phorensicz: I try to stay as true to myself, musically, as possible. Over the years I’ve sort of found my “lane” in music and stuck to it. I don’t try to put on a facade or image, nor do I feel like I need to conform to anything. It’s like I’ve found a comfort zone, but at the same time I’m always trying new things musically to grow as an artist.
Louisville.com: University of Louisville or University of Kentucky?
Phorensicz: I follow both schools, but as odd as it may sound being from Kentucky… I’m actually more of an Alabama sports fan. My dad was from there and was a huge Alabama fan, so by default I became a fan of their sports program, as well.
Louisville.com: What can Louisville expect from Phorensicz in 2016?
Phorensicz: New music and performances. I’m working on a new project now that’ll hopefully drop before the Spring of 2016, so I’ll be spending some time in and out of the studio over the next few months.
Want to hear more from Phorensicz? Check out his EP, "Novelty Gone" and stay up-to-date on his current projects here. Also, listen to this song. I saw him perform this live at Spinelli's and was extremely impressed (spoiler: it's got MANY Outkast references). You can also follow him on Twitter, poke him on Facebook or like his pics on Instagram.
Still haven't had enough of Phorensicz? He will be performing on February 12 at The New Vintage. Come check it out!
