Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Ricardo Neeley, AKA NRBARZ formerly Barz Noble and Noble Barz respectively. NRBARZ is rising a hip-hop artist born and raised in the Caribbean islands of The Bahamas.
Please tell us something about yourself.
I am just a regular guy who loves to put words together in a spoken word form and rhyme. I embrace and have a deep appreciation for the expression of the arts on many levels, whether through visual and audio. I connect more to the progress as a Creative & a fan of the art that can impact not only for entertainment but for change.
How did you get into what you do right now? Please tell us more about your journey.
I got into this music after hearing on the general market/Underground side the likes of such hip-hop songs as “Respiration” by Blackstar feat. Common Sense, it made me want to start to rap. Nas, A Tribe Called Quest & on the Gospel hip hop side groups that you may not be familiar with, such as the Tunnel Rats, Deepspace 5, G.R.I.T.S., S.F.C., Cross Movement, Lightheaded, & the Procussions just to name a few in their respective scenes of influence.
Who are your role models?
My role models are those who sacrifice for what they believe in. Whether it be through what they have been using through their God-given tools to build and just become agents of change for the better of mankind.
What inspires you?
LIFE inspires me on the whole and its extensions through the expressions & platforms through Sight & Sound.
What’s your most memorable experience?
I am constantly amazed whenever persons reach out to me from other parts of the world as I am from the Bahamas that, on some level, my music has touched. I am both humbled & appreciative of it.
What’s your greatest fear?
Not doing what I was placed in life for I want to live.
Let us know about your passion, and why did you choose this field?
My passion in this capacity as a recording artist through this musical platform to inform & hopefully inspire every listener to maximize their own potential. That they were not placed on earth just to EXIST but to OCCUPY. Also, I feel that I didn’t choose music but that music chose me.
Great, what has been one of the most exciting achievements of your career so far?
For one, winning The Akademia Music Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Music Video for the song “Rainset” from my solo sophomore album S.C.O.A.P. (Soul Chapters Of A Poetic). Secondly, if I can add from my freshman solo “Symphonic Signatures,” six cuts from that project were nominated for the Caribbean Music Awards for album of the year.
What mistakes have you made along the way?
For one, always get back-ups to save your recorded material. Systems had crashed, especially when I first got into recording the songs I had written. It was a learning process for both me & the producer/engineer I was working with at that time on my 1st full-length project “Symphonic Signatures.” But upon his wise advice, we invested in getting some solid external drives.
What does your typical day look like?
On my off days outside of my 9 to 5, if no other commitments, I am in the studio working on music as long as I am in that creative mode or flow. I like to stay as consistent with it and get everything captured recording-wise to build on it as it is like a back and forth write-record-write-record. Hope you get the gist.
What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
I had to separate myself from those relationships that didn’t make sense, moving forward in my art as a creative soul, and as a human being. We all are not perfect, but when it comes to money, some people can be funny. Don’t mix friendship with business, I had to learn that the hard way.
What is your favorite quote?
Live Full, Die Empty.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
LIFE is what you make it, and it is God’s gift to you. I am motivated to DO, not only just to BE.
Any new projects you are currently working on?
Yes, I released digitally my most recent project entitled “T.S.I.R.”(The Struggle Is Real) full length ten tracks and currently working on a follow-up to this project with a number of tracks already recorded for that project but will record more for others in the future pipeline . Fans can look out for the rollouts of the upcoming projects, some of my best work up to date. Check out the NEWS section on the website for updates & social media platforms.
Be the best in whatever your passion is in life, and always be willing to grow.
How can people connect with you?
People can connect with me at the following social media links:
Beacons: https://beacons.ai/nrbarz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nrbarzmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nr_barz
YouTube: https://youtu.be/NY_z-sR3II8
Spotify Link Stream “T.S.I.R.”: https://open.spotify.com/album/24KIlFXKb4khvbH4F72rPw
