Motëm is like your favorite friend who always seems like he’s on acid. In his music video for “Always Been,” he sits by a stream in the middle of a forest wearing a homemade doo-rag on his head while surfing tumblr and talk-rapping about how beautiful it is that the trees don’t know YouTube exists. The skweee producer, emotional poet-flow rapper, and prince of the margins has been something of a legend for many years in his hometown Hamilton, Ontario, a charmingly downtrodden steel city in Canada that has proved artistically inspiring for Motëm. Most of the eccentric fashionista nature videos recorded with his friends have been filmed around the city (his youtube channel has over 170 uploads), and within the walls of his home studio he has crafted over 1000 songs and mixtapes, all which are all very good and downloadable on his site for free. Because of his unforgettably fun live performances which always feature a candelabra a la liberace and hilariously insightful on-the-spot freestyling, word about Motëm has started to spread in Toronto, Montreal, and abroad, too (he has been a much talked about opener for RiFF RAFF, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Lunice, to name a few). And, his new Insider/Outsider mixtape, which is hosted by the Scandinavian rap wunderkind Yung Lean and was mastered by mike din of Black Atlass and Jacques Greene fame, is his most mature and focused release yet, appropriately riffing off his own thoughts regarding what it means to be a little bit … different.Noisey: What is the Gebbz Steelo Boutique? Is it a physical thing or is it in your mind?
Motëm: The Gebbz Steelo Boutique is the most personal designer boutique in the world, with very limited runs of very special music, fashion, and culturally significant items significant to the Gebbz Steelo culture, but these things are not meant to be separated. It is mean to be more of an experience. It is a very natural process and thing that is as much physical as it is a street squad. It allows Motëm to be free and without reigns or chains or captivity. The Gebbz Steelo Boutique has been hidden for many ages, but when it reached a point, it had “ripened.” It was then ready to be shared with the world like a very fine wine or cheese.What makes the Gebbz Steelo culture different than other cultures?
It is about accepting the individual, and embracing the complexity of if individuality. It is different from others because it is the most personal culture—it is to the individual what the individual interprets it to be. Like if they think it is fun, for instance, then they are correct. Gebbz Steelo is very serious about having fun.Is Motëm an internet artist?
Well, yes, but I am also of the woods and the streets. Gebbz Steelo culture has been around forever, which means long before the internet.I feel that you are very in touch with nature. When did this love for nature begin?
Yes I have always been about that nature. I feel like back in ancient times in the 90’s people wanted to dominate over nature, but now we are ready to embrace it because we are living in the matrix. Nature is like an alien land. It is a good place for an alien. But it is all around us. It is like living on another planet while you are still on the planet. It is very chill to go out into the woods, even if you bring a laptop with you.What is it like in Hamilton and Dundas where you live and grew up?
Hamilton is a good zone where I am free to do as I please. Here I can hide out when I want and then I can also stay in tune with the world if I want. There is a good mentality prevalent in a lot of people in Hamilton, and Dundas, though I don’t want to generalize because there are nice people everywhere and jerks everywhere. There are some art galleries here and the Dundas Valley School of Art! I actually took a class in “Claymation” there once.Are most of your videos shot in Hamilton?
Many are shot in Hamilton, but some are also in Europe. “Work” was shot in Stockholm with my homie Baba Stiltz in it. Baba is my OG skweee homie and he is on Unknown Death 2002. He is how I know and am down with the sadboys n’ Yung Lean. Baba and have tunes released on Flogsta Danshall and Harmönia from Stockholm and Helsinki respectively all on vinyl.You have new mixtape out, The Insider/Outsider Mixtape.Can you tell me about it?
The Insider/Outsider Mixtape explores the concept of wanting to be accepted and then realizing that you have to accept yourself. The mixtape is that journey. There is some poetry on the mixtape by Motëm himself and also the very intriguing Errol Richardson. Yung Lean provides the introduction and it is very beautiful. It was inspired by Chief Keef’s Finally Rich, but it is done in Yung Lean’s special way and it is very sincere. The track “CHA$M” was made the day after Motëm met Riff Raff in January, which was super inspirational. All beats are made by me except for a few which are by KINLAW from Brixton. The music doesn’t really stick to any genre because the Motëm music cannot be controlled.You have been, at some times or another, been associated with a musical style called Skweee. What is that about?
When I started making music I had no knowledge of Skweee. Mine was a dirty funk all on my own, but I got into Skweee music naturally because Motëm music was noticed by a very special individual named Frans Carlqvist. He runs the Flogsta Danshall label and is from Stockholm and is the originator or father of Skweee music along with Daniel Savio who came up with the name. To me Skweee music is funk and loosely resembles Motëm music in the sense that you are free to do what you want or feel; you don’t have to adhere to any strict rules or guidelines or BPMs. “Squee” is for “squeezing” out all the feelings you can of whatever equipment you may have at the time and I never had the best equipment. So I was doing this but didn’t really have a name for it until after Frans contacted me. The genre may be more defined now, but back in the day it was very free. I don’t like it when things get too defined. Frans is my very good homie now, all of them are my good homies, well, all of the OGs any way, but there are lots of new cats now that I don’t know personally.You said you started making this very distinctive Motëm music entirely on your own. Did you feel isolated and alone when you started out?
YES! I still kind of feel alone, because I don’t think there is any one else in the world that does music exactly like Motëm. I still don’t fit in anywhere perfectly. At first, I was very sad and very isolated. But as time went on I grew strong. I grew to feel like Batman because I was providing an example of how it is not necessarily a bad thing to be alone. Then I realized it is the era of the individual. Or also how if you can take it you can be very strong as an individual. Like the quote ‘the strongest people are the most alone.’ I don’t know who said it, but I carried on.Was there a particular turning point where you started to feel more understood or accepted or comfortable in your individuality?
Um, maybe in 2010 when I did the tune “The X-Files.” This is when people saw the true passion of Motëm. They saw that Motëm has UMPHFFF. When I did that tune I was kind of caught up in the passionate moment of music, but when I reviewed the next day, even I had impressed myself. And then from then on people knew Motëm was special. They knew before but now they thought of him like Batman or something, because that tune was like a smack, an awakening.
Super vulnerable. I was embarrassed a bit because I am very personal and emotional in my music. But now I can see that it is a good example, because you cannot keep stuff all pent up—that is not good for your health.I did tunes for many years without showing anyone. I didn’t want to show them because I was very nervous. But I felt compelled.Do you still feel vulnerable?
Kind of, but I have a lot of support now from around the world. A lot of people are encouraging Motëm to continue for beauty’s sake and for more sake--for ugly’s sake too. It’s like how I can play with someone like Lunice but then also record the sound of the water from the tap and it’s all relevant to Motëm, to the world. Or like when I play with BADBADNOTGOOD, but then also freestyle about really ridiculous stuff and it’s the same jazz. There is connectivity to be found in individuality.Can you give advice for someone who feels alone?
Yes, the whole Insider/Outsider Mixtape is sort of about this, but mostly they have to realize something inside themselves that makes them feel special, because they are. It is not necessarily a bad thing when people try to fit in though, because for some people that works and that is the best way. It is not always easy but you must learn what is the best way to respect yourself and go from there.Kara-Lis Coverdale is a sadgirl. She's on Twitter - @kliscoverdale
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Motëm: The Gebbz Steelo Boutique is the most personal designer boutique in the world, with very limited runs of very special music, fashion, and culturally significant items significant to the Gebbz Steelo culture, but these things are not meant to be separated. It is mean to be more of an experience. It is a very natural process and thing that is as much physical as it is a street squad. It allows Motëm to be free and without reigns or chains or captivity. The Gebbz Steelo Boutique has been hidden for many ages, but when it reached a point, it had “ripened.” It was then ready to be shared with the world like a very fine wine or cheese.What makes the Gebbz Steelo culture different than other cultures?
It is about accepting the individual, and embracing the complexity of if individuality. It is different from others because it is the most personal culture—it is to the individual what the individual interprets it to be. Like if they think it is fun, for instance, then they are correct. Gebbz Steelo is very serious about having fun.Is Motëm an internet artist?
Well, yes, but I am also of the woods and the streets. Gebbz Steelo culture has been around forever, which means long before the internet.I feel that you are very in touch with nature. When did this love for nature begin?
Yes I have always been about that nature. I feel like back in ancient times in the 90’s people wanted to dominate over nature, but now we are ready to embrace it because we are living in the matrix. Nature is like an alien land. It is a good place for an alien. But it is all around us. It is like living on another planet while you are still on the planet. It is very chill to go out into the woods, even if you bring a laptop with you.
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Hamilton is a good zone where I am free to do as I please. Here I can hide out when I want and then I can also stay in tune with the world if I want. There is a good mentality prevalent in a lot of people in Hamilton, and Dundas, though I don’t want to generalize because there are nice people everywhere and jerks everywhere. There are some art galleries here and the Dundas Valley School of Art! I actually took a class in “Claymation” there once.Are most of your videos shot in Hamilton?
Many are shot in Hamilton, but some are also in Europe. “Work” was shot in Stockholm with my homie Baba Stiltz in it. Baba is my OG skweee homie and he is on Unknown Death 2002. He is how I know and am down with the sadboys n’ Yung Lean. Baba and have tunes released on Flogsta Danshall and Harmönia from Stockholm and Helsinki respectively all on vinyl.You have new mixtape out, The Insider/Outsider Mixtape.Can you tell me about it?
The Insider/Outsider Mixtape explores the concept of wanting to be accepted and then realizing that you have to accept yourself. The mixtape is that journey. There is some poetry on the mixtape by Motëm himself and also the very intriguing Errol Richardson. Yung Lean provides the introduction and it is very beautiful. It was inspired by Chief Keef’s Finally Rich, but it is done in Yung Lean’s special way and it is very sincere. The track “CHA$M” was made the day after Motëm met Riff Raff in January, which was super inspirational. All beats are made by me except for a few which are by KINLAW from Brixton. The music doesn’t really stick to any genre because the Motëm music cannot be controlled.
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When I started making music I had no knowledge of Skweee. Mine was a dirty funk all on my own, but I got into Skweee music naturally because Motëm music was noticed by a very special individual named Frans Carlqvist. He runs the Flogsta Danshall label and is from Stockholm and is the originator or father of Skweee music along with Daniel Savio who came up with the name. To me Skweee music is funk and loosely resembles Motëm music in the sense that you are free to do what you want or feel; you don’t have to adhere to any strict rules or guidelines or BPMs. “Squee” is for “squeezing” out all the feelings you can of whatever equipment you may have at the time and I never had the best equipment. So I was doing this but didn’t really have a name for it until after Frans contacted me. The genre may be more defined now, but back in the day it was very free. I don’t like it when things get too defined. Frans is my very good homie now, all of them are my good homies, well, all of the OGs any way, but there are lots of new cats now that I don’t know personally.You said you started making this very distinctive Motëm music entirely on your own. Did you feel isolated and alone when you started out?
YES! I still kind of feel alone, because I don’t think there is any one else in the world that does music exactly like Motëm. I still don’t fit in anywhere perfectly. At first, I was very sad and very isolated. But as time went on I grew strong. I grew to feel like Batman because I was providing an example of how it is not necessarily a bad thing to be alone. Then I realized it is the era of the individual. Or also how if you can take it you can be very strong as an individual. Like the quote ‘the strongest people are the most alone.’ I don’t know who said it, but I carried on.
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Um, maybe in 2010 when I did the tune “The X-Files.” This is when people saw the true passion of Motëm. They saw that Motëm has UMPHFFF. When I did that tune I was kind of caught up in the passionate moment of music, but when I reviewed the next day, even I had impressed myself. And then from then on people knew Motëm was special. They knew before but now they thought of him like Batman or something, because that tune was like a smack, an awakening.
Was it difficult for you to show people your songs at first? Did you feel embarrassed? Vulnerable?
Super vulnerable. I was embarrassed a bit because I am very personal and emotional in my music. But now I can see that it is a good example, because you cannot keep stuff all pent up—that is not good for your health.I did tunes for many years without showing anyone. I didn’t want to show them because I was very nervous. But I felt compelled.Do you still feel vulnerable?
Kind of, but I have a lot of support now from around the world. A lot of people are encouraging Motëm to continue for beauty’s sake and for more sake--for ugly’s sake too. It’s like how I can play with someone like Lunice but then also record the sound of the water from the tap and it’s all relevant to Motëm, to the world. Or like when I play with BADBADNOTGOOD, but then also freestyle about really ridiculous stuff and it’s the same jazz. There is connectivity to be found in individuality.Can you give advice for someone who feels alone?
Yes, the whole Insider/Outsider Mixtape is sort of about this, but mostly they have to realize something inside themselves that makes them feel special, because they are. It is not necessarily a bad thing when people try to fit in though, because for some people that works and that is the best way. It is not always easy but you must learn what is the best way to respect yourself and go from there.Kara-Lis Coverdale is a sadgirl. She's on Twitter - @kliscoverdale