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Pusha Preme is an anomaly in the music industry, someone who’s intentional with their artistry in the most refreshing way. His name Pusha is inspired by the fact that he’s always pushing something, making his own clothes, hats, etc. The Preme is an acronym for Poetry and Rhythm Elevates Minds Effectively. 

And that’s exactly what Pusha Preme wants you to take away from his music. He states, “It’s feel-good music that illustrates people being in a relationship and chasing their dreams.”

Born and raised in New York but now located in Tampa, Florida, Pusha Preme is an independent artist who’s constantly pushing the boundaries. If you see him out, it’s hard to miss the bejeweled mask covering his face — inspired directly by Hip-Hop legend MF Doom. 

Pusha Preme knew he could do music professionally after his first show, getting paid $3K to perform with his band The Wandering Assassins. Ever since then, there was no looking back.

Preme’s most recent album is called HEROES EVENTUALLY D!E, directly inspired by the passing of his grandmother and the endless responsibilities he holds as a father, label owner, recording artist, husband, and more.

SHEEN caught up with Pusha Preme to discuss tour life, his African background, the independent grind, studio essentials, and more!

 

For those who don’t know, who is Pusha Preme?

Pusha Preme is a creator, 1/4 of The Wandering Assassins. Everyone’s favorite masked assassin. Afro-hybrid, Hip Hop artist out of Tampa, by way of New York.

Why is your band called The Wandering Assassins?

We are masked assassins who wander the earth and kill performances. I look at it as a collective as well too.

How would you describe your sound?

I’d say it’s theatrical, energetic music. 

Talk about the mini-tour you’re on right now, what’s been the highlight?

The highlight is being able to be in so many different places, and the new faces popping up. We just did Saint Pete Pier, which is in front of 3000 people. Being able to take what we have and put it in front of different artists has been a real cool experience. 

How was it opening for G-Eazy? 

It was dope! We got mad love. 

How’d that happen?

They reached out. We work with GMF, which is Gasparilla Music Festival. We’ve done a couple of their festivals already, then they booked us. It was very odd, they have a trolley that goes from Tampa to Channelside and all the way back. They asked, “Can you do a two hour cover set?” We’re like yeah! We did the cover set on there. Those guys were so impressed by it, they’re like, “Hey, we want to book you guys. So we booked an opening — it was us, Phony Ppl, and G-eazy. Just three acts.

How was the show? G-Eazy has a crazy fanbase.

He does. It was good! It felt like Rolling Loud to be honest, it was so many people. Then the love we got afterwards was crazy. Phony Ppl which is a band too, they showed us so much respect. They were shocked they didn’t hear about us, stuff like that. It lets me know that we’re going in the right direction.

You guys performed on a moving train? 

Yeah, that’s the trolley that we did. It was difficult. [laughs] Shit was super difficult, it was fun though. It put us to a lot of an older audience. We did Christmas songs, we flipped them. We gave them more Afrobeat songs, so it was cool.

Talk about bringing in your African background into your music and fusing Afrobeats with Hip Hop.

That’s something we’ve been doing for so long, on the low. Now that’s becoming more popular, it’s hitting it running. It’s the same music I’ve listened to in my household all the time. We’ve been doing Burna Boy. We never even called him Burna Boy, we used to call him big African giant. That’s what we knew him by. Him, Wizkid, Flavour, all them. It’s like when you were a kid, you hear your coaches music like “oh, I want to hear Hip Hop!” But now doing this, it’s a lot easier for me. We have a big fanbase in Ghana.

How is the independent grind? 

It’s tough. I’m looking. I’m not going to LaRussell and give you guys this story like “independence is great!” It’s cool in the beginning, but it’s tough. To get to the next level, I have to meet people like you. Talk to people like you, get in front of the right situation. Just checking the boxes on the backend, business is always important to be able to grow you need a financial train.

Why do you want to shed light on the Tampa art scene? 

Definitely, Tampa’s art scene is beautiful. It’s a melting pot. It’s a blend of so many different individuals that need a little light on them, to be able to expand. A lot of people, they do really break for the first 4 years. They’re like “it’s not going nowhere!”, then you just stop. I was tired of seeing that, because I’m somebody that never stopped. I’m here now, you know?

3 things you need in the studio at all times?

Tequila, they nicknamed me Tequila Titan. Tequila, a female.

You’re married!

I know, but it’s not for that. Because I make music for them. And a producer. 

How’s fatherhood?

It;s great, and it’s difficult. Because making the time, it’s always a struggle. 

You’re doing it though!

God willing man. I’m trying…

What do you like to do when you’re not working? 

Shoot. When I’m not working? That’s very rare. But I’ll say basketball, I play ball when I can. Because everything else revolves around here. Even in my downtime, I’m watching No Labels Necessary. I’m watching where the market is, what songs… I’m so married to it. 

What inspired your song “Winnie”?
“Winnie” is for everybody that has that toxic friend. You want to be with them when you’re going through your own spiraling. “Oh my God, my boyfriend broke up with me or I lost my job.” Let me call Winnie up, because Winnie’s gonna want to turn up at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Everybody has a Winnie.

What is something fans may not know about you?

I’m shy.

Does the mask help? 

Nah, not really. Because it brings so much more demand. It does the reverse. When I made it, it wasn’t to hide the face. I didn’t want to be questioned about music when I’m not working on music. You can relate to it too. If you go to a certain place, if you were to go to Rolling Loud or Art Basel, just to enjoy will be almost impossible for you.

Are you shy on stage? 

No, on stage is an out-of-body experience. Can’t explain it. It’s really hard for me to remember transitions in songs, stuff like that. The moment I hear it. [snaps] Because I have my in-ears on, I’m already zoned out. 

What can we expect from your live shows? 

A lot of energy. Someone that puts his heart out there on the stage, you feel it. That’s one that people tell me: “I can feel what you were going through.”