The Break Presents: Joey Purp

Joey Purp is part of Chicago's budding crew called SaveMoney consisting of 2014 XXL Freshmen Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa, as well as Kami De Chukwu, Tokyo Shawn and Caleb James. Purp is coming up next from the bunch and is ready to take off real soon when his highly anticipated projects drop.

"I am working on two projects. I'm working on the full-length Leather Corduroys album with me [and] Kami de Chukwu are putting together. We just released an EP. That was a slight preview of what we are thinking."

"I'm still working on my full performance art album. It was originally gonna be titled Eyedrops, but I think I'm gonna name it Performance Art. I guess it would be somewhat be theatrical in the sense, seeing as I have a lot of different influences, I can take it anywhere. I can make some shit like "Irie Trill Vibes," like some super hard heavy shit, or something like "Don't Stop" where it is like introverted, boom-bap-based, hip-hop. It is based off lyricism. With the title Performance Art and with the attitude of making performance art and just that energy in general, I want people to know, like, lack of better words, deeper than rap."

SaveMoney, no gimmicks.

Name: Joey Purp

Age: 20

Hometown: Chicago

I grew up listening to: All types of shit, really. The very first song that I knew all the words to was probably "Triumph" by Wu-Tang. Outside of that, a lot of Sex Pistols and The Casualties and shit like that. Old rock music. A lot of Velvet Underground and Lou Reed. And then of course, the obligatory Dipset and Lil Wayne. My brother was in a punk rock gang. My dad was in a motorcycle gang. I'd always have a rock influence.

Most people don't know I: My favorite band is Velvet Underground, even though I make rap music. It makes sense if you think about it. It is the exact same wavelength of energy, but it is like a different medium. If I could play an instrument, I probably would make a different type of music.

My style's been compared to: I don't know what its been compared to because I don't really do the comparing. I guess people do say, I don't know, I am kind of all over the board with it. My early shit was very heavily Curren$y inspired. When I was in grammar school and early high school around 2006 to 2008, I listen to a lot of Curren$y, which was like residual effect from listening to a lot of Wayne when he was signed to Cash Money or whatever. The early shit is super Curren$y influenced and referenced. Since then, I've just been re-referencing everything that I like. I guess it could be anything.

My standout records and/or moments to date have been: "Irie Trill Vibes" is going pretty crazy. That's probably a standout record. Also featured on "Fear And Doubt" on Vic [Mensa]'s tape was pretty cool because it let people know I was really good at this shit. Everything is very important to me, moment to moment. All moments are important to me, so I don't let them outweigh each other. I shouldn't put any weight on any part of the seesaw that hasn't tipped over yet 'cause I am going to weigh myself down and I can't catapult. I feel like my most important moments have yet to come.

My goal in Hip-Hop is: To really express myself as a person and as an artist. And then to let it segue into other forms of expression through art. And just like leave my footprint as one of the great thinkers, whatever I use as a medium like rap music or like anything.

I'm gonna be the next: I am going to be the first Joey Purp, but I will take the title of the next Warhol! The next Steve Jobs! I am Walt Disney! [Laughs]

To check out more of my music go to: Follow me on Twitter (@JoeyPurps) and SoundCloud.

Standout: "Don't Stop"