Definition of talented: Gun-Em

By far one of Cleveland’s most slept on artists: Gun-Em, formally Kid Gun-Em of J-Squad.
Residing in Cleveland, Gun-Em is on a fast paced grind looking to rise to the top. Being more than well round, this young man Raps, Dances, and produces his own beats.
Expanding outside of Ohio, Gun-Em is making a name for his self in Iowa, and Indianapolis with club hits such as”Freeze“, and “Hachuu”.

Gunem: How are you doin’?

216thetakeover.com: Pretty good, how about yourself?

Gunem: I’m alright

216thetakeover.com: What inspired the name Gun-Em?

Gunem: It was just a name that came up. My words come out kind of quick so I thought of it as metaphor, like a speeding bullet.

216thetakeover.com: Tell me who Gun-Em the person is?

Gunem: A creative new artist trying to make my mark in this music game. My manager Amanda would say that I am a package deal because I write my own lyrics, dance, and I do 99.9 percent of my own beats. My mind thoughts kind of stretch, one minute I may practice this but in a flinch I might do something totally different that’s even better then what I had in mind. So I’m definitely Creative.

Gunem:I heard them rapping at a park. As a young cat, I told em’ I know how to rap to, they didn’t believe me or nothing. So, I spit something for em’, and they liked it. They didn’t even put me in the group right then, I started my own thing. Fame Entertainment, that didn’t work out either. Then J-Squad lost a member, and put me in the group.

216thetakeover.com: So what ultimately split the group up?

Gunem: I felt like I was being held back, I sing, dance, and rap. When I go to put on a show, I put on a show, not just stand there, and rap.

216thetakeover.com: Since becoming a solo act, how have you developed as an artist?

Gunem: I see more growth now that I’ve got more of an opportunity to show my interpersonal talent. When I was in a group I felt kind of held back no disrespect, but I wasn’t able to show case my true talent in productions, and song writing. Also, when your in a group you cant really say to much because your lines get cut short. Due to the timing of the song so you don’t want your crowd to get bored from a song being 30 min long in exaggeration. Also if we were to do a show I had idea’s and they would never fall through because it’ll have certain movements that the rest couldn’t do. You know? So it kind of made me feel like I’m trapped in a closet like R. Kelly! LOL! Since leaving the group I feel I have grown as a artist, I changed my swag completely in every way. I have a hole new perspective on music right now. My music has more meaning right now, its more of a fun lets get up and dance or joke around happy feel. Then there’s the r&b side that’s real laid back and chill but a lot of people can relate to this music with out being about I’m gon’ beat yo ass, or what hood I’m reppin’. I’m not saying I don’t like that music but I’m gearing more towards a mainstream feel. Where it can get played at a top 40 club, or a hood joint, or urban spot. Id have to say that my manager really helped me develop into the artist I am today.

216thetakeover.com: One word to describe your style?

Gunem: Unpredictable: you never really know what I might hit you with next. Like a hot new R&B song like “Lay Yo Body Down“, or something more mainstream like “Freeze” aka Frooze Like Da Wind, a dance song. Your going to have to wait for that mixtape to drop though.

216thetakeover.com: How did you get into producing other artists?

Gunem: Basically people heard production from my personal songs. I would try to get a song done every week and by the time the weekend came around, I’d go to skating rinks and give my songs to the DJ and get them to spin it. I would go to bars note, I wasn’t even old enough. I would just give it to my one cat who’s name is John. He would give it to the DJ, and I’d just wait outside the door until I heard that Gun-Em tag on the song. People would be asking who I was, who made the beats, it was networking like that. So, it just got out word of mouth.

216thetakeover.com: You’ve done production for Mz. Skittlez, and you have projects going on in, Indianapolis. Tell me about those projects?

Gunem: I produced a track for Skittlez called “Complicated”, I feel the track is different than what she usually does, and is a hot new look for her, along with what she is doing now. I’m also in the studio with her right now working on a remix to a new track on my up-coming mixtape. I look forward to working more with Skittlez in the future. The project in Indianapolis I’m working on, is a track called “the one” with a R&B artist out there named “Tiggy”, who has a large fan base out in the Naptown. I also have a couple tracks in the works in Iowa with a couple artist out there. I just like to network outside of Cleveland, and really Ohio in general whether its making beats, or collaborating on a track. A lot of cats stay just in Cleveland, to actually make it in this industry you got to go outside of your home, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

216thetakeover.com: Can we expect an album, or mixtape?

Gunem: I’m in the works of doing two mixtapes. I plan to release one mixtape, and with in the following three months I plan on releasing the other. I want to release the first one to catch the attention of people in the streets, and hit back to back with the next mixtape with remixes, and a couple newer tracks leading up to my release of my FIRST ALBUM. I have a single that hasn’t been officially released called “Hachuu” and I’m working on The remix with Mz. Skittlez now. So, expect major moves with these two mixtapes coming up, and a lot of collabs also.

Gunem: Thanks for this interview, I see you out here killing the internet with these interviews. Keep it up, about time someone is holdin’ Cleveland down. I wanted to shout out my mom, my son he’s the real kid gun-em, my manager Amanda Birovsek, Mz Skittlez, Rhalmne, Tiggy all the rest of the Cleveland artist doing they thing, but more importantly the people holding me down, and supporting me and everybody else who know ya boy Gun-em.

216thetakeover.com: Can’t wait to hear what you have in store, big thanks for doing this interview!

Gunem: You already know it, thanks again to.

Gun-Em – Freeze

Gun-Em – Lay Yo Body Down

Gun-Em – Fashion Show