Introducing a fresh musical genre into a culture steeped in Irish music can pose a significant challenge. In Newfoundland, Irish music is king, which means hip-hop artist Nate Doucette, also known as N8, had to work extra hard to define his music and himself on the Rock.
Newfoundland Hiphop
“When you are a Newfoundlander who makes rap, you usually receive criticism immediately when you mention that. People have told me that ‘you’ll never make it in this industry, or you’ll never get radio airplay,’ but I have proven them wrong with proof to back it up.”
Doucett’s passion for rap music began when he was just 15 years old. During those teenage years, he was inspired by the late Damon Field, a local rapper in the city.
“He was my biggest inspiration for creating music. I was so intrigued that someone could record something well polished, which motivated me to do the same.”
In those early years, his mother also helped him contact a local entertainment manager, Jake Winsor, to find a place to perform.
“I hadn't heard his music, but I could feel his passion, and I provided opportunities for him to grow as an artist,” said Winsor. “I'm proud of our work together. N8 is a must-have for any big show in Newfoundland.”
Influences
He credits his biggest musical influences as Field, a Nova Scotia rapper named Classified, and the incomparable Slim Shady himself, Eminem.
Those influences have inspired Doucette to rap about addiction and mental health awareness themes in his music. His goal is to spread a message of positivity and encouragement to address these issues.
Creative Process
Doucette said his creative process usually begins with a blank canvas focused on the instrumental part of a song first.
“I listen to it repeatedly and write the lyrics on my cell phone. Sometimes, I go in with a topic in mind, and sometimes, I go in blank and see what I create.”
Hit Songs
He teamed up with Canadian hip-hop heavyweight Merkiles for the song Takeover, released on his debut album Resurrection in 2017-2018. It is one of his most popular songs, with 150,000 streams on Spotify. His song Goodlife, released as a single, was one of his first radio-aired songs in 2012.
Fighting the Stigma
The unfortunate thing about rap music is the negative stereotypes of drugs, crime and thuggery.
“The most misunderstood stigma about being a rapper is that the industry has made it so drug-related and so derogatory towards women that they assume if you’re a rapper, that must be what you speak about.”
That’s not what it's about for Doucette. He said Rap Music has impacted his life in many positive ways,
“It has allowed me to voice my thoughts and emotions to connect with listeners through my life experiences. The first time I heard rap that resonated with me was “Tupac changes.” I was in grade 5 and fell in love with the genre and the idea of poetry.
As a performer and entertainer, he said being recognized for his work made him feel like he was doing something that made a difference.
“I get noticed out in public sometimes through my music, which is a compliment. I might not be at a level of fame where you can’t walk the streets, or you’re being swarmed, but people certainly know who I am.”
Doucette said engaging with fans of his music on social media and socializing with them at live events is something he enjoys as an artist.
There is still work to be done, he said
He had already worked with many heavyweight Canadian artists, including Merkules and Danny Fernandes. Doucette said it would be a dream to work with Jellyroll.
What keeps him busy nowadays is working on a new album that will be released sometime in August. The album is 90 percent complete and will feature four new singles, which he is hugely excited about.
If you want to see N8 live, you can catch his show at the Rockhouse with Madchild from the Band Swollen Members on August 23rd or with well-known Nova Scotia rapper Kayo at the Bellavista on September 20th.
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