{"id":2291,"date":"2025-03-17T15:31:58","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T16:31:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/?p=2291"},"modified":"2025-03-20T18:29:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T18:29:35","slug":"rapper-skaiwater-feels-manic-in-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/17\/rapper-skaiwater-feels-manic-in-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Rapper skaiwater Feels &#039;Manic in America&#039;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/assets.rebelmouse.io\/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81Nzk1OTcwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc0Mzg4MDU3OX0.y-nDQfjGqgo_n16BwuxC2hdsgS-2td_HekFG4x8azzg\/img.jpg?width=1535&amp;height=2283&amp;coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0\"><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/skaiwater\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><u>skaiwater<\/u><\/a> doesn\u2019t play by the rules. The Nottingham-born rapper, producer and genre-bender moves seamlessly between worlds \u2014 musically, culturally and digitally. Their latest project,<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/69yCzxhBGrs0o2hPJWqttf?si=twHyPZs1QwCJZfmYCFpIog\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><u><em><em>#mia<\/em><\/em><\/u><\/a> (short for <em><em>Manic in America<\/em><\/em>), is a warped, hyper-emotive mixtape that exists somewhere between SoundCloud-era rap nostalgia and the unpredictable chaos of the internet. skaiwater thrives in the undefined, pulling from hip-hop, electronic and alternative influences for their sound.<\/p>\n<p>With <em><em>#mia<\/em><\/em> out in the world, skaiwater isn\u2019t thinking about what\u2019s next \u2014 they\u2019re just thinking about what\u2019s real. \u201cI know I have a bigger end goal,\u201d they say, \u201cbut people haven\u2019t fully seen where I\u2019m trying to go yet.\u201d Even if you haven\u2019t intentionally pressed play on their music, you\u2019ve probably heard it. Their 2022 breakout, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/track\/1hboZZxKIEjLHRIkhx4Soi?si=2c68d3dcc1954585\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><u>#miles<\/u><\/a>,\u201d went viral on TikTok. With its hypnotic melodies and glitchy textures, the track laid the foundation for an artist who refuses to be boxed in. Since then, they\u2019ve collaborated with Lil Nas X, exchanged ideas with Lil Uzi Vert and continued shaping their own sonic universe \u2014 one that exists outside the algorithmic assembly line.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>skaiwater started producing music at eight years old, inspired by their father, a hip-hop producer who taught them how to flip samples and mix stems. That early exposure shaped their approach to music, pairing technical skills with an instinct for experimentation.<\/p>\n<p>With <em>#mia<\/em>, skaiwater takes that vision even further. \u201cI set out from the beginning to make a mixtape,\u201d they tell <em>PAPER<\/em>. \u201cI never really had a rap mixtape, so I wanted to put one out with this new confidence.\u201d Across its runtime, skaiwater floats between moods, from high-energy catharsis to stretches of melancholy.<\/p>\n<p>We sat down with the rapper to discuss <em>#mia<\/em>, their early influences, and what the skaiwater video game would look and sound like.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"rm-shortcode\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"7ebee6caa4d12aca8b5eb7cc85dab392\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%\"><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"skaiwater - real feel\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5LPPu1GhxTA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Your new project,<\/strong><em><strong><em> #mia<\/em><\/strong><\/em><strong>, has been out for a couple of weeks now. What\u2019s the meaning behind the title?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It really started with me coming off my last project. I wanted to do something in a similar vein but with a different approach, you feel me? <em><em>#mia<\/em><\/em> stands for <em>Manic in America<\/em> which was more about addressing things like mental health. Not necessarily in the lyrics, but just in terms of the energy of the project. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Your music crosses so many genres. If you had to describe skaiwater as a feeling rather than a genre, what would that be?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Probably love. I think a lot of my shit is based on love. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Your sound exists in this hyper-digital space \u2014 it feels very internet-born, but also raw and personal. How do you balance the chaos of the internet with your real life?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I just try to stay out of the way. I really only be on the internet when I need to be. I\u2019ve been using social media for a long time, but I try not to get caught up in it. <\/p>\n<p><strong>What was your first most impactful social media platform? I was a big Tumblr kid.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Probably Instagram. I think I was 11 when I got on there. I don\u2019t even remember what year Instagram came out. <\/p>\n<p><strong>I remember when Snapchat came out \u2014 it changed the game.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, I feel that. These apps have been around for so long that it&#8217;s hard to remember which thing came from where. But yeah, Snapchat definitely changed things. <\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"rm-shortcode lazyload\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"208185ccdad26e2e69003069991aed88\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" id=\"373ec\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-20.png\"><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Talk about making <\/strong><em><strong><em>#mia<\/em><\/strong><\/em><strong>. When did it click for you that this was a full project and not just a collection of songs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think when I made the last song. I set out from the beginning to make a mixtape. I never really had a rap mixtape, so I wanted to put one out with this new confidence, you feel me? <\/p>\n<p><strong>You started producing music when you were eight \u2014 that\u2019s crazy. How did that happen? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My dad always produced, so it was like&#8230; you know how if your dad knows how to shoot a gun, he\u2019ll teach you how to shoot a gun? It was like that. He was just passing down skills that he already had. <\/p>\n<p><strong>What kind of music was he into?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Definitely hip-hop. Sample-heavy hip-hop. He was teaching me how to flip samples, mix stems, all that. He had one of those portable mixer boards with all the knobs and shit. That was his passion \u2014 just evolving what he already loved. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Were you exploring different types of sounds online at that time?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Not at eight. I didn\u2019t really have internet access like that. I was mostly listening to what my family put me onto. But around 12, I started getting into dubstep and pop-punk. That was probably my most explorative phase as a listener. Now, I try to tap into new shit every day, so I can put people onto new shit. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Who were some of your biggest influences during that time? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When <em><em>Rodeo<\/em><\/em> came out, I got back into hip-hop and R&amp;B. <\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"rm-shortcode lazyload\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"726c68f8ad77e2cba96511655c77146f\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" id=\"b117c\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-21.png\"><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>So Travis Scott was a big influence on you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Honestly, Kanye [was]. I was just fucking with the fact that there was a new, younger Kanye at the time. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Who\u2019s inspiring to you that people might not expect?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Probably Hayley Williams. During my Paramore phase, I learned a lot about her vocal control, and I think that subconsciously helped me with singing. <\/p>\n<p><strong>She\u2019s an incredible singer. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, she\u2019s dope. I used to watch her studio videos a lot. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Now that <em>#mia<\/em> is out, where\u2019s your head at? What\u2019s next? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I don\u2019t even feel like there\u2019s a \u201cnext,\u201d you feel me? I just want to keep going. I know I have a bigger end goal, and I feel like people haven\u2019t fully seen where I\u2019m trying to go yet. <\/p>\n<p><strong>What brands are you into right now? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hysteric.fashion\/?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Hysteric<\/u><\/a>. Oh, and have you heard of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/omweekend\/?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><u>OMIGHTY<\/u><\/a>? This T-shirt I\u2019m wearing is from them. Vivienne Westwood, Balenciaga. Oh, and Coperni has been fire lately. And Burberry, I\u2019ve been into Burberry heavy. <\/p>\n<p><strong>If skaiwater was a video game, what would the objective be and what would it sound like?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s just so many sides to what I do. I feel like it\u2019d be a multi-series game. Different genres, different worlds. I actually used to go to school for programming video games, so I always wanted to make one. Maybe something like <em><em>Ocarina of Time<\/em><\/em>. I\u2019d love to make something like that.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"rm-shortcode lazyload\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"be208b0448e0013f2a6828f5b2d2a14e\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" id=\"02a6f\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-195.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I know I have a bigger end goal, and I feel like people haven\u2019t fully seen where I\u2019m trying to go yet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><em>Photos courtesy of skaiwater<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>skaiwater doesn\u2019t play by the rules. The Nottingham-born rapper, producer and genre-bender moves seamlessly between worlds \u2014 musically, culturally and digitally. Their latest project, #mia (short for Manic in America), is a warped, hyper-emotive mixtape that exists somewhere between SoundCloud-era rap nostalgia and the unpredictable chaos of the internet. skaiwater thrives in the undefined, pulling from hip-hop, electronic and alternative influences for their sound. With #mia out in the world, skaiwater isn\u2019t thinking about what\u2019s next \u2014 they\u2019re just thinking &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/17\/rapper-skaiwater-feels-manic-in-america\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Rapper skaiwater Feels &#039;Manic in America&#039;&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2293,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2291"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2298,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291\/revisions\/2298"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}