Miles Brown Talks Reeling In The Hip-Hop Greats On ‘We the Future’ Album
Les Twins #LesTwins
]]>
(AllHipHop Features)
Miles Brown is far more than just a character on Black-ish, he’s a rapper in his own right. At the young age of 15, the young prodigy has already mastered 3 different careers: from dancing to acting to now, music. He states, “I still see myself as a kid, obviously I still am. I don’t ever want to be treated not as if I am one because I love doing different things. Dancing, acting, music – even in the future, I don’t want to be put in a box.”
Releasing his debut album titled We the Future to the world, Brown uses his voice for the greater good, speaking on real-life current events and issues happening around the world. The 15-track project follows in the footsteps of his father who’s also a rapper, Wildchild of Lootpack, putting on for hip-hop in the most positive light. With production from Madlib, Mic Checkmate, and Deliv, and features from the old school to the new school, from Slick Rick, to Dame D.O.L.L.A., Miles puts together a masterpiece highlighting topics including positivity, family, mental health, equality, and social injustice.
Off the rip on the intro track, fans are blessed with shout outs from all the greats such as Redman, Method Man, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and even Post Malone. Beyond the music, Miles is also the first ever junior correspondent for the NBA, interviewing professional basketball players from a child’s perspective.
AllHipHop: It’s crazy to me that you’re only 15 and doing all these things. Do you feel 15?
Miles Brown: I know more, if that makes sense. Me being on Black-ish gave me that push to speak up about topics I want to talk about, that may not have been covered. Me growing up and having different experiences has made me want to reach out and have more knowledge on certain things I want to do.
AllHipHop: How old were you when you started dancing choreography?
Miles Brown: I was 4 or 5 years old when I started dancing hip-hop choreo, because it was fun. My sister started dancing, I always wanted to start. I had my whole dance teacher and dance crew, it always seemed fun. Being able to travel, going to competitions, meeting other dancers I used to watch on TV, going to different countries to perform was super awesome and super fun as a 5-year-old to do. That inspired me to want to entertain, whether it’s acting or music. Getting that experience with dancers like Les Twins, certain people inspired me to travel and do different things.
AllHipHop: Debut album We The Future out now! How are you feeling?
Miles Brown: It’s crazy it’s finally out, this is something I’ve always held on to for a long time. Me wanting to put it out for so long, certain things have gotten in my way from putting it out sooner. I officially recorded 80% of the album a year and a half ago, but my voice changed. I didn’t want to put the album out knowing my voice changed. It’d sound weird. My dad is an artist. People might be surprised I wanted to rap before I even started acting. With Black-ish taking up the majority of my time, I never got around to being able to do my own project. My voice changed 4 different times, what kept me from putting out the album 2 years ago. I’m excited for people to hear it. I’ve shown people certain songs over the years, but my dad and I didn’t want to rush anything.
AllHipHop: What made you name it We The Future?
Miles Brown: I’ve always wanted to have some type of call out to the youth, to my generation Gen Z. Especially with what’s been going on, the youth are mainly the ones on the frontlines and taking control of certain things. A lot of kids don’t realize the power in the voice we have, the potential. Whatever happens in the future, we’re the ones in control in a certain amount of time. It’s left up to us. Shout out to my sister Kiana for coming up with the cover idea, a remake of the picture of the signing of the Constitution. You know how it says We The People? I wanted to remix that with We The Future. With all the different songs, I have a lot of super talented kids on the songs with me. JD McCrary, I wanted to represent and put super talented kids my age on the album.
AllHipHop: You also have elites like Jidenna and Slick Rick, talk about those incredible features.
Miles Brown: Those were definitely an accomplishment. It’s crazy knowing people I know personally, my friends, it’s a combination of a lot of people. JD’s on “Smile All Day”, shout out to him. Maya’s (ROSECLAY) on my song “Special” dedicated to my mom and my sister. TJ Brown played Nas on The Get Down. Slick Rick, Dame D.O.L.L.A., a lot of artists on there I see as accomplishments because I always looked up to them. Dame D.O.L.L.A. whether it’s basketball or rapping, Slick Rick obviously because of what he’s done in his career. Having that personal relationship and asking them to be on my project, them willing to do it was my biggest accomplishment for the album.
AllHipHop: How did you get all the legends on the intro? They’re way before your time!
Miles Brown: It came mainly through my dad, he’s an artist. Everything he taught me when I started listening to music, that’s how I grew up to know and love them. Have that whole generation in my mind. A lot of kids may not know who those people are, I’m privileged. Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, I opened for them when I was super young and started rapping. My relationships with a lot of those people started through acting, through dancing, not even anything to do with music. I knew them on a personal level to where they seen I wanted to try something new. Macklemore, Method Man, Redman, people I knew personally that I never started getting into their music until recently. I’m glad they were able to do a little job on that song.
AllHipHop: Who are your top artists in rotation?
Miles Brown: As his son, I have to say my dad for sure. I support all different styles, I love both generations from mine to my dad. I have favorites from my generation, from his generation. It’s personal things whether I want to turn up and listen to some Drake and Travis Scott, or I want to listen to some Rakim and Slick Rick. I’m glad to know who some artists are that I know a lot of kids don’t know. There’s a lot of artists from my generation I know, that my dad may not know of. I’m glad to have that connection of both generations, I can gladly listen to both.
AllHipHop: What songs mean the most to you and why?
Miles Brown: Definitely one is “Special” for sure, that’s about my mom and my sister. “We The Future” is a special song because that’s one of the first songs I recorded. Me getting Damian Lillard on that specific song was important because I knew what he’d done with basketball going into rapping. I wanted to have that same energy: go from rapping to dancing to acting. Do different things and not be put in that box.
“Drowning” is a special song for me, it dives deep into mental health. It’s a broad song a lot of people can listen to, I wanted to speak up and talk about that.“Rock The Beat” because I come from the dance community. A lot of Bboys and Bgirls can dance to that song. My dad helped me because he knew I wanted to make a song a lot of people can dance to. Shout out to Madlib for producing “Entourage”, a crazy song for me to do.
AllHipHop: Madlib? That’s legendary!
Miles Brown: A lot of people don’t know that, he’s almost an uncle to me. He and my dad are both artists, they both work together. I never even knew that he was this famous rapper/producer, I always saw him as Madlib. I’d always see him around, he’d be making beats for my dad. I needed a turn up song, crazy story how I even got that beat. My mom finally convinced me to do a song with him, shout out to uncle Madlib.
AllHipHop: What were your early dreams? Even though you’re still so young.
Miles Brown: I’ve always wanted to be in entertainment, whether it’s with rapping or dance. I always loved performing in front of someone or having a camera on me, doing something in front of my family so they could see. Obviously I always wanted to be in the NBA, that’s a common goal. I still want to be in the NBA. I don’t know if that’ll happen still, but anything to have fun. When I was 4 years old, me having fun led directly to dancing. Then it went to acting, now it’s music.
AllHipHop: Are you nice with the hoops?
Miles Brown: I think I am. [laughs] I always wanted to go to the NBA. Every boy’s and girl’s dream is go to the NBA and WNBA. I’ve always kept that in my mind. I love basketball, I love the game. I used to do a song called “NBA.” I teamed up with the junior NBA to set up clinics for kids. I was able to be their correspondent, go to different games, interview players from a kid’s point of view. I always wanted to do it as a person who loved the NBA. I’m not typically someone with the skills to go straight to the NBA, but the closest I can possibly get to there. That’s how specifically I got Damian on the song because of how I interviewed him. I’ll always love hooping.
AllHipHop: Fondest memories from shooting Black-ish?
Miles Brown: It’s hard to say, I’ve been on the show for almost 7 years. Definitely filming our Juneteenth episode, a super important episode for us to even film. For us to get into our characters, get into the feel. Recording songs on set and filming a whole musical vibe. When I got the call I got the job, that’s the #1 moment. Tracee Ellis Ross’s daughter Diana Ross came on set one time, I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan. I’m a die-hard Michael Jackson fan. I knew who Diana Ross was, all of her songs. I had a Wiz vinyl of the soundtrack, I was able to finally get her to sign it. That’s the craziest thing I ever had.