Chayanne “sleepy” davenport, a female lyracist at age 19 born and raised in the south bronx. a member of the group craft. sleepy brings a different approach to hip hop by staying true to her new york roots and underground vibe. She currently is working on her first ep titled “Loud Nights/ Sour mornings” singles include “touch the sky” , “yours truly” and new single “lucid dreams”. “my idea of being a good hip hop artist is to just be real and make sure what you do is 100% you”
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
sleepy: well i was on twitter scrolling and i got a direct message telling me about exposed vocals and how they can help me get my music more out there, i just couldnt say no.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
sleepy: well i am born and raised in the south bronx. most of my life i wasnt being heard, its a funny story actually i was playing san andreas at the age of 9 and the west coast and old school music got to me, i beleive a month after i wrote my first verse to easy-e “easier sad than done” but that was the start. i lived a shitty life for real so when i when i realized i have this poetic talent, i explored tried freestyling and studying how to write bars from tupac and queen latifah and i realized this is my purpose in life to create music, to help those who felt like me once.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
sleepy: well when i was little they used to call me sleepyhead because i would sleep in class all day everyday but still pass and it just stuck with me from the second grade until now. it wasnt my first rap name though, my first rap name was cool wave, then MC mahogany, but sleepy is more of who i am so i kept it.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
sleepy: i give away alot of music because as a listener i understand the felling of ” i dont wanna pay for every song” or “when you putting out a mixtape”. i know people want music so why not give it to them they gonna find a way to get it free anyway.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
sleepy: just be you, if you stay yourself you find where you belong easier
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
sleepy: i havent performed that much so i know i have alot to learn i just make sure i dont lose my flow
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
sleepy: nah i havent toured but i have seen alot of crazy things in the studio, my favorite was listening to scremo-trap music for the first time…really something different.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
sleepy: alot of my inspiration comes from daily life experiences, wheather its about me, a friend or even a stranger that i noticed while walking somewhere. i usually start writing after i find a beat, and when i find a beat i usually can hear what im gonna write about from how the beat itself feels.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
sleepy: i am on soundcloud and so are my group-mates, ill give the link at the end of the interview
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
sleepy: alot of people make fun of me because i listen to oldies, like chaka khan and smokey robinson, just a while ago i was singing to janis joplin “piece of my heart” one of my favorite oldies
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
sleepy: i would take a vacation 1 but i would also give away alot of it to local charities because i myself wanna make my own charity for women who are not battered because thats not a term a use, but a place for women who lived life differently from others such as being sexually or physically abused and or homeless.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
sleepy: i am actually working on buying a home studio but i have a few engineers, one of the best i awlays work with is BMP he’s dope.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
sleepy: i go on social networks because thats where everybody else is at. i personally have my music played in smoke shops in my area.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
sleepy: i would wanna perfom with tupac and aaliyah in new york. i think it would be a trippy song
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
sleepy: i am finishing up my first ep titled “loud nights sour mornings”. its almost done and its just the beginning.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
sleepy: honestly i would be finishing school to be a psychologist for high school students. ironic huh
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
sleepy: the first album i ever owned was lupe fiasco “food and liqour” that album changed my life it showed me that you can be lyrical and famous at the same time especially if your different
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
sleepy: its hard but i pray alot because i look to god in alot of ways to help me understand and live life, but its all just pne step at a time you know.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
sleepy: after my ep, im gonna let out a mixtape and a few singles, im working on a video now for my single “lose my mind” featuring 2 of my homies from craft
contact info:
soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/
instagram : ennayahc_sleepyhead
twitter : @sleepy_craft
