Music recording has truly come a long way from the days of analog to the era of 5G. Thanks to multiple advancements in technology, the once prohibitive barriers associated with recording music have been drastically reduced, making recording a lot more accessible to artists. One such artist who is taking advantage of the innovations in recording is Abel Meri, a rapper writing socially-relevant, thought-provoking songs right in the comfort of his car.
Ethiopian-American Rapper Abel Meri is unapologetically bucking the system not only with his songs that provide social commentary but also with his unorthodox recording process. Both stylistically and technically, Abel has gone completely “rogue” with his resourceful approach to recording high-quality, studio-grade music from the driver seat of his car.
Like with many innovations that have before it, Abel’s discovery started out of necessity. After recording countless times in traditional recording studios, Abel realized that the cockpit of a car provided recording acoustics very similar to a studio sound booth. So one day, he experimented by recording a track right on his driveway, and it worked like a charm. Abel’s setup was simple and straightforward – a 16 inch MacBook Pro running Logic Pro X, a Blue Yeti USB microphone, and a pair of Bose headphones. Adding beats from his favorite producers and a perpetual sense of inspiration, Abed had all the ingredients for soulful, thought-provoking rap music.
Referring to his unconventional recording setup, Abel said that “even experienced sound engineers are shocked at the audio quality I’m able to achieve.” And his music speaks for itself, as the audio quality is truly indistinguishable from music recorded in traditional studio settings. Abel also added that “having a mobile studio setup also allows me to create music anytime and anywhere inspiration strikes.”
Aspiring artists can learn from this bootstrap approach to recording. Being a tech startup founder, Abel brings his business experience to his artistic endeavors. “A startup and a new artist are essentially parallel journeys,” said Abel. “Swap startups for artists, and venture capitalists for record labels, and it’s almost identical.”
Through his unique setup, Abel was able to record songs and come up with his latest EP “#BLM,” which has been met with critical acclaim as a thoughtful and timely social commentary on civil rights. Inspired by legendary rappers like Nas, Jay-Z, Biggie, and Tupac, Abel’s songs deliver a steady dose of thought that constantly leaves listeners thinking.
Another area where Abel defies the norms is that he doesn’t write down lyrics, which is hard to fathom considering the level of verbal acrobatics he prides himself on. With his natural lyricism and verbal prowess, Abel continues to offer his listeners a catalog of inspirational bars packed with clever punchlines, rhythmic flows, and refreshing insight. Ultimately for him, “It’s all stream of consciousness.” The DMV rapper further adds that “it becomes easier the more you do it, to the point where a pen and pad actually become liabilities.”
Through his natural talent and unique eye for innovation, Abel Meri was able to take his talent into his own hands through his own mobile setup. In these challenging economic times, and with all the COVID-related restrictions, Abel’s approach to recording might be exactly what artists need right now to create music that people will love.
To know more about Abel Meri, you can visit his website or follow him on his social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram. You can also stream Abel’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music.
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.
