On Friday the 8th of December, Tāmaki Makaurau based rapper and musician Tîmmy The First returns with his dynamic and reflective body of work, the Where Do I Begin EP, and new track, ‘Pedestrian.’
He describes the EP as a series of conversations between different sides of himself in conflict. The body of work is a peep behind the veil into the inner workings of the artist’s mind.
The sound of the EP is intentionally versatile in sound and ethos, and Tîmmy describes it as ‘a life on display.’ Born in Zimbabwe, and growing up in different cities around Aotearoa and Canada, there’s no one place that fully feels like home for Tîmmy, an experience he also finds reflected in his approach to music.
“On this EP, I am exploring themes such as self acceptance, change, and growth. I do this both lyrically and sonically, which you see in the different sounds explored. It’s a body of work that’s reflective, energetic, and empowering. As an artist I’m authentic and at times unpredictable. This EP reflects that and where I’m from.”
When talking about the process of making the Where Do I Begin EP, Timmy reflects on the importance of timing.
“I made all these songs separately but in a very important season of my life. These songs are a few of the diamonds in the rough that got me through a period of transition. The production element was so fun. Working with people like Stuss, Abraham Kunin and Frank Eliesa as producers and TJ (ZËxÏÏ) creative support in the studio was amazing. These songs were almost effortless in the creation phase. Everything just felt right, and that’s on timing.”
On the creation process of 'Pedestrian,' Tîmmy muses on how he wanted to make something to take back control of your life and to stop letting other people have control of your emotions.
“This song is a combination of personal experience but also experiences I've seen in friends and family, all coming together into one track. I've seen some friends go through some rough things in relationships, which led to this track the next day at the studio.”
“In my music, I like to express myself and say things that people normally wouldn’t say or talk about,” says Tîmmy. “Despite the dark themes of some of my songs, I like to have some sort of positive in the music. Some light at the end of the tunnel. I like to leave people with a sense of, ‘it’s all good.’”
The ‘Pedestrian’ music video is made by Siān Fenwick. "I love this video,” says Tîmmy. “It takes me out of the picture and illustrates the journey in a very abstract way. The aim after my previous video for 'Robot Heart Chakra' was to keep it broad so people can see their own story reflected back at them in the visuals. It compliments the vibe of the track, which is the ability to say something deep in a playful way.”
If you haven’t already, seeing Tîmmy The First perform live is not to be missed. “When I perform a song like ‘Rent,’ I have such an exciting time. It's probably the most playful track on the EP and I get lost in the energy of the song. With songs like Pedestrian, I feel like I can really connect with people and say some deep things with a smile on my face. It feels great to address something real in a fun way. I’m stoked that with this EP I’ve created a world that acts as a journey that allows me to express different parts of my art and myself.”
‘Pedestrian’ and the Where Do I Begin EP release Friday the 8th of December via Aotearoa New Zealand indie label Bigpop Records.