NABI TACKLES SOCIAL ISSUES IN ‘LATE CONVERT’,
Sam Nabi tackles many social issues in ‘Late Convert’
Sam Nabi says his recent release, “Late Convert,” is a proudly millennial pushback against the “gaslighting” of our generation.
“Gaslighting means slowly adjusting somebody’s expectations so they don’t realize that they are being taken advantage of. The term ‘gaslight’ comes from the movie of the same name,” says the Kitchener-based hip-hop artist.
In the 1944 film-noir classic (Ingrid Bergman) — at the mercy of newlywed husband (Charles Boyer) — begins to doubt her sanity. It’s all because of his intentional psychological torture and lies.
Lie enough times, with conviction, and people can be fooled into believing it is the truth.
That “gaslight” analogy applies to today’s young twentysomethings including Nabi who, like many others, is now trying to find his way in the world.
“It’s that sense that you graduate university and you still have this narrative that if you work hard, and you do not do anything wrong you should be able to have a nice stable job with a house and live this comfortable life,” he notes. “And that is still the dream. That is still what a lot of people are expecting. But I think in the last five years the reality has been a lot harsher than that,” he notes.
“I like what I am doing but there is no security,” says Nabi who freelances in website development. “A lot of my songs have to do with that precarious work. My music also talks about leaning into that insecurity and knowing that is it going to be a bumpy ride. You need to find those people that you can support you along the way. We have to do the best with what we have got within our own support systems. So our expectations these days have lowered dramatically,” notes Nabi, adding that allows him to be a little more playful with his songs.
Set to a simple keys-and-beats vibe, and created in his spacious home studio on an SM58 microphone, “Late Convert” features Nabi’s melodic voice covering a number of today’s issues including racial justice, gentrification, and other socially-conscious commentary. He does this through a series of raps and verbal riffs including scathing rhyme “Boomers for Breakfast” — a shout out to freelancers who are too often deliberately undervalued or underpaid. “Side Hustle Shuffle,” is about creating a decent living on one’s own terms and creating support systems in this fragile job market where “9 to 5” is becoming scarce. Other tracks include “Tapestry” and “Ergo Ego” — all poetic, and poignant, yet razor streetsmart and savvy.
Nabi, originally from Whitby, says he has always been an idealist.
“I was taught in the whole of my schooling and growing up that A, I could do whatever I want and B, that I could follow my dreams,” he says softly.
In high school Nabi worked with humanrights issues through Amnesty International. In the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment Nabi was exposed to many environmental issues at a very impressionable time in his life.
His music has taken a winding path, the first step beginning with folk music and the days when he listened to Jack Johnston and Sam Roberts, eventually evolving to pop, then hip-hop. Christmas and birthday gifts included a keyboard, a guitar and then a four-track cassette recorder. Nabi spent hours in his room writing songs, recording, and producing his own work.
“I realized that I was much more interested in the lyrics and the poetry of it, becoming a good writer and delivering my words through music. So when I look back at it that way it was kind of a natural transition to hip hop. It was always a genre that I did enjoy.”
In 2006, while still in Whitby, Nabi was part of Whitby Idol. Then he came to Kitchener Waterloo to attend university.
“I got folded into the K-W music community easily,” notes Nabi, adding he played at the Mongolian Grill, the Circus Room and The Boathouse courtesy of (old events promoter) IRIS Entertainment.
“I came here to study urban panning for university,” he says, “But I also found a place to perform, and share my art,” he notes with a smile, adding that Canadian hip-hop is great, one of his favourite artists, being Cadence Weapon.
“There is also a lot of great organization for social justice happening through really great people in the music community,” adds Nabi, citing DJ Carmelo of Sound FM’s venerable Thursday night radio program “Street Hop” as a “nexus of knowledge and organization.”
“I don’t think hip-hop music in K-W would be what it is without him,” says Nabi. “Carmelo does his “Fresh Five” every week. He is always raising people up saying there is the new person you should be listening to right now,” notes Nabi, adding that many hip-hop showcases happen through house shows, with public venues occasionally hosting a night.
“I feel this weekend show will be the final push for “Late Convert,” notes Nabi who follows many online DJs often collaborating with them for licensed beats. “I feel like I’m moving into a new season now and we shall see where that takes me. I would love to have someone locally for my next album to actually work side by side in the studio for a lot tighter integration there,” he says.
Nabi’s looking forward to performing at inaugural cycling/folk music festival Hold The Line this weekend.
Sam Nabi Hold The Line Festival Waterloo Rod and Gun Club 1075 Bo-De Lane, St. Jacobs Saturday, Sept. 16 4:45 p.m., $20 www.holdtheline.org