Freddy Reynold’s outstanding new EP, ‘Southside Run It,’ is set to release on the 15th of October, marking an ambitious step in the rapper’s story. The record reflects on Freddy’s journey, paying tribute to the culture of South Auckland, where he grew up.
That journey started from the moment Freddy picked out his first Beastie Boys album at 9 years old, sparking a dream to create music that he’s been chasing ever since.
“An influential moment for me was when I went to Drake’s first New Zealand gig back in 2015,” he says of the moment he decided his path, “this is when my boys and I started to step out of our comfort zone when it came to making songs.”
“We didn’t have much. I had a budget microphone I’d bought from Trade Me, a thin mattress with graffiti all over it as soundproofing, and a Macbook with GarageBand.”
These humble beginnings serve as the inspiration for the EP’s third track, ‘When I’m On.’
A man between worlds, Freddy also describes his need to stand apart from the common stereotypes that colour South Auckland. “I get this mindset from being the blackest guy in a white crowd, and being the whitest guy in a black crowd,” he says, “people draw conclusions that South Auckland has a staunch, gang-heavy attitude. That perception inspires me to approach the game from another direction and create something people wouldn’t expect.”
“I’m sick of people thinking South Auckland is thugged out in every corner.”
The desire to break free of clichés motivates all facets of Freddy’s life. “I’m really into self care. I like working out and keeping fit and healthy. Taking care of your body takes you a long way,” he says, “I love to rage and jump around on stage when I’m performing, so keeping up with my health and fitness plays a big part in my music.”
“I live my life by the law: “feel good, look good, perform good.” It makes me feel unstoppable on stage and empowered as an artist.”
That self-care attitude extends to the people around him, too. “Family is important to me. I take it upon myself to represent my family and culture,” he notes, “unfortunately, I come from a family with many fallen talents.”
Freddy decided to commit his life to music after his father passed in 2016. “My family was living in Sydney, but I was still studying in Auckland at the time. I dropped everything to be there for my family during a very difficult time,” he says, “after a few months I felt an urge to come back to Auckland and pick up where I left. My mother supported me and pushed me to come back and fulfil my dream. I’ve been climbing the ladder ever since, slowly but surely.”
Since then he’s released two records, ‘PRESS PLAY’ in 2018 and ‘Pre Party’ in 2020, with ‘Southside Run It’ being his third.
Freddy’s favourite track from this latest EP is ‘Black Backpack,’ “[it] was the last song Abe and I worked on for this EP,” he says, “Abe cooked up this beat and left me alone in the studio to come up with something. I had nothing in mind, I hit a huge writer’s block which felt like it would never go away.”
“I was looking around the room and spotted my Reebok backpack sitting beside me. I just started writing without overthinking it.”
“Writer’s block will always be defeated by writing about some true shit.”
Cautious not to give too much away, Freddy revealed that he’s already got more music in the works for next year. “I hope to work with more people, build more relationships, and step onto some festival stages,” he admits.
‘Southside Run It’ will be available to stream on October 15th, 2021.