Q&A with Rapper CLKSDNTWRK To Discuss New Single “Say Your Thanks”

“Say Your Thanks” marks the sixth straight week of new music for CLKSDNTWRK. On this record he is clearly airing out a few things that he has to get off of his chest. He notes that many people aren’t appreciative or forget how to simply show it. CLKS emphasizes how many people will always be willing to ask for help but when it’s time to return the favor they are nowhere to be found. We sat down with CLKS to learn more.

“Say Your Thanks” marks the sixth straight week of new music for you. What inspired your decision to release music every week as opposed to the typical once a month release?

Honestly I caught myself hoarding and sitting on a lot of music. I felt like why wait anymore to release it. What was I even waiting for? So I started planning my release dates and the lineup for the next 7 weeks. I created all of the album art by myself and tried my best to keep it simple so people really just focus on the music.

“Say Your Thanks” is a personal record. In it, you emphasize how many people will always be willing to ask for help but when it’s time to return the favor they are nowhere to be found. Do you find you run into this a lot in music in particular or life in general? Tell us about it.

I think in life you will always run into those types of people no matter what profession you decide to venture into. As far as the music industry is concerned, I feel like It’s difficult building relationships with other artists because there are typically ulterior motives involved. Not everyone wants to see you win. I just think it’s important to stay focused and remain humble. Don’t expect any handouts! Don’t grant any favors expecting something in return because that something might never come.

2020 has been a noisy year. How do you combat the noise so that you can stay productive and creative during these turbulent times?

VOTE! Please everyone get out there vote and make your voices heard! This year hasn’t been easy but I know I’m not alone. We’re all going through this right now. It’s important to stay unified and together so we can all get through these tough times. As far as staying creative, one thing I’ve learned over the years is not to force my pen. There will be days even weeks where the creativity isn’t there and that’s alright. It’s important to recognize that and just listen to your mind/body. I try to stay patient knowing that a surge of creativity is just around the corner.

What artists are you listening to right now and why?

Benny the Butcher’s new album has been in heavy rotation since it came out. Hitboy and him really created a masterpiece. Eli Sostre just dropped a new project and I really have enjoyed it so far. Sleepy Hallow, Ama Lou, Dani Leigh, Giveon and Ryan Trey. I mean the list goes on and on. I genuinely love all types of hip hop and r&b so I’ll just hit shuffle on my liked songs most days and see where it takes me.

When did you begin pursuing a career in music and what were some of your earliest influences?

I seriously started pursuing my music career around 2013. My early influences were Pusha T, Raekwon, Nas, Jay-Z, and Drake. I spent a lot of my early years studying the greats and recording cover songs. I really wanted to break down how they wrote and the flows they used. The legends have left behind the blueprint, it’s simply about decoding it.

What is your proudest accomplishment in music thus far?

I can’t say I’ve reached a point where I’m proud of anything I’ve accomplished. In my opinion I’m nowhere close to where I envision myself being. Until I get there I can’t rest or settle for anything less. I find great joy in knowing there are people around the world who have played my records and enjoyed them. I can definitely say I’m proud of that accomplishment because honestly that feeling will never get old.

Do you produce your own tracks and if not, who do you typically prefer to work with?

I typically do not produce my own records even though I have in the past. My engineer/producer WzKd handles a lot of production and all of the mixing for me. Keeping it a whole buck with everyone.. I wouldn’t be shit without him. You guys probably wouldn’t even press play on some of these songs. He puts in a lot of time behind the boards to make sure everything sounds like it should and for that I owe him everything. We are always going back and forth on ways we can improve and develop our sound. He is definitely an integral piece of what’s happening here.

What’s next after “Say Your Thanks”? Do you have another single coming out next week?

“No Politics” was my Week 7 release. It is available now on all platforms to stream. After week 7’s release, I plan on taking a brief 2-3 week pause before releasing my record “Goes Around” with my boy from Pittsburg “REALLIFEALWAYS” on October 30th. I hope you guys all check it out when it comes out.