Da Inphamus Amadeuz Talks Culture, the Current Status of Hip Hop and More!

Artist, Producer, Videographer & Entrepreneur! Da Inphamus Amadeuz exemplifies what a future hip hop mogul looks like. From his weekly DJ mixes on Shade 45 | SiriusXm to being a guest DJ for The New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Accompanied by his trademark “Nutcracker” drinks on National Geographic, “INPH” as he is known within the entertainment industry has established himself as one of the premier individuals both on the forefront and behind the scenes. We caught up Da Inphamus Amadeuz and discussed his journey, the culture, and current state of Hip Hop.

Introduce yourself to our readers, let them know where you’re from?

What up, what up! Da Inphamus Amadeuz representing Bronx, NYC

You wear many hats within the culture, Artist, Producer, DJ, Entrepreneur, Videographer and more. Which one do you love more?

Production is probably my favorite aspect. Building the record from scratch and watching it come to life. Then seeing the entire process play out from the recording all the way to radio placement.

At what age did you know you wanted to be an emcee? 

Honestly I’m not sure. I’ve been an MC probably since Junior High School. I used to write Tupac’s rhymes down to see how he articulated his bars in reference to how they were written on paper. It assisted me with the learning curve and also helped with ideas of being well rounded with different topics.

What motivated you to become a DJ?

I wanted my own space on air. Initially I was doing the news daily for 2 years but was also handling guest djs coming on the radio weekly. After doing it for a while I realized this was a way for me to get my own space during our showtime, while also being about to get a direct feel for a hip hop audiences likes and dislikes for music selections.

Tell us about Shade 45/Sirius XM how long have you been with them?

This is my 7th year with Shade 45. This is a unique space where djs are not bounded by playlist, censorship & broadcasting boundaries. We can go into the archives and play what we want, which gives us a direct relationship with our audience without drowning them with the same songs over and over. Plus, the signal & broadcast is nationwide! I’m on at Noon in New York, but it’s 9am in LA available in almost every car with a shark fin on top of it. It’s a great place to be

You have established yourself as a force in the industry with the moves you make on the forefront and behind the scenes. Let our readers know some of your accomplishments and moves you made that they might not be aware of. 

A lot of people don’t know I spent 3 years as a booking agent. Booking tours for the likes of Mario, Red & Meth, Jadakiss and others. It allowed me to learn an entirely different aspect of the music business. Contracts, club & venue operations, ryders and more. I guess that’s why my perspective tends to be so broad and different. I’ve done so much and able to see things from every angle of the chess board

How did it feel being featured on National Geographic?

It changed my life. Overnight I went from a street operation to a corporate environment. What people saw on that episode was real life shit but only a portion of it. I already had an established film company, magazine and more. Nutcrackers was the thing that kept me grounded tho. Hand to hand shit, you already know. Nat Geo is a huge platform, one of the biggest and most watched in the world. That episode took nutcrackers world wide, but also gave others insight and how they can get paid with limited resources in other parts of the world.

What is The Punchline Academy and what inspired you to create it? 

The Punchline Academy is a spin off of my original cypher “Sears Sirius Cypher”. The entire cypher concept was to give my bro Lord Sear some of that Stretch & Bobbito feel on his show. I ended up creating a safe haven where lyricists can create within a community of people who like bars and “classic” hip hop The Punchline Academy was something I was doing as a way to keep us entertained during the pandemic having an artist freestyle on IG live, then battle for a slot on Sears Sirius Cypher. Punchline however has taken on a life of its own and is now the cipher on Shade 45. To see that blossom is amazing

Where can our readers watch and listen to The Punchline Academy?

You can listen to The Punchline Academy Thursdays at 2pm EST / 11a PT on Shade 45 / SiriusXm. Powered by The Lord Sear Special

We noticed your iPhone Music Video Series, how important is it for artists to consistently put out content?

Content is king. Period. Creators no longer need million dollar camera equipment to put content out for the world to see. You’d be surprised how powerful your phone is! This was not the first time I’ve shot a video with a phone. During the pandemic I put out an EP called “Covid-19′ and shot the single literally on my iPhone. I have a slight advantage because I do have a background in film but honestly anyone can create phone content if you use your imagination.

This year Hip Hop turns 50 years old. Which era of Hip Hop is your favorite?

90’s hip hop. This is the era that allowed hip hop to be globally where it is today.

What’s your opinion on the current status of Hip hop?

I think hip hop is very niche today. Contrary to what people may believe. You listen to what you like, if you like Boom Bap you tap into that. If you like drill, or west coast you listen to that. Hip Hop however is in a decline sales wise, it has nothing to do with streaming and everything to do with the balance it needs from its creator. New York does not sound like New York. It’s funny how every other region still has elements of its original sound except the city that created it? Go figure.

If you could change one thing about hip hop what would it be?

The concept that lyricism is not important. Respectfully every top artist in the 5 decades of hip hop has one thing in common… they can all RAP! Would you let a mechanic that doesn;t know shit about fixing cars work on your whip? No, didn’t think so lol

Who are your top 5 MC’s of all time?

Tupac, Nas, Biggie, Rakim & Kool G Rap

Who are your top 5 producers of all time?

Dj Premier, Dr Dre, Havoc, j Dilla & Pete Rock in no order. Honorable mention is Trackmasters!

Who are your top 5 rappers from today’s era of hip hop?

Griselda, J Cole, Lil Baby, Moneybagg YO & 21 Savage.

You’re always creating, what’s next for you and your brand?

My own radio station WGET Live 89FM based out of Pennsylvania. 24/07 commercial free hip hop that’s uncensored.

What’s your overall goal? What do you want your legacy to be?

To reestablish a connection between classic hip hop artists and the youth. We have a ways to go but we’re making strides day by day

Lastly we deal with a lot of upcoming artists. What advice do you have for new artists trying to make it in this industry?

There’s one missing element when it comes to hip hop music. A direct and personal relationship with your audience. You audience should feel like the know you without ever meeting you. That personal connection will take your music and brand to the moon and back!

Check Out The Visual for “You Know The Deal” Tahmell x Da Inphamus Amadeuz