Fayro Talks New Single “Hickory Dickory”
The great Egyptian pharaohs weren’t just regarded as kings—they were worshiped as Gods on earth. So some may take
The great Egyptian pharaohs weren’t just regarded as kings—they were worshiped as Gods on earth. So some may take it as a form of arrogance when they see our new favorite rapper flexing his chosen title. But we think Fayro has earned his name and claim. Born and raised in Memphis (itself named after the ancient Egyptian city), this man has reincarnated himself through multiple lives in his short time on earth. Starting off as a confident kid lighting up his middle school talent show with some old-school hip hop, he was forced into a rough transition towards gang life to support his family when his brother was diagnosed with leukemia. After the passing of his brother, he saw where his path was headed, and redirected both inward towards music—recording a single in his church deacon’s studio that’d be bumped around his community for years—and outwards through military life. Facing combat and even a helicopter crash in Iraq, he came back and overcame trauma by digging deeper into his songcraft.
Tapping into his Panamanian roots, he began to embrace a more worldly sound, and, in the process, discovered the beats of his soon-to-be producer and life partner Cymphani. Together, they’re creating a juicy fusion of sounds from diverse places and genres to provide the soundtrack for the words he uses to describe his transcendent journeys here on Earth. Taking his endeavors completely into his own hands, he founded Arcelio Productions (named after his late brother) so that no one can touch this guy now. It’s Fayro’s kingdom, and we’re all just living in it. Pay homage to your new rap god by awaiting his upcoming album Weight On It due out in March of 2024.
But hold up, fans don’t have to wait that long to start soaking in the light of Fayro—start savoring his new single “Hickory Dickory” today. On the sinister, slapping beat produced by Fayro’s co-conspirator Cymphani, Fayro riffs and rhymes fearlessly about the seduction and danger of sneaking around. His lyrics come across impossibly witty, genuine, and downright savage. A veritable goldmine of one-liners that you’ll be shouting from the window of your car for years to come.
Get another taste of Fayro’s versatility with the music video for “Hickory Dickory”. Beware: this nine minute epic holds nothing back. Watch as Fayro parodies pornographic tropes of infidelity, crashing a troubled relationship as a pizza delivery guy, plumber, and yoga instructor. The tongue in cheek saga seems like something out of the mind of Jordan Peele, somehow simultaneously ridiculous yet enlightening as the underlying pornographic problems behind unfaithfulness are exposed. Maybe we’re reading into too much after hitting replay too many times. We just can’t get enough of Fayro.
Who are your biggest music influences?
I have plenty of music influences that could take me all day to name; but if I had to narrow it down to my top 3 influences, they would be, Ludacris, Sean Paul and 36 Mafia.
Could you tell us a little about your songwriting process?
I have many different techniques for writing a song. My most common process consists of listening to a beat to see how it makes me feel. (Sad, Happy, Excited, Concerned, Horny, High energy, Low energy,) I usually come up with a wordless melody and cadence. Deciding to rap or sing. Once I have in my head how I want the song to sound, I put words to the rhythms. Words usually come from the feeling I get from the beat and rhythm. That decides what I’m going to talk about. Once I find a subject I create around that subject from a perspective, normally not talked about. I think of metaphors that haven’t been used. Showing viewpoints from a unique angle.
What was the inspiration behind “Hickory Dickory”?
Thinking about the nursery rhyme “Hickory Dickory” I thought about how I can turn it into a rap that adults would relate to. Taking the part about the mouse running up the clock, I flipped it to I’m always on the clock, like a work clock. And turned the mouse into what you would call a sneaky link. With this subject I’m able to show my fans a side of me that’s not so humble but honest. I talk about things that people do all the time but are scared to admit. Yes I have cheated even when most of the time I was the one pursued by girlfriends and wives in unhealthy and unhappy relationships. Hickory Dickory is meant to convey all of this in a humorous manner.
Which aspect of “Hickory Dickory”, from the song or music video, are you the proudest of how they turned out?
I’m so proud of the fact I was able to write it in a way that still sounds like a nursery rhyme but wasn’t verbatim. I’m proud of the instrumentation from Cymphani music because it is the perfect blend of Trap music with a fun sounding flute call and response.
How do you approach directing your own music videos, such as “Hickory Dickory” in this case?
The first thing I do when directing a video is write down what I see for the visual. After I write my ideas down I look up similar ideas for guidance and inspiration on how to make it my own. Once I’ve done the research I write a structured script treatment I give to the cast and crew so we are all on the same page when recording. I do my best to follow the script but I also stay flexible as long as the vision is being painted.
What advice would you give to newer artists that are just starting out?
My advice would be to find a way to do it, no excuses. There will be road blocks and failures. There will be moves and opportunities that seem out of reach. I say learn to improvise. Improve your skills and find a way no matter who says you can’t.
What is next for you?
More music, More Movies, My Record Label growth, Different genres, More muscles and AB’s, more Openness in my music, More Money, Theatrical performances, More involvement with cleaning environmental issues. More Fayro, Better Leadership!
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