Philadelphia: Under the Skyscrapers

                                                       Uptown E

 

         "We are out on 16th and Chestnut getting it in on the drums, I am very deep in the arts, I’m also a dancer, I do West African, Afro-Cuban, a little hip hop, a little this, a little that. I have been doing it for the last 15 years and I am very strong on the arts, whether its tap, playing the drums, saxophone, spoken word."

 

“Do you have a wish for urban culture as a whole to transcend its stereotypes?”

 

          I have a wish that we have more open doors, that our fellow philadelphians wont have to go to New York or L.A, to really debut their talent because there is so much talent going on in Philly, and everyone feels like they have to go outside of Philadelphia to express them, unlike myself.

 

"Why do you choose to stay in Philly?"

 

          Why do I choose to stay in Philly? Because Philadelphia is my home, my name is Uptown E, I mean I am Philadelphia until the day I die. Born and raised.

 

         I come from a family of musicians and singers, and everybody has a little talent. At Least everyone in my family has a little talent.

 

" Do you believe that the Urban Arts has allowed you personal freedom?" 

 

        Music can bring out just that much in me, I’m such the out going guy, when it comes to the drums I’m on like a whole other level. Sometimes you might not even see my eyes, I’ll be sitting here down, da, da, da ,da ,da, and I’ll look up and there is a hundred people standing around and I’m like oh wow what happened here, you know what I mean? So sometimes it takes me to another place, I wouldn’t say out of my character because I’m always out going, I’m always going to be me, but it takes me to another place.