Behind The Lens: Muzi Munsi

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How would you describe your music to a first-time listener?

I’d describe it as a blend of Country, hip-hop and R&B with an African and Southern perspective. There’s a lot of soul in it, but I also like to have fun with it. I make music about life, relationships, human experience, the culture, and just those moments that make you feel something. I want it to feel authentic, but still have some sauce to it.

If someone has never heard your music before, what’s the best way to introduce them to your sound?

I’d probably give them three records because I think you need more than one song to really understand an artist and their range. I’d start with FCK, Hunna, and Power. You get different sides of me through those records—the country energy, something on the R&B side, the flow. I try to be dynamic and not static with the sound.

You’re celebrating a major career milestone with a trip to the ice cream shop. What’s your go-to flavor and why? Tell us the story behind your favorite flavor.

Dang I got two! One is the strawberry shortcake stick; You really can’t go wrong with it. It’s classic; it’s got enough going on that it does something wonderful. Then there’s my other favorite, the ice cream sandwich you just gotta keep the wrapper on till you’re done to avoid the doo doo fingers at the end lol.

Honestly, I guess a little nostalgia of childhood. Being outside on summer break running to catch the ice cream trucks. I just know that when I’m munching on that strawberry shortcake and that cream sandwich it takes me back man. But then after a major career milestone, I don’t think I’d be eating ice cream it’d definitely be a steak lol!

What do you want fans to take away from your music?

I want people to feel something. That’s really the biggest thing. Whether they’re listening to something that’s making them feel good, reminding them of somebody, giving them confidence, or just making them want to ride around and turn the music up—I want the music to become part of their life. Like it is a part of mine ‘cuz every fan is really a member of my tribe.

What about making music makes it fun for you?

The unpredictability. You can walk into a session thinking you’re going to make one thing and walk out with something completely different. I love that moment when an idea starts becoming a real record and everybody in the room realizes, Aha!…we got something.

How do you know an idea is worth developing into a song? Walk us through your creative process from inspiration to execution.

Usually I can feel it pretty quickly and then If the idea keeps playing in my head after the session, that’s a good sign. And if I can hear the hook, the production, the visual and the feeling all at the same time, then I know there’s something there.

It usually starts with a feeling then that turns into a phrase and then a melody. Sometimes it’s something I experience, sometimes it’s something I see, and sometimes it’s literally just a beat that gives me a certain feeling. Then I’ll start playing with melodies and words until something sticks. Once I find that one piece that feels undeniable, I build everything around it.

When do you decide to shelve an idea that isn’t going to work? How do you separate a future classic from an unfinished concept?

When I’m forcing it. You can tell when you’re trying to convince yourself that something is good instead of actually liking it. I’ve learned that every idea doesn’t have to become a record. Sometimes you have to let it rest and pivot. I do act on every melody and idea that comes to mind though; some just don’t go as far in development and sometimes they are used as little jewels for future records.

A classic has a life of its own. It doesn’t just sound good in the studio—it makes you want to hear it again. You can picture people singing it. And I mean like years later. An unfinished concept feels like it still needs you to explain why it’s good. A great record explains itself.

Did you think a song was going to be less successful than it actually became? Tell us about a record that surprised you.

Yeah, definitely. Sometimes the records you make almost effortlessly are the ones people connect with the most. "Hunna" surprised me in that way. I knew I liked the record, but seeing people actually gravitate toward it and make it their own was different. That’s one of the best parts of releasing music—you don’t completely own the song anymore. The listeners and even the collaborators start giving it their own meaning.

What’s one lyric you find fans repeating back to you? Why do you think that particular line resonates so strongly?

I’d probably have to go with one from my early years; a collaboration with Novel called Dear heartbeat (Darkstar remix). That’s one of those records where I started noticing people knowing the words and repeating the lines back. And that’s always crazy because you’re hearing something you wrote come back to you through somebody else’s voice.

Because it’s relatable. People don’t necessarily remember the most complicated line—they remember the line that says something they were already feeling. When somebody can hear themselves in something you wrote, that’s when it really connects. “I can’t even speak, no, I can’t even weep; without you there it’s useless I’m making excuses…I need you.

You’re creating a song for an Olympian. What would you call it and what would it sound like?

I’d call it Gold. It would be a big, cinematic hip-hop/R&B record. The concept would be about everything that happened before the medal—the sacrifices, the losses, the early mornings, everybody who doubted you—and then finally standing on top.

I’d want the hook to feel almost like an anthem. Something you could play walking into the arena, but also something you could listen to years later and remember exactly what you overcame.

If there was a museum dedicated to your life and career, what would fans find in the gift shop? Where can fans connect with you?

Definitely some merch like shirts, vinyl, maybe some limited-edition pieces tied to different songs/music like shoes from videos. Also probably have a little Somnolence section, something for the first LP and some pieces that reference Atlanta and the culture that influenced me. And I’d want something unexpected in there too—maybe a jeweler’s piece that becomes a collector’s item.

For now Fans can connect with me through @muzimnisi on instagram and TikTok and follow the music from there.