Freshman student Marcus Neal is one of the newest musicians to hit the Orange music scene. Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, he originally was accepted to Syracuse University to the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science as a Computer Engineering major. Half way through his first semester he applied to the bandier program, which entails making and managing music. In high school, he wrote and produced his own mix tape consisting of 15 songs for his senior project. After coming to school he decided to pursue his music career further. After acquiring a manager he has since performed many times at events such as the relay for life, several times at the university's Artists on the Brink show, as well as at numerous off campus parties. Lately he has been booking bigger shows and doing bigger things. He recently has opened for, such famous artists as Wiz Khalifa and Jadakiss. He has put in a lot of hard work and effort to get to this point, and it is paying off for him. Currently he is in the process of making his first studio produced album, which will be released in conjunction with Wisdom Tees soon.
Delirium uses his life experiences to express his feelings through his words and flows. He lets his listeners know what he is really about by opening his “Heroes” mixtape with a remix of Common's “Break My Heart.” On the track he tells his listeners about some of his past relationships and being let down without the feelings leaving, which most of us can relate to. With the words “could of been together, forever, but she started playing games again,” he opens up to his listeners and puts trust in them, which allows them to further connect with him. That is one of Delirium's best qualities, he writes about who he truly is and doesn't conform to the superficial lifestyle and lyrics of the mainstream rapper of today. Writing lyrics that his listeners can relate to is the most important thing to Delirium, he isn't trying to change the world or prove anything to anyone, he is just being himself on the mic and on stage and trying.
When on stage Delirium demands respect as he puts on his game face and rocks the mic. With his songs from “Heroes” blasting behind him he hops around the stage with the energy that is directly effected by his drive to succeed and the confidence that normally comes with age. Watching Delirium perform is like watching a new up and coming boxer fight and knockout a trained professional. He truly is a prodigy in his field, one whose luster wont dim with time but will only shine brighter as it gets polished more and more.
He tells us that being fake and bragging about his superficial life is impossible because he doesn't have those things. The things most important to him are his qualities that help him write his music because thats what strives to do for himself and for the rest of his life. His mixtape is summed up by the track that inspired the album name, “Hero.” On the track Delirium tells us that “this is [his] destiny,” and he plans to be the best he can and “save the world on [his] own.” The line that stands out the most in this song and is the most telling about Delirium as a person, is, ironically, only background lyrics, when he says “My mind and my pride is all I got.” He doesn't have ten cars, he doesn't have ten thousand dollar chains, he has what his genes gave him and what he is most grateful for, his drive, his wits and his “take no prisoners” mentality.
When asked about himself blowing up in the music scene his humble side comes out and he lets out a semi-embarrassed laugh and says, “I really don't think I'm blowing up. We are only human, we all make mistakes.” He doesn't think of himself as a big rap star, but just as any other college student in school trying to make it with the drive to succeed and do what he loves. Before coming to Syracuse he didn't apply to school for music because music was just his hobby. He soon realized that music was the road that he wanted to follow and pursue for the rest of his life. “Making music is my only hobby,” he says, “so it's not hard to focus on the one thing you love.” Marcus “Delirium” Neal shows us that if you focus on something you love and have the drive to succeed at it, you can make it. I was lucky enough to snag an interview with Delirium, even with his busy schedule. Lets see what he had to say.
· When did you develop your interest in making and producing music?
OK. So. My interest in making and producing music came from like the summer between my junior year and my senior year. That’s when I started producing and sound engineering, that summer, and then senior year I started rapping. So it’s like, it was all a process.
· Did you ever think about going to school for music before coming to Syracuse University, or did you make that decision after you came here?
I think I made it after I came because before it was like just a really, really big hobby. Like I was in jazz band, and marching band, and like I made beats and all that, but I don’t think I really started taking it seriously until I got up here. Because, where I’m from everybody’s a rapper, so it’s like…it’s real hard to make music when everybody around you is doing the same thing as you.
· What opportunities have been available here that have been most influential in your blowing up as an artist?
The opportunities that I’ve had so far is to meet like kids with the same ideas as me, and like they got the same drive as me so I would really say like the kids, and the ability to just like network with people has been my strongest resource, you know?
· Who are your influences?
Kudi, Kanye, Outkast, I listen to a lot of them. I listen to a lot of the freshmen too, like Wiz, Curren$y, Gucci…he don’t really influence me I just bump his sh*t if it’s hot.
· What impact have they had on your music?
It’s just like their sh*t has always stood out, you know? But it’s still hot. So, that’s what I think my music is too, like I don’t try to be a typical rapper, but still, like people bump my sh*t so I appreciate the love.
· A lot of rap artists nowadays talk about the superficial life of a rap star. But you talk more about your life and the things that are important to you. Do you think that has helped you or hindered you?
I mean, I can’t be superficial because I don’t know what it’s like. You know? So in my music I just talk about the sh*t that I know. And I think that helps me a lot because like people can relate to that because they’re going through the same thing, and like being superficial, there’s a lot of kids doing that, it’s kind of lame actually, when you’re not like living it, you know?
· What goes through your head when you are writing a song?
It depends on the mood I guess. Because like sometimes I’ll be in the zone and words just come, you know? Other times I just gotta like listen to a beat over and over again. Some times I’ll just be like walking down the street and like jot something down in my phone and then when I get like home or back to the studio or something I just finish that up, you know? So there are different processes.
· Has that thought process changed from your first album “Heroes” to your new album “Living Legends Vol. 1”?
No, I think it’s increased actually. Because like, when I was first writing Heroes I just, I used to just listen to the music, vibe out for a little bit, and then just write. But now, like I can do that and I can also just be chilling and the words will come to my head or like I said, I can just be walking down the street and you know just get something that you just gotta go with. I just think music is making more sense to me now.
· If you had to relate yourself to any rapper alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
Probably like Andre 3000 I wanna say. Because I just like his whole demeanor you know? Like he went through a lot of transformations in his life, like he went from being like a gangster, to just like some chilled out dude and now he’s like an icon of just like style and just that whole indy-hiphop lifestyle and whatever. And I don’t really know if I’m going to transform into all of that, but there’s a lot of similarities in my mind.
· Who has been the most helpful to you to spread Delirium to the masses?
The Wisdom team I would say and just like, just kids who f*ck with my music I guess, sorry if I can’t say that. Zeke and Danny, big shouts to them, and Spencer [Leboff] too. The artists that I work with, IMG, Truest, the producers that I work with, Nick Cicero. And then just heads up here that just bump my sh*t. There’s too many kids in Syracuse to name who like f*ck with me on the low, though.
· What has been your biggest accomplishment as an artist so far?
I think it would be playing May Fest. Because like, I’m a freshman, so this is my first May Fest, and then I get to perform it too, so it’s chilled out, but it’s kind of like surreal though you know? It’s like, “Oh my God! I’m a freshman and I’m on the stage!” It’s like being a freshman and making varsity and starting. That’s kind of what it’s like.
· Being an engineering student is hard in itself. But having that on top of trying to excel and make it as an artist is a heavy load. What gives you the drive to succeed and continue to push on?
Shouts to the engineers because their workload is just crazy. Like, I had to drop engineering this semester so like I’m trying to get into like Arts and Sciences or something, but when I was an engineer and I was doing rap simultaneously…I just think it’s because like I want to do this for the rest of my life, you know? Like engineers are in school to be engineers, but like school is kind of circumstantial to me. I’m making music for the rest of my life, like school is a situation, it’s a stepping stone and it’s a network but then after that, it’s nothing.
· So you are planning to make music for the rest of your life after college?
Yeah. I mean I might leave college to make music to tell you the truth. Like I’ve been thinking about it. My momma don’t want me to do it though.
· Was it difficult to get where you are today?
Not really. Like, Syracuse don’t really got a hip hop scene so I was just doing me and like just going hard, because like I said like this is all that I care about, this is my only hobby, so you know I just put all my energy and effort into it, and luckily I’m coming out as a frontrunner.
· What effect do you want your music to have on the people who listen to you? Or do you just do music for you and not to try and change the world?
I think it’s both. Like I want people to just be able to bump my sh*t and be like, “Yo, this is some real, like real situations, this is real situations, this is real stuff that I’m thinking about and stuff that I feel.” But it’s also like, on the other side, it’s like it’s me, you know? Like, that’s really what I feel, that’s really what I’ve done and what I am doing so it don’t really change nothing. So it’s kind of like…it’s well balanced.
· If you could describe your style of music in one word, what would it be?
Dope!
· Why Delirium?
My favorite Coheed and Cambria song, well one of my favorites is Delirium Trigger, so I just wanted to be Delirium.
· What do you have in the works right now?
Right now I’m working on my mix-tape Living Legends Vol. 1: Quest To Be a King. I’m working on a mix-tape with the artist that I mentioned earlier Truest who is from Jersey. We might be dropping something like this summer, and then I’m just grinding, just looking for shows and opportunities to you know, spread my music.
· When is your next show?
April 23rd this Friday boy! I’m coming to the Wescott with Sophista Funk, Jordan Foster, David Corey, shouts to all them. Then the 30th, I’m playing May Fest!
· Well that brings me to my last question, Why are you such a boss?
Is that for real though? That’s for real? I really got to answer that? Why am I such a boss? I just got a run shit mentality, and I’m a leo too so I just, I can’t sit back and just be like, “What the f*ck are you doing sir?” I gotta take my life in my hands and make it what I want it to be. Boss n*gga!
If you want to check out more about Delirium and his music you can visit his myspace at http://myspace.com/tuxedoasylum or at his facebook page for many updates concerning his new album at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Delirium/345679410566?ref=ts#!/pages/Delirium/345679410566?ref=ts.