TMG FRE$H recently released his debut album Margiela Language with TMG Records. The 10 track album features previously released singles “VLONE," “Late Night,” and collabs with Jeremih and Sean Kingston. RAIN debuts the new music video for "No Tears" directed by the Chacon Brothers above.
The name of the album takes its roots from fashion designer, Martin Margiela, who famously reworked the entire architecture of fashion before gracefully and mysteriously bowing out of the industry. As Fresh explains:
“The album encompasses different moods, emotions, and elements of my life,” Fresh explains. “Art has multiple sides to it, and as far as duality goes, Margiela is high fashion – so I’m speaking the language of that. It’s deeper than the surface level glamour though. You don’t know who you can trust. Betrayal, loneliness, and pain come from that vulnerability. That’s what Margiela Language is."
We spoke with TMG FRE$H in an exclusive interview with RAIN on the makings of this conceptual album and what he hopes to achieve in his music career. Take a read below. Images courtesy of TMG FRE$H.
Mark Benjamin: Your new album 'Margiela Language' points to the creative project that Martin Margiela began in the late 80s. What about the brand's roots inspired you for your own album? How long had you been working on the album?
TMG FRE$H: Margiela is a high end fashion brand, which to me represents a certain lifestyle. A lifestyle of decadence, style, money, status. The Margiela Language album speaks to that lifestyle, but it does so in a nuanced way. I touch not only on the glitz and glamour of the life but also the less talked about, less obvious aspects of that lifestyle, the loneliness, the pain of not knowing who you can trust or who’s really there for you rather than what you can do for them, and the heartbreak that comes when people betray your trust and stab you in the back.
MB: The music video for "No Tears" has already racked up over 1M views. What's really unique about your sound on this track is that you successfully blend R&B elements and rap. How have those genres influenced your artistry?
TMG: I think No Tears really hit home and people really connected with it because there’s just so much raw emotion on that track. I really put myself out there with that one, allowed myself to be vulnerable to the world, and I think people not only respected that but also related to the emotions I was expressing in the song.
MB: "Late Night" is another great track. "I feel like Malcolm X peeking out the curtains" - is a great line. What was this song about for you?
TMG: Late Night really was just a fun song for me. I was playing around with visual references in the lyrics of that song, like the iconic picture of Malcolm looking out through the curtains, and in my world in the song, that’s me peeking out through the curtains in the back of my Rolls Royce. I also had a line in there about two girls both wanting a Birkin and putting them on a Vervez. Just some clever wordplay and a fun turnt up song.
MB: You cite Louis Armstrong, Quentin Taratino and Tupac Shakur as influences on your music. What from these legendary artists do you draw from? Does Tartino's influences inspire your music videos as well?
TMG: Tarantino is for sure one of my favorite directors. He takes ordinary life and takes it to the extremes. I try to do the same with my art; tap into real life emotions and experiences and amplify them in my art. I think the trickiest part is finding that happy medium between staying grounded and going to the extreme, but if you do it correctly you’re really able to connect to people emotionally in a meaningful way.
MB: Besides, Margiela, do you follow fashion closely? What other brands are you inspired by?
TMG: I’m very into fashion, I feel like the way you dress says a lot about you. It informs the first impression that people have when they see you, and it gives you an opportunity to express yourself creatively with your style. As far as designers, there’s a lot that I wear, I mix and match pieces from all different designers. I don’t really shop based on designer more so based on pieces I like. I even find a lot of cool pieces on Instagram ads from random little clothing brands that I think are dope and I’ll throw those into my wardrobe.
MB: I like the video / interview with your friends that you posted on instagram about OnlyFans, gender roles, and money/expectations because I think these are conversations a lot of people must have. Why did you want to initiate the conversation and get people thinking deeper about these topics?
TMG: I just think conversation is healthy. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different points of view and in today’s day and age it’s so easy to judge people from behind a phone screen or in front of a keyboard without ever getting the chance to hear someone’s real life experience or to understand why people make the choices they make.
MB: I read you do a lot of work with the philanthropic effort, the Akonadi Foundation. Can you tell us more about it?
TMG: The Akonadi Foundation was founded by mom, shout out mama Quinn. It’s a family organization that works to fight against systemic racism. We do work on criminal justice reform, equal pay initiatives, policing the police, creating more opportunities for people of color. A lot of really good and important work. I feel like when you are blessed with a lot in life it is responsibility to give back and help others. And we are all blessed with a lot, we might not all have money or a certain status but we all have blessings and we all have the ability to make the world a better place by using our gifts for good.
MB: What are you most looking forward to producing next?
TMG: I know my first album just dropped but I already got my second one ready to go. It’s called Hopeless Romantic and I’m super excited to get that one out into the world as well.
Instagram: @tmgfresh