Some artists chase virality. OnetakeCarter is quietly building a multi-tiered empire. The Queens born, Long Island raised MC has been shaking up Hip-Hop and timelines alike. He’s got a cheat code thanks to his background in film, fashion, DJing and even barbering.
But, much of his aesthetic came from iconic representations like Fresh Prince and movies like House Party. He idolized high top fades and classic era Hip-Hop while Big L, Biggie and even West Coast legends shaped his ear.
A backstage moment with a then rising Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky pushed him to take rap seriously. Since then he has survived the Netflix spotlight on Rhythm + Flow, toured as Ashanti’s DJ and earned co signs from Trinidad James, comedians like JB Smoove and Hip-Hop OGs who see him as one of the next torch bearers. In this interview, OnetakeCarter talks legacy, pressure and why he refuses to put numbers over his purpose.
AllHipHop: You have been consistently shaking up the internet with your freestyles, both visually and lyrically. How did this journey begin for you?
OnetakeCarter: I started freestyling in my room with my brothers, banging out drum patterns on the desk at like five years old. Years later I was recording with Johnny Juice from Public Enemy at an after school program in Union. I ended up skateboarding and playing football, stepped away a bit, then came back toward the end of high school.
Meeting Kendrick and A$AP Rocky in twelfth grade flipped a switch. I was backstage at Irving Plaza thanks to my aunt who worked with Foot Locker. I ran into Kendrick, then Rocky, and something about that moment made me say, I am doing this for real. I knew I could rap, but that night made me take it seriously.
AllHipHop: You rock a very old school look. Where does the high top fade and retro style come from?
OnetakeCarter: I grew up right next to my older brother who is seven years older. Whatever he watched I watched… Fresh Prince, Martin, Saved by the Bell, House Party. When the Retro Kids got hot in New York, I felt connected to that wave even though I was young.
I have basically had a high top since sixth grade. I would cut it for football season, then grow it back. I saw it, said I can do that, and that was that.
AllHipHop: In your opinion, who had the best high top fade in Hip-Hop history?
OnetakeCarter: Kid had the craziest fade. The height was ridiculous.
AllHipHop: Big Daddy Kane might debate that.
OnetakeCarter: Kane is a superhero with the barber shop poster shot, but Kid’s fade was outrageous.
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AllHipHop: You clearly take lyricism seriously. Who shaped you as an MC?
OnetakeCarter: My pops and my brother are both huge Hip-Hop heads. The first rapper that made me want to rap was Big L. Then Biggie. Ready to Die is my favorite album. Doggystyle is right up there too.
I love West Coast Hip-Hop. The early films, the whole aesthetic influenced me. And then watching Kendrick and TDE blow up, seeing Tyler, The Creator be himself… all that showed me lyrics never went out of style. Not being lyrical just became a trend. I have always felt like if I am going to do this, I am going to actually be good.
AllHipHop: You rep Long Island heavy. How did it shape you?
OnetakeCarter: Long Island made me chiller. If I stayed in Queens I might have been more aggressive. But Long Island also gave me something to prove because people sleep on us. When you really look at it, so much of Hip-Hop came from there. Rakim. EPMD. Biz Markie. Public Enemy. K Solo. Prodigy early on. Busta Rhymes went to my high school.
There is something in that water.
AllHipHop: You were on Rhythm + Flow.
OnetakeCarter: It taught me a lot. It showed me the game. It taught me what I am up against and how much I have to bring to the table. It helped my career for sure.
For a while afterward I kept talking about it because it was the last big thing I had done. Eventually I started hating that I kept bringing it up. I realized I needed to create new moments. Now people know me for the freestyles and forget I was even on the show. That feels better.
AllHipHop: You have called your skill set a “cheat code.” What makes it a cheat?
OnetakeCarter: I know how to cut hair, so I always look camera ready. I make my own clothes, so if I need a shirt before I leave the house, I make it. I went to high school half the day for film. My brother Bam was in the same class and we shoot everything together. We can shoot a whole video fast and have it edited by the time we leave.
I record myself because I went to school for audio too. I DJ. I produce. I literally poured everything I am into my music. That is why I say I am cheating.
AllHipHop: You DJ’d for Ashanti during the Millennium Tour. What was that like?
OnetakeCarter: Ashanti is amazing. Great energy. Super chill. One day I got a call at ten in the morning like, can you get to Tampa tonight, your flight is in an hour and a half. I threw clothes in a bag and ran to the airport.
Next thing I know I am backstage with Ashanti, Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, Lloyd… all these people I grew up watching. And I am learning some of the DJ equipment backstage minutes before going on. It was crazy in the best way.
AllHipHop: A lot of OGs see you as someone who can carry the torch for Hip-Hop. How do you deal with that?
OnetakeCarter: I do not really think about it. I just make music I like. You cannot please everybody. If I like it, someone else will.
I appreciate the OG love though. It means more because they were around when this started. They know the standard. But I do not look at it as pressure. That is all mental.
AllHipHop: With the way music moves fast and numbers dominate everything, how do you stay grounded?
OnetakeCarter: By creating opportunities for myself. I work on albums, film projects, I am building a clothing brand, and I am raising my son. Being a good dad matters more than all of this.
If everything disappeared tomorrow, I would still be creating. The numbers and followers are cool, but the real win is taking an idea and making it real. That shows me I can make any idea real if I put the work in.
AllHipHop: Do you want to sign with a label or stay independent?
OnetakeCarter: I would love to partner with a label if it makes sense. I would love to stay independent if I build enough leverage. I am focused on leverage right now and building my own infrastructure.
I am not too big headed to say I can do it all alone. Everybody needs help. And sometimes the majors can take you somewhere you cannot go alone. Sometimes you can do it yourself. I am open to whatever makes real sense.
AllHipHop: You have been working with Trinidad James. What have you learned from him?
OnetakeCarter: A homie in Atlanta tagged him under one of my reels and Trinidad James said he would buy it. I sent him a song and he sent it back fire. We shot a reel during Fashion Week and are lining up the video.
I asked him once about meeting with a label and what I should know. First thing he said was, you lack capital. That hit me hard. But it was real. Labels can see that. It pushed me to tighten up financially and presentation wise. I respect him for keeping it one hundred.
AllHipHop: How have other artists treated you as you rise?
OnetakeCarter: Good and bad. Early on I opened up for Dave East, killed the show with a band, tried to hand him my album backstage and he said he had nowhere to put it. At first I was tight. Later I realized that was a lesson. Nobody owes you anything.
Then I ran into him again years later when I was filming an interview and told him straight up that he taught me something. On the other side I have had K Camp recognize me, Waka Flocka DM me, Bizarre hit me up. And a lot of comedians show love — Anthony Anderson, Rudy Rush, JB Smoove. It is wild but dope.
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