Who Is Creed Chameleon? [Artist Interview]

Creed Chameleon is a boom-bap rapper based in Las Vegas, relocated from his home of Hawaii. Creed’s complex lyrics and catchy beats make for a chill listen. Creed spills his blood sweat tears and emotions into every track he writes, which makes his discography feel more personal while carrying lots of emotional weight. Check out my conversation with Creed below.

How would you personally describe your style of music?

My style is focused on the boom-bap/indie style of rapping. I want to say I am eclectic with my choices of beats and music, but I’ll always gravitate to the “golden era” of hip-hop.

What brings you inspiration for your music?

Inspiration comes from everyday life, whether it be obstacles I’m facing, frustrations, pain, etc., I always pen my emotions down on paper and put them in the music.

If your music could reach one group of people, who would it be and why?

I would want to reach out to other countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, or even the Philippines. The US fans and listeners are great, but I would love to extend my music to other demographics and languages and push the envelope on how music translates to everyone.

What drew you to relocate to the Las Vegas area?

I wanted to better my opportunity as a person and an artist. Hawaii will always be home, but I feel that moving out of state and making moves outside the impacted grander scale regarding listeners and loyal fans. I think it’s all about venturing out, exploring new territory, sharing your craft, and hoping people will gravitate towards it.

What is the reasoning behind the name “Creed Chameleon”?

Long story short, I got the name Creed from the alias Victor Creed, the name of Sabretooth of the X-Men series. I was called Sabretooth as a kid because I had a bad underbite and kids would tease me. Chameleon was named afterwards because like a chameleon, they adapt to their environment with their special ability to blend in. As an artist, I adapt to any type of beat and music.

One of my favorite tracks is “PAIN”, what was the inspiration behind that track?

The producer, Righ Nao, who’s from Japan, sent me this beat to rock to but I was stumped on finishing the track. I got with my homie, David Cheff, who’s an amazing rapper out of Hawaii, and we decided to go for a LoFi love-type feel to it with a twist.

Does your sound draw inspiration from any certain cultures/geographical locations?

I feel I get inspired by my experiences coming from Hawaii and the Philippines, but also get inspired by my current environment as it deems fit for whatever song I write. For me, it’s all about the beats. It sets the tone of the mood and concept.