2009 Boston University graduate Neil Anand is a part of one of the smallest scenes in Boston: the hip-hop/rap scene. The rapper’s stage name is Aviator, which the musician took during his freshman year of college. It signifies Anand’s then-distaste for mainstream hip-hop’s culture; he was bothered that a rapper with a “hot beat and catchy hook, a could easily get by with ‘passable’ verses,” resembling a game of popularity, but not talent. The name “Aviator” stuck to Anand because he hoped to elevate the scene to a better place.
Although Anand’s day-to-day persona is separate from his on-stage presence, both identities are slick and articulate. In person, the rapper is a clean-cut, thoughtful individual who speaks his mind about people, politics, and the life around him (it might have something to do with his major in sociology). On stage, he raps about the same issues as a performer, while demanding attention from the audience with tasteful etiquette and jokes. It works.
Aviator is releasing his first mixtape on Friday in effort to promote his first full-length album, titled “Bigger Than My Matador,” which will be out later this spring. I spoke with the BU graduate about his current and future plans in music.
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Q: What brought you to the hip-hop scene? How did it all begin?
A: It was a distinct moment in time, actually. When I was younger, I used to visit my cousins in New Jersey almost every weekend. They were older and listened to great East Coast stuff. On one occasion, I remember my cousin pulling his car out of the driveway, rolling down his windows, and turning up Hot 97 as loud as he could. He just parked right next to me and let it flood the whole neighborhood. I remember being so narcotized by the melody and feel of the record. That record was Notorious B.I.G’s “Big Poppa.” I was instantly hooked.
Q: How did you fit into the music scene at BU?
A: It’s always been a precarious position. I have immense respect for passionate musicians and the artistic process itself. I feel that same respect from plenty of musicians here at BU. I have a comfy niche here and people are starting to put a face to the name nowadays, and that’s nice. However, I think one thing that gets in the way when I tell people that I’m a rapper is that they immediately begin to conjure up images of grills, hoes, whatever. That’s always a struggle, because that’s not what I’m about. I’m not about that machismo shit. I got into hip-hop to change that. However, anybody who has listened to my music understands that there is much more going on underneath the surface and that I am a compassionate and complex person.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration?
A: I find inspiration in everything. I find it in my travels, social interactions, and struggles. It’s not hard to find inspiration in the fascinating and heartbreaking time that we’re living in today. You just have to make sure you’re taking stock of each moment. Like, I have a song about my headphones. I have song about Nickelodeon and the 90’s. Recently, I’ve been finding beauty in the subtle and mundane. There’s so much art to the human experience. It’s just about putting your finger on the pulse of the times and tapping into our society’s zeitgeist. I’ve always got my ears and eyes open.
Q: Who are your favorite artists?
A: The Zombies, Spoon, Django Reinhardt, Miles Davis, The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Rolling Stones, Common, and so much more. My brother InfinitiRock makes incredible electronica. I don’t really follow rap like I used to. I mean, I check in sometimes, but there’s not a lot of hip-hop – underground or mainstream – that really does anything for me other than produce a mild chuckle. I just want to feel engaged again, you know?
Q: What kind of messages do you try to spread in your lyrics?
A: I’ve got a line that says, “open up your eyes, it will open up your mind.” I have another line, “swallow your ego, or let your ego swallow you up.” I just want to get across that I’m all about growth through constant exploration, creating an equal and equitable society for everyone, and about bringing some real integrity and innovation to the form. If I do have a formula, it’s just making music that lifts the bar of the current rap paradigm, but just far enough that the average listener can still grasp it. I want people to be able to dance, have fun, get emotional, and fall in love to music that is both intelligent and relatable –none of that macho, high-roller stuff.
