Everyone knows our university produces some pretty impressive people. Our alums include some of the greatest lawyers, surgeons and writers. However, I think it is safe to say Allen Mask is like no other graduate we have ever seen.
At 23-years-old and only a couple years out of college, Mask has worked on Wall Street as an investment banker, currently works for Google in Silicon Valley, and not to mention, has an exploding career as a rap/hip-hop artist. He just recently won the VH1 Save the Music award, and he’s been written about in The New York Times. He is also engaged to a beautiful UNC graduate and successful photojournalist, Carly Brantmeyer. This guy has it all.
I sat down to have a conversation with him the other day about his professional career, his passion and his love.
HC: When did you graduate from UNC?
Allen: Spring 2010, not too long ago at all.
HC: When did you start rapping?
Allen: I’ve been doing music for almost 10 years now. I started in my early high school days. I’m from Chapel Hill originally so I’ve always been in the music scene in the area. When I went to college I had a pretty well-established network. I was also a slam poet for NC Collective and that definitely inspired my rapping. I did performances around campus when I was in school and I also started a record label with Tripp Gobble called Vinyl Records while I was at UNC.
HC: You were working on Wall Street then made a move to Google and to pursue a rapping career. Were you nervous making the switch?
Allen: I was a summer intern at an investment banking firm in New York and ended up going full time after graduation. I was in New York for about nine months or so. I wanted to make a transition to the other coast where my fiancée was; Google got word of it and made an offer. I wasn’t really nervous, my goal was always to do music. Having a knack for business gives me uniquely larger opportunities to pursue my other talent.
HC: Did you ever think you would be trading in your suit and job in New York City to follow your passions?
Allen: Not really, especially earlier in college. I never thought I would do this because I didn’t think I would ever have the professional opportunity. But I do.
HC: People say all the time to follow your heart and your passion, but not many people follow that. Do you have any regrets?
Allen: I have no regrets at all. Me having a day job is mostly for health insurance (laughing). It keeps me healthy so I can stick with music; it all helps me do what I love. I have no personal regrets. The opportunities I have had professionally have only helped me. At some point I’ll have to choose one or the other but right now, at this point in my life, they still work together fine.
HC: So you’ve been successful in your decision and your rap career is taking off. You released a full length album, Sweet Dreams, in March. How was the process and were you surprised by the results you’ve seen so far?
Allen: For sure. It’s my second LP and first full length album. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve had access to great facilities. It’s a much bigger scale now which is crazy — it’s not just college. The process is a lot more creative; it’s bigger and better now.
HC: Your lyrics are witty and definitely more intellectual than an average rap or hip/hop song. Does a lot of inspiration come from your time crunching numbers on Wall Street?
Allen: A big part of what I do is giving a voice to the people. Every artist represents a constituency; and being educated and having a professional background gives me the opportunity to represent people who may not have been represented in the rap scene before.
HC: Your fiancée is kind of a big deal too. Are you inspired by Carly and her creativity?
Allen: Oh absolutely, we work together a lot. She does a lot of my film and photography. Our creativity just kind of seeps off each other. Carly inspires me creatively and professionally and keeps me going. She really is the best, so talented. As long as I can ride on her coattails I’ll be okay.
HC: What do you ultimately hope to achieve with your music? What is your ultimate goal?
Allen: I want to be completely sustainable with large-scale, mass distribution. I want my music to be out there for all. I’m on a quest to figure out who I am as an artist and to do it with utmost efficiency. I want to grab more ears as often as I can.
HC: What is your advice to UNC students who want to follow a passion but might be too scared to really go for it?
Allen: Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. People at our school are so smart and there are so many of them. So much talent can get sucked into doing what everyone else is doing. I want to encourage our students to be more about what THEY ARE and not everyone else. Follow your passions, don’t just get sucked in. The less limits you create for yourself, the more limitless you can be. Since graduation, all of the opportunities I’ve had came because I never limited myself.
To check out some of Allen’s music visit his website, www.allenmask.com, or download his songs on iTunes.
Sources:
GQ (Photo: Not a Real GQ Cover): myspace, GQ-AllenMask.jpg
Allen Mask (Photo): songkick, 20110717-194920-647345.jpg