Rapper S7GMA’s Standout Track, “Now,” Is Catching Much Traction

Atlanta Wire Staff

By: Taylor Berry

What started as a beat for popstar Ariana Grande evolved into a standout track for Philadelphian-turned-Texan rapper S7GMA. Titled “Now,” the track, which swiftly accumulated over 100,000 streams on Spotify, will serve as the closing song on his upcoming EP, Mind Of Me, set for release in November 2024.

In early 2024, the 27-year-old dedicated three months to his music, isolating himself in his bedroom with his production gear. Initially, S7GMA attempted to produce a pop beat with Grande in mind for a reason he can’t recall. However, the lively piano chords resonated with the rapper and inspired him to shift gears, crafting “Now,” a song he admits he can listen to repeatedly.

“…once I heard the piano, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah,’” S7GMA explained. “…it sounded strong, and then I pitched it down a little bit, and it sounded even stronger. And then I was like, ‘You know what? Yeah, let me keep going on with this.’ And then I started building the synths around it, the melody around it.”

While producing “Now,” the Puerto Rican rapper purposefully avoided having a central beat because he desired a more orchestral essence to enhance the listening experience.

“There’s damn near almost no drums in it at all, and I wanted to keep it that way because I wanted it to be more of an orchestra,” the former East-sider said. “I think the only drums I used [was] a hi-hat, but I made sure that hi-hat was more military-like, but more hopeful sounding.”

The instrumental portion took S7GMA approximately 12 takes, but the vocals took 80 to 120 takes because of his struggles with annunciation (he’s a long way from Philly).

S7GMA’s creative choices with the instrumental composition not only impacted the listening experience but also the lyrical aspect, allowing his candid lyrics to take center stage. His articulate delivery and flow make it easy to grasp the words and the message behind them, which is to live in the present and defy the pull of the past and the pressures of the future—a philosophy he personally embraces.

Rapper S7GMA’s Standout Track, “Now,” Is Catching Much Traction (3)

Photo Courtesy: S7GMA

“Every time I thought of a better time, it was always in my teen years—anywhere from 2010 to 2015. That’s not me,” the rapper declared. “I’ll stress myself out because I always used to say, ‘I gotta get back to who I was, I gotta get back to that better me. That fun me…the memory-making me.’ In [those] three months that I locked myself in my room, I realized that even in the good times, even in good memories, I wasn’t me for me. So, now, I’m doing me for me and I am who I am for me. Not only S7GMA, but outside of S7GMA. The time is now, and it’s like a new chapter.”

“Tomorrow will never exist. We live in the now,” S7GMA stated. “We live in the now. And then when tomorrow does exist, it’ll be because it’s the present…You will never live in the future. You will always live in the now. So, the future is now, and now is forever. That’s how I thought about [‘Now’].”

S7GMA, who began his music journey at 14, has steadily built a name for himself, now boasting over 88,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, a testament to his growing influence. His relentless dedication positioned him to have numerous live performances across Austin and even earned him recognition from rap pioneer Fat Joe, who gave S7GMA his flowers in his Instagram DMs.

Yet, behind the mic, S7GMA is a regular Texan who stresses about life’s everyday challenges. With his diagnosed mental illness on top of that, the rapper, at times, finds himself in these dark “holes” he dug himself, starkly contrasting the optimism he exudes in his music. Nonetheless, S7GMA continues its mission of producing timeless music that impacts the masses and makes a lasting impact on hip-hop.

Check out “Now” on all music streaming platforms, and catch S7GMA live at Come and Take It Live in Austin, TX, on Aug. 29.