Artist says watching his godfather rap in church every Sunday inspired him
“I’m just trying to indicate everybody my life; people can learn from it”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Canaan Cunningham, a 19-year-old Bahamian rapper known by his stage name “Canaan Foryah”, is making his presence known within the music industry through his recently released mixtape — “HILL$ 4 DA WEEKEND”.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, the up-and-coming rapper revealed that the message behind his mixtape is to indicate listeners “the great, bad and the ugly” parts of his life.
He explained how growing up within the church and having a taste of street life later in his young life allowed him to bring each perspectives to his music.
The artist admitted that his music has modified over time, becoming more authentic to his life experiences as he grows as an individual.
“Before, it was at all times me singing about girls or money and fancy things, but now I’m just trying to indicate everybody my life,” Cunningham said. “People can learn from it and be inspired.”
He described his form of music as “real and relatable”.
Although he has yet to achieve 20 years of age — with an upcoming birthday in June — the rapper has been creating music for so long as he can remember and released his first song, “Old Days”, when he was just 16 years old.
He fondly remembered being a young boy watching his godfather rap in church every Sunday, which he said made his passion for music grow even stronger.
“I at all times type of desired to be like him; I used to be at all times there watching him and I knew all of his songs,” Cunningham said.
“Music was at all times a passion for me but after I began to see people like Michael Jackson and Chris Brown, it really began that fireside that that is what I need to do for the remainder of my life.”
Rap stars like Drake, Lil Baby, Lil Durk and Bryson Tiller are among the musical influences he said encourage him today.
The rapper revealed to Eyewitness News that his mixtape, which was released on March 26, took only three days to create.
He believes “HILL$ 4 DA WEEKEND” gave him a chance to be more creative in his craft and to “step outside of the box”.
Cunningham wants to achieve his fullest potential within the music industry and along with his recent signing to Royalty & Respect Management, based in Miami, Florida, he’s one step closer.
“I’m glad I’m on this position because now I actually have a chance to spread my sound all around the globe,” he said.
The artist expressed that although he loves his country, it’s difficult for Bahamian artists to get support from local radio stations and to acquire the resources they should make it within the music industry.
“I feel that local radio stations play more foreign music. They don’t really give young artists like myself and so many others that chance,” said the rap star.
“We, as artists, do what we are able to through social media; that’s principally one in all the one avenues now we have over here.”
He declared that as a Bahamian rapper, his mission is to open doors for other Bahamian artists so the world can know of all of the amazing talent The Bahamas has to supply.
“Hill$ 4 DA WEEKEND” may be found be on Audiomack under Cunningham’s stage name, Canaan Foryah.
He hopes listeners will feel motivated by his mixtape and still have a greater understanding of the person he truly is.
Written by Eyewitness News Intern Jade Russell
