AntsLive can’t sit still. It only takes watching a few frames of one of the North London rapper’s viral music videos to gauge the energy brewing inside one of the country’s most exciting young artists. From horses to jet skis, strapping himself to an airplane, or cruising around on mopeds, his creative headspace circumvents conventional thinking—meticulous music short films with the thrill of a Mission Impossible flick and the presentation of a Tarantino film.
How does a creative achieve such a level of detail amid a rapid rise? Not by being a night owl, for starters. AntsLive is an early riser, fueled by an active routine grounded in consistency, which makes his new partnership with Under Armour for their latest HALO Shoe campaign a natural fit. We caught up with AntsLive below to learn more about how his day-to-day motion influences his creative process.
Summer is winding down. What’s the first thing that comes to mind from the past few months? Any memorable trips?
For me, summer’s been spent finishing my project. It’s all wrapped now and ready to go. I haven’t done much enjoyment or travels, mostly work. But that’s been special because this project is special.
When you’re working on a new project, what does your day-to-day look like?
Honestly, right now I’m pretty OCD with how I do it. I start the day with a walk and a workout and then I start jotting down my ideas and get to work. I’m a daytime creative, I don’t know how these nocturnal rappers do it (laughs). For me, I make my best shit when I’m just being consistent and staying in the studio every day.
How does motion influence your creative process?
Motion has multiple meanings. Nowadays, motion seems to be “influence” for a lot of people. I see it more like evolution, in your everyday, travelling, learning, being open to new things—that’s all motion. And that leads to growth. That sounds mad deep, but really it’s just life, you gotta ride the wave and be inspired by it.
Do you prefer to focus on one song or project at a time or multiple different ventures?
I like doing as much as possible at all times. When I’m busy, I’ve got life in me. I can’t really chill for more than a day; I get restless, so I like working on multiple things all the time. I’m blessed in that I get to work and meet different people in different fields all the time, have conversations with them and that all feeds back into my creative process.
How does the Under Armour Halo fit into your wardrobe and lifestyle?
I’m active, always, trying to get up and go. The trainer silhouette just looks like it’s moving forward. That’s the direction I’m trying to be on. My swag right now is kind of preppy, kind of sporty, so I’ll mix that all into one. The Halo makes a whole lot of sense for me.