Having taken a page from a classic novel for his name, rapper Ripley Snell is all about crafting classics of his own. Along with collaborators Neill Von Tally and Justin Longerbeam, the Pacific Northwest musician—also known as Adam Murray—translates his experiences into real and relatable tales through sing-able rhymes. As a solo artist, he's laid his voice over everything from old-school keyboards to unstoppable electro beats, but now working as a trio they've narrowed their focus to reinventing sounds and rhythms from the past and bringing them into a new sphere.

Hometown: Portland, Oregon

When did you first start rapping and what were your first rhymes like?

I first started writing poetry in third grade. I didn't apply anything to music until I was 15 or so. At that point Mos Def and 3 stacks were my heroes, so rhymes were lyrically dense and fumbling at times. It wasn't until I started reciting these rhymes that I thought about developing my own style and identity as a musical artist. 

How did you come up with your stage name?

My stage name came to me when I was 17, reading The Great Gatsby. It was written in the 1920s by F. Scott Fitzgerald. As I read and thought about the conditions in the book (roaring '20s economy, great wealth, excess, and masquerades) I thought this universe seemed similar to the rap world of today. Ripley Snell was a minor character in a book about exploring identity: and that's what I am doing on stage.

How did you arrive at your new sound?

My new sound is all about exploring my ancestry. It's an exploration of our intrinsic OLD sound. I think about the Meddah of golden age coffee houses, the Shaman of Indigenous America, and the axe-dropping prison music of the American Negro. Continuing the tradition of quilt weaving through music. 

Ripley Snell operates as a triad now. Can you explain a little more of the dynamics?

Our production trio consists of a producer (Neill Von Tally), an engineer (Justin Longerbeam), and a songwriter (Ripley Snell). These elements are no different from any production team, but our process is something increasingly more collaborative. So instead of writing a song in my head, we get together and materialize thoughts in real time. This way we can navigate the process from start to finish in a more transparent and interactive way. The goal is to have every team member operating under the same vibe. Vibe is most important in our process. Emailing beats around simply will not do, so now we write our songs in the studio.

What issues are most important to you as an artist?

The most important issue to me as an artist is leaving a legacy of love that will outlive my physical form. We are setting out to create culture that defies the narrative of a homogenous dystopia. This is a link in a chain that spans centuries and functions as a guide to the secret knowledge of our ancestors. 

How does living in Portland influence you as an artist?

Living in Portland is vital to my art. I was called here, and I don't know how, but I'm beginning to learn why. Rap isn't even what inspires me. Playing house parties in Portland as a teenager, trying to learn who I was. Watching those houses get sold to wealthy transplants, young people, people of color being pushed out. This city is awakening a spiritual energy for the sake of its own survival. Souls are finding each other and unlocking new potential, because it's necessary. This is one of the most peaceful, plentiful places on Earth, but there is a cultural war waging under the surface. Here, rappers aren't rappers, we are travelers of time, channeling ancient energy to get humans back on track.

Would you describe your lyrics as autobiographical?

My lyrics aren't autobiographical per-se. I unwittingly say things into existence. I'll say it because it sounds good, or feels right, and then years later it will manifest. Easy example: I made a mixtape called "Cruel Summer" (before Kanye), on that mixtape I said "Seen you up in Stumptown / I'm pretending to flip through pages of the Mercury..." I didn't know that 4 years later I would be a Stumptown Barista, and the ways that this would affect my artistic outreach. Knowing this power, I'm using this energy to channel peace and love into areas of need.

If you could release a joint mixtape with any rapper who would it be and why?

If I could release a mixtape with any rapper I would choose this dude Dem Atlas, because I heard his music randomly one day and I instantly knew he was a Shaman. This dude is not rapping for rappers, his art has the power to heal. There are other artists I'm excited to work with, but everything has its natural place in time, and I'm not looking for a cosign. Most important is the vibe.