Blitz the Ambassador and the Embassy Ensemble perform at the Bronx Princess Arts Festival in Mullaly Park on September 1, 2009.
POV: How did you get involved with this project?
Blitz the Ambassador: I got a call from the directors of the documentary and they told me they were looking for contemporary highlife music with a modern vibe to it. I told them, "I am the guy you are looking for."
POV: Where did you draw inspiration for the music for this film?
Blitz: Mainly from my own background. The story in Bronx Princess is a very typical one. Most immigrant kids embrace a Western culture, much to the disdain of their traditional African parents. I can't say I ever pissed off my parents to the extent that the lead character in Bronx Princess does, but we surely had our disagreements. I also grew up loving traditional highlife music, because my dad had many 45s and 12-inch vinyl of Koo Nimo, Ebo Taylor, Osibisa, etc., so it was pretty easy to channel that feeling into the score while still maintaining a fresh feel to it.
POV: Was this a departure for you musically? Your previous music is more hip-hop-centric, with heavier beats, while the music for Bronx Princess has more of a "world-music" flavor, with a more acoustic sound.
Blitz: Well, yeah, as an artist, I pride myself on being dynamic. I grew up listening to Motown soul, Afro-beat highlife and hip-hop, and even though I am primarily known for making hip-hop music, you can always hear a world flavor in my style. Transitioning to composing scores was not easy, though, mainly because I had to compose within strict parameters. I had to match the mood, the tone and feel of each scene with the music. The end product was amazing, though.
POV: Have you been involved with other film projects? How was this one different?
Blitz: I've written theme music for a few pilots, but Bronx Princess was my first full score, and I am looking forward to doing more.
POV: What are you working on now?
Blitz: My album Stereotype is in stores and on iTunes now, and I'm busy touring to promote the album. I have been fortunate enough to have my music videos on MTV and BET, and that has helped in booking shows across the country. You can find more on me at https://www.facebook.com/BlitzAmbassador/
Peace.
Watch a video of Blitz the Ambassador talking about the process of composing the score for Bronx Princess
Blitz the Ambassador on scoring Bronx Princess. Video produced by Blitz the Ambassador.
Blitz the Ambassador is a Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist. He was born and raised in Accra, Ghana.