Lecture Notes: The Story of Cemetery

Introduction

• Subject: The rising prominence of the rapper Cemetery in the music industry.
• Comparison: Often compared to artists like Chief Keef and Dragon.
• Fan Base: Known for a cult-like and toxic following.
• Support and Recognition: Co-signs from Chief Keef, Lil Tracy, Cole Bennett.
• Future Prospect: Dubbed the future of Death Metal.
• Speaker: Rashad Fashir.

Early Life

• Birth: December 22, 2000, Zane Steckler (Cemetery), Northern California.
• Family Background:
  • Father: Commercial music producer, worked on film scores.
  • Mother: Artist.
• Childhood:
  • Regular but boring upbringing, "rednecky" environment.
  • Early musical influence from family.

Musical Influences and Beginnings

• Instruments: Started with piano, drums, and guitar.
• Internet Influence: Spent time online, influenced by Young Lean, Black Cray.
• Genres Influenced:
  • Early love for Witch House and metal bands like Bathory.
• First Music-Making:
  • Started at 11 with GarageBand.
  • Initially into EDM producer Deadmau5, then Cloud rap.

Turning Point

• Influence by Chief Keef: Major influence during early high school.
• Young Lean Concert: Inspired to seriously pursue rapping after seeing him perform.
• Shift to Rap:
  • Initially a producer.
  • Discontent with treatment of producers led to a shift to being a rapper.

Personal Challenges

• Social Struggles: Anti-social, few friends, difficulty connecting with peers.
• Academic Disinterest: Cared little for school, focused on music.
• Post-High School:
  • No vocal music released upon graduation.
  • Dropped out of college when COVID started.

Early Music Career

• First Musical Projects:
  • Formed collective with Ghost Mountain.
  • Emo rap beats, production for underground artists.
• Initial Sound: Wanted to emulate Young Lean's style.
• Early Releases:
  • First major project: "Grave House."
  • Collaborations with Ghost Mountain.

Notable Projects and Tensions

• Rainbow Bridge Trilogy: Sampled black metal, heavily featured Ghost Mountain.
• Fallout with Ghost Mountain:
  • Diverging views on music as a career vs. hobby.
  • Tension led to Ghost Mountain's departure in 2021.

Collaborations and Fallouts

• JuJu: Collaboration ended due to disagreements.
• JJ Valhalla: Design collaborator, fallout due to personal issues.

Formation of Haunted Mound

• Group Formation: Founded post-Ghost Mountain era.
• Key Members: Buckshaw, Oscar, and Ackel.
• Collaboration Method: Online and in-person recruiting.

Success and Challenges

• TikTok Popularity: Songs like "Bunny Suit" gained traction.
• Cult Fanbase: Intense fan dedication, sometimes toxic.
• Controversies:
  • Association with alt-right groups.
  • Issues with online harassment and stalking.

Current Status

• Recent Work: Released "Butcher House" in 2023.
• Tours and Performances: Touring with major acts, selling out shows.
• Future Prospects:
  • Possible long-term impact in music.
  • Compared to the evolution of DIY hardcore punk.

Conclusion

• Personal Growth: Overcame personal challenges, continues to grow.
• Potential: Believed to have a sustainable career in evolving music genres.

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• Speaker's Closing: Rashad Vashir emphasizes the potential longevity of Cemetery's music career.
• Final Note: Cemetery maintains influence as a pioneering artist in dark metal and SoundCloud rap.