Cover Story Article - Industry Certified (v12.4)

 Down With The Mainstream!

Independent Artist, Nune, aka Mr. Propane, Is Changing the Status Quo of Hip-Hop

 By Lydia Plantamura

“The pressure to create is constantly building inside the mind of Nune, aka Mr. Propane. When pressure builds, it must be released. It finds a way to escape or it explodes. Nune uses that tension. When exposed to the heat of the moment, Nune is set to explode in lyrical substance. Songs burst out of thought and emotion, manifesting with every minute he spends in the studio. A poetic introvert by nature, Nune, aka Mr. Propane, started writing at a young age. He would jot down thoughts, searching for meaning within himself. Early in his career, he wrote a song called, ‘Mr. Propane,’ which got very popular with his fans. They latched onto it and started referring to Nune as Mr. Propane. The name stuck, becoming a proper alias for the independent artist. When speaking with Mr. Propane in an exclusive interview, he was away from home on a job site. Working on a major project in the oil industry, he specializes in pressure refining equipment. His job is to get the pipeline back up and running as quickly as possible. It is very intense work with shifts that are 12.5 hours long and only one day off. Nune had his studio setup brought out so he could continue writing and recording his music during his limited downtime. He’s currently punching away at his next big projects, one of which is an untitled mixtape Nune describes as an audio movie. The compilation blends other types of media with the music, including film samples and spoken word poetry. There are introductions for certain songs, giving the mixtape a more cinematic feel. The quotes he uses match each song’s theme, helping to tell a more in-depth story.

Born in Lafayette and raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, Nune—pronounced Noon—earned his nickname from family after his birth, which happened just three minutes after 12 p.m. Growing up, his mother was watchful of her children and their young minds. They didn’t live in the best area, Nune explained, so she was careful about what she let into their consciousness. She saw the negative aspects of hip-hop culture and attempted to shelter her children from its influence. Regardless, Nune found himself drawn to the scene and culture. A poetic introvert by nature, he was called to highly lyrical content. Artists like Tupac Shakur, Nas, and K-Rino resonated deeply with him. Nune started writing young, but it wasn’t until 2017 that he started taking his music seriously. At the time, Nune noticed that music had become more about trends than it was about the craft or the message. There used to be more variety in style with hip-hop and he remembered when that sound was more diverse. In the golden era, that music was pushing culture forward. Although there are lots of phenomenal artists creating today, the mainstream is focused on a very similar sound. When hip-hop began, it sat on the fringes of pop culture. The genre was new and edgy. No one knew yet what hip-hop was supposed to be. With no rules or standards, there was freedom to create songs that challenged society and broke away from the status quo…”

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“…Nune aka Mr. Propane promises plenty more to come. He is highly motivated and leaving his mark on the world by sharing uplifting stories and optimistic content. There is a strong sense of spiritual warfare within our culture and most music today does not spread the hopeful energy necessary to bring the people together. Combating this, Nune is determined to create wealth for his community. He is bringing positivity through art and spreading a message to put an end to hate and violence. With poetic lyricism and optimistic drive, Nune aka Mr. Propane is cultivating a space of growth for us all.”

First published in Industry Certified Magazine Vol. 12, Issue 4.

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