Curtismith: In Between Verses

Mito Fabie aka Curtismith is Philippine hip-hop’s newest voice. The 23-year old released his debut mixtape called “Ideal” back in 2015 that included songs like “For the Love” and “Going In For Life” – songs that talk about his dreams for himself and for the future of the local hip-hop industry. We caught up with him to talk about the irony behind his stage name, paradigm shifts, and daredevil adventures.

What’s the story behind your stage name?

I didn’t want to show my face when I started coming out with my music. I wanted people to like my music for what it was rather than who I was then I remembered that Anne (Curtis) was a platinum award-winning artist. I thought it would be ironic to call myself Curtismith.

What are you working on right now?

I’m finishing up one of my EPs that I’m coming out with this year. I’m coming out with two in the first quarter and then I’m finishing up the one I’m more hands-on with.

Do you have other creative pursuits?

Right now, it’s learning more about hip-hop in other aspects such as in the perspective of a dancer, what would hip-hop mean to that type of person. Soul music is also something I’m trying to get into.

Where do you usually play?

Most recently, my gigs have been at high schools and colleges. I realized the passion for my following comes from younger kids. When I perform at clubs, at certain points in time I’m barely listened to because it’s really a place for catching up and drinking. When I perform at schools, they go to listen and sing along to the music. It’s an interesting transition to what I’m used to and I love it.

Does traveling help you in your creative process?

Definitely. When I’m in Manila and I just go through these experiences, it’s hard to digest and put things in perspective because I’m in the same city, in the same traffic I go through every day. When I go out of town, I take a break from everything and I’m able to see things from a different paradigm. It helps me not only understand things properly but also realign with the direction I’ve been going at.

 Where have you traveled to recently?

I was supposed to go to Siargao. We took a flight at 6:00am to Cebu with 5-hour layover. On the 4^th hour, we were told that our flight was cancelled and the next flight would be 3 days later. Basically, we flew to Cebu to buy Zubuchon and then we went back to Manila. Two days after, we ended up going to La Union. I was there for 3 days just to surf.

What’s your favorite part of your La Union trip?

Just being with my friends. The friends that I went with are all based in the States now so it was nice to be able to bond with them.

A Philippine destination you would love to visit?

I would really like to go to Siargao. I was so close! I’ve been wanting to go for over a year now. There are so many other places that I want to go to like Siquijor and also Batanes.

Dream destination?

I’ve always wanted to go to Greece because the terrain of the whole place is beautiful; Hawaii because I love the outdoors. I love to jump off cliffs and waterfalls and I love hiking.

What’s the last waterfall you went to?

Tangadan Falls in La Union. Apparently, it’s 70 feet and jumping off isn’t allowed but I still did.

Travel plans for 2017?

Hopefully, I might be going to New York to meet up with a record label and try to establish myself further on an international level. A lot of labels now are inclined to the Asian scene but it’s mostly focused on South Korea and Malaysia so why not try and put the Philippines there, too?

Listen to Curtismith on http://soundcloud.com/curtismith.

Shot on location at Lokal Hostel. This story appeared in Going Places February 2017 issue.