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Exclusive Interview with ML Underwood

HipHopNow Staff May 27, 2026
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Artist Spotlight: ML Underwood

In the opening frame of the music video for ML Underwood’s “Still I Rise,” the camera pans across the facade of the historic ruins of City Church in Gary, Indiana. Soon, a pristine white Rolls-Royce pulls up in front.

In a career defined by reinvention and resonance, ML Underwood takes us through the chapters that made them who they are today.

HipHopNow: What has remained most consistent about your creative identity over time?

ML Underwood: The Quality of my music has been the most consistent

HipHopNow: How has your relationship with music changed as your career has developed?

ML Underwood: The older I get I feel a sense of responsibility to put out music that will spark the minds of the youth who can change the world

HipHopNow: How do you usually know when an idea is worth developing into a full song or project?

ML Underwood: My spirit lets me know what’s worth putting out into the universe

HipHopNow: What part of the writing or recording process challenges you differently now than it did earlier on?

ML Underwood: Making sure that my voice matches the beat selected

HipHopNow: How do you approach growth creatively without losing what feels authentic to you?

ML Underwood: I follow a process of true expression, I don’t follow no one else’s agenda but the agenda God put on my heart

HipHopNow: In what ways has your sound evolved most noticeably over the last few releases?

ML Underwood:I have been able to connect more to my audience and more with the youth with the last release which is completely incredible in these times we live in

HipHopNow: What have been some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned from releasing music so far?

ML Underwood: The most valuable lesson I learned in releasing music is that it’s imperative to have a marketing budget and to choose wisely by using Spotify ads, YouTube, Radio, and TikTok because these are the platforms that matters the most now.

HipHopNow: How do you balance the creative side of being an artist with the realities of building a sustainable career?

ML Underwood: By focusing on reaching hearts of the fans 

HipHopNow: What kind of growth feels most meaningful to you at this stage of your journey?

ML Underwood: Worldwide recognition has been surreal to me right now “Still I Rise” is being recognized all over the world people are inboxing me from all over the world telling me how powerful my new single is and how it has reached there hearts.

HipHopNow: What do you want this next phase of your work to be defined by?

ML Underwood: I’m the uncle of hip hop.  The young and old need music that they can be inspired by and the lane we created called “ motivation music” is exactly what hip hop needs now.
 
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Every Song We Played in Our Madonna Cover Set

Mel Ottenberg July 07, 2026
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Welcome to SOUND ADVICE, Interview's weekly playlist series, where musicians, artists, friends, rivals, and collaborators share the songs currently inspiring them. Recent editions have spotlighted playlists from Petra Collins, Eli, and Eera. For the magazine's Summer 2026 cover story, Madonna stepped into the persona of De De, a lively, larger than life woman who loved prosecco, wore her hair big, and played The Stones at full volume. Every memorable character needs the right music, and De De came together through a collaboration between Madonna, Interview's Mel Ottenberg, and lighting technician David López Osuna. With tracks from David Bowie, The Doors, and T. Rex helping shape the mood, De De found her rhythm. Check out the playlist that helped bring the character to life below.

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