Do you have any advice for others trying to get into the music industry?
“Honestly you have to take your craft seriously. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and for my first 6 years I couldn’t get anywhere with it. It takes money and it takes knowing people. The way the music industry used to be is that you had to have a hot record, great image and a budget. These days you have to have your own budget and your song could be crap and they’ll still sign you. My advice to others is to take it seriously because there are a million people out here doing this trying to be the next famous person. You have to be different. I put out a song called “100 Racks” and the record is brilliant, but I haven’t been able to record another one because I have to come up with another one better. In other words, you can’t put out a great hit and put out garbage later.”
Since you’re 30, why did you decide to get into the game now?
“It’s crazy because when people see me, and hear my music, they say there is no way he’s 30 years old because I look 20 years old. When I was 20 I had my first kid and my second at 22 so I had to take a break from the music. I was also in jail and when I returned I went to Social Media and looked for an investor that was willing to invest into my career. I would approach investors and say, ‘If you’re interested please email me and I will send you material and information.’ I hired an investor and they invested a lot of money and we did a contract.
This was the best way to do it for me. My former manager, Joanna Halton, who ran Pittsburgh hip hop website, seen my talent, potential and background. She was impressed that I traveled and done a lot of things with major artist. She felt that if she invested in my career, that she would profit from it. Over time we started doing things in the ‘Burgh and traveling. After that, she became my manager officially. At this time, she is no longer my manager, but we accomplished a lot together. We linked up with WAMO and lot of big producers from I.D. Labs worked with Wiz Khalifa.”
Is this a hobby or are you in this for the long haul?
I quit my full time job and got off the street and I did not want to go back to jail because of my kids. I got a 9 to 5 at first, but then I said that I’m getting money from royalties, album sales and streaming is big and you can make a lot of money so I took that on full time. I would not be 30 years old and still doing my craft if this were just a hobby.”
What do you think about the current state of hip hop?
“Hip-hop is wacked today because it is not the same. People do not know the elements of hip hop. We have a lot of artists who make a mockery of hip hop. They are doing it for the money and not for the love of the music. The meaning of hip hop is purity and natural and I feel like a lot of new artists are having hip hop giving to them. They can say whatever they want as long as it is over a hot beat. It is sad that new generation loves this garbage and that is changing hip hop. It is all about the money.”
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
“Right now, I am producing my own album but in the next 5 years, I will be working on marketing, touring and merchandising. I plan to do that by getting investors. I have a few people that are interested from Los Angeles. If you sign to a label, they will eat your money up so do things for yourself in the beginning and then you will have something to show the label later.”
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