Exclusive | Malcolm Taylor Talks Regaining His Faith and Inspiring People Through Music

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is Philly rapper, Malcolm Taylor! This rapper uses his talents to paint a vivid picture with his lyrics based on his life experiences and uses his voice to spread a conscious, positive message. Malcolm has a versatility in his flow that makes each song feel different and keeps you entranced with the story telling. He remains authentic to his own delivery and separates himself from mainstream artists with his own style. This is an artist you need in your playlist.

Malcolm Taylor - PRAY PRAY PRAY (Music Video)

We talked with Malcolm Taylor in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Malcolm Taylor: I been making music for over six years now. I can’t really tell you when I started, it’s just always been around me. 

Question: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Malcolm Taylor: No one actually, I get inspiration from life, experiences, and what ever moves me. Some of my favorites are Biggie, 2pac, Jay-Z, Nas, DMX, OutKast, Kanye West, and Lauryn Hill just to name a few. I could really go on for days with naming my favorites.

Malcolm Taylor - Heart in it (Music Video)

Question: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Malcolm Taylor: At the moment I would say J. Cole and Ty Dolla. I pick Cole because we would compliment each other by giving our point of views on what ever we choose to rhyme about. Ty Dolla brings a different element and vibe. Simply picked him because I enjoy his music.

Question: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?

Malcolm Taylor: I really couldn’t tell you that, I put my all into everything. The one I have more of a personal connection with is a song titled “Faith” on my 1st project titled Commemorate. When I talk about losing my faith when my mother was murdered to gaining it back when my son was born. 

Malcolm Taylor - PITY (Music Video)

Question: What projects can we look forward to in the near future? 

Malcolm Taylor: I’m working on so much music that my fans just might get more than two projects from me in 2019.

Question: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Malcolm Taylor: A lot of times I let the the production talk to me. If it doesn’t touch my soul I don’t write or even want to put my energy towards it. The best is like a canvas and what ever it tells me to paint I just go for it.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Malcolm Taylor: What motivates me is my purpose. My purpose is to be that voice that inspires others, and motivate them in an artistic way.  

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Malcolm Taylor: It’s a heartfelt experience!

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Malcolm Taylor: Not at all. I feel like everybody has their own path to success. 

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration? 

Malcolm Taylor: So many things but life, my son, my parents, my fans, music and God. 

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Malcolm Taylor: I would have to say Jay-Z. We have to sit back and see everything this guy has really accomplished with his team. It’s amazing to me on so many levels. He just continues to break barriers and open doors for artists to really be moguls and business owners.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Malcolm Taylor: Passion because without it how can you make people feel where you’re coming from

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality? 

Malcolm Taylor: Go on a budget and really trim the fat on things I don’t really need.

Malcolm Taylor - Can I Live (Music Video)

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Malcolm Taylor: Creating the music and performing the music gets me excited the most. At the moment nothing discourages me, I’m in love with process.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Malcolm Taylor: I see my music springing the next generation to do great things.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Malcolm Taylor: Stay true to yourself because it’s only one of you!

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Malcolm Taylor: The New Ep is out now, “Protect your Energy” enjoy it until the next release!

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Exclusive | Alabama Rapper Sullivan Talks His New Album "A Pimp Named Sullivan"

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is a dope Southern lyricist, Sullivan! This up and coming rapper hails from Huntsville, Alabama and attended Tuskegee University. Sullivan has a laid back flow that is shown throughout his music and is definitely an artist to watch out for!

We talked with Sullivan in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Sullivan: I have been making music passionately for about 4 years. I was always a huge music fan but I started when I went to Tuskegee University and met Scuzzo. If it wasn’t for him telling me I had talent I would have never worked up the courage to release my first song.

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Sullivan: Personally, my biggest influences come from me growing up in the church, old school RnB, and smooth rap. Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, Snoop, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, and many more.

QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Sullivan: There's plenty of artist that are talented but I would really love to collab with Curren$y and create a classic for the smokers. And I’d also like to collab with The Weeknd. I know our voices on the same track would be crazy.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?

Sullivan: This question isn't up to me lol. Its up to the listeners! Personally I really enjoy my new album called “A Pimp Named Sullivan”. This album is a product of great timing. My mind was right, my creativity was heightened, and I was really in tune with everything in the universe.

QUESTION: What projects can we look forward to in the near future?

Sullivan: “Evil Scientist” is my upcoming project and it's something for the true smoker and true players. Be careful when you listen cuz it's gone make you like the coolest mf on the world. The album releases on Nov 30th, 2018

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Sullivan: Before I write or record I always meditate. And smoke a little gas. But if we’re being real, artistic preparation takes place 24/7. I study science, history, philosophy in my free time. I also surround myself with as much positivity and creativity as possible. I explore myself more than I do anything else. All of these things determine what mindset I'm in when I make my art.

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Sullivan: I motivate me and as long as I am still working towards something I will always be successful. Success is a direction, not a destination.

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Sullivan:: It’s just dope man. I don’t do much describing, I just let the tunes speak for themselves. Anybody who enjoys good music regardless of their preferred genre, can find something to appreciate about my music. Just know that only the smoothest and most playerest mfs listen to my music

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Sullivan: I believe that the formula to manifest anything good is the same. You just gotta believe in yourself. That's easier said than done but once it's achieved you realize that boundaries only exist in your own mind.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Sullivan: This rapper from Huntsville, Alabama named Sullivan

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Sullivan: In my particular sub genre of hip hop Snoop, Curren$y, and Wiz Khalifa are the most successful. Snoop made it cool to be a smoker in the 90s and then Wiz and Curren$y pushed that even further. Now it's my time to take the torch.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Sullivan: I would say my music is dominated by the joy of being high on some top shelf gas

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Sullivan: I had to sacrifice the negativity. Straight like that. It was very hard because that shit can be addicting. Basically, I had to sacrifice my old life to get this new one.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Sullivan: I love recording and writing but having to deal with people to get it mixed, promoted, etc can be discouraging but when it’s all said and done it is worth it.

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Sullivan: In 10 years I am the most popular musician in the world. Watch

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Sullivan: Stop asking for advice and trust yourself! Nobody knows more about your path than you do!

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Exclusive | William Prize Talks Overcoming Depression and His Upcoming Project "Mind Games"

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is William Prize, an under the radar lyricist from the East Coast! Prize is a recording artist, and partner CEO of AZUS Records hailing from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He graduated from 71st high school in 2012, served in the armed forces for a while and is now pursuing a bachelors in audio engineering. Aside from music, Prize finds passion shooting photography and playing basketball. This is an artist with a soulful vibe with lyrics that you can feel. Keep your eyes out for Prize because this is someone you need in your playlist!

William Prize - “Brotha From Another” Music video

We talked with William Prize in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started? 

William Prize: I’ve been making music for almost 2 years now. Once I’d gotten out the military in 2016  I wanted to find a new hobby and I’ve always loved music so I figured I would learn how to produce. I was scrolling down my Snapchat and seen my bro Cidy Pyramids making a beat and asked if he could teach me the ways haha. I pulled up that day and been pulling up every since. We would eventually drop our first collab instrumental tape entitled “MAD COLLAB” which can be found on SoundCloud.  

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

William Prize: My team is my biggest influence by far! There motivation and drive keeps me going and everyone is a high caliber artist so it keeps all of us on our toes for sure. I have a wide range of music I listen to but I’m a huge fan of Common, J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T, and Kendrick to name a few!

QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why? 

William Prize: I would like to collab with Anderson Paak, bro has the most soulful and free sound I can think of right now. I would like to do a song with Solange singing the hook , I love her voice.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why? 

William Prize: I love every song that I’ve dropped for a different reason but one of my favorite verses that’s out is the outro on my first EP light tape called “LIGHTS OUT”. The song focuses on a time period in my life where I was coping with depression and heavy drinking and me beating it and I think everyone needs music that pulls them out of a dark place.

QUESTION: What projects can we look forward to in the near future?

William Prize: I am actually finishing up my 2nd major project “MIND GAMES”. I started working on it a week after my last project dropped. It has stories of my life that I feel can help others in theirs. It hits on relationships, happiness, life, the good and bad times. I wanted it to sound like their perfect cross between hiphop & neo soul. No release date yet but it will be out before the end of the year 

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

William Prize: My creative process is ever changing. I always have a direction that I start with, after that, however the beat makes me feel takes over from that point forward. 

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

William Prize: There is an old saying that goes if you find a job you love you’ll never have to work again a day in your life. I’m motivated to do what I love! I’m chasing a lot of the things that people usually associate with success but the main thing I’m After is happiness, self love and things of that nature. I’ve had big money, I have a nice car, and neither of those made me completely happy so that’s not how I define success. 

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

William Prize: An old school feel with a new school vibe. I’m a lyricist and an empath, I want to make the listener feel something or recall back to a certain time.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration? 

William Prize: J.Cole has been inspiring me since the 10th grade. Knowing that somebody from my city with his style not only made it but is an icon makes me feel like it’s possible for me as well with the work ethic!

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

William Prize: I’d have to say Jay-z just knowing about where he came from and seeing where he made it to. 

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why? 

William Prize: Saddness, not to say that my music is sad but in my music from sadness comes the want for happiness and a passion for betterment. I was down and out about a lot of things then music came into play and gave me an outlet.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality? 

William Prize: Mostly financial sacrifices, I invest in my craft more than I can take care of my own business sometimes but it comes with the territory. 

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

William Prize: Hearing the finished product of a dope idea after its mixed mastered dressed and ready to go most deff. And most discouraging would be whenever I catch writers block or I can’t cook up a fire beat, I be feeling like everything is off when I’m lacking in both departments. 

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years? 

William Prize: in 10 years I see myself with about 4 successful albums out, traveling the world maybe even dabbling in acting I see my music being a vibe to listen to and it will take you back to a feeling or vibe, so I guess I can say I can see my music being timeless in 10 years. 

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry? 

William Prize: Don’t be intimidated by what’s “popular” do what feels right to you when it comes to your style. Grow as an artist naturally and stay consistent with it all.  

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

William Prize: Nothing but just too be on the look out for my tape mind games ! It’s Prize season !!! 

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Exclusive | Jeh $inatra Discusses His Latest Album 'B.LA.C.K.'

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is Jeh $inatra, an up and coming lyricist from the East Coast! $inatra hails from Syracuse, New York and graduated college in 2010 with a degree in Business Administration. At 32 years old, this artist is married with a 10 year old daughter and owns an independent record label by the name Broken Hearts Music Group. His label curently features 4 rappers including himself and their in-house producer. $inatra is passionate about all the arts, and as a creative he likes to show off his creativity in many different forms. His most recent album B.LA.C.K. can be found on all major streaming platforms (apple music, spotify, tidal) with a new album that is planned to be dropped in March.

B.L.A.C.K., an album by Jeh $inatra on Spotify

We talked with Jeh $inatra in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Jeh $inatra: 10 years. I got started through my brother who had been rapping since he was 15 himself back in New York. One day he wanted me to rap on a track with him, took me to the studio, I laid down my verse and the rest is history from that point. Haven’t stopped writing/rapping since.

Question: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Jeh $inatra: My biggest influence has been my best friend Tavares. A lot of times when people didn’t quite get the vision or the direction we were going with the music, he never lost sight of it all. He stayed true to what we were doing and what we stood for out of everyone else. Also my wife Candace as well. Huge influence and motivator. Favorite musicians would have to be Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Jay-Z, Nas, Rakim, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole...the list goes on and on for me.

Question: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Jeh $inatra: Nas, Pharrell Williams, Adele, a dope R&B singer by the name of Ari Lennox (she has a really dope vibe and sound), H.E.R., Frank Ocean. Why I would like to collaborate with these artists is mostly to pick their brain and the inner workings of their minds. Being around creative minds like these you almost in sense can’t help but want to soak up as much knowledge as possible while given the opportunity. Nas has always been one of my favorite emcees of all time, Pharrell Williams has always been one of my musical idols, and as far as rest of the artists I just love their music.

Question: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?

Jeh $inatra: So far my pick for best song would have to be off of my current album “B.LA.C.K” entitled “ACT III. GLORY”. To me that’s my best song because I was able to channel a more emotional, vulnerable side of myself I never really tap into musically, not to mention recording that record was the only time I spoke on my daughter as much as I did. For an entire song it was me rapping to her my love for her and why I do the things I do for her.

Question: What projects can we look forward to in the near future?

Jeh $inatra: Projects to look forward to in the near future from myself, I’am currently releasing a few singles with other artists leading up to my next major project which is slated to release next year March. I currently have a record set to release 11.14.18 with another artist from the Florida area we’ve been promoting. This is part of the series of singles I’ll be releasing over the next few months. My label also has in the works a compilation album featuring my artists TZO, Liron Dayo, $wayze, Eric King with production by our in-house producer D.A.GonBang.

Question: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Jeh $inatra: From life experiences mostly. I always find ways to tie in my life into my music as much as possible. I find it to be more organic and truthful, versus just writing from an angle I haven’t really explored. I try to keep as much truth in my music as I can.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Jeh $inatra: What motivates me would be my Family first and foremost. My daughter, my wife, my mother/father and so forth. My true friends, the artists on my label, other indie artists and just creatives in general, and the sheer love and passion I have for music as a whole. I define success by personal growth and personal goals achieved all the while being able to help others achieve their goals. Success isn’t limited to personal accomplishments, the most successful people in life are those who extend a helping hand to others.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Jeh $inatra: “Grown-man rap” lol. Mature rap. In the truest form hip-hop. Not necessarily “backpack rap” or “conscious rap”, but just real rap with real lyrics, real stories, and real life relatable content. Nothing fabricated.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Jeh $inatra: Yes and No. We’ve all witnessed up and coming artist come from nothing with no formula and blow up to be huge stars, however there are artists like myself who stick to the traditional path and follow that “formula” of hard work, grinding for a long time, not necessarily looking to  make the next viral hit. Nothing wrong with that at all, but not every artist is inclined to doing that. Me personal I believe in quality over quantity when it comes to my music and the music our label releases. So to answer I believe there is a formula, I just don’t think it works for every artist.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Jeh $inatra: My daughter. I’m always striving to create a better life for her.

Jeh $inatra featuring TZO - “ACT X/ FOE”

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Jeh $inatra: Jay-Z, Diddy, Dr. Dre, and there’s a few others. Why because they are the epitome of coming from nothing, working extremely hard, staying dedicated to their craft/vision, and accomplishing honors in the hip-hop industry that rappers only dream about accomplishing.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Jeh $inatra: Passion. I have an undying passion to succeed and help the ones around me succeed.

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Jeh $inatra: Time. Time has been the biggest sacrifice I’ve had to make while chasing this dream. Time spent with family members and loved ones alike. That’s something you never get used to, you can only make the adjustments needed to make it work but you never fully get used to losing out on that time. Sleep lol. Lots of that.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Jeh $inatra: What excites me the most is working with other creative minds, being able to make something from nothing and give birth to an idea in the physical form. I love writing music a lot. When people say it’s therapeutic it truly is. What discourages me about the music making process is the greed associated with working with those same artists. A lot of artists won’t have your best interest at heart even though you’re working closely with these individuals. There’s not too much I don’t like about the process or being involved with creating period.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Jeh $inatra: Where do I see myself in 10 years, successfully running this label with more acts/talent, joint ventures with sports agencies, owning multiple lucrative businesses outside the world of hip-hop, in addition to partnering up with some non-profit organizations and really helping the community. I see myself helping to give back to those who need assistance in any way, shape, or form. To be the most well rounded CEO, that’s my end goal.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Jeh $inatra: Stay true to your art, your craft, stay true to yourself, and your team and the ones around you. The ones who really support your dreams. Never switch up on them. Don’t be afraid to work with other artists. This business is all about relationships and building those, the more you’re receptive to with working with others the more opportunities come your way. Always Be Open Minded to Creating.

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Exclusive | R&B Singer Temani Hill is Using Her "Power" to Inspire

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is Temani Cherise Hill, a smooth r&b artist from the East Coast! At only 19 years old, Temani hails from Durham, North Carolina. Aside from music, Temani is also very passionate about film photography. She recently graduated from Cary High School in 2017. This is an artist that you don’t want to sleep on and you can definitely hear the talent and realness in her music. Temani has an untitled EP dropping early 2019!

We talked with Temani Hill in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Temani: My freshman year of high school is the earliest I can remember consistently writing songs & poems in a journal. It wasn’t until 2016 I recorded my first song “lukewarm v2” and uploaded it to soundcloud. I got a microphone for Christmas in 2014 but didnt end up using it until I recorded that song.

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Temani: A collective that went by the name of 1234 Creations inspired me to start making my own music, so I owe a lot them. Willow Smith specifically inspired me to write my first song. If I remember correctly, at the time she was free styling a lot of her songs. I adapted that style & made it my own. There is so much good music out in the world and being released right now its hard to say who my favorite artist are. JMSN, Mac Ayres, Princess Nokia & Childish Gambino are in my daily rotation but its not limited to them. Anything thats good ill listen to. 

QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Temani: My dream collab changes frequently. Right now it would be Mac Ayres, he’s so freaking talented. I’d really love to work with a live band and i’d really love to work with more women. Music is still a male dominated industry and i’d like to see more women at the fore front. I know female producers, engineers, etc are out there, they’re just harder to find.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song ever released and why?

Temani: “Power” for sure. I think the message of the song was clear and people understood and related to it because of that its reached a super wide audience. I made “Power” for myself because it was a message I needed to hear at the time and I think a lot of people need a reminder that the power is in their hands.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Temani: The music I write is based on things i’ve experienced and am experiencing. Things are changing every day so I don’t think ill ever run out of things to write about. Each day i’m realizing more things about my past and how they’ve effected me & i’m coming to terms with who I am. I just want to share my story. 

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Temani: It’s actually really hard for me to get motivated. It comes and goes, so when it does come I run with it. I don’t define success by numbers. I really just want to connect with people. And if on top of that I can take care of myself and the people around me, cool. 

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Temani: This is a hard question. I don’t really want to label myself with a genre. Currently my style of music is more r&b/neo-soul but I want to do more than just that. I’ve always dreamed of doing an alternative rock album. I guess I would tell someone it’s an honest reflection of me over a beat and you would just have to hear it to know if you’d be into it or not. 

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Temani: Kevin Abstract. I’ve been listening to him since very early on and i’ve watched him bloom into the queer icon that he is today. He is the lead member of the very successful boyband Brockhampton and is openly gay. He is very open about his sexuality and has straight kids wearing tshirts that say ‘gay’ on them. That shit is crazy to me. They’ve created a safe space in rap music. As someone who is bisexual and part of the LGBT community I appreciate having that representation.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Temani: Right now its a little bit of everything. The music i’ve released so far is more on a happier note. I’ve sung about love, self-awareness, and moving on from things that are no good for us. On my EP i’ll be dropping next year I definitely express more sadness and anger about things that have happened in my life. 

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Temani: So far I haven’t had to sacrifice much but i’m sure I will in the future. I am queer and i’ve been public about it on the internet and with my friends and my sisters know but not all my family is aware (they know now if they’re reading this interview lol). Its a big part of who I am and i know some of them may not agree so i may have to sacrifice some of those relationship. it is a topic that will shine through in my music and I want to be an ally and an advocate for the LGBT community.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Temani: I get most excited when i find a beat and i’m free styling and i’m really in the zone and everything flows together perfectly. the most discouraging aspect of making music is finding beats and having a reliable person to mix & master for me. I don’t do either of those things (I plan to learn in the future, maybe when i can quit my day job) so i’m constantly having to rely on other people and it sucks. 

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Temani: I don’t really know. Hopefully I wont still be living in North Carolina. All i can really hope for is that my only job is to create music all day and i’m surrounded by people who love & support me. 

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Temani: If music is what you are really passionate about learn to do everything yourself. Learn everything it takes to make a song, make a project. Do it all yourself. Maybe even learn the business side of things. It will save you a lot of time, money and prevent a lot of stress. 

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Exclusive | TyShawn Dion is One of the Best Lyricists in Massachusetts

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is a dope lyricist from the East Coast, TyShawn Dion! TyShawn hails from Worcester, Massachusetts which is not too far outside of Boston. This hot new artist spent the last 4 years at the University of Connecticut where he was also a student athlete playing football for his first two and a half years there but certain events forced him to walk away. TyShawn Dion brings a fierce delivery that is second to none in today’s hip hop landscape and is definitely an artist that you should keep your eye on for the future! Take it from us, he’s next up.

TyShawn Dion - Look Alive (Gawdly Mix)

We talked with TyShawn Dion in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

TyShawn Dion: I’ve been doing music forever to be honest, since I was a youngin. But I remember writing my first rap when I was like 7 and I’m 22 now so 15 years. Felt like a old head saying that haha but I’ve been taking it dead serious for a few years now. I always say that seeing lil Bow Wow got me started because I wanted to be the youngest doing it, but I feel like it was just in my blood. My older cousins used to try to rap and I would always jump in the cyphers and wash them

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

TyShawn Dion: My uncle really influenced me a lot along the way early on and helped me understand that I had a gift but to be honest, it’s mostly been my bros and I trying to figure this whole thing out through trial and error. If you’re talking musical influences I’d have to say it was my favorites growing up like B.I.G, Hov of course, Ye even though he been off of it lately, Kendrick, Cole, Drake, Lauryn Hill and hella others but I feel like you can hear them in my work the most.

TyShawn Dion Freestyle

QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

TyShawn Dion: Before I die I have to work with Jay, Kendrick, Cole, Drake, Adele, Trav, and Future. Like if I was to get on tomorrow those are the firsts on my list. Every single one of them make music that really pushes me to elevate my craft and showing that I could MORE than hang with them on a record would just really show that I really do this.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song ever released and why?

TyShawn Dion: As of now, I’d have to say “Humble Pie” just because it’s my most transparent song that’s been released as of now. It gives you lyrics, melodies, story-telling, a relatable story line, it’s catchy and has hella replay value. That’s my baby but I’m so passed that song. I wrote that like 3 years ago and held it in the vault for a while. NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION SOON

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

TyShawn Dion: All of my music comes from real experiences that I’ve dealt with, or something that an individual close to me has dealt with so I really rely on life itself to push me. Sometimes it’s annoying because if I’m not feeling it, I’m not really excited about it but luckily I’m a really creative writer so I can spin things that I see as boring into something enjoyable.  

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

TyShawn Dion: Just remembering all of the trash that my family and I dealt with growing up and never wanting to ever go back to that makes me want to grind. I’m trying to provide better opportunities for them, my friends, and my future family and I know I can really do that with music. I feel like success has a financial component for sure, but that doesn’t mean a damn thing if you’re the ONLY one of your people that are up. Gotta be sure to uplift those that you care about collectively and help develop them holistically

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

TyShawn Dion: My music is a whole vibe. I’m real versatile so it’s hard to put me in a box but I focus on painting vivid pictures for people that are listening. I’d say that you definitely have to listen because I have a lot of lines that go over people's’ head, but you aren’t going to listen to my music and feel like you’re being talked at. I mix bops with words that mean something.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

TyShawn Dion: I feel like in order to be successful as an artist today, you have to be a  have and be a damn personality as well. There are so many fire ass artists that don’t get real recognition because they’re basically an egg on social media. Supporters want to feel like they know you, like they can connect with you on a personal level in addition to being able to enjoy your music.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

TyShawn Dion: My momma, my momma, my momma. I’m a momma’s boy for sure; not on some attached to the booby, “as mommy say, I do” type of time but I just have so much respect for her. She sacrificed so much for us, and raised 3 kids all by herself at 25 after my dad got killed. That’s my queen.

TyShawn Dion - Duppy Freestyle

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

TyShawn Dion: If anyone says anything other than Drake they’re lying. His reach is unprecedented at this point. Mans is doing 3 straight sold out shows in the same city, touching a billion streams regularly, and he really just has the Midas touch. If Drake hops on your song as an up and comer, it’s his song now and that’s okay because he just helped jump start your career and get you a plaque. I wouldn’t say “rapper” but I’d say he’s the greatest rap STAR of all-time.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

TyShawn Dion: Lately, it’s definitely been a combination of passion, reminiscence, and hunger. I think that I’m just so focused right now that I can’t help but show it in my music and a lot of that focus is coming from me reflecting on what got me to this point.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

TyShawn Dion: Aside from sleep? I’ve lost friends over this…  The dream played a big part in me walking away from football, and I’ve even had to sacrifice certain aspects of relationships for this. It’s been said so many times but this really is way deeper than music for me.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

TyShawn Dion: Um. I think the most exciting part is getting to share it with my supporters at shows and concerts because as a performer, you get to really hone in on giving that experience that’s going to stick with them every time they hear a song again. A close 1b. has to be when I hear a beat and I really just start writing something, and when I run it back to myself I geek out before I keep writing.

The most discouraging used to be figuring out how to package it, deciding which way I want to deliver it etc. I’m a perfectionist which really annoys me sometimes but I’m really starting to learn to just love the whole process. I’m still learning how to record things and manipulate sounds etc because rapping acapella and putting something on wax are two completely different things; but I know everything comes in time.

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

TyShawn Dion: No gas, I see myself toward the forefront of this all. On the largest stage possible. I know that even doing this interview I’m only like 70% bought in because I’m still focusing on other things but there are weeks where I’m at a full blown 100%. It’s coming.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

TyShawn Dion: Be a student of the game. Not just the trends or what wave is hot because all of that fades. When you’re a student of the game, and you know your history or can pull from different genres… if you’ve educated yourself on the BUSINESS side of things as well as focusing on the quality of your music, I think things will work themselves out. The idea of being an “overnight success” has to leave too. I have bros really in the industry, multi-million dollar deals, that got denied left and right for YEARS before it popped; so don’t be afraid to be rejected, invent, and reinvent yourself. I’m doing the same damn thing.

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

TyShawn Dion: I took some time to focus on rebranding for a while but I’m prepping to drop a few singles very VERY soon (like within the upcoming weeks). Also, I’m almost done drafting and outlining my debut project “Gawds Don’t Die” so stay glued for that. I really love interacting with my supporters so follow me on IG: @diongawdly and find me on twitter @TyShawnDion ! Music is just part of it. I act, I design, I model, hell I might start doing comedy who knows. Stay real to yourself, make sure you go check out “Humble Pie” and all of my other tracks currently out and stay tuned because a majority of those can’t scrape the boot bottoms of what I have coming to y’all next.

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Exclusive | Lauryn Harris Talks the Release of Her Debut EP 'Inside My Head'

By: Omar Cook

Lauryn Harris is an up and coming singer from from Houston, Texas! At 21, she is currently attending Texas State University and getting her degree in mass communication with a minor in music. Fashion and beauty is another avenue she want to pursue in her career along with music! She just dropped her first project called Inside My Head, but don’t sleep on this artist as this is someone you will want to keep an eye out for in the future!

Check out her new Ep Inside My Head!

Lauryn Harris - “Sometimes” Song

We talked with Lauryn Harris in an exclusive interview, check it out below! 

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Lauryn Harris: Well I’ve always wanted to sing since the age of four and that dream has never left me. As for making my own music I started about exactly this time last year, I never really was much of a writer but I ended up loving it.

QUESTION: What was your inspiration for the title of this project?

Lauryn Harris: My thoughts are always so scattered and I felt that the songs on this project perfectly reflected that. I had no clear vision on where I wanted to go on this EP I just sang and wrote about what was on my mind at that time.

QUESTION: What do you want people to gather from listening to your music?

Lauryn Harris: I want people to get to know me and who I am as an artist. With each song I hope listeners feel the emotions I put into a song and enjoy the overall experience.

QUESTION: What do you feel is a song that people MUST listen to on this album?

Lauryn Harris: Butterflies. This song is about that feeling you get when a new person comes in your life and you just can’t contain yourself. It’s just an overall happy song and makes you wanna dance

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Lauryn Harris: I’d say Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, and Sade. All of these women have voices that captivate you and they all tell stories in their music.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song ever released and why?

Lauryn Harris: I’d say “Chaos” because that was the first full length song I wrote and recorded when I got started making music. I was going through a lot at the time, my grandfather had past away at the time, I was going through depression, so I grabbed a pen and wrote away.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Lauryn Harris: I just have to be inspired, and it happens at the most random times, like when I wrote “5 AM”, I was supposed to be studying for an exam.

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Lauryn Harris: I am blessed with an amazing family that has always supported my dreams. My parents have been with me through this journey between paying for vocal lessons when I was younger, never missing my recitals, and constantly lifting me up when I feel down.

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Lauryn Harris: I’d say an alternative r&b mixed with neo-soul.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Lauryn Harris: Honestly, this might sound cliché but good ole hard work.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Lauryn Harris: My mom, she is amazing, when she wants something she goes for it and gets it done. She inspires me do that with my music.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Lauryn Harris: I think my music is a mix of happiness and sadness, mixed with some attitude. I feel like I have to have a good balance.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Lauryn Harris: I don’t really think I’ve had to sacrifice anything yet, I’m a college student, I work, and I do music. Yes, it gets difficult but life is all about balance.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Lauryn Harris: I think writing and recording go hand in on making my music. Some days I come up with great material writing and some days my mind is completely blank. I am such a perfectionist when it comes to my singing so when I’m recording I redo something I don’t like about a million times.

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Lauryn Harris: In 10 years I’ll be 31, I hope to be established in the industry by then and hopefully have a couple grammys. I’ll still be making music and hopefully make my mark in this world.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Lauryn Harris: I’m still trying to break into the industry and I’m still learning but if I could give advice it would be when you get discouraged trying to create sit back, take a break, and come back to it. Whatever you were struggling to find will come back to you.

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Exclusive | R&B Sensation Trey Forever is Making Sure His Music Will Be Remembered Forever

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is rising R&B artist Trey Forever! Trey Forever is an up and coming singer from the Midwest; St Louis to be exact! Trey is grinder and is always working on his music and when he's not putting his time into releasing dope music, he's just spending time hanging with his people. "Just like everyone else I just like to really be around good people, even if I don’t say much sometimes." For you R&B fans, this is a name you need to get acquainted with as this is an artist with some real talent and vocals!

Trey Forever - “Good Intentions” (Music Video)

We talked with Trey Forever in an exclusive interview, check it out below! 

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Trey Forever: I started creating music in 2016. I started, because again, I don’t really say much, and I am pretty much to myself, so music is a way for me to say things that’s on my mind and heart.

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey? Who are your favorite musicians?

Trey Forever: The Most High has really been helping me on my musical journey. You can get lost a lot of times trying to get to where you wanna be, and God has a way of sitting you down when you move to fast. Besides God, my producer BC, and bro Rell really been behind me musically.

QUESTION:  Who are your favorite musicians and who would you like to collaborate with?

Trey Forever: Artists like Usher, Trey Songz, Sammie, and Eric Bellinger are artists I really rock with.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song ever released and why?

Trey Forever: Honestly I haven’t took the time to really just enjoy my own music, because I am always working, and on to the next. I am very hard on myself as an artist, it’s crazy. Good question, just not sure I have one yet.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music? 

Trey Forever: Life alone helps me generate ideas. Watching movies, and listening to other people's stories,  also helps me.

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Trey Forever: Music alone motivates me to be great, the people counting on me motivates me, and being able to take care of my family really motivates me. Being able to take care of my family, being happy, and being a help to others in need is success to me. 

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Trey Forever: I feel my music is escape music. It allows people to think, meditate, and visit different places mentally to find a way to figure things out.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Trey Forever: I hear a lot of artists, and people who been in the game for years talk about formulas, and blueprints, but I have a long way to go, so I'm not sure if I can speak on a formula just yet. I do feel like being strong mentally, physically, spiritually, along with hard work, dedication, and keeping God 1st is a good way to start.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc., and why?

Trey Forever: All those feelings are in music, because that’s what we feel. I feel those feelings are very important, so I make sure to put those emotions in my music.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Trey Forever: Everything. A home, stability, some family turn on you. I don’t do any complaining though. Even without a home, I make a way to create, and keep pushing.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Trey Forever: The creating process of music always excites me. It’s something about working on music to get it right, and perfect that is soothing for me. What discourages me, is when I can’t record whenever I want to. 

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Trey Forever: I see myself as a artist that has made a way for himself, family, and other artists. Trey Forever stands for my music and how my music will be remembered for ever. I wanna be unforgettable.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Trey Forever: I would say believe in yourself, consistency, make music from the heart, and never be afraid to take risk.

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Trey Forever: I make what I want when I want, and that’s it.

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Exclusive | Rapper Joshua Sheeran Is Charlotte's Best Kept Secret

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is east coast artist Joshua Sheeran! This under the radar artist out of Charlotte, North Carolina recently graduated from North Carolina Central University in December 2017! Since his graduation, 22 year old Sheeran has been on the grind pushing his music out. Joshua is an artist of many arts and wants his career to eventually expand beyond just music. His aim is to spread vibes and positive messages throughout his music always and he also hopes to breakthrough and show people love is cool still! Although he is currently in the process of writing and creating his first complete project, Joshua has a lot of dope tracks already out! We can expect a early 2019 release of his first project but many creative visuals and singles to get us by in the meantime! Do no sleep on this artist!

We talked with Joshua Sheeran in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

 Joshua Sheeran: 2 years now! I actually grew up around music. Family + Friends. I didn’t take my craft as an artist seriously until 2017. I saw it was much bigger than just me once people started hitting me up saying how much my music helped them.

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

 Joshua Sheeran: Women, conflict/resolution, love and myself are my biggest influencers. My favorite artist right now are Sonder, Bryson Tiller, Drake, Noname, and Smino. All things R&B also!

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

 Joshua Sheeran: At this very second it has to be Bryson Tiller. Homie has the vibes and sound. I think our sound would mesh very well.

Joshua Sheeran - “I Love It, She Love It” (Music Video)

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

 Joshua Sheeran: Statistically and one of my favs, ‘I love it, She love it” definitely a vibe and has over 20,000 streams alone. I have some tracks like ‘Niyah’s Interlude’ and ‘Loving me ain't too perfect’ that really resonate with my soul. Just the content and emotional feel.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

 Joshua Sheeran: I got motivated from traveling. I went to DC and was like “damn, I’ve been missing out on the world.. I want to get out and do this more.” And music has always been a passion/past time. So why not combine the both and do what I love. Success, to me is changing lives of the people around you and yourself. Digging deeper than financial and helping people on a spiritual and mental level.

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

 Joshua Sheeran: Funny! When I’m out the loop…. I go to Twitter for content. I sometimes rap vicariously through the lives of others.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

 Joshua Sheeran: Different -- Calm, thought/emotion provoking. The type of music you take home to mom.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

 Joshua Sheeran: I don’t. You never know these days what will and won’t blow honestly. There are right steps to take but formula, no. I do believe we are in the visual era.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

 Joshua Sheeran: Definitely has to be myself honestly. I’ve been through so much and conquered so many battles. I feel I owe it to myself to continue chasing music and doing what I love.

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

 Joshua Sheeran: Drake, he literally has been carrying the torch for awhile now! Definitely has helped so many artist form their careers and breakthrough to the mainstream world. Shoes, NBA, OVO Brand, OVO label, and Apple Music deal to name a few. The guy is really great.

Joshua Sheeran - “fruits // sweet dream” (Music Video)

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

 Joshua Sheeran: Passion -- to love, to feel happy, to overcome sadness/hurt and to be better. You can blend so many styles into passion.

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

 Joshua Sheeran: Time, money, friendships and occasionally love.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

 Joshua Sheeran: The ability to connect with people and getting the chance to see the world one day! It gets kinda disappointing some of the wild things that blow up but no knock to them. They connected with the people. Even in a unconventional manner.

Joshua Sheeran - “whatssssluvvvv” (Music Video)

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

 Joshua Sheeran: Living comfortable and happy! At peace with my wife and helping others breakthrough!

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

 Joshua Sheeran: Remain, you. Most importantly stay genuine at heart and lead people right.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

 Joshua Sheeran: It’s AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE. YOU SHOULD STREAM AND SHARE WITH YOUR BOO, FAMILY OR WHOEVER! A SONG FOR EVERY VIBE! NO EXCUSE.

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Exclusive | JB Magix is Set to Release His Debut Mixtape 'Pleasure Island'

JB Magix, which is short for Jamaal Bethea, is an up and coming artist and executive producer based in Fresno, originally from Long Beach, California. JB signed his first record deal at the age of 24 with the The Private Plane, a subsidiary Creative Talent Agency to G.O.O.D Music ran by Kanye West's right hand man, 6 time Grammy Award Winner Malik Yusef! 

In 2011 JB received his first real music industry recognition from the release of a remix called "She Craves Me" which hit Top 10 on the charts for 30days and held a top 40 position for 3 consecutive months via MTV's Partnered Website Ourstage.com  when he was formerly known as the artist The Kid Bilal. The remix heavily assisted the original song to reaching 30 million views on Youtube. With the help of producer Malik Yusef, JB Magix was propelled into an elite network of talented creatives in the music industry. 

JB Magix is set to release his first Mixtape titled "Pleasure Island'' on August 18 with merch accompanied. He also has a near future release which is set for December 12, which is his first commerical EP release titled "Romantic Anarchy." Reminiscent to J. Cole's KOD both records challenge the status quo of the music industry's perpetuation of drugs and violence.The EP is slated to have features from Malik Yusef, Mann, Kevin McCall Jr., Fashawn, Kanye West & Panic At The Disco. 

Check out his single Miracles with Kevin McCall below!

https://godrythm.bandcamp.com/releases

We talked with JB Magix in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

JB Magix: I’ve been making music since the age of 9. Back in the day a person could put tissues in cassette tapes and do what was known as “dub” over the tape your own music. I started recording my own mixtapes from radio, and attempted to put my poetry over music, which didn’t initially come out as good as I would have liked lol But it gave me the motivation to know that I was getting somewhere with my art.

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey?

JB Magix: I’d have to say Malik Yusef Jones.. I was in a very dark place before he discovered me on twitter and offered me a record deal... It was right on the cusp of me developing issues with my hearing which also started discouraging me.. To have someone that has been successful in working with artists like Drake, Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ and more as a frequent collaborator gave me the inspiration to keep pursuing a career in music.

QUESTION: How does having Malik Yusef as a mentor and working with him help with your creativity?

JB Magix: I’ve had the opportunity to work on some Kanye West albums under his direction, network with elite music industry professionals and perform at some of his official Grammy after Parties. That for me was confirmation that I had made it out of my Mom’s house lol But also that I have the potential to add value to something larger than myself.. and from there I never second guessed if there was a limit in the sky.

QUESTION: Why did you choose the name Pleasure Island for your first EP release?

JB Magix: I got the idea from Pinocchio.. A gang of kids, some good and some misguided were tricked into going to Pleasure Island.. A place where good kids are transformed into delinquents, ultimately to come back out into the world and wreak havoc. The concept resonated with me so much that I considered how our very own society is like this island matrix that sucks people into bad situations with influences based on the false senses of pleasure. The narrative I am creating with the mixtape is about a character named Lil Nochio who is out and about in society trying to stay righteous in a world full of choices.. He gets influenced negatively but what he learns eventually assists in his personal reform.. If society will give him a chance that is..

QUESTION: What are you looking to accomplish with the release of your first mixtape and what can we expect as far as features?

JB Magix: I Plan to open people’s minds to something different. It will be controversial.. but it will be different. Everything isn’t always what it seems.. there aren’t many artist in the mainstream telling the truth.. to be completely transparent most of them tell half-truths and say to people things like “well I didn’t say that all women are hoes” without regard to the consequences of their lyrics.. a lot of these young girls now use “Hoe” and “Bitch” as terms of endearment.. largely due to the influence on culture rap music and media has.. Especially when your presence is ubiquitous at some point these artists and executives that have a large realm of influence have to innerstand that the parents can’t close their children’s ears all of the time.. they will find the music or the video.. they will imitate.. they will be brainwashed by the allure and propaganda used to control minds and influence culture (in more negative ways than positive). It’s important to know that there are positive influences out there but how can Lyor Cohen.. an executive at Def Jam records have no consequences when he says he doesn’t respect what he calls “Junkies” drinking “liquid heroin”  but condones and promotes the sale and promotion of music that perpetuates that behavior in our culture,( of drinking lean) because he has mouths to feed? It’s hypocritical and dangerous to say the least. When Tupac said “I will spark the brain that will change the world”.. he was talking about me.. and I will pass on that spark. As far as features I definitely will have my bros Kevin McCall & Fashawn on the record.

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

JB Magix: Success is  truly defined by the individual. I doesn’t have to do with money for sure, but rather the impact a person can make on the people in their community. Knowing that I am affecting people in a positive way is what inspires me to keep doing what I do. I met a young girl I the hood at McDonalds a few years back.. she had recordings of her music on her phone. I was blown away at her resilience to get things done, that I introduced her to Ty Dolla Signs, put her on a few shows with Berner, and I see her booking her own shows today and still making music.. who knows what her life would have been like without that mentorship.

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

JB Magix: I’m coining a new genre called “God Rhythm”  it is music on a frequency that’s made to heal and inspire. More melodic, real instrumentation that’s binaural with 432hz & 528 Hz.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

JB Magix: Yes, it requires a intricately designed plan or blue print and consistent execution of actions to gain the desired result. The thing that discourages people is when things don’t go the way they planned.. what they fail to see is that the road to success has many lanes and when one door closes a whole different one opens.. but only you have the key to see whats on the other side.. but don’t forget.. some doors you don’t want to go into.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

JB Magix: My mother and father.. I perceived that I am half of them both literally split down the middle.. my mother is spiritual, in-tune with the universe and compassionate. My father is aggressive, commands respect and takes initiative to get the results he desires... I take after both of them evenly

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

JB Magix: Hard to pen point one.. but if I had to decide I would have to say Beyonce because of how much she influences the culture.. in a positive way with the least amount of compromise involved. You doesn’t use drama in head lines to grad her audiences attention.. and from time to time she stands for something. Giving money to HBCUs is on point. She donated to my school lol Wilberforce University.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

JB Magix: It would have to be a combination of Joy and Sadness because those are some of the realist and most relatable emotions.. its hard for me to believe that everyone gets angry because I cant even remember the last time I was.. plus I have certain beliefs and definitely being “Mad” to me is a mental illnesss.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

JB Magix: Man… where do I begin lol I had to get straight A’s one semester to have a meeting with the Vice President of Hidden Beach Recordings, ultimately to get an internship marketing for Jill Scott. After that I literally stood outside of Wale’s record label in DC, starting checking in models for a modeling call he was having without anyone asking me to, so they brought me into the label. Couple years back I went behind the staples center at the BET Awards in LA and started helping the staff with no credentials, no sign up, nothing and that landing me doing working for Beyonce, Future, Kendrick Lamar, Bryson Tiller, Janelle Monae, and more for the night lol

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

JB Magix: What excites me is that with music I have a voice and  platform that gives me the ability to affect people’s lives in a positive way and simultaneously build a legacy for my family.. nothing discourages me but what I don’t like seeing is the exploitation of our people in music, media, the demonization of “Black People” in the media and music serves as a cornerstone for fabricated census statistics on crime, misrepresentation of  our excellence constantly and under handed congratulations at our achievements with superficial awards.. we don’t get the respect we deserve for creating advanced civilizations and art forms.. that assisted in building the ones American Society enjoys today.. They like “Black Music” but there is a lack of respect for “Black People”

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

JB Magix: I see an Empire.. of new artists, young artists, a community of creatives that are respected and revered for their achievements in mainstream cultural society… all of the arts included. 

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

JB Magix: Have a plan, don’t be afraid to invest in yourself, no risk no reward, and understand what “ROI” return on investment means. Build a community, there is no I in TEAM, trust the process, get mentorship, find people that can help your weaknesses, capitalize on your strengths don’t compromise your values and morals for a check or opportunity. Innerstand that you are what you say your are.. you’re already a superstar all you have to do make sure people know.

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

JB Magix: Just listen to it, follow me, ask yourself questions then ask me some..  and I will kindly get back to you at my earliest convenience lol

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Exclusive | Lyricist DFlowetry is Leaving "No Regrets" With His Rap Career

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is west coast rapper DFlowetry! DFlowetry who's real name is Damascus Fields, is a dope lyricist out of Las Vegas, Nevada and his flow is definitely something you need to be paying attention to! This is an artist that is on the rise in hip hop as he is a true artist that matches hot visuals to go with top notch lyrics! DFlowetry has an original flow that is being less and less seen in hip hop today. 

DFlowetry - “Nights Like This” (Music Video)

We talked with DFlowetry in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

DFlowetry: Been doing music for 3 and half years now to be exact. It all started cause i had friends and a older brother that were doing music so i was like let me try it out. I was easily influence by them but never rap to anyone or to my friends, just kinda kept to myself until i was ready to tell them I want to do music. And once I told them, everyone was pretty much surprise but supportive at the same time though.

Question: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

DFlowetry: Honestly Kobe Bryant was my biggest influence. Despite him not being a Music Artist, he was the one that gravitated towards me the most cause of his drive and determination to win no matter what. I try take that same approach in my daily life no matter how tough things might get, It builds character. As far as Musicians, Its a long list when it comes to my favorite ones. My top 5 favorites are Michael Jackson, Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, Ludacris, and Lil Wayne.

DFlowetry - "No Regrets" (Music Video)

Question: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

DFlowetry: That list is long as well, but the two I’ll say is Logic and Wiz Khalifa. Logic because flow wise I think we’ll sound good together on a track, and we might have a little similarities in certain areas. Wiz Khalifa is one of the most versatile artist ever in my opinion so that alone is the reason i will love to work with him.

Question: What do you feel is your best song ever released and why?

DFlowetry: Man Thats a tough one cause I like everything I put out. It can be my worse song I did and I’ll still love it like its my best work. And I think most Artist in general will feel the same way cause most will cherish everything they do for the simple fact they put a lot of time and effort to create a song. But those that support me seem to like “Nights Like this’’ from me out of all the songs I did recently cause they being going hard sharing the video all over twitter for me.

Question: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

DFlowetry: You just got to live your life and experience, That can help a lot when coming up with new music. So I try to do that as much as possible.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

DFlowetry: Seeing others doing well Motivates me. Thats why It doesn’t make sense to me when some people pray on other peoples down falls cause they not successful. Everyone should use someone else success for motivation on what they got going on for them cause I’m a firm believer thats its room for everyone to win if you are doing it right. Thats my way on looking at things, we got to uplift each other. And What defines success to me is when you are able to help family and your close ones financially. Thats real success in my opinion.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

DFlowetry: I say its Honest, Real, Turnt up, a vibe, and motivational.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

DFlowetry: Not at all! Its no rules to this music game. Everybody that made a name for themselves didn’t do exactly what the next artist did to get recognize. They did what worked for them and sticked with it. But you can follow a successful Artist footsteps and apply it to you and still be yourself.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

DFlowetry: Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson.

DFlowetry - "The Vent" (Music Video)

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

DFlowetry: Easily Drake! Thats a fact. No explanation needed honestly.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

DFlowetry: Passion and joy. The effort I put into a song reflects on how my supporters hears the music. I don’t half ass on a song, I put my all in one song to bring out whatever emotion there is. When you give it a 100 percent, the rest will take care of itself.

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

DFlowetry: Till this day Im making sacrifices cause I don’t work a 9 to 5 anymore. I don’t hang out with friends as much as I use to cause I’m pretty much working on me during my spare time.  Those are the two main things I sacrificed and I don’t regret it at all.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

DFlowetry: Finding the beats is the best part of the process to me. Its always a great feeling when you are listening to new beats cause it gets you excited to actually write to it before you even record it. I just like to vibe first before anything. When it comes to sound quality, that can be the most discouraging part in the process of making music honestly. I say that cause most times you get a song back thats done mixing and mastered, Your not going to like it 9 times out of ten. So therefore, your constantly going back and forth with engineers just to get one song or project right on the quality. That right there can be frustrating.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

DFlowetry: Thats to far ahead to look into but I’m going with the flow in the meantime. Hopefully great things is going on for me 10 years from now.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

DFlowetry: I’ll know when I get there, Im still in that process as a upcoming Artist.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

DFlowetry: Yes of course. Im a Artist from Las Vegas, NV and been living out here for 15 years now. Prior than living in Las Vegas, I lived in San diego, California and also lived in Okinawa, Japan. I grew up in a Military family and that explains why I was moving around a lot at such a young age. I was born In North Carolina, Fayetteville but only lived there until I was 6 months old. North. Las Vegas is where I’m currently living now and is what I call home now. If you are reading this follow me on all my social media. Everything is @DFlowetry. Stay updated and New Music coming soon.

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Exclusive | Sonta Me'Shay is Chicago's Next Great R&B Singer

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is rising R&B artist, Sonta Me'Shay! Sonta has a voice that this generation needs to hear! The Chicago singer is signed to Machine Group Entertainment which features G Herbo, Tink and more! Sonta has had major success with her songs You Ain't Shit, Final Goodbye, Friends, And Word To My Ex, all gathering millions of views on youtube! 

Sonta - Crushing (Official Music Video)

We talked with Sonta in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you break into the music industry?

Sonta:  I have been making music since I was old enough to understand that I could sing forreal, but I have been releasing music for 3 years. What broke me into the industry was putting music out while also uploading videos singing, rapping and saying poems that I had written.

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Sonta: My biggest influences are Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill & Beyonce. My favorite musicians is this girl named Sonta lol, no but I like mostly Chicago artists, some mainstream and mostly old school RnB. Mary J, Destiny's Child, Cherish, 112, Jagged Edge etc.

Question: You're signed to Chicago’s Machine Group Entertainment which features some other major artists in G-Herbo, Tink, and Queen Key! What musicians would you most like to collaborate with for the future and why?

Sonta: Yes, I am. I would like to collaborate with all of the Upcoming Chicago Artists because it's good for the city. I would also like to collab with mainstream artists like SZA, Jhene Aiko, Tank etc.

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Sonta: I love all of my music equally, but You Aint Shit is my baby.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Sonta: What motivates me is God, my Mom, my Family, My Team, those who believe in me & those who don't. I define success as true peace, inside and out.

Question: What projects can people look forward to seeing from you in the future?

Sonta: In the near future people can look forward to me dropping PART 2 to the video series for my project InMyFeelings. In the Future I will be dropping a surprise Trailer introducing my next project.

Question: How do you generate new ideas

Sonta - “Crazy Over U” (Music Video)

Sonta: They usually just come to me because I use everything as inspiration.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Sonta: I describe my music as RnD; Rhythm&Drill. Its like a sweet sound but I'm speaking real sh*t.

Question: What do you believe is the formula to being a successful artist in today’s hip hop culture?

Sonta: I mean just be yourself and if people feel you they feel you.

Question: Who has been your greatest inspiration?

Sonta: My Mother, and Sister! Also the people who saw greatness in me in my younger years.

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Sonta: Beyonce because now that I'm pursuing the same career, I know how hard she works. Have to give credit where it’s due.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Sonta: I would say Passion and just emotion period because I go off of how im feeling at the moment.

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Sonta: The sacrifices I have had to make are mainly with time with loved ones and working long hours in the studio.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Sonta: Just coming up with new sounds and networking. Nothing discourages me.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Sonta: I just take it day by day like SZA said.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Sonta: The advice I would give is to stay focused and stay true to yourself.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Sonta: I don't consider myself a Singer or Rapper. I am a Writer. So what you hear are my Thoughts.

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Exclusive | Lona Talks the Release of His Upcoming Album '346'

We talked with emerging Houston, Texas rapper, Lona, in an exclusive interview! Just at the age of 21, he is barely scraping the surface of reaching his potential! Lona has gained support through consistent releases on his SoundCloud page, where he is best known for his songs "Have U", "Let U Tell It", and "Real Luv". He is gearing up to release a new album titled 346 later this month! This is an artist you will want to be on the lookout for in the near future!

We talked with Lona in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Lona: I’ve been making music for about 5 years now. Music has always been something I loved, from being in band to writing songs as a kid but I didn’t start taking it seriously until I started rapping. I used to play basketball and after an injury, I was forced to find another passion. It was a rough time in my life, so I started writing songs to express how I felt and I fell in love with it.

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Lona: I could go on forever about artists who have influenced me, because I love so many different kinds of music and I’m a fan of a lot of artists but Tupac, Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Brent Faiyaz to name a few.

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Lona: Right now, I would say Drake just because everything he touches is gold and I’ve been a fan since I was like 12 years old so it’d mean a lot to me. Not to mention, he’s crazy talented so I feel like we could make some really dope music together.

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Lona: Honestly, I love all my songs but I feel like my best is yet to come. Real Luv is an important song for me though because I feel like that’s when I figured out how to say more with less.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Lona: I’m motivated by wanting to outdo myself just from a desire to be great, wanting to be able to take care of my family, and being counted out. I would define success as being financially comfortable and stable, buying my mom a house, putting my brother through school, just living out dreams that seemed distant as a kid. I just want to be able to share my art with the world and for people to be able to relate and connect, not all the materialistic shit.

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

Lona: I get ideas from everywhere and everything, so it would be hard to narrow it down to one method but as far as albums go I’ll duck off to look at what’s going on around me or in my life, do some self-reflection and that usually gets things going.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Lona: I just let the music speak for itself. I’m a man of few words by choice and I consider myself versatile when it comes to music so I just make whatever I feel at the time. My new project is definitely for driving, late nights, thinking, friends and relationships though. It’s a time piece of where I’m at right now, something people can live to.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Lona: I do but I feel like every artist has to figure out what that formula is for them. Every artist is different so everything doesn’t work for everybody.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Lona: So it’s like a 3 way tie. Tupac has always been like a ghost I’m chasing. To finish what he started and just how infectious he was to culture. Then I have to say Drake because he’s been the guy for our time and growing up his music helped me through a lot. I have to also say J. Cole for the same reason as Drake and I can relate to both.

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Lona: Kanye and Drake for obvious reasons, I just feel like they have the ability to connect with people and create soundscapes that a lot of artists can’t which is why I hold them as standards for the level I want to reach.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Lona: I would say sadness, but it’s subtle. I don’t try to make people sad listening to the music but I feel like my music can be dark even though it feels good. And that’s just because I’ve had more of that in my life than anything but people deal with it so it’s important to talk about. Anger and passion also show up pretty often.

Lona - “Charge it 2 the Game” Music Video

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Lona: I’ve had to sacrifice a lot, from friendships to love to family time but I know it’s all going to pay off.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Lona: The parts that excite me are telling my story in a creative way and seeing people connecting with it because that’s what I do it for at the end of the day. Music is therapeutic. And the most discouraging part I would say is just not knowing yet if all the work you put in is for nothing or if it’s truly appreciated.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Lona: In 10 years I want to be on top of the game, 6/7 albums in, God-willing a few Grammys and focusing on pushing my own artists, writing films/shows, fashion, and acting. I don’t want to be pushing 40 still only making money off rap. And I want to be giving back to Houston, helping rebuild schools and improving communities.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Lona: I’d say to just to be 100% yourself and don’t be easily swayed. That’s probably the most important thing and I don’t feel like I’m in a position yet to just be giving out advice on how to make it. But I would say find a sound you like, study the legends and as long as you have talent and support there’s nothing you can’t do. But it won’t be easy and you can’t trust everyone, I will say that.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Lona: I just want people to know that it’s okay to feel, closing yourself off from emotions is just as bad as being in pain and that’s what I want my music to do. I want it to make people feel something while they’re listening. And my project 346 is dropping this month and I hope they take time to listen, sit with it, and unpack what I’m saying. Listen to it in your room at night or on a road trip or driving through your city. Hopefully everyone loves it like I do and the story I’m telling resonates.

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Exclusive | Texas Lyricist Antoine Banks is Heavily Slept On

By: Omar Cook

We talked with Texas rapper, Antoine Banks, in and exclusive interview! Antoine is a dope lyricist from Odessa, Texas and is heavily slept on! This artist brings a smooth sound, with melodic hooks, versatile verses and an explosive delivery! Making music is his only hobby, as he writes a lot of songs and is deeply committed to the song structure when he writes. Antoine makes music that is relatable with substance, and even the songs that are strictly for entertainment will have you feeling like he's telling your story!

Check out his latest track, Visions of Forever

We talked with Antoine Banks in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Antoine Banks: I’ve been making music since 2004 just for fun, I didn’t take it serious until 2012 though. My older brother was big on making music and I had been writing poetry since I was in 3rd grade so my transition into hip-hop was pretty simple.

QUESTION: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Antoine Banks: Life is my biggest influence. I like to write about more than what you find in the typical hiphop/rap song. Don’t let that fool you and think that all I do is story tell like J. Cole, I’m really big on not being boxed in, so I’m extremely versatile. Something similar to Drake, or Big Sean, they still have the commercial music but you will still find those storytelling songs on their albums as well, I feel like I’m able to write about diamonds, money and hoes as well as write about being broke and struggling and making it out of that struggle, or write songs about depression and making it out of that. My favorite musicians would be Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Big Sean, Nas, Eminem, and Lil Wayne. Outside of Hip-hop I’m a big fan of song writers like Ed Sheeran, Adele, Chris Stapleton etc.

Antoine Banks - “Clements” (Music Video)

QUESTION: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Antoine Banks: Kanye West & Pharrell no doubt. Production wise I don’t think anyone can touch either of them, also Pharrell always has his own style in everything that he does. I feel like our personalities would mesh really well.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Antoine Banks: That’s a good question, and it changes everyday. I have a personal relationship with all of my music, I’m dedicated to my lyrics and my songs to the core. I’d have to say my favorite song is “Trapped” which hasn’t been officialy released just yet. It is a metaphorical song about a “No Strings Attached” relationship. Its very passionate and dives deep into the emotional side of not having emotions….if that makes sense haha

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Antoine Banks: I define success as standing in front of thousands of people and having them sing my lyrics back to me word for word. I define success as my mom waking up and not having to go to work. I define success as giving all of my friend’s jobs where they don’t feel like they work a day in their life. I have a lot of work to do before I reach that success but I’m on the right track.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas?

Antoine Banks: I pay attention to people, I’m mindful of my surroundings and what’s going on in the present moment of my life. I take to those experiences and create from them. I often times dive back into my past and write about previous moments I’ve experienced as well.

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Antoine Banks: I use the word “relatable” a lot. I enjoy telling stories, I enjoy when people listen to my music and feel like I’m speaking about their personal life experiences or even their life in general.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Antoine Banks: I believe the formula to being a successful artist is having a committed team committed to the same goal.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Antoine Banks: My biggest inspiration right now would be my Moms. Not gunna lie, I gotta make sure she’s well taken care of throughout life. I owe her that much.

Antoine Banks - “I Love Myself” (Music Video)

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Antoine Banks: Kendrick Lamar hands down not even close. He has successfully built commercial success will remaining a conscious rapper. Which is really hard to do in this day and age, in the “INSTA” generation, listeners don’t really enjoy lyrics that much, more so beats and adlibs. The fact that Kendrick has carved himself a spot at the top with his formula is remarkable to me.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Antoine Banks: BiPolar. You get a bit of everything.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Antoine Banks: I’ve missed birthdays, weddings, graduations and even funereals do to my dedication. It has consumed my life but I wouldn’t trade it for anything

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Antoine Banks: Writing is my favorite hands down, its all I do and all I ever think about. Finding beats is my least favorite, I’ll legit dig through hundreds of hundreds of beats before I find the perfect one lol

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Antoine Banks: I see myself touring around the world, in a Curren$y type of role. Not to big, but still very well known. Making enough money to support my kids kids while also still being able to walk through target. That’s what I want.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Antoine Banks: Don’t make the music people like, make people like the music you make.

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Antoine Banks: Pressing play on any Antoine Banks song will be the best decision you have ever made in your entire life.

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Exclusive | Lijah Turner Talks Leaving Behind Football to Focus on Music

By: Omar Cook

We talked with West Coast rapper, Lijah Turner, in an exclusive interview! Originally from East Oakland, California, his parents relocated him and his siblings to North Las Vegas, Nevada where he grew up. Turner initially had sports dreams and had aspirations of playing in the NFL or running track in the olympics. An ACL injury in 2016 caused him to turn to music which has been his focus ever since. Turner now lives in Los Angeles and is looking to make a name for himself in a region that is rich in hip hop culture! Lijah Turner brings a west coast sound with dope lyrics that is sure to turn some heads in the near future!

We talked with Lijah Turner in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Lijah Turner: I’ve been making music since september of 2016 right after I torn my acl at Cal Lutheran University.

QUESTION: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Lijah Turner:: My favorite musicians are Dj Quik, Dom Kennedy, Curren$y, Tupac, and k-Dot.

QUESTION: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Lijah Turner: Nipsey Hussle because honestly he has shown how to build yourself behind a brand without a record deal and now look at Nip, he is really a self-made legend in South Central.

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Lijah Turner: The best song I’ve ever released is SMOOTH N***A because it shows my creativity and my alter ego(Tino Daddy) the cold pimp himself haha!

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Lijah Turner: My nephews motivates me and success is defined as meeting and surpassing your own expectations.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas?

Lijah Turner: I’m a cali kid so I’ll be honest I’ll roll up and it get my mind racing!!

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Lijah Turner: Real feel hip hop honestly that trap music, autotune mumble rap bullshit don’t come out my mouth.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Lijah Turner: Staying true the game, your close loved ones, and most of all yourself.

QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Lijah Turner: Honestly my grandmother that passed away in 09, our birthdays were only two days apart and when I was younger her and myself was that close, but as I got older our bond got stronger then ever. And the crazy part is I was the last person to talk to her on the phone and she was really young when she passed so she inspired me to live my life to the fullest because you don’t know when your time's coming

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Lijah Turner: K-Dot, through the years he shown why is the next GOAT of our time he literally takes you through every emotion in his music and he is brilliant

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Lijah Turner: Honestly every emotion, (next pac in the making) haha lol jk

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Lijah Turner: Man a lot of sacrifices missing out on family events because of shows, spending my last on studio time, ignoring a lot of people to finish my last project I did (Baby To The Game) and man I know more will come it's just how you handle the situation and if you close ones stay down through the hard times

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Lijah Turner: Everything excites honestly hell I’d sleep at the stu and to be 100 nothing discourages me music wise I really don’t care if you like my shit as long as I do I could give two damns nothing phases me

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Lijah Turner: Shit, hopefully chillin with my loved ones living the best life I can!

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Lijah Turner: I mean the only advice I can give right now I sticking to it and being consistent cause if you not getting better you're getting worse

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Lijah Turner: Man I just want everyone to take a listen to it thats all!

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Exclusive | WAASIKeso is Hip-Hop's Next Great Rap Duo

We talked with Florida rap duo, WaasiKeso, in an exclusive interview! Jiggy Keso and WAASI Shade make up this dynamic lyrical duo! Keso is originally From Queens, New York and WAASI Shade hails from Carol City, Florida otherwise known as Miami Gardens. Keso left New York to attend Florida Atlantic University where the group came together." I enjoy making music and going different places. I want to see as much as I can from this world. I never like to be in one spot or doing the same thing for too long" says Keso. WAASI Shade recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s in communication and besides writing and recording music, his hobbies include basketball, football and inner city youth outreach. 

In a hip hop culture today where flows and style are ever changing, WASSIKeso brings an authentic approach to their music through their lyrics! Listening to their music, you can feel the passion and truth that this duo poors into their songs and it won't be long before you're hearing about this group on a regular basis!

WAASIKeso - “NAME” (Music Video)

We talked with WAASIKeso in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

WAASI Shade: I’ve been making music since I was about 12 years old, and I got started by stealing one of those school microphones from one of my classes. I took it home and download this recording program that I can’t remember the name of right now. I used to record in my crib with all of my homies, I believe some of the songs are still on my myspace. 

Jiggy Keso: I’ve been writing music as long as I can remember. Since a young kid I would remix songs from commercials and eventually started writing to other famous artist’s beats. I learned to make beats in eleventh grade and started recording around 2015 after my uncle died. After his death I vowed to live out the best life I could.

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

WAASI Shade: My biggest influences musically are Lauryn Hill, Tupac and old Lil Wayne. Reason being is they all played a huge role and my upbringing and represent different personalities that I have in myself. My favorite musicians at the moment are Terrance Martin, Daniel Caesar, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, SZA & The Sounds of Blackness.

Jiggy Keso: My biggest influence in terms of producing and overall musical intelligence is Kanye West. Lyrically I take a lot from Lil Wayne and Eminem. I like wordplay and I love using punchlines and interchanging phonetics within my verses. Within a verse I try to see how many flows I can fit in.

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

WAASI Shade: The artist that I would love to collaborate with is J. Cole, I feel like I would be able to feed off of the vibe that he would bring into the studio and the discussions we would have before we even record. 

Jiggy Keso: I feel like I could make some dope music with Jhene Aiko. I like soft vibes and her tone when she makes her music is cool. She doesn’t hold her talent back and she always has different vibes between songs.

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

WAASI Shade: The best song that I feel that I released as a solo artist is this song called “pages” off of my first project ever. Reason being is because of the honesty that I displayed and the way it flowed. Production wise it was trash but I didn’t care about all of that at that time. Ever since we made WAASIKeso our best song that we have released in my opinion is “Shawty’s Interlude”. I love the vibe of that song and the topic that we covered, which is “situationships”.

Jiggy Keso: My best song to me is Kick Back. It isn’t the best produced song that I have ever made but I love the vibe. It is an early song when I was really rough around the edges in terms of what I rapped about and how I sounded on the mic. But it definitely embodies the type of vibes that I love to listen to.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

WAASI Shade: What motivates me is the vison that I have created for myself, which includes inspiring inner city youth through creative outlets such as music. Also I find motivation from my Lil Brother who I want to have a better life than I did growing up because we live in a drug and crime polluted area. I define success as doing something that you love and inspires you to get up every day without the thought that you are wasting your time, plus it gives you the opportunity to continue growing in your respective field of success.

Jiggy Keso: My motivation is my family. And I also love to be someone who always has something going on. I don’t ever want to be in the same place doing the same thing forever. So I work to stay ahead of that. I define success by how happy I am doing what I do and how it can support me and those around me.

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

WAASI Shade: It’s all about conversations and experience when it comes to generating new ideas for me. I believe that ideas are transferred through the day to experiences of life and allowing other people express their perspectives and thoughts to help your creative process.

Jiggy Keso: I generate new ideas by chilling around creatives like myself. Deven and I spend a lot of time around people who have different ways of thinking and it pushes us to expand how we see things.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

WAASI Shade: I would describe our music as real and relatable because we are vulnerable with things such as relationships, depression, our personality and what we think. One song might feel like a nighttime ride by yourself, the next might feel like a summer day drive to the get some food with the homies. We try to capture different with every song.

Jiggy Keso: I describe my music as really chill. I like low tones and hard bass so I try to have those vibes in my music as well. Even if im on a feature I try to make my part a little different whether its messing with the pitch or adding a deep voice behind my verse.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

WAASI Shade: Nope! We’ve seen a variety of ways towards success with artist, music knows no bounds. It’s an energy with no structure so you never know what type of sound might take off next.

Jiggy Keso: Not really. I think you have to find a fan base and stick to them. Just show love to who shows love to you and people will support you for the most part.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

WAASI Shade: My Grandma, the strength that she has showed raising our whole family and the sacrifice she has made for us is something that can’t be matched.

Jiggy Keso: My mom and dad. Nothing phases them it seems and they always let me know that they got me. I try to emulate them when Im out in public.

WAASIKeso - “Soul Food”

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

WAASI Shade: The most influential artist in today’s genre is Kanye West, regardless of whatever comes out of his mouth, it goes without question that he sound carries weight in the industry. The most successful artist to me is J. Cole because he has gotten to a position where his artistry is respected, yet he controls and creates every project that he puts out. He has full on creative freedom to do what he pleases.

Jiggy Keso: I would have to say it’s a tie between Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J Cole. They seem to shut the industry down when they drop any new music and people are always aligned with one of those three.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

WAASI Shade: Passion by far, I move off of passion and when you can hear the passion in somebody within their songs, it touches you in a different way. You ever listen to Fantasia and be like “damn, I feel that” that’s the feeling that dominates the music I listen to.

Jiggy Keso: Ambition and reflection. Ive been through a lot mentally as has Waasi and we try to let people know that its going to be ok. You got to keep pushing forward when life hits you.

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

WAASI Shade: Well me and Keso made a sacrifice by coming together and leaving our solo ambitions to the side in order to make better music together. We could have let our pride get the best of us and continue our Solo Careers but we understand that our chemistry together in something that can take us far.

Jiggy Keso: My sanity. Temporarily. I was in a really dark place for a while and I had to obsess over a certain dream night in and night out. I had to indulge myself into fantasies that I created to keep me at a stable state for a while.

WAASIKeso - “Lights”

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

WAASI Shade: When I finally release a project or a song and receive positive reactions from the people that listen. They would text me, call me, or find me person to tell me how much they love our music. It lets me know that we are going in the right direction and that people are excited to hear our music.

Jiggy Keso: Im always excited to record a track. I love rapping over a beat and hearing it back and editing. The possibilities are endless and you get to exercise your creativity.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

WAASI Shade: I see us touring across the world not only performing music but helping urban communities with every stop that we make. Our music will touch millions of people in a positive way. 

Jiggy Keso: Owning and successfully operating a record label.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

WAASI Shade: Patience is Key! But having patience doesn’t mean sit on your ass and wait for an opportunity, you have to go out and work until you create multiple opportunities for yourself.

Jiggy Keso: Love the competition. Don’t beef with any other artists around your city. Work with them. Work together and put your city on. There’s enough money for everybody.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

WAASI Shade: Our Music will get to your ears somehow, someway. Plus we are working on more music so stay tuned! WAASIKeso is here to stay, Believe That!!

Jiggy Keso: That it will always improve. The End.

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Exclusive | Elijah McClinton Turned a Passion Into Deathtoheartbreaks Clothing Line

By: Omar Cook

Our "Who's Hot?" Entrepreneur of the Week is Elijah McClinton, co-founder of Deathtoheartbreaks clothing line! McClinton is a 19 year old fashion designer from Anaheim, California and raised in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was a not so good high school student, but fought to turn it around and is now in school for journalism. Writing and drawing have always been his passion since he was young and while in high school, McClinton was a part of the school’s film program that won a couple of awards throughout the state. This opportunity opened his eyes to videography and the possibilities it could provide for him!

Check out the brand here www.deathtoheartbreaks.com

Deathtoheartbreaks For LA Fashion Week 2022

We talked with Elijah Mcclinton in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: What sparked you to start your business? How did the idea come about?

McClinton: I always had a passion for clothing and just putting certain looks together. But, my junior year of high school is when it all started. My two friends at the time, Dejuan Barney, who is still a part of the group, and Ashton Graham, had an idea that if we turn our hardships into creativity that nothing could stop us. And that’s the definition of our brand Deathtoheartbreaks. “Death to anything destructive or harmful that can be turned into creativity.” Since then we have added a few other members in Monty Chino, Ian Courtney Ferguson, and Jon Davis along the way.

Question: What advice would you give to young people looking to start their own business?

McClinton: I would say to trust yourself. That no one knows you like you know you. There have been plenty of times where I’ve been told, “that won’t work, or this won’t work” and you just got to have the fortitude to do it your way and to block out anyone or anything telling you to do otherwise.

Question: What are some of the necessary skills that you've seen are needed to run a successful business?

McClinton: TO HAVE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS! It’s not what you know it’s always who you know. You have to be unafraid to put yourself out there. You can’t just be a figure behind the screen all the time. “Be Somebody, Be Somewhere.” – Dan Lok

Question: What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them? 

McClinton: Interestingly enough, I don't think I've hit that wall yet. Of course, there are always obstacles in the way. But I would say the only thing would be trying to wear too many hats at one time and communication between members at times. I know it stems from me liking things a certain way and never really relying on other people to do anything for me. But I would say it’s gotten better to a point where I have a great team around me that all know their roles and play them well.

Question: What motivates you?

McClinton: The once local stars that made it out. I think it’s so fascinating how the same people from my home area have found a way to make it out and are now making a name for themselves. They were once in the same shoes I’ve been in. And now they have become the ones where you can look to and say, “you can do it too.”

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

McClinton: Idea’s come from life experiences and the people that I meet in passing. Ideas and concepts are always flowing through our minds and it wouldn’t be us to not be thinking what’s next.

Question: How do you define success?

McClinton: Success to me is doing what you love and not having a care in the world what anybody has to say about it. Life is what you make it out to be. You can choose to make a great, or shitty. It’s your choice.

Question: How do you build a successful customer base?

McClinton: I seem to get this question a lot and all I have to say is to find your niche. Find your target audience and roll with it. If you aim for athletes and you actually have a skater crowd. Roll with what works. Don’t overthink your game plan just go and execute.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula for being a successful entrepreneur?

McClinton: There isn't a particular formula no, but all entrepreneurs have to go through one thing. And that's pain and hardships. It’s always going to be a struggle. Whether you not having the correct resources, money, people, equipment, there is always something that will be missing. You just got to learn to live with that and move along.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

McClinton: Pharrell Williams by far. Ever since I was little it's been N.E.R.D and The Neptunes all day. The way he seems to be everywhere and do everything still amazes me. He's what I call a humble flexer. He knows he's the shit, but he will always play it off like it's nothing, it's so amazing.

Question: What is your favorite aspect of being a business owner?

McClinton: My favorite aspect is always the reaction. It’s really cool seeing someone react to your ideas, whether it be good or bad, any reaction I receive, I learn something from it. 

Question: How do you go about marketing your business?

McClinton: Conducting interviews is one, connecting with people who have the same minds as us, and just staying relevant. One of the greatest things about conducting interviews is you also learn something as well. You get to pick their brain and hopefully, you can come out of it and learn something from the conversation. 

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make to keep your business running?

McClinton: I wouldn’t call them sacrifices if you want it that bad. But it’d probably be the usual not going out to eat, partying, and impulse buying. Spending all the money you earned in a two-week period just buy some materials. Being late on some bills, the usual.

Question: What company or business do you admire most other than yours and why?

McClinton: Their two companies that I admire the most. And it’s one, they have a great story of overcoming great obstacles and two they’re just great companies. You would be a fool to not say Apple and BMW. These two companies have overcome the then dominated Microsoft company and the booming American car business into oblivion. From both being the laughing stock of the industry, on the verge of bankruptcy, too now pure luxury and excellence. You cannot beat that. Another player in the game would be Under Armor. Don’t be surprised if Under Armor becomes the leader of not just sportswear but casual wear as well.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your business in 10 years?

McClinton: My plan is to bring something unique to the industry while also being true to myself. Bringing all different mediums together. I see myself and the brand as a stepping stool for other young and ambitious artists like myself a platform to branch out. Ultimately my future goal would be to have a fashion show here in Atlanta with other artists I appreciate to create something bigger and brighter for the community, while also making a name for myself in the industry.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about your business?

McClinton: Season 09 shop is now open, make sure to go to our website at www.deathtoheartbreaks.com and subscribe so you can be the first to be up to date on new updates, releases, and articles. We have something special planned for the summer as well so be on the lookout for that.

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Exclusive | Laolu Talks Overcoming Depression and Her Return to Music

We talked with U.K. singer, Laolu, in an exclusive interview! This hot new singer was born and raised in South East London, and developed a kinship with music that has spanned much of her life. Laolu graduated in Commercial Music Performance, and it wasn’t long until Laolu was writing her own material and performing across a wide variety of venues including the Indigo O2, Somerset House as part of the ‘What Next’ Campaign supported by Bigga Fish, Cargo, Proud Camden, Street Fest London and the Queen of Hoxton. 

Her involvement in the ‘What Next’ Campaign saw her work with the likes of Little Simz and Katy B, supporting acts including Chipmunk, Ghetts, The Wombats and Miss Dynamite. Laolu worked with DJ and producer Blinkie at the very beginning of her career, who also introduced her to the artists J Warner and Benjamin AD. 

Laolu - “All In Me” (Music Video)

Laos is an honest soul who openly shares a struggle with depression, which  through her music she hopes she can inspire others going through similar issues. 

With her return to music, Laolu discovered a new understanding of the direction she wanted to take her sound and her music. The struggle with depression served as a source of inspiration for her upcoming release ‘All in Me’ which talks the listener through the journey she has experienced.

We talked with Laolu in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Laolu: I first starting singing in primary school around age 10, and started songwriting shortly after. The first time I ever sand was in the school choir and we sand ‘oh happy days’ from Sister act, I just remember everyone coming up to me after saying “oh my gosh you can sing, you can sing!”

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Laolu: I am a huge fan of Brandy, Andre 3000, Kelis and Faith Evans, new school I like SZA, H.E.R and Toro Y Moi and I’m a huge Janelle Monae fan.

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Laolu: I really would love to collaborate with James Fauntleroy or Syd (The Internetz) both are extremely talented and I feel we’d just vibe and create something special.

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Laolu: If I’d have to choose I’d say my latest single ‘How To Feel’ I feel I really tapped back into the original R&B that only a few artists are still doing and I just love how the song develops from start to finish.

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Laolu: I just love creating and being around others who have genuine love for the art of music, nothing beats being around musicians and just seeing the enjoyment on their faces. The love of music motivates me and overcoming depression and making music again.

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

Laolu: I go off what I experience in life, what my friends experience, sometimes it’s the energy I get when I’m in a session and the producers start creating.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Laolu: Honest R&B with a hint of alternative and raw lyricism, I don’t sugar coat what I write or sing about.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Laolu: No, I think some are lucky but longevity is granted to those who never stop loving what they do and always strive to grow and learn as a musician or artists. I feel right now we are in a time where people just want good music they’re not fussed about popularity they just want real music.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Laolu: That would be my family, we haven’t had it all the way easy but we never allowed things to deter us from what we all wished to achieve. My sisters a lawyer, my brothers a photographer, my other brothers in music and real estate and my mums been successful in all she’s done as single parent, I only hope to make them all proud.

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Laolu: Probably Daniel Caesar, I believe his talent is so raw, his vocals are amazing and so effortless I believe him and H.E.R the singer are really doing solid R&B for the younger generation.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Laolu: Right now it’s a bit of everything, my E.P ‘All In Me’ that’s coming out later this year, is based off things I experienced whilst battling depression, I speak on every and about where I am now. 

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Laolu: I don’t really have a social life, I’ve always been a home body but I have to invest in my music and my dream so not seeing friends and going out is a sacrifice I’m willing to make. All my money goes towards music so I don’t really see it as a sacrifice more of an investment.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Laolu: Most exciting process is getting the music out and performing live, seeing people vibe and just letting you know they appreciate and like what you’re doing. Discouraging aspect would be working towards a timeline and things getting pushed back, you know when you’re excited about a release and when it doesn’t go as planned it frustrating but I believe everything happens for a reason and just to trust the universe.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Laolu: Doing tours and being successful, I believe that the best is yet to come and I will continue to make music that’s honest and music that connects with people.

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Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Laolu: Always look towards the end goal, remember why you started and keep going no matter what, it will not be easy some days you’ll question ‘why am I doing this’ you won’t always see results straight away but every seed planted will yield results at the right time. Remember to love what you’re doing and not to lose yourself in the hype.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Laolu: Please support my music, it’s literally been what helped me out of depression and I hope my music helps anyone else battling through it. Thank you for taking the time to listen and share xX

Laolu, Category: Artist, Singles: How To Feel, All In Me, Top Tracks: How To Feel, All In Me, Biography: Born and raised in South East London, Laolu has developed a kinship with music that has spanned much of her life., Monthly Listeners: 126, Where People Listen: London, Ilford, Brooklyn, Jacksonville, Cologne

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Exclusive | Nayome Discusses Her Debut EP and Pursuing Her Music Career

Nayome is an up and coming singer out of Texas! The 21 year old sing artist was born and raised in Tyler, Texas, but spent her teenage years growing up in the Dallas Metroplex city of Irving, Tx in the Valley Ranch area where she graduated from Ranchview High School. Nayome currently attends Texas State University and is pursuing a degree in Marketing. She loves to sing and dance and owns her own dancing organization called Queen Empire Dance at Texas State where she teaches heel dancing!

Check out Nomi's first music video to her single See You ft Vonte!

Nayome - “Fair Warning” (Music Video)

We talked with Nayome in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Nayome: Music has always been a part of my life and it’s in my DNA as I come from a family of aspiring musicians.  Growing up I always participated in school choirs from elementary to high school. It was in college where I discovered my love for writing song lyrics. Back in November 2017 I made a decision to step out of the shadows and write my first single “Missing You”. It was my first time going public with a song I wrote and I’m glad I made the move. I just wrote down how I felt in that moment in my notes on my phone and I didn’t actually record or finish up until 3 months later. Ever since I recorded that song, I’ve been so eager and motivated to write more and to share with the world!

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Nayome: Honestly, there are too many to even list out as I have so many musical influences! For creative inspiration I listen to Erykah Badu or Bryson Tiller.  Beyoncé has been one of my favorite artists since Destiny’s Child. Her drive to keep outdoing what’s expected of her is truly amazing. At the moment, some of my favorite artists in my daily playlist consist of H.E.R, Alina Baraz, Xavier Omar, DVSN, Jhene Aiko, Ella Mai, SZA, Kehlani and so many more.  

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Nayome: I’d love to collaborate with Alina Baraz one day!!!!!  I’ve been listening to her since 2015 and I love the way she writes her songs and the structure of her songs are simply amazing. She has that R&B/Electric Vibe that you can really feel while listening to her lyrically. Her most recent project “The Color of You” has been on a repeat since the day it came out. She’s truly a distinctive artist with a distinctive sound and I would love to see how our two styles mix together. 

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Nayome: My best song so far in my opinion is my single “Fading.” This song is the second thing I’ve released and I pour a lot of emotion to the track. “Fading” is a relevant sequence of events that went on in my life that also played a part in my growth and it means a lot to me. I could say that it is the best yet most underrated song that I have released. I hold a lot of confidence in all my projects but when growth happens in my life it become a creative force to me and I think that’s a big motivator for me to keep going. 

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Nayome: Knowing that I can do everything through Christ gives me a faith that constantly motivates me to keep pushing towards my passion. My mom is also someone who told me from the beginning to pursue my passion for singing.  I also want her to have everything she wants so if it takes me there that would be such a blessing to have the opportunity to bless her and others. Also, I still find it very surprising that people look up to me. I’ve had people tell me that I’m very inspiring by the way I go so aggressively towards my passions. If what I do with music motivates someone else to pursue their dreams then I think that’s all the success I need. Success is doing something that makes a person genuinely happy in life and everything that comes from that is just a benefit. 

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

Nayome: When it comes to my music I get inspired at the most random moments. One way of generating creativity is reflecting on my growth from life lessons and from there I will shut myself up in my room and focus on writing about my experiences. Another way is  I’ll be in my bed thinking about my day and I’ll turn on YouTube,  my TV and type in “R&B Type Beats” and just write down my feelings. I’ll generate new songs/ideas in the most random moments. It’s almost like my instincts tells me to stop what I’m doing and write about a feeling I have. 

Question: How do you describe your music to people?  

Nayome: I think my music is defined as “Vibey.” I would even go as far to say it will put you in the mood and make one feel like they have experienced the emotion I’m portraying in the song. 

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Nayome: I don’t think there is a formula to success other than you HAVE to believe in yourself, stay consistent, and most of all to have FUN. 

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Nayome: I would most definitely have to say Beyonce. She’s a hard worker and she goes above and beyond in everything she does, and not to mention how incredibly talented she is!!! She literally masters singing and dancing like its nothing major to do! 

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Nayome: Once again, I think Beyonce is the most influential artist in the game right now because of how she simply changes the game every time she does something musically. Her live performances are unmatched!!! I’ve had the pleasure of attending her Formation tour and the experience was unreal and being there actually pushed me a step closer to pursuing my passion because one day I would love to sell out arenas and bring happiness to every single person that comes out.  

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Nayome: Currently, I am writing music that reflects happiness, but it always changes. It depends on what I’m feeling when I’m writing but every time I’m writing the goal is for my listeners to feel like they are in my shoes experiencing the emotion that is reflected in my songs. 

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Nayome: Sleepless nights taking a toll on my academic studies as well as taking a hit on my social life as I’ve lost some friends as I began to focus more on pursuing my music.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Nayome: I think the most exciting thing of making music is overcoming challenges. There are so many obstacles I face when writing my music/ recording my music. It’s the greatest feeling to overcome the obstacles that I face. I have become very quick to take on challenges as well such as making a song on a beat I’m not used to or just stepping out of my comfort zone in general, it’s a very fun process. Feeling discouraged is a type of mindset that I try to avoid having. I have to remind myself constantly that I can do anything I put my mind to. 

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Nayome: In ten years, I see myself inspiring my generation and the generation behind me through my music. It’s a huge goal but with consistent growth in this industry I have no doubt that it can be achieved. 

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Nayome: Don’t quit, stay consistent, and to stay true to themselves. The music industry is tough and it’s so easy to get discouraged and to remember to have fun with the process. Grow from the obstacles and keep pushing through.  

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Nayome: I would like people to know that it’s very important to go for their passions. We only live once and it’s a better life when you are in control of your own life. I will try my absolute hardest to make sure my passion in singing/ writing is a part of my day to day life. I am working on my first EP. R E C O V E R Y+ that releases this Summer! I’m so excited to show the world what I’ve been working on and I hope that they catch the vibe!

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Exclusive | Robert Smith is Changing the Sneaker Game With Sole Simple LLC

By: Omar Cook

Our "Who's Hot?" Entrepreneur of the Week is Robert Smith a current NFL free agent and co-founder of Sole Simple LLC. Robert was born and raised in the Clifton section of Staten Island, New York and later relocated to Carteret, NJ for high school. He continued to further my football career at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania. After graduating from Saint Francis, he went on to continue his masters in Technology Education at Jackson State while also finishing his last year of college football as a redshirt senior.

After finishing his college football career, Robert continued to pursue his dreams to play professional football. Smith went on to compete in the Washington Redskins Rookie mini camp, played professional football for the Hamburg Huskies in Hamburg, Germany, and recently did a private workout for the Baltimore Ravens.

While still pursuing his professional football career, Robert and his cousin Ryan came together to create a sneaker boutique business called Sole Simple. "We created  the business together because we both have a passion of collecting sneakers throughout the years since we were in high school. Now, we have our online web store open and we are soon to expand our brand to our first store front."

We talked with Robert Smith in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: What sparked you to start your business? How did the idea come about?

Smith: What made me want to start up Sole Simple is my motivation to find a way to pay myself when I couldn’t find a job. I always had an obsession for sneakers growing up as I was constantly going to sneaker conventions all throughout NYC when I was 16. Meeting people to trade, sell, and buy sneakers from others was an experience at a young age. When the job hunting was tough, I would sell some of my sneakers from my own collection to pay myself. After I graduated college, I came up with the name “Sole Simple” because to me it is a very unique name and also the idea of turning a hobby into a paycheck is really easy and simple. 

Question: What advice would you give to young people looking to start their own business?

Smith: I advise all the young entrepreneurs to make sure that they’re 1000% invested into themselves first before they invest in their brand. Too many people try to start a business and are not confident in their brand which leads to failure in the long run. Confidence is a big factor because you have to stand firm on why your products and or services separate your brand from others. If potential customers see that you are not confident in your brand, they will take their money elsewhere. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should someone else believe in you?

Question: What are some of the necessary skills that you've seen are needed to run a successful business?

Smith: Some skills that are I’ve personally seen that are needed is time management, self discipline, assertiveness, and work ethic. If you can master those four skills in your business, it will lead to great success throughout the years.

Question: What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them? 

Smith: The failures that I’ve faced in the business is sometimes investing in some sneakers that end up being easily accessible which everyone in the market calls “bricks”. Sometimes being caught up in the hype too much can lead to no gain in the return of the investment. The good thing about it is that sometimes you can return them and get your money back. One thing I’ve learned is to always do research extensively before you put your money in it. Self assurance is the best insurance in my book. 

Question: What motivates you?

Smith: My mother really is my motivation. She is the one who instilled great values as a man to always strive to want more for yourself and to never be content in anything I do. She really is the MVP in all of this!

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

Smith: I tend  to read books, listen to music, and create time for myself to think on how I can make my brand bigger than what it is now. I have a strong tendency to overthink every situation and that’s where I start thinking outside of the box. I try to create at least 2-3 ideas for my business everyday. 

Question: How do you define success?

Smith: Success is when you realize that your blessings will always be bigger and better than your burdens. Financial success is great of course but making sure that you are mentally and spiritually wealthy is even better. You can have all the money in the world but if you’re not right within, how do you expect to win? I believe that everyone is successful in their own way, shape, or form.   

Question: How did you build a successful customer base?

Smith: A great customer base starts off with a great reputation on social media. I started my customer base on social media where I would post up pairs of sneakers I wanted to sell on Twitter and Instagram. I started selling locally at first and gradually I would have random people hit me up on social media all throughout the U.S to purchase. I would write up an invoice and when they paid me, I would ship the sneakers to the address the customer provided. My customer base grew even bigger when I was playing professional football in Germany. When people in the U.S  couldn’t get their hands on a pair of sneakers that sold out, they would hit me up on Twitter and paid me to ship it to them from Germany.  

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful entrepreneur?

Smith: Besides supply and demand, I don’t believe there is a set formula to be a successful entrepreneur. Nowadays, there are so many people who have became successful entrepreneurs in their own way that it is hard for anyone to duplicate it. Just because your formula is working for your own company, doesn’t mean it will work the same for someone else’s brand. You have to find your own niche and capitalize on it in every way possible. 

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Smith: As an entrepreneur, I would have to say Jay-Z because he embodies the definition of a businessman all the way. That transition from being a rapper to a successful business owner is something I strive to have especially being that I’m a professional athlete. As I listen to some of his old albums, I realize that he always had a mindset that separated him from other rappers in the industry. 

Question: What is your favorite aspect of being a business owner?

Smith: It’s a beautiful feeling being able to pay yourself and not having anyone tell you what to do or how to do it. Being your own boss and having your own hours is nothing short of immaculate to say the least. 

Question: How do you go about marketing your business?

Smith:  I balance social media marketing with traditional marketing. While marketing on social media, My partners and I would attend sneaker conventions, entrepreneur mixers, and other social events handing out business cards to people who fit our target market. I’m a firm believer in making sure to marketing the business on all avenues as much as possible. 

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make to keep your business running?

Smith: I sacrificed my social life. I’ve been so busy that I have less time to hang out with friends because every minute and hour has be productive towards expanding my brand. The party life ain’t going nowhere and I rather spend my money on my business than to spend it on things with no value. I treat my business as if it was of child of my own. 

Question: What company or business do you admire most other than yours and why?

Smith: Flight Club. They’ve been successful in the industry for several years and still continue to be. I aspire to have that longevity and strong reputation that they have in their business. 

Question: Where do you see yourself and your business in 10 years?

Smith: I can see myself opening several locations outside of NYC with my partners and changing the sneaker head culture to something better than it ever was. People will see Sole Simple globally!

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about your business?

Smith: Yes. We have an online store up right now and I need everyone to follow us on all of our social networks. We are doing sneaker preorders on each release and we sell high end streetwear brands as well. 

Follow Robert Smith on twitter @solesimplellc

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