Where are we talking from today and how is your day going so far?
I’m well and very grateful for the opportunity to be interviewed by skope I appreciate it.
At what age did you start getting into music and decide to pursue a career in music?
I don’t go by western or Julian Greco time in relation to age but I was 11 when I started writing songs. I started producing at the 18….but I’ve been playing drums since I was like 2
Would you say your friends / family support you in your musical journey?
My family is supportive. When I first started they just didnt want me making the wrong decisions and my dad wanted me to be independent as possible. My father thought I would be more successful that way. Any bad turnovers I ever had in the music industry was always based off me trusting someone to do something for me, not knowing I can do it myself
If you were to mention 3 musicians who have had a big influence on you who would they be and why?
Prince, the Notorious B.I.G, J dilla.
How did you get the alias Treal Smoke and how does that name describe your sound?
Well I’m a self contained artist so Prince is inspiring, BiG because of the effect I seen from him on people in my youth. DIlla because of how prolific he was and his diy approach to archiving his catalog
How did you get the alias Treal Smoke and how does that name describe your sound?
Too real or truly real smoke is what the name means…..really it’s a homage to fallen black men who were hung,lynched and burnt alive during Jim Crow and it’s a play on the hot boy narrative. The idea of always moving around to get to a dollar or generate some type of progression in life. My work is kinda like a Nexus between new York and the South. My momma is from Brooklyn, my dad is from the South, so…my records alot of times carry a new York hustle with a southern lean.
You are from NY – would you say being from a state where so many legends in music have come make you step your game up?
Yeah my era you had to be flames to get attention. I stay true to that I want my fans to feel my catalog is damn near perfect
https://citihampton.bandcamp.com/album/fa-t-time-and-broken-youth
Your new album ‘Fa$t Time$ and Broken Youth’ is out now and it is great. How long were you working on this project and where did you do the recording / writing etc?
I appreciate you saying u like the project, the body of work took longer than usual…..things happened to delay it ,so it took a little more than one year and half. All of it was produced written, composed mixed and mastered by me mostly in my home studio
You have 12 tracks on the album – what is the process for choosing what tracks to be on the album and what are the 2 stand out singles we should check out?
I usually start by just knocking beats out on a normal day I may knock out 3 to 5 beats in a day with hook and chorus based ideas….then come back the next day and start writing. Just me and my gear and “Maya” my guitar. I don’t usually write my verses down until I know I got about 8 bars solid may have thought them up and don’t wanna forget…then I’ll start writing the bars down
What is your process to collect and choose instrumentals and any producers you want to shout out?
I just pick the beats I like outta my collection. There is no one Im working with, the last 3 projects I dropped for sure have all been written,produced, composed and mixed by me
How does it feel when you go on Youtube and read all the positive comments from people – does that motivate you to keep going?
It’s great, I’m grateful
What do you feel your sound offers the music community that it is missing and why?
I’m just making the shit I like and it’s authentic. That’s all I’m really focused on. Just continual archiving and curating records and output that can be seen as classic consistently.
On an off music topic – lots of change going on in the world and society, are you optimistic about the future and what are some concerns you have?
I could expound on that for days….but right now I’ll decline….I just wanna remind people to go outside and live a real life. Keep God first, stay sucka free and get money….no squares allowed
