DOWNLOAD: TKO ft. Dorrough - Slide
Hit the break to view TKO's interview with WWS Magazine. Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today. I’m from Lorain, Ohio. I’ve always been a person with big dreams. I set goals for myself that I want to achieve and I’m working hard until I see them become a reality. I’ve always been a fan of hip hop; I fell in love with it at a young age, inspired by greats like Nas, UGK and many more. I just knew that music was something I’d love to do for a long time. What are you currently working on and what can we expect to see? I am currently working on the release of my EP, “Da Midwest Monster” which is scheduled to debut early 2011. It has all original tracks, I put a lot of time and effort into this project, I have appearances by Dorrough music, Shawty Lo, Tum Tum and many more…. I also linked up with Grammy nominated platnium producer Young Yonny for this project. I pride myself on creativity and originality. What is one of the most drastic changes you’ve made about yourself in the last year? I re-evaluated the people in my circle. I had to cut off those who were not helping to contribute to success of the team. It was like cutting dead weight and starting all over again. I changed up my writing style and creativity by getting back to the things that I really wanted to talk about. Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you had to face in the industry? Ohio is not a major market for entertainment. Sometimes coming from a smaller town can have its disadvantages. We work ten times harder in the smaller markets to promote ourselves and it’s a constant grind. What was one of the biggest set backs in your career and how did you bounce back? The biggest setback I’ve faced is in regard to management and guidance. I had a lot of people make false promises early in my career. A lot of things that I should have done a few years ago I’m just now getting to because I didn’t have knowledge of the music business. I have gained experience through trial and error. What are some things artists need to be careful of? Be careful of people who make false promises. It’s important to be knowledgeable of the business for your own safety. Not only should you be knowledgeable in your field but also you should be fully aware of how the business operates. What would you spend a million dollars on? If I had a million dollars I would find ways to multiply it using different business & investment strategies such as real estate. I want to invest so once I’m done making music I can be financially stable in the future. What was your biggest risk taken in your career? My biggest risk would be the sacrifices I’ve made for my career. I finance my own career and had to cut out a lot of leisure activities to ensure I have finances for things I want to do in the future. What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself? My advice for newer artists is don’t be a prisoner of the moment, live for the future. Anything that’s here today can be gone tomorrow. Just make sure you make the right choices, no one can do for you like you can do for yourself. What are the best ways to sell your products as an artist? Utilize all of the tools that you have. Technology is really a benefit to artists today. It’s important to market yourself via Internet. You should also have your product on hand, pass it out on the streets, in clubs, even local stores, it’s all about promoting yourself. What is one of your favorite ways to promote yourself and your music? I like to be very hands on with promotion. I take an approach that most artists don’t want to take. I like to personally introduce myself to fans and to those who may have never heard of me. I think that’s the best way to do things, no one is going to promote you better than yourself. Any last comments or statements? Yep! Big thanks to all my fans and be on the lookout for my EP the ”Da Midwest Monster” and new music videos coming soon!! Via WWS Magazine