Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Most news involving Florida is about disasters caused by hurricanes. Well we took the time to enter the eye of the storm for the latest hurricane to come out of Florida, the rising talent of Trav Williams.
First and foremost I want to say thank you for taking the time to allow me to conduct this interview with you and provide everyone with some insight in the mind of Trav Williams. How is life treating you?
I'm maintain, just working, paying bills, and writing but I'm just glad that y'all even reached out to me so thanks.
Based off your album we can already tell what kind of person you are in the studio and with a mic, tell us what you do on your free time when you're not busy helping to keep hip hop from being 6 feet under?
The usual you know... kicking it and whatnot but mostly I'm always trying to get into some adventures on some ol' Bill Bixby ish, anything from flag football to the co-ed softball and I just started rafting so I just try to stay out and about.
After releasing "Trickle Down" what impact did the album do to boost your reputation and fan base?
Wow, it was major. The response has been amazing. From the bloggers to Okayplayer people have really picked up on it. The experience has been humbling.
Trickle Down B side is the first time I have ever heard of you. The album is great, but your track "Where Were You" was a favorite of mine. What compelled you to write this verse?
True story. I always pull from something I understand and not just know and I am a chronic dater so women work themselves into every song one way or another. But I remember when I first heard the instrumental and I was thinking about this chick I knew or know depending on how you look at it, and how funny style she would act when there were no shows or when nobody would be looking and I would compare that to how she would act when all the eyes started to turn and thus the record was born.
On the production notes you have worked with a few members from IllMuzik. How did you connect with Skid and Vice?
Me, Skid, & Vice all connected on the web. Mutual respect and mad talent all that happen. I feel like they are some of the dopest unknowns out there and I knew that each recorded we mashed out was it. The connect with those two cats was tremendous as far as my perspective as an executive producer of my own work.
I also see you've worked with Keenan on a majority of your tracks. How did you two meet?
Crazy sh!t. At the time I was working as a Parking Violation Officer (or a meter man) and I saw this crazy looking white dude staring at me and then cat walks up to me talking about was I Trav Williams and where could he find REPARATIONS (my 2006 mixtape) and that he makes beats and to go to his MySpace and check them out. So I did and 30 some odd records later we are with it.
When you first started rapping what did you do for beats? Did you have friends that made them for you? Or did you just rap over beats from other successful songs?
First time I recorded was on some Jam Pony Express type sh!t on a 1 track recorder. Let the song play and then drop the song for a second and fill in the record but that was in '96-'97 and I didn't record any real songs until '99 and that was all jacking for beats-no hooks-no bridges just rhymes.
I noticed that your album can be downloaded for listening. Is there a way to buy an actual CD from you?
At the shows we sell the record but I guess the strategy mirrors where I think the performance musical arts are going and that's totally digital, and the more access with the least restrictions you can give the listener the better off you are. It's the IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME mantra.
You are definitely on the rise with your unique style and flow. Any deal offers with any majors?
Yeah people are interested but I really do believe that the label era is dead. Hip Hop specifically is going back to the people and for that we got to try our best to circumvent this whole monster and just give it to the people. The stronger relationship we can build with the listenership the less we need the majors but hey I wouldn't mind that promo help because I feel cats is close but just close and that's frustrating in and of itself. And I say all that to say, yes talks are circulating.
Any shout outs you would like to give?
Absolutely. Lauderdale Up! Of course, FAMU because I will be there to support the school at the Atlanta Classic and Homecoming this year, Keenan, 20, Pee Dub, Skid, Vice the cousins G.C. and Kevin Nottingham anybody I forgot in my last interview. But thank you for the look it is really appreciated.
First and foremost I want to say thank you for taking the time to allow me to conduct this interview with you and provide everyone with some insight in the mind of Trav Williams. How is life treating you?
I'm maintain, just working, paying bills, and writing but I'm just glad that y'all even reached out to me so thanks.
Based off your album we can already tell what kind of person you are in the studio and with a mic, tell us what you do on your free time when you're not busy helping to keep hip hop from being 6 feet under?
The usual you know... kicking it and whatnot but mostly I'm always trying to get into some adventures on some ol' Bill Bixby ish, anything from flag football to the co-ed softball and I just started rafting so I just try to stay out and about.
After releasing "Trickle Down" what impact did the album do to boost your reputation and fan base?
Wow, it was major. The response has been amazing. From the bloggers to Okayplayer people have really picked up on it. The experience has been humbling.
Trickle Down B side is the first time I have ever heard of you. The album is great, but your track "Where Were You" was a favorite of mine. What compelled you to write this verse?
True story. I always pull from something I understand and not just know and I am a chronic dater so women work themselves into every song one way or another. But I remember when I first heard the instrumental and I was thinking about this chick I knew or know depending on how you look at it, and how funny style she would act when there were no shows or when nobody would be looking and I would compare that to how she would act when all the eyes started to turn and thus the record was born.
On the production notes you have worked with a few members from IllMuzik. How did you connect with Skid and Vice?
Me, Skid, & Vice all connected on the web. Mutual respect and mad talent all that happen. I feel like they are some of the dopest unknowns out there and I knew that each recorded we mashed out was it. The connect with those two cats was tremendous as far as my perspective as an executive producer of my own work.
I also see you've worked with Keenan on a majority of your tracks. How did you two meet?
Crazy sh!t. At the time I was working as a Parking Violation Officer (or a meter man) and I saw this crazy looking white dude staring at me and then cat walks up to me talking about was I Trav Williams and where could he find REPARATIONS (my 2006 mixtape) and that he makes beats and to go to his MySpace and check them out. So I did and 30 some odd records later we are with it.
When you first started rapping what did you do for beats? Did you have friends that made them for you? Or did you just rap over beats from other successful songs?
First time I recorded was on some Jam Pony Express type sh!t on a 1 track recorder. Let the song play and then drop the song for a second and fill in the record but that was in '96-'97 and I didn't record any real songs until '99 and that was all jacking for beats-no hooks-no bridges just rhymes.
I noticed that your album can be downloaded for listening. Is there a way to buy an actual CD from you?
At the shows we sell the record but I guess the strategy mirrors where I think the performance musical arts are going and that's totally digital, and the more access with the least restrictions you can give the listener the better off you are. It's the IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME mantra.
You are definitely on the rise with your unique style and flow. Any deal offers with any majors?
Yeah people are interested but I really do believe that the label era is dead. Hip Hop specifically is going back to the people and for that we got to try our best to circumvent this whole monster and just give it to the people. The stronger relationship we can build with the listenership the less we need the majors but hey I wouldn't mind that promo help because I feel cats is close but just close and that's frustrating in and of itself. And I say all that to say, yes talks are circulating.
Any shout outs you would like to give?
Absolutely. Lauderdale Up! Of course, FAMU because I will be there to support the school at the Atlanta Classic and Homecoming this year, Keenan, 20, Pee Dub, Skid, Vice the cousins G.C. and Kevin Nottingham anybody I forgot in my last interview. But thank you for the look it is really appreciated.
