Theo Interview pt. 1
Judge Mental: Yo, first of all, what’s up with you? How’s it being in Philly.
Theo: I’m good. It’s nice, a little warmer than Rhode Island, maybe about the same, but it’s nice. I actually like it a lot out here.
JM: So right off the bat, you already know this, but I’m a big fan of your music and what you’re doing. And I basically just wanted to congratulate you on your mixtapes, and the recognition you’re getting right now. And just give you props.
T: Thank you. I appreciate it. I’ve been doing it for about a year right now. I mean as far as rapping and what not, and as far as DJing I’ve been doing it for a while. So it’s a good setup. But thank you. I’m just trying to do what I do.
JM: Speaking of DJing, you started off as a DJ… how does that experience translate into rapping? It’s similar in the live performance aspect, but there’s also the process of recording. So what parts helped you, and what was like a totally new experience for you?
T: Well I started DJing when I was like 14. And I really started getting into parties and clubs at like 17. So I got a lot of experience by myself with scratching and like understanding the format of music; instrumentals, a capellas and trying to keep everything on beat and what not. But when I got into the party scene and clubs and what not it was cool because I was starting to be able to control a crowd. All those factors in musicianship and artistry, it was easier for me to understand there rather than necessarily being onstage holding a microphone. But then when you give me the microphone it made it easier because I’m still somewhat controlling the music. So it was easier because it set the standard. It was like a good crash course.
JM: Do you try to bring that DJ element into your live show, where depending on the crowd reaction you sort of change it up on the fly, or do you come in and have everything set in your mind?
T: Well, even with DJing I never wanted to start off with like… cause some DJs are nervous and know off the fly that “hey I’m gonna play this. And 5 minutes later I’m gonna play this, and 5 minutes later I’m gonna play this.” But I just really wanna come in and feed off energy. If I’m planning something and it doesn’t fall right, then mywhole plan is messed up. So as far as performing and stuff I somewhat have a set schedule, but I do go around depending on how the crowd reaction is just in general, and what I can do to help that. So it really varies.
JM: You’ve come to prominence on the internet, and you’re on all the social networking, and I was just wondering, in a day and age where the president of the united states has a twitter account.
T: Which is crazy right? I got the email that says he was following me. I never knew, but I still got [the email].
JM: But how important do you think the internet is going to be, or is right now in terms of music coming out. Both with old artists staying relevant, and with new artists pushing it forward?
T: I think it’s really really important. Even when I was DJing, like you can go back to 2003. And the internet was around, but it wasn’t as heavy as it is now. Like, I could drop a CD right now, and I could pass it along to everybody in my neighbourhood, but there’s someone in Japan who probably wouldn’t know who I am. But now I have people from like Turkey and Germany saying “you’re coming out with great music.” But I never would have reached them without the internet. So I think it’s really important to make use of it. You can kinda kill it and overdo it for yourself, but you just gotta keep that balance.
JM: Was it something you consciously decided at the start of your career? Were you like “I’m gonna get out there, I’m gonna talk to all these different sites, I’m gonna do all this,” or are you just into all this stuff like the rest of us?
T: Well my first year of college I studied computer programming. But I didn’t really like it, I just liked being on computers. But I didn’t want to study the tech stuff behind it. So I stopped that. But overall I do like the internet. I didn’t run into it blindly, I kind of planned things out a little bit. But I didn’t have a strategy going in like “ok, I’m gonna hit up this website and this website.” I really just felt like, I have good music, I’m gonna find a way to build good relationships with people. And they’re gonna like it because it’s good music. And I think it unfolded well.
JM: Speaking of your relationships with different sites, you write a column on WDIR and you’ve been featured on Okayplayer, and they actually helped present your latest mixtape… How did those relationships come about and how have they helped you? And has the platform of Okayplayer which is a really respected website, helped you to step your game up or were they just sort of backing you or what?
T: Well it comes with relationships because they had reached out and been like “we like what you’re doing” which was really crazy because I had just started making music and it was just like “woah! This is crazy!” So it just kind of helped fuel that drive. And then we were just conversing on a couple of things and they mentioned music, and I said well, I have a CD coming out, I just kind of threw it out there, and they were like, yeah, we’d love to support it. And I was just sort of like “wow!,” you know? And that just sort of helped drive me in terms of coming out with good good music. Because that put me on a platform where a lot of people who wouldn’t necessarily listen to anything would go pick it out because it’s on a respected website. So I definitely had to come correct, I didn’t want to come with anything shabby. And I think that was good. I could have come out with a record today, but that could be somebody’s first time listening to me, so I want to come out with something at least worthwhile.
Keep an eye on the site for part 2.
peace,
-the judge
