Ayye Kev Indie Sootlight

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Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:34

When my god's not still, that's hell maybe fasting. I used to win my fucking on my sleeve, that's not a fashion. But now I'm working check with laying down that great fashion. When I look back on my pants, I know I made mistakes. God is great. Get me at the stable with my enemies to make quite screaks. Yeah. Goin' against all odds. Working with the hand I'm killing. Had to jump on my card. I kill myself to the seat. Right for my place, being the devil for weak. Watching up with Jules tryna kiss me on the cheek. I hate a still serving that beast on that piti. Yeah, yeah. Oh my lord, I throw that phrase high. You know we came up from that bottom, so we gave hot. When I look back on my past, I ain't the same guy. So I give thanks for everything. We if the name high. Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_06 1:51

Good and bad on the same scale. I just said just my brain perspective. That's what I'm left with. I don't fuck the blame. I've been burned, but that don't mean it. I don't fuck the flame. I turn that fire in the light. Let them see my shame. Sitting on that word, they give me height. That's in Jesus' name. Sometimes my eyes don't give me sight. Let my faith explain. What I see and know sometimes are just two different things. It seems God is able even when it's going bad. Luke restrictions took to overcome. I never knew I had. I thought it too. I knew the light, but never knew the pattern. I grabbed doing for dead life when I was falling fast. Doing God paid the price, and it was you to cash. Lice and flash. When you born and when you die, it's in the dash, don't let it pass. When that road got control, so I don't crash.

SPEAKER_07 2:38

Let me know your book is easy.

SPEAKER_08 3:12

Yeah. Got me saying amen. Hallelujah. Celebrating the losses, really. Yes, show some improvements, activating the sources. Now we just building endorsements and invading by income. Now we just taking employment. Yeah, why not? Cause it's double the work. Man, don't never try to question my words. I'm God's child, show my gifts. Say I got away with words. I kept a selling wraps of goating, cause I kept it further. Now look what's on. Could have been with the wedge, but instead we just faithful. Cause we learn it some game. Forever, man, I'm grateful. Yeah. And I had to face my fears, but never got it. My problems disappeared. I'm here to stay.

SPEAKER_07 3:53

Hallelujah. Don't be rocking with the mind right. Don't be lying in my shining light.

SPEAKER_04 4:20

Oh, yeah. Yes, how you doing there, man?

SPEAKER_01 4:31

What's going on, brother?

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Hey man, I'm doing good, man. Before I intro introduce you, man, uh, I gotta talk to you about this song. Uh because I just had had a man on there a while ago when there's people's. Uh so how how did y'all connect on this one?

SPEAKER_04 4:48

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 4:53

I'ma just say for the for the ear, the sound, like, you know what I'm saying? I felt like I needed somebody, I'ma say, that was had that had that more melodic and more soulful, the angelo type of sound. And I was looking, I was looking for that. And I, you know, somebody actually, you know, threw it out of the oop and was like, why not get why not get uh red ass peoples on there? So I reached out to him, I gave him the concept of the song, and what was it about, and yeah, the rest is history.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Yeah, I like that, man. That real talented artist, so it's good that like, you know, y'all can, you know, do things in the D and V and collaborate and and make some uh some dope music out there. So uh like really, really, really mind blowing. Uh I didn't even know you even you knew him because I guess we're gonna shout out uh real business music, you know, Tom Butler and all those all them guys. So I'm gonna introduce you and then what we're gonna do is I'm gonna I'm gonna, you know, we're gonna just just flow with it uh and you know, let people who don't who may not know you get to know you, and who already know you just just know get to know more about you. So tonight we shine the spike spotlight on an artist who represents resilience, purpose, and elevation through his music. Uh Akeb is some is an emerging artist bringing powerful storytelling, raw lyricism, and faith-driven motivation back into the culture. His music speaks directly to real-life pressure, perseverance, struggle, discipline, and the journey of chasing greatness while staying grounded spiritually and mentally. Coming from the underground scene, A. Cab has been building his name through the passion rather than the trends. His music reflects personal growth, pain, lessons learned, and the determination to inspire others through every verse. With a sound that blends street perspective, motivational truths, and spiritual awareness, he represents a new generation of artists focused on creating impact beyond entertainment. This is more than just music for A Cab. It's an exposure, testimony, and a mission to uplift listeners who may be fighting the battles of their own. He has a high-energy performance and relatable storytelling continues helping him connect with audiences looking for something real. Tonight we're going to discuss his musical journey, life experiences, cultural process, spiritual growth, independent grind, future goals, and how he plans to leave a lasting mark to his artistry. So I want y'all to tap in for a real conversation with the one and only. Rising Voice is determined to finish every race. So we're going to introduce my man A Kev and we're going to, you know, talk to him and you know, see what he got going on and all that. So we're going to welcome A Kev to the show. So, so uh, how you doing there? We're going to talk about, you know, your background, how did you get into music? What what any family related that that got you into it, and what made you want to do faith, faith-driven music.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Oh yeah, sure. I everybody doing this boy AK right here, Christian hip-hop artist from Washington, D.C. Located right now. I'm in the PG County area, Capitol Ice, Maryland. What got me into music, I would definitely say I started, you know, writing music when I was like nine years old. And really got me tapped into just listening to just also from hip-hop, from a hip-hop perspective. These guys, it grew over time. But Kanye West was a was a heavenly influence on my life when it came down to just when he released his first album title called, well not his first album, but his album called Graduation. Just the uh the creativity that he had on that album, not just only just and hip hop base, but just on just being an artist alone. And I felt like to me, you know, that's something that I wanted to do. You know, it did, you know, it didn't happen overnight, but that's something I wanted to do, you know, over time. And just having that mindset of just not being afraid, of thinking outside the box, um, just being creative. Um that was definitely, you know, Kanye West was definitely a heavily influence on me.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

So so what what makes you different from a lot of artists in the D and V?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

What makes me different? I feel like, you know, what makes me different from a lot of artists in the D M V, I feel like, you know, I I feel like I stand out not just within the music, but just this as me, just me being a person of character and just, you know, high energy spirit, always, you know, just ready for what's what's to come next? What's what's the next? Just ready for anything, any, any challenges that, you know, God has put in front of me. I feel like, you know, I'm not afraid at the moment of time, but I know I'm not afraid now to fail when it comes down to the process. With me, you know, working on, with me, you know, releasing four projects during the time, with me just being a Christian hip hop artist, I feel like, you know, I don't want to be in that box. I feel like, you know, I feel like um I could be more outside of the box and just being me, me be more creative. So that's I feel like that's what makes me different.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Yep. So, because I know like you if you're doing Christian hip-hop, like I know that it's a little different than, you know, regular MCing and stuff. Do you ever get to the point of going back to doing it, the not taking out the uh the Christian hip hop and just doing it the regular way, or do you are you just like, are you gonna stand firm in what you believe and keep keep doing what you're doing now?

SPEAKER_01 11:08

I feel like I'm gonna stand firm and keep on doing what I believe in. Right now, you know, we live in a world right now where any opportunity is definitely, you know, approachable. You know, whether if you a CHH artist or a secular artist, there's still that word time that you still have to put in when it comes down to that. I feel like, you know, honestly, the uplifting, the uplifting base and stuff is really coming back to the DMV. And also not even just the DMV, but just the world period. You know, we were so used to, you know, getting the music that talked about sex, money, drugs, just violence alone. And now I feel like, you know, something that's coming out that's more positive is now coming back, you know, in the times that we're living in. So I feel like for me right now, I'm gonna stand firm with what I believe in.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

All right. So, so where did where did uh A Cal come from?

SPEAKER_01 12:03

I first started, when I first started doing um, doing CHH, I was at the age of 16, and my name at the time was Young Civ. You know, at the time, you know, I feel like for me, you know, being 16, you know, you you you jot your first song and you released your first song, and you feel like you on top of the world. You feel like nobody can't tell you anything, but God had to, you know, really humble me down at the moment of time, you know, back in 2019, and you know, made me realize like you not as nice as you thought you was. So, you know what I'm saying? You know, you when you 16 and you write your first raps and you know, and you start going into these battle raps and these rooms and stuff with these people, you know, sometimes you can get a little bit arrogant, you know what I'm saying? But at the moment of time, like I said, God, you know, hold me down at 2019 after I graduated high school, you know, way before then. But no, not 2019, 2017, 2017, God humbled me at that moment of time after I graduated high school. And he said, if you're gonna do this, you're gonna do this for me. So young care had to get canceled, because it was something that I'm not gonna be forever. We may have our young minds and the mindset, but in the body, it's like you would have control over time. So I just say, what about A CAV? So I feel like A CAV was something that really stood out, you know, something that really, you know, stood out for me and something that can be, you know, more permanent, you know, not even just as an artist standpoint, but you know, how people on the street, AK, what's good? AKE, what's going on? You know what I'm saying? So that's where AKF came from.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Okay. So with what you're doing, all that you've been doing even at the age of 16, what would be some of the like, because I know like you 16 and you and you feeling yourself and you're trying to figure out if you want to do the secular way or you want to go into the Christian, Christian way. So during that time, did you wrestle with that? And if if so, what made you like, even at that age, switch over to the to the sec to the Christian side to do what you're doing there?

SPEAKER_01 14:21

Yeah, yeah, of course. I wrestle with that a lot. You know, when you in high school, you know, you feeling like you gotta figure out what your purpose and stuff is in life, and and you get you get in that moment of time where it's like you, you know, you feeling like, you know, you're you're nobody and you want to be a somebody. You know what I'm saying? You want that recognition, you want somebody to recognize you, like, hey, you do this, hey, you do that. And at the moment of time, I wanted to get to that point. I wanted that recognition, I wanted the fame, you know, I wanted the money. Because I seen people getting paid, getting paid for the for the music. I seen people getting the the girls and just the shine and you know, all that stuff like that, from the people I used to really grow up and see, like doing uh CHS at the time. And that I had to get to the point where for me, like, is that what it's all about? Like, is if that's it, then I'm gonna go ahead and do this. Like, get me in the studio. Hey, you know what I'm saying? Get me in the studio right now. But yeah, it was definitely a challenge because like I said, you want to get to that point where you feel like you want to get the recognition and be recognized. But yeah, I struggle with that a lot. But at the, you know, like I said, back in 2017, but God had to humble me down when I was going through a situation at the time. And he, you know, he said, you know, you you've been struggling with, you know, your gift for a while. And it's like you battle with it, you know, you still you still feel like maybe it's not for you, but you still wanna you still wanna go ahead and, you know, write the music and stuff. But but uh but you want to still go ahead and get that out the way. So he said, if you want to do this, you know, go ahead and just just do it for me. So ever since then, uh 2017, I dropped my first project title, The Process. And ever since then, you know, God has taken me and the music and just other opportunities, you know, where my gift can expand by storm.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

So by you being out here, you know, ministering, ministering to, especially when you go out to these churches, what is the reception of like the I ain't gonna say young people, but like the you know, the the generation now, when you come in, do they walk up to you and like, hey, like that, what you what you're doing up here is inspiring me to to do what I need to do, or or to pretty much they're like, they're they just admire what you're doing. And if so, how does that how does that make you feel when you go out here and you're you're touching, especially young, young people, wherever you go, you're touching their lives with with your music.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yeah, man, it it feels great. It feels good just to, you know, to hear that coming from, you know, all generations around, you know, saying that, you know, your music has really kept me going, especially from the if from the young crowd. Like I said, I was performing at the at the I forgot the day on the the first Baptist of Glenarvan one time and and also church that's not too far from here. The young crowd really, you know, was definitely inspiring for me to keep on going, for me to keep on pushing. And um, it feels great. You know, it feels great, you know, when you hear people such as yourself, you know, to hear like, you know, you got people that really support you, you know, from what, you know, you experienced through your lifetime, and just see how far you came. So it's definitely an inspiration.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

So yeah, because I I remember uh when you first you you first started posting, I was like, this guy, he one thing I liked about you was you don't waver, you don't you don't stray, like you, you're not striding on the fence. Like one, you know, it's people out here, they one minute, they want to be in the church one minute, they want to be out here in the world. It's like you you out here and you you're making moves, you're doing it how you want to do it. You know, you're you're you're not you're not wavering, you're not straying away from the purpose of using your gift to edify and and and build up, you know. So I I commend you from the first time I saw you on Facebook to where you at now, very, very impressed and you know by what you're doing. So I just want you to keep uh doing what you're doing. Because no it ain't easy, you know, out here because you know, you're trying to you're trying to minister, but you're also trying to deal with stuff in your own life too. So I commend you for just this just stay in the course.

SPEAKER_04 18:49

I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

So pretty much like what you're doing out here. What do you what kind of legacy do you want to leave after you're done or with everything you're doing?

SPEAKER_04 19:07

And um that's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

I think the legacy what I want to leave is, you know, this guy, you know he brought everything to the table. When it came down to his gift, despite everything that's, you know, going on and uh with everything that's, you know, who's in office right now, even even way, way after that, but despite everything, you know, what he had to face and stuff, he kept on pushing.

SPEAKER_04 19:37

Right.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

Not just within the music, but just within life in general, you know what I'm saying? People, you know, will respect you more for the character that you are, other than what you got going on, you know, far as your gift. I was told, you know, each day is each day is to to inspire another person. So yeah, I I mean, yeah, man, that I think that's the type of legacy I would like to leave, you know. This guy, you know, he just kept on going and he continued to kept keep God first and just he gave everything that he got, you know.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

So with with that, what what do you want people to take away from your your your music when they hear they hear A Cab? Like what what do you want them to to take away? Like what what do you want to mo how do you want to motivate them when they hear your music?

SPEAKER_01 20:32

I think when I what I want to do when I when they hear my music is like, you know, hey, you know, we all make mistakes, you know. We still we still trying to be the perfect person in his eyes and within ourselves. I feel like, you know, perfection is one way, you know, that builds up, you know, into leading pressure. Don't try to be the the best person that that that God sees you, you know. Try to be the best person that God sees you, but also try to be the best person that you see. You know, I feel like that's what I want to do, you know, after I'm done when it comes down to the music. Just let people know, man, people make mistakes, man, and you're only human, and you're gonna you're gonna you're gonna fail. You're gonna get to those points where you, you know, you're not you're not a robot. You know what I'm saying? You're gonna have them lazy moments some days, and you're gonna have them days where you don't feel like doing nothing, but you know, it's something that that's in you that wants to keep on, you know, releasing new music, releasing the content, doing interviews. Doing doing everything that, you know, is put in front of you, you know what I'm saying? Just continue to keep on pressing forward.

SPEAKER_00 21:50

So So with you, what what is your process of like when you when you create your music and you know, is it is it a song that Like that you you create touches you more than others.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

Wow. I think my creative process, it uh it comes in different different moments, different variants of life. It comes in different different ways.

SPEAKER_10 23:46

So her name I wrote look like it's cursing. Swiss looking like it's the blessed days, the worst says you ask, man. I just remember how I was, knew the power in the drug. So I saw my soul selling dubs, had the best connect, so I thought it was the document for the blow live. You see people dying from what they use. Every time she beat her kiss, or they go in the room while she uses it. That's drug of feeding, then you call them this. Why you think most of the girls who talk to you at the break and then they let you into them? I was mistaken, I think that you erased it. I was wrong and I knew it. When would I end up not before I knew happening to meet my home time so in this stop Jesus tell me for those my turn? That's my turn. Say too many diamonds for the finger trap, but when God just sent there's nothing now, but you can be forgiven, just confess it now. And it don't matter what you did or how you live, Jesus paid the price for debt, it's clear. That's gone, your futures now. Can't have to be your home no more.

SPEAKER_08 25:27

Hell the bill. But the God in me and wanna get to the show, no love to the enemy, prepare for this anyway, can't be defeated. Wasn't a different team now playing in another league of all that.

SPEAKER_10 25:47

Looking for a new heaven to meet us, my whole world chance to try to stay late.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Jesus coming for the oldest day left, when he means that.

SPEAKER_09 27:31

They don't really know what's going on, huh?

SPEAKER_10 27:34

They just only uh like um I don't really like the speaker. Let me take it up with it. Then I wouldn't present it. Try to take my life from a life for Jesus, they try and give them my top give me the top of the treatment. And you trippin' because I'm back in the trenches. When I baptize them in the water, water whether I caught the tricky bit. Because we the tripping not a bit of energy.

SPEAKER_09 29:03

I don't really care what people say. I don't really know what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Alright, so we back. Sorry about that. No problem. Before we before we go ahead, I'm gonna ask you, how do you how did you also get connected with Ray Duggar?

SPEAKER_01 29:21

Oh man. I've been I've been tapped into with his music for a while. First time I heard about him, I actually seen uh, I think a post on Facebook one time that he was, you know, he released his uh project, uh, which was titled Um Paradise to Paradise. And, you know, ever since then, me and him kind of, you know, had a had a built-in relationship for a time for, you know, for a while. And that's when we started to like kind of lay down some tracks together, which is one the tracks right there that you're listening to, which is called Inside Out, which is on my project title, I'm not the only one. Some people say that's one of my uh my best verses. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Hey man, all them all them that I I I listen to even on on uh on Facebook and stuff, I'll be like, man, this man got some, this man really be spitting these spitting these these bars and these lines out here. It's crazy. I was like, you know what I'm saying? So like, yeah. Yeah. I'm glad that you're aligning with some like some good people out here. So what is the what is like your process too? Like when you're doing collabs, like how do you how do you go by picking who who you want to work with?

SPEAKER_01 30:37

And I think it's just for me having an ear, you know what I'm saying, the ear of music, you know what I'm saying, been listening to, you know, some of those guys for a while. And you try to, I guess I'm gonna say you try to match them with their sound, if that makes sense. Like the title, the song called Hallelujah, with D Black and Nonfiction and Rainier's Peoples, uh, that's a perfect example where I feel like those artists are all-around artists, you know what I'm saying? D Black, I am I'm a I'm a huge fan of. He's been doing it for quite some time. And if you can check out his album too, it was titled Above All Else. And he was basically just being more versatile when it came down to just, you know, the creativity. You know what I'm saying? And then it didn't matter, you know, whether it was like trap, didn't matter if it was like pop or whatever. He's one of those artists, one of those ones, like I feel like he doesn't be afraid, he doesn't, he's not afraid to be outside the box. You know what I'm saying? So I think, you know, definitely for me, just being just being a listener ear and, you know, listening to music and not and not having and not having artists not to be afraid to challenge themselves. Because you got some artists like, you know, that just so used to just rapping on one style beat on one type beat. And I definitely had to like grow out of that myself, because I got some songs like in the in the stats, like I would never put out. But, you know, it it's it's all a part of the process because, you know, you're gonna have some moments where you feel like you're gonna fail, but it's just a part of growth. You know what I'm saying? Every song that you, you know, you lay down and stuff is not gonna be a hit. You know what I'm saying? Some, you know, you're just gonna have in the stats for maybe like freestyles or just you know, just have some lines here and there that you might use later on and and uh in a later time. So that's how I can be able to collab with artists. That's my process.

SPEAKER_00 32:35

I feel you, uh yeah, man. So uh what I well I hate to do this at the end, but like send me some of that music, bro, so I can I can I can put you in in my rotation. Cause because people people people need to get people need to hear it. I like I don't I don't just have you know one genre. Uh I I I do all genres because I feel like, you know, you you got people that need to hear everything. And, you know, we need to you know, some people they they don't look out for the areas. Some people, you know, and I feel like, you know, I'm in the D and V, you look out for your own first, then you you you look out for everybody else. So whenever you get a chance, you know, send me that so I can I can put that in in rotation for you because uh it needs it needs to be heard as as well. You got you got a lot of good stuff that you that you you you you're sharing. So like I want to be able also to be on my platform to uh to put to not I hate using the word exposure, so we know I ain't gonna use exposure, but just so that other listeners can hear the music like, hey yo, like I heard your music and you know it it it either touched me or d or or you know changed my life or something. Uh you know, so yeah. And and listening to who you who you're working with, it's it's some people that I know that a lot of people can't work with. So I know like as you being an artist, trust is a big thing uh with you. Uh I'm a drummer, so it's like a same thing. So do you just like keep your circle of people that you work with that you trust? Or do you sometimes like give people an opportunity until they they don't they they not they're not hit they're not hitting on what they were at first?

SPEAKER_01 34:27

Yeah, I definitely give people an opportunity, you know what I'm saying, to, you know, be able to, you know, help out what can they bring to the table when it comes down to just, you know, me as an artist and me within the brand as well. Shout out to the humble brand that I'm actually wearing right now. It's it's definitely, it's definitely an open ear. I feel like I said again, you know, don't be afraid to just, you know, fail, or don't be afraid to try new things, because you never know. I feel like, you know, there was it was one time I had an opportunity, you know, I was able to, you know, real and really recognize like when it comes down to me taking like, I guess, my content, my recaps and stuff, when it comes down to my shows, it was a particular, you know, situation where I wasn't really too impressed when it came down to, you know, the photos and just or just anything in general. I felt like I was being thrown together. But it it takes those things to make you realize like it's still, it's still a work in progress, you know, for other people. You know what I'm saying? Cause this is this is your first time working with this individual. You don't know, you know, what he or she likes, you don't know what they like, you know, you don't know what their dislikes are. So I'm definitely, you know, always open to, you know what I'm saying, to to new things. Especially when they dope. You know what I'm saying? You gotta you gotta look at their results first before, you know, say step out in the box and you know, step outside and really uh really tap in with them. So yeah, I definitely I'm always open.

SPEAKER_00 36:01

So you could you put out a lot of content that that I see. And I usually ask artists this this question because I I I you know uh I like to be curious. Do you worry about the likes or the comments like with with the with the content that you put out? So if if you get like three likes or you don't get any, but you might get on up one a hundred K likes, does that does a does the likes situation does it bother you or you just pretty much is putting out content, you know, just for to edify what you're doing?

SPEAKER_01 36:37

Got you. Um it's a it's an up and down thing. I'm not gonna sit here and you know, lie and say, hey, you know, say I don't worry about the likes. I'm not worried about that. I do it for God. Nah, it's a it's an up and down thing for me. But how I'm able to, I'm gonna say, navigate, you know, the negativity of my system is just being able to market yourself. You know what I'm saying? Learning from, you know, Little Russell. He was just talking about, you know, paying for for advertisement and just not not, you know, put put a whole bunch of money into that. But with Facebook, you know, per se, you know, it can help you, you know, come down to at least about maybe, maybe like five dollars. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like five dollars each time you try to boost like what's your best work, what's your best product and stuff, to be able to go ahead and market yourself to get the likes and to be seen and stuff. But I feel like for me, you know, no matter what how many likes it is, they always watching. Somebody's always watching you, somebody's always paying attention. In my personal opinion, somebody always being inspired to, you know, to let let me know, hey man, you know, you keep keep doing your thing, you out here shining, you know, for God and stuff. So it's an up and down thing, but just try to find, you know, a positive in in this in the situation instead of a negative. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:57

Gotcha. So um, with that being said, what what has been like the hardest part of being an indie artist?

SPEAKER_01 38:06

I think I would just say opportunities. I think I it would probably be opportunities. I'm not gonna say opportun opportunities and also uh funding. You know what I'm saying? Funding. When you out here, you know what I'm saying, you working your nine to five and you you got your, you know, your you're using your your nine to five money for your label and stuff, and you're trying to find, you know, the best things possible to be able to get into those rooms and get into those spaces and stuff. And it it's tough because you feel like you don't want to sit here and spend money being wasted. You get what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_04 38:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:45

And and being able to just, you know, be satisfied with what you got before, you know, you step out here and put a boatload of money into something and you you feel like you fail. So I think that's one of the tough things of, you know, being an indie artist is just, you know, funding. You know, try to try to use your money wisely. I definitely do that, you know, from time to time. And and also, you know, don't be afraid to research. You know what I'm saying? Don't be afraid to research and just being able to find what's what's in the new, but what also works for you.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

So what what advice would you give any artists that's that's starting out in the game that's that pretty much might not have no experience, might think that things are just supposed to be easy and might get discouraged because it's not happening the way that they want it to happen.

SPEAKER_01 39:36

I think, man, for me, the I mean, for me starting out, if, you know, talking to somebody that did starting out being an indie artist, try to record at least about maybe a good, you know, four or five songs, you know what I'm saying? And try to build your way up by using some, you know, some content and stuff, because the game now is has definitely changed. You know, everybody's more social media based now and try to be able to build their way up when it comes down to the content base and stuff, because I feel like when you when you put your your content and stuff out there, you always gonna have a new follower that's coming in. You know what I'm saying? You don't know, you don't know, you get the views, but you know, you might just get one or two followers that's really tapping into what you got going on. So I would definitely say, you know, try to record yourself, you know, uh a five, you know, EP project and just build your way up from there on each song, you know what I'm saying, to to gain some traction and just find different ways and find, you know, more affordable ways to market yourself.

SPEAKER_00 40:42

Sounds good. What so what would you tell your from you being out here, you know, what you've been doing since 16, like what would you tell your younger self if you could go back and tell your younger self what they could experience now?

SPEAKER_01 41:00

I would say don't don't don't quit. You know what I'm saying? Go go find people who who doing it for the right reasons instead of the wrong reasons. Like I said at that time with the mindset that I had and just the friends that I had at the time, you know, we were all doing it for just, you know, the recognition, the applause and stuff, but we didn't know what the mission was really about at the time. Focus on what the mission is. You know what I'm saying? Don't quit, focus on what the mission is and just just keep God first, you know, with everything that you got going on. So that's what I would tell my younger self.

SPEAKER_00 41:42

Yeah, I like that. Because yeah, because we we we all we all are doing things that we probably never thought we'd be doing now. Uh so they could be like, oh man, like like for real, you out here you making music, you doing you doing shows now, you you you you recording, you you you out here in other cities, you know, yeah doing things. Like yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:10

Yeah, some people in my middle school now, they they they hit me up on TikTok and they was just like, man, I never wouldn't imagine you doing this for the Lord. Or I never wouldn't imagine you you spitting bars like the Ray How you you spitting, and I was just like, hey, somebody always got it got a hidden gift somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 42:31

So Yeah, true. Uh so we we about to uh you know close out and everything, but I I would like your fans and supporters to know like where, like what are you currently working on? Like any upcoming events or get uh say gigs, but any performances that you got coming up and you know talk, you know, do your shout-outs and stuff like that, and then ask you a couple couple other questions, then we call we go from there.

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Most definitely. If you guys want to support, you can go on a cav.com. That is www.a-y-y-e-k-e-v dot com. Support the brand, support the merch. Definitely listen to the music. What I'm currently working on, I got a song titled called Game Winner, a feature in my boy Feel the Real. It will be dropping sometime later on this month. I haven't released date that's maybe coming out on Friday. We'll see. Just letting you know. And also go ahead and download the project Overtime, which is available on all digital platforms. Go ahead and download that track, B.O.B. Blessings on Blessings, featuring my guy, Ganfield Real. Yeah, man, stay tuned for some new material that's coming out. Upcoming shows I got I got a show on Juneteenth with uh this uh this company and this organization, my bad, uh called Connecting for Christ. Definitely, you know, a wonderful group to be a part of. And yeah, you know, support the music anyway. You know, if you want to, you know, reach out to me. I'm on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, also Tred too as well. So I'm all I'm all outside. So yeah, y'all stay tuned.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

All right. You heard it here. Stay tuned to what he got going on. I'm just gonna say before I we close out that I'm really, I'm truly proud of you for what you're doing out here with the content that you're putting out. And just just staying the course and like I said before, not wavering for any reason. Keep keep doing what you're doing. Uh, you know, push your indie heart. We we're gonna be here, you know, we're gonna support everything you do. We're gonna share. We're gonna, you know, post your music, we're gonna support any way that we can over here, you know, because it ain't just about me. It's about the indie artists. And if we're not here, then you guys can't get hurt. So like I tell people, if you want to be supported, support others. Don't just support them just out of motives. Support them because, you know, it could be you, you know, and you want somebody to support you. So so, you know, so I just want to just let you know that. Just keep pushing, keep grinding. Don't, you know, I know it might some days might be easier than others, but you know, keep doing your thing. We you just know you got the support out here, and we just gonna we just gonna keep, you know, pushing, pushing you, and just just get just, you know, get you what you need out there because that's that's what it's all about. Of course. Um so this is your boy, AD. You know, we got A. Kev. He you know, he represents determination, faith, growth, and purpose through music. His story reflects the reality of overcoming pressures while continuing to evolve spiritually, mentally, and artistically. This conversation offers listeners motivation and insight into artists' dedication to making music that truly impacts the people. So I appreciate you, man, coming through. Like I said, um, if you can, you can send me your music and and I definitely get that in rotation, and then we we we we go from there.

SPEAKER_01 46:23

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

All right, man. I appreciate you, man. Keep doing what you're doing. Uh proud of you, bro.

SPEAKER_01 46:29

Say man, my guy.

SPEAKER_00 46:30

All right, man, you take it easy and we be talking.

SPEAKER_04 46:33

Yes, sir. All right, signing out. Alright. Alright.