spk_0:   0:00
If you're not trying, tow, learn, you can't be successful. You know, I'm saying like that's that's just the bottom line and that goes in any line of work. Like, you know, I'm saying, like if you don't go passed the bar, you can't be a lawyer.

spk_1:   0:13
You're listening to Episode 002 Wrongs of Reality. In this episode, you have an opportunity to meet Pittsburgh based hip hop artists. Live from a lot, has been perfecting his craft since 19. He continues to collaborate with other artists and entertainers in the area and even has started its own music festival. But enough from me. Here's live from this city. What's

spk_0:   0:41
going on? This is life from the city on the hip hop artists from Pittsburgh P A. On probably the realist person, you know,

spk_1:   0:49
that's what's up. That's what's up. We're really excited to have live from the city here today, so we're just gonna jump right into it. So when did you first know you had talent?

spk_0:   1:00
I still don't know. Beyond is like talent, especially now in this generation, talent is a very relative conversation. Some people would say that like I heard somebody say that Chris Brown is mediocre at best. But as other people that think Chris Brown is like the greatest artist to ever live, you're saying so like, I feel like that's a relative conversation. So, to be honest, I really, you know, can't say when I knew I liked had talent. Yeah, I knew when I knew. I think I knew when I was like, capable of like doing it. And I think that was it. I was like, 19 when I was 19. I was like, It's like, possible It's tangible, you know? But I feel like everybody at some point just realizes, like there goes a tangible, you know?

spk_1:   1:47
Yeah, What do you do? Each data perfect your craft.

spk_0:   1:52
I just do this. I do this every day. Like I wake up every day in on big beats and all right, you know, I read a study, you know? I mean, like, I listen to music current and past and different things like that, and I'm listening, and I'm just studying the movements, the everything down from the melodies down So the rest in the music like yams and like it's really like I'm a student of the game you know, I was a

spk_1:   2:19
student of the game. I like that.

spk_0:   2:20
Yeah, like honestly. And I feel like if you're not, if you're not trying, tow, learn, you can't be successful. You know, I'm saying, like, that's that's just the bottom line. And that goes in any line of work, Like, you know, I'm saying, like, if you don't go, I passed the bar. You can't be a lawyer, you know that In, like, so, Like, if you're not studying music and if you don't love studying music, you're not gonna be a good music artist because, like, you don't know shit sand like I could cause right? Okay. Yeah, like you don't know Shit. You're saying also, is that, like, moving as

spk_1:   2:55
okay? Okay. That's like Like, is that you wanna

spk_0:   2:59
know? You gotta turn it off.

spk_1:   3:00
There's another setting. What moves? You talk?

spk_0:   3:02
Oh, no. Like that way?

spk_1:   3:05
Yes. We got those Nano Leafs that movies. You talk.

spk_0:   3:08
That's really cool. All right, cause, like, the only obvious Because that's just me.

spk_1:   3:12
Yeah, it's all fixed up. Everything so cool. So you recently did an interview with Genesis magazine? Yeah, and I really enjoyed the interview. I was thoughtful, It was sincere. And, uh, could you talk a little bit about why you idolized Jay Z?

spk_0:   3:27
Well, I wouldn't say I idolized. Idolizes a very strong word. Okay, I'm saying I would say that he is my biggest influence. And I would say that musically and now I'm musically just because of his his business prowess, even his, uh, his hand now in, like, social justice movements and different things like that. And just like as a musician, just as a rapper, I think he's one of the greatest songwriters ever. Yeah, you know, I mean, like, I think just like even if you'd listen to, like, his most recent project for 44 like I was just like That's when the most. That's probably one of the best written rap albums I've ever heard in my life just because of the narrative and the way he chose to explain that to people. Do you know that me and like I felt like I really got to know him on that. That's a me is, like pretty much pinnacle transparency, but I always say he's just like my biggest influence, even like the way I put bars together like I'm really thoughtful. Like Jay Z is one of those artists who makes every word count. You know what I'm saying? So, like, for me, it's like every time I write, I try to just make every word every line I try to make it count. I don't like the waste words

spk_1:   4:41
being sincere in your thought when it comes to writing music.

spk_0:   4:44
Yeah, like, even down to like, this conversation we're having right now. Like I'm being very thoughtful about what I'm saying because I don't like the waste words. I don't like to just say things just to say, Yeah, you know, I'm saying, like, I like everything I say to me something, whether you know it or not, I

spk_1:   4:59
respect for that. Honestly, I appreciate that. So that's that's really cool. So are you originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?

spk_0:   5:07
Yeah. We'll sort like I'm from Wilkinsburg, which is a burrow to the far East of Pittsburgh. Right before you hit Moreau View. That's where I'm from. I mean, I represent Pittsburgh has a city because, like, I'm live from the city. Yeah, I'm saying you're not been in this city my whole life, so experiment lessons at the Y W C A downtown. I went to school in these liberty. Like

spk_1:   5:30
so I want you to visualize yourself five years ago and who? Yeah, Seems like an eternity, right? A lot happens in a day, so I could only imagine what five years could do. You visualize yourself five years ago and see yourself. Now, what could you have done differently in this five year span that you would have changed? Or would you and I have not done anything differently?

spk_0:   5:57
Honestly, because of where I'm at right now, I don't think I would have changed anything. Excellent. Okay, just because I'm really I'm not even gonna say content, But I'm very happy with the way things are moving forward for me as an artist right now. And I think that everything that happened to me within a five year 24 going on 25 inmate Esso going from, let's say, five years ago from now I was 19. That was when I decided, like I'm going to take this 100% seriously as a career, your arms. And so, like just having that thought put me on the right track as opposed to like this is something I can do, but I'm not sure it's a 100% possible. But like once I decided when I was 19 I was like, Look, this is a tangible go. This is something that my peers were doing. I can do this too, So I'm not sure I would really change anything. But I would I would go back and tell myself Thio, spend my money a lot wiser. Yeah, I would say that because I think there were certain things I paid for then that I felt like were necessary just as an artist that I'd like.

spk_1:   7:03
Yeah, that makes sense. So you said 24. I'm also 24. So I'm injured. 94 baby. Yes, 94. So growing up in the late nineties and early two thousands What was that? Like a kid?

spk_0:   7:17
Late nineties man like so for me, I grew up single parent household was just me and my mother. My mother and I'd rather it was interesting, you know, because I didnt Eisley like I didn't like no, my dad unanimous. And they're like it would be and I went through, like, a private school, so I went from like 88. I went to a private school called Sacred Heart Shady Side. And it would be weird because I would have liked my peers And my clays made asking me, like, why don't I ever see your dad? And I did not have an answer for them. Yeah, you know, I'm saying, like, I didn't know how to answer that question at that age. So it was like, a confusing time. But I also was just, like, very creative. Like I was always, like, dry. Like I used to, like, design tennis shoes for Jordan. Like I had a notebook crowd was just design tennis. You still haven't. Yeah, it's in my house. That's true. Yeah. I'ma find it one day and show it to Michael Jordan would be a color ways.

spk_1:   8:11
I'm gonna say that's gonna be valued very valuable in

spk_0:   8:14
it Is, it is. I'd like to design sneakers one day. Just cool thing about myself, but yes, so I mean, it was a confusing time, but it was also like the perfect situation for cultivating creativity because, like, there were so many things I didn't know about myself that had just left the room for me to cultivate it on my own, You know, I mean, like, when I finally met my dad and I met all my siblings that I had I learned more about myself, you know? I mean, but I think that because I didn't know these things about myself, and I wasn't sure about myself as a person and allowed my imagination toe, like, just be so expensive because I was just like, Well, I don't know about this part of myself. I'm just gonna make it up. Just This is what I'm gonna be. Yeah, yeah, is s o. And then, like in the two thousands, I mean, like, you know, I was like, playing basketball on the stuff like I like I was writing music and stuff, but, like, once again, like, I wasn't like, taking it too serious. Like I was a kid. Like I didn't know where to go get studio time or anything like that. Like I was just right in music for fun at that point. But it was almost over.

spk_1:   9:20
So you started taking music seriously? At 19. You said?

spk_0:   9:22
Yeah. Yeah, I wrote my first rap when I was, like, nine or 10. And it was for, like, the Christmas, uh, program at my church. You remember that? I remember, like a part of

spk_1:   9:32
it. Could you spittle for

spk_0:   9:34
I think it went like a c h r I s t This is what Christmas means to be cm blessed in this place where we're standing Face that ice. All I see is His Holiness in this place. December 25th was his date of birth. That was the time when he came to earth. It was something.

spk_1:   9:52
Yeah, that's that was cool. It was hot at

spk_0:   9:55
the time. I'm saying, like, it was funny because I remember, like, thinking of myself at that time. Like I could be a rapper because, like, there were, like, nine of us, and we all had to, like, spit or wrap. It was just like this Eight minute, nine minutes, some. But I went last. You stand like so I was like, Look, I went last that that means something. And I do still think that is, I had the best part. But that's

spk_1:   10:18
that's cool. That's cool. So are you still involved with the church?

spk_0:   10:22
Not that particular charge. No, I mean I do practice Christianity. That's my spiritual foundation.

spk_1:   10:27
But I don't like Yeah, I don't, uh, but I mean, there's this. Sometimes where you find yourself, you get an opportunity and you perceive it.

spk_0:   10:36
Yeah, like when I went out when I'm free, Like on Sundays? Or when I'm not, like, hungover to go with my mom.

spk_1:   10:43
Yeah, that's what's up. Could you tell us a little bit about where the inspiration came from? Your new music video

spk_0:   10:51
over him online

spk_1:   10:52
Hit my line.

spk_0:   10:53
So funny story about that actual song. So there was a point where, um I had I had lending my mike Thio, my friend Benji. Oh, no, if you are familiar with Benji But I had actually lend him my mic to him after his muse. Not even. Well, yeah, his music and his equipment got stolen out of flow lounge. Somebody should be run by Clara. Can't Yeah. Ask him about that. He'll let him tell the story. He tells it a lot better now. Yeah, Benjy by light year, Benji, at a point like his equipment got stolen out of flow lounge. And so like, But we had the same mike and interface we were using the same equipment. Yeah, So, like, But he had the same equipment I had, like, literally the same mike. Literally the same. Interfere, his stuff got stolen. My stuff was at my house, so I decided to let myself to him because I wasn't recording at the time. But when I got back in the recording, I was using the USB mic to record just like ideas and rough draft from 3000 stuff. So I'd like took this beat off a YouTube Just a freestyle morning. And I made this. I'd like did the first part of the song. And I just posted a snippet on my instagram that slim the deejay hit me and he was like, Yo, I gotta beat for this song like I got an original Be for you. And I was like, where? And then he sent it to me and I was like, Oh, this is it. So that's a clad s. So it was like a true collaboration. It was like you got the lyrics I got to be. We're gonna make this work s So then, like, you know, we just put it together like I recorded it at Benji's, create And then

spk_1:   12:24
how is the feedback from the video and the song? Then

spk_0:   12:27
a lot of people are saying like, this is the one and I never try to be like, Oh, this one is the one. Because you never know which one is gonna be the one. You know what I'm saying? But I mean, like the feedback I've gotten, everybody's like, Yo, this one, like, really goes universe. And also, I think, like, that's my first music video, you know, I mean, some people are just excited that they can finally, like, see me. Yeah. And see me like active, You know, I mean, like, CDs, actually, nothing. You know, I mean, like, they can exploit movements in the face and an image to like what they've been hearing for the past five years,

spk_1:   12:59
and they're happy about it.

spk_0:   13:00
Yeah, People are very excited about that. And it's only up here, so I mean, shut out the slim shot auto. The popular kid Ryan Dennis. That's Ah, that's my shooter. So shut out the home.

spk_1:   13:10
That's what's up. I enjoy the music video of myself. Yeah, of course.

spk_0:   13:14
We put a lot of lot of thought today a whole lot of that. Oh, and shout out toe and things locker for lewdness used the space that out the way set out to Mommy. That's the restaurant that we were in a Japanese restaurant in Lawrenceville. Please check it out.

spk_1:   13:28
Is it good? Excellent. Okay, So since you're talking about restaurants, have you read a name like your top three restaurants in the city? What are their

spk_0:   13:36
top three? Yeah, Um, yeah, I would have to go with grandma bees. Or while the Avenue Hill district Hope fish and chicken. And Mommy. Come on. Yeah, I mean, so Grandma used. They got the best, like French toast I've ever had in my life. It's amazing. So I would definitely get the big our special three pieces of French toast, three wings, iced tea. They make the iced tea in the restaurant. It's crazy. It's, like, unmatched.

spk_1:   14:10
What is your drive to create music derived from?

spk_0:   14:13
I think what Dr to create music really just comes from, like just being in love with it, you know, to me and like, it's like, Why does LeBron James get up in, like, work out and shoot 1000 shots today? Because he enjoys doing it. You know, sand, like at the end of the day. Like I would enjoy doing this no matter. West City. I was in no matter where I was, that no matter what his door like I was I was born to do this. You know, I'm saying, like, my drivers would just be great.

spk_1:   14:40
So So I told you to visualize yourself five years ago. Now, I want you to try to visualize yourself five years from now. Where do you see yourself in? What are you doing?

spk_0:   14:49
I'm on the cover of a lot of magazines, that's for sure. Also another interest in like fashion, you know, like doing some modeling like, No, it's my Geico huge sprayers and shoots, you know, some votes stuff, you know, like to be on the runway and different things like that. Movies and theater and stuff. So you know what? Just be like expanding my entertainment brand at that point, you know, saying cause I would be like, maybe 29 or 30 at that point. So at that point, you know, I would still be making music, but I think my music would become, ah, lot more mature and I think my brand would be like, a lot more like, Like, I think like I would be more on the like movies and stuff at that point. You know?

spk_1:   15:26
You want to be like acting in movies. Yeah, that's that's good. Have you ever acted like now?

spk_0:   15:32
Um, no, no, I haven't. I've done like, you know, like modeling, though, you know, I'm saying different stuff like that. So, like take a crash course on acting like, even if I just get like some little small supporting roles like, I'd love to just be in a movie, you know,

spk_1:   15:47
that's what What's your ideal movie setting? So if someone were somewhere to cast you for a movie, what movie is it?

spk_0:   15:54
I don't know what movie would be, but I would definitely. I said this the other day when we was out for tacos. I was like, I'd love to be cast it is God like, you know, like Morgan Freeman had to, like, play God like I love for somebody to be like, Hey, would you like to play the role of God? And I would be like, So that's what's up. I'd be playing God now

spk_1:   16:14
So if you were to give somebody younger, somebody a part of the younger generation some advice about how to make it in this industry, this tough industry of music, what would you tell them?

spk_0:   16:26
You're never gonna make it. Okay, You just don't understand. Like as my thing is like, if you like, if you're at a point where you're free where you feel like I made it, this industry is not for you. Okay? United saying you've got to stay hungry. You never make it ever.

spk_1:   16:43
The ground never stops.

spk_0:   16:45
The grind never stops. The the getting better never stops.

spk_1:   16:49
So what is rawness of reality mean to you?

spk_0:   16:52
Raul is the rawness of reality. That means to me when I hear that, that's just like everyday life like that's really we're live from the city. Represents is like the rawness of reality. It's like, you know, you know, I'm in the streets every day, so it's like a walk outside. It's like abandoned houses. It's like, you know, I mean, like, crack hairs, drunks out, although on the street, different stuff like that. But this is like real life, you know what I mean? But it's like nobody can ever tell you that the situation that you come from or what you overcame I wasn't like, really? Yes. That's like the rawness of reality is just like just understanding that, like, this is my path. These these in my obstacles. This is what I got to overcome. All

spk_1:   17:33
right, that's what's up. That's that's really all the questions I have for you today. Who? Um so yeah. Thanks for coming out alive from the city. You guys can check out his new music video on YouTube

spk_0:   17:44
Lot from the city driving while Black Records March 16th. I have a showcase called Schoolhouse Rock Volume One. A Community Forge sponsored by Lift the Ride Share App March 22nd John Well, Black Pop up a House of Vain April 1st, my mixtape light work will be out everywhere on Ostrom and platforms. Make sure you stream that Follow me on Twitter Instagram What? I got stuff live from the seven I t Y

spk_1:   18:15
Paula. It's me again. Your house, Kevin stopping. I hope you enjoy listening to a live from the city. I hope you really enjoyed listening to our podcast. If so, please subscribe to our channel our episodes can only get better from here. And I want to say a big thank you to our sponsors setting entertainment for making this dream a reality.