In a culture where sex, drugs, politics, violence and money dominate the music industry, TRUB brings the TRUTH in an incredible sound based on what’s hot without conforming to unenthusiastic Hip-Hop trends.
RESPECT.: You’re raised in Memphis but originally from the VA, how does both of the sounds come together?
TRUB: Coming from the VA to Memphis man honestly just the traveling. I have done a whole lot of traveling just from a kid growing up into a teenager. I got to see different cultures and those different environments and those things actually helped me to transcend my sound to being universal and not being caught up in what’s going on around me. Also being able to know what different markets around me and that transition alone helped me to have the universal style that I have now from doing between Virginia and Memphis.
RESPECT.: Who are some of your biggest influences?
TRUB: My biggest influences honestly for me I grew up to a lot of Three Six Mafia and definitely Playa Fly. Playa Fly was definitely a big one, there’s not one day that I didn’t listen to Fly. Fly was in my ears every two seconds especially growing up in Memphis. You know there was Project Pat and a lot of Three Six Mafia. Even though I listened and admire that because grew up in the Black Haven South Memphis. I was also into a lot of Cash Money and Juvenile. That’s what inspired me and made me want to rap in was a lot of Cash Money and Juvenile. That’s what inspired me was a lot of stuff from Cash Money at that time.
RESPECT.: What’s the culture like in Memphis?
TRUB: Honestly, it’s a very tough culture but at the same time with a lot of talent. There’s a lot of hidden talent in Memphis that it is starting to get some light now. It always has been getting shine, a sprinkle here and there. You always have a Memphis artist coming here and there. There’s some talent you wouldn’t even know came from Memphis, like Justin Timberlake. Seeing the emergence of a lot artist coming out Memphis especially from artist like Yo Gotti being able to open the door for a lot of artist it’s very is dope. The culture alone is very tough environment but if you can make it out of there, you can make it anywhere.
RESPECT.: You traveled a lot on the road between Memphis and Atlanta to record and build your name in the industry. Who have you worked with and what advice have they given you?
TRUB: Right now I’m actually living in Atlanta. I’ve worked with Waka, Whoo The Kid, Travis Scott, Gorilla Zoe, and Juicy J. Performing wise I’ve also done show with Bruno Mars, Future, & Plies. The biggest thing I’ve learned how to carry yourself and the business. You have to know level I want to be at because there’s level to business and levels to music and type of what caliber artist that you want to be. That’s one thing that Project Pat always taught me. He’s like my uncle so he’s always schooling me and always told me that, always look at what not what they do great but look at what artist might have been great and have failed. Look at what they did, what they do wrong. Always pay attention what your market is, what people like your music and what people don’t know what type level do you want to get to. Do you want be here or do you want to be there?
RESPECT.: Do you know what you want to bring to the game?
TRUB: I know every aspiring artist wants to be one of the greatest. I just want to be the best TRUBs that I can be.
RESPECT.: What does RESPECT. mean to you?
TRUB: RESPECT. that’s the biggest word to me and it’s just as important to me as loyalty if not more. Respect means the world to me. It’s a soul touching word because it represents what you need to have in order to be not just successful in life but to be looked at in life as a person who stands by his word. It’s who you are, it represents who you are. You got to have respect in order to be taken seriously. If a person respect you and you stand on you and that’s your word. If you ain’t taken seriously, then you just out here.
Watch TRUB’s new single “TOP” below and tell us what you think.
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