JR: How long have you been an artist and what got you started in the game?
TRA: Man, I'd rather not say, I have been a part of the music biz longer than some of these artist have been alive.
JR: That's a long time...
TRA: I started real young like 13 yrs old, got in the game at 17, my first tour was Luke, Jt Money, H Town and UNLV. I had the chance to tour with Biggie and Jr. Mafia on the Jr. Mafia promo tour with Big Beat Records. I've been signed to Sony records in 1999 with Organized Thuggs, I went on the Jay Z & 50 Cent roc the mic tour and performed at countless after parties. I've done a lot man, toured with Mc Breed, 8Ball & MJG, The Hard Boys, 3 6 mafia, Skinny Pimp, JT Money, DTP and others. I've worked behind the scenes for Suave House, Power/Triad records, Def Jam south, 40th street records, Big Kat records and my own label Street Hustle Music Group & AFG Muzic. I'm true to this.
TRA: My first influences really would be like LL cool J, Uncle Luke, EPMD, Big Daddy Kane, JT Money, Geto Boys, NWA, Easy E, 2PAC, Too Short, *8 Ball & MJG and my homie MC Breed. JT Money, Too Short, & Geto Boys, Mr Scarface was one of the ones that made me want to rap. Watching yo MTV Raps, seeing the videos just made me want to be apart of rap.
JR: Who are you currently listening to and who would you want to colab with?
TRA: I don't listen to rap that heavy, not new rap, I find stuff late after a lot of people have died down, i listen to mostly old rap CDs like 8 ball & MJG, Scarface, NWA, Too Short, Ghetto Mafia, Old Yo Hotti Cocaine Muzik 1, n 2, old JT Money, Dr Dre. New music, I listen to artists that have been around, Ed Sheeran, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, 2 chainz, Adel, Kevin Gates, Drake, Wayne, Rich Homie Quan, Gucci Mane. I think if I had a chance, I would like to rock with Yo Gotti, 2 chainz.
JR: That is quite the list, listening to a wide range of artists would make one more versatile. Which ingredient would u say defines Tra Da Hustle King as unique?
TRA: I'm just me, I don't go with the hype of whats out there now, I record what I feel and how I'm feeling at the moment. I used to sell a lot of records in Japan, and other countries as Slick Tra and with Organized Thuggs. The thing I like about overseas markets is that if they like the music they like it, they don't care if you're G Unit, Young Money, Def Jam, Snoop dog or what. If they like it they like it and they will buy it. So that always made me do me. A lot of southern music have that same sound but a lot of guys got they own lane, 2 Chainz, Young Dolph, Migos, Yo Gotti, Bossie, Piles, Bankroll Fresh, Rich Homie Quan, the new homie Lil Donald, Joe Green - its a lot of us man, but everyone brings something different. I got that OG shit, that straight out Decatur ride music, real stories and concepts.
TRA: To BIG BOY BALL is to go out to the club or an event and everything you do that night you do it BIG, from the time you walk in the mall to get the flyest outfit for the night, to what you eat, how many bottles you buy. It's going straight in the club through VIP, straight to the VIP, living life that night like you just signed a 100 million dollar contract with an NBA team, BIG BOY BALLIN'. Its NBA, NFL type ballin'.
JR: Like going all out, balls to the wall, makin' it rain.....
TRA: You know when Kevin Hart says he can't hangout with his ball playing friends like D Wade, because they would go in the club ball out spend $36,000 dollars in one night in VIP, and then the next day they call you and say GUESS WHAT we gone do that shit again tomorrow, and u say wait, wait wait, see the way my bank account is set up see, haha! now that's BIG BOY BALLIN!!!
TRA: The beat, my homie Ditty Beatz sent me the track and i rolled around like 3 or 4 days just listening and i just kept saying "standing in the VIP, BIG BOY BALLIN" and it stuck. I wrote the song in my head while riding around Atlanta, and then went home and wrote it down. We recorded it three days later.
JR: Now thats a quick turnaround for a banger like Big Boy Ballin'. Where are you currently distributing "Big Boy Ballin" and where can listeners go to get the track?
TRA: Right now they can get it off Soundcloud or reverbnation. We finishing up the album and you def will be able to get it off of ITunes.
JR: So you are dropping an album in 2015?
TRA: I got a new full street album due out mid May 2015 titled "DA HEART OF DA HUSTLE", 14 bangin songs to ride to, We will be hitting the road touring and promoting in cities all over the US, and building the overseas market back up. Just follow on twitter & IG @tradahustleking to keep up.
JR: Looking forward to the release, any Shout-outs?
TRA: Just like to shout out my team AFG Muzic, 404 Money Gang, My right hand man Tony Hill, my partna Simpal, T Lewis, Lofat, Deon (CCR), Theo, Joe Smart thanks alot lil bro, ditty beatz, track slammers, ID Beatz, Dj Tecfury, Tha Carter, Norma, and all the Djs thats showing me love on this project also thanks Jay at Jamsterdam for the love.
Tune in nightly from 9pm to midnight eastern standard time for "Rap By Night" to hear more from Tra Da Hustle King. Do you have music to be heard? Send in your music to Jay@JamsterdamRadio.com to be heard on Jamsterdam Radio.
