Trel Mack
Chris Clark interviews SKE Records Co-Owner and Artist
Trel Mack is a new artist
making a serious buzz in
his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, on the blogs and
on radio. Trel has been able
to take advantage of every
opportunity that has come
his way. Not only an artist
but a businessman as well
who happens to be the
co-owner of SKE Records
along with his partner Q
The Question aka Quinton
Hatfield. In this interview with EntertainMe,
Trel discusses his new single
“Charizma”, working with
Philly R&B artist Mel Alston
Jr, Battle Rap, the Philly
hip-hop and SKE records.
CC of EntertainMe: What are some of
your early musical influences?
Trel Mack: Well my musical influences
are many artists. I loved Mase growing up
and I loved his album “Harlem World” and
my favorite rapper of all time is Tupac.
Tupac’s music just reached so many people and it’s a reason why he’s a legend.
Also I love Earth, Wind & Fire as well.
Overall I just love music, Mase, Jay-Z,
Tupac, Big L, Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin
Gaye, the list goes on and on.
CC of EntertainMe: Some people growing up in Philadelphia and living in a bad
area fall prey to their surroundings. How
did you manage to avoid the wrong path
and stay on a positive road to success?
Trel Mack: Well for one I have three
children and I have to be there for them.
But yeah Philly is just a rough city and I
always stayed on the positive side of life.
As we say in Philly I just try to stay out the
way and just pursue my career and provide the people with great music. Living
in Philly it’s easy to fall into the negative
life but I’m happy to say I chose to do
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otherwise as that decision is not easy for
many people.
The Bynum Agency who works with Mel.
I remember one night me and Q was
CC of EntertainMe: What helped you
develop your emcee style?
Trel Mack: Well my style coming from
Philly alone says a lot. Philly is known
heavy for it’s street-oriented style and I always did my own lane. I just love to write
music not to take nothing away from the
street music Philly provides but I just love
to take my music out the box. When you
listen to records like “Still Here”, “Dreams
of a Winner” I think those records alone
put me in a different light.
CC of EntertainMe: You have a upcoming
EP “The Night Before Dawn” featuring
your latest single “Charizma” which was
produced by Epik. When can we expect
your EP to drop?
Trel Mack: Don’t have a release date
but trust me, I’m working so hard on
this project. Going through beats,
me & Q The Question are looking for
artist on the daily to collaborate with,
it’s so much to do. Q recently found
this incredible singer from Sweden named Charlotte Eriksson
aka The Glass Child, she is
amazing, me and her will do
something soon. Listen to
her songs “Stay” and also
“I’d Like to Remain a Mystery”, she’s so incredible, Q
has a great ear for talent.
CC of EntertainMe: You
did a remix with Mel Alston
Jr and Rich Quick called
“Dreamer II” for their
upcoming Sorry mixtape.
What was it like working
on that track?
Trel Mack: Awww man,
Mel Alston Jr. is a beast. I
first heard of him through
Q again, Q has a great relationship with Troi Dickey of
going through his records and was going
crazy how hot his music was especially his
song “Purple”. It was only right we had to
do something. We plan to do a video as
well once everybody schedules clear. Mel
new album is out now too go grab that
“Movie Muzik”. Shout to Rich Quick too.
CC
of EntertainMe: How did
you hook up with Q The
Question and decide to
form SKE records?
Trel Mack: Me and
Q met back in
2006, it a funny
story too. Q used
to work at
Rita’s
Wa-
terice at the Gallery mall as I used to be
down there a lot. But I would also see
him at the local library often in the downtown area so we just knew each other
as “Oh what’s good you the dude from
Rita’s” as I was a daily customer. Come
to find out we was both in the library on
the music grind. I was an artist that would
go online to get my music out and Q was
a journalist too for many hip-hop sites on
the side. So when we used to talk we
exchanged info and that was the birth of
SKE Records as he fell in love with my
music and told me how he always wanted
to start a record label.
CC of EntertainMe: You and Q have
decided to take SKE records international. Spain, Portugal, South Africa the list
goes on and on. What made you decide
to seek the international market?
Trel Mack: Well Q also does the publicity
for SKE Records artist and has crazy
ties. One of the main reasons is that Q
is bilingual and speaks Spanish fluently,
it’s amazing too his ties in many South
American countries and in Spain along
with the Dominican Republic. I remem-
ber the days when Q spoke nothing and
told me he was going to teach himself
Spanish and actually became fluent in the
streets learning from the Dominicans here
in Philly. But yeah we did our research
how so many artists have crazy online
fan bases and avoid the crazy politics in
their hometown. I was shocked to see
how Dom Kennedy is touring overseas.
Overseas is where it’s at and we had to
take advantage, s hout to DJ YRS Jerzy
he is a huge part of SKE and does a
great promo job for us each time we drop
something.
CC of EntertainMe: How do you feel
about some artists giving away their
albums for free. Does it devalue them?
Trel Mack: I think each case is different
depending on your status in the game at
the moment. If you are kind of new with
no following, or trying to reestablish it, it
could be best to give away. Where if you
are established you have to make revenue
and see how you stand with your fans and
if they are willing to support. I do feel
though if you have real fans they will be
supportive and it can show your worth.
CC of EntertainMe: Some of the great
talent coming out of Philly today are emcees such as Damo, Fess Gotchu, Chill
Moody, Rhyshon Jones, Twizzmatic and
a lot we don’t have time to mention. Who
out of the SKE camp do you see making
a serious mark in the business?
Trel Mack: Well from the SKE Camp we
have Petter Jones he is next up, his video
to “Three” is coming soon featuring myself and Shawn Archer and he has a dope
record out called “Moments”, he killed
it. Also we have our Spanish R&B singer
from Spain Adry Sawza. His new video
dropped not too long ago “Nunca Crei”
and his EP “Humble” is coming soon too.
We are international with it LOL.
CC of EntertainMe: Battle leagues have
sprung up everywhere and it seems
everybody has one. 106 & Park, Grind
Time, UW Battle League, Smack even
Eminem started his own called Total
Slaughter. Is this a trend that will be
around for a while or just a passing
phaze?
Trel Mack: Well it depends, all those
are great outlets for that lane. I read the
Eminem news as well and he such a
household so maybe he can take it somewhere it has never been. I’m not shocked
Eminem made this move either, he comes
from Battle Rap and was a beast at it.
CC of EntertainMe: In a emcee battle
who would win, Black Thought or Common?
Trel Mack: Wow, tough call, Common is
one hell of an emcee but Black Thought
got some super bars, might have to ride
out with Philly on this one.
CC of EntertainMe: Who is the one producer you would like to work with given
the chance?
Trel Mack: Ryan Leslie hands down, I
want to work with him bad. I believe me
and him will make some magic.
CC of EntertainMe: What would you tell
aspiring artists who want to pursue their
music full time?
Trel Mack: Be passionate, because the
strive to have success is going to be a
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