EntertainMe Magazine October 2014 | Page 42

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 42 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 43