Kore Stacks: Honestly, t the team. This sounds
cliche, but it was really my
team, and working hard. The
odds are always against you, but
you have to stay focused and keep
moving. Shit could have went wrong,
but I had nothing to lose. I’m a hood nigga from D.C. who ain’t got shit, so fuck that. I got nothing to lose. Two years later, I’m here. I’m still not where I want to be though, so it’s a little difficult to answer that.
U.G. Digital Mag: It’s easy to not be focused though. I’ve seen it a lot where people have the right team, but they still fall to the wayside. It’s easy to not be focused. Aside from the team, what has kept you focused.
Kore Stacks: Coming to Atlanta kept me focused because I don’t really have any friends or family. I’ve met people along the way, but in the beginning, I didn’t have the bad influences. People around me stay focused, and it’s about how can I make money. How can I put a body of work out universally that people can understand. That’s my thing. I have an album I’m working on, and I’m doing a big birthday bash. Make sure you come out. I don’t know if you’ve seen my party on youTube, but they’re crazy. I was warned, though, on how to stay focused out here. That was always my mentality. I stayed watching my favorite artist Jay-Z’s documentaries. I studied my craft.
U.G. Digital Mag: How much does the legacy of your grandfather play in everything? Obviously he was able to accomplish so much in radio.
Kore Stacks: He was a legend in D.C. He literally raised me. My teenage years, it was me, my grandmother and my grandfather. I was already training and not even knowing. I can tell you about music from back in the eighties because of my grandfather. He was a big influence in my life as far as writing, and expressing how I feel. He gave me that motivation to go hard, but outside of him, I gotta make it work.
U.G. Digital Mag: But it’s easy to see where the work ethic comes from.
Kore Stacks: But I salute you for dropping everything to do what you love man.
U.G. Digital Mag: To say I appreciate that is an understatement. You hear so much from people about what you should do, what works vs. what doesn’t work, and so on. Clearly, it’s not a huge amount jumping off here, so people here looked at it like it wouldn't work. Then also, when I say I left a career, it was literally that, pay and all. To go from making what I did to making 25,000, or 30,000 a year is like suicide. It’s a lot to give up, so it takes so much faith. I’m that example that it can happen, and it can work. I did it with a wife and kid. It took a few years to build, but it’s a blessing. We come to Atlanta so much, and actually will be there in a couple weeks. I see the impact you have on people, and what you do with your brand. It’s a lot of people taking notice. For you to be able to do a show like "Star", it’s clear that people take notice.
Kore Stacks: I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Sometimes it feels like I’m not doing enough. It feels good to hear you say that.
U.G. Digital Mag: I think it’s so dope man. I’ve always felt like sexuality should not have any control over your success, but people judge for the wrong reasons. I think because of you things are shifting. The industry has needed you, and so much will happen because of you. Again, you’re doing "Star", and people like Lee Daniels is blowing this platform through the roof. Ten or fifteen years ago, this never would have been the case. For you to be a part of something like that is amazing and it will only get bigger.
Kore Stacks: Thank you.
U.G. Digital Mag: In terms of your music, the mixtape was out a couple years ago. Where are things now?
Kore Stacks: I have two projects. Every year, I drop something. I have Ambitions of a Hustla, and then I have Ambitions of a Hustla: The Green Print. On that album, it had some nice features. Wait til' you hear the features this