It was the summer of 1996. We had just moved to the ‘newly developed’ southside of my Lexington, Kentucky hometown. I was a sophomore in high school, and one half of a local rap duo. Unlike most young musicians, I never dreamed of being a rock star; I’ve just always wanted the people to listen to what I have to say. As serene and placating as Kentucky can be, the phrase, “it’s where you go to retire,” is probably an understatement. Let’s just say that there weren’t many of us walking around with dreadlocks in army fatigues and work boots, especially back in 96. So needless to say, we stood out. Not known for a flourishing hip hop culture, I found myself in the center of a virtually nonexistent music scene that seemed to still be years in the making. This meant that aside from freestyling with friends on the corner and performing at the annual high school talent show, there wasn’t much of a career to be had. Truthfully I just wanted to make music. So much so that I would rent equipment from the local music store (the DooWop Shop) and make beats for our developing crew to rap over. When I didn’t have enough money to rent equipment, I would shoplift single tapes from the store solely for the instrumentals…my sincere apologies to Best Buy. lol It would be unjust not to mention Madd Militia, who were quintessential in my development as an artist in my early years. Especially since it was this hip hop collective that gave me my first show in the same city I thought to be years away from such an event. To say I was excited is an understatement. To say I was nervous doesn’t quite capture the moment either. Nevertheless, that night would set in motion the next 15 years of my life; and I didn’t even know it. Now truth be told, I can’t really claim that I was the world’s biggest hip hop fan or anything close to it prior to meeting Madd Militia. Being the younger brother and sharing a room with a ‘not so hip hop’ sibling, my experience with the genre wasn’t pleasant. Not until I was able to shop for my own taste in music that is. That’s when I learned about Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Outkast, Nas, Goodie Mob, Brand Nubian, etc. I can remember skipping school to go to the mall to be one of the first 5 people to purchase the Wu-Tang Clan ‘Forever’ double cd. Or watching RapCity and seeing Killarmy’s video and running to the record store to buy an album I didn’t even know was out yet. I was not just a guy who rapped and made beats, I began to live, eat, sleep and breath music. Once I began recording with Madd Militia and going to concerts, seeing the culture lived out, I was hooked. I absolutely loved it. Fast forward two decades, 2 cities, 3 tours, distribution deals, and a thousand other musical experiences along the way and it’s still that feeling that I crave when I think about my life and career as a musician. But perhaps the most important of all, is YOU, the listener, that makes all of it matter. Now operating out of Motown (Detroit, MI), I look forward to many more times on the rough and on the green with Sun Tzu Cadre and R & E Entertainment, since it always makes for worthwhile experiences along this musical journey. I can only hope that you are part of that journey as well. If you’d like to hear the most recent milestone of that journey, click hear to listen to my most recent album, ‘13th Amendment’. As we prepare for the release of “AODC”, the Autobiography of Demetrius Clayborne. In Stores Jan. 27th. Thank you for being a listener and for making it all matter. Peace, 13