Artist of The Month
Dragnet
Hometown:
Dallas (Oak Cliff), Texas
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to shop, watch movies and go out with friends.
What made you want to become a musician? Where did you get your start in the industry?
Honestly, I always had a thing for music. As a kid, me and my sister used to look up lyrics on the internet and print them out. We had the words to just about every song that you could think of. Together…we must’ve had like 6 big 4 inch notebooks worth of lyrics. From there, it just followed me to high school where I began freestyling in morning cyphers with my friends just to pass the time before we had to go to class
What is your music background?
It’s always been me as a solo artist. In high school, there were various clicks of rappers, but everyone always did their thing heavy on the solo tip. It wasn’t until either last year or early this year, I cant really remember, that I decided to team up with a group called Impact. Now I still do my thing heavy as an artist, but you could kinda say that I am the front man for Impact because I have more experience dealing with people in the industry and going to events than the rest of my counterparts. Everything that I do now is a stepping stone to Impact getting ready to release our mixtape and then the LP
Who are your influences? Who were some of your inspirations growing up?
I listened to some of everything from pop to country to jazz to rap in high school, but some of the really influential artists on my style of how I rap are Chamillionaire, Yung Ro, Magnificent, Ludacris and Eminem. It was actually Eminem’s song called “Bully” that just made me say “Hey, I gotta be a rapper”
What do you consider to be your greatest asset to this music industry?
My greatest asset to this industry is that I’ma give you your full dollar’s worth. I feel like some artists are just here to play around and do it because it looks good. Mentally, they don’t take in all the things that come with being a rapper and someone that can be influential to a movement before they pick the mic up. Half the artists that I see having success now have no ral background in music. As a kid, I played the violin in elementary, I was in choir at church…these artists never did things like that. They don’t even take the time to study the craft.
What do you feel you have to bring to the music world?
I feel that I have to bring hip hop and rap back to the industry. A lot of people don’t really understand that hip hop and rap are 2 different things. Even though I could break it down for them real quick…Im not gonna give that part of the game away…All I will say is…watch me
Are you looking for an independent label deal or a major label deal?
If the money and the numbers are right….i am open to any deal…if its beneficial to me. Being an independent is cool, but it lacks the machine and vision that a major label can provide. As an independent, you can only reach a certain amount of people and a certain crowd before you have to be like “this aint enough, we need to expand”
Are you a part of any music label, if so which one(s)?
Ak Ryte Entertainment…CEO
How do you feel about the competition out there right now?
Competition is good…I welcome all challengers…we don’t have to beef at all….just get to the money…
What personality do you want to display to fans through your music?
I want people to understand that I am a real person and that I am a 3 dimensional character..there are many genres of music and I am heavily influenced by all of them. With that being said, you cant just pigeon-hole me into one circle and say that this is the type of music I do…I want to do a lil of it all…so when you are jamming my music…you are really just chilling with me as a person…come into my world..grab a coke, a few burgers and lets have a good time
If you had to say one of each what would be your strength in music, and what would be your weakness?
My strength in music is that I am willing to crossover to different genres. You have some artists that refuse to try something or experiment for fear of losing fans, but they don’t think about the other side where there is the potential to gain more fans. My weakness in music would be the fact that I don’t know how to really play an instrument anymore. My days of playing the violin are nothing but a memory now
What would you say is your hottest song right now?
Presently, I would say my hottest song is “Take A Picture” with Slimm Duddy from Georgia and right behind that is “The Streets Don’t Sleep” and “Don’t Touch The Cage”…but I promise im working on something right now that should make that list change
Describe your fan base. Who is your music meant for?
Honestly, my music is meant for that kid in every household who is being overlooked because his brother or sister is a priority. As the only boy growing up, a lot of people think that I was spoiled and that I was treated like a prince…No. I have a sister who is 3 years older than me who played the trumpet in the band from 7th grade all the way til she graduated her 5th year in college. Although, I was a stand out student who always brought home As and Bs on my report card, until high school, I felt overlooked. She always had some event to perform at and something that she was doing and I just felt like some of my aspirations went to the back burner for that. We’re older now and I really don’t care because I do my thang to the fullest, but when I do my music…I do it for the kid who everyone knows has talent, but they still get pushed to the side
Who would you most compare your style to?
I say that my style is an infusion between Chamillionaire and Yung Ro
Who did you learn from the most?
I would say that the artist I have learned from the most would be SparkDawg from Killeen, Tx. When I first started networking with artists in the military and trying to learn things about the business Spark always answered any question that I had. Real shit.
Who has helped you the most as an artist?
As an artist, I would say that Big Sid from San Angelo, Tx via Lake Charles, La has helped me the most. He really looked out for me when I was recording my first album and helped me get a plug with certain artists that I might not have gotten in touch with without his reputation as being a stand-up guy and businessman
Do you write your own songs?
Of course, everything that I say in my lyrics is something that I have went through myself…I don’t give you my accounts from a friend’s point of view like some artists do…I keep it 100.
What are your songs about?
My songs are about all the funny little quirks and shit we go through in life…but I try to keep it positive…
How do you describe your music to people?
I describe my music as new age. It has similarities of hip hop and traces of rap, but its an infusion of the two. A lot of artists only stick in one lane, but I like to zig zag through traffic and get where I’m going…that’s how I apply myself to my music. I think that I cross over between so many genres that I guess the best way to describe it would be to call it “street hop”
What image do you think your music conveys?
I think that my music conveys that I am a man who has been through various situations in my life, both positive and negative, and I don’t let those things affect my judgment in people and my everyday decisions
What are your immediate music career goals? (Next 1 to 3 years.)
In the next few years, I hope to have gained a notable amount of recognition for the things that I am doing with my music
What are your long-term career goals?
My long term goal is to own my own conglomerate…I have a lot of ideas for business ventures that are outside of the box that you see the average mogul doing and I think that they will be very successful for me
How would you define the word "success"?
I define success as being comfortable with what you have achieved…if you not comfortable yet, then you are accomplished and still trying to be successful…I feel accomplished at this point in my life
Have you had any radio play?
Not from a mainstream station, but I do get play on internet radio…www.baconandgreaseradio.com is the 1st station to put me in regular rotation and I want to openly thank Kris for looking out for me on that…she spins every single that I shoot to her
What were you doing when you first heard your single on the radio?
The first time I heard one of my song on internet radio was when “Don’t You Wanna” got played on yingyangtwinsradio.com and I was sitting at my comp waiting on it…I was a little shocked when I heard it, but then I quickly snapped out of it and called Genesis, the leader of my group Impact, and let him know that the song was getting a spin because he was featured on it as well as Scoob
How long did you, or have you been working on your album?
My first album took me 6 months, but I’m taking my time with my sophomore LP and really making sure that I incorporate everything that people didn’t get the first time around, but I am also giving them some of the same formula
What's the title of the album or what is it gonna be?
My new album is entitld “Dragnet Unleased”
Do you have a demo or press kit, or any other promotional materials?
Um…not at the moment, but I am getting ready to press up copies of my new single “Take A Picture” and put it out in the streets now that I like the reaction that it has been getting from the net
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
listen to my music and you’ll know exactly who I am
What type of music do you listen to? Who is on your iPod right now other than yourself?
I listen to some of everything from country to pop to r&b to hip hop and then rap…I don’t have an iPod, but I can put music on my phone, so….right now I’m heavy on the homie Wes Fif from Orlando, Yung O from Oklahoma, Joe Budden, Slaughterhouse, SparkDawg, Drake, Chamillionaire and Yung Twinn
Is there anything you'd like to tell the people before you go?
Yea…”Don’t Touch The Cage” is on sale on my site right now for $3…limited time…it’ll be between $8-10 when it hits Amazon and iTunes so get it now at www.peacebreaker.com! Cop the single “Take A Picture” wherever you can get it from right now and bump…it’ll be on iTunes as well in the coming weeks…and “Dragnet’s Block” the EP is on the way! “Take A Picture” feat. Slimm Duddy is the lead single right now
MySpace link or link to other music pages?
Any shout outs?
Yea..shout to Kris for holdin me down on the spins, Yung O, Maxx Calzz, Fame, Genesis, Kels at Mixtape Daily, Shod at Underground Fuzion, DJ Ames, DJ T Dubb, DJ Grand K, DJ Bootleg and everybody else rockin with the RG movement
