TC

- -

TC
“THE WAY IT IS"
It’s 2:30 in the morning when the white Cadillac Deville pulls into the well known BP gas station off of North Avenue. The tinted windows are slightly rolled down and the sounds of Eightball and MJG are heard coming from the car. As the car comes to a park, the door opens. A young man who gives of such a strong presence exits the car. Wearing a simple black t-shirt, some dickies, black wallabies and an Atlanta hat that you wish you had for yourself, you would think he just left an old Warren G video shoot. You stand in line behind him as he purchases a pack of Newports and you just know he is someone. Who is this someone? This someone is TC, the local songwriter/artist who is catching attention from major labels and getting his music heard all the way from Atlanta to overseas. Just don’t ask him who he has worked with, he probably will not name drop a single person. “I want to be known for my music, not because I work with so and so.” Currently sitting on over 300 plus songs, what’s holding him back? He’s known for his voice and word play, but many outside the music business would never know what really sets him ahead of other independent artist. “TC knows how he wants the track to sound, he comes to the studio with a picture painted, but at the same time he is always open minded about new ideas.” “I work with many artist and they come in the studio so hard headed that you can’t even help them out, it’s like they don’t wanna learn.” “TC goes with it, if something needs to be changed, he doesn’t hesitate to ask for opinions.” “He always wants perfection when it really counts.” Not to mention his dedication to music, but the energy TC brings everywhere is unmatched.
You would never what he dealt with growing up, not to mention loosing an older brother a few years ago to a bullet wound. A very quiet person when you first meet him, but as he opens up you will find your time spent with him turn into memories that most likely you will not forget. Raised in Atlanta after moving from Houston, his parents separated. With his biological father living in Mexico, his mother had to make the hard decisions. “I was raised around many different types of backgrounds, ask me how many brothers I have and you better take notes.” “Let’s just leave it at that.”
So how did he get into music? It all started with a Do or Die single that you might know of “Po Pimp.” “I had the single before the cd came out.” “I kept up with the cd for so many years and it always would pop up.” “One day I was in my room drawing and I came across it.” “It had the instrumental version on it and I would just let it ride.” “I thought to myself, if UGK or someone from the south was rappin’ on a track like this, it would be crazy.” “So I did it, I grabbed a blank tape and rigged my stereo like I was burning a cd to a tape, hooked up a mic and laid it down.” “I never really took it serious until halfway through highschool.” “I always laid down songs with people I went to school with and we would sell em’ but we didn’t ever say, this is me, ima make it in this music industry.” It was just something to pass time and it brought us all together.” Well, unfortunately some minor things have changed. TC still lays down music, but not only for fun now it’s to get his message across. As you listen to his delivery and tone of voice on different songs you can really feel his passion and determination. “I don’t think one person really knew me because of my lyrics, everybody knew my voice.” “I had to have that come to a stop.” It has always been more than just music with TC. Music has seemed to become his way of release. “Not many people really bring it these days.” “They bring it on a few songs and think they are just all that.” When an artist thinks they are all that, that’s when they fall of.” Not wanting to be that artist, TC continues to bring energy and passion into his music. Just listen for yourself and you will realize it is more than just music when it comes to TC.
21 QUESTION WITH TC
1) How old are you/when were you born?
-I was born July 31st 1985
2) What music are you listening to right now?
-In the Cadi I got that old MJG album “no more glory” Devin the Dude, Scarface, Old Outkast, UGK is always in the car, Twistas “adrenaline rush” and lots of R&B.
3) What artist do you listen to that aren’t signed?
-Big Krit, Lil Weavah even though he's got his indie thing goin on, BT, I listen to alot of unsigned artist, but I mainly listen to the ones I feel are making moves and about to take their status to the next level
4) If you could work with anyone, who would it be?
-If I had to pick a producer it would def. be Timbaland. If I had to pick an artist I don’t even know right now maybe Bun B or Andre 3000.
5) Do you collect anything?
-I have always collected cd’s and records. My grandfather use to own a couple of record stores so I got tons and tons of original records still wrapped up. Some are signed. Outside of music my shoe game is crushin, and the hat game is crazy.
6) When you get off the airplane in Atlanta what reminds you that you are home?
-When I see the So So Def advertisement on the side of the Interstate.
7) Who was the first major artist to show you some sort of attention?
-Pastor Troy
8) A lot of your music has an R&B feel, why?
-Ever since I started recording on a serious level I have been surrounded by Jazz and R&B. I think rap these days is boring straight up…I’m not feelin it. R&B artist just seem to add more to the music they do and I like that.
9) Whats your favorite song that you have recorded?
-I can’t maintain the 03 version. Originally I produced this song and everyone was feeling it. I took it to J-Lack while I was workin on my album with him and he was like let me re-make that track for you. So I was all for it, it came out alright but then a week later he had this crazy track and I told him we should put “can’t maintain” on it. We did and it came out priceless.
10) Were you born in Atlanta?
-No, I was born in Houston. I still make it out there from time to time to see fam, but I’ve been in Atlanta most my life.
11) What was your first job?
-Umm, my first job…how about my second? I worked at a carwash around the way from where I was living at the time. I was young. I actually worked there for awhile. I worked there before I took music serious but after I took music serious it kind of helped out. I remember working there when the All Star game was being held in Atlanta and since the car wash was close to everything that was going on I would slide my cd in peoples cars.
12) You have a lot of songs about females, what kind of girls do you look for?
-I’m picky for real, like on another level. I usually go for the girls that stand out. I like her to have her own style, a type of girl that you can’t categorize. If I’m somewhere with a girl, I want everybody to take notice. I usually go for the girls that are real focused in life. I can’t really explain it.
13) The rumor is your brother never had the chance to actually hear your music, is this correct?
-He heard the stuff I did when I first started. He never heard the music that took me to the next level. That’s one of the things I regret everyday.
14) What’s your favorite song that’s out right now?
-That whole Bun B album is crazy
15) What’s your dream car?
-Since I was young it has always been a 1964 2 door Impala SS. I remember being in first grade and all the kids in my class would say they wanted a Ferrari or some exotic car. While they would dream about that…I would focus on my Impala. I wouldn’t put hydros or spokes on it but I would have it all done up real tasteful.
16) What kind of car do you own right now?
-Im in a Cadi right now. I got an 01 Deville. I could of had something newer but I like that body style. I kind of wish I would of went with the DTS…it’s basically the same but with minor changes. The cars of my choice have always been Chevy or Cadi. I would never waste my money on some flashy Benz or Bmw. For one, it’s just not my style of car. Also, all of those fancy cars like that depreciate after time. If you were to spend that same amount of money on a classic car and re-build it back to original it will end up turning into an investment as the years go by.
17) If you could change one thing about your music what would it be?
-I was in a group back in the day. I enjoyed being in a group, I would much rather do that then be a solo artist. I’m at the point of no-return right now and I’m fine with that. It just lets me know that I have to work twice as hard, plus people tell me all the time that I’m better as a solo artist.
18) Indie or major?
-No doubt I’m going for a major deal but I like the indie sound. I respect indie music more because it’s more pure but I also want my message heard as much as possible and the only way you can do that is with a major deal. More then half of these major artist are fake as hell. They are given this image and have to be some character and that’s fraud. I just wanna come as I am. If you don’t like it then don’t listen.
29) It has been said that you have a lot of humor in person?
-That’s what they say? I’m just all about having a good time, fuck being hard and proving something. I’ve been through to much not to show I can have a good time. I crack jokes non stop.
20) Are you in school?
-No I’m not. I went to Ga. Perimeter for 3 semesters but I couldn’t pass out of the math class I was in so they put me on some 3 year suspension thing. It’s a long story. I’ve never been able to pass math. In high school I think my teachers were just sick of seeing me in their class so they passed me. It’s funny because I was actually in honors Lang. Arts all through high school. I’ve never even read a book. I was just a good writer. I wrote a paper my first semester in college and the professor submitted it to the library.
21) They say you’re an artist?
- No doubt, I actually could have had a scholarship to just about any art school in the country. I get down. My art work is usually realistic pieces with a touch of abstract. I still talk to my art teacher from high school. He looked out for me alot. Don’t get me wrong we bumped heads just about every week, but he looked out for me more than any of my teachers. I probably wouldn’t even have been able to go to that school anymore if it wasn’t for him, well there was also one other Supervisor in that school that looked out for me. I had a few teachers that new my situation outside of school so they were down for me, but the others, they would move me right out of their class.
Marty Busby 1215579 Wilcox State Prison G-2 P.O. Box 397 Abbeville, Ga. 31001