Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
King Zick
I was born in Sacramento California and lived there for the first few years of my life and then moved to San Jose California. I grew up in The Bay Area. Music was something that I always did on the side aside from baseball because I enjoyed it and I could make whatever type of music I wanted. I decided to become an Artist for a few select reasons. The first being is that sports wasn’t working out for me anymore due to a couple injuries my body sustained over the 13 year time period of playing ball. Playing in the MLB was always my first dream and being an established music artist was my second dream. I started receiving a lot of love for music once I started putting out material. With all the feedback and support I was getting I started to look at music as more of a career once baseball no longer was in the picture for me. So now I’m trying to live out my second dream!
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
King Zick
My last name is Zickel. On the baseball field everyone would call me ‘Zick’ and I liked it. So on the field is where my nickname established when I was about 9 years old. Me and my business partners/close friends are starting a clothing line called ‘Seven Lost Kings’. Once we were spreading the word about starting our clothing line and ‘Seven Lost Kings’ being a much bigger brand than just a clothing, everyone started calling me King Zick. I rolled with it.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
King Zick
I think online music sharing is a great opportunity for established and upcoming artists. Everything is pretty much Social media and online oriented in today’s society. It’s easy to go on your phone and simply download tracks, albums, mixtapes etc. The majority of my music will be free until I am established as an Artist with a respectable fanbase. It’s not about the fame and money by any means, but it would be a dream come true if music is putting food on the table and giving me and my family a house to live in. No matter how big of an artist I become, I was still always release free music projects just simply for the love of music. Not everything needs to be based on money.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
King Zick
Network network network! Try to connect with everyone and anyone. Send your music to everybody. It really only takes one powerful connection to get your career the exposure you want. Use social media to its advantage, it’s extremely easy to email and get into contact with someone who is apart of the industry. In that being an artist, producer, booking agent or engineer. Also I can’t stress this enough either, INVEST INTO YORSELF. No one will take you seriously in the industry if you aren’t willing to finically support what you do. Be professional as possible when showcasing yourself as an artist and don’t half ass anything. Once you start making a name for yourself then you’ll start to see the bigger opportunities start rolling in. Remain humble, it’s a long journey to the top.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
King Zick
So far I’ve only had a few shows under my belt but have performed at parties in front of large audiences multiple times. The first few times can be really nerve racking. It’s your first impression you make on a crowd and word spreads around quick if your hot or not. If you make a mistake don’t pause and stop. Roll with it and freestyle off the top off your head if you have to. Technology is always having issues so if you are on stage and your song cuts out due to technical difficulties you still better perform your ass off. I’ve seen it happen and that’s I handle the situation.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
King Zick
I’m looking to go on tour for my first time this next upcoming summer hopefully or even sooner! Stay tuned.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
King Zick
My inspiration comes from my everyday life and studying how the greats worked their way up into the industry. I’m always inspired day in a day out. When I’m writing a song I like to be in the studio. Music is a vibe, I smoke a little greenery to help me get in my vibe and expand my mind. If you aren’t vibin good and not feelin it, then stop everything your doing and come back to it later. Get back into your vibe whatever you do personally to get into it and put everything you got into each song. I just let it come to me. It may sound weird but every time I hear a new beat that I love I can already hear the lyrics in my head that I want use for that in particular song before I jot it down on paper or my phone.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
King Zick
I do not have a website yet, but I will very soon. I use Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and sound cloud to promote all of my music.
Snapchat: king_zick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/
kingzick/
Sound Cloud:
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
King Zick
Luckily I don’t have any yet! But knowing me there might be one or two every now and then so be on the lookout haha.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
King Zick
I would use the first 10% and donate to to charity and the church. I would put 350,000 into savings and use the other 100,000 and invest into everything I’m doing as well as my business partners. I’d Forsure get a bunch of new tattoos though!
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
King Zick
Eventually I plan on getting some newer equipment but with what I have right now works great. I have a new Mac mini computer and I run Pro Tools HD 10 on it, AKG Microphone, Apollo interphase, and an extremely nice preamp that I run through the Apollo as well. I have my own booth that me and my brother Zino Dope set up so that we have a professional sound.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
King Zick
I promote it through all my social media. Texting links and interacting with everyone personally to receive feedback. A fan appreciates when you interact with them personally, it doesn’t make them feel like their just another person your trying to show your music to.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
King Zick
If I could perform with any artists of my choosing dead or alive I would want to hit the biggest venues in every state possible. One big tour with; Tupac, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Dizzy Wright, Zino Dope, G-Eazy and Eminem. There are a ton of more artists I would love to tour and do work with but we’d be here a while.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
King Zick
I am currently working on an EP called ‘Eviction Notice’. I don’t have an exact release date yet but I will soon! It will have a lot of great quality music with no filler songs. I put everything I have into each song, project, or performance I have.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
King Zick
I would be spending most of my time building my clothing line and be a scout for new upcoming talent and sign them to ‘Too Stoned Records’ & or Authentic 100. I would focus more on the business side of things to building my company with the team I have.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
King Zick
The first album I Ever purchased wasThe Growing Process’ By Dizzy Wright. I was inspired and motivated to say the least. I had been listening to Dizzy Wright since 2011 right after he changed his name from Dizzy D’Flashy to Dizzy Wright. It was just hella dope watch him grow as an artist and be inspired by him for many years and see what he’s done in that time period.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
King Zick
It’s definitely hard man. At the moment I’m balancing two jobs trying to finically get way ahead now ex specially now since I have a little one on the way! You have to prioritize everything you’re doing. If you try to do everything at once then you’ll never get anything done in a timely matter. Make a list, prioritize, and execute. If your team each all has individual things you gotta take care of, then do what you are assigned to do first and then worry about handling other things once you’ve handled your side of things.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
King Zick
Look forward to me growing as an artist and putting out great music. I think I’m gonna surprise a lot of people. The ‘Too Stoned Record’ and ‘Authentic 100’ team are going to be doing big things.
