Exposed Vocals Interviews VA-EMCEE

Portsmouth, Va. – VA-EMCEE is a songwriter and producer based out of Virginia. He began writing, producing, and engineering around the age of 11. In order to get noticed, he needed to bring something different to the game. This ignited his creative side and began producing unique sounds and writing intriguing lyrics.

VA-EMCEE developed an online presence early in his music career knowing that it would be essential to growing in the music industry. His very first album titled “Hustler’s Product” was released in 2007 which he pressed onto CD’s himself and distributed them throughout the cities that surrounded him. He also began networking with various businesses and individuals engaging in the music industry to provide a wider outlet for his music to be heard.

VA-EMCEE gained his first major exposure opportunity when he was featured on “Slip N Slides” “On The Grind” performing his smash hit “Wrist Watchin”. VA-EMCEE has also worked with A&R Select based in California for placement and publishing opportunities. Hard work and dedication truly paid off when he was able to land a radio interview with DJ Jack of Spades of 103 Jamz based in Norfolk, Virginia. Hearing his interview and song being played on the radio was a life changing experience and is what motivated him to obtain as much radio airplay as possible in the future.

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

VA-EMCEE: I grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia and I began making music in the 6th grade. I started off writing poetry and then I evolved to freestyling, writing, and producing hip-hop music. I used to freestyle and rap with my friends in school and we would always have a crowd surrounding us and that gave me the drive to push forward in the music world. My late best friend and I won second place in a high school talent show and I knew then that I was born to entertain. Portsmouth was a very rough city and I experienced a great deal of the “street life”. I realized that there was nothing promising for me going down the path that I chose and I knew I had to make a change. I began taking bigger steps into the industry by pressing up my own CD’s and selling them locally. The more positive feedback I received, the more passionate I became about succeeding in the music industry.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

VA-EMCEE: I have always had a strong voice and once I began rapping in front of large crowds I was given the name EMCEE. felt it was perfect because I was able to capture the listener’s ear and I was able to move the crowd quite well. There are exactly three E’s, one M, and one C in my name. That created EMCEE and hailing from VA gave me the added touch creating VA-EMCEE.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

VA-EMCEE: I feel that online music sharing is essential to the success of upcoming artists. One of the first steps I took was developing an online presence because of the large amount of potential fans that are spread through the internet. I always offer free downloads and give away CD’s because it shows that I am willing to give back to loyal listeners. Giving away free music is a great way to gain exposure and also a great way to keep your listeners and fans engaged.

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?

VA-EMCEE: Stay focused and never give up because hard work and determination always pays off. Submit your music to various sites and you can even speak with local businesses and advertise or distribute your music through them. Consistency and persistence is key in the music world.

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

VA-EMCEE: My inspiration mainly comes from my life experiences. I am a creative writer as well so if it is a concept that I feel is interesting or a concept that I feel listeners can relate to then I will make a song inspired by that.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

VA-EMCEE: Yes, the band website is www.vaemcee.com. I share my music on many different platforms. I share my music sites such as Facebook, Reverbnation, Twitter, Itunes, LastFM, SongVaultFM, YouTube, Vimeo, OurStage, SoundCloud, MTV Beta and many more.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

VA-EMCEE: I am very business-oriented so I would invest at least half of the money into certificates and investment products. I would travel to promote my music and perform at various venues. I would network with music industry professionals around the world and strengthen my brand. I may take a small amount of time to enjoy myself but my main goal will always be to build up my career.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

VA-EMCEE: I keep an eye out for events near me and I am always online searching for websites to submit my music to. I utilize social media and music hosting sites to gain further exposure. The more places I am able to get my music to, the more people will hear my music.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

VA-EMCEE: I am currently securing a DJ to host my upcoming mixtape “Born A Hustler” that is set to be released summer of 2016. I recently released my first single “Twenty’s” from my upcoming album titled “Hell 4 A Hustler” and it is now available on iTunes and many other retailers as well. The release date has not been determined for “Hell 4 A Hustler” but it will be released in 2016 as we will be debuting more singles throughout the year.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

VA-EMCEE: I am actually in college majoring in Information Technology. I also own Crash Masters PC and it is a mobile computer repair company based in Portsmouth, Virginia. I cannot imagine not making music. The only way that could happen is if music did not exist at all.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

VA-EMCEE: It is not an easy task but I have made it routine. I spend at least 6 hours a day working on music and it is normally done at night after I have taken care of all the business for the day.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

VA-EMCEE: My mixtape “Born A Hustler” will be released soon and my second Album “Hell 4 A Hustler’ is set to be released in 2016. I have completed several projects that will be released that feature various upcoming and established artists. Fans can expect VA-EMCEE to continue to grow and continue to deliver the quality music that we all love!

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