Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Tetrykx:
I am from St. Lucia. It is a tiny island in the Caribbean and I grew up and lived in the capital, Castries, for the better part of twenty-six years. I was the second of Four children and we lived in a one- bedroom house with a very hard working mother, who I can now say did her best without any male presence to help.
Money was tight so my mother made the decision to sacrifice myself and my two brothers’ education in order to put my sister through school and further learning. As a result, I only started school when I was nine years old and missed out on the basics of early learning such as reading and writing. Ironically, because of my inability to read or write I did not last long and dropped out after one term spending the next two years on the streets an at home. I was sure my mum thought of me as “no good”, which was confirmed in my eyes when she sent me to a Juvenile Center for badly behaved boys when I turned eleven. However, it was at that center that my life changed.
I was taught how to read by another of the boys who was aged fifteen, who at the time was the only educated person in the center and ever since then developed a great thirst for knowledge. I did so well in that juvenile center that the director agreed to send me to a public school. Although because of my age (sixteen) I only spent the last year in primary school but still got the grades I needed to go to a secondary school which was private and expensive. I spent three years in the boys training center, or “B.T.C”, as it is widely known and they paid my secondary school fees for me but that too was cut short and so I never graduated. All I needed was one point to get to the last grade or form but the Principle refused and so I lost my scholarship. Yet again I had to leave school because I could not pay on my own and my mother was broke.
Out of school, I began work in a joinery/carpentry shop and became a skilled tradesman. After finishing my apprentice-ship I worked for a while then tried to start my own shop with my older brother, a fellow carpenter but that also failed for – as I came to realize – money, family and friends don’t mix. So I left joinery and started working as a waiter in a hotel. It was shortly thereafter that I moved to the UK, settling in Scotland where I’ve been for the past twelve years. I have been married twice, both times failed badly and then I met my son’s mother and that was when things got really tricky.
After finding out that he was my son through a D.N.A. test it was all good, or so I thought. Here is a brief verse to describe what went down it her and myself and why I did not see my son for almost three years;
“Betrayal is a game that can turn deadly, especially when money is involved
Girl, you’re a problem that I just can’t solve
It was all good at first but then you evolved
Into the cookie-monster, the greedy cookie monster”
I thought moving to the UK would be a dream come true, but boy was I sadly mistaken. She cleaned me out by going to the C.S.A (Child Support Industry), a government body who have the authority to take money from your wages before they even arrive in your bank account. That’s what is messed up about this law – the woman can simply just make a call, give them the man’s work details, then they call your boss and, well, the rest is history. That’s half of your money gone.
After working in a dead-end job for two and a half years I had finally got a job where I was able to save money and could finish my schooling. I was so happy because I could now save up and even take my son to see my family back in St. Lucia. By that time, it had been well over five years since I had seen my family. But Baby Mama had a very different plan to mine, which boiled down to her calling the C.S.A just one week after I got the job, taking one thousand pounds in only one month for my three-year old son. This actually left mefifteen thousand pounds in debt, due to a loan I was helpless to renege on and a renewable energy course I was unable to complete that I had paid seven thousand pounds towards. I also lost the flat where I was living in to the bargain.
Where it gets interesting is that, at the time when all of this was happening, I was living with my so-called “Best Friend” who I had done so much for. Yet when I needed him to show me some love and understand what I was going through, he asked me to leave his flat! This is the dude who, when he was kicked out by his children’s mother I opened my door to him and gave him a place to stay, even though my one room was my living room and bedroom. All I had was this one room I paid for but I didn’t care because, as the saying goes, “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Believe me, there is so much more I could tell you but this is not a novel!
Basically, all hell broke loose and it happened in three ways; she took all my money even after I begged her not to go through with it, she did it regardless of the ramifications to me but more so to my son. In the UK, only the mother can stop the C.S.A proceeding. They say big men don’t cry, well I cried like a baby with tears streaming down my face begging her not to follow it through; I also lost my job after six months (two months or so after the C.S.A first got involved); and the icing on the cake was when my “Best Friend”/ landlord asked me to leave the flat, virtually making me homeless.
At the time all of this was going on, I had met a lady who had witnessed everything and so I asked her if she could hold down the thought and give me time to learn how to make music as I did not like how my last few bosses had treated me. She agreed. All of that happened at the end of 2012. So I made the decision to trawl youtube and learn everything I could learn about music. I used to be a drummer back in St. Lucia, however the theory of music was something that I wanted and needed to master. I am not there yet – it’s only two years that I can say I have fully done music as, in 2014 I had a spell in church because the rage I felt at the betrayal was killing me. I felt for a while I had lost everything and that my future was in tatters and so my spell in church helped me to forgive and to seek strength and guidance. I am sure that without that spell I probably would have done something very stupid as when you mess with a man’s brain then he has nothing left – especially when he is in a country that is not his homeland. Some people take pleasure in keeping you down when it is clear your face is already on the pavement.
During my time in church I learnt forgiveness and so I got in touch with my son’s mother and asked if I could speak to her face to face, which she agreed to. When I asked her what she told our son, Brian, about myself not being present in his life for the last two years she replied; “I told him that you had to go away”. End of story. I kept my cool, although her and myself both knew that this was absolutely not the case. Six months or so later, she got back in touch and for a short while Brian started coming to stay with me most Saturdays. Although, keep in mind that I am still broke and bankrupt in a foreign land… Every time he comes over he wants treats and, well you know how spoilt kids can be. The last time I had Brian overnight wasSunday 9th August 2015 and the last time I saw him would have been the end of October 2015. The overnight visits were put to a halt after I had a conversation with him about what his mum was giving him for breakfast – as every time he came to stay he wanted “chocolate porridge” which I thought was nuts – no wonder every time he comes to stay he’s like a bouncy tiger with far too much energy. And so in trying to get him to understand that it wasn’t a healthy or correct choice for breakfast every day, Brian got mad at me then went home and told his mum. As I said before, the overnight stays were swiftly brought to an end and then afternoon visits were brought to an end a couple of months thereafter.
So that’s how it is. I can’t say anything to my son. She has absolute control of our son. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back, that was when I really got back in to music. My so-called best friend whom I was renting accommodation from still owes me money and still has all my furniture at his crib… All this is just the gist of what I have been through both in the UK and in St. Lucia. I have always had what you could say is “a hard life”, but that was fine because I know how to survive but when you have people in your life, and they make your life hard and bankrupt you and with-hold your deposit and your furniture just because they can, then that’s enough to unleash untold rage from within.
l or music. It’s that simple – the rage was too much.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Tetrykx:
well I loved playing Tetrice and because it’s a game of building blocks and my life’S story HAS is enough BLOCKS TO FILL 6 BOOKS OR WOULD BE THE BEST GERRY SPRINGER SHOW YOU HAVE EVER SEEN LOL . and SO instead of call my name tetrice I changed the (I) to (Y) AND (C) TO(K) AND ADDED X .AND THAT WAS THE START OF MY MUSIC PATH AS TETRYKX.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Tetrykx:
WELL I HAVE NOT RELEASED LOADS OF MUSIC APART FORM GHETTO LIFE AND I AM NOT SURE WHY I GAVE IT AS FREE DAWNLOAD OR FREE STREAMING CONSIDERING I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY WHATSOEVER, AND I AM IN SERIOUS DEBT. HOWEVER ITS MY OPINION THAT AN ARTIST OR PRODUCER HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT EVER HE OR SHE WANTS WITH THIER MUSIC . NOW WOULD I DO IT AGAIN YES . WHY BECUASE I BELIEVE IN A WORLD SOME TIMES YOU NEED TO GIVE TO GET AND THATS WHY I AM GIVING A TWO FOR ONE FOR THE FIRST 2WEEKS OF RELEASING MY NEXT TWO SONGS.AND TO FURTHER CLARIFY THAT POINT .AS THE BIBLICAL SAYING GOES ITS BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECIEVE. . BUT MORE SO I THINKED ITS GOOD BECASUE IT SHOWS YOUR FANS THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST A TAKER BUT YOU ARE CONSIDERATE AND GENEROUS .
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?
Tetrykx:
THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT . ONE IS (PAITENCE) . ITS A VIRTUE THAT ALL ASPIRING ATSTIST, PRODUCER , OR ANYBODY THAT WOULD SEEK TO REACH NEW HIGHTS BUT PERTICULARLY FOR MUSICIANS . BECAUSE ITS A GAME OF TIMING AND HAVING THE (RIGHT SOUND) . NOW I AM NOT A BIG TIME EXPERT ON THESE MATTERS THERE IS A LOT I NEED TO LEARN. BUT I AM A QUICK LEARNER AND I ADABT .THIRDLY BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE TIME ,ENERGY , RESOURCES AND EVEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE OF A HINDRANCE .AND NEVER GIVE UP NEVER GIVE IN . BUT MORE SO NEVER STOP WORKING ON YOUR CRAFT .. AND TO ADD SOME EXTRA FLAVOR TO THIS Q&A .PLEASE STOP DOING COVERS PLEASE STOP TRYING TO BE LIKE YOUR FAVORITE RAPPER, SINGER ,OR, PRODUCER .THERE IS ONLY ONE 50CENT JUST LIKE THERE IS ONLY ONE DRAKE OR KENDRICK . BE ORIGINAL AND YES THERE IS ONLY ONE OF YOU SO DO YOU . THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH LEARNING FROM THESE ACOMPLISHED ARTIST , WE ALL MUST START SOMEWHERE .BUT LEARN TO BE YOU . .WRITE YOUR OWN STUFF THAT GIVES YOU MORE PROPS AND YOU STAND A BETTER CHANCE OF THE INDUSTRY RECOGNIZING YOU .
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Tetrykx:
HMMM.! WELL FROM THE TIME I STARTED IN LATE 2012 I STARTED WRITING . NOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE NACK FOR DOING JUST THAT WRITTIN SONGS , THATS WHY YOU HERE ALL THAT TALK OF GHOST WRITTERS AND LET ME STATE VERY CLEARLY I DONT THINKED THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT HE EVERY MANS MUST EAT AS LONG THE DUES ARE BEING GIVE TO THE WRITTERS WHEN SOEM IS SING SOMEONES SONG AND CLAIMING ITS THEIRS THEN THATS NOT ON .AND AS A RESULT I TAKE PRIDE IN WRITING EVRY SONG MYSELF . INSPIRATION CAN COME FROM ANY WHERE. A DAY IN THE PARK , A BUS RIDE, A DAY AT BEACH IN COLLEGE OR UNI OR COOKING SOME OR WATCHING A TV PROGRAM (NEWS). AND MY LIFE STORY .I HAVE LITERALLY STOPPED COOKING JUST SO I CAN RECORD A CHORD PROGRESSION OR A RIFF OF A MELODY . NOW DO YOU GET INSPERATION FOR OTHER ARSTIST . THE ASNWER IS YES . THE TRICK I USED IN MY SONG WRITING IS COME UP WITH THE CHORUS OR HOOK FIRST BECAUSE THAT IS TH EPART OF THE SONG THAT WILL STICK IN THE LISTERNERS EYES MIND HEART. AND THEN YOU BUILD THE REST OF THE SONG AROUND THAT AND IF YOU DOUBT ME THEN JUST THINKED BACK AND ASSESS YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST OR ARTISTS WHO HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS . I AM SURE YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER ALL THE VERS OR EVERY DETAIL IN THE VERS .BUT I CAN ASURE YOU THAT THE CHORUCS OR HOOK YOU WILL REMEMBER SO PRACTISE COMING UP WITH CHORUSES .IN MY OPINION THATS HAVE THE BATTLE WON .WORD TO THE WISE AN ARTSIT NEVER STOPS WRITING SINGING OR PRODUCING OR CREATING.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Tetrykx: http://kxrl%20radio%20los%20angeles,%20california%20usa/w
https://www.reverbnation.com/q/6kf5wb
http://www.khsx-radio.com/houston8
http://www.wmic-radio.com/miami8
http://www.reverbnation.com/q/6iuenl
http://www.musicclout.com/tetrykx
http://www.theakademia.com/home5
https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoundCloud?src=hash
https://soundcloud.com/tetrykx/sets/revenge-is-in-my-music
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Tetrykx:
HMMMMM . WELL DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD CALL FOR A DIFFERENT ACTION AND SO IN MY CURRENT STATE I WOULD BY MYSELF A HOUSE WHERE BECAUSE NEVER HAVE TO BE HOMELESS AGAIN OR WORRY ABOUT FOOD . AND AS I HAVE NOT SEEN MY FAMILY IN YEARS I WOULD CERTAINLY GO HOME .I HAVE BEEN IN THIS COLD COUNTRY . I NEED TO GO HOME TO DEFROST . AND THE REST BUILD MY OWN STUDIO WITH ALL THE LASTES GARE. AND GET THE LAWERS IN TO HAVE A CHAT WITH MY SONS MOTHER. GIVE SOME TO MY FAMILY AND REAL AND NOTE THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE WORD (REAL) FRIENDS WHO HELP TO KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE WATER WHEN I FELT (NO THATS NOT RIGHT WHEN I KNOW) I WAS DROWNING IN MISERY , PAIN AND DEPRESSION. HELP THOSE WHO LET ME SLEEP ON THIER COUCH . AND FED ME AND TAKE MY GIRL ON A MUCH NEED VACATION TO MY HOMELAND
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Tetrykx:
WELL WHEN I RELEASED GHETTO LIFE .WHAT DID WAS JUST UPLOAD IT TO SOME OF THE FREE SITES, AND BECAUSE I HAVE NO MONEY I JUSTSTARED SEND IT TO MY FREINDS THE (REAL FRIENDS) GETHEIR OPINIONS . AND ASKED THEM FOR HONESTY WICHI GOT FORM THE FIRST PERSON WHO HEARD IT . THEN BY THE END OF THE WEE ON MY REVERBNATION I GOT IN ONE DAY 150 FANS AND WHAT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING THE FANS I GOT WERE ALL MUSCIANS SEASONED IN THEIR TRADE . SOME OF THEM WITH 10000 AND MORE FANS EVEN UP TO A 100000 AND I JUST HAD 1 FAN WHO HAVE BEEN ON MY PAGE SINCE I STARED IN 2012 AND EVER SINCE ITS JUST BEEN INCREASING . AND SHE TO IS AN ARTIST . THEN IT GOT QUIET FOR ABOUT A WEEK. AND ONE DAY SOME FROM A RADIO STATION EMAILED ME AND SAID “HEY I LIKE YOUR SONG IT HAS GOOD POTENTIAL AND I WANT TO HELP TO BRING IT OUT TO THE WORLD AND TO SUBMIT IT TO (THE AKADEMIA AWARDS) I WHICH I DID AFTER BORROWING THE MONEY TO SUBMIT IT. . AND THEN I GOT A EMAIL FORM THEM SAY HEY YOU HAVE BEEN NOMINATED, AND THEN THE NEXT EMAIL WAS HEY YOU WON HEY YOU GOING TO LA FOR A GALA EVENT OT MEET SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MEANS TO TAKE ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL BUT I COULDNT GO AS AGAIN MONEY ISSUES . SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN PROMOTING LIKE CRAZZY BUT MORE WITH WORD OF MOUTH JUST ASKING MY FRIENDS TO CHECK MY SONG THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD IT . AND TO SHEAR ,LIKE, DAWNLOAD AND STREAM IT I WILL BE HONEST IN SAYING THAT I DID NOT OR BETTER YET I COULD NOT PROMOTE IT THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANILY BECAUSE PROMOTIONS ALWAYS COMES WITH A BIG PRICE TAG. AND SO NOW THAT I HAVE WON THIS AWARD FOR BEST RAP/REGARE SONG FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH .2016 .IT MEANS I WILL BE GETTING SOME HELP IN PROMOTING AND NETWORKING AND THIS IS NOT SAY I HAVE STOPPED PROMOTING M Y SONG OR MY UPCOMING SONGS . SO WHAT AM I SAYING ? IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A GOOD THING BUT DONT HAVE THE MEANS PROMOTE IT THEN UESD THE OLD METHOD ( WALK THE STREETS) . (ASKED YOUR FAMILY) .TRYING MAKE FREINDS ON THE DIFFERENT SOCIAL SIGHTS FACEBOOK ETC .BUT THE MAIN POINT IS YOUR FIRST SONG SHOULD BE A TEST TO GATHER DATA SO YOU CAN BETTER THE REST OF YOUR SONGS AND DON’T STOP WRITTING . GIVE FREE COPIES . THAT HELPS
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Tetrykx:
SINCE THE START OF TH EYEAR I HAVE WRITTE 45-50 SONGS . I HAVE SOME REALLY NICE SONGS COMING STARTING FROM THE FIRST OF MAY I WILL BE RELEASING TWO SONG AND SOME INSTRUMENTALS I AM WORKING WITH 5 PERSONS AND I HAVE PRODUCED ALL THE SONGS EXCEPT 2 . I HAVE SOME PRODUCERS IN THE STATES WHO HAVE EXPRESS THIER DESIRE FOR ME TO LAY A FEW BARS AND EVEN USED SOME THEIR BEATS AND TO JUST GIVE THEM SOME LOVE BY MENTION WHO IT IS THAT GIVE ME THE BEATS . YOU KNOW THE SAYING YOU SCRATCHED MY BACK AND I LL DO THE SAME . MY ALBUM IS READY PRITTY MUCH . MY ALBUM TITLE IS CALL REVENGE IS IN THE MUSIC .. AND I HAVE SONGS THAT ALMOST EVRY PERSON ON THE PLANET WILL IDENTIFY WITH . ANDI HAVE EVEN STARTED TO PLAN SHOWS AS YET I JUST HOPE MY NEXT SONGS WIL BE A WINNER LIKE GHETTO LIFE AND THE NAMES OF THESE TWO SONGS ARE ITS ABOUT TIME AND WHEN IT RAINS THEN FOR MY SON’S BIRTHDAY IN JUNE ILL BE RELEASIN GA SONG FOR HIM . AND ALL THESE SONGS I WIL BE RELEASING ON AL MY SITES WITH A VERY SPECIAL OFFER IN MIND . AND HOPPIN GTO START SOME SHOWS OVER SOME OR ATLIST BOOK SOME VENUES AND MORE SO TO GET A FEW EXPERTS ON MY BAND WAGONE TO HELP WHICH SEEM TO BE HAPPENING SO FRM THE FIRSTOF MAY THE METAMORPHISIS OF TETRYKX WILL BE COMPLETE .
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Tetrykx:
MOST LIKE IN A DEAD END JOB WITH NO PROSPECTS OF PROMOTION BECASUE AS WE KNOW THNGS ARE GETTING HARDER .GONE ARE THEY DAYS WHEN YOU COULD SAY YOUR JOB IN THE OFFICE OR THE PLANT OR THE MILL OR THE SUPPERMARKET OR DEPARTMENT STORE IS SAFE .. AND BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN HOW THE TIDES HAVE SHIFTED . ITS MY BELIEF THAT EVERY ABLED BODY WHO HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR LIFE WHICH WILL BRING SOME SORT OF FINACIALL SECURITY ,SHOULD IN THE WORDS OF THE BRITS GET YOU FINGER OUT AND AS MY SONG STATES TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN NEVER LEAVE WHAT CAN BE DONE TODAY FOR TOMORROW WHY BECAUSE TIME IS NOT YOURS TIME IS BORROWED
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Tetrykx:
WELL TO BE HONEST I TOOK THE STRATIGIC DECISION TO NOT WORK FOR ANYBODY AGAIN AFTER BEING MADE REDUNDENT ,BY A VERY BAD AND CRUEL BOSS AFTER HE TOLD ME MY JOB WAS SAFE . I WANT TO BE MY OWN BOSS DOING WHAT I LOVE AND SO HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING JUST FOCUSING ON GETTING BETTER IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY MUSIC THANKS TO MY GIRL , WHO AFTER KNOWING ME FOR LESS THEN A MONTH SHE AGREED TO LET ME DO MY THING WHICH AT TIMES WAS VERY HARD ESSPECIALLY WHEN THINGS WENT WRONG I HAVE LOST SONGS DUE TO MY PC BREAKING DAWN ON ME. BUT THEN I GOT A PARTIME JOB WORKING FOR EVENTS COMPANY ERECTTING STAGES AND THE WHATEVER ELSE IS NEEDING DONE . SO THAT WAS GOOD BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS WORK AND MORE SO ITS HAD FOR ME TO BE AT HOME WEARING THE APRON BECAUSE I AM THE COOK IN THE RELATIONSHIP . TO ME A MAN IS NOT A MAN IF HE IS NOT WORKING AN DPROVIDING WHEN HE IS IN HE HAVE LADY STAIGHT UP AND YES THIER HAVE BEENTIMES ITS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT . BUT AM SURVIVER AND I KNOW I HAVE GAIN ABOUT 100POUNDS OF PATIENCE AND CERTIANLY LOSE ALOT OF WAIT . IN ESSENCE WHAT I DID WAS JUST TO ISOLATE MYSELF FROM EVERYBODY AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON MY MUSIC AND THE BETTER I GOT THE MORE OPEND MYSELF AGAIN TO PEOPLE AND MOST OF MY REAL FREINDS UNDERSTOOD . BUT ITS ALL GOOD NOW . MOST OF MY FREINDS HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH AND HELPING ME TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Tetrykx:
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED SINGING IN CHURCH , AT WORK ,ON THE BASKET BALL COURT AND DANCING YES I STRUT MY STUFF LOL OR AS WE SAY BACK HOME SHAKE A LEG ,AND BECAUSE I AM FROM THE CARIBBEAN , ITS A GIVEN THAT THE MUSIC I MAKE WILL WILL HAVE A NICE SWING TO IT . GREW UP IN A TIME WHEN THE MUSIC WAS SWEET SOULFUL ,ENERGETIC INSPIRING ,MOTIVATING, CONCIOUS ,HEART-WARMING .AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN LEAVINGIN THE UK FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS