What is your background? Tell us where you grew up and some information about your upbringing/experiences as a youth: I was born in England and raised up in north London. I experienced getting move around a lot to different areas but my mum worked really hard to put food on the table for us. She had seven children four girls, three boys I’m the oldest brother. As I got older I got into trouble in and out of school I was a rebel. I had a lot of anger inside of me and sometimes I didn’t know how to control it so I started to fight. I got excluded a lot from school because of my behavior, I was known for kicking ass in school meaning that out of all my friends they would come to me because they knew I wouldn’t have a problem with approaching the issue out with anyone because I like to fight. I just needed someone to direct me into the right path but my dad wasn’t around all the time. They brought in a mentor for me called Desmond because of my behavior I found that he understood a lot and that made me have a better connection with him. Sometimes he would bring his music equipment in and it made me channel my love for music and from then what he taught me has stuck with me. Desmond could only save me sometimes but eventually I got kicked out from school because I got accused of hitting my head teacher. From then on I tried college but I didn’t have anyone directing me and pushing me, I had no money and was getting fed up with life at that point and it drew me closer to the street life. Everyone around me was involved all my friends, I knew it was wrong but what could I do at that time I was young and naïve and didn’t have clue about the world and what it could offer me, I was thinking about fast money and not the consequences that it could bring.
At what moment did you know that music was part of your life and what feelings did you have towards making an active impact with your music? I have always been in love with it, on an everyday basis with all of my emotions music has always kept me sane, and it opens my mind and allows me to express myself creatively without their being consequence to my actions. Sometimes when I can’t say how I feel I just leave it on microphone. I like it that way because some people think that I’m talking about them but they don’t have a clue what going on in my mind.
What artists inspired/influences you and if you could collaborate with any artist (alive or passed) who would it be and why? 2pac has always been one of the guys I respect the most with music, he kept it real and everything he spoke about its going on right now. I would like to collaborate with The Lox there ones of the crews that are underground hip hop. They started from the street and it’s inspiring. There so many artist that had an impact on my music for example Snoop dogg, DMX, bone thug and harmony, master p, max b, biggie smalls and many more
What do you think about the current state of hip hop/mainstream music? Right now I’m not happy how music has turned out. Everybody sounds and look the same. You can’t even understand what people are saying most of the time. I prefer 90s hip hop and what most of it stood for. It had a message behind the music that made you think about your surroundings. I miss how hip hop made me feel and the classic collaborations it had with different artists. It needs to go back there; we need to keep the real hip hop alive.
Currently, what projects do you have in the works that you are most excited about? Currently Working on a new Mix-Tape called Ghost in the shell and my album on 24K Mix-Tape it’s called First Blood. I have some songs on different mixtapes like coast2coast we workin volume 387 featuring look in my eyes, volume 340 picture me, mixtape 354 been on the da block, mixtape 360 first blood and mixtape volume 370 what I live by. I’m on another mixtape called Dj young cee getha tapes ready reloaded volume 64 trying get by. Trying get by would be the most exciting project I have done yet because it really is what I am going through at this period of time every sound in that song makes me have mixed emotions.
What are your short term career goals within the next 6-10 months? I would love to dedicate myself to some shows and create a bigger fan base. I find that it’s very important to connect with people that have the same passion for music just like me, it’s very important to get creative feedback so I know I’m going in the right direction. Sometimes when I feel to give up that feedback keep me pushing.
What are your long term career goals within the next 2-5 years? To be known worldwide to branch the hip hop industry into London. We are known for grime but not everyone likes grime and I would like to open the gates for the hip hop industry to be bigger in London. Plus meet some great people that will be able to teach me about what going on behind the scenes of the music industry. Have some form of branding behind me maybe clothing, anything to push myself out there so more people can hear my music and see what I have to offer
If you had one song out of the catalogue you have created to show a person what song would it be and why? The best song would be ‘try get by’ it’s off my history mixtape. It’s very personally to me I express how I change my life around for the good.
To the person who had never heard of you what is it about your music and story that you would tell them to entice them to be a supporter. I think what different about my music is that you can visualize everything that going on without a video. While you listen you can feel the emotion that I leave with that song depending on how I felt when I made it. Everything I have gone through whether it’s good or bad I tell it how it is, I don’t care what people say.
If your music could be described in five words what would those five words be? Reality, creative, passion, connection and raw
What do you bring to the game that is unique and different? I have brought some old school and new school into it. I kept my flow old school 90s style but mixed the beats between old and new everybody on that trapping music there nothing wrong with that but after a while is sound the same you know how to mix it up and learn creatively different avenues to go. Keep your audience entertained.
To the aspiring artist who is considering a career as a musician what lessons or advice would you give them to inspire them or to uplift them in the journey? Keep on going never give up on your dreams hard work pays off. One door closes another opens, don’t listen to what others have to say there only there to divide you from your destiny.
What are your social media profiles and where can people purchase/download your music? My twitter account is @marcelkoya and @MrSosa9 my Instagram is koyamarcel and datpiff King Sosa reverbnation is King Sosa and my Facebook is koya marcel you can find my music on ITunes, Spotify and deezer junodownload.com muzoic.org. My soundcloud is king sosa
What are your final words you would like to say to people that you have left out? Thank you to everyone that helped me and supported me. Shout out to Mr. Flips for production and 100% no gassing for the promotion.