FULLY TOP DOLLA

BRONX, NEW YORK | FULLY TOP DOLLA

INTERVIEW: KIM “GOODLOOK” SEABROOK

VALIDATED: YOUR INFLUENCE IN MUSIC CAME FROM YOUR CULTURE OF REGGAE AND DANCEHALL. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT HIP-HOP THAT MADE YOU TRANSITION?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: IT WASN’T REALLY A TRANSITION, IT’S MORE LIKE FINDING MYSELF. I ALWAYS LOVED HIP HOP GROWING UP. MATTER OF FACT I ALWAYS USED TO WATCH BET AND MTV AND ADMIRED BEING LIKE LIL BOW WOW AND LIL ROMEO AND IN THAT ERA AND TIME I WAS LIKE 6 YEARS OLD.

VALIDATED: THE HISTORY BETWEEN HIP-HOP AND REGGAE RUNS SOMEWHAT PARALLEL BUT HOW DO YOU RELATE THE TWO?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: I SEPARATE THEM BECAUSE BOTH GENRES TELLS A STORY AND HAS ITS OWN CULTURE BEHIND IT BUT BOTH GENRE WAS STARTED FROM JAMAICANS.

VALIDATED: WHAT OR WHO HAVE BEEN YOUR INFLUENCES IN YOUR MUSIC CAREER?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: VYBZ KARTEL, KANYE WEST, LIL WAYNE, 50 CENT AND MY TEAM.

VALIDATED: HOW IMPORTANT IS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WITHOUT IT YOU COULD NEVER BE YOURSELF, REALLY SAY HOW YOU FEEL OR BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT IF ANYONE GOES THROUGH THE SAME THING YOU GO THROUGH... OR IF THEY COULD FIND HELP OR THERAPY. IT’S A 100% NEED IN EVERYDAY LIFE!

VALIDATED: YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST RHYME WHEN YOU WERE 4 YEARS OLD. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THAT RHYME WAS ABOUT?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: HAHA! IT PROBABLY WAS ABOUT MY TOYS.

VALIDATED: WHAT MAKES YOUR CREATIVITY STAND OUT FROM OTHER ARTISTS?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: BECAUSE I NEVER TRY TO BE BOXED IN AND I DON’T FOLLOW NO BODY OR TRY TO BE ANYBODY. I LEAD AND I SET TRENDS, PLUS I’M ALWAYS BEING MYSELF AND I TAKE MY TIME WITH EVERYTHING I DO. I NEVER RUSH, IT’S ALL BOUT PERFECT TIMING FOR ME.

VALIDATED: IS THERE ANYTHING FROM THE OLD SCHOOL ERA THAT TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC WHETHER IT BE HIP-HOP OR REGGAE?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: YEAH, THE CULTURE IN BOTH GENRES AND HOW IT ALL STARTED. LIKE ALL THE STRUGGLES THEY HAD TO FACE TO OPEN DOORS FOR ME EVEN TO WALK THROUGH THEM NOW. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT.

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MAVYNEGUS PRODUCTION AND HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: OH, MARVIN, THAT'S MY GUY! I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HIM. HE'S LIKE A FATHER FIGURE, I CALL HIM UNCLE BUT HE’S MY MANAGER. WE MET A COUPLE YEARS BACK IN A JAMAICAN RESTAURANT IN THE BRONX AND WE BEEN COOL EVER SINCE.

VALIDATED: DESCRIBE YOUR RECENT ALBUM "THE PROCESS". ANY FEATURES AND WHO WORKED ON PRODUCTION?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: IT’S KIND OF SELF EXPLANATORY BUT I CALLED IT "THE PROCESS" BECAUSE I LOST ALL MY MUSIC THE LAST DAY OF 2017 AND I HAD TO START FRESH JANUARY 2018. THAT WAS A WHOLE PROCESS FOR ME BECAUSE I HAD PLANS ON DROPPING A NEW PROJECT SOON AS THE YEAR STARTED. IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING ALL THIS NEW MUSIC FOR MY ALBUM I LOST MY GRANDMA AND THAT TOOK ANOTHER TOLL ON ME. SO I HAD TO FIGHT THROUGH ALL THAT FOR THIS PROJECT. THE FEATURES ARE ALL FROM TEAM MEMBERS ON MY LABEL GMG MAFIA ENTERTAINMENT. WE GOT KENO OG, J PASSLEY AND YOUNGY NEVABUMMY. PRODUCTION WISE I WORKED ON MY PROJECT MY SELF. I ALWAYS DO, I RECORDED ENGINEERED AND MIX AND MASTERED EVERYTHING.

VALIDATED: HOW DID THE COLLABORATION ON THE SONG "MASH IT UP AGAIN" OCCUR? EXPLAIN THE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING TOGETHER?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: THAT SONG CAME ABOUT BECAUSE I MADE A SONG WITH JUNIOR REID A COUPLE YEARS BACK. WHEN I HEARD HE WAS IN TOWN WE LINKED UP, CHOPPED IT UP AND GOT TO WORK. THE VIBE AND EXPERIENCE WITH ME AND HIM IS ENERGETIC AND VERY GREAT TO BE IN THE STUDIO WITH.

VALIDATED: WHO ELSE DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR FUTURE COLLABORATIONS?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: DRAKE, LIL WAYNE, MEEK MILL, KANYE WEST AND VYBZ KARTEL.

VALIDATED: HOW HAVE YOU GROWN SINCE YOU STARTED RAPPING AT THE AGE OF 15 WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO THE US UNTIL NOW?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: I’VE GROWN A LOT WITH MY SOUND COMPARED TO THEN. NOW I'VE ACTUALLY FOUND MYSELF AND KNOW HOW I WOULD WANT TO EXECUTE ANY TRACK. MY EXPERIENCE HAS GROWN SO I'M MUCH SMARTER BUSINESS WISE, PLUS I HAVE MY OWN RECORD LABEL.

VALIDATED: ARE THERE ANY OTHER VENTURES YOU ARE WORKING ON OR WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON BESIDES MUSIC?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: I’M NOT WORKING ON ANYTHING NOW BUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE I’M GONNA TRY ACTING.

VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR FANS TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: FOR THE GREAT MUSIC I BRING TO THE EARS AND MY HARD WORK AND LOVE I HAVE FOR IT. PLUS MY DEDICATION & STRUGGLE I HAD TO FACE COMING UP, MY WHOLE STORY.

VALIDATED: CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: A LOT OF SACRIFICES, LONG NIGHTS IN THE STUDIO, GOOD HEAD SPACE, A STRONG TEAM AND DEDICATION.

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR LINKS TO WHERE THEY CAN FIND YOU AND YOUR MUSIC?

FULLY TOP DOLLA: ON ALL YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS YOU COULD FIND ME @FULLYTOPDOLLA.