TRU STREET AKA MONSTA MITCH
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK | TRU STREET AKA MONSTA MITCH
INTERVIEW: KB TINDAL [@KBTINDAL]
HOLDING DOWN HEMPSTEAD AND UNIONDALE LONG ISLAND RESPECTIVELY IS A NEW ARTIST WITH AN OLD SOUL. HIS ARTISTRY IS COMPRISED OF REAL-LIFE STREET TALES AS WELL AS FEEL GOOD MUSIC. HIS SOUL IS AN OLD ONE BECAUSE UNLIKE A LOT OF ARTISTS IN TODAY'S ERA, HE LIVES HIS LIFE BASED ON THE MORALS, PRINCIPLES, AND VALUES LIKE THE OG'S IN SO MANY COMMUNITIES. AN HONOR THAT IS ONLY FOUND AMONGST A RARE BREED OF MEN FROM THE HOOD. TRU STREET IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. YOU CAN CATCH HIM SHOWCASING HIS ACTING CHOPS ON ARLIS MICHAELS’ "THE PROFESSIONAL CHILLER" WEB SERIES ON YOUTUBE, WHICH HAS OVER 20 MILLION VIEWS WORLDWIDE. OR YOU CAN CATCH HIM SPITTIN’ BARS ON INSTAGRAM OVER CLASSIC HIP-HOP TRACKS FROM SOME OF THE GREATS OF THE CULTURE. EITHER WAY TRU STREET AKA MONSTA MITCH IS A VOICE THAT WILL BE HEARD AND A NAME TO BE REMEMBERED. VALIDATED MAGAZINE GOT THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BROTHER AND WE CHOPPED IT UP ABOUT SEVERAL TOPICS. ENJOY THE READ BELOW.
VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP, THE CULTURE?
TRU STREET: MY EARLIEST MOMENT OF HIP-HOP WAS WATCHING "BEAT STREET"! THE GRAFFITI AND BREAKDANCING! TURBO AND
O-ZONE AND POP LOCKING! WORD!
VALIDATED: WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR RAP NAME?
TRU STREET: I’M ORIGINALLY FROM HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND BUT LATER I MOVED TO A NEIGHBORING TOWN CALLED UNIONDALE. I HAD A LOT OF RAP NAMES AS A KID, J DA JUV, H.O.V. LANE, MITCH-L, MITCH PORTER, HOVA SHINE, BUT I GO BY MONSTA MITCH/MITCH OR TRU STREET. MITCH IS MY MIDDLE NAME AND I FEEL I’M A MONSTA IN A LOT OF WAYS AND TRU STREET IS MY ACTING/RAP NAME AS WELL.
VALIDATED: GROWING UP, WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WAS PLAYED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND HOW HAS IT INFLUENCED THE MUSIC YOU CREATE?
TRU STREET: IT WAS A LOT OF R&B, WHITNEY HOUSTON, SADE, MARIAH CAREY, CHAKA KHAN, PATTI LABELLE AND SO ON. RAP CAME A LIL LATER 'CAUSE OF MY OLDER BROTHER, HE USED TO LISTEN TO NICE & SMOOTH, GRAND DADDY IU, LL COOL J, ILL, AND AL SCRATCH, LOST BOYS, DAS EFX, NAS, BIGGIE, SNOOP, JAY-Z AND THE LIST GOES ON. I TOOK A LIL FROM EVERYBODY, LYRICISM, STORYTELLING, SWAG, AND CONTENT.
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROWING UP AND HOW IT INFLUENCED YOU?
TRU STREET: I GREW UP BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO TOWNS, HEMPSTEAD AND UNIONDALE. HEMPSTEAD IS TOUGHER AND MORE RUTHLESS THAN UNIONDALE IS BUT UNIONDALE GOT BUSY TOO. IT WAS CERTAIN PEOPLE FROM UNIONDALE THAT STOOD OUT. SUCH AS MYSELF BUT I HAD HEMPSTEAD BACKGROUND AND TIES. BOTH TOWNS TAUGHT ME REAL FROM FAKE AND TOUGH FROM THE SOFT. THERE’S NO PLACE FOR THE WEAK AND KIND-HEARTED. YOU HAD TO BE ON IT AND ACTIVE.
VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ARTISTS THAT PORTRAY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT IN ORDER TO SELL MUSIC AND WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH THEY DON'T STAND ON THE MORALS AND PRINCIPLES THAT THEY CLAIMED THEY LIVED BY?
TRU STREET: I MEAN THAT’S HALF OF THE INDUSTRY HONESTLY. THERE IS ONLY A FEW THAT REALLY LIVE WHAT THEY RAP AND THAT’S WHY THE WORLD EMBRACES THE REAL ONES THAT ARE AUTHENTIC. THE OTHER GUYS ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE MONEY AND RAP ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK PEOPLE WANNA HEAR. NOBODY LIVES BY MORALS AND PRINCIPLES ANYMORE. PEOPLE SELL THEIR SOUL FOR A DOLLAR AND FAME. NOT ME THOUGH! I LIVE AND RIDE AND DIE BY MY MORALS AND WILL NEVER COMPROMISE MY INTEGRITY!
VALIDATED: NAME THE HIP-HOP ARTISTS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR FLOW AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING DID YOU BORROW FROM THEM?
TRU STREET: THE ARTISTS THAT REALLY INFLUENCED ME WAS NAS, EMINEM, FABOLOUS, JOE BUDDEN, JAY-Z, TUPAC, BIGGIE, BIG L, DMX AND A FEW MORE. I USED TO RAP LIKE FAB AND JOE BUDDEN AT ONE TIME.
VALIDATED: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR CITY'S HIP-HOP SEEN CURRENTLY?
TRU STREET: MY CITY MEANING LONG ISLAND OR NYC? IF YOU TALKING LONG ISLAND, THERE ISN’T MUCH GOING ON OUT HERE, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE FROM THE ISLAND MAKING A LIL NOISE BUT NOTHING TOO CRAZY. NOW NYC IS POPPING LIKE ALWAYS! A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS AND TALENT BUT WE DON’T STICK TOGETHER! THERE’S NO UNITY!
VALIDATED: WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU MADE OR THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO GO WITHOUT BECAUSE YOU'VE INVESTED IN YOUR ARTISTRY?
TRU STREET: I SACRIFICED A LOT! MY LIVING SITUATION, SLEEPING FROM COUCH TO COUCH, SPENDING RENT AND BILL MONEY ON STUDIO TIME AND MUSIC VIDEOS, AND LOSING RELATIONSHIPS OVER CHASING MY DREAMS.
VALIDATED: AS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE HIP-HOP CULTURE?
TRU STREET: AS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, I FEEL I HAVE THE ABILITY TO TALK AND SPEAK TO MY PEERS AND THE YOUTH THROUGH MY MUSIC AND BARS. I DON’T JUST RAP I SPEAK MY PAIN AND PAINT VIVID PICTURES WITH MY WORDS. I GIVE THEM THE RAW REALITY OF LIFE AND HOW TO NOT FOLLOW IN THOSE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ONES BEFORE YOU!
VALIDATED: HIP-HOP HAS GROWN IN POPULARITY OVER THE YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIP-HOP BECOMING THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC GENRE?
TRUE STREET: I LOVE IT! YOU GOTTA THINK IT WAS A TIME WHEN NOBODY BELIEVED IN RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC AND LOOK AT IT NOW. EVERYBODY WANTS TO RELATE OR BE A PART OF THIS CULTURE! WE SET THE MOST TRENDS. WE ARE THE MOST MOCKED AND COPIED GENRE OF MUSIC WORLDWIDE! I’M HAPPY TO BE APART OF IT.
VALIDATED: YOUR LATEST SINGLE, WHO PRODUCED IT AND WHATS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE RECORD?
TRU STREET: MY LATEST SINGLE I RELEASED IS CALLED “4 LIFE” PRODUCED BY PYROONDA BEAT! THE VIDEO IS ON YOUTUBE. THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE SONG IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS. “4 LIFE” IMMA REAL NIGGA 4 LIFE! JUST MY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS.
VALIDATED: WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE "4 LIFE" AS THE LEAD SINGLE?
TRU STREET: I CHOOSE “4 LIFE” AS MY SINGLE BECAUSE IT JUST FELT RIGHT. THE MUSIC TALKS TO ME AND THE PEOPLE!
VALIDATED: HOW HAS THE RESPONSE TO THE RECORD BEEN?
TRU STREET: THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN CRAZY SINCE I DROPPED IT! THE FANS ARE LOVING IT! IT JUST GIVES YOU THAT VIBE WHEN YOU HEAR IT AND I’M TALKING MY TALK ON IT. IT JUST WENT TOGETHER PERFECTLY.
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT THE UPCOMING PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON.
TRU STREET: I’M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHING UP MY MIXTAPE CALLED "RISE & $HINE VOL. 1". THEN I’M DROPPING MY EP CALLED "STILL I $HINE". GONNA BE A CLASSIC!
VALIDATED: WHAT PRODUCERS AND ARTIST DID YOU WORK WITH ON THIS PROJECT?
TRU STREET: A COUPLE OF PRODUCERS I WORKED WITH ON THESE UPCOMING PROJECTS ARE VONSOLO BEATS, KADADON, T1, PJ, AND SOME OTHER PRODUCERS!
VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU WANT LISTENERS TO GET FROM THE PROJECT?
TRU STREET: I WANT ALL OF MY LISTENERS AND FANS TO GET THAT AUTHENTIC, REAL, MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC! THAT PAIN TALK, THAT HOT BUTTER BAGEL WITH CREAM CHEESE FEEL. FRIED CHICKEN AND PORK FRIED RICE GRIND! THAT HOW IMMA MAKE IT TO TOMORROW VIBE BUT YOU MAKE IT REGARDLESS OF THE OBSTACLES YOU FACE!
VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK OFF THE PROJECT AND WHY?
TRU STREET: I DON’T HAVE A FAVORITE TRACK YET ON MY PROJECT. EVERY SONG HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING TO ME PLUS I’M NOT ALL THE WAY FINISHED WITH THE PROJECT.
VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU'VE GROWN AS AN ARTIST SINCE YOU’VE BEEN RAPPING.
TRU STREET: I FEEL AS AN ARTIST I’M SO MUCH MORE SEASONED. I PRACTICE ON MY CRAFT EVERY DAY. I’M A FREESTYLE MASTER SO THAT’S ALL I DO IS RAP. THE MORE I SEE THE BETTER I GET BECAUSE I RAP WHAT I SEE AND KNOW AND WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH. I’VE GOT WHAT YOU CALL A CONVERSATIONAL FLOW!
VALIDATED: WHAT DOES HIP-HOP MEAN TO YOU?
TRU STREET: HIP-HOP MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME! IT’S MY LIFE! I LOVE IT AS MUCH AS MY SON AND MOTHER! WITHOUT IT I WOULD BE LOST. EVEN IF I NEVER SELL A RECORD I WOULD STILL DO THIS REGARDLESS. IT’S THERAPEUTIC FOR ME. MY MUSIC HELPED ME THROUGH A LOT OF SITUATIONS!
VALIDATED: IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT'S THE CURRENT STATE OF HIP-HOP?
TRU STREET: I LIKE THE CURRENT STATE OF HIP-HOP. IT’S EVOLVING. THE NEW GENERATION IS A LIL WEIRD BUT IT’S OK! THAT’S THE WAVE. I LOVE MUSIC AS LONG AS IT SOUNDS GOOD AND FEELS GOOD! (PAUSE) THEN I’M WIT IT! I CAN CARE LESS HOW THEY DRESS OR LOOK!
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT OTHER VENTURES YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
TRU STREET: I’M CURRENTLY WORKING ON MY CLOTHING LINE "R & S CLOTHING". PLUS I’M ACTING IN "THE PROFESSIONAL CHILLER" WEB SERIES! IT’S THE MOST POPULAR WEB SERIES ON YOUTUBE. SHOUT OUT MY BRO ARLIS MICHAELS! GO CHECK IT OUT IF YOU DIDN’T SEE IT YET!
VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE READERS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR MUSIC ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
TRU STREET: IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW ME THEN GO TO INSTAGRAM TRU__STREET AND SOUNDCLOUD TRU_STREET. SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL MONSTA MITCH! JUST STAY ON THE LOOKOUT! I GOT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE COMING SOON!