INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK

“I BELIEVE IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAYING NO ONE WILL.” - SO New York

VALIDATED: BEING FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP HOP CULTURE?

SO NEW YORK: MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP IN NEW YORK CITY WAS PROBABLY THE DEATH OF CHRISTOPHER WALLACE, “THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G”. I WAS JUST A KID BUT I REMEMBER IT WAS THE ONLY THING MY OLDER BROTHER AND ALL HIS FRIENDS SPOKE ABOUT.

VALIDATED: GROWING UP RAP WASN’T ALLOWED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND YOU HAD TO HIDE YOUR LOVE FOR HIP HOP, HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO WORK AROUND THAT OBSTACLE?

SO NEW YORK: WELL IT WASN’T THAT HARD, MY MOM WAS A NURSE SO SHE WORKED LONG SHIFTS ALL WEEK. IT WAS MOSTLY HIDING THE RAP CDS AND MAGAZINES WHEN SHE GOT HOME AND I MEAN REALLY HIDING. MY MOM CLEAN SO MUCH SHE’D FIND EVERYTHING SO I USED TO HANG A BAG OUT MY WINDOW AND IT WORKED FOR A WHILE.

VALIDATED: AT WHAT POINT DID THAT CHANGE?

SO NEW YORK: WHEN MY MENTOR PASSED AWAY, A MAN NAMED FRANK DANOTO WHO BECAME LIKE A FATHER TO ME. YEARS AFTER LOSING MY DAD MY MOM SORT OF JUST LET ME DO MUSIC SO I WOULDN’T LASH OUT IT WAS MY OUTLET... MY THERAPY IN A WAY.

VALIDATED: WHAT ROLE DID 5FOOTER PLAY IN STARTING YOUR RAP CAREER?

SO NEW YORK: I MEAN WHAT ROLE DIDN’T HE PLAY? I JUST RAP FOR FUN BEFORE I MET 5FOOTER. WE STARTED THIS TOGETHER... 5 WAS ALREADY IN MOTION AND DECIDED I DESERVED A CHANCE TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT I COULD DO. I TOOK IT AND HERE WE ARE TODAY APPLYING THE SAME PRESSURE.

VALIDATED: YOUR GOTHAM CITY BOYS AFFILIATION, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?

SO NEW YORK: GCB IS FAMILY JUST LIKE 5FOOTER. I MET RICKY BATS SOME TIME AGO AND HE ALSO PUT ME IN SOME GREAT PLACES AND SITUATIONS ALL OUT OF LOVE AND BELIEF IN MY CRAFT. WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING ON MUSIC TOGETHER NOW, WE JUST DROPPED A DOPE RECORD “HERE IT GO” AND A VIDEO AND LOTS MORE IN THE MAKING.

VALIDATED: WHICH EMCEES INFLUENCED YOUR FLOW AND WHAT IF ANYTHING DID YOU “BORROW” FROM THEM?

SO NEW YORK: I WOULD HAVE TO SAY JADAKISS AND FABOLOUS, ALSO JAY Z. I LOVED JADAS WORD PLAY AND NOBODY WAS MORE SMOOTH THAN FAB... SUCH A WITTY FLOW AND JAY Z, YOU COULD HERE THE CONFIDENCE IN HIS VOICE. I BELIEVE I TOOK SOMETHING FROM EACH OF THEM, MOSTLY I’D SAY THE CONFIDENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAYING NO ONE WILL.

VALIDATED: EARLIER THIS YEAR YOU MADE AN APPEARANCE ON SIRIUS XM RADIO, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE?

SO NEW YORK: THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE I CAN’T FORGET. I WAS ACTUALLY AT WORK AND GOT PICKED UP RANDOMLY. 5FOOTER AND RICKY BATS SURPRISE ME WITH THAT ONE. I WAS JUST GRATEFUL TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE SOME RECOGNIZED ARTIST HAVE BEEN. IT WAS TRULY A DREAM AND HONOR TO BE THERE.

VALIDATED: YOU’VE PERFORMED IN NEW YORK AND VIRGINIA, I FEEL AS AN ARTIST YOU DETERMINE A LOT OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON THE ROAD, WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

SO NEW YORK: I BELIEVE THAT’S CORRECT. I LEARNED SO MUCH ON THE ROAD AND IT’S MORE THAN JUST MUSIC. SOMETIMES THING DON’T GO AS PLANNED OR THE MOST RANDOM PROBLEMS OCCUR AND HOW YOU DEAL WITH THEM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOUR CAREER. ALSO IT’S WHERE YOU BUILD AND MEET AND MAKE FRIENDS, FELLOW ARTIST AND POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAME.

VALIDATED: ANY RECENTLY RELEASED OR NEW MUSIC ON THE WAY?

SO NEW YORK: I HAVE DROPPED A FEW RECORDS THIS YEAR. I’M ACTUALLY HAVING FUN WITH MY MUSIC RIGHT NOW. MY MOST RECENT RECORD IS “ON NOW” AND LIKE MOST OF MY RECORDS THIS YEAR I’M LETTING THE BARS OUT. I’M DOING WHAT I DO BEST. I’M WORKING ON SOME RECORDS WITH RICKY BATS AND A HANDFUL OF LOCAL ARTIST IN THE 518 AND 718.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS?

SO NEW YORK:

FACEBOOK: CHARLES MCFADDEN

INSTAGRAM: SONEWYORK_1124

SOUNDCLOUD: SONEWYORK

DATPIFF: SONEWYORK

THE COME UP: SO NEW YORK