GIVE RESPECT, GET RESPECT | Trey Grav
INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK
VALIDATED: Being from Staten Island, New York, what’s your earliest memory of Hip Hop culture?
TREY GRAVITY: One of my earliest memories of hip hop culture, I think would be one of my earliest memories of music culture in general. Definitely was a young boy when I heard Jay-Z’s “Encore” with Linkin Park. My first album I was gifted was a Linkin Park CD. Even as a youngin I knew that had to be a special moment in hip hop. I was amazed at the collab because that shit went so hard and at the time was so out the box. Something you never really seen before that. For rock/alternative music and hip hop being two ultimate forces like that to come together collectively and make history across the board bending genres.
VALIDATED: Whats the story behind your stage name, Trey Gravity?
TREY GRAVITY: So my name comes from both family given and artist expression. Im the third in my family, having my fathers and abuelos name. So my nickname since I was born was always Trey. Also coming from my latin roots; “Tre” in Spanish is 3. So that always stuck with me throughout my life. The gravity part basically started out as a tag name just drawing and messing around but I adopted it as a stage name as well later on. Gravity is the ultimate force of the world, without it we can’t live, everything would be out of place. I pride myself with trying to have balance in all aspects of my life especially in music. Never too much in one direction but a good blend of variety. Hence yours truly! Trey Grav, you do the math!
VALIDATED: How did you get your start in Hip Hop?
TREY GRAVITY: I’d say my first official start in hip hop was doing a small show down in Stapleton, Staten Island. It Had a couple local artists doing they thing and here I am like 17 at the time just being excited to get on a mic and show off what I was cooking up on different instrumentals. Wound up being an opener for Cappadonna from Wu Tang. And he came out and bodied that shit, much love and respect to the OG and all of the Clan. I was nervous as shit but once I started spitting the confidence came out of no where.
VALIDATED: Your father is known for his ill custom clothing and kicks designs, worn by Hip Hop heavyweights like Wu-Tang, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes. How has his hands on connection to Hip Hop influenced you?
TREY GRAVITY: He’s always influenced me in a big way. I had a good example from him showing that with hard work, hustle, and drive can make your dreams come true! This is a give respect, get respect industry and when you have talent that speaks for itself along with genuine love for the game its always solid ingredients for success.
VALIDATED: Which artists influenced your style and what if anything did you borrow from them?
TREY GRAVITY: Growing up I was a sponge, I’d literally listen to everything. But artists that I can definitely say influenced me to wanna create my own was artists like Chris Brown, Young Money, Big Pun, Nas, Cole, Mac Miller to name a few.
VALIDATED: Which sub-genres of Hip Hop do you tend to gravitate towards when creating music and how would you describe your music to a new listener?
TREY GRAVITY: I tend to gravitate more towards trap beats or anything with some dark undertones. I love when I hear some drums and snares from the right beat and it gives me spooky vibes. I feel like my mind goes to other places when I hear certain sounds and brings out a different beast in me. At the end of the day it’s just whatever I’m in tune with more in the moment when creating. I’ll rap on anything if it sound good to me.
VALIDATED: In 2022 you participated in a Coast 2 Coast Live Interactive Event, what was your main takeaway from the experience?
TREY GRAVITY: Coast 2 Coast was definitely a cool experience. Definitely one of my earliest shows. One lesson that I took from that was just continue to be yourself and keep working hard because theres so many opportunities out there we just have to keep finding them.
VALIDATED: Last year you dropped “Of Another Breed”, what was the response to the project?
TREY GRAVITY: I think the response from the project has been relatively good however slept on for sure! I like to think of that project like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get… like my son Forrest Gump says. A little something for everyone in there!
VALIDATED: Which record is the fans favorite off of the project?
TREY GRAVITY: I think it has to be Jungle, at least at the moment. I feel like it changes in different waves. Right now Jungle has been going up though.
VALIDATED: “Louder” and “Jungle” where the singles released from the project, what made you choose these records over the others?
TREY GRAVITY: Well I had those records finished first versus the rest of the tracks I wound up finishing later on. I worked on all those songs around the same time so I figured I’d just throw it into a collective mix and show everything that was in my mind at that period of time. Louder and Jungle just happened to be the first stepping stones for me expanding and stepping into a new lyrical realm finding my sound.
VALIDATED: What can we look forward to for the second half of 2024 from Trey Gravity?
TREY GRAVITY: Definitely new music, videos, and content!
VALIDATED: Where can everyone follow and support you and your music?
TREY GRAVITY: Instagram @thatstreygravity and Virtually any streaming platform; Apple, Spotify, Tidal, Youtube, etc.