Monday, August 20, 2012

Livesosa, and The Univerzity "Big Man on Campus"




When I sat down with recording artist Livesosa, I thought that it was about time that people start taking our musicians seriously in this area.  I know there is not much opportunity for press releases, and other avenues forwarded to artists in much larger markets.  I plan to continue to reach out to many of the other artists, from my area.  Mainly, to give them the ability to express themselves on topics they may not touch on in their music.  And, to show their fans, that they can be taken seriously enough to give them a quality interview that you would see in any music publication.  Here we have it, a moment with one of ours areas brightest rising stars.



Alright! My name is Delmico, I'm here with recording artist Livesosa.  I just wanted to ask him a few questions, mainly just to see where he is, you know I followed his career for some time.  I know where he's been, he's from the same place as me.  And I just wanted to get his take on some of the things that are going on with him today and his music.  So here we go!



  • Ok so, for those who don't know you, you've went by many names.  What do you want people to recognize you as?



Livesosa, and that's L.I.V.E.S.O.S.A. A lot of my fans and newcomers, into my music world they space it out, but it's actually all together. I don't care if it's spaced, you know but it's really all together. The name, LiveSosa, all together.              


  • So, give me a brief background and resume on yourself, how did you get started doing what you do, and what is it that you do?



I started off producing, basically with your normal fruity loops, you know your FL Studio.  And I wasn't making enough money, really around town.  Or gettin'... (takes a pause) I had the respect as a pretty predominant beat maker but, I wasn't able to really profit off of it, the way I felt. And I was learning some of the new ways about leasing and different things that were online that were outside of my city.  So, I started breaching off [sic] into other things but I saw that market was kinda saturated online it was a whole lot of....  I was like man, you know how do you get noticed? So, I was just like let me try something a little bit different. So, I came online as a songwriter, a guy doing hooks, [an] artist doing hooks, and that's where people started really messing with it, and it started taking off.  So, I been really making headway in different parts of the region with that.



  • So, would you consider yourself a rapper, a singer, or a rapper turned singer or vice versa?



I consider myself like, you have a....a stylist in a sense. "A song stylist"  I get the beat, whether if i'm making it or if I come across one that catches my ear.  I style it out, I do my tweaks here and my tweaks there.  My step-backs look in the mirror, I fix it up, you know.  Yeah...



  • How long would you say your experience goes back if you could put a date on it?


Beat wise, were talking high school, were talking  '05s and way back like that.  But, if were talking about seriously tryin' to make headway, make moves in the game.  You know, develop sponsors, and making moves .  We'll say late '09, I had a single called "Entertainer", back then that actually touched our local radio station which is KISR 93.  I believe its still in rotation, just not as much or just here and there.  But, that definitely helped spawn notoriety within my own city, of course.



  • So far, what has been your biggest accomplishment, or accomplishments, if you could just narrow it down to few?


I know one recently, was me touching the XXL [Magazine] off a song that I wrote called "All Night" and another one.  Both of them had big features on them from major artists like Killa Kyleon, Glasses Malone.  And, I would say touchin' the Source [Magazine], the Vibe [Magazine], XXL [Magazine] Online from little Fort Smith (Arkansas), you know (pauses) my little town.  You know what I'm sayin'?  That's humongous! That was definitely a goal and I'm pretty sure a goal of a lot of hip-hop artists coming up, right now.


  • What has been the hardest issue to overcome in your journey so far?  And, do you think there is a lack of a scene or platform for what you do?


The hardest thing for me to overcome, has been me finding myself, as an artist.  Like you said earlier I sing, I rap, and that's been the most.... Not haters, not lack of scene its really finding yourself as an artist. Because there is a difference between somebody that just turns on the mic and somebody who is an artist.  When you're an artist you have an image to yourself, your music.  Art is supposed to transcend, it's suppose to move forward and you're supposed to show people that side.  So that would be the most tough thing. The scene?  Oh man, our city really doesn't have a strong hip-hop scene, if you want to put it that way.  It really doesn't have a strong music scene period, as far as taking it to the next level.  Anybody can go into Guitar Center, and buy equipment and learn this and learn that.  But when you're talking about the other 50% of it that's not talent, when you're talkin' about; your credentials, who you know, your character, the money.  Outlets... it's not here, it's very scarce, and you have to create your own.  That makes it tougher.  Because it's based on buzz, and you need money to build buzz in a sense.  So it is very difficult, almost impossible, I would say coming from where we're from.


  • Well, you just touched on it a little bit. But, artistically, how do you feel you are able to broaden people's perception of what a hip hop artist is?


I do that, from what I hear from my fans, every time I do a song they're just like "Thank you".  What I get from that is i'm touching... I use punch lines and different things like that.  But, along the lines somewhere I'm always teaching you something.  Something that's... It's a way of saying something without being corny.  But you know it's true like, "Awww, yeah he's right about that."   But doing it to a point where it's not corny and you know you can really feel it.


  • Who do you think at this point in time, influenced you to be the kind of musician you are today and who excites you in today's music?


I love true artists, I love art, I just LOVE art.  Lauryn Hill.  Where are you Lauryn? (laughs) But, Lauryn Hill definitely.  John Mayer, I know these are not necessarily hip-hop artists. But, when I was growing up, I believe my first rap cd was 3-6 Mafia.  But, other than that I really listened to a lot of Lauryn Hill, my mom had Aaliyah, R. Kelly around, Tupac of course was around.  But the ones that I gained most influence from of course you know your Michael [Jackson].  I mean everybody was influenced by Michael Jackson at some point I don't think you could leave that out.  But, I was heavy into different types of music, and I think that's from the area that were from.  If you want to scale it out, there's a bigger alternative culture here than it is hip-hop. So that definitely helps when I go to create having the different ear.  (Takes a long break) Who excites me now?  I like Kanye West.  Some of the things he does within his form.  I didn't start off as a Jay-Z fan. Of course, we're from the south, and his music didn't really touch here that deep like that. But, after that third album with the three red stripes, I think its called "The Blueprint 3," I don't know.  But after that and then "Watch the Throne."  It was almost as if he wasn't even trying now, like maybe he was back in the gap when I wasn't paying attention.  But, the way he formatted his words and he's always ever changing I really admire and respect that. And, I like that a lot. I definitely look at Kanye.


  • With the overwhelming success of an artist like Drake who can captivate listeners with both his singing and rapping where do you fit, do you strive to exceed the standards he set?


It's so hard, I get that all the time because just like another comrade of mine, Sims, Turrell Sims (a.k.a.) Meet Sims. We've been doing the singin' and rappin'.  We know about Mike Jones and Chalie Boy and there's other artists been singin' and rappin' before Drake. [sic]  I guess, he took it to that next level and his lyrics, they seem so simple yet when they hit its the most complex things.  It's crazy, I respect him definitely as the artist of now.  When it comes to singin' and rappin' I just do my music.  I have a message to my fans.  When I sing, I think I sing a little harder than Drake, a little bit more going towards the R. Kelly side.  'Cuz of that influence of growing up and, that raspyness of Lauryn Hill.  So, my form kinda fades a little further I think.  But, definitely to be on the same label would be difficult in a sense.  But, we're definitely different artists...definitely.


  • Hip-Hop and black music culture have given rise to a large number of icons....Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne in Hip-Hop and Michael Jackson or Beyonce in Black Music in general.  These are examples whose style, image, and music set standards that will live past their generation.  Do you feel iconic?  And is it your intention to follow these examples?


I think that, and I've been asked this before, and this is also a question that most artists have to ask themselves.  Are you trying to be a pop artist?  Or, are you just trying to be a hip-hop artist?  And, there's a difference and no way is wrong, or bad or anything like that.  It's just that there are different standards and different things that go along with being a pop artist.  Which is popular music, it doesn't mean you have to be doing whatever Britney Spears is doing.  It just means that it's a popular brand of music.  Meaning that you got more interviews, you gotta go more places, you gotta make sure you're everywhere overseas.  It's a whole 'nother complex, as if you study Troy Carter, which I believe is the manager of Lady Gaga.  He even speaks of that a lot, it's a difference as compared to a hip-hop artist.  You can just Ahhhh! (In heavy exclamation), it don't matter what you look like as long as your music's crunk, and people are enjoying it, you're in the door.  Iconic?  Like I said, I DO the music. I believe that I am iconic.  I believe that, I will be on a major scale iconic.  If some people even say that now, on the underground level, that have been listening to me and play me on a daily basis.  But yes, Icon that definitely should go next to my name by the time I'm done with this for sure.  That's what I'm lookin' for. [sic]


  • Hip-Hop can be depicted negatively in the media as a means to continually perpetuate negative ideals and promote a destructive way of living.... Do you agree with that?


I do.  Somebody says no, Live NO! (He laughs but reiterates his point seriously.)  I do, it's a cycle you know.  And, I don't wanna throw names out there, 'cuz I mean I've done music that has vulgar language that speaks on.... (Changes pace before he delves into too much self deprecation) But, in a sense it is just the feeling.  I mean I might wake up one day and I might feel like (he takes a second to find the word)...I want some ass!  You know, I want a sexy girl you know what I'm sayin', I want her to have the chest, and the hair long.  That, makes me lead into talking about how rappers really push out the yellow bone woman.  And, it kinda leaves the red bone or darker skinned women feelin' like out of the picture, like they're not [acceptable]. But, that's a whole 'nother topic.  But, I believe that it does, it really does.  I believe that they portray a life and it makes us.... 'Cuz i even catch myself sometimes like man, you just seen that new [Mercedes] Benz on TV.  And, you're like MAN!  If I could just have that, if I could just do that.  And, I think it causes a lot of our youth especially on the African-American side to come up thinkin' like.  Yo' I gotta be out here in the streets, I gotta be a hip-hop artist, I gotta be a rapper.  And, there is an art to just even rappin' just even steppin' to the mic.  I think these youngsters get it all confused, and not everybody is meant for this game.  That's why if you really pay attention there's only been a few over the last years that you can name.  That really are doin' there thing now, came in strong, still strong, and look like they're goin' to continue to be strong.  You can name 'em on your hand, and were talking out of millions of people that do this.  Yeah, don't give up and keep your drive but, know what's out there, stay true to your heart and yourself.  'Cuz there's more out here than material things, and you'll learn that you can lose those in a second.  Real talk.


  • So, when a kid tells his teacher he wants to be a rapper and his teacher says its not realistic or it comes with a negative lifestyle i.e. violence, jail, etc. what is your advice?


My advice is get ready, you know what I'm saying get ready, be prepared.  'Cuz I mean I sing a lot.  But that doesn't mean that you're not going to have to.... I mean when I was younger I went in the hoods, backpack on, passin' out cds, tryna meet everybody, shake hands, game respect.  It's hard because you're gonna endure a lot of hate the more successful you are.  At first, you probably won't, you know everybody's just cool and kickin' it.  "Hey can I borrow your mic?"  "Oh, it's so fun" and mom "Get off of that and get into your school work."  And, you're in school and the girls think you're cute 'cuz you got your new Converse's on and your swaggin'.  But, when you start takin' it [For Real] for real and you out here.  This is a jungle, everybody's goin' for the same thing you're goin' for.  So yeah, everybody keeps their respect and they're nice.  But beneath the lines, like, this is a competition in a sense, you know.  I kinda got out of that part of it, and stay as far away from that as I can, you know, keep that at a distance. And I focus on my fans.  If you focus on your fans, then competition will come but, its not something that's gonna stray you away from being the best artist you can be. So, I just would tell him to stay true to his heart, if that's what he really wants to do, make sure he's not just doing it because he seen it on TV. Just make sure, that it's something that he really wants to bring, 'cuz music I believe is another life. It's another lifeform, you know, its beautiful.


  • Do kids from where we're from get an opportunity to invest their beliefs in realistically going after what they want in this business?


If you want it.  And this is to everybody in my city especially the youngsters that are spittin' right now.  If you want it, I am proof that you can be successful and you can make money doin' it.  The objective, for me is not necessarily the money, like I said I have a message within my music that I want to get out to mass ears.  But, I wanna say it is possible.  Can everybody do it?  No.  Does everybody even really want to do it?  Probably everybody wants to be a rockstar, everybody wants to be shiny and doin' all that.  But it's not all it's cracked up to be.  It really isn't, you have to find your peace within it, and I think you'll feel more of what I'm talkin' about as you get older. And, you get out of high school and, you're really out here and you're takin' trips and you're breakin' your pockets.  And, you're doin' everything you can to just get heard.  But, you're basically out here just tryna' get it.  It's difficult, it's difficult it IS difficult. Especially where we're from....Like I said earlier, it seems (changes course) and it still seems impossible.  Of course there are levels I haven't gotten to yet.  I still have a long way to go.  And, if anybody from my city has followed me then they know; how many times i've pushed the record button, and how many trips i've taken, and how much money i've invested.  Which that's another key, if you're going to invest your money.  I didn't know what was the right way to invest my money, at the beginning.  So, not only did me being from Fort Smith, Arkansas (his phone is holding the camera and begins to ring)(sidenote: the ringtone is Ellie Goulding "Lights") slow down the process.  (We laugh and wait for the ringtone to stop)  But, I invested my money in the wrong places so not only [did] just being from my city kinda slow that down.  But, now I'm investing money into the hands of people that are; not either handling it correctly or I didn't know exactly where to send it for it to be most effective.  And that's part of it, is you want to be cost effective comin' up and make sure that everything you do is definitely goin' to lead you into the right position, your movement on the board.  So, make sure when you're spending your money, and that's part of the music game even up at this level that I'm on.  You're dealing with people that want your money to do something, and you need 'em to do it because you need to move up.  But, they may not being doing what they say they do they could be frauds, fakes, phonies, lames, slutbuckets, whatever you know what I'm sayin.  So, you just gotta try to build relationships, trust [your] instincts and believe. 


  • You just recently had a daughter... Congratulations on that and I hope you feel blessed for that new addition.  Do you feel that someday you will have to discuss what goes on in the industry the good and the bad with her?


I believe so, and if going as far as I'm going.  Then she will be.... It's kinda by force in a sense.  She'll definitely be around the music or know about it.  It doesn't mean she necessarily has to be a singer.  You know my dad played basketball and I can hoop but, you know I didn't do anything past P.E.  But don't get it twisted son, don't get it twisted!!! (He says in defense of his basketball skills)  Yeah, it's gonna be difficult I'm gonna do my best to explain both sides.  That means the pimp, and the ho.  You know what I'm sayin', both sides of the game in all retrospects of everything.  So that she knows from every angle, what's comin' at her, when it's comin' at her.  Need it be, she decides to even go into that field. [sic]  Definitely, explaining and talking with your youth, the youth is the key.  We were youth once, and now we're here.  Hey, some are here and they ain't doin' what they supposed to be doin'.  It starts with the youth and tryna get our families back, and there's not a lot of families out here.  Especially, on the African-American side, the minority side.  We're just not seein' the family anymore, and when you do see the family they don't look happy.  So, like I said it's all about finding that peace.  And, if you want to be a successful artist you have to find that peace within your music.  To know, that you are not just doin' it for your friend, you're doin' it for the world and that's a different platform.


  • What is your greatest hope for the future of your career?


My greatest hope is just to not ever stray.[sic]  You know, lets say next year this time, things don't look as good.  Its like "Oh, Live he ain't really gonna make it to 106 [& Park], or he's not gonna make it any further, or XXL [Magazine] is as far as he's gonna go.  That show he did in front of 2 thou is as much as he's ever gonna do."  You don't wanna get depressed and down, you know maybe I'm arguin' with my girl, you never know what could be goin' on.  You know the devil comes at you in formalities that... Man!  Even when you're having the best week he's still comin' at you, you just didn't notice, he comes man.  So, I don't wanna get to a point where I'm like.... Man, what am I gonna do, I gotta make it?  I say that all the time but, I don't wanna get to the point where you would wanna do something that would risk messing up your life in the future, just for a few dollars here or a few dollars now.  So, you just wanna make sure your morals are correct.  Your heart is strong, your mind is strong..er.  That's a fear but, it will work itself out if you keep your morals and values correct. 


  • Are you viable in today's industry?  And by that do you feel that with your work ethic you could have longevity doing what you love?


And this is a serious, this is probably one of the deepest questions on here.  Because, marketability of an artist is everything when it comes to who's gonna put money behind you.  As you can see I'm a handsome guy (he takes a moment to look into the camera's viewfinder).  At the same time, I could get better in shape, I could look a little bit better, you know tighten up a little bit.  It's not just you talkin' in a mic.  I mean everything.  You are a superstar, that means the camera is on you at all times.  From your dialect, how you voice your opinions.  To how you look, I don't care if you're just goin' to the grocery store you better put on some Jordan flip flops.  You better do somethin'.  Because you're always being judged, always being looked at.  So, in the industry if you wanna speak on longevity, that's a part of it.  Your health, is another part of it.  You've seen some of your biggest artists take some falls, and you were worried about them.  You're up days at a time, days and nights at a time, weeks at a time.  You don't wanna necessarily put drugs in you but, that's what happens in this industry with some folks.  Lord willin', I don't have to do nothin' like that.  I create my music freeminded right now, without any hallucinogens or anything like that.  But, I mean I wouldn't mind pourin' a cup every other month or somethin', when I'm kickin' with my boys or whatever.  You know we from the south, hold up baby!  But, I mean you gotta keep it real with yourself.  Do I feel like I am?  I believe like I'm working towards that, and that should mean a lot for me to say that if you really follow me or know.  Because, I know that I'm not at my 100 percent best, but that's what I'm shooting and going for.  And, we will get there and, right now shelf life of a cd is what a couple years or a year something like that?  I'm looking to when you say icon like you mentioned earlier that's not one....Well you might could be iconic off one cd, that better be a bad ass cd (he says to establish his tone).  But, I mean we're lookin' at multiple cds I got a lot of music I wanna put out.  I'm lookin' to hold down a decade at least, and hopefully that music will pull off some Temptations type stuff, and still be being played when my child is of age where I am.[sic]


  • Someone brings up your name to a person who has never heard your music, what song do you suggest they hear first?


I would say listen to "Beatles".  Livesosa "Beatles" that song right there, I believe that something kinda just came over that day.  And, I believe that it was different from any song I've done yet, thus far.[sic]  It was almost like a message from somewhere else, you know.  That song, and I have a new song off my album called R.U.S.S.I.A. It's called "Gardens" and I believe I would love for someone who came along to definitely peep that out.  When it comes out it's not out yet but, if you're lookin' right now "Beatles".  Some of my music has some vulgar wordplay, Beatles doesn't, but if you really dig deep, and pay attention to the song and graph out the lyrics you'll catch the message.  And, normally the message is super positive for the most part. 


  • You have changed your name as well as your label's name over the years... What hasn't changed?  What continues to increase the response you get?


That is me making sure that I am giving the fans, the best graphics, the dopest concepts, the best video I can give 'em.  For my first video by myself which was "Stars Over London", I coulda shot that multiple of places.  We don't have a lot of outlets here for that either but I definitely coulda got that shot.  But, I decided to....I found a director that I knew was, to me, the best director in the business right now, and that was Edwin Escobar.  A guy named Wednesday Adams introduced me to him via Facebook.  I was like you know what, I'm gonna get my money up and we're gonna make that video happen.  We went to New York, we went to Connecticut we got it all shot and worked out and it came out to be beautiful.  And, that's what I wanted for my fans, I felt like my fans deserved to look at MTV, Sirius Radio, BET, VH1 that type of quality.  Even, if its not coming from a major signed artist, and I wanted them to be able to see that.  That also shows the major players in the game, "Yo, Livesosa he did that by himself" (Just then the Ellie Goulding ringtone comes on again we take a second and I go to the next question)


  • How would you describe a Livesosa fan?


(Takes a second and chuckles) I would describe a Livesosa fan, as someone who is human.  And that would be, that they are in tune with....They know that there is gonna be good times.  They know there is gonna be bad times.  They know that this makes them happy, sometimes something that normally would make them sad will make them happy.  It's just about being real and the truth.  Not being afraid to speak their mind.  Also, not being afraid....Not letting fear keep them from progressing in life.  A lot of people let fear stop them.(He emphasizes this statement strongly)  Whether it's if their scared of someone else's opinion, or whether.... That fear can stop them from getting a job they need.  I know you just talkin' bout what is a Livesosa fan, it's not someone who just doesn't have a job (he laughs hard at that comment).  Definitely my fans are courageous.  They hurt, they cry, they smile, they're real people.  They're working people, they're striving for better I believe that's the people that enjoy and listen to my music.


  • Does it ever surprise you the reaction you get?


Sometimes, I be lookin' for a bigger reaction.  You guys start sharin' my music more!  (laughs)  Other than that, sometimes, I look at it like it may have took me a few hours but, I put a song out.  To know somebody's playin' that, and that they're probably gonna play that even when their child comes.  Like they really dig it, and it's gonna be on their playlist.  Just like how you wouldn't think I listen to Project Pat but, I'll pop in a Project Pat "Getty Green" cd in a heartbeat because that's somethin' I remember.  He may not be iconic or nothin', in that sense.  Mike Jones, these are some of the people that in the hip-hop side that I had in my deck growin' up.  So, it surprises me to an extent sometimes, it's really humbling.  It keeps me humble it never goes to my head.


  • At this point would you still consider yourself underground?


I am underground.  But, you know what? Underground is the new major, if you really wanna get real technical.  Underground is the new major, there's nothin' wrong with being underground.  Actually, if you play your cards right, you can make just as much money, if that's what you're in it for.  The only problem with me being underground is I do want to be a little bit over, [or] do somethin'.  Because I want more ears, like I said that's my main thing is mass ears.  And to be underground and have mass ears, you can....  You can have mass ears you know you have like your Z-Ros and Traes that have some pretty good ears.  But yeah, there's nothin' wrong with being underground nothin' at all. 



  • Two of the ways for people to give their fans the visual aspect of their music are videos and live shows.  As someone who has done both which do you think is more important?


I wanna say neither, or either or.  The way time is progressing, and digital age is at its all time, just bangin' right now.  People love... Now, you just only get 10 seconds of a person's actual time, like their attention span.  So, you would think like "ohh (changes pace a bit)"....  Live shows and merchandise, is a way to gain fans from here (points to his heart).  To gain this, (points to his head) and for it to spread real fast and people be just "Ahhhhh, did you see, did you see, did you see?"  Yeah you want that video, you do want that video.  You do a show in Tallahassee, Florida and, out of all those fans that night or people that are not fans.  You might get 10 good solid ones, 20 if its a huge crowd, you might get 200.  Hopefully they'll spread your music but, I believe that you can spread it faster through the eye.  And, that's why the world wide web is what it is.  That is why I can go down, and we can do a show at the event center, you know, get 500 or a thousand people.  But, it's not gonna spread enough, unless they go get somethin' and share it online.  So, you're gonna need that video, you're gonna need that hot, conceptual video that's different from everybody else's, definitely.


  • You have recently been doing lots of collabs as well... How are they important?


Collabs are definitely important.  You never know who's poppin' where, you know.  They could pop (snaps fingers) like that!  But, make sure when you collab, don't just collab to collab.  Make sure that either you're exchanging fan bases, that there's a plan behind that collab.  Make sure that the mastering, and everything is successful.  That the song, really came out how it would have came out, regardless if they were in the studio or not in the studio with you.  If not, you probably wasted your time.  If you're doing hooks, of course that is probably the fastest and best way.  Because, if you're on a hook then that verse is probably got two or three different rappers on it.  If they're in London, which is like the case with me.  Somebody from London, or Czechaslovaya [sic], or somewhere over there, Italy or somewhere.  They'll get a hook, an American hook, sometimes they'll ask me to change some words in it.  Or they'll buy a hook and they'll put their guys on it in their area, and that's gonna branch out me overseas to where I wasn't.  So, that's been a big thing I believe, definitely collab but, just make sure that it's gonna do somethin' for you, when you do it or you wasted your time.


  • Is there anyone out there who you feel you have as your bucket list collab?


The collab I have to do, before it's all said and done?  Lauryn Hill, I gotta have that collab, I would love to have that collab.  I wouldn't mind a Jay-Z collab.  Yeah, that's about it right now.


  • Is that your favorite artist of all time, Lauryn Hill?


That's the one, that's that prominent one that stuck.  Now that I listen to it, it may not at all times be as impressive.  But, definitely her value to me is just....she had to be here.  That is one artist that I felt had to be in the game.  Like, there would not be music if she wasn't there for me, in a sense.  (The phone rings again with the same Ellie Goulding ringtone) (sidenote: He goes into a brief explanation of how AT&T has recycled his number and he feels about it)


  • So, as more and more of your work is recognized do you entertain the thoughts of being a hip-hop mogul, is that realistic at this point?  Livesosa sneakers, Livesosa energy drinks, what would you branch out into?


(Laughs) That's part of the Autumn Univerzity Media Group, which is a group that I've been working on this past year, and that is not just associated with music.  We have basketball teams, we have etcetera etcetera.  We're looking to be in the home, which is meaning like doormats, cookware, even baby stuff.  It's definitely something that...we're looking to go into movies.  You know, not everything is gonna say Livesosa on it.  But, definitely we wanna make that media group a big, big thing where there is branches off of it.  Pauze, which is the logo that represents the Univerzity, the bear if you've seen it.  There's a lot of things that we've planned for the future, as far as business goes, and investing our money in the correct formats to be successful.  And, gain more capital to do even more. 


  • So, on another note how do you feel about the media and many fans who contend that some of the industry's biggest stars are occultists or have a hidden agenda such as the illuminati etc.  And do you think some artists use it to their advantage to discourage would be competitors?  

Yeah, some artists do use it to their advantage, to discourage the up and coming artists like myself, and others.  I believe that to an extent some of it is real, and there are different things that are done, I believe.  Not everybody has the same story, not everybody knows the same people.  I'm sure there's all kinds of blasphemous stuff going on.  I'm tryin' to stay away from that.  This music industry is very, very, very....I'm lookin' for a good word for it man, it's befuddling, if that's even a word I know befuddled is.  It's everchanging, it's a lot of stress and like I said a lot of crookedness.  As the industry as a whole, everybody's just tryna get over but, that's what happens when you have a game and everybody's tryna come up at the same time.  Eventually, they all gotta meet and the strongest survive and, when the ones that are strong can't make it they may do reckless activity to try to stay afloat on that ship.  I'm not gonna sit here and be like, "This artist I know did this, or this artist I know sacrificed that," you know that's not for me to speak on.  I believe that you just do you, and just try to...If you're a positive, stay positive, I don't believe anybody should let any of that detour them from their success.  No matter who or what they believe in.


  • Finally, what other form of art influences you the most?  And which artist makes you go hard at what you do?


That's crazy that you say that, because normally within your own city or state, you have somebody that has made it before you.  Or, that's doing something on a major level, to where you can look to and be like, yeah.  Like, if you're from Memphis, you got beaucoup artists to look up to.  If you're from Dallas, you got beaucoup artists to follow their mold and path.  If you're from Arkansas, there's absolutely no one.  So, we are the first of our kind if you're successful.  Because, there was no one to look up to.  There was no one for me to look up to comin' up, at all period.  Even when I tried to make someone that person to look up to, they didn't even want to be looked up to.  (Laughs)  So it's just like you gotta do it yourself man.  Really, you need to know your business side but, you definitely need to know how to make beats.  Like I said, be cost effective, you need to learn how to make your own music, do your own graphics.  Graphics for me is something that... every time I do a song I feel like the particular picture... I always get a picture.  Maybe I'll find one that matches the song, maybe i'll just get a random picture that doesn't match the song at all.  And, I'll let that picture, 'cuz a picture like they say is a thousand words.  So, when people be like "Oh, I can't think of nothin'" grab a picture man.  You know, look at the picture see what the picture tells you, and then rebuttal that and use that on the track.  Not sayin' everybody should do that but, that's something that helps me, create.  Being from a place where I haven't seen a lot, I have now to an extent.  But, comin' up not seein' anything really that much, that helps.


  • Anything you would like to add or anyone you would like to mention?  Where can people keep up with what you're doing and what are your upcoming projects and shows?



We're shooting, currently we're working on, we have the templates and some drawups on some cartoons.  We're working on movies, that we're lookin' forward to.  One is called "Kill The Chandeliers", also some videos we're workin' on to lead up off of the "Stars Over London" to promote the "R.U.S.S.I.A." album.  (I interject for him to further his explanation)  Well, if you've seen the cover, I don't know if you've seen the cover or not.  It has me sitting in kind of a thronish chair, with a lot of gold Egyptian things, and everything going on around me.  And, I'm holding a couple of guns.  And, people were like "Woah, Livesosa is holding guns we didn't know what to think about that."  Like, "What to do about that, my daughter listens to his music, should I let her continue to listen to his music?"  Yes, the guns is to show the fight, and there's a song on that album called "The Fight."  Basically, it's fighting for your right to be yourself and continue to be yourself.  And, I'm just sittin' in there, on some come at me bro type stuff but I'm not goin' [for it].  That's what the album is about, it's about promoting self respect, self strength, power, not being in the fear anymore, not being in the dark.  The "R.U.S.S.I.A." has an acronym, and I'll express that more as we lead up to the promo of the album release.  But, that's basically the entitlement of the project, in a whole.  But, we're working on the videos for that, 'cuz we wanna have strong images 'cuz this project, we almost want the images for it to be more powerful than even the music.  The music's gonna be powerful, but we want the images with it because it's gonna be like a 50/50 type thing.  So, I think everybody's just expecting for me just to drop the "R.U.S.S.I.A." project but, they're gonna see a whole lot of visuals before that actually drops.  So that when they get it, it's like a whole thing they can just hold it.



That's good, so R.U.S.S.I.A., the Autumn Univerzity Media Group, Pauze, all those things are where you're at.  I been around you, we grew up the same area, went to school together, makin' music not understandin' to a point where you are right now.  It makes me look back on what you've done and where we all come from and it makes me proud.  I really appreciate you being able to take time out and do this interview for me.  I know it was a lot of questions but you did a good job of answering the questions, being eloquent in how you wanted to express yourself.  I really have high hopes for your future and some day those things that you are striving towards in marketing and branding yourself really come true.  


Like I said that's the toughest thing, as an artist is finding the peace within yourself.  When I started off doin' music, I just rapped about whatever I heard.  Which was like the candy paint, the cars we didn't even have all that.  I'm grown now I'll buy what I wanna buy (he says laughing).  As long as you work for it and you do it the right way you do what you wanna do.  Just stay true to yourself and try to make that come out through your music, and its a process it takes time but, stay with it stay with it.


Follow me on Twitter @Livesosa Autumn Univerzity Media Group and shoutout to everyone in The Univerzity much love we gettin' to it!!!



And you can follow me @CaesarTheMind.  I really hope, that this gives an idea of what type of artist you're working with in LiveSosa and his music, his background, and what type of person he is.  As a whole, just stopping to answer these questions, it makes sense in the fact that he is continuing to change in an industry that changes constantly.  Taking his artistry to the next level as well as, how fans get to see him, new ways.  I really hope, that everything from here on out goes well for you man.


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