Today we’d like to introduce you to Lawrence King

Hi Lawrence, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

My journey towards creating Trilla G ENT began when I was 16 at Davidson College. I was selected to join the July Experience, a 3-week summer program at Davidson that brought high school students from all over the world to experience college life. I had no expectations for the program, I‘d never heard of Davidson College, and I went to please my mother and college advisor. Little did I know, this would be one of the most important moments of my life!

You have to understand that I was a completely different person before this camp. I was timid, indecisive, and lost. But as soon as I came to Davidson, I came out of my shell and changed with each passing day. There was something about being around the beautiful nature of Davidson, the kindness of the locals, and the unique energy of the other students that affected me. I felt understood, I felt seen, and I felt so happy and blessed to be there. This was only the beginning. The moment that changed my life forever was the “JE Talent Show.”

I need to back up a little now. On the very first day of the camp, I met a girl we can call S. The very first activity of the camp was a scavenger hunt and I was hanging around the back being my usual shy and anti-social self. S saw me in the back, she came right up to me, took my hand, said “Come on!” and pulled me with her to the front. I fell for her right then and there! Looking back on it now, I realized that I had always had my hand out waiting for someone to take it and pull me forward and S was the one who fulfilled that wish. So fast forward to the end of week 2 of the camp. I’m talking with my roommate about the upcoming talent show, something I have no intention of participating in, and hip-hop comes up. I end up jokingly saying, “Wouldn’t it be funny if I rapped at the Talent Show.” We both laughed but S misheard what I said, excitedly approached me, and said, “You’re going to rap at the Talent Show?!” She was so excited and I was so in love that I said “Yes. Yes, I am.”

Keep in mind, I’ve never rapped or written anything a day in my life! S told everyone in the camp and there was no way to get out of it. So I had a week to find a beat, write a song, and perform in front of everyone. I was petrified but I couldn’t let S down. I worked with my roommate to find a beat, I wrote about everything I’d seen and experienced at the camp, and I rehearsed the song like a madman every day until the big night. I was terrified. My heart was beating out my chest before my set. But I steeled my resolve, went up there, and performed my heart out. Much to my surprise, everyone liked it! They liked it so much that I ended up winning the whole thing! Also, S was very impressed. When I got off the stage, I felt a wave of joy and adrenaline. I knew I had discovered something very important. I’d discovered my purpose.

I got home to Brooklyn and told my mother that I was going to Davidson no matter what. I knew that Davidson College would help me grow and further understand my purpose in life. I spent my senior year of high school raising my grades as high as possible, studying for the SATs, and taking extra classes for college credit. I applied Early Decision to Davidson and I was accepted thanks in no small part to my contributions at the July Experience. Within the first week of my college journey, I met my best friend and Co-Founder of Trilla G ENT, Victor-Alan Weeks. We became fast friends in our French class and bonded over our shared love of music. He introduced me to my other best friend and Co-Founder, Bradford Grant, who happened to live in the same dorm as me. Brad rapped and produced so we all ended up freestyling together using his beats. Before the first semester of our Freshman year was over we had started a rap group called NXT LVL and we dropped our first mixtape called the Davidson College EP or DCEP.

We took over the entire campus with our music. We performed everywhere, shot music videos, released projects at the end of every semester, and found other artists on campus who were eager to work with us. However, we discovered a major problem at Davidson. The student groups who invited us to perform were not allowed to pay us. We were rehearsing hard and performing like crazy while maintaining our grades and it wasn’t sustainable. We couldn’t continue to do this for free. During our Junior Year, the three of us went our separate ways. Victor-Alan went to New Zealand, Bradford dived deeper into his medical career and fraternity, and I went to Prague for Film School. This time apart proved crucial for our growth.

In Prague, I was surrounded by like-minded artists and creatives. I spent four and a half months working on professional film sets and creating new music of my own. I learned a ton about film, art, and myself. Being around professionals made me realize that we had all the tools we needed to take our art to another level and solve the problem of student artists not being paid on campus. I came back to Davidson, shared my vision with the boys, and we got to work. We contacted lawyers to help us apply for an LLC and trademark for our business, we applied for a grant that helped us design and buy custom t-shirts, we raised money by selling the exclusive NXT LVL merchandise, and we recruited a dozen artists that we worked with to join our brand new business venture, Trilla G ENT. By working and performing as business owners, we and our members were allowed to be paid for our art. We became incorporated in 2018 and have been going strong ever since.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

My journey has been an impractical one and it has been anything but easy. However it’s been full of experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world. The most consistent challenge I’ve faced from my college days til the present day has been balance. I’ve been constantly trying to figure out how to balance my passions with my responsibilities. Having to juggle school, work, and a social life along with my business was a struggle. I realized that in order to find the balance I sought, I needed to sacrifice and consistently reevaluate my priorities. I’ve had to miss out on certain events, form new habits, and postpone the things I wanted to do so I could have time and space for the things I needed to do. It’s better to grind now and take risks when you’re young than to wait until you’re older. Every day I seek knowledge and self-growth so I can maintain my balance and be ready for any and all obstacles that come my way.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I’m 27 years old. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I’m Jamaican on my mom’s side and Nigerian on my dad’s side. I’m a rapper, filmmaker, photographer, DJ, graphic designer, and voice actor. I’m also the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Trilla G ENT. Using our artistic and marketing talents to consult with and promote individuals and businesses, big and small we are a one stop shop for all of your artistic needs. My dream is for my company, Trilla G ENT, to become a positive global force through the meaningful art we create and to become the best rapper alive!

I have a Bachelors Degree from Davidson College for Film and Media Studies. I’m a 2015 UBS NextGen Leader, a 2019 Venture For America Fellow, and a 2023 Tulsa Remote member. In UBS, I was one of 125 Scholars selected out of 1,000 applicants to participate in a four-year college success program. Venture For America is a selective two-year entrepreneurship fellowship that serves to create economic opportunity in American cities. VFA Fellows complete intensive training and commit to spending two years working at a high-growth company in an emerging startup ecosystem. Tulsa Remote attracts and retains remote workers whose skills and passions make Tulsa a more diverse and vibrant place while contributing to the foundation of a more inclusive and resilient economy.

Three claims to fame: In my senior year, my team’s music video got retweeted by, fellow Davidson Alum, Steph Curry on my 21st birthday! It went viral shortly after (https://bit.ly/3Q6XxVh). A couple of years back I was inspired/requested to make a song about HBO’s Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. I became a superfan over the pandemic. Shot a music video for it in Charlotte, Atlanta, and Hawaii! (https://bit.ly/3u3E5LX) Finally, I recently took a trip to Capri, Italy with my Co-Founder, Victor-Alan Weeks, and we shot 13 music videos there in 8 days! (https://bit.ly/3OpLa5g)

Outside of art, I love fitness, learning new languages, anime, movies, television, video games, playing chess, reading, traveling, and anything related to self-improvement!

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?

The thing that matters most to me is freedom. Freedom to live my life the way I choose. Freedom to do the things I love every single day. Freedom to own my day. I want to wake up with a smile on my face and know that I’m fulfilling my purpose. Freedom matters most to me because this life is a short one, and we never know if today will be our last. If today is my last, I want to say at the end, with confidence, that I lived my life to the fullest, I did what I loved and made time for the things that made my soul smile! I work towards achieving this goal daily.

Pricing:

• Editing: $100 per minute (length of video)
• Videography: $100 per hour
• Photography: $100 per hour
• Social Media Management & Consultation: $300 a week
• Social Media Marketing & Consultation: $500 per campaign

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Trilla_G_ENT
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mc_bklyn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrillaGEnt
• Twitter: https://x.com/trillag3nt
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrillaGENT/featured
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8R_tbAdkoQ

Image Credits

Victor-Alan Weeks, Richy Tovar, Judson Womack, and Christopher Record.