We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Billie Slum a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Billie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I’ve always been fascinated with melodies. I can remember being a toddler riding with my mom and mimicking the melodies from Prince records. But the exact moment I knew this was what I wanted to do for a living was the first time I heard Nas. My mom introduced me to hip hop. She listened to everything from Kurtis Blow to LL Cool J, but something about how Nas put words together sold me! I was a small child, but I definitely caught the bug right then and there!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Billie Slum is a gumbo pot of musical expression. I’m a songwriter and performer. I play hip hop, r&b and even pop with live instrumentation. I perform at corporate, private & industry events.
My initial introduction to the industry was via Young Jeezy’s now defunct Corporate Thugz Entertainment. I was signed with a group called Tru Breed. That deal ran its course and I began my path as an independent artist.
The thing I’m most proud of is the musical pallet I’ve developed over the years. I’m very versatile. For my core fans, I still release bar heavy hip hop records and, for my more diverse listeners, I now deliver classic r&b as well. I love being able to take my audience on a rollercoaster experience within one show.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Losing a record deal is any artist’s worst nightmare. That being said, I never let that deter me from my dreams. I laced up my boots and hit the pavement running establishing my brand regionally. And through streaming and social media, I’ve now been able to establish an international presence.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
From my standpoint, the biggest thing society can do for creatives is pass the message word of mouth. This has always been the absolute best promotional tool known to date. With so much music being released daily, it helps us dramatically when someone personally recommends our product to their family and friends.
Contact Info:
- Website: slumchild.store
- Instagram: instagram.com/slumworldorder
- Facebook: facebook.com/sluminternational
- Twitter: twitter.com/slumworldorder
- Youtube: youtube.com/BillieSlum
Image Credits
Ray Wilson