We recently connected with Tamura Billups and have shared our conversation below.

Tamura, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/ artistic path professionally after many years of experiencing people telling me how good I sounded when I sung songs. So many people used to tell me you should become a professional singer, so I decided to go for it and go in that direction. I also liked being around so many talented people creating and performing music all the time.

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

About my self, I’ve been in the music industry for many years now. My journey began when I used to hear my mom beautifully singing around the house, I wanted to sound just like her, so I began mimicking her sound. She told me she wanted to be a singer many years ago, but she didn’t have that opportunity to pursue a singing career like she wanted. Listening to my mom’s story inspired me to take up where she left off. So I joined the choir in junior high school. Afterwards from there, I began joining the choir every year in high school as an elective year after year until I’d finished high school from there, I went to college and joined the university’s “Jazz Band”.

I decided to join the “Jazz Band” after one of my roommates suggested I should, after she heard me singing in the shower, She told me I should join the “Jazz Band” that she was already a part of. The “Jazz Band” directors was looking for a singer, so they were holding auditions. I auditioned and got in. I’d made it! I was now the “Jazz Band’s” new singer/soloist. Our Jazz concerts were all taking place in the “Roland Hayes Concert Hall” located on the very edge of the university’s campus. That was definitely the beginning of my music career in the music industry. Thereafter, I began to established my music career by participating in the local musicians’ scene. It is there where I had established a reputation of being the “it girl” to seek out for for fulling a position as an experienced local female singer.

One of my jobs beside performing on stage with my band “Ogya” was to also help out  with the management of the group, I came to realize that I was now a local celebrity. I and my band-mates began to appear in studio for many radio and television station to do a media spots. We also began to also have a lot of newspapers and magazine write ups about us and our shows. our music was everywhere, it was even in constant rotation on the radio. I think we are there now.

Performing on stage was part of my job in one of my bands , and the other part was helping to manage the group. Being with these particular bands gave me a more favorable opportunity and circumstance to broaden my horizons and not just as a performer but as a manager of other people and groups.

As time went on, I adventured into running a couple of record labels, it is there where I obtain the title “Music Executive”. I and my partner with joined collaborating forces decided to go into this adventure together to make this dream work. I later on decided to open and set up a studio, so we could record and lay down tracks for all artists that we were working with. As we begin to grow and evolve into a different entity, we were able to eventually sign artists to the label growing our repertoire.

While still working in the music industry, I happen to run across one of the members of the renowned group “Sons Of Funk” one of signed groups of “No Limit Records”. One of the members of the “Sons Of Funk” group, after checking out my capabilities and credentials, wanted me to work with him and his group. Of course I said yes, therefore making me a part of the groups management team. My specialty service I was able provide them with was in the area of marketing and management. My duties also included: getting them gigs, setting up radio interviews, setting up and creating their events for the public to examine, creating website, helping them level up on different music charts, getting awards, and everything else in between.

I worked with them for several years before I was able to move on, to work with my current artists: Oben Joseph Tchamabeu aka (Dapro) and Jason Fairley (Blackkism) . Dapro is from Nigeria. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter performing artist, and an international recording artist. He is also an actor. Blackkism is an amazing certified producer, singer. and songwriter. He is also a MMA fighter. Both of these young men are so talented and a pleasure to work with. I love my guys! We all are currently working on several music projects: creating new songs, music production, doing shows, media spots, touring etc. “Whatever it take to become successful”.

I am most proud graduating at the top of my business class and an earning my degree in business, secondly I am proud of being a member Mu Phi Epsilon Professional Music Fraternity, and last but not least receiving music awards that I have obtain over the few years.  My most recently award came from the “UMA’s Worldwide Music Awards”.  The award I’ve obtain from the UMA”s is the “Bemo” for “The Record Executive of the Year”, before I officially joined the UMA’s board members. The board members who currently hold a seat are: Mr. Bernard Moore CEO/Founder of the UMA’s. Mr. Michael Neely Record Executive, A&R for Def Jam,  Magazine owner founder, and your truly me. LOL!  We all are looking forward this year’s 2023 Annual UMA’s Worldwide Music Awards Shows. Let’s get it!!!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I learned throughout my journey in this career is to keep pursuing my dreams even if it takes many years. Keep going and keep growing and never give up on my dreams. All the struggle and input is worth it in the end. These struggles and challenges are inputs that will later produce a great output, which is a finished product, that is my goal. I continue because I seen positive results of being persistent in the end for many years.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Basically all of us on social media are “digital creators”, The best advice I can give you is to be consistent and provide your audience with good content and it will grow. When I say be consistent, I mean you need to post almost everyday to keep your audience engaged. Sometimes your audience hunger for new content that you can create. So be persistent period! Don’t give up it will eventually grow like mines. I started out with one hundred followers, now I have over two hundred thousand followers on my one page. Keep going!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ythbgstudiosrecords.blogspot.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam.yeah.tamurah.bgigging/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yeahtamurahbgigging
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeah-tamura-h-b-gigging-bsba-99a30158/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQckZA2k3OKGLsmmOuDHzg
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/raisethebarandbossup