We recently connected with Virghost and have shared our conversation below.

Virghost, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I think the most meaningful project I ever worked on was my album “GHOSTS.” It was very therapeutic for me in so many ways. Out of all my albums that is the one I was the most detailed and obsessed with from the songwriting down to the intricate parts of the skits. I was basically reliving my college days through the music and telling the story of events that lead me into becoming an artist. It’s by far the most personal and autobiographical work I’ve ever done. I got to deal through a lot of personal past issues I had while writing and recording that album. I’ve made a lot of albums that I love but that one definitely holds a special place in my heart.

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

I am a rapper/songwriter/poet/event organizer from Memphis, Tennessee. I currently live in Nashville, Tennessee. I started off as a poet in Hypelife Marketing under founder Darius ‘Phatmak’ Clayton in Memphis in 2008. From there I branched off and started my own Hip-Hop collective ‘SQUAD’ with a few of my rapper friends in Memphis. I then moved to Nashville and and started the Villematic Hip-Hop Showcase. It is a seasonal Hip-Hop show in Nashville that brings together local artists as well as out of town artists to perform and network together. I then co-founded ‘Capitol Minds Entertainment’ with Joshua Jacob aka CME Truth and Steven Snipes aka Soulman Snipes. They went on to become owners of the company. I am currently still an artist there.

I think my most proudest moments were being enshrined in the House of Mtenzi Wall of Fame in 2017, having my song ’60 Feet’ played on Starz in the movie Jookin in 2022, winning the K97 Next Big Thing competition in Memphis in 2013, winning ‘Best Urban Album’ in the 2017 Nashville Industry Music Awards for my album ‘No Sleep Under The Circumstances” and my album ‘GHOSTS.’ being named Album of the Year by the Memphis Flyer in 2014.

I think what sets me apart from other artists is my consistency and the high quality art within that consistency. I’ve released critically acclaimed music ever single year since 2009.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I remember from 2008 to 2013 I made a pretty big name for myself as a rapper and a poet in Memphis. I had won awards and accolades. I gained the respect of my citu and my peers. I did everything I needed to make myself seen and known as an artist in Memphis. But I suddenly had to move to Nashville for personal reasons. In Nashville a few people knew my music but ultimately it was unknown to most people. I had to complete start over from scratch in 2014 in a whole new city with an entirely different type of music scene. It was extremely difficult. I was the out of towner and the outsider. Some people wouldn’t let me get on their shows. Some people wouldn’t do music with me. I was nobody in Nashville vs. being highly known and visible in Memphis. So the first thing I did was start my own show, Villematic Hip-Hop Showcase, so that I would no longer have ask or depend on other people to perform. Next I built relationships with people like Joshua Jacob aka CME Truth and his ODDM Studios, Al-D and Meant For The Milkcrate, Cormat and the Nashville Music Industry Awards, the Nashville Scene ect. From there I was able to truly make noise in Nashville to the point that I became just as known in Nashville as I am in Memphis. It just took a whole lot of work.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

We need to take the art and the artists more seriously. I don’t think society views arists at the same esteem as we view doctors, chefs, lawyers ect. I feel we take art forgranted. Once we realize we need music and art just as much as we need food, medicine, and water things will begin to change for the better. Perspectives need to change in order for creatives to be appreciated more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://virghostmemphiasco.bandcamp.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/therealvirghost?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealvirghost
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/Virghost87