Interview: Rapper/Producer Anthone Ray Talks About His New Album "TRIATHLON"
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“The concept for the album is really about perseverance and recognizing life is like a race. You have to keep running and growing in what you do. Whether you get tired or angry, you have to keep on going. ”
You're not just a talented rapper, but a producer as well. What software/hardware do you use to make beats and do you sell them to other artists?
I'm FL Gang all day. Fruity Loops is my software of choice. I do sell beats and continue to get better at my craft each day.
Congratulations on the completion and release of your album "TRIATHLON"; it's a very dope collection of tracks. What are you most proud of with this new project?
Thank you and I appreciate you taking the time to listen to it. I'm super proud of this project because I feel like I got every idea out of my head that I wanted, and for artists, that can be hard to do at times. This is my first body of work that I can say I'm satisfied with as a whole. From top to bottom with no filler. No dry spots and no dry moments.
Tell us what the overall concept of the album represents to you and why you decided to call it "TRIATHLON".
The concept for the album is really about perseverance and recognizing life is like a race. You have to keep running and growing in what you do. Whether you get tired or angry, you have to keep on going. You learn a lot about yourself when you're tired mentally and physically.
The reason I called the project "TRIATHLON" was mainly because it fit where I was in my life and still am. I wanted a title to fit the mood of the entire body of work and didn't want something too much to the point. "TRIATHLON" just stuck with me. When I did my research on it, it definitely fit the vibe I was going for. The ups, the downs, the wins, and the losses. It was perfect.
Were there songs that you recorded that did not make the final track list? If so, why did they not make the cut?
I actually had two songs actually that didn't make the cut. One of the songs didn't make the cut mainly because of production issues. It sounded a little off key, but I plan on dropping it eventually when I fix it.
Another one didn't make it because I wasn't in the right head space mentally, spiritually, and felt like I was too angry on the track. I didn't want to regret putting it out in the long run. The dope part of it though, it helped birth "LATELY FREESTYLE", which is on the album.
When someone listens to the album for the first time, what do you want them to take away from the experience?
I want the listener to relate to what I'm saying and apply it to their own lives. This life is like a marathon. Some days you have energy to be the best "you" you can be and some days you want to be left alone. I want the listener to know that they are human and it's okay.
Be yourself and give yourself room to grow. Running is not always about who's the fastest, but who has the endurance.
Tell us about the hip-hop music scene in Lynchburg, VA. Are there venues for artists to perform and is it difficult to grow a fan base there?
The Hip Hop scene exists and is slowly getting recognition in my city. It still takes time for people to come around to it, but it's beautiful to see the people who enjoy the genre supporting the local scene.
We have venues that I believe could be utilized more, but I believe if you work hard, things will line up. Creating a fan base is pretty hard to do because the concept of a fan base is hard to grasp for some creatives. When I think of a fan base, I think ticket sales. Not followers on Instagram. That's a big difference to me when it comes down to true success.
Stream and Share “TRIATHLON” on Spotify
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