Meet MITRAE

MITRAE=Money Is The Root of All Evil.

MITRAE is a New Jersey Native, born as Alexander Dailey-Sterling. A unique and diverse Hip-Hop/R&B Artist, Engineer, and Producer with the absolute love to what he does as a creator. The well-rounded talent continue to show his success as he focuses on his path to greatness. Driven to succeed, MITRAE has proven to his fans the impact he sets out and that anything you put your mind into can be accomplished. Lean more as V-Henny caught up with the young artist to discuss his journey and inspiration behind his work.

V-Henny: Can you tell us how you got started?

MITRAE: I’ve always been a student of music, and since the 4th grade, I’ve been in a concert band. Played the Alto and tenor saxophone. I got into strings learning the Bass guitar, it didn’t really stick though. My parents being immigrants, my mother from St. Lucia, and my father from Costa Rica, have brought a lot of culture to my music taste growing up. In the house, all I would hear is Soca, Calypso, Salsa, Reggae, etc. It wasn’t until late in middle school that I got my first true taste of Hip-Hop. During freshman year I would link up with a guy in my school named David who had a basement studio called Underground Studios. I’d write bars to youtube beats or instrumentals to songs I would bump and record tracks in his basement. Eventually, I started recording myself and friends, and when I got introduced to Silk City Lab Productions in Paterson, NJ, I knew this was what I wanted to leave a legacy doing.   

Vee: Who inspired you to make music? 

MITRAE: I was always listening to R&B and Pop myself growing up. My brother had a huge influence on my music taste as well. My favorites as a kid were Michael Jackson, Neyo, Usher, and Sean Paul. When I started making music seriously, I was more so listening to artists like Chance The Rapper, Ski Mask, The Slump God, and Cordae. I was especially intrigued by Ski Mask’s flow and his sound in general, it has inspired a lot of my music.

Vee: How would you describe the music that you typically create?

MITRAE: I don’t like to put myself in a box, I can touch anything that’s given to me. When it comes to being creative I don’t like placing limits on myself. I do have a go-to sound, which is Hip-Hop that is more focused on lyricism. I pride myself on being a positive artist who only promotes love, peace , and positivity.

Vee: How long have you had this creative vision and what pushes you to be consistent?

MITRAE: I have had this vision since my Sophomore Year of High School. My brothers Ri and Ali were with me at the very beginning when I said what I wanted. I remember that day so vividly. We would link up at my boy Danny’s house right up the street and sit in his basement freestyling on different beats for hours.

Vee: Have you ever felt discouraged by the industry and if so how did you overcome the thought/feeling?

MITRAE: Surprisingly, in the beginning, when I knew very little about the industry, I would never get discouraged. Growing up and being a student of the game has taught me so much. People would always tell me how good my music sounded and that I should keep going. I was always humble, but somehow progression has humbled me more. Being independent will truly show an artist what it takes, in terms of drive, to get to the level they want to get to. 

Vee: What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

MITRAE: I would most likely still be in school for the music industry and planning to work in A&R, Artist Management, or Marketing. I would still be audio engineering and working on building my Record Label, which is in the works now.

Vee: What were some of the steps you had to take to get to where you’re at in your career?

MITRAE: Definitely a lot of networking. I wouldn’t be where I am without meeting new people and putting myself out there. Just releasing music and promoting is not enough. You have to go out to events, shows, mixers, etc. Anything that has people involved in the music industry, you should be considering going to. Other than that, just having high-quality music and not settling for less once you have a specific standard.  

Vee: In order to succeed in life you have to know how to give credit and give back. Who would you give credit to for your success thus far? Who would you give back to ? 

MITRAE: There are numerous people I could give credit to. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without God, and the support of my parents and family, and I would give back to them. I’m very grateful to be able to study what I love in University. As far as the Industry, I would credit some of my success to my first engineer Shon Godi at Silk City Lab Production up in Paterson, NJ. Before doing real studio sessions with him, I was in the basement recording on a USB mic with a sock over it, the real way lol.

Vee: What projects are you presently working on?

MITRAE: I am currently building an eastern “End of Year” tour. I’ll be in PA, NYC, and NJ. I’m also working on a few releases for the beginning of the first quarter. Just came off of the BET Experience Tour with Mor.Bookings and The Artistry Entertainment, met some super dope artists out there I’m looking forward to working with.  

Vee: What is one message you would give to your fans? 

MITRAE: I appreciate every single one of y’all. If you are still tuned in, stay in tune because I got more to show! If you have been rocking with me from jump, you 318 gang. If you know you know lol

Vee: What’s next for you? 

MITRAE: I have a lot of shows coming up, I plan on doing some big things at these shows and hopefully, getting this business up and running by Q1. Possibly touring in LA for Grammy week. New music, new shows, and more opportunities. I look forward to the future God has planned for me.

Make sure to follow MITRAE on all social media platform, listed below.

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mitrae/1435362687

Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/mitrae/AR7h9h5qV5Z26xK

Harlem Native Artist Combines Art With Music

Photo taken by Bobby Z

Rikko 009, an emerging hip-hop artist from Harlem is repainting the picture of the way we receive music.

“Why not put the songs to the art,” Rikko 009 said. 

He was introduced to the world of art and music at a young age. His family background includes him being surrounded by novelists, visual art, musical instruments, and different genres of music.

Rikko 009 uses his drawing talents to inspire his music and he is not limited to hip-hop beats, while gospel and rock beats are some of his favorites as well. He discovered that he could use his drawings to inspire his music.

“When I was a kid, my pops would listen to a lot of rock and so I kind of went through a rock phase,” Rikko 009 said. “I guess it’s coming back around.”

He was also introduced to gospel music at a young age.

“My mom would listen to a lot of gospel music and that’s a lot harder to find beats of or make the beats for, but that’s really where I attend to go next as far as my sound and everything,” Rikko said. “I love the gospel sound with a heavy bass like a Kanye, ‘Donda’ type of thing.”

Around the same time he purchased his music kit, he was working at his previous retail job and that’s when he got inspired to connect his drawings to his music. 

Rikko 009 brought a vertical notebook and wanted to draw something from the top to bottom of the page. He wasn’t pleased with the drawings in the first notebook, so he decided to purchase another one.

Photo taken by Bobby Z

“That turned out to be the whole level of accent,” Rikko 009 said. 

This discovery led to him creating a series of drawings called The 00X Project that includes 10 drawings that played a part in him finding his voice.

Fans can look forward to diversity in his newest project. It will include all things hip-hop, but he wants to expand his talent and see what he can become if he really puts his mind to it.

“I’m really looking forward to more of me and seeing how I grow,” Rikko 009 said.

Fans can stream Rikko 009’s newest single “Aint the Same” on all platforms. 

Follow him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rikko.009/ to stay up to date about his latest project. 

The Artistry Show: Ep141 | V-Henny x Kennie Dubb | Tax

Sunday | 6PM | V-Henny sit with The Bronx own Kennie Dubb. They Speak on his journey within his music career and his latest single “Tax”

Watch more of The Artistry

Leave a donation | Support the movement

Cashapp: $TheArtistryEnt

Follow us on all Platform The Artistry IG: https://www.Instagram.com/TheArtistryNY

FB: https://www.Facebook.com/TheArtistrySHow V-Henny: https://www.Instagram.com/vhenny_

King Jvded: https://www.Instagram.com/King_Jvded

Kennie Dubb IG: https://www.Instagram.com/Kenniedubb

The Artistry in ATL | Ep. 140 with V-Henny + Nesha Nycee

Sunday | 6PM | V-henny Speaks with the Talented Hip Hop Artist Nesha Nycee. Watch as Nesha opens to V-henny on her trauma within her car accidents. How she correlated her accident into her music video “Painful Purpose”. She also expresses her motivation and her drive within her success. Watch more of The Artistry

The Artistry Show: Ep 137 with V-Henny x King x Special Guest Avery Watson “Ms.Artistry”

Sunday | 6PM | First half of the show: V-henny and Jade speak on their trip to Miami, having some strange activities yet having fun. V-Henny Also explains her Rapé experience out in Orlando which is a purification ceremony, performed by Angelic Rey. Second Half of the show:

V-Henny sit with PR and Digital Strategist Avery Watson “Ms. Artistry”, the laughed, vibe, Ms. Artistry spoke on her journey within her career and what’s next to come.

Watch more of The Artistry

LV Jay Lives with No Regrets!

Meet  LV Jay an artist from Miami, Florida who refuses to live in regret. LV plans to take on his passion to another level and pursue his dreams as an artist and entrepreneur. V-Henny had the pleasure of interviewing him on his process and what he’s been currently working on.

V-Henny: Who inspired you to make music? 
LV Jay: As far as who inspired me I would say Lil Wayne  inspired me to make music because he is so versatile and can do a lot and that’s something I strive for in my music myself. My twin brother had introduced me to Lil Wayne music back when we were in middle school. I used to walk around with all his tapes downloaded on my PSP and It was over from then.

V-Henny: What age did you start writing and recording music?
 LV Jay: I actually started writing music at the age of 24 but at first I used to just freestyle with my friends and I eventually made my first track . Most of the time I would go off the flow of the beat & how I’m feeling at the time. But now I actually write my songs out. 

V-Henny: What made you want to become a player in the music industry?
LV Jay: What made me wanna become an artist is the freedom of expression they have and music is something that could help me talk to others that may be going through the same thing I’m going through in life . 

V-Henny: What is your goal with being an owner of a label?
LV Jay: My goal is to have my label big like QC one day and build a label with family vibes that’s very important to me . 

V-Henny: Looking back then to where you’re at now, give me a moment that made an impact within your music career. 
LV Jay: What made an impact on my music from back then to now is seeing my friend Yung JD go so hard and seeing other artists from Florida go hard in the rap game. They make me want it more and become a better artist myself.   

V-Henny: Has it been a smooth road for you as an artist? 
LV Jay: No it hasn’t been a smooth road as an artist because I’m an independent artist and you have to be organized in order to compete with other artists that are actually signed to these big labels . But to be real I Love the grind and the hustle that come with the music industry. 

V-Henny: What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
LV Jay: If it wasn’t for music I’ll be going to school getting a masters degree or owning a business if I wasn’t focused on my music career . 

V-Henny: What were some of the steps you had to take to get to where you’re at in your career?
LV Jay: The steps I had to take was to find out what kind of artist I am and what kind of music I wanna make . Then after I discovered that I just started working on songs and investing in myself also started networking within the music industry. 

V-Henny: What projects are you presently working on?  
LV Jay: I’m working on a mixtape that I’m making with Yung JD right now. It’s going well so far and will be a hard tape. The tape will have 10 tracks on it. 

V-Henny: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
LV Jay: I would like to work with Lil Wayne , Future , DMX , Lil Durk, No Cap , Lil Baby , Polo G , Lil Tjay and Drake and many women artists like Summer Walker and Cardi B. 

V-Henny: Other notables you have worked with?  
LV Jay: Other nobles I have worked with was an artist named Saintlee. She has a great voice and we made a track called “Right from wrong” . It’s on my EP “I Jay You” which is on all platforms. 

V-Henny: What’s your ultimate goal within your artistry ?   
LV Jay: My goal is to become a gold artist first and then a platinum artist next. I wanna be the next big thing out of Florida .  

V-Henny: What is one message you would give to your fans? 
LV Jay: The message I wanna give people that listen to my music is a point of view of my life and also a positive message to grind and go get it no matter what challenges you may face. 


V-Henny: What is the best advice you’ve been given to pursue your goal as an artist and a label owner?
LV Jay: The best advice I got as an artist and a label owner is you go get out what you put in with this music game. Meaning the more I work the more progression I’ll see and if I don’t work on my craft you won’t see much change. 

V-Henny: Is there anything else you would like the world to know about you?
LV Jay:  I would like the world to know that I’m going to be the next big artist coming out of Florida. 

You can find more of LV Jay’s work on

https://linktr.ee/lv_jay

Meet Sasha Melo

Sasha Melo is an American recording artist, performer and creative from Brooklyn, NY. with a sound packed full of drums, clever lines and a New York spirit. Sasha Melo embarks on a music journey familiar yet uncharted read more below as you learn who is Sasha Melo.

V-Henny: Who inspired you to make music? 

Sasha Melo: To make music & pursue a career in it, my cousin, Worldwiide inspired me. I’d say Aaliyah & Drake as the artists who inspired my approach to the craft & industry of music. Aaliyah showed me whatever your style is, be true to it. Do what you must but add your flavor to make it alright. With Drake’s early music I was introduced to an artist who was emotionally connecting & reflecting on experiences that I also was able to resonate with in a sonically different way. It showed me, another example of how music could transcend through tough feelings & experiences. 

V-Henny: What age did you start writing and recording music?

Sasha Melo: I wrote my first rap when I was 8 in third grade. No beat, acapella & it was the hardest rap ever. I don’t remember the words but there was a vibe there. I first recorded music like songform with Worldwide when I was 15. 

V-Henny: What made you want to become a player in the music industry?

Sasha Melo: My love for performing is what drives me. Growing up, my uncle would play music almost everyday in the house. Different genres, but mostly dancehall, hip hop & rap. He & I would come up with dance routines for me to perform to whatever song was hot in the moment. I wanted to rap the raps, dance the routines & sing. I wanted to do all of it. As I got older, my relationship with music just kept growing deeper. & we’re here now. 

V-Henny: Looking back then to where you’re at now, give me a moment that made an impact within your music career. 

Sasha Melo: Meeting and working with my mentor Jhai Signature, may he Rest In Peace. From our first meeting until our last conversations, he was always an encouraging force. Reminding me to trust my instincts, see the potential in myself as an artist, writer & creative. He came in my life right when I needed guidance, right on time. Helping me to tap in to my talent & channel it “correctly”. It wasn’t easy because he never let up on me, always challenging me to be better than my last take. It was pressure then but it’s the discipline that’s paying off now. I miss him a lot though. Especially after a new music accomplishment but I’m grateful for our time together. 

V-Henny: Has it been a smooth road for you as an artist? 

Sasha Melo: It hasn’t been a smooth road at all & I’m not where my destination is but, the journey I’m on is lit though. 

V-Henny: What were some of the steps you had to take to get to where you’re at in your career?

Sasha Melo: In the middle of a pandemic, my step 1 was to realize who really runs shit concerning me, & it was me. Everything else is out of my control therefore out of my worry zone. My Step 2 was to figure out what to do with the truth of  Step 1. Step 3 was to apply Step 2 & make it work. 

V-Henny: Has the pandemic affected your career? If so, how?

Sasha Melo: The pandemic halted me on one journey in a separate profession & sat me down in stillness. In that stillness I was able to mourn, heal, purge, cleanse, create & begin a new journey, completely different path. Really able to tap back into self which at the time when the pandemic hit was needed. As scary as the unknown was, everything coming to stillness was a reset button I needed.

V-Henny: What projects are you presently working on?  

Sasha Melo: My new single Lionheart is on the way. Near the end of March. Something for the people. A song I hold close to my heart about self courage, an ode to cycles of change & rebirth but heavy on the turn up. I also just finished recording some tracks for my mixtape too. Soon come. 

V-Henny: Other notables you have worked with?  

Sasha Melo: My debut single “Choosy” has gotten some airplay on HOT 97 by Dj Drewski & The New Movement, in addition to Desert Storm Radio via The Last Take podcast. I’ve also performed in the Grind or Starve Showcase and will be performing there March 20th. Pop out. 

V-Henny: Ultimate goal within your artistry ?   

Sasha Melo: My goal is to leave a great entertainer’s legacy behind when I’m finished. To be the best Sasha Melo in the spot. To be able to say I helped pay it forward for the next generation of creatives. When you think of Sasha Melo I want you to get hype, get lit & want to make the most of every moment. 

V-Henny: What is one message you would give to your fans? 

Sasha Melo: To my day one OG fans, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for spending your time on me & supporting me. Dancing, engaging with me at the shows. Being amazing crowds, I humbly appreciate it. Thank you for the streams, the reactions. All of it. To the fans on their way, you right on time, wassup widdit ? Tap in with me. 

V-Henny: Is there anything else you would like the world to know about you?

Sasha Melo: World, we soon come. 

Check out her latest music video “Choosy”

Follow Sasha Melo

https://www.facebook.com/melothemagnificent

https://instagram.com/melothemagnificent

Who is PROMKNGHT

Let me introduce you to Phajean Francis, better known by his stage name PROMKNGHT.  A recording artist and song writer born in Miami, Fl but raised right out of the “Boogie Down” Bronx. His love and determination for music made him take his hobby as a singer/songwriter to the next level in a decision of making this his permanent career choice. PROMKNGHT has an  alternative R&B sound merged with a hint of 90’s and early 2000’s R&B. His music and passion will thrive you into a nostalgic journey, therefore leaving you, the listener with a taste for more of his music. I had the privilege to speak with PROMKNGHT and get some insight of the artist and his career.

V-Henny: Who inspired you to make music? 

PROMNGHT: Aaliyah definitely played a huge role in me starting to make music .

V-Henny: What age did you start writing and recording music?

PROMNGHT: I started writing and recording around the age 15 I should say

V-Henny: What made you want to become a player in the music industry?  

PROMNGHT: I think the whole creating process of it all. I loved the idea of  expressing through my work. Whether it was music or just simply designing. I grew up watching my fav artist perform at award shows, being played on the radio. and etc. All of that was impressive to me and I wanted to do that and finally be appreciated for what I’m good at.

V-Henny: Given the process within your path, give me a moment that made an impact within your music career. 

PROMNGHT: I think my first headline show I had for MajorStage. When so many supporters came out to watch me perform. At that moment I knew this was for me. It was insane and it was so overwhelming. 

V-Henny: Has it been a smooth road for you as an artist? 

PROMNGHT: It most definitely hasn’t and I think most independent artists can vouch for that. I’ve made a lot of bad decisions . Went down the wrong roads, Sacrificed a lot. Went broke. I appreciate those moments though because without those moments I wouldn’t be the artist I am now. I’ve experienced, learned what to do and not to do. It’s all about growth and learning.

V-Henny: What were some of the steps you had to take to get to where you’re at now?

PROMNGHT: I had to learn how to do things on my own and not depend on others to get the job done. 

V-Henny: What projects are you presently working on? 

PROMNGHT: I just dropped a project called “When the World Sleeps” that I am super in love with! The fans love it! I am happy. Now I am working on singles and doing collabs.

V-Henny: Other notables you have worked with? 

PROMNGHT: I’m working on it!

V-Henny: What’s your ultimate goal within your artistry ?   

PROMNGHT: Self love, self confidence and I can’t stress this enough. I have to deal with social anxiety half the time and that can block me from being great. That’s a goal of mine is to just overcome that and be great for myself and my fans.

V-Henny: What is one message you would give to your fans? 

PROMNGHT: Without you guys I would be nothing. I wouldn’t have gotten this far truthfully. We have to treat our fans like our family and acknowledge them. You;re never too “BIG” to acknowledge the people that supported you through your career and got you this far!

V-Henny: Is there anything else you would like the world to know about you?  

PROMNGHT: I am here to stay and not because I am better but because I feel I am different and a breath of fresh air. Truthfully, I’m starting to understand and accept that I am a beast! I don’t give myself enough credit as I should.

http://SoundCloud.com/PROMKNGHT

http://Instagram.com/PROMKNGHT

http://www.promknght.com