Sixxcess

New Hip Hop Artist, Sixxcess offering radio authentic tracks from the DMV . . .Kayron from Sixxcess will be posting a column in the magazine giving his opinion on current Hip Hop acts he enjoys and how those groups relate to his own music . . .

(click on the title to watch a video . .)

Smash, 2K featuring Sixxcess, Oh Well

I've known Sixxcess or Kairon Trowell since my first blog I wrote circa 2013. He was one of the blog's first artist to talk and write about and he's been associated with our magazine concepts since then. He even agreed to work out a merchandise agreement with my web site . .back in the day. I'm glad to call him a friend. . and to know more about him as an up coming artist. Kairon has paid his dues . .and it's become apparent . .even to the record companies . .that it's time to cash in. We discussed Kairon's career in music and here's is what he had to say . . . Azur Mag: I've got Sixxcess with us . . .Kairon Trowell . . .OK . . .How did you make the video . ."Oh Well"? Sixxcess: Ahh . . .We went down H st. . .I had "Who Is Kendall" shoot that video for me. Azur Mag: How much do they charge? Sixxcess: It's only about $100 . . .$145 . . . Azur Mag: They're really good . . They do quality work . . .especially for that price . .it's really good . . How did you make the video, "Smash" . . pretty much the same way? Sixxcess: Yeah . . .I met someone off of facebook . . .we pretty much linked up . .We got that one done on U st. Azur Mag: Oh . . ok . .Did you have a lighting crew . .or anything . . .? Sixxcess: . .Naw . . she . ahh . .Actually a female director did that thing . . .Amber with Filmtique Production . . .and . .ah . .she was good . . .yo . . .She did all that stuff by herself . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .it's a good video . . .That's a real good video . . .What about the kids . . and everything . . Did she select them . . or did you do that? . . . Sixxcess: Those are actually my three boys . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .those are your kids! (Laughs) . .That's cool . .that's cool. . .. So . .how many kids do you have in your family? Sixxcess: I've got four boys . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . man . . that is . . Luck of the draw . .You just kept having boys . .over and over again . . . Sixxcess: Right . .four boys . .man . . . . Azur Mag: That's good . .That's probably what your wife wanted . . .Right? . . .or did she want some girls . . . Sixxcess: I think she wanted at least one girl . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .alright . . .So . .who performed with you in that video 2K? Sixxcess: So . . .I had a group that I was in . . .I had joined up with this group called Mash Records . . Azur Mag: Oh . . . Sixxcess: . . .and . . . that guy . .his name is Andy . ..he use to go by . . .Botwin . .so. .that was him from Mash Records . . . Azur Mag: Did you win an artist of the year DMV award? Sixxcess: I was nominated for DMV artist of the year award . .and I was nominated for male Hip Hop artist of the year award . . . AzurMag: Oh . .ok . .How many times . .just one time .. . .or . . .a couple times . . . Sixxcess: Just one time . .2013 . . . Azur Mag: How did they find out about you . . . . .the videos? Sixxcess: Yeah . . I think so . .I was just like . . .I had just gotten an email that I was selected in . . .and then they were saying polls were going around . . .That was pretty interesting . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .that's good . . .When did you start writing music . . .? Sixxcess: Well . .I started writing music in 2006 . . . Azur Mag: 2006? Sixxcess: Yeah . .. Azur Mag: Oh I thought it was 2007 . . Sixxcess: I started writing my own music in 2007 Azur Mag: So . . you just started messing around with music in 2006? Sixxcess: Yeah . .I was song writer for a couple artist . . .writing and things like that . .and just passing out a lot of tracks for a lot of artist . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . .How many mix tapes do you have . . .right now . . . Sixxcess: Right now I have thirteen . . . Azur Mag: Thirteen? Sixxcess: Yeah . . . Azur Mag: You want to list them all . . .? Sixxcess: I'm on my tenth solo one, now . . . Azur Mag: What is the name of your album? I forgot? Sixxcess: The last one I just put out was Red Handed . . . Azur Mag: Red Handed . . .So the one with . . ahh . . . ."I Grind" and all those . .. That's Red Handed? Sixxcess: No . .that one is going to be Twelfth Grade. . .when I drop that . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .Twelfth Grade . . .right . . .Sorry about that . .I forgot . .Cause you showed me the picture of what you're going to use on the cover . .Right? . . .of you and your wife? Sixxcess: Yeah. . .I'm going to use that as the cover . . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . .That's going to be interesting . . . Sixxcess: It's something different . .Nobody's ever done something like that before . . .I don't think . . Azur Mag: What . . .put their wife on the cover . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . ) Well you look different in the picture . .anyway . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . .twelfth grade . . . Azur Mag: . . that's your twelfth grade picture? Sixxcess: Actually that's from 2004 . ..That's her twelfth grade year . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . ok. . . Sixxcess: Yeah . .twelfth grade year. . .That's her prom dress . .and everything . . .cause we actually went to high school together . . .but we wasn't in the same grade . . Azur Mag: Right . . .Well . . how do you describe your music . . .? Sixxcess: Ahh . . .I describe my music . . .It's a new feel . . .It's not really like trap music . .it's more so hip hop.. .You know . . hip hop with a blend of . . .real light scenarios and things of that nature. . .Everything I write about . .is something that I've been through . . .or . .something that I am currently going through . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .Why did you change your style or profile from the . . .you use to have a short hairstyle with the baseball cap. . .and now you have dreads . . .and a beard . . .So . . when did that happen? Sixxcess: When I first started . . it was all about image . . .branding . . .and . .I was a song writer for a lot of people . . .a lot of people were telling me I would probably be too old to make it on my own . . .and I was about 23 at that time . . .I was managing artist and doing song writing for people . . .I was behind the scene . . .but I always wanted to grow out my hair . . .I just never really stood down and committed to it . . . Azur Mag: Are you influenced by Bob Marley. . .or any of the Reggae artist? Sixxcess: No . . I like Bob Marley . . .you know . .for . .like . .what he stood up for. . .and you know . .rights . .and peoples rights . . .equality and things of that nature . . .but as far as like the rastas . .and the rastafarians . . .and stuff like that . . .I wasn't really influenced . . .I just like the whole statement that it made . . .you know . .the whole statement. . the whole movement . . .of . .me growing my hair . .I think it was just. . a maturation of just seeing me . .you know . . It started around 2007 . .up until now . . .My music has evolved with my look. . .When I first started . .there was a lot of commercial things . . .then . .Now, . .it's more personal . . . Azur Mag: Right . . ok . . .Where do you record your albums or mix tapes? Sixxcess: I do all my projects at my own home . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .ok . .So you record with . .ah . . . you have Pro-Tools . .right? Sixxcess: Yeah . . yeah. . .I was using Pro-Tools . .Now my earlier projects . . .I started with Acid Pro and things of that nature . . .A lot of small, low budget stuff . . .but now . . Azur Mag: You ever use Audacity? Sixxcess: No . .I haven't use it . .I just use Acid Pro . . Azur Mag: Oh . .Acid Pro . . .Yeah . . I've heard of Acid Pro . .Is it . . .good? Sixxcess: It's alright . .it was good for what it was . . It was Sony . . .It was something that we knew . .and it was easy to use . . . Azur Mag: . . but the Pro-Tools is way better . .right? Sixxcess: Yeah . . yeah . . .It was like . .once we started getting into the music . . .getting more into the sound . . and more into like the business side of it. . we just . .had to go Pro-Tools . . Azur Mag: Wow . . .Every time I interview somebody . . they all say Pro-Tools . . .It's like the default software to use. . . .I didn't even realize that until now . . .Because I've been using something else . . .Now, I'm going to have to go out and use Pro-Tools . . .but . .ahh . . .Let's see . . .ahh . . . Have you spoken with any record labels in the past? Sixxcess: I've spoken with a couple of indie labels . . .and maybe like . .two or three major labels . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .what happened with them? Sixxcess: Right now we're still doing a lot of things with the major labels . . .with the indie labels . . .I was more advanced than what they were trying to do . . .You know . . .a lot of the indie labels are trying to just look for somebody that . . .they can come in and throw their name on something that they already build. . .and not really help with building anything . . . Azur Mag: Did you have to prove record sales at all . . .or . .were you ok . .the way you were? Sixxcess: Everything was contacted . . .everybody contacted me . .so . . .I didn't have to prove anything . . .They already knew what they were getting into . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .That's good. . . .I spoke to some guy . . a manager . . .and he just kept going on and on about how you gotta have the record sales . . You gotta show that you get record sales . . .and none of it made sense to me . . .The whole idea behind getting a record deal is to get record sales . . . Sixxcess: I mean . . like . .that's the new age . . .producer . . or the new age manager . . They can't do any work . .They're trying to lock in on somebody who's already working . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .but I mean. . .if we can make money . . .then we won't need a record label . . If we know how to blow our own selves up . .then why would we even look for a record label? Sixxcess: That's the general idea . . .you know like . .if you're doing everything . . .the only thing about me taking a label is the horse . . .the extra miles that you can't get on your own . . .but . . .ahh . . like you said. . .if you're moving by yourself . . .why would you . .reach out to someone . . .People should be understanding of what they want to do before they take the call . .or whatever . . .but . .I don't deal with a lot of people that . .they should already know who you are . . .you know . .and that's pretty much what they should sound like .. .if they don't know what's going on. . .then . .you have to make them wonder why . . . Azur Mag: At least you're able to get a response from somebody . . .That's one thing I wasn't able to do . . .on my own . .but . . Ok . .What are your plans for your next album? I guess the album after Twelfth Grade . . . . Sixxcess: My game plan is . .I'm going to drop Twelfth Grade . .and that's going to be like . .an LP . . .something like . .six songs . . .and what I'll do . . .is . .I already have a couple songs ready with some collaborations . .that I've already done with some people . . So . .I want to drop like . .ahh . . .a full rec album. .and see how the sales are . . .from . .this project . . .yeah . . . Azur Mag: . .OK . .so . .any last words for your viewing audience? Sixxcess: We're definitely going to be doing a lot of moving . . .with the new project dropping . . .ahh . .and we are looking for a major record label. . . .I think the difference with the last major labels . . and these labels is. . .this time go around . . we know what we want to do. . .so . .we know what we're doing . . . Azur Mag: Yeah. . . .You're just used to dealing with labels . . .anyway . .which is one step ahead of most artist, right now . . .So . . .what labels are you trying to contact, right now? Sixxcess: Right now. .I'm looking at . . .Atlantic Records . .Columbia Records . . .and Capitol Records . . . Azur Mag: Ahh Capitol Records . .yeah . .Capitol Records is big . .they're good . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . .Capitol Records is good . . .and . .I just want to get with labels that I see artist get the opportunity . . .to . .you know . .be out there . . .and not so much as on a shelf . . .That's my main thing . .a lot of artist get thrown on a shelf . .and half of it is they just get stuck on labels . . that's just too much for them. . . Azur Mag: What kind of promotion are you looking for or looking forward to from a major label? Is it mainly radio promotion . . or video promotion? Sixxcess: World wide promotion . . .They have the angle where . .press one button . .and it seems to be every where . . .and you think . .as a indie artist . . I'll test one button . . .and you contact all the people you need to contact . .and then as an artist . .you be like . .I didn't even know about those people . . .and then you relaize . .ok . .I need a label . .labels know how to get in from the back door. . . so . .as an indie artist . .you might make a little bit . .but it will cost you . .on the front end . . .as opposed to it costing you down the road . . .I just feel like . .with a major label . . .it's the backing . .you just get to the point . .where . . . .you feel like . .ok . .I'm investing a lot of money . . .I'm investing a lot of time . . .and I just want someone . .to. . .pay attention and say . . .he worth the investment . .It's just like. . .ahh. . . .to me . .a record deal is like .. . .when you go to school to be a lawyer or a doctor . . .you want to graduate and get into a hospital. .or . . .your own doctor's office or your own law firm . . .you want to make partner . . you know what I'm saying? Just like . . .as a rapper . .we do all these open mics . . .that's like our college . .that's like our class room . . .you know we do a lot of school work. . and then . . .we expect to graduate . .and get a good job . . .That good job is a major label . . .you know . .with benefits . . . Azur Mag: Yeah. . that's a good way to look at it . . .I mean. . you are touring a lot. . .What clubs do you tour in? Sixxcess: Well . .we've done Pier . .we've done . . .the Red Lounge . . which we're doing every Wednesday . . .We're doing a Baltimore spot . . .and we're going to do Tree House Lounge . . .we've done the Elroy . . .That's what we've done . . .just this year . . .but . .we're definitely going to be taking on a lot more locations . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .you seem to be more active thatn a lot of people, too . . .I don't know . .you've been at it since 2006 . .so. . .it really does show . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . .and like . . .I'm coming up on my tenth year. . .I had a ten year plan of having a major deal by ten years . . .and being in a position where . . you know . . .it wouldn't be so indie. . in ten years. . .That's my goal. . .you know like . . .Two things are going to happen . .either I'm going to have a record deal . .or I'm going to be making money . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . you're going to be making money . . .I mean . .you can make money . .I mean . . .I was looking for photographers wondering how much photographers make . . .some guy had a picture of a five dollar bill . . .he said . .you know . .he just couldn't figure it out. . . but I mean . .I can definitely see you getting a record deal. . .You've actually spoken to someone . . .so . . .and your stuff sounds real good . . .but . .the Roots. . they've be around for . . they've been active since 1987 . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . .and I've been compared to the Roots . . . Azur Mag: Ah . . .you've been compared to the Roots . . . Sixxcess: I'v been compared to the style of the Roots . . .I've been compared to the styles of Kanye West . . . Azur Mag: So when people compare you to an artist . .which artist comes up the most? Sixxcess: Normally Kanye West . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .they say you're more like Kanye? Sixxcess: Yeah . . . A lot of people say I'm more like Kanye . . .and I think it's more so . .because . . .I think that if you know me . .I think you'll realize that . . .wel . .he's talking about this . .or he's talking about that . . .and you know what it is . . .When you listen to Kanye . .you're like . .everything is open for grabs . . .What you can say or can't say . .or whatever you say . . .It's going to be taken like . .. oh . . he means what he said . . . Azur Mag: You have a southern flair . . .Do you think you have a southern flair . . .? . . or do you think you have a New York sound . . .upper east coast? Sixxcess: Like . . .everybody says I have a southern flair . . I like the mid west sound . . .a lot better . . .You know . .with the Commons . .and the . . .Chicago sound . . .not the new Chicago sound . .not the Shyrock sound . . .The old Chicago sound . . .with of course Kanye . . .then you got Lupe Fiasco . . .Common . . .you know . . .that sound . . .When it's more so with a lot of emphasis what I just said before what I said what I'm saying now . . ..I think the southern part . . .is because . .when I speak . .I naturally have an accent, I guess . .or a slur to my voice. . .a lot of people cause that slur . . .or cause the way that I produce myself . . .the way I speak . .a lot of people say that's southern . . . Azur Mag: Well you have a D - no. . . You don't have a DC accent . . .I don't know what it is . . .I just thought it was more of a southern thing . .at first . . .but then . . your sound mellowed out when I listened to it in your car . . .When you mentioned Kanye . .I could hear Kanye, too . . .I could see what you were talking about . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . yeah . . .It's funny . .because with this project . . .well . .with Red Handed . .I wanted to try and give it a DC sound . . .and . .it still didn't come out . . .with a DC sound . .then there was the 2k project . . That came out with a really good DC sound . . .and the fun thing about it . . I think that was done. . . .cause the whole time I was touring the city of DC . . .and on that 2k project. . . and a little bit of that Attention Junkie project . . .I had a lot of people from DC on the actual mix tapes with me . . .I featured a lot of DC people . . .so . .I was influenced with a lot of rappers that I rap with . . . Azur Mag: What about the Twelfth Grade, though . . .how do you compare this one . . .Do you compare it more to Kanye, now .. . Sixxcess: Like . . .with this project . . .I'm trying to be more. . .on this Red Handed project I was trying to be more the Stevie Wonder eras . .the Marvin Gaye era . . .When music meant something . . .we saw . .whether it be jump'n, bump'n, or a slow classic . . .they always had you thinking like . . .what am I doing . . .what am I doing with my life . . .where do I want to go with my life . . .and how can I get there . . .and that was my Red Handed project. . .That's why I titled it Red Handed . . . cause . .it's like . .you're caught Red Handed . . .what you're doing, right now . . .What do you want that to be . . .You know what I'm saying? The Twelfth Grade . . .this LP is more about . . who is Sixxcess . . .What does Sixxcess do . . .What is he doing when he's not around . . .when we're not seeing him. . .? Cause a lot of people just assume . . .oh . .we don't see him . . .he's working or. . .We don't see him . .so he's not working . . .You know what I'm saying? It's never in between . . .it's never . .he's probably in the studio, right now . .or he's probably in a show .. .He's probably working on dropping that next promo project . .or . .you know . . .It's always . . he's either doing it . .or he's not . . .So . .with this Twelfth Grade project . . it's more . . we're always working . . .You know . . we have families . . .We're all looking for different opportunities . . .and . .pretty much . .nothing's changed . . .We still feel the same way we felt when we graduated from high school. . . .and I think a lot of people lose that feeling when we graduated high school . . .we were so excited . . .and let's take on the world . .and see . . .and as you get older . .you start to be like . . no . . .It doesn't matter any more . . .It's normal for me to just have a job . .and . . .pay my bills . . .and . . .live day to day . . .but we don't have that same fire we had . . .when . .I can't wait to graduate . . . .that was the whole Twelfth Grade project . . .Don't forget why we did this . . .Don't forget how good we felt when we were grown . . . Azur Mag: Well . . I noticed in one song you said your wife is afraid of heights. Do you want to talk about that a little? Sixxcess: Yeah . . she's afraid of heights . . .She wont get on a plane for the world. . .but then I say . .but that's crazy to me because I'm forever fly . . .and it's crazy to me because I'm forever high .. . You know what I'm saying . . .it's wild . .but she's afraid of heights . . .and the crazy thing is . .there's a lot of places that . .I wanted to tour . . .I wanted to see . .and I wanted to go . . but it's like .. you don't want to experience those things alone . . .You know . .and it's like . .I wanted her to be there with me . . .and I wanted her to experience it with me . ..but I had to let it be known . . .in my music . . that . .she's not here because . . .she's not supporting me. .or I don't want her here . . I've got places to go . . so . .and wifey's afraid of flights . . .You know what I'm saying . . .Wifey's afraid of heights . .that's why she's not here . . .you know what I'm saying . . .but I have to do it . . .you know . . . Azur Mag: That's what you've been working on for the last ten years. . . Sixxcess: Right . . .right . .but . . .everything that I say on this project . . .You know like on one of my songs . . .I say . .we're taking the backwoods . ..and walking a mile . . .you know what I'm saying . .the only way to ease the mind is by the ounce . . .but we're taking the backwoods and walk a mile . . .you know what I'm saying . .it's like . . .she's just paranoid with what's going on . .and I say . .the only way to ease the mind is by the ounce . . .both can mellow out. . you know. . .just chill, I mean . .take the backwoods . . .to walk a mile . .you know what I mean . . .A lot of this music is grown up music . . .but it's still to the point to where . .you know . . .what we talking about . .because we're grown . .but if a kid were singing along with you . . .you're not going to be like . .watch your mouth . . .You know you can't say that . . .you know what I'm saying . . .and . .I, now, realize . .I'm more than a parent . . .or their father . . .and I got four boys who are looking up to me . . .watching every word that I say . . You know what I'm saying . . .but . . I'm also a man . . .and I want to turn up . . I wanna have a good time . . .I want to let my music be loud . . .even with my kids in the car . .you see what I'm saying . . Now, . . .I'm border lining that . . .What's that line . .where you're still loud . .but manly . .but still . . .awesome . .and cool . . .for your kids . . .and I want to put all that together . . .Like . .I'm one of the first men, I think, who have put that type of thing together. . .to where . . it's still street or edgy . .but it's not over the top . . .to where it can still be commercial . . .so . .for a family . . .A whole family can grind. . . you know . .and sing along . . .The whole family can understand about being and learning the same passion about something . . .for the long term . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . .but your wife really does support you . .. she really does care about your work. . .right? Sixxcess: Yeah . .yeah . .she loves it . . .It's crazy cause . . .in December someone tried to rob me . . in December . . and shot me . . .and . .when I got shot . . .after I got out of the hospital . .I was pretty much in a whole different mind frame . . .like . .my music was far from it . .and she . .pretty much . .like ..got me back on focus. . . Azur Mag: So . .when you were being robbed . .were you being robbed because of something you were doing in the music industry? or. . were you just an ordinary person .. . and they just stepped to you and robbed you. . . . Sixxcess: You know like . .the thing is . . .I was just . . .ordinarily standing outside . .talking on the phone . . .but . .I don't know .. what the whole altercation of it or what the ramifications of it was . . .It was just weird . . .I think it was . . .more so . .a sign to me . . .Something for me to start paying attention to .. . Azur Mag: So . .you're all healed up. . .now . .You're ok? Sixxcess: Yeah . .yeah . .Every day is a different process of healing . .but. . .I'm fine . . . Azur Mag: Did you lose a kidney because of this? Sixxcess: No . . I lost my kidney in a car accident. . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .OK. .. . Sixxcess: That was in 94' . .yeah . .I lost my kidney in 94' . . .and . .that was a high speed chase . . .and my parents and I. . my family . . .we were unfortunate to be driving from church at the time . . .and the police ran us off the road .. .but it was about someone else . .that I don't think they ever caught . . . Azur Mag: That's horrible . . . Sixxcess: So . . .yeah . . .My relationship with my parents is this . . .tragedy is a little different . . .I don't want to say I'm use to it . . .but . .I'm grown to the point to where I can expect something to happen . . .You know . .so . . . Azur Mag: Well . .I'm glad you're ok . .I'm glad you're healed up from the shooting . . .and everything . . . Kairon or Sixcxcess will be performing at the Red Lounge on 14th st. and U st. He's usually there each Wednesday . .with a few other gigs around the area sprinkled in. He has a facebook you can follow and keep track of . . .He'll post his concert dates, there . . .and might say something about a record deal or talks of signing something with a major on one of his social networks and web sites. The new LP, Twelfth Grade is hot. I mean . ..it's radio friendly . .and ready for distribution or download. A decent sound system makes this album swing real well .. .and it's an album you should have in your collection. Contact our magazine at www.azur-magazine.com for more information on Sixxcess' career and where to buy merchandise and the latest album or previous projects he's worked on . . .You can also contact him via facebook and instagram. I'll provide you with links to his social networks at the top of the page . . .

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