Karmaloop Ikon: Tahmell

He may have started his young life wanting to be a football player, but eventually 27 year old Tahmell would follow in his iconic father’s footsteps and pursue a career in the music industry. His father is famed hip-hop legend and pioneer Rakim, who always told his son that he would be a great man someday. Tahmell has ultimately decided to live out his father’s vision of greatness and is on track to become a hip-hop producer, performer and tastemaker in his own right.

Not many people are familiar with who you are, despite your hip-hop royal lineage, so who is Tahmell and what is he bringing to the hip-hop game?

What I'll bring to the game is the truth. There are a lot of people that lie for no reason, just so they can be cool and fit in. Just to have input so that they can feel like they are a part of something. So I just want to tell it like it is.

Has your father been a big influence? How has he helped you throughout this experience and what is it like being the son of a pioneer and icon of hip-hop?

He’s always there for me, that's my dad and at the end of the day it just feels normal to be a kid with a dad that leaves for work every day.

Who are your musical inspirations and why?

I grew up off of Jazz and old Motown. I had a Great Aunt Ruth Brown, who was into music even before my dad. There was really no particular artist that inspired me, just music that caught me at the time, music that I felt related to the things I was going through.

What is the best part of the development process of creating music?

The best part is finding yourself as an artist and a person and watching as your music gets better along with your imagination.

The last time we saw each other you were on your way to college with an exuberant passion to play football, what happened and why the switch to a career in music?

To be honest I didn't take advantage of my school situation, so my only option was Community College. Because there was no campus I would have had to get a job but at that point I really wanted to focus on football and school.

Who are you trying to reach with your music, is there a particular demographic or listener you are targeting?

To be honest I'm really talking to everybody, trying to get everyone on the same page or at least understand it.

What is your style and what makes up the content of your lyrics and music, how would you describe it?

My style, I'm an old soul who wants to experience the world. I was influenced by the Golden Era, but I am inspired to evolve and always be a student.

You have a record deal, a forthcoming EP and a new single about to be released, give us some insight on your label situation, EP and single?

My debut EP is entitled, “The Grand Opening” and my first single is called “Miss Me With That”. I'm getting help from an independent label out in Cali called V Quest Records.

Beyond music what are Tahmell’s aspirations in life, what else are you trying to accomplish in the world?

Well my thing in life is to make sure that my kids get what they need so they can earn what they want. Aside from making my family happy, I want to create cartoons, movies and sitcoms and produce music.

Any advice for all the aspiring artists out there chasing their big dreams in the music industry?

Make sure you ready. Make sure you willing to learn. Make sure you are willing to sacrifice everything you have.

Follow Tahmell on Twitter @TahmellG7 and Instagram @Tahmell

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