Today we’d like to introduce you to PRKR Knows Best.
Hi PRKR Knows Best, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I had started rapping around the age of 17, right before I went to college. My late cousin was a producer in New York and gave me a CD full of his beats back then. Those records were the first I ever did. I recorded them on this little USB interface my dad had bought.
Funny thing about that, he went to the music store cause he needed something to burn all his vinyl records onto CDs, so he asked the guy at the desk to find him something like that. I think he misunderstood him and gave him the interface. At the time my dad didn’t have time to figure it out, so he asked me to. By the time I did, I realized it wasn’t a vinyl recorder at all, it was a full-blown desktop studio. So that’s how I started recording myself.
As with many musicians though, I started my music journey in church. I was a drummer before I did anything else. I was also a band kid, from middle school up through high school, I played in county bands, and also took jazz lessons.
I used to play at two different churches, but the second one I went to in Tampa Bay during college, was where I really got to hone my skills because we played more challenging and technical songs there.
During this time, I started getting into the music industry as an artist. I had a friend at school who was signed to a small publishing label for Christian rap and gospel artists, so he convinced me to go to West Palm Beach and sign with them. It was there I spent my first hours in a real studio, went on tour, and all that.
I was also doing a lot of local shows in Tampa and going to beat battles since I was producing for myself, and some others as well. I went to my first one in Miami around December of 2016, and that’s where I really got into things. The next year, I went to a songwriting competition in Los Angeles and ended up winning. That set everything in motion for me. I had zero plans of moving to LA, but that win put me in front of some big names and got my foot in the door, so now I had a reason to be there.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth. But I learned a lot for sure. Plenty of opportunities fell through, I was rejected for a lot of different things, my first shows were small–literally 5 or 6 people in the crowd. I even fell out with an old business partner. But I still pushed forward and never gave up, cause I know that’s the real failure.
My family also wasn’t supportive of me doing music early on. We were very religious people, so it didn’t align with the values I was raised on. But I knew that’s where I belonged. I remember I used to pray and ask God to take my talent away if it wasn’t meant for me, cause I couldn’t bear the pain of being that good at something but never being able to use it to its full potential. It was like that.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I do basically everything. I learned to record myself as a teenager and I had always been writing lyrics since I was a kid. My first book of rhymes was filled from cover to cover.
I also sing very well, grew up on a lot of Akon and T-Pain living in Florida. I probably wouldn’t have my sound without those guys. I combined all the lyricism I got from rapping and combined it with my singing ability to give me that sort of “rap-sing” melodic style that’s popular today. But I have this unique tone that helps set me apart.
I also produce most of my own music and mix and master it as well. That’s something I really worked hard on to perfect cause a bad mix can ruin a great song. In Tampa, that’s what I became known for. Some local artists started working with me because my engineering skills were on par with some of the local studios around town. Also, I wouldn’t charge people since I didn’t have an official studio–I was doing everything out of my bedroom.
When I moved to LA for songwriting, I became known for my quick turnaround time. If someone sent me a pack of beats, I’d send back full complete songs in a day or two, sometimes same day. That’s really valuable in LA because that doesn’t always happen.
All of these skills combined are what sets me apart. Many artists can only do one or two of these things, and even less can do them extremely well.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Music is one of the hardest professions to find success in, but it can be the most rewarding if you play your cards right. It’s the perfect balance of preparation, opportunity, and luck. I would say if you’re just starting out, we live in the information age right now, so all the game is free, or extremely affordable to obtain.
Too many aspiring artists treat their music as a hobby, instead of a career or business. You go to college and spend 4 years studying communications, and even longer if you want to be a lawyer or doctor. Music is no different. Read books, find mentors, and go on YouTube. There are tons of channels and interviews with artists dropping free game. Soak it up and learn what you’re getting into before you dive in.
As far as things I wish I knew, I’ll be honest: I’ve always looked at music as a career so I’ve known a lot about the potential pitfalls you can miss if you’re not careful, and avoided them. But there are definitely moments I’ve missed out on because I was too careful. Momentum is so important in music because that’s what propels you to the next level. I’ve had songs where I generated some decent buzz, and if I put more work in or was willing to let others help, those songs could have turned into hits.
I’ve also missed out on some really great PR opportunities as well because I still didn’t understand the value of it and allowed money to be an issue. I was too afraid of putting my rent for the month into something that might not even pan out, but looking back it probably would have been a nice little stepping stone. So sometimes, it’s okay to take risks, because without them there’s no reward.
Pricing:
- Songwriting Fee – $250-500
- Production Fee – $450
- Full Song Buyouts – $1500 per song
Contact Info:
- Website: https://prkrknowsbest.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/prkrknowsbest
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/prkrknowsbest
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/prkrknowsbest
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@prkrknowsbest
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/prkrknowsbest
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1bXPoauGGo5onWZqlu92OD
Image Credits
Jordan Rigli
