Billy Kushington
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132 plays
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1,274 views
One of the things that makes for a good Artist is a good story. A story about extreme highs and extreme lows, about life threatening failures and heart wrenching victories, about loves lost and loves found but most importantly about a young mans unshakeable faith in the face of extreme adversity.
Born as Azibo Bethel on the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago, Billy is more than an Artist, but yet a visionary in his own right. As a child, his mother, who was an english teacher, would often carry him (and his sister) with her to various Black Power group meetings, African History Museums and/or University Campuses(where she would teach). There he would learn about Slave Trading, The Civil Rights Movement and his African Heritage directly from leaders in his own country. Powerful lessons that would stick with him for the rest of his life.
Introduced to music early, Billys father would teach him to play the steel drum (Trinidads National Instrument) at home and a family friend would teach him the African drums on the weekends. He enjoyed making music so much he even joined the schools choir and steel band. In school he was a very bright child often scoring high on exams but constantly in trouble for disrupting classes. When asked about his time spent at school Billy stated It was boring for me, school is basically remembering what the teacher said all week for the test on friday. Its like after Ive heard it all week I dont want to hear it any more. His aptitude for fast learning would come in some years later.
In the summer of 2001 due to a mass hiring of international teachers by the NYBE(New York Board of Education) Billy and his family would move from Trinidad to New York City. Expecting the white fences and snow filled streets Billy was most surprised upon his introduction to Queens, NY [where his Aunt lived] finding himself thrust into an entirely different way of life. People were less friendly and more busy he said when asked about his first days in the US I remember thinking Im never gonna fit in here. Luckily enough for Billy his cousins, around the same age, were also staying in the same home. One of whom would set Billy on a course that would change him forever.
One afternoon playing as children do Billy stumbled into an upstairs computer room where he found his cousin C" writing rap verses. When he asked C what he was doing he explained to him the basics of writing and constructing bars. C would help him to write his first rap but after that Billy was determined to do it on his own. The two would continue to practice by battling other emcees on a website then called Goldmic. Things would soon change as the Bethel family was forced to move from Queens to Long Island which would separate Billy from his cousin and rhyming partner.
Alone in another part of New York Billy began writing daily filling notebook after notebook. When he wasnt writing he would listen to legends like Tupac Shakur, the Wutang Clan, Biggie Smalls, The Lox, DMX, 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne studying and learning from them anything he could. In the summer when school would let out C would come to Billys house where they would record on a Playstation headset. There they would try to figure out their individual sounds and styles. It sounded like garbage but we just couldnt stop recording haha said Billy when recently asked about his humble beginnings in recording. When the summer would end and C returned home billy, without his partner, in crime would return to music for his assuage.
Life at home began to change for Billy as financial strains would cause his father to move back to Trinidad and Tobago. This caused an unconscious change in the young emcee leaving him without a proper father figure. In the years to come he would look for that male role model on the streets where he would learn his greatest lessons. In a broken home Billy felt like music was his only escape. His lack of close relationships turned to a natural disdain for others often expecting the worse from them with no discrimination. The stress of finances logically lead to a kind of rationing of funds many nights he ate the same meals, some nights not at all. Thats why I stay hungry because I still remember the nights with no heat and when it wasnt nothing to eat said Billy about growing up in Long Island.
Billy continued to record music putting out mixtapes like Hostile Take Over Vol. 1 and Birth Of A Titan under the pseudonym King Kronos. He was also featured on several mixtapes by other independant Artists on sites like DatPiff. In 2009 Billy(then 18 years old) would move to Charlotte, NC where he began working with other local Artists and producers. After making a small name for himself Billy began working on his mixtape Rise Of The Machine. At 19 Billy was the Co-Owner of a production company and recording studio with management ties to Major Radio in Charlotte. Not only that but the young businessman had managed to secure himself a distribution deal through iMG/Universal Music Group. Unfortunately, while gearing up for the release of his mixtape Billy found that he had little to no support from his team and the tape was released without any promotion. The tape was still well received even being claimed as The best independent mixtape Ive ever heard by local Gastonia/Charlotte promoters.
The ambitious rapper has since severed ties with this old team forming his own solely operated production company Crown Money Music Gang. Which he says is focused on bringing a new sound to hip hop. Not your typical Twerk or Turn Up Rap Artist, Billy Ku$hington has found a way to encode his revelations behind catchy melodies and clever word play. His latest release In God We Trust is an ode to the two-faced nature of friends" and the importance of self reliance; a theme that can be well felt through out his new project rightfully titled In Billy We Trust. This project (hosted by dj wats) displays Billys prowess as a song writer and lyricists packed from beginning to end with songs that create memorable moments for the listener. Be on the look out it drops in May on Live Mixtapes and is worth the listen.Anything else?
#InBil?lyWeTr?ust #Hoste?dByDjW?ats #OutNow #IndyL?iveMix?tapes ow.ly/NPthm
132 plays
1,274 views
1,274 views
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