 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
FEATURES
As the 2007 recipient of the Southern Entertainment Award for the Independent Artist of the Year, Memphis based
recording artist Kia Shine has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with. Kia Shine
is a major figure on the South’s hip-hop underground scene. Now with his national debut on Universal Motown
Records entitled Due Season, Kia Shine is finally stepping up to take his rightful place in the hip-hop world and
wants you to respect his fresh...
BM: Tell me about yourself...
KS: I started out in Frayser in Memphis. I was doing the corporate thing and did 1 year of college. Then I clocked out one day and
invested into my brother. I was working with him trying to get him a deal and all that. I ended up selling 1 of my beats that we were
gonna rap on to Universal. I sold them the track for $5,000. I went back to Memphis, and made some more beats. I ended up
selling 2 more tracks to Universal for $5,000 a piece again. I called that rap hustling. In the next 14 months in went out to
Universal publishing company in LA, and got a publishing deal for $120,000. Even before that I was working with Ruff Ryders.
Then I came back to Memphis and picked up artists like Yo Gotti, Skinny Pimp, and others and branded myself with those
releases. I put my dvd's inside of their cd's, and branded my self as Kia Shine. My first single I dropped was "Respect My Fresh." I
got that up to a total media base of 19.6 million. The label Universal was the first one to call me after NBA All-Star Weekend 2006.
That started a bidding war with other labels. In between the bidding war, I dropped my second song called "Stunna Frames." That
record was first broke in LA on the Feli Fel show. I got that up to a media base of 16.7 million. That's the amount of people that
are listening or have heard the record. I then signed my deal with Universal, and a week after that, I was the host of BET's Rap
City for a whole week. While the label was trying to figure out when to drop my album and everything I came out with the record "I
Be Everywhere", featuring Jim Jones. I got that record over 7 million on the media base, and just kept going. I won the Southern
Entertainment award for Southern Artist of the Year, and Independent Artist of the year. I sold over 200,000 copies independently
with my partner Jack Frost. I got picked top 5 new artists to blow on the XXL's Show and Prove All Star Edition. Things in my life
started to really happen for me, when GOD told me the plan. Which was to do my own thing. Now I got the record "Krispy", out
now. To people who been following me, that's really like my 4th single. The video for "Krispy" is out in rotation everywhere right
now.
BM: Damn homie, You've been grinding crazy..That's what's up! Hard work always pays off. Talk to me about the Rap
Hustlers movement you got...
KS: Rap Hustlers was my label from the jump. I started that back in 2001. That's when I had the artists Yo Gotti and them. It's still
the same, but now I'm the artist instead of those guys.
BM: I heard that in Memphis there's a lot of black ballin that goes on with artists...Have you ever experienced any of
that?
KS: I did go through some situations where I did feel that some people had turned against me. I had a 75%-25% deal with TVT at
one point for my artists, and got jerked on that. We sold over 100,000 copies at $7 a cd, and the artists left me. I decided from
that day, that will never happen again. That's when I decided that I will do it all myself. That's when I dropped the "Respect My
Fresh" record, and as GOD would have it, here I am, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's serious. Talk about the album, "Due Season"...
KS: The reason for the title "Due Season" is Jesus. There's a scripture in Revelations chapter, I believe verses 6-9, it says, "Do
not be weary of what ye are doing, because in due season he will reap the not". In lamens terms, what it means is if you're doing
well, with what GOD has called you to do, and you're doing all that you can do, to achieve the work, to achieve the grind, then at
some point in time, you gonna get your due season.
BM: That's deep. I don't think a lot of people would've expected that to be the reason. That's what's up...
KS: Exactly...And I appreciate that man. I will get what's due to me from my homelessness, to all my sacrifices. I put this into my
music. My album is an autobiography of my tale of all those events. Know what I'm saying, and that will lead you to my due
season. When the album starts off, it's pre season, and when it goes off, it's in due season. Any good first album, you should be
able to tell where an artist is from, where he's been, and where he's going. That's what you gonna get outta my album. I only have
2 features on my album, Jim Jones, and 8 Ball & MJG, that's it. You got my team the Rap Hustlers on there of course too.
BM: You seem like a real humble person. From your singles you might not have expected you to talk this way. It's
refreshing...
KS: I appreciate that. I mean like I said in "Krispy", "Been broke, Kinfolk, now you see me poppin Crissy, you would to, if you knew
my history". When you come out you want to catch the eye of the youth, and the people. You want to be able to demand that
attention. Once you get that attention, you gotta give them some substance. You gotta pull them in homie. It's a message
behind "Due Season", it's a message behind my music. The message is that Jesus is the reason, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's what's up..
KS: I want people to like me for me. Like the people like Snoop or Jay-Z because of who they are. It's not about their label, or
anything else. That's what I want too. The only way to do that is by giving the people substance. If you want an album all about
drug dealing or whatever, don't buy my album. If you want an album about a man who has worked as hard and he could and given
everything of himself for this, and taught ya'll how to be fresh and how to grind, then go and get my album.
BM: How did you get soo fresh?
KS: Man, I used to have a clothing store out in the Mall of Memphis man. I was always fresh. That was my claim to fame to be
honest with you. I used to help other people get fresh. I always liked putting on something fresh and being fly. Your clothes are a
way of expressing yourself. I've always been a very self expressive person. If something looks hot and I like it, that's it, but I like to
look like my own self, know what I'm saying.
BM: Are you ever coming out with your own clothing line?
KS: Indeed. First I'm coming with the shoes. I call them the "Traffic Jams", cause when people see them they gotta stop. Then I will
be coming with the whole line, I'm working on that now. I'm gonna come with some crazy denims and all that.
BM: I noticed that you have really good marketing. Taking company logos and changing them as slogans for your
songs. Are those your ideas?
KS: Yeah. That's all me. I told you, being fresh is what I do. I didn't come into this game as a CEO or anything, so I had to come
up with a way to build my fan base. You always gotta have ideas on how to better market yourself. When you have good
presentation, you always win. Like I used to give out my cd's in zip locks, know what I'm saying. I used to call my music the "Kush,"
and I got a dvd coming out called "Kush."
BM: Who influenced you?
KS: As a CEO it was Tony Dre, he started Suave House. He's from Memphis and moved to Houston and really did it. Lil J of
course, Master P, Cash Money, Jay-Z and Dame Dash, people like that who were spawning movements. As an artist I was inspired
by people who always did their own thing. Eric B and Rakim, EPMD, and all them had their own style and didn't sound like each
other, but they were all banging. Even now, it's the same. From DMX, to Three 6 Mafia, to 8 Ball & MJG, to Linkin Park, to Korn. I
listen to a lot of music, know what I'm saying. Whoever can come out and do their thing differently. I'm the best at doing me.
There is no competition for me, with another artist. Nobody can do me better that me. I am me, you're you. How can you do me
better that me, not happening. I'm gonna do Kia Shine, and be the best Kia Shine.
BM: That's what's up. If more people thought like that, the game would be better...
KS: The game would be right. It's all fucked up. Jeezy trap, now everybody gotta trap. That's not you, be you. I don't believe a lot
of ya'll. Come on homie. That's Jeezy. Not to really diss nobody, but I don't believe a lot of rappers. As far as Jeezy, I saw his life.
So when he talk about it, you know it's real. I been there, and seen that life. One thing though, GOD isn't gonna bless that life. If
you sit around and keep talking about death, it's gonna happen. 2 Pac talked about death, and he died. B.I.G said he was ready
to die, and he died. You speak on it, and it's gonna happen in your life. I love them dudes, but they spoke that into existence.
You won't hear me talk about anything like that on my album. Fuck that. I'm trying to live homie. I want to do something that GOD
can give praise and glory for. HE is the reason for the Season anyway, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's deep homie. Real talk. If you had to pick 1 thing that has changed the most about you getting the deal
with Universal, what would that be?
KS: I would like to say the money, but I put my money back into my album and to get myself a priority artist with Universal so I can
get my music out, know what I'm saying. For real. A lot of people think you get a record deal and that's it. Man, you better start
working, now that you got a deal. I would have to say that the one thing is that now everybody can get my music at one time. You
can all hear me at one time. That's all I could really ask for. All you can do is put the music out, and after that it's in GOD's hands,
and there's nothing else you can do. So, the best thing that's come outta this is the opportunity to be heard.
BM: So what's the next single?
KS: Next up after "Krispy", is a song called "Wow." It's crazy!!! I'm telling you "Wow" is it man.
BM: Did you do a lot of production of the album?
KS: I did the whole thing, except, 2 songs. That's what Rap Hustlers is about. When you see that, that's me.
BM: That's grinding for real. When is the album dropping?
KS: The album coming out on June 19th.
BM: Anything else to say?
KS: Man, I appreciate it. Get the album when it comes out. Stay blessed how you be blessed, and I'm a stay fresh, how I be
fresh...
recording artist Kia Shine has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with. Kia Shine
is a major figure on the South’s hip-hop underground scene. Now with his national debut on Universal Motown
Records entitled Due Season, Kia Shine is finally stepping up to take his rightful place in the hip-hop world and
wants you to respect his fresh...
BM: Tell me about yourself...
KS: I started out in Frayser in Memphis. I was doing the corporate thing and did 1 year of college. Then I clocked out one day and
invested into my brother. I was working with him trying to get him a deal and all that. I ended up selling 1 of my beats that we were
gonna rap on to Universal. I sold them the track for $5,000. I went back to Memphis, and made some more beats. I ended up
selling 2 more tracks to Universal for $5,000 a piece again. I called that rap hustling. In the next 14 months in went out to
Universal publishing company in LA, and got a publishing deal for $120,000. Even before that I was working with Ruff Ryders.
Then I came back to Memphis and picked up artists like Yo Gotti, Skinny Pimp, and others and branded myself with those
releases. I put my dvd's inside of their cd's, and branded my self as Kia Shine. My first single I dropped was "Respect My Fresh." I
got that up to a total media base of 19.6 million. The label Universal was the first one to call me after NBA All-Star Weekend 2006.
That started a bidding war with other labels. In between the bidding war, I dropped my second song called "Stunna Frames." That
record was first broke in LA on the Feli Fel show. I got that up to a media base of 16.7 million. That's the amount of people that
are listening or have heard the record. I then signed my deal with Universal, and a week after that, I was the host of BET's Rap
City for a whole week. While the label was trying to figure out when to drop my album and everything I came out with the record "I
Be Everywhere", featuring Jim Jones. I got that record over 7 million on the media base, and just kept going. I won the Southern
Entertainment award for Southern Artist of the Year, and Independent Artist of the year. I sold over 200,000 copies independently
with my partner Jack Frost. I got picked top 5 new artists to blow on the XXL's Show and Prove All Star Edition. Things in my life
started to really happen for me, when GOD told me the plan. Which was to do my own thing. Now I got the record "Krispy", out
now. To people who been following me, that's really like my 4th single. The video for "Krispy" is out in rotation everywhere right
now.
BM: Damn homie, You've been grinding crazy..That's what's up! Hard work always pays off. Talk to me about the Rap
Hustlers movement you got...
KS: Rap Hustlers was my label from the jump. I started that back in 2001. That's when I had the artists Yo Gotti and them. It's still
the same, but now I'm the artist instead of those guys.
BM: I heard that in Memphis there's a lot of black ballin that goes on with artists...Have you ever experienced any of
that?
KS: I did go through some situations where I did feel that some people had turned against me. I had a 75%-25% deal with TVT at
one point for my artists, and got jerked on that. We sold over 100,000 copies at $7 a cd, and the artists left me. I decided from
that day, that will never happen again. That's when I decided that I will do it all myself. That's when I dropped the "Respect My
Fresh" record, and as GOD would have it, here I am, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's serious. Talk about the album, "Due Season"...
KS: The reason for the title "Due Season" is Jesus. There's a scripture in Revelations chapter, I believe verses 6-9, it says, "Do
not be weary of what ye are doing, because in due season he will reap the not". In lamens terms, what it means is if you're doing
well, with what GOD has called you to do, and you're doing all that you can do, to achieve the work, to achieve the grind, then at
some point in time, you gonna get your due season.
BM: That's deep. I don't think a lot of people would've expected that to be the reason. That's what's up...
KS: Exactly...And I appreciate that man. I will get what's due to me from my homelessness, to all my sacrifices. I put this into my
music. My album is an autobiography of my tale of all those events. Know what I'm saying, and that will lead you to my due
season. When the album starts off, it's pre season, and when it goes off, it's in due season. Any good first album, you should be
able to tell where an artist is from, where he's been, and where he's going. That's what you gonna get outta my album. I only have
2 features on my album, Jim Jones, and 8 Ball & MJG, that's it. You got my team the Rap Hustlers on there of course too.
BM: You seem like a real humble person. From your singles you might not have expected you to talk this way. It's
refreshing...
KS: I appreciate that. I mean like I said in "Krispy", "Been broke, Kinfolk, now you see me poppin Crissy, you would to, if you knew
my history". When you come out you want to catch the eye of the youth, and the people. You want to be able to demand that
attention. Once you get that attention, you gotta give them some substance. You gotta pull them in homie. It's a message
behind "Due Season", it's a message behind my music. The message is that Jesus is the reason, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's what's up..
KS: I want people to like me for me. Like the people like Snoop or Jay-Z because of who they are. It's not about their label, or
anything else. That's what I want too. The only way to do that is by giving the people substance. If you want an album all about
drug dealing or whatever, don't buy my album. If you want an album about a man who has worked as hard and he could and given
everything of himself for this, and taught ya'll how to be fresh and how to grind, then go and get my album.
BM: How did you get soo fresh?
KS: Man, I used to have a clothing store out in the Mall of Memphis man. I was always fresh. That was my claim to fame to be
honest with you. I used to help other people get fresh. I always liked putting on something fresh and being fly. Your clothes are a
way of expressing yourself. I've always been a very self expressive person. If something looks hot and I like it, that's it, but I like to
look like my own self, know what I'm saying.
BM: Are you ever coming out with your own clothing line?
KS: Indeed. First I'm coming with the shoes. I call them the "Traffic Jams", cause when people see them they gotta stop. Then I will
be coming with the whole line, I'm working on that now. I'm gonna come with some crazy denims and all that.
BM: I noticed that you have really good marketing. Taking company logos and changing them as slogans for your
songs. Are those your ideas?
KS: Yeah. That's all me. I told you, being fresh is what I do. I didn't come into this game as a CEO or anything, so I had to come
up with a way to build my fan base. You always gotta have ideas on how to better market yourself. When you have good
presentation, you always win. Like I used to give out my cd's in zip locks, know what I'm saying. I used to call my music the "Kush,"
and I got a dvd coming out called "Kush."
BM: Who influenced you?
KS: As a CEO it was Tony Dre, he started Suave House. He's from Memphis and moved to Houston and really did it. Lil J of
course, Master P, Cash Money, Jay-Z and Dame Dash, people like that who were spawning movements. As an artist I was inspired
by people who always did their own thing. Eric B and Rakim, EPMD, and all them had their own style and didn't sound like each
other, but they were all banging. Even now, it's the same. From DMX, to Three 6 Mafia, to 8 Ball & MJG, to Linkin Park, to Korn. I
listen to a lot of music, know what I'm saying. Whoever can come out and do their thing differently. I'm the best at doing me.
There is no competition for me, with another artist. Nobody can do me better that me. I am me, you're you. How can you do me
better that me, not happening. I'm gonna do Kia Shine, and be the best Kia Shine.
BM: That's what's up. If more people thought like that, the game would be better...
KS: The game would be right. It's all fucked up. Jeezy trap, now everybody gotta trap. That's not you, be you. I don't believe a lot
of ya'll. Come on homie. That's Jeezy. Not to really diss nobody, but I don't believe a lot of rappers. As far as Jeezy, I saw his life.
So when he talk about it, you know it's real. I been there, and seen that life. One thing though, GOD isn't gonna bless that life. If
you sit around and keep talking about death, it's gonna happen. 2 Pac talked about death, and he died. B.I.G said he was ready
to die, and he died. You speak on it, and it's gonna happen in your life. I love them dudes, but they spoke that into existence.
You won't hear me talk about anything like that on my album. Fuck that. I'm trying to live homie. I want to do something that GOD
can give praise and glory for. HE is the reason for the Season anyway, know what I'm saying.
BM: That's deep homie. Real talk. If you had to pick 1 thing that has changed the most about you getting the deal
with Universal, what would that be?
KS: I would like to say the money, but I put my money back into my album and to get myself a priority artist with Universal so I can
get my music out, know what I'm saying. For real. A lot of people think you get a record deal and that's it. Man, you better start
working, now that you got a deal. I would have to say that the one thing is that now everybody can get my music at one time. You
can all hear me at one time. That's all I could really ask for. All you can do is put the music out, and after that it's in GOD's hands,
and there's nothing else you can do. So, the best thing that's come outta this is the opportunity to be heard.
BM: So what's the next single?
KS: Next up after "Krispy", is a song called "Wow." It's crazy!!! I'm telling you "Wow" is it man.
BM: Did you do a lot of production of the album?
KS: I did the whole thing, except, 2 songs. That's what Rap Hustlers is about. When you see that, that's me.
BM: That's grinding for real. When is the album dropping?
KS: The album coming out on June 19th.
BM: Anything else to say?
KS: Man, I appreciate it. Get the album when it comes out. Stay blessed how you be blessed, and I'm a stay fresh, how I be
fresh...
+PLUS
SUBSCRIBE TO BUMP!
