 All right, what's up, y'all? So today we're in a new segment, Sokka the Time. Today we got a special guest, TJ Porter. What's up, what's up, y'all? We finally got TJ Porter up here. Y'all been asking for a little while. But for the people I don't know, tell me where you from. Uh, I'm from Harlem. TJ Porter, everybody call me. I mean, they shouldn't know. You got a phone call, Harlem. Yeah, what? Now I'm from the East Side, though. Taino's from the Thrust. What? I'm from Wildman. You can say that. OK, so how did you get into music? I always thought I was like, I love music since a kid. Since a kid, like I just love music. I don't know. My favorite rapper growing up was 50 Cent. 50 Cent? Yeah. He don't, you think he influenced your music somewhat? Yeah. What song? Like? Well, when you rapping rap? Yeah, like shit like that. All right, so what made you get into the melodic sound? Now it was just like, it was like, not that it was a wave at the time, like, you know what I mean? So I'm like, I'm going to try it. So I just tried it. And then actually Wayne, even though me and him don't fuck with each other anymore, Wayne, Wayne had put me in the studio, like, yo, good rap, good rapping on all his songs. When I got with him, he was strictly rapping. Yeah, and then he like, yo, try to melodize, bro. I started trying that shit. I started going to the studio more, and I was just working. I started coming out with some flop. So around what age was that? Like, probably like 17. OK. OK, so you practiced early, early on. Yeah. But did you have like a vocal coach? Or you was just in the studio? No, I was just in the studio. When you melodizing, you picking new beats and things like that, you picking a different side of your brain. So you're going to start learning how to do new flows. You're going to know when you getting better. And that shit feel good as a person and as an artist. OK, so when you first started melodizing, I know Wayne knows probably first you can play that, right? So when you was doing it in front of your friends and shit, was they jacking you at first? Or? Nah, I ain't even on front. Or you was from that by yourself. Nah, look, I went to the studio the first time. Like, I went to the studio one time when Wayne tried melodizing. It was I. Then I'm like, yo, I'm going to go with the gang. You know what I mean? Like, you might as well try to have a better vibe or something. I go with the gang. I try some shit. I come out the booth. They like, yo, that shit white, bro. What am I, gangsta? They like, yo, that shit white, bro. I'm like, oh, nah, that nigga's just crazy. They like, that shit my cousin, my both my blood cousin, he's mad at us. He's like, 30 of us in the studio. And this isn't a crib, though. This isn't a crib. Just a mic, you know what I mean? He like, yo, that shit white, man. They stop me in the middle of the song. That shit is white. I look that nigga's, I'm just like, yo, these niggas my man's like that shit. I ain't know how to take constructive criticism at the time. So what made you keep trying it, though? Like they wasn't supporting it? I'm one of them people like, if you think I can't do something, I'm going to show you that I can. Like that's where all my, that's where everything coming from with me. Like deep down inside, that's where everything comes from. Like I got to prove myself. Like I got to prove all this shit to myself. Like y'all might think I can't or can't do it. I don't care about nobody's opinions. Like, I don't know, I care about proving this shit to myself. Like I told myself, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this shit. OK, all right. So when did you start to see like everything go up for you? Like, what do you feel like with that track for you? I don't know if they do you care, but was it a one before that? Yeah, I feel like it was tricky. Like in the towns, I feel like it was one, two, one, two color streets. I had made a remix to this shit. I forgot what I mean. You know what I'm talking about though, right? It was like a remix. Dirk did the remix too. And then I had did the remix. That's when I started calling myself the voice of the trenches. OK. You feel me? So that was like three, four years ago. So you know. Yeah, and I see people still running with that. So does that bother you? All right. A lot of people ask me that question. And I just feel like I fuck with everybody. I show love. That's it. You feel me? So love and they show love and acknowledge? Yeah, like feel me? But if you're moving crazy and you feel me? Then, uh, but I ain't on that shit. Like I show love to everybody. I don't feel no type of way to whoever running with that shit. None of that shit. I show straight love to everybody coming up in New York. And and the people that's running with it, I fuck with their music. You heard shout out stun again. Feel me? That's the young voice of the trenches, too. You feel me? Shout out Dirk, too. Dirk started yelling that shit. But I know where that shit started at, though. Do you feel like artists like Lil Dirk, he's mainstream. You feel like he saw you and might have took that from you? Yeah. I was just asking. I don't know. You know why I feel like that? And I fuck with Dirk. But nobody was yelling voice of the trenches. Nobody was yelling that shit. Yeah, I definitely seen you. You could go back to songs from four or five years ago, right now, on my soundcloud. I'm kind of pink right now. That's what I'm saying. You put four or five songs four or five years ago on my soundcloud, voice of the trenches. Do you ever connect or work with Dirk or anything like that? Yeah, I fuck with Dirk. That's the bro. I ain't gonna lie like me and Dirk, I don't rush getting shit in with people. I feel like I just build a connection with you first. You feel me? I fuck with Dirk. I built a relationship with him. Like, that's bro. I could text him right now. Dirk just plugged me in with some ass PR people. You feel me? Like, try to help me get in a better situation with what I'm doing. Because, you know, I'm independent now. So shout out to Dirk. Shout out to Thunder Game. Being a weak, old voice of the trenches. All right, so speak on that. So you're fully, solely independent now. Yeah. Do you want to sign a deal again? Or you feel like you want that deal? I had some offers on the table. It's just I want a certain type of deal right now. So I'm not just going to sign anything. And now I got artists signed to me too. And one of the labels right now just offered me some shit for one of my artists, seven figures. So I ain't going to lie. Do you want to work a little harder? Yeah, because I need a joint venture. I kind of need a partnership. Everything's 50-50. For me, I've been in the fucked up deals. Like, I know how that feel for a person to not let you out your deal and all that. When they have the power to, you heard? So you truly feel like your deal was fucked up? I don't feel like my deal with Def Jean was fucked up. I had a good deal with Def Jean. That wasn't it. But I feel like the contract I was in was like my management and shit. It was like it wasn't correct. I'm not going to say it was a bad fucked up contract, but it wasn't correct. You could have gotten more. Or you feel like you deserve more. I feel like it's not even about what you feel you deserve or because that would be me looking at somebody else. So you feel me? It's about, yo, if we in this together then we in this together. You feel me? So you feel like it was one for them, one for that? Yeah, like it wasn't two feet in. Okay. All right, so when you got out of your deal, what was that like? I know that was a process. So did you feel like unaccomplished? Did you feel like it was about the time or? Hell no. I chose to get out of my deal. That's what everybody don't understand. Look, boom. I wanted to get out of my contract, my management contract, in order for me to get out of my contract, my management contract, I had a second option on my death gym deal. I was gonna sign my second option. So I had to turn down my death gym deal and to get out of my management contract. So I was like, fuck that money. I'ma just try, I'ma go all the way. I'ma better myself. You feel me? So fuck that money. I want to get out of this contract and that contract. All right, so now I go to a death gym. Yo, what's up? Can I, no. We not letting you out to come and try. So they wasn't jacking out? Nah, they told me like, yo, you make us money. Like, they literally told me, you make us money. For me, and shout out to death gym. They not a bad label. I just feel like they need some youth in the building. They not a bad label. They did everything for me, supporting me through everything. So I'ma always have love for the staff and everybody in death gym. So let's speak on that, because a lot of labels do have older people like on their team and staff. Do you feel like we definitely need some more youth in the label still? Yes, I feel like you need more youth in every label building because they got they into the streets and they know what's going on right now. So you feel like the staff wasn't understanding you? Yes. I don't feel like it was a bad, like I don't feel like it was a bad label. I don't have any bad blood with death gym or anybody is there. You feel me? I love death gym and the people. They gave me my first shot in the industry. You feel me? But I feel like they need some youth. No, I'm asking that because a lot of, you know, labels feel like they know what's best. No, they need some youth. For artists to openly say, like, you know, you need some people in the streets. Yeah, because the system's changed and it's like people change with it and if you don't change with the times, then what are you doing? True, true, true. So, so you have a new, I guess new artist that you're working with. Yeah, his name is Jesus Barks, though. And I got another artist. Another female artist. So you have a label name already? Yes, we gon' ball. Okay, we gon' ball, but that's the label name. So what is it that you gon' ball artist has to have? I don't feel, I feel like I just gotta see that you really want it. Even if your music not all the way there and I'm not gon' see it and say I'm gonna work with everybody or every artist I come across because I got my own stuff I gotta worry about. I got two artists, I got family. I got, you feel me? Things to attend to. But I feel like when I know a good artist, like the sound, like underground sound, I know what's about to get hot in the streets. I can tell you what's gon' get hot in the streets before. You know what I mean? All right, so what's one song you knew that was gon' get hot in the streets? It was an example. Mr. Chicken, Forever. Yeah. And right now, Capella Gray, Galis. I've been tapped in with Capella. He had a show, I went to his show, kicked it with him. If I meet you, I'll text him every day. Okay, okay. And if you didn't hear that song, that's something about the box. I didn't hear it, I gotta tune it. You gotta hear it, you gotta hear it. I'm late. So when you make music, like what's your vibe in the studio? Like what do you kinda need to you feel like make that hit record? I don't feel like you could go and try and make a hit. I feel like when you go and try and make a hit, you don't get nothing done in the studio. Okay. So what is it, what's your vibe? Like how do you get in your zone? You have to have been through something. You need your friends around, like what is it? I'll be chilling like if it's a vibe in the studio, if it's girls, if it's the bros, whoever. I could go by myself or I could go with 50 people. Like, it don't matter, like I'm gonna record. I just feel like when I'm sad, I'm gonna make a sad song when I'm just having it. So it really just depends on the mood. Yeah. All right, so let's see what some of the collabs you have. You got a song with Young Jae, Richie Rosé, KJ Guapo. How did some of these collabs come about? Uh, my block and Richie Block used to be teamed up. So me and Richie, we go way back, fuck with Richie and shit. Jae, that's my man's, that's my man's. Jae, me and Jae started off not even liking each other though, like we fucked each other. All right. And then like on the music tip, it just worked out? Nah, it wasn't even about the music tip. That's why we didn't like each other. Oh. Look, you know- You feel like the streets kinda put y'all against each other? Nah, I feel like my man's put us against each other. Look, look, one of my men, do you know Isaiah Washington? He's a jelly fan. He plays basketball? Yeah, in college and shit. Yeah. He was on a live one day. So he playing Jae shit. This is like seven years ago, six years ago, he playing Jae shit. So Niggas like, that's fire. There's somebody you can come and say something like, nigga, it's not better than TJ new shit. So then it went left from there. I ain't no lie, it went left fast. Like Jae got on a live, nigga, that nigga not fucking with me. Oh wow. I get on a live- Y'all be feisty on live. I know what it is. I get on a live, nigga. About a New York artist which I be feisty on live. I was, I don't come off like that though. Like on the real, I don't try to come off cocky to anybody. I try to be as humble as I could be. I just want to chill. I don't even care for all that shit cause I know it's going to come behind it. You feel me? Drama? Yeah, like it's going to be too much and none of mine is going. I'm not going. None of mine is going. Okay. How do you feel about that though? I feel like that shit is corny, but I feel like it's hurting their brand in the long run, but it's helping them for right now. Okay. So you don't see no long jugging in that show. And arguing? No? Yeah. That's toxic. So how did you get to, let's go to Brooklyn side now. How you connect with Grappo and KJ and everything? I knew KJ was going live and being spiky and all that. I feel like that shit is corny, but I feel like it's hurting their brand in the long run. I knew KJ since I was like eight. Okay. Like everybody used to get light and shit. So they can just go to dance events, we're here in the KJ a few times, Brooklyn niggas, I hang a lot of Brooklyn niggas. They fake trying to like, they fake trying to front. My cousin like just stuck it up, like not doing none of that type shit. Well. And then they just jack niggas. Like, yeah, niggas is not pussy. I was young though. I'm not going to say I was doing something. But they just jack niggas after that. After they jack niggas, they like, these niggas not day room. We not day room. We are not bullshit together. You feel me? And then we was just mobbing them shit. So all the songs you made, what's your favorite song? That's out. My Unreleased. Damn. Do you have a favorite song? No, one of my unreleased songs is my favorite song ever. No, I just hope that's out. We can't do that. I know, that's what I'm saying. My favorite song that's out right now though. I'ma say probably, I don't know. I don't know. Why is it you don't know? You feel like you've grown as an artist? Hell yeah. I'm almost at rockstar mode. I'm not there yet, but I'm almost there. Okay, that's, I never heard of like it. All right, so would you rather make melodic music or drill music? Melodic. I feel like drill is staying afloat for now, but that should soon get faded. Niggas is tired of hearing that, bro. Like, niggas want to be viby, have good tums. Like, nobody want, yeah, nobody. I'm not angry no more, huh? Yeah, like, niggas are coming. You know what it really was? You know why drill was lasting so long? Niggas was in a crib. Niggas, I'm angry, I'm in here. Yeah, put that on. You feel me? For now the outside's opening, you need some more different vibes. Vibes. He got a song called The Vibes. It's gonna go crazy. Watch. I'ma play a few after this. So you speak a lot on people hating on you, wanting to take your spot. Do you still feel this way? I do, honestly. What is it that you think everyone's hating on you for? I don't know, to be honest. Like, that shit gets scary. Like, on the dead ass, on, yo, I call my jeweler right now. I was in the jeweler the other day, right? I'm dropping on some bread or whatever. A nigga that I don't even know, he came in. He say, yo, you TJ Porter, right? I said, yeah. He said, yo, mad niggas be hating on you. Me and all my bros in the jeweler looked at him like, what the fuck? He dead ass though, he just walked away. Literally. Random person. So what's the craziest thing that happened, fan interaction with you? I seen people feign over me. So Chris Brown said. I seen people feign over me, like, you know how that feel? Like, I'm singing to a girl like, yo, and she just dropped. Like, what? Wow. You're cool. Wow. So what song was you singing? Do you care? Oh, okay. I'm weak. So do you have any upcoming collabs? Any big features in the way? Yeah, I got a lot of big features right now. I'm talking right now. Are you just staying quiet? I'm talking right now. Why are you staying so quiet? Because, like, they littered at me. I'm smarter than them. Okay. You get what I'm saying? Man. Really? All right, so what's the process? Like, what's the plan 2021? 2021, Porter's going to start dropping flock every week. I'm going to give y'all what y'all want, the fans, the supporters. I'm going to promote my artists. Yeah, my brain is going to get bigger. We're going to start doing give-backs to the kids, like, again, because I was heavy in tune with that slowdown. But I've been talking to, like, Fulaka and Nike and Deedah's Ocean. Okay, so you've definitely got some big brands collaborating with you? Yeah, definitely. I'm going to start my merch, too. I'm going to drop my merch. I'm tight. I should have had a hoodie on or something. I'm going to give y'all the kid packages. Thank you. I need those. So are you going to do a We Going Ball Part 2 project? I feel like that will come later down the line. Like, I feel like the next... So you ain't playing on that yet? No, yes. Look, I feel like the next We Going Ball project is going to have all my artists on the line. I feel like by the time I put that out, I'm going to be on a different type of CEO status. Like, I've got to be on a different type of level. Okay. So, you know, a lot of people become CEOs and no longer do music. Do you feel like you'll ever come to that point? Or you feel like you still want to do music and be the CEO? I love music. I love music. So I feel like I'm going to always be doing music. And I'm going to always tend to my artists. But I do also know that when you have artists, you've got to tend to them more than you tend to yourself. So I'm probably going to have to cut back once my artists blow because all my artists are going to blow. Okay. Okay, cool. So tell people where to find you, where to find me. TJ Porter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, wherever. YouTube, look me up, Apple Music. And we got a new flock dropping. Real soon? So stays tuned. We got to stay tuned.