Hip-hop artist $helta was introduced to music at a young age. Swarming in various genres, including playing the piano, it wasn’t until the age of 14 where $helta began rapping. $helta’s music exudes waves of emotion with a unique delivery and cadence. Growing up with a single mother and two siblings produced trials and tribulations for $helta and his family as he had to become the man of the house at a young age. Using this situation to fuel his fire of making monumental moves in the underground rap scene, he began recording music around the age of 15 and shaped his craft in the oncoming years. Flaunting his talents on a musical canvas of heavy-hitting Hip-hop trademarks, the energy adapted by $helta in “Crossfaded,” leaves you wanting to run the trackback. Tapping into his spot-on characteristics as an emcee, the entirety of this single is structured from a freestyle, with the majority of the bars being off the top of $helta’s creative mind. Sifting through a narrative that has you in a hypnotic trance, the themes touched on refer to being in a daze from smoking cannabis in copious amounts. Embodying a side of himself that he has yet to explore, $helta takes a dive into mid-tempo cadences, the glide over the K.E On The Track instrumentation as you anticipate each word that $helta is going to impeccably flaunt in his witty rhyme schemes to come. Taking in the artistic finesse of $helta, we’re here for all that he embodies in his lyrical dexterity as he boasts a sense of confidence that has us moving in buoyant ways to the beat of his own drum. Keeping the themes in “Crossfaded,” highly relatable, he doesn’t neglect his skill set as an emcee, as he places emphasis on riding the beat with the intention of letting it sink into his listener's minds.
Welcome to GRINDWEEKLY, $helta, and congratulations on the release of “Crossfaded.” We love the theme and energy that this single brings! What was it like working with such an established producer like K.E On The Track to give this song the attention it deserves? Thanks for the warm welcome, GRINDWEEKLY! I'm excited to be featured here that's for sure. Yeah so just wanted to thank you for the warm words in regards to releasing "Crossfaded". Definitely appreciate it, for sure. I'm happy to read that the theme and energy are loved, that means a lot. Focusing on the energy in the studio and recording this song, was cray spent a few hours on "Crossfaded" and one other song titled "Life Is Good". Naturally, some energy began to resonate in my mind and soul and manifested properly, that's when we knew we were getting somewhere. That is a great feeling, hands down, no cap! Always need the right energy in the studio, and sometimes the right people to be honest or just nobody just depends on vibes really. During the session, I had one of my best friends in the studio with the engineer, and that's the tip I was on that day anyway. Really felt great having a professional exclusive beat from a well-recognized producer in the game also was litty working directly with a professional engineer with a music degree, the engineer did what he was supposed to do as the song is mixed and mastered wonderfully, he did the spectacular job so did "K.E. On The Track". We all killed it to a degree. Looking forward to working together on the next project. Working with an established producer is lit for sure, I have about +50 more of "K.E. On The Track's" beats mainly all of them exclusive, the ones that aren't exclusive I still got them for a hell of a deal. "K.E. On the Track" is regularly known to sell beats anywhere from $10,000.00-$20,000.00. It's ballin and G. as ever that K.E. made these beats available to individuals, the right individuals I should say. Big shout out again to "K.E. On The Track" and my engineer who is the studio owner, oh, and shouts out to GRINDWEEKLY ya'll be killin the game. FACTS. You mentioned that this song is mainly a freestyle, which we love! Could you please take us into the process that you endured when creating and recording “Crossfaded?" Are most of your songs freestyles? Yes, "Crossfaded" was mainly a freestyle, again, thanks for the love and appreciation regarding the song being a freestyle. I am always freestyle-rapping most of my songs are, yes, freestyles. As of right now I have about 100 maybe 110 songs out there finished on the web to find, anyways, I've been practicing since the age of 14. That's a fact, so when it comes a time, I just spit bars and concentrate on getting my rhythm down and my cadence, and from there just go in like a surfer killing it on a big wave, him being on the board is like my freestyling/rapping and the ocean and all its force and the wave are like the beat, I just ride the beat like dat, and I love it! I'll spit and freestyle and go back and remember what I said on the last take while recording and stop and go back when needed to attempt the verse again using some of the material I laid down prior off the top. Seems to work hella, my writing skills are off the chain too don't get me wrong, yes I prefer freestyling but I'm confident in delivering what I need to if and when I need/choose to write versus freestyle. Lots of takes were involved in the recording process, sometimes I'll mark beats and finish a song in one take, that's when I really get the euphoric feeling I'm after it's like a natural high, well for me it is a natural high. "Crossfaded" was one of those tracks I needed multiple takes on and stopping starting back where I specify and then there are the adlibs, which I love going back and laying down. I know I kill it on the hook and with the adlibs and just the vibe entirely on the hook but yeah so that's 100. I also love the adlibs I dropped throughout the entire track, unable to deny that, I am an adlib type of artist, hands down. When the adlibbing time comes round I'm like aight then let's get it!
Being signed with "viprecordings" what was the release process like when bringing this track to the public? Is it a different release rollout than you’re used to? "Viprecordings" is a dope record label lets face it, go check out the website and see what I'm talking about folks!!! Here is the viprecordings website, it's lit. When rolling out "Crossfaded" I was happy as every release is not only distributed to 600+ stores but also is eligible to be distributed into radio stations and magazines. For that, I'm truly grateful. Look in my opinion releasing the music independently would/is more difficult, I've been there done that, and still do release and publish my own music via my record label called "illaFloRecords, here's our website illaFlo Records. Look but don't get me wrong, not impossible not a bit, but having a marketing team and other individuals assisting in the process of releasing the music and getting it in stores and just everything else kicks so much ass it's not even funny, not even a little tiny bit funny, haha just kidding but not seriously I also love the dedication and respect the A&R and COO of the "viprecordings" brings to the table, the A&R and COO I'm referencing are named Sebastian Aguirre and he knows the business when it comes down to this music industry. I trust him and he liked the song "Crossfaded" and basically advised me to release it as he enjoyed the track and thereafter proceeded to push the record and support me along the way. All in all, it is a different process, and tasks are entirely different when releasing myself versus through "viprecordings", I am thrilled to be signed with them and look forward to what's to come next. Believe that, hey! The process is easier as all I have to do is get the song recorded, mixed, and mastered, which I am proficient in those sectors as well like the music that got me noticed or in my demo(s) has been all me, write/freestyle and recording in my home studio or a professional one, also I have to find or make a beat get the licensing situated and the session scheduled and lastly the cover art. When releasing with "viprecordings" it's just simple, send the song over and the right cover art dimension wise and I'm all set I get to pick the date I want the song to roll out, and boom the label takes care of the rest. I was absolutely thrilled and blown away on could say that "viprecordings" has landed a deal with "Sony" and has a partnership type of deal worked out where the music from us at "viprecordings" is published via the "the Orchard" which "Sony" owns and is delivered to wherever it's going, for example, youtube for instance "Crossfaded" was provided from "The Orchard ". At one point or another I was like wait...."Sony" is distributing my music via "The Orchard "? Once I realized that fact, I was like this is horribly ballin, ayyyeee. I feel privileged is all you know what I'm saying? Bet! Lez Go!
With each artist varying in their brand and message, what would you say yours says about you as an artist? Hmm, I haven't ever been asked a question like this one, been asked a few in my day but this one is a bit challenging. My brand is "illaDank Street Apparel". Here check out my website as it just recently launched and products are available just not the clothing line yet, but stay tuned as the clothing line will be rolling out here this year for sure, and trust me the clothing line is illaDank, illa. Here is the link to my brand and the website domain I purchased and the store I got online just last week. Looks great actually here is the link illaDank Street Apparel. I think my brand indicates to many that I obviously smoke mary jane, hence the name of the brand being "illaDankStreetApparel". So I feel I put that vibe off that's like okay this is a weed clothing line or brand and that most likely things will be dope and chill versus the alternative whatever that may be. My message well it's like this I am an aspiring 29-year old father & entrepreneur/hip-hop artist/record label owner/and a signed artist all mixed in one. I am currently residing in Minot, North Dakota. I am constantly working on new ways to provide business owners and my artists everything in my arsenal, in hopes to duplicate & automate production as well as ROI (return on investment). My message or basically my personal VISION is to positively change lives for the better of the world and for our kids/our nations kids/ kids around the world through money raised conducting business the right way. Whatever it may be in my case it's music. FACT Only a small portion is silver-spooned coming into this world. Everyone starts somewhere, somehow, someway and that's just how it is everywhere throughout this entire world, period. I want to help you help others in this world. Everyone is going to doubt, stay non-believers, hate, but just know no publicity is bad publicity, technically speaking. Case in point, don't ever pass up a "chance", you never know what could happen or worse what could have happened. Over the last few years, I've been overseeing & introducing the newest ways to BOOST annual sales revenue, allowing for duplication and automation to occur at rapid speeds. Since the inception of 'illaFloRecords' groundbreaking GROWTH has occurred both in the PHYSICAL & BITS world. THE vision is to obliterate what's known as the CURRENT STATUS QUO, causing IRREVERSIBLE damage, while presenting an incredible OPPORTUNITY for AMERICA to come TOGETHER as ONE. We believe with the CURRENT and UPCOMING workforce, ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING....is POSSIBLE I know what it's like to STRUGGLE, most people DON'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE A CHANGE ..take a CHANCE ...become a CHAMPION for the LOVE of life. So something like that is basically my message in a nutshell. I am truly hoping and working towards a better planet essentially as well as unification worldwide and what better way to do just that? MUSIC boom, honestly though music heals, feel no pain when it hits you and so so much more as, most if not all of us, understand the abilities music has and its potential to bring the world closer and together it's the energy released into the Universe that sometimes I think about it and remember energy lasts forever. So let's make music and make our dreams happen guys lets go!
What's next for you? I am going to continue releasing music this year and hopefully get some traction going and hype, as well as gain some fans, or I, should say more fans. 10,00 loyal fans are my goal so I'll be working towards that. When finances aren't an issue I want to end up in the pacific northwest, as it's pretty hard to do a whole lot while living in North Dakota as that's where I'm from and located right now. Thank God for the internet though so I can continue to makes plays and move forward to accomplishing my goals and that's to be fully sufficient and financially set from my works in the music industry, however, will have to just see what happens. I have high hopes! I hope what's next is a bigger opportunity and that's not too far out of the picture, so stay tuned in GRINDWEEKLY and those reading this as there are some pretty big things in the works. My first E.P. ever was released and published through "BentleyRecords" here's their website to check out they were/are a great label to work with out of New York City on Wallstreet, no cap, like the 24th floor or something! Well anyways this year I'll be releasing more hot singles and my second E.P. through and published by "BentleyRecords" and "viprecordings" so it should be exciting. This year what's next for me also is PR PR PR and more PR learning how to attract people/businesses/and labels also magazines and blogs to feature my work and become affiliated as one's net worth is their network, so ima be busy attempting to do just that grow my network! Also, I haven't released any music video(s) just slideshows of pictures over top of my songs on youtube. This year what is next is a real directed music video so stay tuned in folks please and thank you for your time and for reading this! Peace, love, and happiness until the war ends!
