Tre Mak is a West Coast rapper making strong connections. We talk to him about his work with DJ Quik and Kurupt, his beef with Mistah F.A.B., his PBM label and much more!
Tre Mak, you’re featured on the new DJ Quik and Kurupt album, how did that happen?
I met DJ Quik at a show that I had opened up for him at in Monterey, Ca. After seeing me on stage, he put me on the spot and said “give me a 16” and rap for me accapella. Man I gave him like 100 bars! To the point where he said man, I gotta get you to LA! He told me he was digging my flow, my voice and my overall on stage performance. He said he would love to see what I sounded like on one of his records. A day later he flew me out to LA, and we banged out that “Cream N Ya Panties” Joint that ended up making the “BlaQKout” Album as well as it earning me a deal with his Mad Science Recordings label.
What’s it like being under the wing of two west coast legends? Has your popularity grown since that happened?
Man it’s great! See the thing is, I was a fan of Quik and Kurupt prior to working with them… so being in the lab and on tour with them is ridiculous. I can’t think of a better situation for a youngster in the game like myself than the situation I’m in right now, learning the ropes from two legends. Not just West coast legends, but legends in Hip Hop as a whole. These dudes got so much wisdom, and they never mind sharing it with me rather it be related to music or life. It has definitely helped my popularity to be associated with them both. Each city we hit everybody wants to know the new guy. Quik and Kurupt always make sure the crowds on tour are well acquainted with me. It’s been crazy; I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of love.
Where do you plan to move from where you are now then? What’s next for Tre Mak?
Man the next move for me is to the top! I know it’s cliché’ but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that, I feel I’m very capable. On a more short term goal note though, I just wanna continue to grind, and make good music. My time is coming… I feel it! I got a lot of good things in the works with DJ Quik; Mad Science is looking real good right now. In my in between time, I’m releasing a bunch of music with my independent label Point Blank Muzic. Moving to LA is a big possibility as well but for now I’m 916 Sac King’n it, Cant wait for the industry to see how much talent my city has.
Let’s talk about the recently released Mistah F.A.B. diss track. Why did you record that and how did the situation come about?
Lol… I knew that question would come up! Long story short, Hip Hop is competitive. Hip hop also does not always have the “best rappers” in the limelight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hater I respect anyone who has made a name for himself… but that doesn’t give you the right to talk down or to think your better than someone for that matter just because of your level of popularity. I’ll break it down like this since Mistah Fab wanted to use basketball metaphors… It’s like just because Bobby Hurley was in the league does not mean that he should call out “Skip To My Lou”. Me and Mistah Fab had words about a month or so ago on his twitter where I basically told him if I was him I’d be a little more humble when addressing people, and don’t let peoples twitter follower count dictate how you speak to them. Couple insults at me and Kobe references to himself later he told me, “I love Competition, don’t sit on your couch and think you can guard Kobe, I’ll drop 81 on you… You don’t want it with me” So I did the only thing I knew, and that was hop in the booth and address him. (“YBK”) 3,000 downloads in 24hrs later, he changed his tune up and went from telling me what he’d do to me to saying he was too big too respond to me… this cat is a joke!
Is that just on wax though, or is this a beef that could escalate?
I don’t know dude, and when you don’t know someone it’s never good to underestimate them. For the sake of the game I hope it doesn’t escalate. I ain’t gone lie there was a little part of me that wanted to beat him up, after some of the shit he was saying…lol but at the end of the day… it’s Hip Hop, I ain’t tripping long as that line is still visible. I just wanted him to do to me what he assured his thousands of twitter followers he would do, and that is lyrically “Kobe” me. He doesn’t respond, he doesn’t respond… but from now on he will respect me!
Have you put any product out for people to cop, and if so where can we get it from?
Yeah fam, I know to the world y’all like… who is this guy? But I have been holding it down releasing underground music for many moons now. Search me on iTunes, or you can hit up my Myspace page @ www.myspace.com/tremak06 there’s also a www.cdbaby.net link on there where you can find even more of my music.
Talk to us about the Point Blank Muzic organisation, how did that start and who is part of it?
Point Blank Muzic, the name originated from the group Point Blank (Tre Mak, Robb Cole, Krytykal, and Foss) but the label was started by me about 4 yrs ago as a result of being on other labels, I decided my “So Filthy“ release would be on my own. I got a team together of driven individuals who all share the same love for music. The roster includes Tre Mak, Robb Cole, Foss tha Boss, Young 5ive, Bigg Cain, LT, Ya Boy Yundee, Young X, and Jay City & Flashy on the beats as in house producers. For the most part we’re all rappers, except LT does the R&B thing and Bigg Cain is the one stop shop with promotions. We pretty much do it all; you can check out the whole squad on myspace as well… www.myspace.com/pointblankmuzic
What are you working on releasing next?
The next release by me will be a mixtape titled “1st 48”. I’m finishing it up so I can throw it out late August to get more people talking before I finish up my album with DJ Quik. On the Point Blank Muzic side of things… We are releasing “Muzic for tha Mobb Vol.2” hosted by Bigg Cain, Robb Cole’s Mixtape, Ya boy Yundee’s mixtape, and by the 1st of the year a brand new studio album featuring the whole roster. Oh yeah and on a side note everybody looking for that “YBK” Mistah Fab diss, I think I’ll go ahead and throw it on that 1st 48 mixtape as well. We keeping it moving right now y’all, I really wanna give y’all as much music as possible. By the way, all mixtapes will be for free download! Get out and support! We put our heart in this shit man… Some of our latest work to be out “Music for that Mobb Vol.1’ and Foss tha Boss “Calling All Shots” Via myspace get em Right Now!
Where can people check you out online?
Yeah, follow ya boy on that Twitter… twitter.com/triggatremak
Do you have any shout outs or last words?
Yeah, shouts out to you Precinct Phantom for the interview, to your whole staff as well. Shouts out to the whole UK, and anybody out there that has been a Tre Mak fan from day 1! Point Blank Muzic YBK all day, RIP Stanley… I’m out this bitch! Yeeeeeeeeeeee!
www.myspace.com/tremak06
Tre Mak, you’re featured on the new DJ Quik and Kurupt album, how did that happen?
I met DJ Quik at a show that I had opened up for him at in Monterey, Ca. After seeing me on stage, he put me on the spot and said “give me a 16” and rap for me accapella. Man I gave him like 100 bars! To the point where he said man, I gotta get you to LA! He told me he was digging my flow, my voice and my overall on stage performance. He said he would love to see what I sounded like on one of his records. A day later he flew me out to LA, and we banged out that “Cream N Ya Panties” Joint that ended up making the “BlaQKout” Album as well as it earning me a deal with his Mad Science Recordings label.
What’s it like being under the wing of two west coast legends? Has your popularity grown since that happened?
Man it’s great! See the thing is, I was a fan of Quik and Kurupt prior to working with them… so being in the lab and on tour with them is ridiculous. I can’t think of a better situation for a youngster in the game like myself than the situation I’m in right now, learning the ropes from two legends. Not just West coast legends, but legends in Hip Hop as a whole. These dudes got so much wisdom, and they never mind sharing it with me rather it be related to music or life. It has definitely helped my popularity to be associated with them both. Each city we hit everybody wants to know the new guy. Quik and Kurupt always make sure the crowds on tour are well acquainted with me. It’s been crazy; I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of love.
Where do you plan to move from where you are now then? What’s next for Tre Mak?
Man the next move for me is to the top! I know it’s cliché’ but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that, I feel I’m very capable. On a more short term goal note though, I just wanna continue to grind, and make good music. My time is coming… I feel it! I got a lot of good things in the works with DJ Quik; Mad Science is looking real good right now. In my in between time, I’m releasing a bunch of music with my independent label Point Blank Muzic. Moving to LA is a big possibility as well but for now I’m 916 Sac King’n it, Cant wait for the industry to see how much talent my city has.
Let’s talk about the recently released Mistah F.A.B. diss track. Why did you record that and how did the situation come about?
Lol… I knew that question would come up! Long story short, Hip Hop is competitive. Hip hop also does not always have the “best rappers” in the limelight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hater I respect anyone who has made a name for himself… but that doesn’t give you the right to talk down or to think your better than someone for that matter just because of your level of popularity. I’ll break it down like this since Mistah Fab wanted to use basketball metaphors… It’s like just because Bobby Hurley was in the league does not mean that he should call out “Skip To My Lou”. Me and Mistah Fab had words about a month or so ago on his twitter where I basically told him if I was him I’d be a little more humble when addressing people, and don’t let peoples twitter follower count dictate how you speak to them. Couple insults at me and Kobe references to himself later he told me, “I love Competition, don’t sit on your couch and think you can guard Kobe, I’ll drop 81 on you… You don’t want it with me” So I did the only thing I knew, and that was hop in the booth and address him. (“YBK”) 3,000 downloads in 24hrs later, he changed his tune up and went from telling me what he’d do to me to saying he was too big too respond to me… this cat is a joke!
Is that just on wax though, or is this a beef that could escalate?
I don’t know dude, and when you don’t know someone it’s never good to underestimate them. For the sake of the game I hope it doesn’t escalate. I ain’t gone lie there was a little part of me that wanted to beat him up, after some of the shit he was saying…lol but at the end of the day… it’s Hip Hop, I ain’t tripping long as that line is still visible. I just wanted him to do to me what he assured his thousands of twitter followers he would do, and that is lyrically “Kobe” me. He doesn’t respond, he doesn’t respond… but from now on he will respect me!
Have you put any product out for people to cop, and if so where can we get it from?
Yeah fam, I know to the world y’all like… who is this guy? But I have been holding it down releasing underground music for many moons now. Search me on iTunes, or you can hit up my Myspace page @ www.myspace.com/tremak06 there’s also a www.cdbaby.net link on there where you can find even more of my music.
Talk to us about the Point Blank Muzic organisation, how did that start and who is part of it?
Point Blank Muzic, the name originated from the group Point Blank (Tre Mak, Robb Cole, Krytykal, and Foss) but the label was started by me about 4 yrs ago as a result of being on other labels, I decided my “So Filthy“ release would be on my own. I got a team together of driven individuals who all share the same love for music. The roster includes Tre Mak, Robb Cole, Foss tha Boss, Young 5ive, Bigg Cain, LT, Ya Boy Yundee, Young X, and Jay City & Flashy on the beats as in house producers. For the most part we’re all rappers, except LT does the R&B thing and Bigg Cain is the one stop shop with promotions. We pretty much do it all; you can check out the whole squad on myspace as well… www.myspace.com/pointblankmuzic
What are you working on releasing next?
The next release by me will be a mixtape titled “1st 48”. I’m finishing it up so I can throw it out late August to get more people talking before I finish up my album with DJ Quik. On the Point Blank Muzic side of things… We are releasing “Muzic for tha Mobb Vol.2” hosted by Bigg Cain, Robb Cole’s Mixtape, Ya boy Yundee’s mixtape, and by the 1st of the year a brand new studio album featuring the whole roster. Oh yeah and on a side note everybody looking for that “YBK” Mistah Fab diss, I think I’ll go ahead and throw it on that 1st 48 mixtape as well. We keeping it moving right now y’all, I really wanna give y’all as much music as possible. By the way, all mixtapes will be for free download! Get out and support! We put our heart in this shit man… Some of our latest work to be out “Music for that Mobb Vol.1’ and Foss tha Boss “Calling All Shots” Via myspace get em Right Now!
Where can people check you out online?
Yeah, follow ya boy on that Twitter… twitter.com/triggatremak
Do you have any shout outs or last words?
Yeah, shouts out to you Precinct Phantom for the interview, to your whole staff as well. Shouts out to the whole UK, and anybody out there that has been a Tre Mak fan from day 1! Point Blank Muzic YBK all day, RIP Stanley… I’m out this bitch! Yeeeeeeeeeeee!
www.myspace.com/tremak06
