Exclusive Interview With Treso

Tre$o (also known as “So”) loyalty stands for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The rapper/singer showcases his musical prowess with fluid R&B melodic cadences and hard-hitting flows that make listeners stop and think.

Along the lines of “Trip at Knight,” “XTENDED,” or “NOSTYLIST,” “V” is a performance album. Since this is the artist’s fifth project and his fanbase is made up of “555,” he gave the project the name “V.” Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

TRE$O: I was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. The birth of me rapping started when I had my dad download a pirated version of the Carter 4 on an old iPod Nano when I was in Middle School. By 2014, I moved to Georgia and fell in love with the music scene in Atlanta.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

TRE$O: I taught myself how to mix through a lot of trial and error. I had a friend that helped me record my first record on FL, but he sold all his equipment like the next week so I had to start using softwares like Audacity and Garage Band to start my own journey.

3. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

TRE$O: The most difficult thing has definitely been fighting depression while using my music as a form of therapy but also becoming depressed in the process of growing an independent artist in this current time. It’s too many pay-to-play acts disrespecting the art – crowding the shine of the real stars that will lead the future of Hip-Hop and Rap. Breaking through the fog has been my biggest challenge.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

TRE$O: The key elements are the emotions, melody’s, and lyricism. Every song holds a few lines that have double or triple meanings attached to them. But my sound is like an intricate dance, revolving around chaos and peace/ Yin and Yang.

5. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘TRE$O’?

TRE$O: Lil Wayne, Joey Bada$$, Chance the Rapper, Tyler the Creator, and early Jaden Smith influenced me heavily in my impressionable years. Then Trippie Redd and Juice WRLD helped pave a way for the possibilities for the type of emotions I wanted to put in my music. The name TRE$O is an acronym for The Realest, Evidently Soon Overcome. I’ve always had a pretty challenging life, but not too unbearable. When it comes to things I really care about and goals I want to achieve, I naturally receive a lot of resistance and hardships, even through having a humble and ambitious approach. So my name is a reminder to myself and everyone that, evidently, if you keep it real you will get to where you need to be.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

TRE$O: I personally prefer to use it for expression and personal narrative, mainly because recording started as therapy for me in a sense. But political and spiritual themes are in my music, because they directly affect my personal life. I try not to dive too much into political music though because I think we can agree music helps us get away from the pressures of the world at times.

7. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

TRE$O: I believe the beauty in all mediums of art is being able to make your own interpretations. I love hearing when people have different takes on lyrics that had different meanings when created. It opens the idea of different possibilities in other songs, it’s beautiful.

8. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as HIPHOP?

TRE$O: Like mentioned earlier, Trippie Redd and Juice WRLD showed me the way for sure but the emulating and learning never stops for artists. I can say i was one of the many that was influenced by ‘Whole Lotta Red’ for “V” and my upcoming “NEMESIS” project. It’s important to learn from artists but not to copy of course. I take inspiration different from others in my opinion, i am able to hear a song and be able to create my own original record based off a line that moved me. It’s just about how that artist already relates to you.

9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

TRE$O: Honestly, shout out to my fans because for every hate comment I’ve seen, there was a ride or die 555 member coming for their top in the comments. But aside from that negative reviews or crotons doesn’t bother me, it just means that person is on a different side of the spectrum in terms is musical interests and there is nothing wrong with that, so I simply ignore.

10. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

TRE$O: I like to work in projects, because my mind is always running, running, running. So I usually come up with an Album concept, and start making songs that fit the narrative and vibe. Then all of the leftovers are saved for singles and other projects. The songs themselves are mostly free-styled and produced by handpicked underground producers by me.