Toogaloo "Ready for the BIG Time"

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Don' t be fooled, this rapper is ready for the big time!

Toogaloo, a Miramar based lyrical devastator is geared up and ready to take on the big leagues.

Not many artists have the flexibility, diversity, and versatility as this young rapper and the amazing thing about it all is he' s not signed, yet! Toogaloo hops on his tracks with energy and precision.
His lyrics sound like time was taken to compose; precise ad libs and a remarkable flow set this rapper apart from the rest. He is able to deliver some awesome punch-lines and maintain his flawless demeanor. Nine5Four had an opportunity to talk with this lyricist and get his perspective on the music game, his involvement, and his next steps.

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Nine5Four: Thanks for allowing us to speak with you. Your music caught my ear when I heard it. I like the sound that you are bringing to the game. It is very unique. You are in Broward County, but your flow wouldn' t suggest that. I really like the sound. So how did you get involved in the rap game?
Toogaloo: Ha-ha… Thanks for the feedback on the tracks. You are probably one of the first people to catch the whole non-southern flow. Well let me give you a little background, my peoples is Jamaican and I am the first one from my family born in the states so I don' t have that conventional up bringing like most. If I sound southern to anyone, well it' s because I' m from the south but I am trying to sound like me. T! I' m not trying to sound like anyone else.

So what was your child life like since you didn' t have the conventional upbringing?
I remember as a boy I said I wanna be famous. I would write poetry and what not in my book so hip hop was a natural process of evolution. My father said that I need to focus on something else because being famous was not logical. He was like go be something else. I really didn' t seem like an option to him.

Whoa! That must have been hard on you.
Well my whole life I have been a quiet kid, and I didn' t let it get to me. My home and school life was crazy at the time and hip-hop became refuge to me. It was my only escape from what was going on around me. So if you look at it, I have been developing myself for about 11 years.

11 years! That' s a long while. How was your music played out in school?
Man, I had freestyle sessions with grown ass men. I mean them old school cats, and there I was, a git hanging with these men holding my own. That' s where my foundation was built. While cats was riding bikes and playin video game, I was on the curb battling with them 27-30 year old rappers. In middle school and high school I did karaoke and small shows and what not. I met two cats on my journey DJ Copper and Dreezee and we started Spades. You ain' t neva seen three hungrier cats. We had everything we needed to be a success; hot tracks, hot songs but no studio! We would rap anywhere anytime for anyone; over the phone, in person whatever. Other cats was writing about what they would do or who they think they are but we were on that real tip. We wrote what our lives reflected. We weren' t drug dealers or gang bangers so that wasn' t in the music. But that whole adventure fell apart in a short while. It is hard to be in a game if you feel like you the only one playing!

So what did that mean for T?
Well basically I just stopped for a while. Which I now feel was a bad move cuz I would' ve been signed by now without a doubt. But I stopped until I decided the game was ready for me or I was ready for the game, so I was dead to the game at that point. I mean, I had niggaz scared to battle me. I was crushing everyone in front of me. I felt I was too good for the game and I parted from it.

That was a drastic move. You were on your way and just drop it all, wow, that' s conviction. So how did you get back in the game?

It was 2005 I heard a beat and I felt it; it was like a bolt of lightning hit me. It was like God was telling me to do it. It came out of no where. My lil sis asked me to go to church with her. Now I love God, but I don' t like going to church because of some of the people. Anyways the pastor called me up and I didn' t want to go, so he came over to me and said God said you are going to touch people with your words and music. I was in shock. A couple weeks' later, same thing happened at a different church. So what can you do at that point? God is calling you to follow a path so what can you do but follow the path that was given?
I linked up with Young Breed and Dreezy and formed the Dead End label, but when you take 4 superstars and put them together, ego' s get in the way and well things don' t work out and this didn' t work out. The good thing is we dropped a mix-tape and there is still a lot of love for them boys. After that, I got on my solo tip hard and I have grown a lot since that and here I am now.

Still waters run deep, and there is a lot to you. So how did your music end up on myspace?
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I got on myspace to showcase my music. I didn't see the big deal though. I get a lot of feedback there and there are a lot of supporters of my music on there.

So, what's next for T?
Being serious, whatever God puts in front of me. Someone once told me wherever your heart goes, the rest will follow. Who knows what's gonna happen. The Sky is the limit.

So you had some success with that mix-tape on the streets. Has anyone ever approached you or recognized you from that venture?
Yea! I have a crazy story. I was chillin outside on the porch and this car drove by me and reversed back. A guy came at me that I didn't know and my mind flashed back on menace to society. The part when Cain was approached by dude about getting his sister pregnant, anyways I'm not a friendly cat and I don't like making friends cuz friends bring problems.
This guy was comin at me and I was like ok here we go. He was like I know you from somewhere, you dat cat on dat mix-tape. I have to let you know that when I heard your song, I had to find out who was spittin that real shit! Keep doin ya thing! I was shocked. That was some real shit right there.

It has to be crazy being approached by strangers and not knowing their intentions. You have accomplished some big things and you are definitely on your way. I see a lot of potential when I hear your music. You have a gift playa. Do you have anything else you would like to add?
I just want to say, thank God for bringing me this far and blessin me with this gift. Look out for Kurt Diesel my cousin doin a lil bid. Look out for him in 2009. Keep an eye out for Fly Boy Entertainment, Infamous Music, and Savage Mob which is a part of Angry Corner Records. Everyone else follow your heart and stay grindin!

Thanks for the interview T. We look forward to seein some big things from you.

No doubt. Thank you for havin me. I appreciate the love.

Visit T's page on myspace at www.myspace.com/Toogaloo
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