One On 1 In 10: CaliTrot

Hello and welcome to One on One in 10, where we pick the brains of some of the most talented Indie artists in the Tri state area with 10 questions. It’s your girl Mai Mazzi reporting live on the scene, bringing you the real with todays’ movers and shakers and allowing you to meet them, one on one.

This month we have ventured to the West Coast to interview an up and coming male duo called CaliTroit, which consists of Fedie Demarco aka Tookie Williams Nephew, pka Ice T Protégé,’ and MDOT, a young Detroit native relevant rapper/writer/singer with features with Problem, Joe Moses, YG’s protégé’ Slim 400, and Gucci Mane.

Mazzi: Thank you so much for taking the time out to sit and speak with me.

CaliTroit: Thank you for having us!

Mazzi: So for our first question, how did you guys come up with the name CaliTroit? And how long have you been a group?

Fedie: The name pretty much speaks for itself; he (MDot) is a Detroit native and I am a California native. We split up where we both are from and blended them together, creating CaliTroit. We have been a group for about two months now.

Mazzi: What made you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

MDot: I realized I wanted to pursue a career in music after being involved in so many musical encounters while being in the military. I always tried to find that middle ground of how to express myself and release the tension in my life that grew into anger. I had a lot of built up anger due to the adversity that I had to deal with, from the loss of my mother to other life struggles. I always found music as one of the tools that I could use that wouldn’t reflect on any violence would make me feel better, and with which I could still inspire and motivate other peoples’ lives. So after I got out of the military I wound up chasing my dream; its sink or swim and so far it has been all swimming!

Mazzi: How would you describe your music for the public audience if they have never seen or heard you before?

Fedie: I would describe it as unique, very different. We are creative individuals trying to express life based on what we have been through, from poverty to partying, to the struggle. Our music encompasses street life on a noteworthy level.

Mazzi: If you had to categorize your music, what genre would it best fit?

Fedie: That’s a good one. I would say RnB hop. I have different melodies that I use and with MDot singing to it as well, it creates an RnB hop genre.

Mazzi: How does your style differ from other artists in the same genre?

MDot: A lot of rappers do not like to focus on the relaxed vibe that RnB can create through lyrical context. I sing and I rap so I can bring together my life experiences through both avenues. Artists like Jay Z may like to go to the R. Kelly’s’ for a good RnB hook, they have to work with people on an even playing field in a different genre, but with CaliTroit we have it all between the two of us. That allows us to stand out from what is known out here already. Fedie is one of the dopest rappers I know and I am steady stepping in my craft in the RnB realm, us together create that different style, while still incorporating and paying homage to those who did it before us in both the hip hop and RnB genres.

Mazzi: Are you familiar with the term “starving artist”?

MDot/Fedie: Yes. No doubt.

Mazzi: How do you cope with major obstacles as they relate to the term?

MDot: At the end of the day in my opinion, and also in my travels, I’ve come to believe that the starving artist term comes from you as a person and what you choose to make that out to be. All of these avenues do exist it’s just how bad you want to make it. There are hundreds of thousands of people that wake up every day that want to be artists, but it boils down to what makes you the starving artist instead of being another artist who is starving.

Mazzi: What do you think your “biggest break” or “greatest opportunity” has been so far in your musical career?

Fedie: Being accepted by Ice T as his protégé and being able to do shows half way around the world without being signed has been a big deal for me. I have been on the Craig Ferguson Show, the Dub Show, The Rehab, and just being able to experience all of these things, as well as being able to be on albums as an unassigned artist and being on stage with Ice T , has been a big opportunity for me.

Mazzi: What image do you think your music conveys and why did you choose this type of image for your music?

MDot: My music is a reflection of me and my lifestyle. For me to be able to work with an artist from Watts California with similar life experiences as myself from Detroit creates the element that allows us to come together for our unique sound. We are making lifestyle music over here, not trying to stay in the trendy lane.

Mazzi: Art and music has an impact on both the young and the old; sometimes the older generation loses respect for the music we listen to today because they cannot comprehend the value of it. What advice can you give to the youth of today looking to enter the industry in regards to being able to stay relevant for every generation and for any audience?

Fedie: I would tell them to continue doing you and be respectful; do not downgrade the legends of the game. Be you and be unique; I would rather see you fail in originality than to succeed in limitation. Stay focused and pay homage.

Mazzi: What are your immediate music career goals (1 to 3 years)?

MDot: From my point of view, for the next 1 to 3 years, it’s all about putting down the groundwork set by our mentors. Longevity has been a pillar in all of our mentors’ success and we, as a group, plan on building on that with our music.

Fedie: I see us, with our goals as a group within the next 3 years, building a better foundation for the youth so that they do not have to go through the same difficulties that we endured and have better opportunities in the community.

Mazzi: Do you have other interests or talents that you would like to share with us? How do you like to enjoy your relaxation time away from the music?

Fedie: I like to draw; it runs in my family. My mom draws and my grandfather used to draw so that is one of my interests, besides playing ball. I really don’t do much outside of my music!

MDot: We definitely just focus on the music, but we are also both parents so spending time with our children is an important part of our lives outside of the music. Staying physically fit and playing ball. Networking to make sure that CaliTroit is out in the public eye. We do not play video games {laughing}!

CaliTroit will be a part of the first annual West Coast Crush Groove Festival honoring Ice T with an award after the posting of this interview. They have a lineup of performances on the West Coast and are also releasing the video for their single “F Less”. You can follow them on the following links below:

Fedie Demarco-

Website: https://www.google.com/#q=fedie+demarco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fediedemarco

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fediedemarco/?modal=true

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fediedemarco

MDot-

Twitter: https://twitter.com/eyegotme

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mdoteyegotme

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Mdottaylor23?ref=bookmark

And to you, the readers thank you for tuning in. Make sure you stay tuned for more NMNJ One on One in 10!