Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, 1Syke found himself involved in the streets at an early age. The young artist would play around rapping to pass the time, but never took it seriously. Like many of us, 1Syke viewed music as an outlet, a form of therapy to cope with hard times.
Serving jail time every year since 1996 and being sent to prison in 2004, the street life was not only a way of life but a means of survival for the young rapper. However, while doing his prison sentence in 2004, it was then that 1Syke started writing rhymes and realized this was something he wanted to pursue professionally.
1Syke has since created an enormous buzz with the success of his first single, Tampa You Feel Me, off the Jack Boi Muzic mixtape, released in 2011. He continues to bring the heat in 2012 with his upcoming release titled Spilling My Beans with his recent single, All Bout Me. He is also apart of the Traffic Kings brand and is working on a mixtape with Fatty Duke and Don Juan titled Traffic Kings.
Yo! Raps got a chance to sit down and talk with 1Syke where we asked him everything from how he got his rapper name to his biggest accomplishments during his rap career.
First off, please introduce yourself to the audience and let us know where you are from?
I'm 1Syke aka Wyzeguy, one third of Traffic Kings and I'm from Tampa Florida.
How did you get your rap name 1Syke and was it the meaning behind it?
Well, my rap name is my street name except for the one at the beginning. The one being added was a prison thing that was going on when I was at Brevard Correctional, you know if a person put the one in front of your name -- when they addressed you, it meant you were official! It gets a little deeper but that's enough for now!
How would you describe your style and sound to someone who is not familiar with you?
Well, I don’t really know what kind of style I have I just feel the beat and express myself. You know if you’re not familiar with me, I'm really just telling my story right now!
What inspired you to become a rapper and when did you realize this was something you could do professionally?
I've always been inspired by music. Whenever I would here a hard song I would imagine myself on that beat. And I figured I could do it professionally when I met JG and he started working with me and when people heard the outcome they liked it!
Let us talk about your music now. You just released your single, All Bout Me, from your upcoming mixtape, Spillin My Beans. What was the process like for creating your single?
There was no process, I walked in the studio and my boy L played that beat while we where talking and the words started coming into my head. It's was like I had been waiting on that beat so I could get those thoughts off my chest. It’s never a process with me; I only write what I feel at that moment!
Is there an official release date for the mixtape?
No, there is no set release date for the mixtape yet. I really just want to grind out in these streets to let the people get familiar with me before I hit them with another mixtape. I jumped out there with Jack Boi Muzic like that and it went over their heads. I feel like I didn’t lay the proper foundation for it. I don't want people to miss out on this one because I didn’t properly deliver it!
So what "beans" aka "secrets" are revealed on the mixtape Spilling My Beans?
You're going to have to download All Bout Me for a preview or wait until it comes out to see. But it's basically my wins, losses, good qualities and flaws. A real introduction to my world no censor!
Your melodies are well structured. Do you have any musical background?
No, just love music and the rest is God given talent. I just learned how to count bars, I'm still learning how to do other things, and I’m learning things about myself musically!
What’s your favorite song on the mixtape and why?
I can't say a favorite because all of my songs are personal to me, but if I had to pick, it would be All Bout Me because for the first time in my life, I'm putting myself first. I've always been a team player but I never made the team revolve around me. That's the only way it can be now because people will use you until you're dead or in jail and move on like you never existed. People are so flawed these days; they take, take, take, and never give. I had to adjust and learn that I have to take some sh*t for myself.
Furthermore, you are working on a mixtape titled Traffic Kings with Tampa-based rappers Fatty Duke and Don Juan. Can you explain the concept for the project?
That was Fatty Duke's idea. He was making a solo mixtape called Traffic King, but me and Don Juan was dropping hot a** features on that bi**h and we all had our own grind. So it only made sense to turn it into a promotional tool for all of us! It's three ni***s that are official in these streets for real and don’t have all those flaw ass ways! It’s flaw ni***s everywhere but we got G's on Traffic Kings!
You are releasing a mini-movies series for this project. Can you talk about some details?
I don't want to go into the mini-movie thing just yet, but I'm working on a merchandise situation and just basically branding myself. If we do a great job with that, everything else will come.
What else are you working on besides these two mixtapes?
Besides mixtapes I'm just working on more mixtapes, because right now that’s the way to the promise land. Just staying consistent with the things that I can control and heavy branding.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in your music career so far?
My biggest accomplishment to date is me being able to perform around the country. I mean I'm not looking at this sh*t like that you feel me? I'm getting caught up in the moments because this is going to be one big adventure for me!
In the end, let the people know where they can find you online.
Everybody can find me on Twitter at @1syke and my website www.1SykeWorld.com. Make sure you all slide through and kick it with me!
- By Shannon Lockhart
