This next artist has been posting impressive freestyles on the gram, and recently participated in the #SoDMVchallange with a twist, SoMD (PG County)! It’s not hard to say that this skillful artist is possessing serious heat! The DMV AUX presents to you, the clever, next level Hip-Hop artist, T. Wood.
T. Wood was born and raised in Forestville, Maryland, aka “The Ville." As an adolescent, T attended and graduated from Forestville High School, which was shut down in 2016 due to funding interference with a school nearby. During that time, If T wasn't doing anything musically, he played sports, and enjoyed doing “Hoodrat things with his hoodrat friends,” he stated in laughter.
His start in music came from hanging around his father, a successful artist himself, at an early age. You may have heard T’s father hit songs featured in the documentary “Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Greene” in 2008. He shared, “I would be in the studio playing with the drums as my dad recorded; The first song I’ve learned to sing was Marvin Gaye’s ‘Come Get To This” funny to say, but that’s initially how I got my soulful vibes by listening to Marvin.”
Speaking of soulful vibes, T is inspired by Erykah Badu, Marvin Gaye, J. Cole, Fabulous, Kendrick Lamar, his parents, etc. “I’m inspired by my parents because they push me to work hard and are always in my corner,” he stated.
As T matured and time progressed, his craft did too. At age 16, he found himself assembling lyrics in journals, and posting freestyle videos with his friend on Facebook for fun. “After I realized my love for music, I started perfecting my storytelling and writing.”
However, he didn’t take music seriously as a career until graduating from college in 2015. T then decided that he was going to follow his dreams, and invest in his passion. He stated, “If your dreams don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough.”
When it comes to his musical style, T has posted many dope freestyles on his Instagram, but there’s nothing like putting pen to paper and writing critically for him. Through the use of story-telling and staying authentic, T prides himself on being one of the many rappers who rap about real-life/actual things.
“I’m not saying it’s not real rap out here, but there are more goofy rappers than anything right now; I keep integrity within my music, some people may love it, some people may hate it, but I can’t control that,” he concluded.
In light of the DMV music scene, T believes there is a vast amount of talent in the DMV, but lyrically many rappers are becoming repetitive due to a lot of artists wanting to be somebody, but not themselves.
Personally, his greatest accomplishment so far has been releasing his latest project ‘More 2 Come’ in 2018. He considers this his greatest achievement due to it being a huge improvement from his last. Aside from music, T is focused on leaving his mark on the world. “I want to rebuild and reopen my old high school, Forestville, like what Lebron did, but better.” Overall, he wants to continue spreading love and urging others to be themselves.
Two years from now, T sees himself hitting his peak and balancing life in the right way. “The real will always survive, and real talent will always last,” he stated. To elaborate on that statement T used a great example, “Everyone was canceling Kanye West, but as soon as he drops an album, everyone will be on his heels; with that being said, real talent will always last.” At the end of the day, T is doing this because he loves it, and sooner or later, he believes things will fall in place.
When it comes to advice for aspiring artists, T would tell them to not give up in the face of challenges. Although it’s not easy, if you really love it, you will stick through it. He then shares a time when he was boo’d on stage. “My 2nd show performing I was boo’d before I even started rapping, but they decided to give me another 30 seconds, and I killed it! I get nervous like everyone else, and at that moment I could of threw in the towel, but I didn't.” Lastly, stay confident.
Read more about T. Wood with a closer look below.
Say your at home and a natural disaster is coming, you have to evacuate immediately what 5 items are you taking ?
Phone, keys, one of my flyest outfits, food, and a plane ticket.
Key Factor: I’m by myself, leaving from an airbnb!
( T, is hilarious, this question was quite the struggle)
If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
If I didn’t have to sleep, I would go to the studio because usually, I’m not able to spend as much time in the studio due to work, etc.
What’s one of your biggest pet peeves?
My biggest pet peeve is when I open a door for someone, and he/she doesn't say thank you - It’s very disrespectful.
What’s one thing you wish you didn’t have to pay for?
Student loans, it shouldn’t be number one, but it is. College really shouldn't cost as much as it does.
Would you rather Win $50,000 or let your best friend win $500,000?
Well it depends on what best friend, but I'll let one of them win.
If your having a bad day, what is something you often do to turn things around?
When you think about what our ancestors had to go through, compared to now - a bad day isn’t so bad. I don't have anything to be mad about. It could be worse, some people are not here, homeless, or in jail.
Magnified Topic of the Week: T. Wood single “Money Came With The Fame” featuring Coles