Artist: Trel Mack
Interviewer: Callas Lane

Philly has always played a part in Hip-Hop throughout the years, but one can't help but notice that it's getting a little quiet out there in Philly. What's going on Philly? There are a lot of artists on the rise making some noise but what it needs is a champ to hold it down for a long time. One of the artists making a lot of noise out there in Philly is a young, energetic, motivated, talented businessman by the name of Trel Mack. If you are not familiar with Trel you can hear him all over the Internet. Trel Mack is bringing a new image to the game and what is most admirable about Trel is he has his own unique style. Trel is not a gangsta rapper, he is from the city of brotherly love and he prefers to show the ladies a little love in his music. So, check out Trel Mack and find at more about him and his music as I talk with him on Sound Slam.

Sound Slam: Your songs from, "Mack of the Year," are all over the Internet. How does that make you feel?

Trel Mack: It makes me fell wonderful, because my music is getting out there to the masses. It's not the same grind that you'll see from a regular neighborhood rapper. We taking it to a whole new level. We overseas and they are playing my music on some radio stations over there. Everybody gets a chance to fell what I got to say in my music man. So, I'm feeling great because it's getting out there like that.

Sound Slam: I listened to a few of the songs on, "Mack of the Year," and they are all pretty hot tracks. What do you think it takes to make a hot song?

Trel Mack: Well, first of all, you need production. If you don't have the production then nine times out of ten that song is going to be pretty wack. So, production is everything. That's like about 50 percent of your record. Then you got to have a nice hook. You know what I'm sayin? That's what is going to make the people move and that's what is going to make people remember the song. Mostly, when people listen to music they get attached to the hook. They may not know the lyrics but they definitely know the hook. Another thing is their delivery. That's one of the things I found out that a lot of artists don't have. If I'm listening to the music and something doesn't come off right, I'll probably just skip it nine times out of ten. So, all of those things right there are components in making a good song. It's a process that you have to go thru when making a good song. It's time consuming and you have to be creative.

Sound Slam: Do you have any favorite songs off of your album?

Trel Mack: Let's see, "Lock Me Up," has been one of my favorite songs because there is a meaning behind it. Basically it's telling the world that you can't hold me down. There are no barriers. Whatever I do, I'm going to succeed in regardless of what yall say or try to do to me. Yall can't lock me down and that's basically what that song is about. Everybody can relate to that song. I know there's a point in everybody's life where they felt they weren't going to make it. They felt that way because these people said this or this person tired to hold me back from accomplishing what I need to do. When people listen to that song they fell like, okay I'm not going to let them lock me up. I'm not going to have them having me thinking that I can't be somebody. That's one of my favorite songs because it's real catchy and the production is crazy. Big shots out to Spontane for the track. The hook is catchy and it's had a lot of radio play. Everybody seems to love that song so it's one of my favorites. Another song on the album is "Mack of the Year." I like that song and it's a nice delivery. It's a real smooth record. I love, "Closer to You," because that's a track that I did when I was seventeen and to this day everybody still loves that song. The A&R for our label Street Knowledge Entertainment, Brandon, was like yo that song will never die out because that's a classic record that you did. I like all those records, some could be better, but for the most part those tracks to me are like the best on the album.

Sound Slam: What made you name the album, "The Mack of the Year."

Trel Mack: First of all, the name is Trel Mack and everybody calls me Trel Mack or Mack. Basically, I named the album, "Mack of the Year," because people seem to look at me as a lady's man. That's not what the album is based off but I was at the time of my life where it was like, Trel is that dude. So, I figured if I'm Trel Mack and every body is saying that I'm the perfect ladies man; then why not name the album, "Mack of the Year." Basically, that's saying I should get some type of award for being who I am. I'm not trying to say that I'm a hoe or nothing like that. I'm just tryna say I should get an award for it, you know? "Mack of the year," that's what it is.

Sound Slam: So what does it take to be a mack?

Trel Mack: What does it take? First of all, it takes being yourself to be a mack. Now, you can be a bad mack or you can be a good mack. You can be a Big Mac or you can be a sikel, I'm just playing [laughs].

Sound Slam: Laughing

Trel Mack: Naw, I'm just foolin around. I'm just tryna make it funny but, you should just be yourself. Be a cool dude, laid back. One thing that I noticed is that ladies love beautiful words. I guess that's what makes me a mack though. That's just who I am. I can't really talk for somebody else who calls themselves a mack. I'm just the mack of the year so, give me my award. You know what I'm sayin?

Sound Slam: Okay. So you are a part of Street Knowledge Entertainment. Explain your role and tell me everybody involved in that and who is on the team.

Trel Mack: Oh my goodness man, Street knowledge Entertainment? Not only am I a part of Street knowledge Entertainment but I am CEO/cofounder with my homeboy Q the Question aka Quinton Hatfield. Big shots out to him, we been holdin it down. Basically, we got a few people. We got me, Trel Mack himself, Q the Question, Brandon as A&R, DJ Trell Shells, Young NYDY, C.H., and DJ Plash. DJ Plash left his group to be with Street Knowledge Entertainment because he seen Street Knowledge was on the rise. You gotta excel in this game. He gets my songs played on the radio at Lasalle. We get Deidra, that's my personal assistant. So, that's my whole team. Big shots to Yo Raps.com, Hiphopdx, Nobody Smiling, Sixshot, they are like family. Oh, let me forget G.T. getting them songs played on the radio right. He got an album out right now called, "The Classic," go and get that because it is a classic. So go and check it out.

Sound Slam: Alright, so is Street Knowledge Entertainment an independent company or is it branched off of another label?

Trel Mack: Oh no. We don't branch off of nobody. This is our movement if anything they are going to branch off of us at Street Knowledge. This is an independent label, me and Q the Question started in 06. Basically, right now we on the rise right now. We made so much progress and now people know the name. We are overseas and we in the U.S. Everybody wants us as part of their group cuz they see that we go getters, we work hard and we business men. I'm not your regular Hip-Hop artist. So that's why people look up to us. They see dudes on the grind and they respect the hustle man. Street Knowledge went from something little to something that's big and beautiful right now. Big shot outs to HHJA (Hip-Hop Journalism Association), that's what it's about man.

Sound Slam: So, Q the Question is your business partner and I know he writes for several sites. Do you thing that has been a positive thing for your career?

Trel Mack: Oh yeah, that's an extreme positive. I gotta show Q love on this one because if it wasn't for him I don't think I would be where I am today. I'm just saying that from the heart because that's what's real. I know that other people will take credit of another person's work. I'm in a situation right now where somebody tried to take credit for what we doing, me and Q, but I'm not going to put no names out there. Yeah, big shots to Q the Question for getting me on the Hip-Hop sites, that's a big plus. It helps with getting your name out there.

Sound Slam: It's a well-known fact that you make your music for the ladies. So, tell me what made you want to reach out to the ladies?

Trel Mack: Not only do they buy the records. For some reason I just love ladies. I make them feel comfortable and that's what I want to do in my music. When they listen to my music I want them to be like, damn Trel I'm going through the same thing you said in your song. I want them to say, "This song makes me feel comfortable." I think that's just a thing inside of me in my personality. That's why I want to make music for the ladies because that's my cup of tea, that's my swagger you know. That's going well so far because I'm not a gangsta rapper. I don't do drugs so why not reach out to the ladies?

Sound Slam: I see we got a role model. So, do you feel like Rap music in general, disrespects or shows a lack or respect for females?

Trel Mack: To be completely honest with you, yeah. It shows a lack of respect for the female but at the same time some of the stuff that is being said is true. I know in my music I would never disrespect females. I try my best not to say slanderous words against females because it just doesn't seem right to me. Your regular rapper might say he gonna pick up a hoe and he is gonna fuck her tonight. When you think about it, it is a form of disrespect but some females put themselves out there like that. The rapper actually experienced that moment with a female that made them say that certain thing. You feel what I'm sayin?

Sound Slam: Yeah, I feel you on that. What qualities would you like in a woman?

Let's see. First thing, she needs to have a good head on her shoulders. I don't get no hood rat ass chick. I don't get a chick that's stuck in the hood life, for what? I need a girl that's affectionate, smart and caring. I need that type of female that is there to support me and they understand my purpose in life. I need her to support me 110 percent because what I'm doing is not easy and you are definitely going to have to have a backbone, somebody that is mature. Those are the qualities I'm looking for in a woman. Every man should want that but now days it's like a man wants a girl to come through and be his sex partner. You know what I'm saying. Then after that it's a wrap. It's nothing really there you basically wasting your time. You need to be with someone that's actually helping you in life you feel what I'm sayin?

Sound Slam: Who or what do you feel has motivated you to get this far in your music?

Trel Mack: I guess music and life in general. When I was growing up I had a few people I used to look up to. They see me now and they'll be like damn Trel you remember you used to ask me to write you a rap. Then they'll be like yo man I'm proud of you. Basically life in general has pushed me to get as far as I have. I feel like writing music is something that I wanted to do. I enjoy it and nobody wants to do something they really don't' want to do. So, I just keep pushing through it and making it the best that I can. If something does not work out in music then I got other plans. I got other goals that will make up for that.

Sound Slam: So, how long have you been interested in music?

Trel Mack: I been a fan of music for a long time but when I was 17, I started rapping here and there. I wasn't really pushing it then like I'm doing now. The difference between when I was 17 and now is that I wasn't serious about it. I would write a little rap here and there and it would sound good and be okay. Now when I see it's just so much love and everybody is like why don't you really do this shit. So, that's what I decided to do.

Sound Slam: Those are all my question and I appreciate the interview. Go ahead and give them the myspace.

Trel Mack: Okay, okay. Yo big shot outs to Q the Question, that's my boy you check out his latest interviews on his myspace.com/qhatfield, Young Nydy, G.T., Brandon, Trell Shells, Plash and the whole family. My boy RicoLevant, CEO Productions, Tru fam, Yo! Raps.com much love to Kai , Nobodysmiling, Hiphopdx big shout out to Jake Paine and Shake at DX too for showing me love, and DJ Ames. It's so many people but my myspace page, go and check that out. It's myspace.com/Trelmackmusic or streetknowledgeent.net and holla at your boy at Street knowledge because we on the rise at SKE.