I Am Tru Starr
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | INDIE
Music
Press
Replete with lopsided synths and refried beats, Tru Starr's latest EP Hair Like Basquiat exists on a continuum between Dilla, Outkast, and Gordon Voidwell. The record jumps between nihilistic “fuck em all” chants on “Shine” and the reaching for higher consciousness and social justice of “Dear Mama 2015.” Starting from a crisis of faith on “Dear Mama,” Tru Starr battles with his contradictory desires to change the world for the better and a desire to fuck it all and get wasted. “I'm just somewhere in between,” Tru Starr intones on the centerpiece “MLK.”
Alt-soul outfit The Suburban Plaza show up for the immaculately produced “Stranger Than Fiction,” with the killer hook “every saint has a past and every sinner got a future.” Though “Power.” is the track that's getting the most love right now, it's the Slim Chance produced “MLK” that shines brightest on the EP. Over a psychedelic sample, Tru Starr's hazy flow finds it's rhythm. When he interrupts his musings on the great men and villains of history to ask “hey babe, where my weed at?” the whole EP comes sleepily into focus. Ultimately (for better and for worse) Hair Like Basquiat is the sonic equivalent of getting lit and talking politics at 3 AM. It's comfortably thought provoking, maybe not the internally consistent manifestos of Dead Prez and The Coup, but still a good time. And sometimes the only manifesto you need is a middle finger and “fuck em all.”- Nathan Leigh (AFROPUNK contributor) - AFROPUNK
Presented as the B-Side to last year's Hair Like Basquiat, I Am Tru Starr's latest B-Sides is more than just a collection of miscellaneous other songs he had lying on his hard drive. The 4 song EP builds on the ideas of Hair Like Basquiat and refines and clarifies them, particularly on the anxiously beautiful “It.” Warped synths, skipping percussion, and Tru Starr's laconic vocal delivery define the set, mixing social and political commentary with stream of conscious 3 AM conversation. Though laid back, it's unexpectedly engaging and thought provoking.
I Am Tru Starr explains:
“We all since the day we were born have bee subjected to tv programs, music among other sources all designed to make you feel inadequate. To not embrace the most beautiful parts of yourself. Unfair beauty standards or ideals of what it takes to be considered beautiful have had a real adverse effect on generation of kids who one have never been properly taught to love themselves. It. turn making it impossible for them to love others. Especially in the ghetto when how the hell do you expect me to love someone who looks like me. Similar skin, nappy kinky hair. How in the hell can I love that person when you have taught me to hate those same things about myself. but look around now. Bunch of kids walking around embracing their own beauty. Their "Power." harnessing it and wearing boldly. Whole generation of kids boldly proclaiming this who we are. This is what we are. Fuck you if you don't like it.” - Nathan Leigh (AFROPUNK) - AFROPUNK
Who: My name is Tramayne Watson aka I.Am.Tru.Starr .
Roots: I’m originally from upstate New York, Rochester to be exact.
Sound: My style of music is an eclectic mix of hiphop, soul, chillwave, and funk, all rolled into one melodic package I call “SOUL HOP”.
Artis Love is more of an idea than a actual person. Art is Love you know? I got rid of my original fb page because it was pretty lame and and my timeline seemed to transform into a constant stream of negativity so I shut that page down and decided to start the Artis love page to better engage people who were like minded to share my perspective with and have those difficult but necessary conversations with those people in order to better understand theirs.
On growing up:
My upbringing was cool yo. Parents going on 30 years strong. My mother is just amazing as a mom and a woman. Stuck with my father thru his drug abuse and all. She really has been the glue all these years. Hasn’t all been good but you know growing up in the ghetto you never really realize how bad it is as a kid because everyone around you is struggling just as bad if not worst than yall. You learn the art of being thankful early.
When did I know music was my passion:
I always had an idea of what I wanted out of my life and what I wanted to do with my life. Our generation is so unlike our parents and grandparents. We are limitless. We are told we can be anything we want to be. I always wanted to make music. It just always made the world seem better to me.
My first project #HalfwayHome came out in early 2012. I released my second project Eat.Pray.Dilla which was an J Dilla inspired ep on Thanksgiving 2014, and now we are on to “hair like basquiat.”
Musical influences:
My influences vary from a wide range of artists from Donny Hathaway and how bare he was on songs. Alanis Morissette To the fearlessness of a Marilyn Manson, Rage Against The Machine, Kanye West. The list goes on. I’m inspired by a lot of my friends music lately tho and other amazing indie artists on the scene today. It’s a really exciting time for artistry.
Dream collaborations:
Top 3 would be SZA cause I can hear the beauty in her soul thru her music. It feels like she’s telling the bare naked truth instead of just singing cuz she’s talented. Gary Clark Jr. cuz he’s gritty blues drenched in soul and serious with the axe. And my third I would have to say Little Sims cause she be so turnt and really be going in. Definitely the hardest question I’ve been asked all week.
Happiest music moment:
Happiest music moment thus far is J Dilla’s mom Ma Dukes and The J Dilla Foundation reaching out and telling how much they loved my last ep Eat.Pray.Dilla and that they appreciated me showing proper respect to Dilla’s memory
Advice for the upcoming artist:
Create your art from a loving place and keep that love constant thru-out. When done in that manner and coming from that loving place Hate and negativity cannot exist near it.
What Wear Your Voice means to me:
Wear your voice to me means always stay true to yourself. And fight for what you feel is right - Wear Your Voice Magazine
What if Jesus had hair like basquiat? Rochester native IamTruStarr hopes to find the answer to that and much more with the world premiere release of his freshly-minted EP.
Totaling six tracks, the project features Booth-approved lead single "Power." There are no guests, and production comes courtesy of Kae Biz, Kza K' Lee, LJ Milan, The RVLT, Slim Chance and Von Dutch.
IamTruStarr's hair like basquiat. EP is available now for full, free streaming exclusively in The DJBooth. - Dj Booth.net
I.Am.Tru.Starr. makes his inaugural Booth feature today with Power., an extra smooth effort off of his upcoming hair like basquiat. EP. The project follows up the Rochester native’s J Dilla inspired project from late last year, and the latest offering finds him and his laid-back flow over an opulent, downtempo beat from producer LJ Milan. - Dj Booth.Net
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
With an inexhaustible amount of creativity woven deep into the layers that make up the artist that is I.Am.Tru.Starr, his career, as a recording artist, is a testament to that of a dedicated craftsman’s. Making sure he was able to come correct with his talents, this Rochester-born musician is now stepping out amongst the shadows with a mission larger than an average vocalist’s.
Using his modest upstate roots as motivation for his own music, I.Am.Tru.Starr is working with the intention to lead by example, with a dedicated passion to show the next generation already looking up to him that beautiful things can grow out of what others consider a deadbeat town.
“Growing up in places like where I’m from, kids don’t get the chance to dream properly,” the emcee says, with bright eyes. “I’m chasing mine so they don’t ever have to be timid about chasing theirs.”
Recording music in a serious capacity since 2012, I.Am.Tru.Starr grew up in music by way of his neighborhood, with his friends challenging him early on to find confidence in his natural ability to rap, going on to form a group out of a local DJ’s basement using borrowed equipment. As a child I.Am.Tru.Starr would emulate the vocal styling of Dave Hollister until his family would tell him to quiet down. Eventually they started listening and whether he was singing classic covers or sneaking in his own rudimentary lyrics, their compliments began to hold weight, especially considering that as a musical household with high standards, his family members were tough critics to please.
Channeling the spirit and sounds of the likes of D’Angelo, Fred Hammond, Scarface, Andre 3000 and Donny Hathaway and more, I.Am.Tru.Starr’s current sound is film noir meets 2016. His ability to share his story with potent lyrics and lush melodies, carefully crafted into his own self-described sound of “Soul Hop,” allows him to both reach - and captivate - a varied audience. Taking elements of hip-hop, R&B, funk, gospel and alt-soul, I.Am.Tru.Starr’s battle cry is emotional. His music comes from a place of raw honesty, and that foundation of pure expression is all he has. After getting swallowed by the wrong crowd and experiencing significant setbacks as a result, I.Am.Tru.Starr prevailed by harnessing a redefined purpose, learning more than the instruments he taught himself during this deeply personal and challenging chapter of darkness.
As I.Am.Tru.Starr begins to settle into a space entirely his own musically, he is built up by the people he selectively works with, finding a second family in his curated group of producers and creative minds. A fiend for live music in any capacity and cheap-but-quality eats, I.Am.Tru.Starr travels through life curious about the undeniable power of art, and in turn, truth – and the ways in which the world is united.
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