INTERVIEW WITH TOK'N
By: Kayla Morrison
22 year old Tok’n started his Hip-Hop career on the fast track, right after getting out of high school. See what his plans and goals are for the future.
Could you tell little bit about yourself?
I’m Tok’n. I’m signed to the Indy label called Voodoo Records. I have a booking agent, War by Choice. We basically just finished my debut album, which is called Thirteenth Floor. We’re looking to release it by the end of summer. We just released our first single, Breaking the Game the video and the single was released to radio. So it’s being picked up by radio stations right across Canada. You know, so we’re just grinding that out and then we’re looking at a tour. I’m going on different tours: Montreal, Halifax, and then of course around Southern Ontario.
What inspired the name Tok’n?
Tok’n is kinda like a double meaning. Just like, the first meaning that most people think of is just like smoking. And you know I have to admit in high school, I was crazy with it. But later on, Tok’n means more like a path. And I feel that music is a path to express yourself. So that is how I came up with the name. So it kind of has that double meaning. And we kinda let people choose how it relates to them.
How would you describe your music?
It’s definitely Hip-Hop for mainstream with a rock undertone. We have a lot of guitar in it. And Voodoo records is actually mainly a rock label and I’m they’re only Urban signing as of now. So it definitely has a rock feel to it. But it’s definitely a main stream hip-hop, it’s meant for radio. It’s meant for mainstream play. I still have tracks that speak to underground hip-hop but mainly it’s meant to reach mass people.
When did you hook up with Voodoo records?
I signed with Voodoo Records about two years ago. And basically what they did at first was offer me a development deal. So we did a six-song demo, and we liked working together and it went really well. They taught me a lot, not just about rapping but, like, the music industry and to be very business savvy as well. So we decided to continue on, and they singed me on to do the rest of the record. So we did the rest of the record, and this is where we are now.
What has it been like working with them?
A great experience overall. Very laid back guys, good guys. They respect the opinions of artists. See Voodoo's good because you area also a business partner in it, because you invest as well. So they invest, you invest, so, it’s more like a joint collaboration. I have a company with my brother/my partner Kevin called K6N Entertainment. And we basically hooked up with Voodoo and it’s a collaborative thing. They label it, but the experience is great, it’s really home there, I really feel like it’s where I should be.
When did you realize that hip-hop was your calling?
I used to break dance before I started rapping, so when I was like in grade 6/7 I started getting into break dancing and then that evolved into rapping. Hip hop has always been a part of me and even growing up younger, my brother would always be tossing on the records and I was just following him, whatever he was listening to I would listen to. Yeah, so Hip-Hop has always been there. Right after I left high school did I decide to take it seriously, and I actually at first wanted to do more of the business aspect of it. But then I really got into being an artist.
What/who is your greatest inspiration?
I’d definitely say what. Just like life around you, you know. Because I listen to all different types of music and I draw from different people when it comes to music. Within Hip-Hop I think someone like Kanye West is a great inspiration. Not only is he talented, he’s a producer as well, or he is also a leader in his community, he has a mind, he speaks out for things that he believes are right. And I find that to be inspiring. And then I like to just draw from my friends and peers around me. Sit in the back, you’re sitting at a party, you’re sitting somewhere else, or someone’s talking to you. You know, on my record I have issues on schoolyard fighting, divorce, stuff like that, and that’s really drawing on experience from my peers. Like friends growing up with their parents going through divorce, so I really wanted to touch upon that, to show that…other people are also going through that.
What was it like working on your album THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR?
It was up and down. Frustrating at times, definitely. It’s a real struggle to make an album that you’re happy with and one that the whole team that you’re working with is happy with. I probably re-wrote and re-recorded every track like three times! But overall it was a good experience; it was a great experience. I’ll never have that first experience of doing a record again, so I’ll always just keep that as in “Wow this is my first record!” Because going into a second record I’ll be a lot more knowledgeable of what goes on. So it’s a great learning experience, but it was a struggle as well, because you want to make sure that it’s good. You don’t want to put anything out that you’re not proud of.
What will listeners most likely get out of the album?
Just good entertainment. Like tracks that will take you up and down. You know, different beats, different variety. But overall, the way that I see this, this is the entertainment industry and as an artist you can touch upon subjects, and you can talk to people but your number one job is still to entertain. When I pop in the CD, when I’m in the car, it’s because I want it to entertain me as I’m driving. That’s what I feel about music, you know, if you can get a message across, that’s great, but number one, you’re there to entertain that person. So I feel, that if you listen to my CD you’re entertained because it takes you through different things, a lot of rock, a lot of Hip-Hop, we have a lot of Reggae features on it, so it’s for everybody.
Do you feel that it’s important to be well rounded as an artist, in that sense?
Yeah, very important, especially nowadays to survive in the music industry, like I’m definitely looking at longevity in the business. I don’t just want to come out and maybe have just one good hit and then you never hear from me again. So, I’d rather walk and get where I’m going rather than run and be quickly stopped. I definitely want to look for longevity. Being well rounded and having different flavours will, I think, will definitely keep me around.
When did you start going towards this professionally?
Right after High School. Like I said I was trying to do the management part of it. I basically hooked up with a group, still good with those guys, but it was just differences in musical opinion, and kind of split. Because they’re more like underground Hip-Hop and I was trying to make more music more for the masses. I make music that I like, and I like mainstream music…I felt that going on my own would have done that. Basically what happened was that scooped up my brother, Kevin, who’s also my partner in this…he was messing around with dance music, so I told him that I needed some Hip-Hop beats, So he started to mess around with that and he started to write some beats and stuff and I started laying down the tracks. So we just grew, we started out in the basement with a little computer mike and we just grew and grew. Started making calls, started handing out demos and what not, and that’s what scored me my deal.
After the album, what do you think your next big career step?
Basically, after doing the album, right now we are definitely looking to go to Europe and Japan as well as Australia. We’re already shopping deals, they’re have already been some offers and deals over there. After, I guess we’re done with this record; I want to hit up with a second record very quickly as well as move onto other aspects. I’m looking to open up my own studio as well as my own label, I have different artists, already that I work with, coming underneath me. I want to plant myself in the industry so that I can be a part of it not just on an artist level but as well on the business level. So I’m definitely going to expand out into my own business and concentrate on that.
Do you have anything else to add?
Yeah! Vote for the single, Breaking the Game, on all the radio stations across Canada!
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