Check out my interview below with rap/hip-hop artist RyMic The King!
I’d like to know more about you. How did you come up with your stage name “RyMic The King”?
I came up with the name RyMic The King because RyeMike was always a nickname that some members of my family called me, but I used to hate it so bad. It was ridiculous. It’s quite a story as to why I chose the name, so brace yourself haha. I was in that stage where I rapped, but I couldn’t find the right name. I went through about 5 million of the corniest names on earth until I finally settled on my initials. I figured “Hey! They’re my initials, what could go wrong?” Then I saw other people with the name being used as an acronym, businesses using the name, diseases, etc. The thing about acronyms is that people use them so much that they can be used by anybody for any meaning. Plus the thought that there are so many other people with those initials that even more people could try to use it too made me ditch it. Once I scrapped my initials, I was in that stage where I was going through corny names again that about 5 million people already had. I remember my cousin telling me he was going to rap against some guy named “illicit” and to look him up, I looked up the name and there were a ton of cookie cutter artists everywhere with the same name. That was after I chose my name, but it’s an example of exactly something I didn’t want. I chose RyeMike despite not liking it figuring others wouldn’t like it too. Putting in mind all of the other people named RyeMike, I spelled Mike with a C so it was “Mic” like a microphone. I dropped the e in Rye because it really isn’t necessary and then to make it even more likely that nobody would ever touch my shit, I added “The King”. I chose “The King” not knowing that a bunch of other jabronis out here are calling themselves “Da King” or “Tha King” or something along those lines. I had no idea that people were doing that, I just chose “The King” because I made two songs before the name change called “Taking Over Your World” and “Kingpin Ballin’” and I just kind of carried that over into the name.
Now that's a funny story. At least you have a great story behind your name. I think it's very catchy. What encouraged you to pursue a career in the music industry? What all do you do?
Nothing and nobody encouraged me to pursue a career in the music industry. It’s just something that I’ve wanted to do for the longest time. Through the years people have told me to be more realistic and to try doing something else instead. I don’t want to do anything else. This music is it for me. Although after a while of doing music, everyone who hears my music and tells me “That was awesome! Keep doing what you’re doing!” really keeps me going. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t hear those things.
As an artist, I am a little different because I rap about different things. A lot of subjects I rap about, nobody else does. If they do use the same subject, they certainly don’t do it the same way that I do. Another thing that sets me apart is that I make a lot of funny songs, but they are not all funny. Whereas artists like Weird Al make only funny songs and artists like DMX make songs that are always hardcore, I could go either way. I like to give off the vibe that I’m a funny guy, but I’m not a joke.
I’ve worked with artists from all over. Some of the artists that I’ve worked with are: No Emotion Goldmask, Toombs, Slick Chops, and Snail.
That's a creative niche and will help you stand out as an artist. Are you currently working on anything new?
As of right now, I’m just pushing my last mixtape (The Way Mixtape 2) farther out. I’m currently on a talent search for other artists and producers to work with on future projects. I do occasional collaborations on other artists’ projects too. I am considering getting a label off the ground, but at the moment I have labels looking my direction to sign me as an artist, so I’d like to hear what they have to say first before I go all out and get other people involved in my movement.
That's wonderful! I hope that works out for you RyMic :). Do you have any specific goals as you continue to work in the industry?
My first goal in music is to be successful as an artist. By successful, I mean that I want to be able to go on tour and book shows anywhere in the country and have a great turnout. I want people to hear my music from all around and respect what I do. My second goal is as a businessperson. I want to be able to make money from my music so that I can live without doing another job that I don’t like to do. Nobody expects anybody from other professions to get jobs to support themselves. If you
want to be a lawyer, nobody says that you could stock shelves at Wal Mart and be a Lawyer too. They just expect them to be a lawyer. That’s the way I think it should be for me as an artist. I shouldn’t have to work the drive thru window just to live, and then make music on the side for almost nothing. I just want to make music and support myself from my music and my music alone. Ideally, I’d like to make enough to where I won’t have to worry about rent and things like that. I just want to have things paid so I could just live free and do what I love to do.
I definitely wish you the best in your career journey. Please keep in touch so that I can offer a way of help along the way!
Contact Information
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/takingoveryourworld
Free Mixtape: http://www.datpiff.com/RyMic-The-King-The-Way-Mixtape-Vol-2-mixtape.352370.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rymictheking
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/rymictheking
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