Today we’d like to introduce you to Teddy Monsta.
Hi Teddy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
For me, it all started at Matic’s house. Ahmad took me over there one day while they were planning to record some music. They asked me to write 2 verses and get on 2 songs with them and here I am a million songs later. I never thought I would be involved in music seriously or even make music for real in any capacity. I didn’t see it as something that was actionable. But it was and my friends showed me. I think that was the beginning of my mind state-changing too, if we want to do something, we gotta create the something. This was when I was 15 or 16 so all I know at the time is school and play sports. It never crossed my mind to have other hobbies. Or that I even could have other hobbies. So as time passed and I created relationships within the music world out here. We began to do shows and create momentum. People began to become familiar with S.O.G. Straight out the Game Entertainment. Pack Man, Briss Mula, Dul Black, LT, and myself. We all were gaining recognition in a group capacity as well as individually. And then I got in trouble in 2010 and slowed the whole thing down. I was out the picture for a year and over that time I seen that it was difficult for everyone to stay consistent with music just because they were dealing with life stuff as well. It was hard on me because I felt like it was my fault. So, when I came home, I had to make a shift. At first, it was only Briss Mula and me. Everyone was still dealing with life situations that needed their full attention. So, we turned it up for when everyone would be back. We linked up and started doing a lot of work with LXMB. I was their engineer and Dj for years, while also making songs with them. That was a wave even we didn’t see coming. Ppl loved what we were doing, what we were putting out, the whole thing. To the point where we began to be recognized as a collective. Around this same time, we also rocking with FLY U real tough at the time. That’s where Welo500 comes into the picture. With help from High-end HipHop, and Get Money Stop Hating, we were able to go on a tour and jump on the Midwest leg. Crazy time! After coming back from that tour, Briss and I began recording with a Sony producer in LA and made the EP, Nostalgia. Recording in LA helped us and hurt a lot I won’t lie lol. It helped because it exposed us to more people who we could connect with and create a better situation. It hurt because after that we were spoiled. Didn’t want to go to any other studio because we wanted High sound quality. Not wanted to collaborate with people who rapped a certain way. And for me, it was when I decided I’m never writing music again. So, a lot changed after that too. It changed the trajectory of our sound. It changed the dynamic in which we collab. It changed our minds state altogether. After that, we spent about 2 or 3 years in Dallas just learning more about ourselves and our music, and our potential. Being from California everyone expects us to make banging music, but we never did. We just make the slaps. So, in Texas, it tripped people out that we are from Cali, but sound like we can go anywhere in the world and it going to hit. We always felt that way, but you supposed to feel that way about yourself. So, to get so much confirmation was different and kind of jarring. In San Diego we were used to people thinking we were, not necessarily weird, but just like trying to be out the way by making the music we make. When in reality for us we just knew that we didn’t have to make a certain sound just because of where we are located. So, we came back with a new energy. We met BrokenStarr, and since then we’ve been building a new mountain that I feel like people can see now. For those who know Briss Mula, he’s back into making funny videos on the internet. Dul Black turned into the Southeast Barry White. Pack Man is about to graduate from one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. LT is running a company by himself very successfully. And I’m here to be able to tell you about it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For me, the biggest struggle was always self-service vs. the service of others. Naturally, I’m a helper so I’m always trying to make sure people around me have what they need. In the process, I would be confused because things would never line up for me or go the way I needed them to. I never realized that the help I needed, I was giving away. And it took me forever to realize that. I still struggle with it today. But when I recognize it, I drop all thoughts and chose myself. I can say a lot of other things, but that’s the one Daniel son.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I might have alluded to this earlier, but I’m a recording artist lol. People say I’m known for having a “ready to go” sound and being different. I strive to be weird lol. I don’t want to be in any setting, and someone can tell everything about me just by looking at me. I feel like I see a lot of people get comfortable looking like what they are. Which also kind of led into me starting to make custom jeans and jackets. Wanting to be weird and different. My goal is to not be what you expect me to be. Even in my music, the way I use my voice is based off that off-key shower singing or in the car alone singing hella loud lol. I’m not trying to be in a key or hit a note. I’m matching a feeling. A feeling that’s only created by you. So, when you sing the words, you feel it, cause you felt it before.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
1 thing that is very important to me is my community engagement. I grew up in South East watching us all want more and just a lil help when we need it. But we never seen either. As I got older, I always wondered why it was like that and how can I be any part of changing it. Eventually, I learned about a nonprofit that combats social injustices and aims to educate and advocate for resources in my community. So, I applied and I’ve been working with that company for 10 years to do different work in South East to make it better.
Also, every year, my friends and I do a toy drive to give back to the kids in our neighborhood. We provide toys for at least 100 families each year and strive to make it bigger each year. And we gain more support we would like to start doing back-to-school drives, and also a spring event for kids. We open our arms to anyone who would like to help out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @teddymonsta
- Facebook: TeddyMonsta
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/UPxi88iJH8cxKvuNA
Image Credits
@BrissMula
