I’ve been inspired to become an artist since I was a kid. Just the thought of being rich, famous, having a voice that the whole world will one day be interested in hearing and being a bread winner and being that’s taking care of my whole family was my motivation to get into music.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I honestly have a lot of influences me being a strong musical being that listen to all genres except bluegrass and heavy metal, I have a lot of influences. But if we keeping it in hip hop I rocked tough with Bone Thugs fresh out the womb in the 90s. I think the first day I was born I heard some shit from them that locked me in lol. Then as time went on it just went all over, 50 Cent, Ludacris, Joe Budden, all of Dipset, T.I ect… in the early 2000s. As of right now Starlito is my favorite artist of all time fr bro just speak nothing but truth shit don’t be overly fabricated listening to him. It’s like he speak on shit that soon as I walk out my front door I see exactly what he talking about lol. The next you got Kevin Gates he can tend to do the same as Starlito plus in his interviews I learn a lot from bro, especially when he get to talking spiritual. Then you got Kodak Black it’s crazy cause bro younger than me but smart as hell lyrics be on point and he 100% his self. It’s so many more but I’ll be all day cause I respect all of em for obviously doing the impossible.
What is the story behind your stage name?
Man it’s fake deep fr. I was going through a major mental and emotional warfare once upon a time where it started making me think deeper about my spirituality. I started thinking like who am I, what am I and what is all this life shit really about? So I started thinking about religion and like what religion do I belong to? Then I’m like a lot of the religions I know a little about all have some of the same similarities worded differently then it branches out to other things they individually practice. Then some people believe religions are man made so I’m like just going to create a new religion called the REALigion and anybody that follows is a REALigionist lol. This for the spiritual people we embrace all religions and their beliefs and what sounds off we filter out what sound good we embrace. Then that’s around the time Young Thug ft Duke had the song “With That” and when they said “Tru da man True to my nigga True Religion Buddhaman” it felt like they was talking about me lol. Here I am going through these warfares and thinking of a new religion and I hear that, so I said let me just run with Buddha Man. Then I’m like the world might think I’m a Buddhist promoting Buddhism but they idolize a man named Buddha not Buddha Man so I’m like yeah Buddha Man it is lol
How would you describe your musical style?
My style is versatile fr I can never stick to one style I’m a chameleon I can blend in with a lot of different things. I even got a song called “Chameleon” explaining how I blend in with different things. You might catch me speaking deep heart felt situations one minute, next minute getting to some money and just living your life and having fun. I really don’t want to box myself in to one specific style cause with time things may change and I might blend my sound with other genres for expansion purposes if that makes sense. As of right now you’re going to get that of course coming out of the struggle, heart ache and pain with a lil fun. Because dammit im struggling going through shit trying to find my way and having fun while going through it all lmao!
Can you walk us through your writing and recording process?
When I have moments of clarity I write my best. Meaning when everything is going according to planned in my everyday life that’s when I have the best focus to just listen to an instrumental and flow. I don’t use the pen and pad no more straight notepad in the smartphones. I’ll find a beat catch a mental note of it, pause it, write to it then replay the instrumental and fill the words in. I’m a beast at recording cause I mentally master what I do before I go in to record. I know my song as if it already came out on the radio before I go in. If I can spit Lil Baby, or some other rappers shit word for word why I can’t spit my own shit just as good when it’s time to hit the booth. Plus I don’t want to be wasting too much time and money bullshittin. I feel like I only got one time to prove myself to myself. But I have fell short before lol
What message do you hope to convey through your music?
To give hope, motivation, have fun with life and to keep going no matter what, at whatever you do. Don’t self sabotage thinking I’m too young, I’m too old, I’m too skinny, too big, do what your heart desire until it gets accomplished. Then repeat the process as new goals come until you disappear from the earth.
Can you tell us about your latest album or project?
Right now I’ve been just doing a lot of networking pushing my latest single “Stepped Up”. Me being independent I’m testing out what is and what ain’t. As I network for marketing and promotion I’m mentally and physically taking notes of what is and is not giving the best results for the things I put money into. That way I know what tools to keep in my back pocket to go to the top with me. I’m sitting on a lot of unreleased and unrecorded music cause before dropping I want everything to make sense. I don’t want to just be dropping nothing that’s just sitting there. I want to know every time I drop something it’s out of there and it make some type of organic noise without the bots. I have yet to record the video but that’s coming I need traction from the song before I feel like it’s time to shoot the video. Once I see this going up unreleased situations will follow right behind it on some old to me new to the world type shit!
What is the most challenging aspect of creating music for you?
Creating the music is really easy. It’s nothing to write the song, and go record. But what tools others may have that I need to get everything in order could be what’s challenging. Getting someone that knows how to mix and master was a challenge. I feel like “Stepped Up could be mix and mastered a little better but that could be me overthinking and self sabotaging. Also getting good marketing and promotion could be a challenge if the results not really resulting after putting money into a situation. I’m not expecting to be a millionaire off of a 50 dollar promo, but if I do praise to the higher power. But if I put something in I want to see something shake even if it doesn’t come back in money form like how I promoted “Stepped Up” and it led to this, the results kind of resulted lol
How do you deal with criticism and negative feedback?
I don’t lol. I do not deal with negative feedback or criticism. If I hear somebody saying something off the wall that’s throwing me off I get to daydreaming on they ass about something else I need to be doing instead of listening to they shit. Dont let me get to laughing while you’re talking either, that mean I either tuned so far out or tuned back in and you’re still talking and I already got my next move planned lol. Or I’m laughing cause you really thinking you eating getting a point across and that shit barely went in one ear to even get a chance to go out the other lmao!
What sets you apart from other artists?
It’s going to be a lot. I’m not coming in the industry with the instant tough guy image, im with all that dumb shit but fr im just here to handle my business and elevate out of poverty finally. I know some bullshit gone come knocking and im here for it but fr I’m trying to get away from that bull like I said in “Stepped Up”. I’m just getting to this bag for my wife and kids and sitting my ass down somewhere. Also my style like I mentioned earlier it’s highly subjective to change for expansion purposes. Then you got my image I wear different colored custom Buddha Man ski mask to match my attire or paint on face to match my attire as well. The face paint could go as deep as matching the colors and the logos of my attire. One day you might catch me doing a brand partnership with McDonald’s with red paint and the yellow M in a commercial or in a Louis Vuitton outfit match the color of the outfit and LVs on my face. So between coming in the game for the fortune of having an elevated lifestyle not so much the fame, the attire, the versatility and many other things I’ll be set apart.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced as a musician, and how did you overcome it?
Just learning the depths of the music industry period and getting an understanding how to grow further than being just a local artist was an obstacle. I heard so many people back where I’m from constantly arguing about being the best in the city. So again like I said in “Stepped Up” I said “I’m coming for the world I’m not just trying to be the man of the city.” So I just started networking outside of my city into cities that really make noise with this such as Atlanta for starters. Because back where I’m from not too much noise is being made in the industry so I couldn’t see myself even getting into low vibrational he say she say competition in a city that ain’t screaming. So the first city I went to of course was Atlanta I went there as a boy and left that mufucka a man. The first mentor I had Rob Terrell told me the game is 90% business 10% talent. That lil sentence alone put so much impact on me and I started moving completely different with this after that. The phrase slowly and surely been working day by day, month by month, year by year as I apply the knowledge and everything been going my way fr with this.
Who are your dream collaborations and why?
I honestly don’t have one. Yeah I rock with a lot of big artist and everything they do but like I said before I’m willing to blend with whoever to expand myself and see what magical sound we can put together fr. I had the opportunity to collab with Starlito before he advertised something I think around Covid time and said hit up DJ Logan Garrett to lock it in but I ended up going to jail and messed that up. But as I grow in the industry I expect everything to happen naturally and in perfect timing. Might fuck around and catch me doing collabs from Kodak Black, to Taylor Swift, to Rascal Flatts, to Mavado lol
Can you discuss a time when you faced a creative block, and how you overcame it?
I usually get a creative block when I have a lot going on in my personal life aside from the music. When that happens I’ll fall back a little from everything outside of my personal problems take care of the obstacles then go back in on what I was trying to do before the problems occurred. Like in 2010 I had a lot of legal situations going on so I had to do so much other shit to keep from going to prison so I could think completely as high as I wanted to. When it was all over I was back turning up.
What do you consider to be your biggest musical accomplishment?
I can’t even fully pinpoint one. I’m proud of all the things I’m doing. I think the e-commerce store I have that corresponds with my brand fr. That’s where I can see a lot of revenue coming from as of right now because the streaming revenue ain’t about shit unless you hitting millions. But if you ain’t hitting millions and got merch being sold you’ll see more money from that than the streams. So when I finally figured out how to put my online store into place I felt a slight sense of financial freedom, cause now I see things getting real passive.
How has your hometown and community influenced your music?
It influenced it a lot because it’s a no man’s land out there. Everybody talking to be talking about whatever and not too many people standing on nothing but words no action. So that made me stop talking and start networking in different cities and states like I said earlier. Nobody from where I’m from even know if I’m still doing music or nothing. I’m branching out elsewhere cause again not too much success come out of where I’m from with this, so I had to move around. Plus between the ski mask and face paint if you wasn’t with me from ground zero you won’t know or believe this is me behind all this even when the gossip get to going. I’ll go back if need be and lift who I feel need to be lifted after I get my buzz going, but fr I’m moving forward. Again like I said in “Stepped Up” “Ain’t no looking back to the hood I’m gone.”
What advice would you give to aspiring artist?
Do what you want to do and how you want to do it. Don’t let nothing or nobody discourage what you’re doing especially if they’re not in your line of business to be giving out any opinions. The main thing mfs say to somebody trying to make it in the music industry is “once you hit your 30s you should give it up.” And it mainly be the females trying to down play the men that’s trying to make it. It’s like stfu so you telling us 30s is too late to start a business stfu yall don’t even know the depth of this. But like I said again that’s just people that’s not in the line of business you’re pursuing just talking because of what they think they know what it is. The yns are being lifted a lot by older mfs that’s behind the camera and if the older mfs want to get in front of the camera they can cause they the ones that really got the bag. They let they yns get in front of the camera to influence the younger generation for more sales but that’s an another story. It’s 2 mfs out of England named Pete & Bas right now in the 80s doing numbers with the rap so how you explain that? Keep going dont stop and stay away from anybody going against what you’re trying to do!
What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not making music?
Shid sleep and/or spend time with my wife and kids lol. Because when I’m not sleep I’m always on go or thinking of the next move to make while trying to balance keeping my family happy and investing in this and other business ventures. So any free minute I get outside of all of that and this I’m going to sleep.
What are your favorite and least favorite things about the music industry?
My favorite thing about the music industry is knowing it’s not all about the music that gets you the bag. 90% Business 10% Talent so knowing that it’s other things you do and invest in behind the scenes of music to get a good video and stage presence is what I like. The average Joe believe you got to be super talented then boom millionaire, but as I been tip toeing through this shit I learned that this ain’t that. The least thing I like is if you quick to just run with some shit and say yes to a situation a mf will sell you a dream. You can’t be thirsty and rush into some shit you feel not sounding right. “If you give us this much, then we can do this, that and the third.” Like slow down let me spend my money when I feel the time right don’t rush me into shit. I got other things my hands in and that I’m doing I’m not about to buy into some what if’s upfront. That’s another topic for another time though.
How do you stay connected with your fans and supporters?
Right now I just stay posting on my IG stories and every so often post on FB and when I post on there everybody get in tune cause it’s been a while since they last saw me. I just been focused on planting my seeds and watering the grass so I’m not extra active. I’m just working hard in the dark and it’s going to come to light for the world to see. What happens in the dark comes to light whether good or bad, the bad just happen to come to light faster cause this world like to thrive off bullshit quicker than cool shit. But I take mental notes of who I see staying down with me throughout the come up and in the long run they’ll fuck around and in up in position with me to come to the top.
What was the biggest lesson you learned from your musical journey so far?
Don’t be to quick to just buy into some shit. If it ain’t sounding right to your liking tell it hell naw I’m cool. I’m about to normalize just hanging up in some faces or exiting some zoom calls when I say let me think about it and they’re trying to help me think about it. I said “let me think about it” not “let’s think about it.” My hands be into many other things and some times my timing with what is being presented ain’t ready. Then I get to feeling like somebody trying to force me when I got other shit going on I start getting offended. Yea nothing personal it’s business but sometimes I start taking it personal
Can you tell us about a memorable performance you’ve had?
A virtual performance I did at King Of Diamonds in Atlanta. It wasn’t nothing major but it was just my first time in King Of Diamonds and doing a virtual performance. So all that was just a slight lit situation.
What are your future plans for your career as an artist?
Eventually reach out for collaborations and to turn Buddha Man into a movie character. Since I come with the face paint and ski mask I want to turn him into a cartoon character, a hood superhero and scary movie! Buddha Man (The Neighborhood Nightmare) and Buddha Man (The Neighborhood Hero). Just eventually take this farther than music.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a performer?
That slight stage fright I get at the beginning. But once I get to hearing my music and feeling the beat I get lost in my lyrics and block out the fact I’m on stage and start turning up. Once I get lost in the music and remember I’m on stage I start feeling like everybody came to see me anyway! Just me being on the beginner level of the game. When I start getting more traction it’s over the crowds will feel like I’m putting on a show at a family reunion.
Can you discuss a time when you faced adversity and how you overcame it?
Fr fr I don’t think I’ve faced that yet. Everything I’ve doing been premeditated and strategic to a mental and written out plan I’ve been having for myself. Everything been right on time for me fr so far. If anything haven’t went as planned then I just tell myself now’s not the time and do something else and get back to this later. But since I can’t recall anytime I’ve faced adversity I don’t believe I’ve faced it
What do you think is the most important quality for a successful artist?
Being different and creativity! It’s millions of people trying to do music all over the world if you can think outside the box and come a way that’s never been came to lock the eyes in on you, then you got it going on!
How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals as an artist?
Knowing that I’m making this a lifestyle and not a hobby is what keep me focused and motivated. I treat this like a 9 to 5 if a mf can commit they self to waking up everyday to go slave to make another mf rich, why not wake up everyday to put work in to make myself rich. Can’t see myself giving up if I give up that mean I quit my soon to be million dollar job. Winners don’t quit!
Can you tell us about a project or song that holds a special place in your heart?
Everything I’m doing holds a special place in my heart because I’m doing the impossible in a lot of people eyes. So as I creep into the industry slowly and surely it become more and more sentimental to me because nobody really believes. I’m probably the only one that believe in me 100%. So day by day, month by month and year by year as things unfold everything I’ve done, I’m doing and will do hold more and more value.
What do you think is the role of an artist in society?
To influence! Music is a highly influential tool used in society. It plays on emotions, it changes moods, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, behaviors etc. So depending on the song’s message or even the message an artist wants to portray it can alter a person’s outlook. If you listen to Rod Wave you can expect to possibly cry especially if liquor in your system. Then if you listen to King Von you might be ready to yeah you see where I’m going.
What is your favorite and least favorite part of the touring process?
My favorite part about touring is visiting new cities and states, growing new fans/supporters and meeting other upcoming artists throughout the nation. The least favorite as of right now coming out the mud is me funding all this shit and having to balance my personal life with this. Once I get a full grip that obstacle should disappear.
What can fans expect from you in the future?
Fans can expect to see more of me from all different aspects from commercials, to films and more talent coming up under my label. I got some hungry artists ready to pop out but I gotta make sure I got everything under control before I pop em out!
How can people find you ?
This link has it all from social media platforms, to website, to e-commerce store to purchase merchandise
