Interview With 13irthmark

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Interview With 13irthmark
GLACER MAGAZINE
Brief info

Curtis Lamar Ruffin Jr. was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA in 1984. The descendent of David Ruffin from the Temptations,13irthMark grew up Listening to old school R&B, pop and classic rock. He later on moved to Sylvania, Georgia and fell in love with "Gangsta" rap, (though its been more so reality rap for 13irthmark) while playing percussion in the band.
As an artist 13irthMark started writing music at age 13 and later recorded his first song at age 17. After he graduated from High school, he went back to Florida and recorded his first album, “Diary On Tapes” which sold over 3000 copies. He is currently booked and now performing at live venues from Florida to North Carolina, doing local tv interviews and performances, and has been collaborating with many artist from the South East region.
His motto is to bring quality back to the industry, this includes keeping up with the new trends for dropping major singles and also putting together classic albums.

Interview With 13irthmark

 

Have you always been interested in music? What is your story and how did you start making music?

Yes, I have always loved music. I grew up listening to my Dad and Mom playing Old school R&B and 80’s music. My grandparents had a night club that was running for 50 years, I played percussion in the band, my family tree has dabbled in band. I fell in love with hip hop after Dre and Snoop and the Chronic dropped. I was hooked. My writing developed with my “creative writing” in elementary. When I moved to New York, my 8th grade Teacher, Ms Rosen introduced me to poetry from a homework assignment that was due, in which I wrote on the spot while my, at the time classmates read starting from other side of the room.

More poetry assignments were given, but after we went over The Late Great Bob Marley lyrics, and Ms Rosen showed us the recipe for a song, is poetry with instrumentation, I was hooked and couldn’t part from my notebook. While in New York, I got a chance to experience, “Hip Hop” culture firsthand, the battle rap competitions, break dance in the cafeteria, the competitive nature of lyrics having to be dope. Went back south, to Georgia, linked made friends with the homie Petey and Rocky in our science class and wrote almost daily in the back of the class making songs, and reading each other’s rhymes, but didn’t record until 16, my first song produced by WANK DAWG RECORDS (R.I.P. Jospeh Reed), “Changed Life”. in which shortly after I signed to WANK DAWG RECORDS. I had my first performance at the ‘SPACESHIP” in Sylvania, Georgia; and that first time I grabbed the mic to perform, it was over. Shortly before me graduating high school, WANK DAWG RECORDS dismantled due to internal conflict, leaving me once again, just writing and not recording until about 2 years later when I moved back to Ft Lauderdale, Florida and linked with my older brother Chun and became part of group started by the Lunitikaliz (formerly know as MC Groove), and Moe Kain, which formed the group NECKBONES.After a few recordings, due to personal strife for all of us and my brother being locked up, we dismantled for a while without actually separating, but I still continued recording with my own network that I developed, Ghetto Fabulous Ent. Chief Legacy Recordings, and Prestige Entertainment (shout out to Andy, Paul and Captain Mike). During that time, I got a chance to brush shoulders with quite a few major artist, FAT JOE, COOL & DRE, Sean Paul, Fabolous, and experience studios like DANGERZONE STUDIOS in Miami, Florida, South Beach Studios, and CIRCLE HOUSE studios. Shortly after the dismantling of PRESTIGE ENTERTAINMENT due to legal and internal issues, released with my material I went back to my network and finished up my 1st album, DIARY ON TAPES, in which I moved over 3000 copies in the streets solo from Lauderdale to the North Carolina, where I currently reside.

I hit the streets running as soon as I got to Charlotte, was on every scene to build my brand; developed and network with Abran NewGame, Tech Digital, Spiffire, ABOVEGROUND PRODUCTIONS, Caronlina Records and ProSounds and continued recording and putting out multiple projects in which added on to my catalog, did multiple performances throughout the southeast region. I was going through so much and have been thankful to have a creative expression that has not only became a career, but a lifestyle.

Also shout out to MAX PAYNE the 808 God and DAE GO BUD.

What are you working on now? Any future releases we can look forward to?

Currently I have released the my unreleased second album from 2010 “TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS”. I have my single “13LACK SKINNED” (produced by TRACK PROS) out for Black History month, music video just released 2/5/22, check the link: https://youtu.be/L3s1qdNiX-0.

I’ll be rereleasing my 4th solo studio album (other 3 are collab albums) on my birthday 3/13/22 and it will be available on my website and all streaming platforms.

What Is Your Ultimate Goal In The Music Industry?

My goal is to produced quality musical albums from an Everyday Citizen perspective while providing information that will help us grow as human beings while being able to bob your head and dance to.

What Has Been The Biggest Challenge In Your Career Thus Far?

My biggest challenge, was adjusting from CDs to digital and juggling my personal life and using those personal funds to fund my music career. But it forced me to be more self-efficient and business wise on how to take more control of my career.

How do you go about writing a song? Do you have a melody in your head and then write the other music for it or what’s Your typical songwriting process?

Sometimes a topic from a current event, personal experience or something I feel I need to address hit me and I write without a beat and modify it to one, sometimes I get inspired by a beat to write to one, sometimes I even dream of a song and wake up and write it.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

The internet has helped so much. At first because it was so new and we as musicians were accustomed to one particular way of doing things promote and sell music made it challenging to adjust. But after accepting the fact the life and every aspect of it evolves, it became an increasing desire to look at cup half full instead of half empty and embrace the change and fit myself in without having to compromise who I am due to the self-releasing and self-promotion capability.

List some famous musicians currently on your playlist?

13irthmark, Scarface, JT Money, 2pac, 8ball and MJG, UGK, Trick Daddy, DMX, Spider Loc, ICE Cube, Snoop Dogg, Too Short, Richie Rich, Nas, Jay Z, E40, Master P, OutKast, Goodie MoB. DAE GO BUD, Nisha Cash, Spiffire, Tech Digital, Lil Wayne, Drake, Jeezy, T I, T Pain, The O Jays, The Dramatics, Geto Boys, Denise Williams, Sting, Berlin, Aero Smith, Green Day, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, The Temptations, Cheezy Boy, Ladi Dyce, Twister, Do or Die, Kanye West, Papoose, Buster Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Mobb Deep, Outlawz, Biggie, Puff Daddy, Camron, MC HAMMER, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, Yo Gotti, Fabolous, Dirty, Camoflauge, Pastor Troy, Warren G, Nate Dogg, LBC, East Siderz, The Parliments, Bootsie Collins, Dogg Pound, Papoose, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Young Buck, The Game, Cassidy, Max Payne, and many more.

What Did You Do Before You Started Making Music?

Been doing music since grade school, from playing in the school band up to high school in which I had been writing rap songs since age 13. Prior to that, I was almost your average grade school kid.

Would you have any advice for young people wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Stay true to you, keep your head in the books so you can manage your life better, study your craft, creatively and business. Don’t limit yourself, knowledge of multiple positive things, when applied can be used to create other options for income outside of doing something negative. And practice good business, don’t overly compete against each other.

If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?

The negativity. I wish it was more about the music instead of the drama that overshadow the music.

How do you feel about originality?

I embrace it. I understand 1st coming into the game you sound more like who you listen to but finding your balance in giving what’s already out and trending and giving what moves “you” to write.

Is there anything else we should know about you? or Something that you would like to add?

13irthmark (Birthmark) is necessary

Links to where your music can be purchased?

https://www.pandora.com/artist/13irthmark/ARwm4kzx6Xjjl6g

https://13irthmark.bandcamp.com/

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/13irthmark/531926607

https://open.spotify.com/album/0WGgodOHW1XU0PH570No3o