EQUATE Introducing TrueMendous

Words & Interview by Danielle Temeng

EQ: Hi TrueMendous, welcome to EQUATE. First of all, I’d love to know what the significance of your stage name is. How did it come about?

T: To be honest I just wanted a word that symbolised ‘good.’ I was going through alternative options such as phenomenal, fantastic, and then landed on tremendous. Originally, I thought the correct spelling was TrueMendous and didn’t bother to google it ha, then when I realised it was incorrect, I still preferred it as the content I was rapping about was heavily reality-based and focused on true stories I had further developed from conversations with friends alongside documentaries, films, and YouTubers I’d watched. It just stuck and now here we are but if I could pick again, I probably would just have gone with my government name.

EQ: Your flow is straight fire and sounds like it’s been really been honed it. You have amazingly perfected your craft. Where would you say you developed this skill - at home or from artists you admire?

T: It was definitely unintentional. I focus predominantly on what I’m actually saying as opposed to how I’m saying it and it wasn’t until other people mentioned they were feeling my flow and deliverance that I even noticed it. The patterns create themselves. I do street performing on top of everything else, so once you’re in a position where you’re constantly repeating the same songs 4/5 hours a day over a period of 4/5/6 days a week, you naturally start alternating your deliverance. Well, that’s what happened in my case. So, I would start to experiment with my flow and rhythm more, and alongside this busking improved my clarity and stamina.

EQ: If you could describe yourself in 3 words what would they be and why?

T: Unpredictable, Unique & Entertaining.

Unpredictable because you don’t know what avenue the next track will go down, be it, Hip Hop, 0op, RnB, Jazz, etc there’s no certainty what direction I will attack it from as I believe I’m pretty versatile and will continue to be so. I despise the idea of being boxed into one genre or sound.

Unique because I don’t feel like there’s another artist that does what I do the way I do it.

Entertaining because I believe I create my work with a lot of impact and humor a lot of the time subconsciously forcing a lot of listeners to want to continue listening.

EQ: Your music is often poignant, and you never shy away from speaking about what you believe in. What do you hope fans and new listeners ultimately take away from the work you produce?

T: More so, than anything else, I focus on relatability. So, if people feel connected to certain songs or the lyrics help their current situation, or opens their minds to alternative outcomes then I’ll be more than satisfied. Some lyrics may even be somewhat controversial which I also don’t mind as not everything I say is everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not afraid to spark a conversation about a touchy topic.

EQ: We love your new project, and a stand-out track for us is ‘Worst Child’ which features Rozzz. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the track and how the collaboration came about?

T: The meaning behind the track focuses on self-value prior to the world giving you the price they believe your worth. That being as a creative and your fee being calculated based on your following and streaming numbers or just a normal 9 to 5’er on minimum wage. Money aside just people in different authority and power groups who feel entitled based on where they’re positioned in their field. It’s not acceptable to look down at the ‘average man’. I’m from Birmingham and already know the majority of the singers in the city so when I had the spaces for the hook originally, I was going to do it myself but felt as if someone with more of a jazzy soulful tone would do it a lot more justice. I was going through a couple of options in my head but felt as if Rozzz’s vocal tone fit perfectly on the beat. I reached out to her and she was down for the collaboration. She voice-noted me ideas on WhatsApp, we tweaked it a bit, and then there it was. Went to the studio and got all the vocals down, sent it back to the producer as the beat was only a loop at this time, he worked his magic, and then we had Worst Child complete.

EQ: You’re one of the many incredible female rappers literally tearing up the scene. With it always having been considered a “boys club”, how have you found your journey so far? Have you faced any barriers that you can think of?

T: I never hold my gender to the forefront of anything, it’s more so interviewers and bloggers that highlight it. Not sure if I’m just one of the lucky ones but I haven’t really experienced much of a hindrance due to my gender, well none that I’m aware of. This could also be because I’m not really in the music scene like that sound wise I’m very different so what’s meant for me, is mine. I’m from Birmingham also and have always been situated outside of the main hub where it’s a lot more balanced but also things are a lot simpler on a lower scale, so it’s never really been that serious so to speak. I feel like now that I’m signed and have moved to London, as I get further into my career and things become more serious on a wider scale, a few encounters here and there may arise.

“More so, than anything else, I focus on relatability. So, if people feel connected to certain songs or the lyrics help their current situation, or opens their minds to alternative outcomes then I’ll be more than satisfied…”

Stream ‘Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson’ HERE