CHAKARA: Hey Dre Cannonz! How are you??? How's life been treating you?
CANNONZ: Hey Chakara! I'm blessed. Life has been pretty good.
CHAKARA: Let my readers outside of NC know who you are, and what exactly you contribute to the NC Music and Ent industry.
CANNONZ: I'm Dre Cannonz. I'm a music producer, graphic designer and video director & editor, Which has been getting me alot of recognition in the music industry locally and nationally. This came from over 20+ of my music videos being featured on worldstarhiphop.com.
CHAKARA: Oh my God! That's success. I've always told you that! At such a young age, you were able to make heavy sound around NC and even places in GA. Tell me exactly how you started with filming and music.
CANNONZ: Well to start it all off, I've been doing music ever since I could remember. From banging on pots and pans as a toddler, to getting sent out of class in 3rd grade for making beats with my mouth and "disrupting the class" lol. I taught myself how to play the piano, the drums and a little on the acoustic guitar. I officially started producing in 2003 when I was a freshman in high school and been doing it exclusively every since. Videography was also an interest of mine, just never gotten serious about it until about 2 years ago. See, I have my own group of artists that I work with called "Main Event Army". We had a big summer single called "Walk Like A Model" that was really starting to pick up, so I decided it was time to shoot a video for it. After hitting up numerous videographers and directors we found out the only way we would be able to make it happen is if we did it ourselves. So, I purchased a digital camera and a couple editing programs and started learning the basics. I wanted the video to look just like if I saw it on BET. We started shooting street videos just to gain more experience in shooting and editing and we posted them online.Once people started seeing how good they came out, that's when I started getting calls. $$.
CHAKARA: Tell my readers about Main Event Army. Whose included in this group?
CANNONZ: Main Event Army is my team. It consist of 4 solo artists.
Casino Crisis (@CasinoCrisis)
Big Money Live (@BigMoneyLive)
Bobby James (@Blk_N_UglyAsEva)
Nyck Newz (@RealNyckNewz)
What I love so much about my team is their hunger to succeed. They are my motivation to keep everything moving. I like to think of them as my bosses, because I work for them. I do alot and at the end of the day, it all comes back to my team.
CHAKARA: BIG MONEY LIVE WHATUP! Lol that's my homie! What artists in mainstream music have you worked with?
CANNONZ: I've done work for Slim Dunkin (1017 Bricksquad), Da Kid (Arrogant Music), Lil Chuckee (YMCMB) Young Dro (Grand Hustle), Rich KidShawty (Grand Hustle), Travis Porter (Jive), Rocko (A1), Young Scrap (Universal), J Cole, and I've done alot of work with Raleigh's own Troop 41 (Universal Republic) and we have much more on the way.
CHAKARA: NOTHING BUT BIG NAMES! Straight impressive! I mentioned you in an interview I did with Sonny Digital, b/c when its comes to grind, I see similarities in you strong grinding young men. What kind of connections have you had with super producer Sonny Digital in your career?
CANNONZ: Yea that's my peoples. It was crazy meeting him. I was in Atlanta with some artists from Durham nc. they had a studio session with him and I was there to film it. At that time "Racks" was just blowing up in Atlanta so it was crazy. Walking into Patchwerkz,everybody dappin' each other up and introducing themselves and then it comes around to me and. He already knew who I was because of my work. I really didn't expect that. We chopped it up a little that night, and he let me know that I got his support and it meant alot to me. Sonny Digital is the most humble dude in the world. I have ALOT of respect and support for that man! and I'm meant alot to me. Sonny Digital is the most humble dude in the world. I have ALOT of respect and support for that man!I'm definitely a fan of his. I'll never forget that night.
CHAKARA: Yes, he's definitely humble, but hey that's what keeps you blessed. What do you believe are the top three things you see blocking NC's music and entertainment from thriving like other states such as FL, GA, TX, etc?
CANNONZ: Ohhhh its ALOT of things, but they all come down to Artists, DJ's and Promoters. Its alot of ego's and too much pride in NC. I don't know where we get it from. Artists won't support each other not because their music is hot or not.. but just because they don't know them. DJ's aren't breaking records unless they manage that artist and other DJ's don't because they are afraid they wont get the credit. and Promoters are just all about the money. I've been to plenty showcases where artists would have to pay to perform.It would be 10, 11, 12 performances and getting super late, and it'll still be a hand full of artists that paid and didn't even get to perform. The promoters seem more interested in collected their money, than the showcase. I'm not saying all Artists, DJ's and Promoters are this way but the ones that are, are really holding us back because North Carolina has SOOOO MUCH talent.
CHAKARA: Dre, I agree with ALL of that. PREACH. That's the d*mn truth! So,when you have downtime from all of your work, whats you most favorite source of entertainment or pleasure. In other words, what do you do for fun lol?
CANNONZ:Chillin with my team, Making music, looking at movies, or on worldstarhiphop.com looking at music videos. just paying attention to looking at music videos the certain angles, and effects they use. Basically what I do is already fun for me. I'm a 22 year old making my own money and setting my own hours in an industry that I love seeing and being in.
CHAKARA: You are a true master of your craft. People don't know what studying and research does in perfecting a craft. I definitely see the results of your studying. The last video I saw was "Bagman" by the homie M.O.S. It was like a movie! Whats up next with Dre Cannonz Approved Films!?
CANNONZ: Thanks alot! I really appreciate that. Whats Next? Just bigger and better videos. I'm in the process of constructing a film crew. Follow my first partner Shaun The Hitman @Shaun919. It's Definitely a couple movies down the line. It's Definitely a couple movies down the line. But what I'm really excited about right now is my first BET 106 & Park video premiere. Which I will have the premiere date by this week. So I'mma keep you posted because you know we gotta have a watch party!!!
CHAKARA: YES! Let me know so we can support you! Tell my readers how to stay connected to you on social sites!
CANNONZ: First you gotta subscribe to my YouTube page www.youtube.com/DreCannonzApproved, and and I've shot every music video on my team's
youtube page also, which is www.youtube.com/MainEventEnt. Follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/DreCannonz and facebook: Dre Cannonz. Thanks alot for the opportunity Chakara.
CHAKARA: It was my pleasure! Remember where you saw this young champion at first! Its only a matter of time before he reaches world wide recognition for his craft! Chaka-Talk has granted your Carolina access again! BYE! Follow me on twitter @ChakaraWrites
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