Welcome to today’s edition of Kreyolicious Music…Today’s episode? Presenting Kertasy, a rapper based in New Jersey. His latest mixtape is entitled “‘Bout My Bread”, in which the rapper chronicles his overcoming obstacles to get to the rap of the rap game. While he’s increasing his hold on the streets, few know what he’s really all about. So, let’s get into the mind of Kertasy.
Kreyolicious: Tell us about Kertasy the talent.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve been doing music since a ‘lil boy. My first live performance was in the seventh grade with an old classmate friend of mine, whom I convinced to participate with me in doing a rap song about Harriet Tubman’s history and accomplishments for a Black History Month project. [This] landed us in the Star Ledger newspaper. My father passed away when I was in the first grade and left behind me, my baby brother, and my mom. The death took a huge toll on my mom—which led her to numbing the pain with drugs—which of course turned her into in addict. She never remarried. But, as the years went by, she had my other four siblings after me and my brother. But the drug use never really stopped with my mom—to the point my grandmother had to take me and siblings in and raise us or else DYFS [children welfare agency] would of took us away and separated us. As I entered high school, I was going harder with my music, and I started throwing teen parties to help build my name and buzz in the streets. Since then, I’ve met some great people from networking. Did big tours, opening up for some well-known famous artists. Been featured on BET and MTV, Music Choice, [and] popular blog sites. I had a single deal, and everything. Now, I’m totally independent. I manage and fund myself.
Kreyolicious: Kertasy…I like unique names. Does your name mean anything?
I got my name because of the reputation I had with the girls for always being flirtatious, but also polite and the synonym for courtesy is polite and being nice. So, I put a twist to it and spelled it K-E-R-T-A-S-Y, and the meaning is that I’m just nice at whatever I do. [It also means that] I’m [very] involved especially when it comes to anything pertaining to my music career. [And also], it’s the way I sound and deliver my flow on tracks or my live performances.
Kreyolicious: When you were in high school, were you the shy type? Or did you used to rock those talent shows with no hesitations.
I broke out of my shyness my freshman year in high school after I started to get attention from all these different type of girls. And when it came to the talent shows, I was most def tearing them stages down which helped get me more popular in high school. Then when I started throwing parties, forget it, that shy sh__ was out the door. [Laughter].
This concludes PART ONE of the interview with Kertasy. Next up, the rapper talks more about his music, his craft, and the hip-hop industry. So, watch out for PART II.
CLICK HERE to follow Kertasy on Twitter | CLICK HERE to check Kertasy out on Instagram | CLICK HERE to visit Kertasy’s website.
