Turbeazy

There are a lot of things an artist needs to do right to make it big, and one of the most major of those factors emerged over the past decade or so: social media. A creative’s online presence is how most potential fans first see them, so if that part of your branding isn’t strong, it can be off-putting to potential fans. New York rapper Turbeazy is putting in work on the music side of things, but when it comes to social media, he’s lacking.

That’s according to Shawnae Corbett-Rice, an artist manager helping Turbeazy boost his online branding in a new episode of Next Success, presented by Uproxx and Sprite. Being productive doesn’t always mean being polite, so Corbett-Rice was transparent with Turbeazy by telling him that his social media game is “pretty weak.”

Turbeazy was initially surprised by the assessment, but knowing that Corbett-Rice was there to help, he dove headfirst into a photoshoot, a strong first step in helping to establish his visual identity and brand.

So, how did the re-branding effort go? Find out by watching the video above, which also goes more into what Turbeazy is about as an artist. To better get to know Turbeazy and learn about his triumphs over past setbacks, check out the Next Success hub.

It can be hard to live up to the standard set by your parents, especially if one of them made their name in your industry. But up-and-coming New York rapper Turbeazy is both following in his father’s footsteps and blazing his own path.

Turbeazy remembers going to his father’s concerts as a kid; formative experiences that gave him his first exposure to hip-hop. When his dad became a DJ, Turbeazy took advantage of the moment, feasting on a fully fleshed-out collection of rap records that also helped to influence his career choice.

“At school, I used to freestyle,” Turbeazy says, “and one day somebody told me I should rap, so I ended up going to one of these kids that somebody put me on to that had a studio.”

Thanks to a laptop his mother gave him, Turbeazy kept recording, even while in the Army. When he got out, the education continued with classes that helped him forge a career as an audio engineer at Manhattan’s Fight Klub Studios.

When he records now, Turbeazy is sure to keep one foot in the past, allowing the influence from his father’s career and record collection to find its way into his music.

“In order to move forward, you gotta be able to know and acknowledge the past,” he says. “I still feel like that needs to be represented. It’s something that I was raised to appreciate, coming from a household of an artist and a person who was deep into hip-hop culture. I love and appreciate how far music has evolved.”

While Turbeazy is forging his way forward, his journey hasn’t been without challenges.

“When I was in the Army, nobody really wanted me to rap,” he says. “They thought it was funny. I had a few supporters, but when it was time for me to leave, they were saying, ‘You should re-up and stay in the Army. You can be a good soldier.’ I was like, ‘I want to go to school. I want to be a rapper.’ People were like, ‘That’s a stupid idea.’”

He also remembers being rejected when he tried to pass somebody in the industry a flash drive of his music. It’s something that could discourage someone, but Turbeazy turned it into fuel, telling us that it made him “want to go harder.” And so far, that persistence is paying off. Turbeazy’s profile is steadily increasing and he has songs racking up tens of thousands of plays on platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud. The way Turbeazy sees it, staying positive and dedicated, especially when the goal seems so far away, is the only way forward.