Born Horace Williams in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Northeast Mississippi, King 40+ has seamlessly transitioned from a United States Marine combat videographer to a captivating music artist. His recent EP, "Forty Ain't The New Twenty," showcases his unique blend of life experiences, insightful songwriting, and dynamic performances.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into the inspiration behind his standout tracks, including the title track, “Suga Daddie,” and “Mindframe,” and explore how his rich background and newfound passion for music during the 2020 pandemic have shaped his artistic journey.
Join us as we uncover the story of King 40+, a rising star in the hip-hop scene who brings authenticity and depth, but also a lot of fun, to every beat and lyric.
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Congratulations on your new EP, “Forty Ain’t The New Twenty.” The title track, “Forty Ain’t The New Twenty,” is such an engaging piece. What was the creative process like for this song, and what personal experiences influenced it?
The song is just a humorous reflection of my personal life experiences as a 40-something-year-old male. I took an interest in producing music around 2019 while working a 12-hour overnight shift in manufacturing watching YouTube videos during my work breaks. It was a relatively easy transition from my video editing experience of over 20+ years due to the similarities of the software platforms that video editing and audio production share. I came across a music loop that I caught a vibe with and developed a hook for the song and the verses just came naturally.
Your song “Suga Daddie” is both captivating and catchy. Can you share the story behind this track and how it came to be?
“Suga Daddie” was another song that came about in one of my production sessions; that stemmed from a humorous concept that everyone regardless of race or background can relate to along with my own personal life experiences from dating younger girls later in my life. Again I vibed with the beat and conceptualized the hook first and actually wrote all the verses in one session The verse cadence of the song was influenced by one of my all-time favorite music artists Scarface and one of my favorite tracks of his called “I Seen A Man Die” and true fans of Scarface will catch on to that right away! It was really quite a subliminal experience writing that song! About a week later I envisioned the concept of creating a Line Dance to the song and the “Suga Daddie Shuffle” which is featured in the music video on YouTube also was born!
“Mindframe,” featuring DT Da Boss, is another gem we find in the EP. How did this collaboration come about, and what was it like working with DT Da Boss?
“Mindframe” was another song that I personally produced under my producer moniker “Horace Harmonyz”, and the song just stemmed from an idea of stepping outside the familiar territory of comedic rap and created a truly motivational and life-encouraging track which again garnered inspiration from at that time personal life challenges and general ups and down that everyday people encounter. DT Da Boss was actually a co-worker of mine during my time working in manufacturing and upon the discovery of our similar music talents and interests, once I produced the beat and wrote and recorded the hook and shared it with him, he immediately jumped on board and wrote and recorded his verse and the rest is history….
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You’ve had a fascinating journey from being a combat videographer in the Marines to working behind the scenes in the music industry. How have these experiences shaped your music and artistic vision?
As I mentioned earlier I took an interest in producing music in 2019 and due to my experience in video production starting out as a combat videographer in the Marines, specifically my Video Editing experience made it an easy transition into music production. Also as far as my behind-the-scenes work I produced and shot music videos and EPKs for Indy Music Artists which unknowingly developed my future video producing, directing, and editing talents for my own future music project currently being the “Suga Daddie” music video!
The pandemic quarantine in 2020 inspired you to start your music career as an artist. Can you describe how that period influenced your decision to create and release your first single?
I think the pandemic was a catalyst for not only me but countless other individuals who possessed creative and artistic talents to uncover unknown gifts within themselves because it took away the distractions of the outside world and forced us all to sit down and focus and reflect like never before! My new interest and burning passion for producing and writing my music combated the negativity and depression that could have easily overtaken me as it did many others during that time period.
Your EP covers a range of themes and emotions. How do you approach songwriting, and what themes are most important for you to explore in your music?
My songwriting is influenced mostly by my own true life experiences. I realized lots of hip-hop artists of the young generation don’t represent their true selves in their music, but personally, I couldn’t find inspiration in that. Every song within my EP borrows from true life experiences of my past and makes the process much more natural and enjoyable.
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Atlanta has a rich and vibrant music scene. How has living in ATL influenced your music and career as an artist?
The Atlanta Music Scene has definitely been a valued plus in my musical process. From the wide variety of indy and major concerts, open mics, & Music festivals, as well as the producer community and networking events, it’s a positive influential city for anyone promoting a music career.
What do you hope listeners take away from your EP, and how do you want your music to impact them?
I’d like my listening audience to experience a unique mixture of laughter, encouragement, and reflection from my EP.
What’s next for King 40+? Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or performances that fans should be excited about?
Right now my focus is promoting the EP and becoming a new trailblazer within what I feel is an untapped market of grown and sexy hip-hop lovers who love comedy and appreciate hip-hop minus all the negativity and violence! I want the world to know who King 40+ is!
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Check the links below, discover more about King 40+ and his music, and remember to add his songs to your favorite playlists!
