Bret Lockett, 24, of the New England Patriots, recently wrapped up his first video for “Let’s Go,” a rap song that was shot in the Dominican Republic under the guidance of video director and producer Erik Hicks.
Lockett’s single is being released under his own label, Inception Entertainment. Here, Lockett tells rolling out about his studio passion.
How did your song, “Let’s Go,” come about?
I was actually at work. After working out with the Patriots, I was in the shower, and I was thinking about writing something about ‘Let’s Go,’ which is about [going on] on a romantic getaway, not just a date, but almost a vacation turned into a long date.
I sat down and collaborated with the producer Erik Hicks. He totally felt where I was coming from. We had this great synergy toward it, we were almost thinking the exact same thing. He knew where I was going with it, he wrote the hook, and it came out a masterpiece.
Why rap?
I rapped when I was younger but I didn’t take it as seriously as I do now. I can carry a decent tone, but I [thought] that the rapping game would suit me better so that’s the route that I went.
Which rappers inspire you?
My biggest rap inspiration is Tupac. I’m from the West Coast, and I grew up listening to Tupac and Snoop Dog, those type of people. But I also appreciate Biggie and Jay-Z.
How do you balance the playing field and the music game?
I own my label, so the good thing about being your own boss is that you can create your own schedule. When it’s football, it’s football, and during the off-season I have more time to concentrate on music and that’s when I flip the script.
What lessons have you learned about creating your own music label?It’s very expensive. It’s a passion and I realized it was expensive to do, but it was something that I wanted to do so I could set myself up to make some money.
What advice do you have for those who want to get into the music business?
Get connected with the right people because so many people will just take your money and do a song here, or do a song there, but you’ll never really getting anywhere. You have to get the right people behind you, and getting that guidance is a beautiful thing when it does come.
How did you find your team?
It’s a process of trial-and-error just like with anything else. I had a previous manager before Erik Hicks, and we kind of just bounced around from one person to another person until we found the right fit. We just kept working hard, and then it just happened organically and everything came together. And that’s usually when the best kind of thing comes, when it is organic, and the energy is there.
Are you single or dating?
I am single right now, it’s hard to date, I travel a lot. I don’t have a lot of time to really concentrate on anybody besides myself. I appreciate good people and I love meeting good people and I’m definitely open to it.
What’s next for you?
I’m dropping my next single, which is a very sexy song with more of a Jodeci type of feel with a rap to it, and there will be a video for that. And I’m … giving back in the community from California all the way to Boston. I’ve definitely been doing a lot of philanthropy and getting my name out there.
Bret Lockett’s “Lets Go” is the first single off of his upcoming mixtape, which drops this summer.
