Tre Da Kid understands how to overcome adversity to achieve his dreams. The Annapolis, Maryland-based rapper outlasted over 8k participants to win Verizon’s #Freestyle50 contest. He won a single deal with 300 Entertainment, a $10,000 prize, and a chance to open for a 300 Entertainment artist.
Tre Da Kid also had to push through personal difficulties and family issues during his rise to stardom. He was able to persevere and continue with his dream of making it big in rap. In five days following the release of “Run It,” the song, produced by London On Da Track, reached over 40K plays on SoundCloud and over 450K streams on Spotify.
Tre Da Kid performed in front of a capacity crowd at the 2017 Summer Jam hosted by Hot 97 on June 11. Shortly after his victory, Tre Da Kid shared his thoughts on how #Freestyle50 changed his life.
How did you initially hear about #Freestyle50?
I was actually doing freestyle videos for my fans and uploading them weekly. A young woman from my hometown heard me on the radio and told me about the contest. I submitted five videos and I got good feedback.
How does it feel to help put your hometown on the map when it comes to rap?
Coming out of Maryland, it has been refreshing. We have been getting a lot of great feedback. It feels good to help put the area on the map for something that is special.
What role has Kevin Liles played as a businessman and leader?
Personally to my life, Kevin has been a mentor. He was fully involved with Verizon and the contest. He’s a big reason that this happened. He has a lot of clout in the game. To me, he has been a mentor. He’s someone who I can look up to for advice in business and personal reasons. Kevin and 300 Entertainment have been a big help through the whole process.
How was it working with London On Da Track?
Working with London On Da Track was great. It was everything I expected and more. It naturally clicked with us. He made the beat that he gave me from scratch. He’s a very special guy when it comes to music.
What are your thoughts on the success of “Run It”?
The single “Run It” is my key introduction to the game. I’m trying to run everything from my personal life to professional. It’s a dope track and it came out amazing. We all came together to make this happen.
