Interview: Black Fortune talks setting the tone for the DMV, tough upbringing & more.

Black Fortune is an emerging artists from Landover, Maryland who has already separated himself from the DMV pact with his Hip-Hop combined with R&B flow. Recognizing his talents early on he’s received cosigns from heavy hitters such as SZA, Travis Scott, and P. Diddy just to name a few.

@housepartii

We got the chance to speak with Black Fortune and gain a little insight on his sound, upbringing and recent projects.

Check out our interview below:

Mikala: Hey! How are you

Black Fortune: Hey! I’m doing good!

Mikala: How are you holding up during the Quarantine?

Black Fortune: I’m fine, this shit is crazy though (laughs)

Mikala: Yeah, I’m in Dallas so everything is locked down!

 Black Fortune: It’s like that out here too!

Mikala: Now you’re from the DMV Area. How was it for you growing up in the DMV Area?

Black Fortune: For me, specifically, I had a pretty hard upbringing. I got 11 brothers and sisters, you know. My parents were together but we didn’t have a big house. We had a couple of townhouses, we had a lot of apartment complexes so you know it was difficult for us.

Mikala: Wow! You have 11 brothers and sisters? How was it growing up with that many siblings?

Black Fortune: I’m not gone lie, It was actually fun growing up having a lot of brothers and sisters but the conditions were kind of harsh. If my mother was to go to the grocery store today, the food would be gone in the first few hours cause it’s a lot of us. It was like survival of the fittest. 

Mikala: Out of all of your siblings are you the only one that it’s interested in music?

Black Fortune: No I got other brothers and sisters. My sisters sing and I got other brother’s that rap too! 

Mikala: That’s dope! 

Mikala: Who were musical influences growing up?

Black Fortune: I like Michael Jackson, Tupac, Biggie, I like Method Man & Redman, Lil Wayne!

Mikala: What’s crazy is out of every artist that I’ve interviewed, you’re the first to say Michael Jackson!

Black fortune: Oh yeah! That’s my n****! (Laughs) I got a picture of him drawn in my room! His worth ethic was crazy. I feel like he had the same mentality as me. He didn’t want to just be like the next artist. He wanted to be the BEST. He strived for perfection and that reminds me of myself!

Mikala: That’s awesome! Now what sparked your interest with becoming a rapper, well not even with becoming a rapper but what sparked your interest with music in general?

Black Fortune: I’ve always been fascinated with music, just learning how to become a musician. I made my first rap in the 5th grade! We had a project where we had to rap about Volcanoes. My Volcano rap was so good that they let me perform it in front of four different classes. That’s when I realized I can actually do something with rap. I found out I could sing when I was in the 7th grade. From then I always knew I didn’t want a 9 to 5. I wasn’t no 9 to 5 type of guy. I always saw bigger and better for myself! Once I figured out I could do music It was like I might as well you know, do that!

Mikala: When you did your first rap were you kind of shook with yourself like “Dang I can really rap?”

Black Fortune: Nah because it was like I always knew that I could before even I showed it to people. I always knew how to put words together.

Mikala: Now your name, “Black Fortune”. I want you to give me a background on that name because it’s very interesting?

Black Fortune: So it’s a couple different reasons. Black comes from a couple different things. My Uncle’s name was Black, he was killed. I kind of adopted that from him. People used to always call me Black so that was always a nickname for me. The Fortune part…my father used to tell me a story about this guy named Tony Fortune who was like a stick up kid and he reminded me of myself so I adopted it from that. 

Black Fortune: I don’t come from the best background, so I try to speak abundance over myself…Fortune, I want to be Fortunate, have fortune. That’s why I use Fortune for that!

Mikala: Wow! I like that, I like how you put that together!

Black Fortune: Thank you! I appreciate that!

Mikala: As you’re growing as an artist what are some things that you’re learning?

Black Fortune: I’ve learned that you gotta stick to yourself, watch your surroundings, people have motives so I just have to move a little more strategically. Make sure you’re on your P’s and Q’s can’t lack!

@Shotbysiel

Mikala: Getting into your music. You recently dropped “Nothing to lose”! What was the inspiration behind this single?

Black Fortune: I was basically talking about my upbringing, the way I lived, situations I’ve been through. It was dear to me, I really felt like the beat spoke to me foreal when me and boy Rich put the beat together; Shoutout to Rich he’s an upcoming producer, He’s GREAT but when me and him put the beat together It kind of wrote the song for me! The song spoke to me. I just went in there, freestyled and went crazy!

Mikala: Was there any inspiration behind the music video?! It looked like a Movie!

Black Fortune: Yeah! You seen Belly before?!

Mikala: Yes! That’s my favorite movie! 

Black Fortune: Yeah! That was the inspiration (Belly) I’m a big DMX fan It fits the vibe you know! (laughs)

Mikala: I also saw that Bia was in the music video as well. How was it working with her?

Black Fortune: BIA! That’s like my best friend, that’s my dawg I’ve been knowing her for almost 2 years now so it wasn’t even like a working thing. It was like some everyday stuff. It’s always good hanging with BIA. She’s a great artist. Her drive makes me want to work harder.

Mikala: I’m sure you guys have a lot in common from an artists stand point!

Black Fortune: Yeah definitely, and she’s a great lyricist!

Mikala: Dope! Now I do want to get into your sound because as I was listening to you, your flow is very unpredictable and I mean that in the most respectful way.

Black Fortune: Nah I like that!

Mikala: As I was listening to you I realized  that I cannot compare your flow to the next song which I love, so how would you describe your sound?

Black Fortune: Just like you said very unpredictable! My range is very big so you’ll literally never know what to expect with my next single or next song! I don’t allow myself to be boxed in at all! Ya’ll are going to hear some crazy stuff, something you’ll never expect but I promise you it’s always going to be great music!

Mikala: That’s what matters!

Black Fortune: You can’t have the same sound, people gone get tired of that shit!

Mikala: ( laughs) It’s always refreshing to hear an artist that doesn’t sound like the others! 

Black Fortune: Yeah, exactly!

Mikala: What would you say sets you apart from other DMV artists?

Black Fortune: My range you know, I feel like a lot of DMV rappers once they  become a big DMV rapper, that’s it for you, you a DMV rapper, you made it in the DMV. I strive to be not only the biggest artist in my city but the biggest artist in the world. I strive for perfection. I don’t allow myself to be boxed in. I have a different sound! I rap, I sing and I elevated what the DMV is doing like, you know as far as lingo all of that type of stuff.

Mikala: So off topic but you definitely sound like a Virgo as far as the perfection aspect!

Black Fortune: A Virgo?! (laughs) Never! I’m a Gemini (laughs)

Mikala: Oh God! 

Black Fortune (laughs) What that mean?

Mikala: Ya’ll a lil cray cray

Black Fortune: We the good crazy (laughs).

Mikala: (Laughs) MMMHMM.

Mikala: Are there any upcoming projects that we can be on the lookout for?

Black Fortune: Yeah! My project is dropping in May so yall can on the lookout for that, I got a single  dropping real soon with a big feature so yall can also be on the lookout for that.

Mikala: I did see that you have some fashion in you! Do you plan on opening up a clothing line? 

Black Fortune: Yeah, definitely! I will be opening up a clothing line very soon! That’s my third love! I love fashion, I love dressing. Even if I’m going to the grocery store I gotta be looking RIGHT!

@BigHolmes_

Be the first to comment on "Interview: Black Fortune talks setting the tone for the DMV, tough upbringing & more."

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*