We here at Carolina All Day normally don't expect to find a gem in the sea of talent North Carolina harbors. Well....We did just that with this cat. J Know Truth, one the top, if not the top promoter/marketer in the Carolinas. What can we say about this brotha.....CEO of Street Dreamaz Ent., J-Know is one of the hardest working cats in the Carolinas. We sat down with him for a spell to learn a lil more about what goes into being J-Know Truth!!



CAD: Where are you from?

J KNOW: A native of Charleston, SC, spent time in the Bronx, NY but grew up in Charlotte, NC.

CAD: Tell the people a little about JKnowTruth...

J KNOW: I'm a laid back, hard-working, self-motivated, family oriented individual and I love being around my family and my people. I enjoy sports, music, movies, hosting events & traveling.

CAD: When did you form your company Street Dreamaz Entertainment, and what artists are under your brand?

J KNOW: Originally STREET DREAMAZ was formed in 2001 by group members, me, my brother Royal-Tee, a female MC/singer named Muffy & a producer named Prafessa from Anderson, SC. We released 2 albums. Yea I used to rap, lol but for me I felt like I could use my talents more if I handled the management, promotions & marketing. So as of now Royal-Tee is the only artist under our brand (look out for his new project "VOICE OF REASON" coming soon www.RoyalTeeMusic.com ), the homie Prafessa is still doing his thing producing music & videos! We haven't spoke to Muffy in a while but I heard she's doing well also.

CAD: Explain your role in helping some of the major artists in the music industry today reach their success.

J KNOW: My company, my team specializes in marketing & promotions, we have been a part of the success of several major & independent artist. Our role is to provide ideas, concepts, leg work, street team, online & any other form of promotions that their budget allows. So from consultation fees, to marketing campaigns, to radio play, we make dreams reality. We have worked on marketing strategies and promotions with: Rudy Currence (DTP), Blood Raw (CTE-USDA/Def Jam), Plies, Floetry, Akon, DJ Drama, Young Jeezy, Eve just to name a few.

CAD: How important is proper marketing and promotion for an upcoming artist?

J KNOW: Promotions is everything! I hope yall hear me... Promotions is everything. If nobody has heard of you outside of your neighborhood, you need promotions! Artist have to look at themselves as a product and take this music as a business! Create a demand for your music & provide the supply! So proper marketing and promotions is VERY IMPORTANT! The only way we know about certain products is because we hear about them all the time so eventually you gonna try it! So if I hear about Royal-Tee everywhere I go, then eventually Im gonna make an effort to listen to his music!



CAD: How can artists in the Charlotte area get involved with One Mic Mondays?

J KNOW: Artists can get involved with ONE MIC MONDAYS by registering & paying the performance fee on www.OneMicMondays.com and if they can't make it to Charlotte, NC to physically be there, they can always send us a youtube link with their video and we can WORLD PREMIER their video live at the event!

CAD: What made you want to start the Queen City Music Awards and how has it been received?

J KNOW: I was in New York City about to host an event with Royal-Tee at China Club and the whole time I was there I kept trying to come up with a different type of event for the Independent artists back home. So I wanted to start an award show here in Charlotte, NC that honored those who may not get recognized when they really deserved to. It was received very well, but I haven't been a part of the event since the first year. An associate of mine and friend now has full control over the event. Every year it sells out! So that's always is a good thing!

CAD: What is your advice to young businessmen in the Carolinas who want to be in the music industry, but not as an artist?

J KNOW: My advice is to find a lane that your comfortable in, stay in it until you master you craft. Then go all the way in with marketing your brand. Once you start to market your brand and the people trust that your brand is a legit brand, something that others can vouch for, the checks will come. But never get the big head and forget what it feels like to have nothing once you have it all. Its already too many artist but not enough businessmen to handle the business. I salute everybody that's at least trying to better themselves and their situation anyway they know how to.

CAD: What other projects are you currently working on?

J KNOW: I have a monthly 25 & up encouraged event called So Fancy Fridays once a month on the FINAL Friday of the month. Go to www.SoFancyFridays.comfor more info. That event was inspired by the song created by Royal-Tee called So Fancy. Also of course One Mic Mondays is on a poppin' every other Monday at Skandalos in Charlotte. Other than that the Street Dreamaz are about to release Royal-Tee's sophmore project "Voice of Reason" soon so stay tuned for that. Royal-Tee's style is so fancy, its different, its outside the box, so with all that said his music speaks for itself. And stay tuned for my 1st project to be released 1st quarter. Not gonna give many details on it and no I'm not rapping on it but it will be a project that will be considered classic once you hear it!

CAD: Where can people find you/your events online?

J KNOW: www.SoFancyFridays.com
www.OneMicMondays.com
www.JKnowTruth.com

CAD: Shout outs...

J KNOW: I salute: my brothers Royal-Tee & Key The Muscle! My Street Dreamaz squad,Sco aka MMill, AD, free my homie Six, my SDE Marketing + Promotions staff, my One Mic Mondays staff, all the djs that support me and this movement, my So Fancy Fridays staff and I salute all the artists in the Carolinas and beyond. I would keep going but this shot out list would be 8 pages long if I did. So for those that support me, I'll send you a text, bbm, tweet or FB msg thanking you personally once you read this! LOL but last but not least I would like to shot out CAROLINA ALL DAY!