Before he died, Derek McAllister, better known for his music as the Speaker Knockerz, developed a rap and hip hop label called: Talibandz Entertainment. Talibandz Entertainment, now run by Speaker Knockerz’ father, is composed of the artists of South Carolina who are committed to furthering the legacy of the young-fated emcee.
Capo Cheeze is a rising star that is among the few Talibandz artists. Originally a member of a metal band, Capo Cheeze extended his music abilities to rap and hip hop under the brief alias of “Big Cheeze”, and later, with him signing to Talibandz Entertainment, finalized his artist’s ego as Capo Cheeze. When asked how joining Talibandz has helped him develop as an artist, he explained, “Joining Talibandz Entertainment has helped me grow and mature — it’s brought me to the next caliber as an artist. It’s identified me and has forced me to focus and understand the business side of the music industry. Through this opportunity, I’ve had the pleasure of networking with a lot of great people involved in the industry, and it’s opened my eyes to what needs to be done for me to get where I want to be.”
Capo Cheeze is releasing his first mixtape as a Talibandz artist on April 24, 2015. The mixtape is called: Euphoria, and can be described as an upbeat acid trip that takes you on an out-of-body experience, tuning the listener in to all known emotions that one can express. It’s euphoric, versatile, and timeless. It summarizes the truth: “You need to struggle in order to succeed.” With the release of Euphoria, Capo Cheeze expects to raise the bar of South Carolina’s hip hop scene by adding new flavors and sounds to the spectrum.
Euphoria features artists like: Ben G, Jetson Made, Skywalker, Nation Boy, Boss Beezy, and Melodik Tonez. The instrumentals were produced by: Supah Mario, FoFive, Jetson Made, BrownTime Productions, Six Man Beats, and obviously, Speaker Knockerz. The project is hosted by DJ Ty.
I brought up the interview I had with Speaker Knockerz on November 10, 2013, and highlighted question number seven: “Speaker Knockerz, what is your motto?” In response Speaker Knockerz said, “Help, Wealth, Positivity, and Prosperity.” Following this, I asked Capo Cheeze how this motto inspired and encouraged him. He responded saying, “That’s just the attitude Speaker Knockerz had. He always wanted to help people, and he was always focused on making money. He constantly stayed positive so that he could bring prosperity to those around him. It’s a really inspiring motto, and I plan on reflecting his vision through my journey as an artist.”
Subsequently, I asked Capo Cheeze what his motto was, and he replied, “Stay real from the jump.”
Locally, the emcee is inspired by: Speaker Knockerz, Mo Beatz, Supah Mario, DJ B-Lord, and Boss G. On a grander scheme, he acknowledges: Rittz, Jay Z, Kanye West, Rae Sremmurd, Mike Will Made It, and Travis Scott. In the next year, Capo Cheeze has intentions of working with: Rich The Kid, Metro Boomin, and Travis Scott.
Capo Cheeze salutes his audience, and notes that people who listen to his music are just as diverse as the music itself. It’s a well-mixed group of people who vary in age, race, and lifestyles. “I’m the voice of a number of people in Columbia, and as far as the music industry goes, we’re missing out on a lot of opportunities. I plan on taking Columbia on the road everywhere I go, and bringing ideas of innovating the hip hop industry back here.”
Join Capo Cheeze at the Euphoria mixtape release party on April 30, 2015 at Rue77, located at 1301 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC, 29201. The event starts at 10PM and is FREE.
(For VIP passes, call 803-708-4785.)
