Conversations with Corduroy Clemens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corduroy Clemens.

Hi Corduroy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Hampton, VA but grew up in Clarksville, TN, which was more diverse than the typical small southern town due to the Ft. Campbell, KY Army base where my dad was stationed. My 2 younger brothers and I spent most of our summers & holidays in Newport News, VA with my mom’s side of the family. I was fascinated by Hip Hop culture & music for as long as I remember but I didn’t start to pursue that as a hobby & career until a few years after I graduated high school when I spent 2 years playing JUCO basketball in VA. Upon returning to Clarksville after college, I got in the studio with my room mate at the time & fell in love with the process. Initially, we were planning to do a group but that didn’t pan out, so I ended up solo. I recorded over industry beats similar to early 50 Cent/Lil Wayne as I attempted to find my sound & style and eventually linked up with an upcoming rapper named Prospect from the Charlotte, NC area thru a mutual friend & formed a partnership called BST(Blood Sweat Tears). During this time I helped organize & performed at the first Hip Hop shows at The Coup, a local punk/rock venue that became a hub for future Clarksville rappers like Case Arnold & Tim Gent. After Prospect was killed in the summer of 2008, I stopped rapping & moved to Nashville to change my surroundings & eventually got back into music in early 2011 while recovering from a bad car wreck & break up. I signed an artist development/ management deal with an upcoming record label and begin performing across the southern region, including a few HBCU southern classics and the SEA awards, but we split for creative differences. I ended up meeting Ducko McFli around this time and was riding around with him being a fly on the wall to a bunch of stuff and learning a lot about the industry, while simultaneously putting together shows in Nashville to help develop the growing scene with the help of a friend & promoter, Bzy. We booked a lot of local acts & even booked J.I.D. for one of his first out of town shows. I got married in 2015, had a son in 2016 & fell back from music & shows for a few years until starting a podcast in 2018 which ran for over 100 episodes until early 2021. I ended up meeting Aaron Dethrage in late 2019 & slowly getting back into making music during the pandemic. We’d have talks about the local scene & around the time the Dreamville documentary came out, started the early version of Six One Trïbe. I knew my reach could only go so far not fully being a local so I reached out to Gee Slab to help facilitate the idea. A lot of times, especially with the rapid growth of Nashville, it seems like people from here aren’t included in what’s going on here so we end up losing the identity of the city little by little. Now, Six One Trïbe is currently one of the go to acts in the city getting the stamp of approval from fans, media & the mayor himself. As for me, I recently released CORDUROY SEASON, my first full project since 2016 & am currently building my catalog for sync & songwriting placements as well as some collaborative projects that I’m excited about. Thanks for allowing me to share my journey with you guys! I tried keeping it short but definitely wanted to elaborate on my story. Peace & love to ya!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. I’ve dealt with loss of friends, money, relationships, time & even myself pursuing a career in music. While it hasn’t been an easy road & I’ve taken Ls along the way, I do appreciate everything I’ve gained and learned in the process. I truly believe that what’s meant for you will be & what isn’t will not, so I try not to dwell on “what if?” & be grateful for what is.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The easy answer is, I’m an elite Hip-Hop artist/songwriter. I specialize in melodic lyrical rap & hooks which is showcased on my latest project, CORDUROY SEASON. This album is easily my proudest artistic moment & I believe it captures who I am as a person & artist. My love knowledge & appreciation of Hip Hop culture paired with my relatability sets me apart from other artists and gives me a sound of my own.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Integrity. I believe that as a person, you have to have a moral code that you stand on no matter what. That will lead into all aspects of life from family to faith to business.

Pricing:

• open for features & songwriting email [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/corduroyclemens
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/corduroyclemens
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@integrityoverincome
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/2zVY4zNVkRoL0CBryMQQ8b