Hemp the Artist may seem like a new name to many Birminghamians who’ve enjoyed their new album “Herb and Art”, but Hemp is actually the latest musical stage in a years-long career. Many may know Hemp by his previous persona King Tall T. T is still here but Hemp the Artist represents a new chapter in his life, and the latest release is a wonderful way to bring it all in. His musical success is joined by production, photography, fashion design, and other endeavors that are all proving popular and bringing the versatile artist new fans with each new day.
“I was raised in the church by my mom, but my dad–his first gift to me was an Outkast CD. ATLiens,” T shares, “So it was a great dynamic as far as my music intake. It started at a really early age.” To the young artist, both genres presented ways to tell various truths that are part of living in this world. He had a passion for “beating on tables at school. Mimicking the beats that were hot on the radio.” Producers like Timbaland, Just Blaze, and Pharrell were some of the rulers of the airwaves inspiring a young Hemp in these developing years.
The artist released his first album under the moniker Tall T in high school. He was rapping and making beats with his brother Big Shot, and the two made their first official release with “Big and Tall”. The two didn’t even have FruityLoops to produce with then, just a Korg Tritan Big had gotten one Christmas after the brothers learned how to play “Grindin’' on one at the old Mars Music store in Homewood. “I started working on FruityLoops and that’s when I started making beats on my mama’s computer when she’d go to work,” Hemp recollects, laughing while telling how he’d make 5 beats on her computer before she’d come home then play them for her in the car.
Hemp would soon leave for Atlanta where he was able to work with artists like Sunny True and the Offset Committee. When he came back to Atlanta, Tall T had a revelation that he and all around him were royalty and added King to the beginning of his name. This was a season of both maturing and motivation. He made roughly 300 songs and nearly 3,000 beats during this time, in addition to his photography, open mic nights, fashion, and role as a family man. “Shout out to my family, my queen, the babies at the house right now,” T mentioned during the interview of his wife, who is also a wonderful Birmingham creative.
Caption: If it’s laid back, fun vibes with impressive rhymes you’re looking for, we’d suggest listening to Hemp the Artist. Image for allGODbuddy
“These last two seasons right here I’ve been Hemp the Artist. It’s an ever-lasting manifesting phase,” he shares of his evolution as a musician. The artist goes on to explain that this era is “Just showing the growth and maturity of who I am as King Tall T. I’ve recognized what I want to sell and what I want to give.” The gospel, which he is sharing in his music most often as King Tall T and with his allGODbuddy brand, should be given away for free. But as an artist, you have to be willing to sell your craft when it makes sense to fund your talent/passion. Art, beats, music, and photographs are things Hemp can focus on selling to the public. He also wants to move towards CBD as well as providing education centered around it, hemp, and eventually THC when Southern states turn towards legalization. “There’s a lot of things that we don’t know about as far as the education of hemp before we go into the next season of all access,” he shares on Alabama. He’s excited about what the industry could do for empty buildings ready to be used by profitable businesses across the state.
“Finding out my product and finding out my purpose,” he shares of the recent inner journey, “That’s a vital thing in this generation as an artist. Sometimes we give away the wrong thing, and the next thing we know we’re empty at the end of our career.” The songs for this first album as Hemp the Artist were acquired over the last couple years, and were recorded at Tom’s Sound. “It really was just a lot of expression,” he shares of the 35 minute Magic City masterpiece that includes all sorts of fun wordplay and lyrical exercises–all over Hemp’s own production. Songs like “HERBPLAY” highlight his ability at rolling with an idea smoothly over beats, something that made him very popular at hip-hop and poetry events around the city before the pandemic. “COOL ON L’s” and “CROSS YOUR MIND” are two other personal favorites.
The upcoming Deluxe version will feature members of the famed Goodie Mob, and artists from around the nation including friends he’s made while traveling to New York City and California. New videos for songs from “Herb And Art” are on the way as well, and Hemp’s staying busy by starting another artistic journey of putting his creativity on canvases. “I travel a lot so I see a lot of beautiful things, and I want to share with people,” he explains.
“As an artist, you just have to keep moving forward, and believe that you’re going to be put around the people that’s going to support you,” Hemp shares on his lessons so far, “Keep loving, don’t think that’s nothing against you. It’s really just the opposition of your own mind, because a lot of us are going through traumas. And a lot of us don’t even know it.” When we keep acting in love it can bring out better conversations and clear the air on a lot of troubles.
Hemp sees the success the city can achieve, and thinks it will be a lot easier if we keep focusing on doing it together. “We don’t have to do any reaching. It’s all right here. All we have to do is keep striving,” he shares, “Everybody gotta eat. You make the greens, I’ll make the cornbread, somebody will make the Kool-Aid. It’s a community thing. But I think sometimes us in Birmingham, we get stressed because we try to do the whole meal and then we invite people over.”
We’re thankful to have someone like Hemp the Artist on our city’s team.
