Meet Livefromthecity | Songwriter, Performer & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Livefromthecity and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Livefromthecity, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the most important factor behind the success of my brand has been authenticity. I don’t try to present my brand nor myself as anything I do not believe it to be. My approach is basically, “What you see is what you get”. I wear my heart on my sleeve and that helps me connect to those who’ve been supporting me throughout the country.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got my professional start as a part of the 1Hood Media collective after being recruited by Jasiri X and Paradise Gray of X-Clan. I worked as a teaching artist and a performer as well, presenting workshops and performing all over the country. It was through this collective I reconnected with one of my high school friends Jordan Montgomery, who informed me he was planning to start a record label. I had always believed in Jordan so I wanted to contribute any way that I could, which led to me signing to DWB. My debut mixtape, “Lightwork”, was the first official release on the DWB imprint. It was during this time that I was being regarded as “The Best Rapper in Pittsburgh” and I began a major climb up on the underground scene. That was a really cool moment, but I remain focused on reaching beyond my city and making an international name for myself. It’s easy to get caught up in success that is happening right in front of you because it’s so accessible and tangible. But if you want major success you must remain humble and realize that what’s right in front of you is not the end-all-be-all of your journey.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hmmmm…..well for starters, we’re going down my hood (Wilkinsburg, PA) and we’re hitting 9 Cafe on Wood Street to order off of the Baller Menu! But if we’re trying to keep it simple we might hit up Salvatore’s for some pizza and wings. Gotta hit up Hook’s Fish & Chicken and get extra-extra seasoning (if you know, you know) Taquitos food truck on Penn Ave for some real tacos, no doubt. Maybe some sushi at Umami, and more tacos at Cantina. I love to eat, so I know all the fire food spots *laughs* In a non-quarantined society, we’d get our party on at Slappers-n-Bangers (shout out to my guys Arie Cole and Norman Drip) hands-down the best party in Pittsburgh. For some visual stimulation, we’d be at BLAQK House Collections, BOOM Concepts, and Redfishbowl; the hottest art galleries in the whole town. Last, but certainly not least, we’d have to swoop down and do some shopping at Bankrupt Bodega and Senseless for some excellent drip so they could leave the city in style.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to my label, my team, and my family Driving While Black Records. From the very beginning of my professional career they have been integral in getting all of my projects off of the ground, allowing me to take each of them to newer heights each time.

Website: http://livefromthe.city

Instagram: instagram.com/livefromthecitx

Twitter: twitter.com/livefromthecitx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingxlegion

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJJ6CVLQR9MEtPCSSaDuopQ

Other: Bandcamp Page: http://liveffromthecity.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
Sarah Bader, Lala Johns, Nicolette Paige, 1Hood Media, Redd Vision