Community Leaders: TK
Finesse Foreva is synonymous with the golden age of UK drill music, the Croydon-based independent record and management label has shaped the nation's finest moments within the realm of drill, rap, and many more genres. Formed by 3 childhood friends after a night out, music business moguls TK and SK and platinum-credited producer JB Made It joined forces to create Finesse Foreva in 2017. From operating within the vacant business floor of TK’s church to selling out two shows back to back for UK drill pioneers Skengdo & AM the trio's rise from a grassroots movement to a star-studded entourage of artists and producers has been a pleasure to watch as a fan. Committed to giving back to the community, the Pride of Croydon Award winners have dedicated themselves to giving opportunities to young creatives, and music entrepreneurs within the borough such as music business, and event management courses. 1/3 of Finesse Foreva, TK speaks on his journey into the creative industry, early inspirations, building a community, and more.
Tell me a bit about yourself, how would you describe yourself within the realm of the music industry?
"I'm TK, one of the three founders of Finesse Foreva. If I were to put it simply, I am a creative entrepreneur with specialties in music."
What has your journey into music been like, and how has it developed into where it is now?
"The journey started at 16 through doing some live sound engineering at my church. My secondary school had got some recording studios so I was able to transfer those skills into that, I used to rap so I was able to record myself and my friends. After secondary school I went on to do media at college and got a bit of a flavor for things like photography, graphics, and artwork, I took to filming and editing but at the time I wasn't taking the course that seriously, my tutor at the time had a stern word with me, he saw I had a lot of potential so I doubled down on the filming and editing after that.
That brought about my first opportunities within the creative industry at a professional level which, opened my eyes to how music, fashion and film are all combined. I did a job for Disorder Magazine, I ended up meeting Jamal Edwards there and saw what he was doing. I just thought It would be sick to create a music company where I can incorporate all these skills I have from artwork, filming and understanding music. I spoke to JB who is one of the co-founders, he was a drummer and was making beats, I could engineer and film so we could do the whole process. One thing led to another people were saying you should manage this artist or you should put on events etc. In 2016 our other co-founder SK had just finished uni and was talking about trying to get into music. I remember after one night at hip-hop karaoke we just said look we are from the same area, we should come together and that's how we got Finesse Foreva. "
We need to talk about Finesse Foreva because of the heights that it has reached. Was there an initial conversation with the other co-founders where you laid out a plan and stuck to it, or was it more an accumulation of thoughts and ideas that have developed it to where it is now?
"It was always the plan, I saw the blueprint just from days in the studio watching things like a Wiz Khalifa day in the life just thinking it would be sick to have a roster of artists, being able to travel and record in different countries. Around that time Drake had OVO as well so we had something to aspire to, we were like rah we are from Croydon we could build our own thing here and it would be sick. "
You have done a lot of community work at Finesse Foreva within the local community in Croydon such as your event management course. There is a strong sense of giving back to the community within the work that you guys do, why is there such a focus on this?
"Me and SK are Nigerian so community is a big thing within our culture, especially the tribe that we are from as we are both Igbo, so we have grown up and had that in common. Experience-wise I worked in a children's home, so I understood the importance of giving young people opportunities. During my time there I was bringing young people to the studio with me, or if we had a radio interview I would take them with me and kill two birds with one stone. After they were in this environment they would hit me up with a track or some bars that they’d written, so I saw the impact I could have, If my tutor never gave me certain opportunities I wouldn't be where I am now. Everyone is a candle and everyone's got a light, so make the world a better place one person at a time. "
You are someone who has seen the era of prime drill first-hand, you have actively played a part in it. Moments such as selling out shows with Skengdo and AM show that. What do you think about the current state of drill and what direction do you see it heading in?
"It’s a multi-million-pound genre now. Drill is mainstream now, it's exactly where we said it would be. When we started, we didn't exactly know where it was headed, but people older than us were looking at what we were doing and saying you guys don't know what you are a part of because they had seen the same happen with hip-hop and grime. When we heard this being repeated multiple times, we realised we needed to be a part of this and build infrastructure around it. Once something pops and does something crazy like getting in the charts it's commercial now and you see a new wave of artists coming through, obviously, the endorsements from people like Drake have been dope and people like Central Cee are killing it. I think right now drill is at its peak, and by peak, I mean it's established now. "
What has been your favorite moment throughout your journey working in music?
"I say this all the time, but getting the Pride of Croydon Award. To do something and get acknowledged for where you come from is super important. It's great to have the whole world screaming you’re sick and whatnot but to be acknowledged in front of people who are from the same place as you is what gives you a legacy and directly inspires people. "
What advice would you give to someone who is in the position you were in when you first started trying to break into the industry?
"You have got to be intentional with your steps and your actions. One of the first things is to find a community where everyone is a music enthusiast and is doing different things. Along with community, you need education, because education just gives you access. For example, if you go to a pub and you don't watch football, you are limited in conversations you can have. If you have done a few courses or been to some events and have applied that knowledge you can have conversations with people in these communities and not feel left out. Don't just wing it based on things you've seen online, the music industry in the UK lacks a lot of content around music education which is something we are working on. "
What trials and tribulations have you experienced during your journey that others may be able to relate to, and how did you overcome them?
"A lot of rejections, a lot of nos and a lot of mistakes in general come from a lack of education. You have to be resilient enough to not beat yourself up about making mistakes but be grounded enough to take it on the chin and take it as a learning experience. We come into this world not knowing anything so take it easy on yourself because it's also a mental health game."
Is there anything that you are working on that you are excited about and would like to share?
"I work at Sentric Music, working on more urban music such as rap and education around it, as well as using these bigger platforms to push out the message. We are also working on a music app which we think is going to be revolutionary, and again working on this music community as well which I think is going to be everything packaged into one, like a one-stop shop. Like I said earlier people are going to get an education and a music community through the work we do plus the opportunities with the stuff that we are bringing through, so I'm super excited about that. "
TK’s Instagram @tkthagreat_
