Interview conducted by: Dennis Byron
A few days ago Demetria McKinney, best known for her roles on Tyler Perry’s House Of Paynes, and the Rickey Smiley Show, hosted an exclusive invite-only listening session for her upcoming EP “Officially Yours” at Tree Sound Studios here in Atlanta, Georgia. McKinney debuted all six songs that will appear on the EP. The next single off the “Officially Yours” EP will be released later this month and the entire EP will be available for purchase in May. Those in attendance included Cannon Kent of Atlantic Records, Stacie J. of Hot 107.9, DJ Baby Yu, DJ Sense of the Affiliates, DJ Trauma, Ebony Steele and Juicy from the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, actor Jamal Woolard, music executive Shanti Das, Lisa Wu, Siman Baby from Majic 107.5, Ron Hurd with Def Jam Records, music producer Kendrick Dean, music producer Mike Snoddy, songwriter Sick Pen, music producer Dun Deal (Young Thug, Stoner), Associate Director of Rhythm & Soul (Urban) with ASCAP Jennifer Goicoechea, music producer Chris Henderson, singer Anthony David, and our very own Dennis Byron.
McKinney used this listening session to introduce herself as a “singer who just happens to be an actress.” After the session Hip Hop Enquirer editor-in-chief Dennis Byron caught up with McKinney to discuss her new music as well as how she waited 4 years to finally release her project.
The interview opens with McKinney speaking about her upcoming album. When asked what was her favorite track on the EP, McKinney tells us that she likes different songs for different reasons. She goes on to say that she likes a combination of the tracks titled “Hurt Back“ and “100”. “Hurt Back” is a testimony to the strength of a woman and “100”talks about men who fail to keep it real with women about their lifestyle. During the sit down with Dennis Byron, McKinney tells him that she had to have Da Brat on her “100” track. “Da Brat has a flow that has always been so pure, organic, and it just has a sexiness to it.”
Continuing on with the interview McKinney tells Hip Hop Enquirer that she has been working on her music for the last four years. This is something that not too many people were aware of. From there McKinney goes on to explain why it took four years to get to this point in her music career. “Every time I would get started really heavily in the music, something with acting would come up. That’s a great problem to have, until its four years later and you still haven’t accomplished your real passion,” says McKinney. In an attempt to achieve her passions, the accomplished actress started taking smaller roles to dedicate more time to her music.
Having to juggle an acting career and a music career is tough explains McKinney. “It took me four years to figure that out,” says McKinney, “It was really about compromise.”
As the interview nears it finish McKinney tells Hip Hop Enquirer that her favorite singer is actually Whitney Houston. She explains to us that as product of molestation, even homeless at one point, and with being a single mother at a young age she had feelings and emotions that she did not know how to get out. Whitney provided an out for McKinney.
The appreciative McKinney concluded the interview by showing love and thanking those who have always been at her side.
Expect great things to come from this up-and-coming songstress.
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