With so many rappers vying for attention on the same social media and streaming networks, it gets difficult for even the most talented MC to separate themselves from the pack. Daytona rapper Pusha-T has experience seeking unsigned talent as President of GOOD Music, but now he’s embarking on a first-time endeavor with 1800 Tequila to offer artists exposure. Pusha and 1800 are working together to curate 1800 Seconds (:1800), a 30-minute compilation album featuring 10 of the hottest unsigned rappers in the country.
Pusha handpicked the ten artists, which range across every region in the states. The south is represented by Nita Jonez of Houston, Trevor Lanier from Wilmington, NC, and Cartel Count Up from Hampton, VA. The East Coast is represented by Ant White of Philadelphia, Don Zio P of Middletown, CT, and Hass Irv and T Got Bank repping Harlem and Brooklyn for New York. Detroit has two artists participating in Monalyse and Sam Austins, while Tyler Thomas of LA is the lone West Coast representative. Each of these artists have been given the opportunity to record one song in a professional studio while working beside (and with the guidance of) Pusha-T.
1800 selected Pusha as the first artist for an :1800 compilation because he’s a legendary figure to a new generation of rappers. His June Daytona album had cross-generational appeal, solidifying his nearly 20-year-run as both a universally respected MC and an artist on the pulse of youth culture. He did all that after being signed from Virginia Beach, which was full of talent but wasn’t exactly an industry hotbed. Now he’s looking to help similarly under the radar artists get their big break in front of the world. He said the following about the :1800 compilation:
The 1800 Seconds platform is a time for me to connect on an executive and mentor level and push the next generation of creatives in music forward. Making it in hip-hop is hard—the only things you can control are the creativity and yourself—and new artists on the rise will strive when they know who they are and what they want. Hip-hop is all about staying connected to culture, being inspired by what’s happening on the streets and translating that to your audience. The new 1800 Seconds compilation does just that.
If you’re intrigued, the recording process has been documented in an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary that’s available on 1800Seconds.com. The 10-song :1800 compilation is officially available for download on 1800Seconds.com. You can also check it out below the trailer for the program or on Spotify, Apple Music, or Soundcloud.
