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Meet ‘The Black Star Line’ signed Hip-Hop recording artiste ‘Trey LA’

by | Nov 11, 2015 | Artistes Profile, News

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Trey LA also known as SELORM is a monumental hip hop recording artiste by choice and an all-round musician by call. A bag of talents with huge prospects still being tapped. He has a distinct gift of writing and other entertainment related gifts which have molded him by far into a world class song writer, poet, mc, rapper, singer, business mogul. He is a post graduate student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) doing a Master’s in Business Administration(MBA), a degree holder in Business Administration from the University of Education, Kumasi Campus and a Higher National Diploma holder in Secretaryship and Management Studies from the Kumasi Polytechnic. By far, he plays the castanet and words (‘wordplayer’, ‘wordplayist’) qualifying him as a musician.
His real name is Dumenu Charles Selorm. Birthed on the 23rd of November and hails from Hohoe in the Volta Region of Ghana. Trey started rapping in 1998 by doing the cover of “missing you” by “Puff Daddy” now P. Diddy at a class entertainment in Primary (Kabore School Complex). Most of his class mates marveled and were very impressed. Soon he wrote his first song about HIV. This song had a hook in Twi and rap was in the Ewe dialect. With this, Trey represented his school at rap shows and competitions. Eventually, he became the paragon of music for his school at Junior High. As a family tradition, he also gained admission to Bishop Herman College, Kpando for his Senior High education and studied General Arts. He was not that regular rapper you could find performing around in the single sexed school Bishop Herman. Trey LA was more of the ‘’fly guy” always in the hot cloths and sneakers. He became popular in school for the sneakers and clothes he wore. Trey and a few friends were trendsetters in school and he made good money by supplying most of his peers with cloths and sneakers that were in vogue. Occasionally, he rapped to friends in his circle, mostly after being persuaded for long and he as well kept a rhyme pad where he wrote songs. After High School in 2004, Trey discovered himself and realized music is his calling in life. He changed overnight from being a more fun loving person to a more reserved person. He spent most of the time he could get developing his talents soon after he was enrolled in Kumasi Polytechnic to pursue a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Secretaryship and Management Studies. He was recommended by a course mate to the host of a freestyle show that aired on the Polytechnic radio. Trey battled some emcees on the show and interestingly, as he freestyled, a lot of students rushed to the studio to catch a glimpse of him. They loved his voice and the content so much that they couldn’t believe he owned it.
He founded the record label “Kottage Recordz” with his friend Aqwez when they met in 2008. They co-owned a recording with Trey LA being the main artiste, Aqwez being the producer and a handful of other artist on the label. “Bounce” and many other songs were released but “Come over” ft King Fad Cissey became a radio hit nationwide and had a lot of rotation on the most popular radios. Kottage Recordz became more visible as a fledgling establishment but there was a conflict of interest. This led to the closing down of the studio since Aqwez wanted to relocate to the U.S.A. and Trey LA wanted the studio still running.

In good time, Trey LA met Hamza, a producer and presently a film maker at BD Records in Palestine. He listened to a couple of his “joints” and was so impressed that he decided to produce free beats for him. Hamza produced beats for “ Mr. Right”, “Def Mcee I Know”, “All On Me”, “Keep it Coming” and other tracks released and unreleased. Trey LA has worked with a lot of producers including Coptic (produced for Usher, Diddy, Biggy Smalls), Dj Pain (produces for 50 cent etc), Oshea (Destiny’s Child producer ), Op2mus (USA), BD Records, Ball J, El, Appietus, Pweezle, Cabum, Slimbo, Ike, Kottage Recordz, Tombeatz, JR and King of Accra.
He was part of the first edition of Next Big Thing in Hip-hop (using the name Selorm) which aired on the television station GhOne (Ghana). On this platform he was adjudged the deepest and most conscious rapper in the competition. Although he was evicted he made it to the last 6 rappers nationwide. He featured on The Rising Stars of Gh Mixtape Album (Volume 1) which is major in the regard of hip-hop brewed in Ghana and Africa. It featured top notch hip-hop artiste from the U.S.A. and Ghana as well. His album was produced by billboard No. 1 and multi-platinum producer Coptic, Soul G and Dj Pain. He featured on “10 toes” and “Got em coming” on the album. ’10 toes’ became the most downloaded song and ‘Got em coming” which he did with King Fad was the most downloaded song upon release making Trey LA the most downloaded artiste at that time. He was given another opportunity on “The Volume 2” of the Rising Star Mixtape Album. He dropped “God is a rapper” produced by Coptic. Although title sounds controversial and perhaps blasphemous, “God is a rapper” is a world class song and a mummified classic. This song intelligently states facts and scriptures from the Bible which makes it evident that God is indeed a rapper and not a blasphemous statement to make.

The name Trey LA is from his High school nickname 3LA/ 3LAH which he mentions in most songs from time immemorial. TREY LA as an acronym stands for Timeless Renowned Entertainer You Love Always. The name S.E.L.O.R.M is also an acronym for SUPREME ENLIGHTENED LYRICIST OVER RHYTHM & MELODY. The name 3LAH, as an acronym, stands for “3nity” Let my Aspirations Hold. Trey LA is here to use his music and other God-given talents to inspire the youth positively, entertain and also shape the lives of the older generation. He is also the entertainer who is here to emphasize on the essence of formal and informal education. He encourages the need for self-illumination and the need to keep learning about things that encompass our lives and interest us. He stated that “life itself is a school and only the best will graduate”. A good reason he decides to call his followings “GRAAADUATES” is for the fact that everyone alive is in school. “Graaaduates” are those who aspire to learn and perfect themselves, be smart and intelligent in whatever they do so that their dreams are actualized. People who are focused, resilient and dedicated take their lessons in the school of life seriously. Trey believes a street hawker becomes a “Graaaduate” in his own right if he or she works hard in order to change his or her fate. Again, He states that “religiously, we can become “Graaaduates” if we pass God’s assessment and judgement of our lives and accountability will encompass the use of our talents and gifts which are the greatest opportunities God has given to us apart from life”
Secondly, another following Trey is igniting with his popularity is ‘’GRAAAARMY”(Graaa Army) which in relation to the cliché “life is a war” inspires all manner of people to have a thick skin and stay resilient to the challenges and odds we all come across individually or communally. Any member of the GRAAAARMY is presumed as responsible and ready to take the needed actions that will maximize their interest and that of society. Trey is hailed on the streets by his numerous appellations and titles and has a popular signature on tune that goes “GRAAA”. His names and appellations include 3LAH, 3lanatty, 3RIL, VIP-3LAH, BEAT-KILLING-MACHINE, Rap Genie, Selorm Kpetonku, n3 klima nad3 nku, Grammy, ILL-verse, Graaa, Gra- Gra, One Man Army, 8th Wonder, King of the Volta, Kpe kpe kpe Kpetonku, Number 9 Superstar among others. He is by far the “illest” lyricist ever coming from that part of the country (Volta Region). Trey LA raps and sings in English, Ewe, “Pijin”, and Twi. Occasionally, he fuses it with other languages to appeal to a wider range of music lovers. Trey is the rapper that feeds your soul with good lyrics and equally entertains you. His creativity cuts across all genres although hip-hop is the tag he wears. He is the first rapper to have rapped 8 different languages on a rap song in Africa (One Man Army).
His mixtape album “The Introduction” which is free for download online is what’s trending as of now after been signed to The Black Star Line Record Label owned by the Multi-Platinum Producer, Coptic. Coptic is a top notch, world class producer, who produced P. Diddy’s multi-platinum hit “I NEED A GIRL” and an unquantifiable number of hits for most of the superstars in the U.S.A. which include The Late Notorious B.I.G, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, Ice Cube, Memphix Bleek, Gucci Mane, Trey Songz, Black Rob, G Dep, Smif n Wessun among others. The Black Star Line is vehemently working on other new projects and his debut album ‘’GRAAADUATION”. He has already released smashing hits, “Stepping Out” produced by King of Accra, Queens produced by Coptic and Ayo Ayo ft Kwaw Kese produced by JR Beats. His album will feature superstars and top notch artistes in Ghana, Africa and globally. He has already worked with people in that regard but wants to keep it discrete. On any occasion, when asked what his source of inspiration is, he will gladly say GOD. His twitter handle is @TreyLAGH, Trey LA (Facebook), TREYLAGH on Instagram. You may purchase his music on iTunes, Amazon, Deezer as well as merchandise of the Trey LA brand from shirts to caps. Be inspired and encouraged to be a GRAAADUATE and part of the GRAAAARMY wherever you are, doors are opened to you.

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