Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Bonney.
Hi Travis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well music is how it started! I actually grew up in MS but I spent my summers in and around ATL until I moved here around when I was 20! As a rapper everyone knows the A is where you need to be! Me and my best friend started as a group called 5mash3ndz and started making music in 2008 while I was in college at Mississippi State University! Struggling in school I decided to dive into music and the 5mash3ndz brand! Fast forward to today although I’m not still in a group with my bro 5mash3ndz always had great meaning to me so I created an LLC with the name! 5mash3ndz is now a network of brands built to promote earning a living through natural talents and abilities! I’ve expanded beyond Atl to the tri state area where I have organized shows and performances for independent artists, open mics, and other musical events! Most recently the 5mash3ndz brand has added community involvement by organizing a feed the community day that will travel to different places especially ATL and creating a basketball camp that starts in May and is modeled to be in ATL soon after. So I’m very excited about where the brand is right now!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing worth anything goes smoothly! As an artist, I’ve always battled with not really being a social person and networking is soo important to what I do and want to be! That’s part of why I created the brand! Business isn’t always profitable through and finding ways to stay in business with Covid and everything that’s been happening is challenging! Just had to learn to pivot and keep pushing!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I write songs and rap! That’s what I’m most passionate about and I’m great at it! I love taking and manipulating words to paint vivid pictures melodically! My artist name and brand is King Kamikaz3! Funny thing is I actually used to go by T.R.U.M.P.(to rise under major pressure) but that became a little divisive and attracted nonhelpful attention, lol! I had to take all my music down and I’m currently rebranding and Releasing 3-4EPs by this year’s end! Currently, my single 32 towns is online and All DSPs and is a very good representation of who I am as an artist and what’s about to happen when I release all this new music!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Lmao, I got lost in the woods and my dog rescued me!
