

Today we’d like to introduce you to Freddy Mack.
Hi Freddy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started out as a young hustler in Ohio, watching my father and older brother creating their own clothing and music; both while still fairly young, struggling to find and make connections. Fast forward into my preteen years, I moved to LA where all possibilities came to life and I came into my creative self… I began writing music for myself with the blueprint my father and brother laid but started to include the business and connections they weren’t as fortunate to put together due to the climate of such a divided city in the Midwest. Being that there weren’t as many crabs in the barrel in Los Angeles, there was room for growth. And grow, I did. I began ciphering and performing to get my name known but in between school and recording tracks at the local middle school (Bancroft) to record myself for free, I found a bigger love for engineering and curating artist groups.
Around the same time, I found myself hanging and skating on streets like La Brea and 1st near the Undefeated store, the Stussy shop, & Still, or down Rosewood near stores like The Hundreds, down Fairfax near Diamond Supply, etc. I fell IN LOVE with graphic tees and just fashion in general. So I ran thru a few different design names and eventually landed on ADVNTJ (pronounced Advantage) with a Karl Kani-esque signature as my flagship logo and put music on a back burner while I honed in on my designs and collections for ADVNTJ. Since I got my ducks in a row with design and equipment, I moved to Georgia for the challenge of taking off while juggling music and creating my brand to thrive in a hub for tastemakers. In the past six months, I’ve dropped 3 tapes named Cake Mix (available on Spotify, iTunes, and all other streaming platforms), Outlandia (available free on Youtube), and Big Wig (also available free on youtube for streaming!) while working with my group of artists and owners in Ohio in a collective we call THC or The Hoolie Crew for musical purposes and a clothing brand I design for, outside of ADVNTJ, called Famluv. I’ve come into myself with everything including my image and in my late teen years, I formed my relationship with God and brought it down to a science; I keep my mind open and truly believe God won’t give you anything you can’t handle and nowadays I keep a full plate with clothing designs, constant research on colors and graphics, teaching myself engineering as I go and self engineering my own music, managing THC from states away, working, and making sure to keep my wife happy in the mix is a heavy-duty work day but, through God, yoga, and flowing creativity 25/8, I’m blessed to say it all balanced out here in Georgia. God is Good…
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Constant moving state to state, friends change and grow away, adjusting to marriage hasn’t been easy. Especially trying to explain and incorporate a dream into OUR lives, but my wife has been overly supportive since she’s actually seen my product and enjoys my designs just as much as my music thank God
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I chose the rap artist route, which is scenic but I knew that before I claimed the title. I studied artists that had their business right, not just hotfornow overnight artists. I was a student to artists like Nipsey Hussle, Jay-Z, Curren$y, Ryan Leslie, Master P, Big Krit; artists that were doing things right and giving away the game on wax or on record. There are several differences in myself and other rap artists, but the obvious is that I handpick every beat for every song, and like many of my predecessors, I can make dope music that’ll click in any function but I focus my content on real life game. The lingo is unmatched and every hook is relevant full circle to the verses. I curate my playlist for hours with deep thought so that every project flows down to the second. Every beat, every second, every drop was smothered with style. I’m known around my section as “Boogie” (a childhood nickname that just stuck) with the west coast sound.
I’m told I sound like a mix of J. Cole and Nipsey Hussle by about 90% of my listeners but that just reads to me like I’ve got some good lyrical content with a big message/hustler spirit. I think people hear the west coast sectional accent and fire lyrics and just go for what they know by fusing the two and calling me a rendition of them both. But I take it in stride as a compliment. I’m most proud of my move to Georgia and the fact that it hasn’t stifled my progress or road to success whatsoever. I’ve done more designing, printing, work, or just good business in general than I was ever able to do in Ohio, and more than I planned on doing in LA, being that things are oversaturated there, so I’m hella proud of my tapes, I’m proud of my t-shirts, my growth, and I’m excited to tap into my potential here in Georgia. It’s, to me, a mix of all the good things I’ve encountered through life including ethnicities, cultures, styles, foods, and fields of the entertainment business.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Personally, I don’t believe in “luck”. I believe first you have to believe in yourself, in God, and that all things are possible THROUGH God. He helps those who help themselves. To say that there is luck would imply that there are also unlucky people and I don’t buy into that. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and all possess powers within to make those connections and moves needed to claim our success. Break out of your shell, speak your truth, and stay down even when it feels impossible, and things will happen in your favor. I claim my blessings through God, even when they’re not here yet and walking on faith I can honestly say I haven’t missed a step. No luck necessary. Skill and will.
Pricing:
- Cake Mix $9.99 on iTunes/free on Youtube
- $25.99 ADVNTJ T-Shirt
- $30/Hr Recording Engineer
- $19.99 Whitnei Chun T-Shirt
Contact Info:
- Website: https://music.apple.com/us/album/cake-mix/1660857080
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/take_advntj/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/boogie_bars
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boogiebars
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1DYpHnp6AMF3wZnmYKEjjK
Image Credits
Whitney Cedeno Alonzo Jones Sr. Aqua Jones