“I’m back dropping music, nothing is holding me down, I’m back to telling my story”

In a new edition of Conversations with Lalaa, Lalaa Shepard catches up with Atlanta native Rich Homie Quan to speak about his come up doing open mics, his first big break with “Type of Way”, hating his most popular song to date, “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)”,

changes in the music industry since 2013, fatherhood, and more.

Peso Montana is a young inspiring artist out Tucker, GA. He was born in Los Angeles and moved to Stone Mountain at the age of 3.Peso Montana has been doing music since the age of 12 as he started off recording music at home and performing at local talent shows and open mics. He has dropped over 180 plus videos and music. Peso Montana is currently pushing his single called “Hit That MF “ produced by DEMONCHILD (his main producer) along with his dance “The Hit That MF” which has been going viral. Peso recently made his debut at The Progress Report Podcast to speak on his journey, twin boys, linking with T Hood, and more!

Kimberly DaCosta better know by her stage name, Kové, born in the island of Jamaica but raised in Brooklyn New York. As a young artist she has already made an impact in the biggest music hubs in North America: Atlanta, Miami, LA, and New York. In 2019 Kové was based out of Atlanta when she caught the attention of Thomas “TomCat” Bennett a staple within Maybach Music Group. Tom quickly saw Kovés ability to ascent to the top of this industry, and it wasn’t long before rap legend Rick Ross gave his full Co-Sign. At the end of 2019 Kové dropped her first single “Scrub” off of her upcoming EP this record  showcases Kové’s tenacious rapping style and songwriting abilities. “Scrub” was immediately embraced by the DJ community and put in rotation to be heard in clubs and on a few radio stations. Most recently her single was picked up by prominent Atlanta radio station, Hot 107.9 where she also conducted an in- station interview. While “Scrub” continues to grow into 2020 so does Kové  . Her first EP, “So Saucy” is set to release in summer of this year, followed by her cameo  in “Coming 2 America” set to hit the big screen in August. Letting her current trajectory speak for itself Kové is an artist of the future, determined to leave her mark.

“I’m the voice of females”

During an intimate listening event at Barry Hankerson’s estate, Autumn performed and premiered music from her upcoming project. After the listening event, songstress Autumn Marini speaks about her upbringing, musical influences, womanhood, and more with Lalaa Shepard in a new edition of Conversations with Lalaa. Autumn Marini is now the first lady of the rebooted Blackground Records in partnership with Empire.

“Everything comes full circle”

Total (Kima, Keisha, and Pam) is an R&B group known for hit records such as “Kissin’ You”, “Can’t You See”, “What About Us”, and “Trippin’”. They rose to fame in the 90s and were a major contribution to the Hip Hop culture. Kima recently moved to Georgia and stopped by Coalition DJs New Music Mondays at Stankonia Studios to speak to Lalaa Shepard from The Progress Report Podcast about how Total began, gaining confidence in herself overtime, offers advice to upcoming artists about remaining independent, Bad Boy, rediscovering her purpose, reality TV, and life after Total.

Dwight L. Price was born and raised in Lincoln Heights, Ohio which was founded in the 1920s by property developers as a suburban enclave for black homeowners working in nearby industries. As his mother’s oldest child, Dwight had to take on the responsibility of his family at a young age due to some of the poor choices made by his parents. As a teen and young adult, Dwight made some choices that led him to spend over 17 years in prison. As 1 Corinthians 13:11 states “when I was a child, I spake as a child, understood as a child, thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

When Dwight got home, he was immediately put in a position that he needed to care for his family. So, he, along with his brother started A Priceless Renovation which is a construction company that branched from them doing janitorial work. as the company grew, they started buying investment properties and opened The APR investment Group in 2019. He quickly put his proven street smarts and hustle mentality to use, making him highly successful in the real estate game.

Dwight has always been passionate about his family and his community. He is a leader among men, and a pillar in his family. He believes that its easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults as Frederick Douglass said. As a result, he sought out opportunities to give back to youth. Whether it was a gas station conversation or speaking at a school. One of his main priorities is to preventing others from making the mistakes he made as a young man.

Dwight believes, no matter your beginnings, you can turn your life around for the better and he has a story that epitomizes that very fact. He and his team have spent the year traveling and learning from some of the best real estate moguls, change agents and entrepreneurs across the country and he is ready to tell his story.

The Building Wealth Conference is an intense conference that is full of invaluable information. We will cover all topics to help you make, manage, and multiply your money such as the tips and tricks necessary to build a business, start in real estate, learn to build credit, business funding and much more.

A tough and turbulent upbringing in the Atlanta neighborhood of Godby Road-Old National College Park molded Sleepy Rose and encouraged him to blossom into a formidable MC who translates his struggles into stories. Locked up for two years, he started rapping by tapping out a beat anywhere—from on his chest to the doors and walls of the jail. Upon his release, he turned heads with his first YouTube upload “Gangsta.” Following the death of his sister whom the family referred to as Rose, he tattooed a rose on his face in tribute and as a reminder: “We rose up out of the gutter. A rose keeps going high too.”  He sharpened a signature sound punctuated by local lingo on “Where You From,” “Striking” and “Mhmm.” Growing up on the same block as Hott LockedN, 2 Chainz flew both MCs to Los Angeles for an explosive session and signed them both to T.R.U. (The Real University) in 2019. T.R.U. provides a home to a rising vanguard of hip-hop talent and posits a platform for personal success as well. In partnership with Atlantic Records, the Atlanta-based label imprint includes flagship artists: Skooly, WORL, Hott LockedN, and Sleepy Rose. Sleepy Rose made his proper debut on the compilation Looking Like It Records with the single “Shoot It Out” ft. 2 Chainz, WORL and Hott LockedN.  “Our A&R showed me Sleepy Rose,” recalls 2 Chainz. “I was seeing the visuals and hearing the music. I noticed he had the look, but he really had the music. He came from nothing, and I knew he could make an impact.”

Rose Leek is an independent artist originally from New York now residing in Atlanta. In a recent interview with Lalaa Shepard on The Progress Report Podcast, Rose Leek shares his thoughts on the Dipset and The Lox Verzuz, differences from NYC to ATL, industry relationships with Lil Quill, Madd Marc, Baby Plug, Mak Sauce, Money Mu, taking music seriously, balancing fatherhood, and co-parenting.

Jiggs is a South Atlanta up and coming lyricist whose music bridges not just the generational gap in just Atlanta but in the underground and mainstream worlds of the genre period. He’s been rapping seriously since January 2019 and has been wowing anyone who could get their hands onto his music, freestyles, or videos. Jiggs has managed to accumulate well over 100,000 Streams in his first year of music with listeners all over the globe. In 2019 he released three projects (Mr. Perfect, 2 Live & Die in the A, & No Hooks W/ T.O. Green) staying extremely consistent with quality products that fans and supporters cant decide on as his best. Jiggs music paints the picture of a young man with NY roots but a strong Atlanta background that’s nothing like what we are used to seeing or hearing that’s confident and relieved to be in a lane of his own. Recently, after a brief hiatus he followed up with his full length debut, “Southside’s Hope, Vol.1: Let’s Hoop”, a cult classic in the making. A generational talent that could potentially be a world renowned name, in due time.

American songwriter, artist, filmmaker, Dj, actor, and content creator. Born in Atlanta, Ga Gregory Edwards aka Dj Westside was raised on a street named Ashby near Simpson Rd and The Bluff which is now known as the english avenue community. While being surrounded by crime, drugs, violence and other negative influences Westside always wanted to do something to help his family and would express himself through making music. He took his closet in a ran down apartment and transformed it into a recording booth and every talent from the neighborhood would come to rap and make records. Some of those artist would later become great names being acts like Young Scooter, Rich Homie Quan, 24 Heavy and others. Westside would keep working on music all the way up until he moved out of his dad’s apartment to eventually build his own studio and take on the title as a Producer / Artist. Things were up and down with music until two of Westside’s mentors Greg Taylor and Theophilus “Chip” Glass would introduce him to Xavier Hargrove (Dj Big X) who was the Ceo Of The Coalition Djs. After being introduced to X, Westside found himself becoming more involved with being a Dj more than a producer & artist as he would start gigging in clubs and producing on the side. This would be the start of something amazing, with the influence of the Coalition Djs who are currently some of the most influential figures in the music industry Westside’s career would become bigger than he could imagine. Westside would go from a Dj in the club to a Dj and filmmaker traveling the world with some of the biggest names in the game. Westside’s first american tour would be with artists Kevin Gates, and Solo Lucci, following that he would meet Jamal Inman who introduced him to international superstar Akon who later become a big brother figure. After years of being in the mix with Akon and various other huge names Westside decided to start mentoring himself. He met a young man by the Name of Jaymo who he saw much potential in and reminded him of himself so he started working him and they both began producing artists together, Jaymo had a talent with the harp instrument and Westside who was already a filmmaker gave them both a great idea, “you play the harp and I will record it”....This idea would grow from just a thought to a platform where artist could perform and display their talents acoustically. They would call this platform Harp Szn. Present day Westside is doing the things he loves daily, working with artists, staying connected and is the owner of a few companies. Westside quotes “ With being where i’m from to where i am today i know it’s a blessing, i just want to help others grow and continue to follow this journey with God as my lead....Anything is possible with faith and hard work.”