In any field, but Hip-Hop especially, the one trait more important than talent is consistency. Unless an artist is okay with being a one hit wonder, once that buzz is created, the real work begins. And once an artist is on top, it’s not easy to stay there.

Toledo Hip-Hop artist T. Diamond has learned a lot since his arrival on the music scene a couple of years ago and has every intention on applying that knowledge to further his quest for domination.

While you may have first heard his name in 2009 or 2010, T. Diamond has always had a competitor’s spirit and a connection with Hip-Hop. His first taste of recording was forcing his way into the studio with his older family members. They doubted his talent because of his age, but once he convinced them he was serious, not only did they become confident in him, but he gained confidence in himself.

T. Diamond credits his city for assisting him in developing his style, swagger and the substance for his music. He claims “anyone that visits Toledo can see that the thing we do have is that self-belief.” The hurdle is taking that belief and making a logical plan and following through. This can sometimes be difficult to do alone.

One thing I respect about Toledo label UGE is their consistent support for their artists. If an artist from their label had a performance, the entire crew came out to support them, so the label was always associated with the artist. And while T. Diamond and the label have parted ways, he learned a lot from the experience of having people behind him.

A lot of people would have you believe that they are a one-man army. They have no support from anyone, and their success is solely the result of their actions. Yea … no. The company you keep, whether it’s a label or just supportive friends, play a vital role in your success.

“You’re nothing without other folks working with you towards the same goal. And that goal is getting you heard.”

That being said, while T. Diamond is independent and working hard on the solo tip at the moment, he’s definitely looking for a promotional team and all-around hard workers who support his movement.

This is the real test. T. Diamond was in a situation with unlimited support and access to luxuries most artists have to pay for. Now he has to start over in a sense, applying the knowledge from the past situation to his current one in hopes that his future looks brighter. Will he succeed?

If hard work pays off, then easy work is worthless. T. Diamond is fully aware of this, and I’ve seen his self-promotion and Internet presence increase since he’s gone independent. He’s already had a single in radio rotation; he had a high-quality, well-received music video. He even made the front page of this paper in 2010. But none of this has slowed down his hustle. An artist whose biggest goal is “to make good music,” T. Diamond lives by one phrase, which is also the title of his upcoming mixtape: Never Get Comfortable.

“With anything you do, stay working because you can always get replaced.”

So will T. Diamond live up to his motto and continue to be on your radar? Only time will tell. But if his track record is any evidence of his future endeavors, he has nothing to worry about.

Tags: "Never Get Comfortable", lilD, T.Diamond, The Word I Heard, UGE

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 9:26 pm and is filed under Star, The Word I Heard.
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