"Shoot Me Down," the first single from TRUTHLiVE's EP The Unlearning, paints a biography of the emcee's life experience. TRUTHLiVE explains, "In all honesty, what sparked the idea for the song was the gunshot and respirator breathing sound effects already in the beat." The song's intense drumbeat and bass set the tone, while a piano line and soul clap give the track an extra pop. As the piano mimics the spoken pulse, TRUTHLiVE drives the song's theme home, rapping, "They wanna shoot me down, wanna kill all my dreams/ But I keep on breathing, keep on believing."
As a self-proclaimed optimistic realist, TRUTHLiVE built on the sounds of Tha Bizness' powerful beat and produced an empowering theme song for the downtrodden.
"Shoot Me Down" is a response to the many doubters that independent artists face. "Being an indie artist on the 'underground' circuit is a struggle," says TRUTHLiVE. "I've come across countless non-believers and outright haters - those who don't think I have chosen a viable career. I have always remained steadfast in my conviction for Hip-Hop, emceeing, and poetry." The Unlearning is the precursor to TRUTHLiVE's forthcoming album Patience, meant to give listeners a taste of his unique style. The EP features production by Tha Bizness, who have worked with 50 Cent and Lil' Wayne, as well astracks crafted by The ARE, Vitamin D, J-Zone, and TRUTHLiVE himself.
As the owner and founder of Bay Area record label Interdependent Media, TRUTHLiVE has helped promote the careers of artists such as Tanya Morgan, Finale, J*DaVeY, and more. His full-length debut album Patience, produced entirely by Jake One, will be available April 20, 2010 via Interdependent Media. mp3