There’s no denying it: once former Disney Channel star Miley Cyrus was filmed twerking at rapper Juicy J’s show earlier this year, the style of dance became a phenomenon. But twerking is not a new thing in the hip-hop community.
Just ask Travis Porter, who has been making self-described “gyrating music” for a few years now. The trio opened up for headliner Lupe Fiasco at the SUB Welcome Week concert on Aug. 24. After the show, the groups’ members— Ali, Strap and Quez— sat down with The Eagle to discuss their break into the music industry.
Jane Morice: So what is your relationship to each other? How did you all meet?
Ali: Quez and I are stepbrothers, and we found Strap on the side of the street [laughs].
Strap: No, but actually we went to the same school [in Decatur, GA], so we’ve known each other since the sixth grade.
Quez: We were friends first; it wasn’t like we planned to make music together when we first met.
JM: In your own words, how would you describe the type of music you make? Ali: We make “lose your morals” music. Our music comes on and people just forget where they are – lose their morals.
JM: What would you say was your big break?
Strap: Our big break, have we had that yet? [laughs] No but really, if I had to say what our big break was, it was probably when P. Diddy announced at a club that he had just signed this new group, which was us.
Quez: Of course it wasn’t true, but it put our name out there, helped expand our fanbase.
JM: Who has been your favorite collaboration?
Quez: [Former Destiny’s Child singer] Kelly Rowland, T.I. …
Strap: Yeah, we grew up listening to Tip [one of T.I.’s many nicknames], so working with him was cool.
JM: How about friends in the industry?
Ali: We don’t have a lot of friends in the industry, but I would definitely say Kells [a nickname for Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly].
JM: Yeah, weren’t you guys at MGK’s EST Fest in Ohio earlier this month?
Strap: We were. That s*** was crazy. I’ve never seen so many nipples in my life [laughs]
When asked what their goals were for the coming year, the trio didn’t have one definite answer. But it’s safe to say they will keep making music and keep making their listeners dance.
jmorice@theeagleonline.com
