Ruless
I
Text by Heather Bennett | Photograph by Jeff Rosinbaum
t’s November 9, 2019. Onstage at Texas Tech University, Arkansas rapper Matt Moolah and Hot Memphis artist NLE Choppa electrify hundreds of fans with Matt’s new track, “Updown”, a single recently released by Brooklyn, New York’s Bushwick Productions. It’s the fourth show in a sixteen date tour — fourteen dates are college campuses, two are arenas. For the moment, there are no signs of stopping this rising star in the music industry. With twelve thousand followers on Instagram and a busy schedule of music production and promotion, this native son of Royal shows no sign of slowing down...until the world slows down around him. Like many rising stars in the entertainment industry, the 25year-old hip hop artist realizes that generating and maintaining career momentum is essential in building an audience. After his single “On The Way” reached viral status in late 2018 with a quar-
38
LIFE & HOME
ter of a million streams in two months, the rapid rise of Matt Mooluh’s brand seemed inevitable. The track brought him to the attention of his current producers and expanded his territorial sights to include performances beyond his home turf: “I’m no longer considered a local artist,” he explains. “Now I’m considered what they call a ‘regional artist’, since I can book a show in places like Dallas, Louisiana, or Missouri and be recognized.” Although the physical crowds have dispersed for the time being, Mooluh affirms that he and his associates continue to press on, ensuring that their music reaches the ears of a quarantined audience hungry for fresh beats. “When COVID hit and the twelve shows we had left on our schedule were cancelled, I told my team to look for the positives in this,” he says. “When we were on the road, we didn’t have the time to do the promotional things we’re doing now. For instance, I did a television interview last night. And
