March 5, 2020

Art & Life with Bag Of Tricks Cat

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bag Of Tricks Cat .

Bag Of Tricks Cat, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My grandma, Ann Bennett, would look after me a lot while I was growing up. She taught me how to read and write, as well as be creative. She was a singer during the “Big Band” era in New York, but she’s remembered for singing the “Felix The Cat” theme song for the 1959 cartoon. She also had recorded educational songs about the rhyming families, grammar and other topics for hooked on phonics, so as a small child I was surrounded by all those amazing things she did. That’s where I think my passion for music started.

I began writing songs and raps when I was 10 years old, and started recording myself when I was 12 or 13 on cassette tapes with a boom box and a cheap keyboard. By the time I was 16 I was selling mixtapes at my high school and performing at little local dives that would host all ages concerts.

Fast forward 10 years, and here I am. There’s a lot that happened in between, but that’s how it all started.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Well, I make music. The majority of it stems from my own life and personal experiences. When I listened to my favorite rappers’ albums growing up, I felt like I knew them as a person after I listened. I try to do the same thing with my music. My lyrics are very honest and I hope people can relate to what I’m saying.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
I don’t think artists have changed. Artists create art of all kinds that are a reflection of the society they live in and the life they lead. That’s the way it’s always been. The mediums we use to express may change, and how that art reaches the people may change too, but that stays the same.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I’m really easy to find. Just search for “Bag Of Tricks Cat” anywhere you listen to music and I promise I’ll be the only one you find.

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