Artist in the Spotlight: Corey Barninger

This is Mike Ice of Keedie’s Corner and I’m here with independent entrepreneur, mogul in the making himself, Corey Barninger. Thank you for joining us on the Corner to have your story told Corey, so the viewers on the corner would like to know where you hail from and what you’re bringing to the game that’s new?

I’m coming from Mineral Ridge, Ohio and I’m always bringing new stuff to the game. I’m working on a 3 part project for my mixtape “Love Is Pain”, which comes with the original “Love is Pain”, The Chopped And Screwed Verison, and finally The Special Red Edition. I have a label DTR ENT, which includes 3 producers and 7 artists all hard working people, always working 24/7 to bring new material to the table. We all offer different services to where everyone can benefit from such as, Professional Mixing And Mastering , Top Notch High Grade Instrumentals, Major Distribution, Dj Hosting, Verses, Hooks and a lot more.

Alright very impressive indeed sir! So being from a small town Mineral Ridge, Ohio what ignorant criticism do you face?

To be honest the ignorant criticism don’t even really bug me no more, people are going to hate locally and nationally you just got to go with the boat, shrug the hate off much as you can and don’t let it get to you. This game is brutal, it’s like a dog eat dog world to get known sometimes, but like I said also you just got to shrug the BS off and go with the flow.

How long have u been in the game and when you did realize this is what u you wanted to do as an occupation?

I been in the music business for 10 years now since I was 12 years old, I’m now 22. I wanted to do this as a career ever since the age of 13 years old due to the fact I’m very passionate about it, its something I want to do for the rest of my life, I want to make a living out of this and hopefully inspire others to do the same thing. I grew up on the streets in the ghetto of Youngstown, Ohio. Being involved in gangs, fights and the drug game I started getting charges at the age of 13 years old. I realized I didn’t want my life to turn out that way so I looked forward to music and the business side of it to keep me out of trouble and it’s been working ever since then.

Growing up in the notorious Youngstown, Ohio, known for poverty, crime rate and its painful cry of help from its citizens! Would say you are a sign of change to build up your city of Youngstown?

I’m just trying to change my hometown and compromise so Youngstown, Ohio could be better then what it is right now. It’s really going down the drain, the school systems are jacked, kids and teenagers are failing they don’t want to learn they just want to stay on the streets and get into trouble with the law. The way I see it is you got one life live it right or its not gonna go the way you want it to. Where I’m from if you’re not dead or in jail by the age of 25 many are on drugs or in gangs. Too many parents are focused on doing drugs and not teaching their own flesh and blood right from wrong, that’s where this generation goes wrong instantly. To make matters worse, parents are scared to smack their kids or teach them discipline because they are scared to get put in jail. So I say being where I’m from, I’m just trying to change the city and make it better.

It also does not help when everyone around here locally only raps about guns drugs b*tches and h*es and saying f**k the cops every chance they get, what does that teach our kids? Everyday the racism gets worse and worse because parents want to befriend their kid, instead of being a parent to teach them right from wrong.

Wow such strong words! With you having the background that you have, how was your up bringing and your relationship with your parents? What has that relationship done for you? And what is the music scene like in Youngstown? Is it a melting pot?

I have a great relationship with my mom, she’s the only family member I have that didn’t walk out of my life, steal from me or lie to me. The Youngstown music scene is a big melting pot, but like I said above, they all rap about guns, drugs and all the negative stuff. I rap about my life, what I been through, how I grew up, I’m all about meaningful music.

What or who inspired you and attributed to your style? How and why?

To be honest my family, my wife and my daughters. My mom inspired me and even helped me pick the style that I use to tell a story about my life. I’m trying to stand out not fit in, if you fit in your not going to get noticed but if you stand out you are more then likely to get noticed because it’s different you know?

So what’s your feelings and views on this upcoming election and the state of America as a whole?

We all are pretty much screwed either way, Trump is a racist, a liar and a sexist. He can’t even run his own businesses, more then half of them went bankrupt. Then we have Hillary whose a criminal her self that deleted all private and personal emails out of her computers. I’m not really into this election so I really have not been following it that much so all I can say is we’re screwed either way in my own opinion. They both don’t deserve to be running for president they both do not qualify to be president.

I respect that! So what’s your sole purpose and goal with setting up your company?

My main purpose and goal is to take my artists to the top and have them be at their full potential. If you put your mind, heart, soul and everything you have into your business, you can do anything and everything you set your mind to. I have the most respect for my team, they have what it takes to make it in this business. They have the heart to make it that’s why I signed them to my team DTR ENTERTAINMENT on a 3 year contract. They are like my family now, we became so close they’re not just artists and producers to me, we are family now.

Any last words, shoutouts or anything you like to add?

Always, always, always, invest in your craft! If you don’t invest in what you do no one is going to take you seriously at all, they will think your doing it for a hobby. People have all this money to buy weed, to buy bottles, to buy designer clothes, but always try to come around and ask for free stuff. This isn’t the business for that, this is a career not a hobby. I don’t know how many times I had “artist” come to me asking for free stuff. I also see people coming to me telling me or people I know I’ll pay you this day and then never pay or straight up ignore the whole situation. To be successful you need high quality sound, you need high quality beats, you need distribution and you need to know the business side to make it in this game. Just like the drug game, if the product is not spot on no one is going to come to you over and over again. At DTR ENT we make sure you have that top notch quality at all times, if it’s not right we keep doing it until it’s perfect at no extra charge. Also if you don’t know your own strategies as in promotion, marketing, and learning, take your time start and researching promotion and marketing. Another big tip, DO NOT SPAM people I repeat DO NOT SPAM! Try to make a relationship with that person before you send them a link to your music, it can take a day or two, sometimes not even that long. Don’t go posting your links in comment sections that don’t allow it you don’t get views like that, that makes people not want to listen. Build a healthy relationship with that person first and then send them a link to check out your music.

I would like to shout out Mike Ice and Keedie’s Corner for giving me this opportunity, I have alot respect for you all. I would like to shout out my wife and my mom for pushing me to keep doing what I do on a daily basis with my music and trying to get my business up and running. I would also like to shout out my whole team, Solo, Chute, Ca$hFlow, Frito, Big Swolle, Threxxxx , Lungz, King Roland and everybody else that loves to be in this business for the business side. I see a lot of people working their hardest and I see their potential. I also would like to add, please don’t be over confident and cocky in this business because we all are underground there’s no reason to be cocky and over confident, you can be confident but not to the extreme.

If you want high industry quality for Professional Mixing and Mastering contact me. Starting at $30 a song, $600 for a album, half down to start Beats, $20 for a lease or $100 for exclusives major Distribution $40 a song or $250 for a whole album. Please email me at Officialdtrent@Gmail.com

330Creations is a Custom Merchandise shop Located in Struthers, Ohio. The owner of the shop is Justin Cox, he specializes in Custom Hoodies, Custom Shirts, Custom Key Chains, Custom vinyl, Custom Hemp Bracelets, and so much more. If you are not local he can ship the product out to wherever you are located. Reach him on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/justin.cox.37017 Or text him at 330-548-8300