Marcus Antonio: Trouble Don’t Last Always.

Marcus Antonio: Trouble Don’t Last Always.

The life of newcomer Raggae artist, Marcus Antonio, literally changed overnight. He went from trying to make it to going viral in the blink of an eye. Imagine being 13 years old and starting your journey to becoming a pop/reggae music star. By the time his first 3 singles were released, he was on the trajectory of superstardom. Nonetheless, the industry began to present itself in a way that would cause Marcus to step away from his dreams and his passion.

He began focusing more on the engineering side of the industry which would ultimately show itself useful when Marcus returned to the music and his sound quality was impeccable. He taught himself the importance of quality sound and studio production. That eventually led Marcus to create music across multiple genres. From Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop, to Country and Jazz.

We had a chance to sit with Marcus and talk about his life path, goals, influences, and new music. Meeting at the Sean Cason Studios in Midtown Atlanta, Marcus and I began to chat. Surprisingly to me, he was a highly skilled studio engineer. Meanwhile, I was struggling with some recording equipment trying to make sure we both had a good sound. “I think you have that plugged in the wrong slot. That’s your out slot and you want it in your input slot.” As we both laugh, I say “now you tell me… you saw me over here struggling.”

SUAVV: What was life like growing up in Jamaica?
Marcus Antonio:
Growing up in Jamaica was a fun experience–That’s home to me. Living in Jamaica is what made me who I am today and a better person. I’ve experienced the best of my country. As a child, I played soccer, was very intrigued with computers, and loved music. I had to grow up early because of the passing of my grandmother. She was a pillar in my life, and I took what she taught me to help to become the man that I am today.

SUAVV: I’m sorry to hear that. I know how amazing grandmothers can be. What has life been like when you came to the states? What were some of the biggest adjustments that you had to make?
Marcus Antonio:
Life in the states is a little different but also enjoyable. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to do major adjustments. I’ve adjusted well to the people, the food, and of course the weather. The weather sometimes is a shock to me.

SUAVV: You had an amazing influence in your life from your father. How was your dad’s influence on music important to you in your life and your music?
Marcus Antonio:
As a young child, I grew up knowing that my father, Mark “Dragon” Williams was in the music industry. He was well known and now that I’ve been on this musical journey, he has a strong impact on the path I’m taking with music today. My father always dominated the Caribbean music industry with his skill, knowledge, and views.

SUAVV: So you’re like a legacy music kid. (laughing) When did you decide that music was the route that you wanted to take in life?
Marcus Antonio:
I saw how invested my father was, and music has always been in my life. In 2017, I was a contestant on American Idol. I wasn’t as responsible as I should have been, and I ended up missing that opportunity to show the world who I am. In 2018, I took my music career extremely seriously and made music my full-time career. Now I’m signed to King Recordings Entertainment and I couldn’t be happier to be signed to a family-owned music label.

SUAVV: Yeah those life lessons can be hard. So let me ask, What were you doing before starting your music career?
Marcus Antonio:
Before music, I worked as a computer engineer, and that is a second skill that I mastered and achieved throughout my life. I’m glad to have that skill, due to music being digital, it plays hand in hand, and makes it easy for me to be a well-rounded artist. I can control the platforms I use, my voice, and my overall creativity when it comes to music.

SUAVV: Okay. That explains you being heavy on the digital side of the industry. When you decided to take music on as a full-time career, what changes did you have to make?
Marcus Antonio:
The changes I had to make were adjusting to the different ethics producers have. I have worked with “Collie Budz,” “Bobby Digital,” and “Paypaz Chasaz” out of Jamaica. I never looked at music as a job, so making it my full-time career and experiencing every experience possible with music is definitely an honor. Grasping the ways of each producer I’ve worked with thus far, has helped to mold me into the musically inclined person I am today.

SUAVV: Your career just began to fully take off over the last few months. What has that been like for you?
Marcus Antonio:
My career has been the best thus far. King Recordings Entertainment has been a true blessing to me and my career. We’ve charted on the iTunes Reggae Charts at our lowest #4, thus far. I believe if we stick together, the sky’s the limit. I can only imagine what is in store for the next years to come.

SUAVV: That’s amazing. Congratulations. Tell me about your new track and why that song, in particular, was important to make?
Marcus Antonio:
“Trouble” came about from a personal experience. I wasn’t taking care of trouble at home. I was focused on different trouble and got caught up in doing so. I had to make a song that reflected that crazy time in my life and made fun out of it. This song has helped to introduce me to the dancehall world on a different level.

SUAVV: Cool, so what do you have next that is brewing on the radar?
Marcus Antonio:
Right now, I released my next single called “Rider”. I have my EP coming out in the next few weeks, and my multi-genre album is slated to release this Fall.

SUAVV: What do you want your legacy to be when this is all said and done?
Marcus Antonio:
For my legacy, I want to be remembered as an intellectually gifted musician. I’m striving now to make this dream of mine become reality. I dream not only to make sure my family is good, but to also be a mentor to different communities of young men in the music industry, to help guide them on the right path. This is just one of the great things I want to do– Legacy to me, is so important.

Keep up with Marcus Antonio: www.marcusantonioofficial.com and @marcusantonioofficial