Today we’d like to introduce you to Haggis Johnson.
Hi Haggis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Haggis Johnson. Born Vincent Johnson in Savannah, Ga born in the 80s in a single-parent home I was the only child up until 10. Poetry was always a God-Given gift. I used to write my mom poetry as a kid as a gift her birthday is Christmas, that was the beginning. She also bought me Christmas gifts like tapes and CDs. My aunts and cousins also gave me music. Raised in the 90s when the Savannah hip-hop/rap scene was being paved.
The first known local rap group was Third Coast, the late Great Camouflage was also a part of this movement. I looked up to the pioneers and legends in my city. As a kid, I was reaching out to the labels in my city like Pure Pain Records and Infallible Records. Pure used to send me music, posters, and shirts, but Infallible Records did the same things except for The CEO and Executive Producer Cyber Sapp took me under his wing but teaching me more other than being an artist but as the behind the scenes executive decisions.
I became a hype man performing with a few of the neighborhood rappers. Infffa Red who started Third Coast took me under his wing being I was rooted in the same neighborhood. Inffa Red, Ryu, Loc Gotti, Posoul, No Love, Mr. Simpson, and other legendary artists began to teach and groom my recording art skills, my music writing skills, and real-life survival skills. In my early teens, Inffa Red linked me with Tekayo Spencer (Tekayo Da Don) a grade school friend that I already knew. Tekayo took me to my first in-house studio, where I recorded my first song. The idea was to form a group called Makaveli Trained.
But due to unforeseen circumstances that album never happened. Also a few months later Tekayo was incarcerated and later sentenced to 25 years. Throughout this, we remained in contact through the years of loyalty. Helping me remain focus musically on the outside world and I help him remain focused inside. After getting tired of trying to get a local record deal, we created street-certified entertainment. I pushed myself as an artist and built our brand on my own. I, later on, got a 5 years distribution deal with three songs to CD Run. I released a maxi-single called “The Reincarnation.” I was linked with the CTE movement but was never signed but I remain loyal and in contact with the other members. As the music industry was evolving and I saw the world was giving up CDs for digitally streamed music, I wanted to add more music on the platforms that CD RUN distributed my music to.
As I researched how could I possibly do this, I ran into another problem we didn’t legally own our company name so street-certified entertainment belonged to a nearby city, Tekayo and I being determined we didn’t let that stop us or slow us down. We added The Real to street certified and changed it to The Real Street Certified Entertainment. Tekayo was released after 15 years and we legalized the company in 2019 obtaining our L.L.C. I got out of that CD Run deal after 5 years My research led me to a distribution label that would allow me to release music on all platforms. I used this outlet to build my catalog and our brand.
Later on, releasing another artist on the label’s music and scouting new talents. Learning from the foundations of the local and global labels we are The Real S.C.E. We are still going and going stronger than ever. I can’t help it, I still have to come up with music it’s in me. It’s a part of me. It’s my destiny, my calling. I feel im going to make it bigger than what I expected.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Some of the struggles along the way were financial struggles, struggles with the law, balancing entertainment, and real life. Sometimes you can lose your dreams and life-changing opportunities because real-life issues come first. Dealing with the deaths of family and friends you lose focus. The struggle of still trying to make success after so many years.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Real Street Certified Ent, LLC.?
The Real Street Certified Entertainment, LLC is a company built off family genuine friendship loyalty, and love. Founded by two artists Tekayo Da Don and Haggis Johnson (aka Haggis Da Don), learning from our experience as starving artists and our music backgrounds we want to give the youths and another starving artist a chance.
We want to help the communities in our city giving the youths something positive to do. We don’t just want to be like any other entertainment or record label we want to be an umbrella label to other labels in our city and also have our own artist. Building a dream team. Music is just our way in the door but we have other endeavors such as movies, books, clothing, photography, videography I myself am an artist, I’m also an engineer.
The A&R and promoter. I have to wear different hats, I have to play other roles and positions within the team to benefit my label and I.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes. Save and manage money, stay healthy keep your mask on, and make better decisions. Eat healthily. But this whole pandemic has made a major impact and change to the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
- Website: https://therealstreetcertifiedentertainmentllc.business.site/
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/haggisdaon, http://www.Instagram.com/the_real_street_certified_ent, https://www.instagram.com/tekayo_da_don
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haggisboy912, https://www.facebook.com/therealstreetcertifiedent, https://www.facebook.com/haggisboy, https://www.facebook.com/tstrodadon
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/haggisboy912, https://www.twitter.com/streetcertent
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/HAGGISJOHNSON
- SoundCloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/haggis-babyimhell-johnson
Image Credits
The Real S C E logo created by Stephen Houston
