When he’s on the mike, he hopes that you will like, the rhythm of his beat, to bring you to your feet.
Local resident Lane Steakley is looking to rap his way up the charts in the music industry under the stage name LSK. He’s released two YouTube rap videos thus far and recorded dozens of songs. He’s planning to shoot his third video this Saturday in Atlanta for release in the coming weeks.
“The videos are what’s put me out there,” said Steakley, 19. “They have definitely gotten a reaction, both good and bad. It’s me doing my thing.”
Steakley says he’s focusing all his creativity on rap and hopes to make it a career. “I’m looking at this as my 401(k),” he said with youthful enthusiasm.
His love for rap began in second grade when he couldn’t stop listening to the song “Make It Rain” by Fat Joe and Lil Wayne. His first rap name was Lanesta Gangsta, which he admits now seems comically cliche. He later changed it to T’Bone and then T’Steaks. He’s growing fond of the LSK moniker, which stands for Lucrative Sound King, although he says it may change again.
“I’m getting my sound right, but sound is just part of it,” said Steakley. “If the music matches the person and the person has the right image, then you have it going on. Image is such a big thing. Sometimes your image is different than who you really are. That’s OK too, but sometimes people don’t understand that’s not you. It’s just an image.”
Rappers are known for enduring hardships and describing those troubles in song. Like country singers who wail about losing their wife, their truck, and their dog, rappers often sing about inner-city turmoil such as drugs and gang violence.
Growing up in McMinnville, Steakley doesn’t have inner-city experiences, but he says there have been some things in his life that have made him “mature quickly.”
“My parents are divorced and there have been times I’ve been kicked out of both houses,” said Steakley. “All I had was my feet and a bag. Those things are difficult to get past. You kick me out here, you kick me out there and you start to lose the relationship. I haven’t necessarily had a bad life, just plenty of things to learn from.”
Steakley says he does get musical inspiration from real-life events. For example, he refused to walk the stage during Warren County High School graduation in May. He said the decision wasn’t well received by some in his family.
“I didn’t walk the stage because of personal preference,” said Steakley. “For me, I didn’t feel like it was something I needed to do. It ended up being a big blow up. I was so defiant about it for some reason. Looking back, I probably should have just walked.”
Steakley said he wrote a rap about the incident and the emotions it stirred.
As for his YouTube music videos, one is for the song “Planning Out.” It was shot in Warren County and features scenes from Spring Street, the downtown area, and Rock Island.
The second music video to the song “Maxing” was shot in Nashville. It features scenes from an East End neighborhood, Printers Alley, and a vacant parking garage.
The two videos were shot by Patrick Davis and edited by Caleb Hughes, both local residents.
Steakley says he has worked with Manchester rapper Jacob Johnston, 14, who recently signed a four-year contract with the Dream Chasers label. He says he’s working with Johnston to release a song through a Vevo account, which is hard to obtain. Steakley says while anyone can post a video on YouTube, Vevo accounts are generally reserved for bigger artists.
LSK has a high-tech studio complete with soundproof cubicle, computer and interface. He’s working to “max out” his sound and says his rap is beginning “to sound the way I’ve always thought about it sounding in my head.”
“I’ve been told by too many people that I’m doing it the right way,” said LSK. “If you work hard and you rap hard and you do it every day, you will be able to make it.”
LSK says to look for his new music video “Demons” to be released on YouTube in the coming weeks. You can find the videos by going to YouTube and searching for LSK.