Thad Reid is determined to make a career doing the music he loves. Success in the business is a promise that he has made to himself. It’s also a promise that he made to his best friend Demetric Walker who passed away following a motor vehicle accident in 2000 on a drive from a Memorial Day party in Washington D.C. to Demetric’s home in Harrisonburg, VA, Thad and Demetric’s cousin were also present in the accident. The tragedy still haunts Thad to this day.

What started as a hobby for Thad in the form of home – made music videos and rapping into karaoke machines quickly progressed into making mix tapes and writing lyrics.

The desire to scribble down rhymes took up every spare moment throughout his final years of Amherst High School and his studies at James Madison University. He could have chosen a career in sports broadcasting after graduating from JMU in 2000 with a degree in media arts and design. However since then he has chosen to split his time between his day – job and continuing to craft truthful, inspiring, thought provoking, hard hitting lyrics. He’s also made the move from Madison Heights to Alexandria, Virginia and succeeded in overcoming the pitfalls of depression and unemployment. More than ever he is focused on showing Hip Hop music why it needs him. Currently working on his fourth release Memorial Day 2.7. Thad took the time to answer some questions on Virginia, his music and his thoughts on what it means to make it in this life.

Interview by Ollie 81

'Voice Of The Commonwealth' what does the title mean to you?

It means a lot to me. What a lot of people might not realize is that Virginia is a ‘hustling’ state. And by hustling, I don’t necessarily mean drug dealing. I mean in ALL aspects of life, people bust they ass everyday trying to put food on the table. It doesn’t matter if you are a truck driver, a postman, construction worker, cook, teacher, mechanic, etc., you pretty much have the same mentality – ‘provide for your family’. And the only way for you to do that is to get out there and make something happen. One may stand on the block or one might climb in a manhole, but the main point is that they are both getting money the best way they feel they can. I’m speaking from that perspective in my music and for that, I feel like I’m the voice that represents it the best.

What's the buzz been like from your current single Top Of The Heights?

The response to it was phenomenal and the buzz is getting stronger and stronger everyday. I’m very pleased with how it’s doing thus far.

Disko Dave paid homage to Common’s Resurrection with the beat. What was the inspiration behind the lyrics on TOTH?

When I first heard the instrumental for what eventually would become top of the heights, I just vibed out with the track. It gave me that ‘smoky jazz club’ type feel so I knew I wanted to write something inspirational and positive to it. At that time in my life, I was a struggling artist who was broke and couldn’t find a job. You do the math. When the pen hit the page, top of the heights is what came out.

The song Memorial Day must have been next to impossible to pen? Especially due to the range of emotions you were trying to face at the time.

Yeah. To be honest, I can’t even listen to that song that much. It’s that powerful to me. But I will say that even though it was rough for me when I first started writing the song, once I got going it just flowed out of me pretty smoothly.

The tragedy that you faced on Memorial Day 2000, how have you moved forward in life despite the memories of that time remaining with you?

Well the thing to realize is that you never forget. But you do learn how to cope and essentially, that’s what you have to do to move forward. For about 9 months I was in a rut and just living day to day. Then I realized that the person that I lost wouldn’t want me to remain stagnate in my life. He would want me to continue with my goals. I told ‘D’ the night he passed away that I was going to succeed and take him with me. Fast forward 7 years and we are conducting this interview based on the new single I just dropped. Think about it. He may not be here physically but best believe I will be taking him with me when I achieve my success in this music.

You've had a number of guest appearances and two full-length releases to date. Your next release is Memorial Day 2.7 - tell me about that?

Memorial Day 2.7 is a street album in the same category as my other mixtape releases No Beat is Safe Volumes 1 and 2. It will have remixes of some of my favorite tracks off the Memorial Day LP as well as original production from The Ologist as well as up and comer, Eso Tariq. Expect an upgrade in lyricism as well as overall song structure. Besides Memorial Day, it is my best work to date.

The track top of the Heights, is that off a upcoming full length album that you're currently working on?

Currently I’m working on an ‘as yet untitled’ follow up to Memorial Day. I’ve started writing and recording for it and the songs right now are coming out crazy. Expect Top of the Heights to definitely be on there but for the fans, I’m also going to throw it on Memorial Day 2.7.

I guess a lot of listeners may have also heard of you through your guest verses on a number of Doujah Raze tracks? How did you and Doujah meet?

Doujah and I met back back in ’99 when I was attending college in Virginia. We used to skip class and blow trees at his crib. That’s my dude right there. Him and Double J looked out for me when I was basically flat on my face back in the day, so I’ll never forget that. Even if Doujah nor I ever make it in this f***ed up industry, at the very least, we’ll still be friends.

What are some of the experiences from your time in Virginia that didn't get a mention on your verse on Doujah's track Virginia?

Do you have some time to kill? Nah, I saw and experienced a lot growing up in VA. Same as a lot of other southern black neighborhoods in America. Racism from outsiders who didn’t live there as well as by employers, cops profiling, people beefing with one another all the time, people constantly in your business, not to mention skirt chasing, shit talking, smoking, drinking, getting into trouble, doing illegal shit, riding around in your old ass car with a system in it that cost more than your car did, etc, etc. You also had your crack-heads, alcoholics, dealers and criminals. I guess what I’m saying is that coming where I come from, it’s all about choices and what you are willing to do to remove yourself from certain situations.

Looking back, what are your thoughts on the VA Tech Massacre and the media frenzy that it generated?

It’s very unfortunate what happened to those students and faculty and my heart goes out to there families as I know what its like to lose someone close to you. But the problem I have with this situation is the media and how they are making a ‘star’ out of the gunman. How many times are you going to show this kid freeze framed wit two guns in his hands pointing it at the camera? You want to talk about rap music and the imagery that it portrays to the youth but you still put a REAL killer on television and show him repeatedly day after day playing wit guns on the 6 o clock news. Who’s the real enemy?

Have you seen any changes in peoples mindset in VA since the massacre?

To be honest not really, the only thing I would say is that people are definitely a little more cautious about their children going to college and what those colleges are doing as far as safety. People are also showing a lot more support to VA Tech.

You walk around and see flags on cars and memorabilia being worn by others to show love. It’s a great thing but also sad in a way because it seems that tragedies have to happen in order for people to unite.

How would you personally define success? What qualities does one need to possess to be successful in life, from both your experiences and those around you?

Success to me is being able to make a comfortable living doing what I love, while also being able to take care of my family with the rewards that come with that. I don’t have to be a superstar. But if I can make a good living doing music, I’m good. At this point in my life, it’s about happiness. Anything in music is better than what I do now. Don’t get me wrong, I would love the fortune and fame, but that doesn’t mean I’m a failure if I don’t go platinum on universal. I could be independent and make good money and be comfortable. I’ll be straight with that. Don’t get it twisted though, I’m a still strive for the top. I can’t help it. It’s how my state shaped me.