Interview with Telli Prego from Outbound

Q1. Are you the founder of Outbound, what does that movement stand for and what’s the meaning behind that phrase?

Well, yes and no. My boy Keesh actually came up with the name Outbound. He told me about the name and I ran with it! In the beginning it was mostly represented and brought to the public by our group Gas Mask Colony (Dregs One, Gram, Relikhan, and myself Telli Prego). Outbound started off as just a nickname for our neighborhood (The Sunset District of San Francisco, CA) but we then took it further to include The Richmond, Lakeview, Ingleside, and Excelsior (Dregs One is from Lakeview, Relikhan is from Ingleside). I later began performing with my other brothers Big Vic, Heat, Mo Risk Rich, and Okeefe, still keeping that Outbound name lit.

While its origin will never change, Outbounds purpose has evolved into a movement of free thinkers, artists, musicians, city kids, and people who cherish their community but are also ready to reach out to build with like minded people across the world. With OUT BOUNDaries. We hope to turn this into a global movement through our music, art, networks, travel etc therefore making it accessible to anyone who sees a bigger picture in all of this like we do. FOR THE RECORD: OUTBOUND IS NOT A MUSICAL ACT. The common misconception is that Big Vic, Heat, and myself are music group called OUTBOUND. While we have grown used to being added to shows under that (because is makes it easier for folks) we ARE NOT a music group.

Q2. How long have you been a local artist and what made you want to be involved with local hip-hop within the Bay Area?

I've been in the Hip Hop game since around 2004 - 2005. Rapping came to me by way of poetry, actually. I realized my poems were structured like raps so one day, I read one of my poems over a beat and the rest is history hahah. I'm proud to be from the San Francisco Hip Hop scene but I'm honestly on a mission to branch out across the country and across the world. I got all my game from Frisco and now it's time to preach what I've learned to a global audience. I grew up on Equipto, Andre Nickatina, San Quinn, Messy Marv, RBL Posse, 11-5, IMP, and more so to be from a City with artists of this caliber, it's truly an honor to be a representative of San Francisco Hip Hop.

Q3. What do you want the world or your fans to gain from listening to your music?

In 2014, I dropped my very FIRST solo album, "Mouthpiece Over Matter". The title was important because I wanted to display my mouthpiece in ALL aspects from topics, delivery, beats, moods, features, etc. What a lot of people don't know is that also I produced like 80% of the album with my brother Okeefe (together we are The Blacksmiths). I want people to always know that it's QUALITY over quantity with my music. When I drop something, I want them to expect and KNOW off the bat that the product is going to be good. Not only good, but versatile. I can do just about anything on the mic. I also want them to gain the knowledge that good music isn't always JUST whats on the radio, whats TRENDING or what mainstream media says is good. Some of the best music out is there for you to find, you just have to look for it. My whole camp, my network, my city even has so many musical gems, you just gotta find em sometimes.

Q4. How was the Bourne Madd Tour? How many tours have you been on?

The Bourne Madd tour was truly something special. It was fun, enlightening, and VERY humbling, all at the same time. I got travel to places I've never been before with artists I really didn't know personally and ended up making some lasting relationships with them. I'm not gonna BS though. There were a few tour stops that didn't have much of a crowd and it definitely got discouraging but between us artists, but we made sure to rock every single show like the venue was PACKED. I've got so much respect for these artists. (Shouts to Dezz, 1Lady,

I've been on one other tour which was I.L.A.M's "Forever Dope Tour" where I was actually just backing up Dregs One but traveled with him and Okeefe to each destination on the tour.

Q5. Do you have any upcoming shows?

Yes, my next shows will be at Burt's Tiki Lounge in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 7th and at Brick & Mortar in San Francisco, CA on December 20th, both as a part of I.L.A.M's "Winter Fresh Tour". I actually JUST got off the phone with Dezz of Da MaddHouze and we have something in the works for mid March 2016 but I'll be in touch with you about that when things are confirmed.

Q6. I have been following you on all your social media for some time now, but what are the non-followers missing out on?

Thank you fam!! For starters, I like to take nice pictures. Scenery's, city skylines, sunsets, things of that nature. I'm also crazy and like to post funny stuff to make people laugh as well as myself lol. I'm gonna be doing a lot more behind the scenes clips and posts in the near future since I feel I don't have enough of that on my social media feeds.

Q7. I ask all the local artists I interview this, but what if I were able to look at your iPhone or your computer what kind of genres or songs would I find? For sure, you would find A LOT of gangsta rap. I've got some oldies in there too, some of that good 90's R&B, and a lil bit of techno. YES, TECHNO.

Q8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, still creating music or something else?

Definitely still creating music but like I was saying earlier, on a bigger scale. I see me and my Outbound team building a crazy strong foundation and accomplishing some really big things in these next 5 years that will set the tone for worldwide opportunities of many kinds.

Q9. Where can your new followers find your music or follow you on your social media?

You can find a good majority of my music on Soundcloud.com/telliprego. On Instagram and Twitter, I'm at: @telliprego. I've got a Facebook fan page at: Facebook.com/telliprego. Not to mention iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Bandcamp, Xbox Music, etc. SHOUT OUTS: First off, REST IN PEACE MOM, I LOVE AND MISS YOU EVER SINGLE DAY!! EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR YOU!! HUGE SHOUTS to my Outbound family (There's too many to name)!! Here's to a huge 2016 and beyond!! Shouts to my Malicious Regime fam, keeping shit lit even to this day, I love yall!! Shouts to Solidarity Records, Da Madd Houze, I.L.A.M, and all my other folks across the board. To the San Francisco musicians, artists, etc, DONT STOP PUSHING AND DONT STOP CREATING!!