Knowledge & Game, The Two Guns; Tugun Cannon!

Tugun Cannon

Hailing from East 117th, and Kinsman, Tugun Cannon. Tugun Cannon, is the oldest of eight siblings, the older brother they look up too. Obviously trying to be a positive influence, Tugun has been in the entertainment industry for five years strong. Dedicated to the art of hip-hop, and developing the state of, Ohio’s pipeline of talent.

216thetakeover.com: Whats good Tugun Cannon? Hows life been treating you since your performance at the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards?

Tugun Cannon: Everything is good, I’m alive and, well. Can’t complain, you know, God is good.

216thetakeover.com: Your signed with an independent label, Mathaus Entertainment, correct? How has their label helped you spread your name, and music?

Tugun Cannon: Yeah, my label has been like the driving force behind everything that has been going on really, as of lately. I was originally signed with “Hog County”, once my boy got locked up, I had to fund things by my own means. I ended up getting signed with Mathaus, and since then the ball has just been rolling. It’s like everything is taking off, you know? The label has definitely been a real strong force in making things happen for me, nation wide.

216thetakeover.com: The song “Wassup” with Fat Al, is making a lot of noise around the city, how was that track brought to life?

Tugun Cannon: It was a crazy situation, I had a hook, and I could just hear Al sayin’ this hook. The dude Al got a hot sound, and a nice voice. I feel, Al could definitely be one of the individuals that make it in this city, with the proper marketing, and preparation. I holla’d at Al, and he said he wouldn’t mind doing the track. So I flew him out to Chicago, where we actually recorded that joint. From their it was curtains, we ended up doing a couple joints. The “Wassup” is the one out in the streets, and hot in the clubs. I got one on deck, this shit is crazy, people ain’t heard it yet. Both of those joints are going to be on my album. My fourth coming album, “The O”. It’s pretty much done. We’re going to be releasing it soon, I think it’s a real nice project.

216thetakeover.com: You just dropped the album  “Doin Damage” who helped with production, and who is featured on the album?

Tugun Cannon: A few different people are on the Doin Damage CD. As far as production wise, a dude named Butta, he’s from the west coast, real hot.

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I got my production team Pro & Brave their from Cleveland, be on the look out for them. They got hot stuff, real hot. I got 61, 61 did a couple joints. I got snubs, I got black house from Atlanta, and I got D, from Dez on there.  Everything else is just mostly my production team, Pro & Brave. As far as the features I have Darren Anthony, also signed with Mathaus Entertainment, aka Brave of Pro & Brave. Darren Anthony is a talented dude, he sings, he raps, he can do it all. Also, I have Corey Bapes on the title track Doin Damage. Which is a banger in the streets right now, its on a few different mixtapes out here. I got a dude named Ill Gunz out of Chicago, he’s pretty hot. I got LuLu Tha P.K that’s my artist, she’s supper hot! She’s reppin’ for the female MC’s, her music gives substance, its thought provoking, but it’s still hip-hop, it’s still fun. It’s classy, she still a lady with it. It’s hot, definitely hot, I think you’ll enjoy her music. Oh, and Machine Gun Kelly, one of the couple of people I respect in the city.

216thetakeover.com: For those who do not know who you are, who is Tugun Cannon, and did you get that name?

Tugun Cannon: Tugun Cannon is an artist that strives to be the best. Honestly, my main three things are this: Passion, originality, and creativity. I really just want to give people those three things. The name Tugun Cannon means like, I shoot knowledge, and I shoot game to cats. So I feel that name properly suites me, it’s not spelled like two guns, still to me it means to shoot knowledge, and game to people. Everything I say blows up, it’s big like boom, ya feel me? The name just came from a creative play on words. The main thing is, I’m an artist who is passionate about what I do, and I really want to give people the best. I want them to be happy, and satisfied. I’m not going to put out anything I don’t like.

216thetakeover.com: So, what makes your “creativity” different from others?

Tugun Cannon: I love to talk about realistic situations of course, and touch on certain things a lot of people won’t. People just like to talk about the streets, and what they do is glorify the negative aspects, with out giving the whole side of the story. I feel if your going to tell a story you should give both sides. I try to give the people positive aspects of life, while shedding light on negative situations, and how to correct, and make them positive. I don’t like to necessarily glorify it, I like to reach outside the box. Like rapping about politics, religion, and up lifting our people. Like when you hear The O album, you’ll see where I went. I put out the “Doin Damage” first, because a lot of times you have to get peoples attention. If you listen to the intro, for a long time I’ve been doing it a certain type of way, and people really wasn’t paying attention. So, I hit em’ in the head with “Doin Damage”, which is like every concept on that CD is doin damage. I like to raise the bar, you know? Tap new ground, no idea is really original, but you can always put your own spin, or twist on something. That’s how I try to separate myself from other people who do what they do, as an artist.

216thetakeover.com: What’s your most memorable performance so far?

Tugun Cannon: Besides the time I performed, with “The Game” in California at a club. It would have to be at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards, because that was just a beautiful thing to open an award show for our state! That would have to be the one I like the most, the crowd reaction was great. It was for the O, so yeah that would definitely have to be the one.

216thetakeover.com: Since your trying to be a driving force for the city, is their any Cleveland artist you would like to work with, that you haven’t yet had the chance to?

Tugun Cannon: Yeah, Unforgiven. This dude is real hot, he’s on “The O” CD.  A-gully, I’m really feeling his style, got a lot of love for him. ABM Officialz, I’d like to do the remix to “What It Dooski”, with them. I really would like to work with any artist in the city, that would like to work with me. I’m trying to get as many artist as I can for the “O” remix, so any everybody to jump on the track, get at me! I like a couple artist from out in Columbus, Chubby Baby, he’s hot. Young Prophet pretty slick from out in Toledo, he music got substance remix. I really want to do that “O” remix though, I feel it will be good for our state. Just to show that we can come together, that we can do it as one.

—LIKE SERIOUSLY GO HIT THAT MAN UP IF YOU WANT ON THE TRACK!

216thetakeover.com: The album “The O” is supposed to come out real soon, but do you have any other projects; video related?

Tugun Cannon: Yeah, I have a video on my page, Can’t let you go. It should be on BET real soon, that’s one of my singles, featuring Brandon Howard. I’m about to shoot a video for “Outer Space”, that’s one of the joints on my “Doin Damage” CD. So be on the look out for that. Also, I have a give away with “The O” CD. There will be like 4, or 5 golden tickets in the CD’s. Who ever gets one of those golden tickets, will be a part of a big, big contest. People will be giving away money, we will be flying people where ever the next video shoot is, they can be in my next video. Also, they will be able to have lunch, or dinner with me. So, yeah it’s going to be a real nice situation with “The O” CD. This is going to be big, we take this serious. This going to be real monumental for the state, and we want represent the state well. I feel like this is the best thing to come out of Ohio since, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Bone is classic. I really put my heart, and soul into this project. It’s political, it’s fun, it’s street, also got stuff on there for the ladies. It’s a nice CD, a real nice CD.

216thetakeover.com: Big thanks for doing this interview, I appreciate it.

Tugun Cannon: I appreciate you wanting to speak with me, and do this interview, that’s good shit.

Big thanks to, Tugun Cannon, can’t wait for a copy of “The O” CD! This is one real educated artist, don’t sleep on his music. Don’t listen to just the beat either!