“Life is a chess game. All you gotta do is try to play it well.” This is the guiding principle that has contributed to Dante Tweaks’s success in the music industry and his personal life. Many in the scene know him as the owner of the largest recording studio in Connecticut, the only one endorsed by Hot 93.7, CT’s hip hop radio station. He also owns the independent record label Howell Records Studios.
However, Dante is also a recording artist. His first single dropped on Hot 93.7 when he was only 19. His single, “Plug Ran Dry,” went to number 69 on the UK iTunes charts, and Dante got a plaque for that. Over the years, he has done feature songs with notable people such as NYC rap legend Grafh, Young Dirty Bastard, and Street Gena of Jamaican group E-SYDE.
Originally from the Bronx, Dante moved to Connecticut because he saw a gap in the industry there. A highly motivated individual, the need to call the shots drove him to establish his studio and manage his label himself. He gathered a suitable team and started building what is now a powerhouse label. In the meantime, he was also experimenting with different sounds to discover one that best suited him and what he stands for.
He explored different ways of doing that and did lots of features with legendary rappers. Recently, he even did a crossover record with a dancehall artist. After lots of tweaks, Dante and a producer he’d hired found one that sounded right. It was a blend of Trap music, hip hop’s popular subgenre, and rock music. The combination gave rise to what is now called TrapRock, a genre Dante is responsible for pioneering and popularizing in Connecticut.
Right now, Trap music is becoming the new soul music as it gains more popularity all over the world. With its many subgenres, it’s a good fit for an audience seeking fresh and upbeat music. Dante’s TrapRock is one way of getting a feel for it. His debut single, “Off the Bat,” is a great example of what the future of music may look like in a few years, and he has not stopped there.
At the moment, he is preparing to launch his debut album, TrapRock: Volume 1. He is doing it independently through his label Howell Records and believes it will cement Connecticut as the powerhouse for new music. That is important to him because even though he likes being the boss, having a community matters to him a lot. And Connecticut gave him that when he left the Bronx, so he wants to have its back.
Dante and his team are currently opening up a digital marketing firm to collaborate with his record label. All the resources they have gathered over the years will be utilized by him and other artists to give singles proper production services and make them successful. Resonating with his audience is important to him, so he wants to be in charge as much as he can with creative control.
Dante’s songs are on Spotify, where he has already gained 2,000+ monthly listeners. If you appreciate new and authentic sounds, you will find that in his music. The promise he makes is to ensure that “As I live it, you hear it.”
