Toka Fly
Ohio’s Next Up Rap Artist
Despite facing some of the most difficult times imaginable, Toka Fly has overcome them and is now on a path to redemption. Having spent almost nine years in prison, both at the state and federal level, Toka Fly is a promising artist-entrepreneur who hails from Toledo, Ohio. He has translated the lessons he learned from his experiences into powerful lyrics that inspire listeners to forge their own paths in life.
Toka is a determined and persistent individual who was passionate about spreading his art. However, his efforts were interrupted when he got involved in street life and ended up in jail. After his release in 2018, Toka recommitted himself to music and has been making steady progress since then.
He has recently released several songs, “Stepped On,” “Money, Money, Money,” and “My Dawgs,” which have garnered hundreds of thousands of views combined. Toka is currently working on new music and is focused on expanding his fan base while promoting his message of loyalty, abundance, and entrepreneurship.
Toka Fly – Money Money Money (Official Music Video)
Meet and Get To Know Toka Fly
Kulture Vulturez: Growing up in the city of Toledo, what was it like growing up there for you?
Toka Fly: Growing up in Toledo, it’s a small city, and it was a little rough. I grew up just playing sports, doing music, and things like that. We are not that big, there is not much to do, but I found shit to do. I played football, basketball, and a little bit of boxing with my friends.
Kulture Vulturez: As you were growing up, was there ever a hip hop scene out there in Toledo, Ohio?
Toka Fly: No, because we are not big. We are next to Detroit, so Detroit, or Cleveland, had the rap scene when it came to music. We love music and things like that, but we are onto our own rap scene. But we’re not like Chicago or Atlanta. It just has not been in the cards for us.
Kulture Vulturez: When did you start getting involved in music?
Toka Fly: I’ve been involved with music since a kid. But as far as really taking it serious, about 17 and 18 years old. Just really kind of finding myself with it. Then more so the last 4 or 5 years as I really got into it, as far as taking it serious and becoming an artist, going through artist development.
Toka Fly – Stepped On (Official Music Video)
Kulture Vulturez: Did anything specifically get you inspired or influenced you to begin in hip-hop?
Toka Fly: When it comes to music, I love to entertain. I love just playing with words and things like that. Then you have people like Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane, of course they motivated me. I just wanted to tell my story as well too.
But like I said, I love to entertain. The words are like poetry to me, I just love to do music. It’s kind of like an outlet for me. It inspires me to do things, to say my peace with the music, and to inspire others. The motivation of getting up off your ass. Go hustle, go get it, turn up, be fly, put your people on, you know, things like that.
Kulture Vulturez: When you were doing time in prison, were you anticipating on getting out and getting straight to music?
Toka Fly: When I was in that cell it was what I really thought about because before I got locked up, I was reaching a level to where I was on tour with Joc and other artists, so we was on our way. We was in artist development then. So I thought about it and I’m like, I’m just ready. I just want to come out and hit them hard because I got a real story. And like I said, I love music. It’s an outlet for me.I knew I was going to come out and get straight to it.
Kulture Vulturez: What do you think you can take from your experience during your time in prison and take it to the business world?
Toka Fly: Coming from what I went through, it’s definitely the road to redemption. We all go through something and a lot of people decide to give up. I’m here to tell them don’t give up. It’s always obstacles in the way. Put God first and everything will happen for you.
When you turn your minuses into a plus, that’s really where I’m at with it. Then it’s like, you can be a walking billboard or walking brand, turn yourself into a brand. That’s what I’m doing now. That’s how I take my story, what I’ve been through and turn it into a business.
Toka Fly – My Dawgs (Official Music Video)
Kulture Vulturez: What was the biggest adjustment when you got out and started getting back in the music, following your release?
Toka Fly: First of all, you have to find your sound and then you have to build your team. I’m constantly recording, but you have to have the team because no matter how dope you are, you need people in play to put you in the right places, to get around the right people, to build the right relationships.
Without that, you are really either just rapping or you just attempting to rap. Everybody got nice songs, but your team is who help you elevate and get to the next level. You need your coaches, you need your players, you need your point guards, you need everybody.
Kulture Vulturez: What motivated and what was the reasoning you decided to start your own label?
Toka Fly: What motivated me to start my own label is me and my brother, who is the chairman and also my manager and my business partner, realized early on and we said ‘Look, we going to do it like this. We going to start our own label, we going to put the work in, we going to build our value, we going to build our brand, and that’s what we going to do and that’s how we going to do it.’
When you have something on your own and you can put value into that, then that’s what makes people want to go into business with you. He didn’t have me thinking like let us just rap and make a song. He had me thinking like a business, creating value and having something to come to the table with. When you have things to come to the table with, you can sit down at the table with the people. You need to that so it can help you elevate.
Toka Fly – Bae (Official Music Video)
Kulture Vulturez: As we entered 2023 you have released one of your biggest singles, “Money, Money, Money”?
Toka Fly: We got this rollout plan and it’s one of the first songs that we thought we should release. The energy [of the song] is different. It just hits different, captivating people instantly. It just has this bounce to it. So, that’s just the kickoff, and it just happened to catch with people really liking the record. It has legs and it’s moving. We’re trying to capitalize on that and keep it going along with the rest of the rollout.
Kulture Vulturez: What else are you seeking and looking forward to accomplishing as you are getting into the rap game?
Toka Fly: Just continue to build a brand. Become a household name that they respect, and have a platform to help others. Be able to speak and influence people in the right way, because even with all the street stuff, I’ve been through a lot. But it’s all about positivity for me and my camp.
We want to show people the road from redemption. That you can get it out the mud and go hard every day and accomplish the things you want to accomplish. I just want to be able to have that platform and continue to showcase that so others will follow. [Let people known that] you can be great in everything that you do, it is bigger than music.
Kulture Vulturez: What’s next for you after this release?
Toka Fly: After this release, we have a couple of freestyles dropping in. Another song that will be dropping. I got a hell of a roll out, man. I just want everybody pay attention. Stay tuned, because it’s going to be very entertaining, something that y’all need to watch. It’s going to blow your mind because I’m definitely stepping.