Meet Terrique Handy | Music Artist & Step Coach/Choreographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Terrique Handy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terrique, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued an artistic or creative career as an outlet for self-expression and to make money doing what I love. They say if you can make a career out of doing what you love it will never feel like work and honestly, it’s the truth. Anytime I’m working on a song or recording in the studio I always feel like I can stay in that creative space forever. Creating music and writing lyrics really gives me a spike in my confidence to be who I am, untamed and unapologetic.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Nobody told me the road would be easy but I don’t believe God brought me this far to leave me. From being inconsistent, egotistical and narcissistic, I had to learn the hard way growing up! When you think the world revolves around you, it can quickly show you how you are just spinning around by yourself. I learned that being grateful for the support you have versus the support you don’t have is what matters most. Appreciating and cherish the moments spent enjoying your craft is priceless. Being apart of the LGBTQ+ community and making music specifically rap music is not seen as something to take serious by most consumers. What makes me different is, you can tell when I rap that it’s very crucial. Make no mistake about it, when I’m in the booth, I’m there to turn the tables and make you feel where I’m coming from regardless of how hard you think you are. We’ve all been through something and making that relatable enough to translate into music has been the story behind my brand. The thing I’m most excited about now is my upcoming collaboration with DJ Chose after winning Dallas Southern Pride’s Cypher competition. Shoutout to Kirk Myers and his incredible legacy for recognizing me and providing this amazing opportunity before his passing. He was truly an honorable man worth meeting!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So I would make sure they booked their room at the Omni in Dallas, with the luxurious amenities and breathtaking views, the vibe is always there! I think everybody’s first question is, “What’s in that big ball at the top of that building?!” So we would head over to Reunion Tower to eat and drink. I’d show them the Kennedy memorial spots, another day we’d take a helicopter tour over the city, tour the AT&T stadium, we’d go to Six Flags and ride some rides and win some prizes. We’d have a spa day over at Touch N Skin, then eat at True Kitchen + Kocktails. We’d go to Marty’s Live, go to the strip off Cedar Springs, maybe Deep Ellum but definitely 7th street in Fort Worth for the weekend night life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have two people, first person that ever supported me and still supports me musically by believing in my talent is my younger brother Michael Spencer. He is also an artist with an impeccable skillset for creating music and drawing. The second is Monique Booker with N’syt Entertainment. She was also the first person to support me financially with coaching her step team, “Ma’at” towards a national victory. Both hold a tremendous amount of value in my heart and I couldn’t have developed this high of a self-esteem or self-awareness without their presence.

Website: https://linktr.ee/aokotd

Instagram: @kingofthadamned

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@aokingofthedamned

Image Credits
Dallas Southern Pride