Up-and-coming hip hop artist Muller Muchunga, 22, goes by the name T.R.E – The Real Edition. He spent his childhood in Watford before moving to Hemel Hempstead and now he is trying to offer a different kind of rap.

“I try and call it contemporary urban music. When people think of rap they think of negative connotations like drugs and crime. That might resonate with inner cities, it might be something they’re surrounded by more whereas I grew up in Hertfordshire.

“I talk about different subjects. I try to touch on things which are inspirational, motivational and uplifting. My songs are usually a reflection of where I am in my life.”

Muller admits “I was always interested in music”, taking inspiration from his grandfather, who was in a band before discovering household names like Jay-Z, Wretch 32 and Ed Sheeran.

Last year he released the six-track EP Born to Be Great in December last year which came nail bitingly close to the national Top 100 iTunes chart at number 116.

Watford Observer:

He tells me: “I take inspiration from my day-to-day life, things I go through. Its social observation I guess, and introspective lyrics at the same time.

“I do all the song writing, as far as the production I’ve worked with a guy called Nutty P. He’s a West London producer, he’s worked with people like Wretch 32 in the past. That was cool and I learnt a lot.”

The EP is self-released through his through his independent label, Iconic Records, set up with the Princes Trust from which he received a grant to set up the label and was allocated a mentor.

With this support Muller has taken an additional step into entrepreneurship by launching his own fashion line, Millionaire Mindstate, which I available on ASOS Marketplace.

Watford Observer:

“It’s been quite popular with underground urban music fans. One artist, his name is Mostack, he’s quite popular in that scene. He wore it in a music video and it got over two million views and that helped the clothing line gain attention.”

So what does T.R.E have planned for the year ahead to help him pave his way with his career?

“This year I want to go out there and do a lot more shows and really get my name out there. Work on my music and crafting my sound, it takes a long time to know yourself as an artists and I’m still in the process of developing and crafting my sound and really taking it to another level. It’s a learning process, but learning it in the public eye.

“I’m trying to set up a show in the summer, called Ico-Fest. I want to get lots of unsinged artists from the area to come down and perform.”

Details: facebook.com/knotre