Lebron Norwood grew up in Alton Park but said he spent much of his youth moving from neighborhood to neighborhood in Chattanooga.
"I lived in most of the rougher parts of town," he said.
He uses those experiences in the rap music he makes in his private studio and that he markets under the stage name King Diggy. His first independently produced CD, "Ill Hustle: The Street Hustle," was released last year.
Norwood is passionate about making and marketing his music. He has created the Support Ya Own (local artist) campaign, and his next project will include a new CD of his own songs as well as a compilation of raps by other local and regional artists.
Q: Tell us about what you do.
A: I record my own music and do everything but the instrumentals. I enjoy that, but I have a real passion to do a lot of promotion. I know what it takes to market and put an event together.
I love to perform, but I would much rather be out in the crowd with the people promoting.
Q: How do you describe your music to people?
A: I tell them it's about me and what I'm thinking at the time. It's about my experiences in the world. Sometimes it sounds negative, but it's about life. Really what I want to tell people is despite everything, you can get through it and be positive and you can have a good time.
Q: What are your goals?
A: I know a lot of rappers or hip-hop artists have a passion to be a big star or whatever. I don't. I'm in it for the music. I want to make music that contributes to people's lives, and I feel like I can contribute.
Q: I would guess it is easier to be happier that way.
A: Oh, yeah. I am happy. I have no time to be stressed out. I can do what I want, and I love having that control."
Q: Would you say what you do is rap or hip-hop, or do you make the distinction?
A: I would go along with being a rap artist, but I don't exclude hip-hop. I can go around the table with all of it. Rap, hip-hop, Southern rap.
Q: What is the key to selling your music in Chattanooga? Is it mostly an underground market?
A: It's definitely underground. It's harder to sell local stuff, unless it is packaged right. It has to be packaged right. People say, 'Why should I buy your CD when the last time I bought [a local CD] it was low-budget and had this problem or that problem and it didn't look right?' That kind of thing ruins it for the rest of us. I make sure it is quality.