Many youngsters of the early 2000’s listened to Eminem and Linkin Park. Think about if their music was blended collectively. The results of that combination could possibly be Jeff Thompson, higher generally known as Ekoh. His music profession has been on the rise in recent times, and each of these legendary acts had been sources of inspiration for him.
“I’m a child that was raised on Eminem and Linkin Park and was influenced by each worlds,” he mentioned. “I used to be all the time an enormous fan of particular person expression, creativity, and fervour.”
Ekoh was very self-aware as a child. He knew he didn’t excel in staff sports activities however discovered he thrived on his personal, which is how his music journey started.
“After I was on my own determining methods to create and categorical myself, I discovered myself,” he says.
Ekoh’s creativity was seen and felt when he wrote music. His dream grew to become to do what the performers he listened to did, carry out and encourage. He needed his music to be blaring within the headphones of gymgoers, runners, and youngsters that wanted an escape identical to he did.
Dependancy at an Early Age
His highway to success was not a straightforward one. He discovered himself in rehab at 18 years previous to beat addictions to painkillers, heroine, and cocaine. He acknowledges that the trigger or sources of his addictions is a smorgasbord of points. He grew up the kid of a single mom who had him and his brother earlier than she was 18. He discovered himself being drawn to easy types of pleasure that he had easy accessibility to, together with meals, alcohol, and ultimately prescription tablets and medicines.
“No matter was simply accessible,” he mentioned. “With meals, it was no matter gave me pleasure. When I’m feeling some type of method, consuming this can assist carry me down. I additionally grew up within the oxycontin period, and we didn’t understand how dangerous it was.”
The excellent news was that he was capable of get assist earlier than it was too late. When he left rehab, Ekoh was prepared for a recent begin, however he was not sure what that regarded like. Within the meantime, he simply did the one factor he cherished – and felt he was good at – creating music.
“I didn’t know methods to report or something about music construction, or something like that. I simply began doing it to specific myself.”
Health Turned a New Gas
Whereas Ekoh was in rehab, he needed to work with a private coach. His first expertise with that coach led him to find that he might use coaching as a approach to regulate himself and keep on observe.
“I get up each morning with a full tank and wanted a approach to get it out as a result of if it stays in me, it rots, so to talk. Train, again then, was a method to be ok with myself and guarantee that I might sleep effectively at evening.”
Ekoh lives in Las Vegas, which has change into a bodybuilding and health hotbed. So, he’s in the precise place to scratch his health itch. Ekoh does boxing coaching as soon as every week, and he performs weight exercises and Excessive Depth Interval Coaching cardio as effectively. He notably enjoys utilizing a VersaClimber, regardless that he doesn’t assume it’s a well-liked machine with different gymgoers.
Ekoh mentioned, “I really feel like not many individuals use it as a result of I’m the one one that’s on it once I go to the gymnasium.”
His Dream Turned His Profession
Ekoh is an impartial artist, which means that he doesn’t work with a report label or administration. He described his rise to stardom as a “sluggish construct,” however he ascended constantly and now has many followers on social media and at his concert events.
“It has been one fan at a time, one music at a time, one present at a time,” he proclaimed. “When it received to a degree that it was sustainable with no job, that was one other huge step for me.”
That components is one he follows to today, emphasizing that he makes music for followers and focuses on being found by followers as a substitute of executives. Social media has been an enormous asset for him, and he credit it for a big a part of his publicity and success.
“If you happen to do it the precise method and make stuff that folks can join with, you’ll discover your viewers. Individuals now have been taking discover on greater ranges.”
Expertise Ekoh In Individual
His viewers will get to see him stay at varied stops when he goes again on the highway in 2025. He will probably be performing over 20 dates in a number of cities all through the nation, and in case you plan to see him, be able to rock out and convey additional vitality and Vans footwear with you so he can probably signal them.
“I attempt to give the expertise of the music in individual, which is emotional depth, vitality, authenticity, and we’ve got a extremely good time. We go arduous,” he acknowledged. “As for the Vans, that simply type of grew to become our factor.
Though he will probably be on the highway, that won’t be an excuse for him to skip coaching. He nonetheless finds a approach to get the exercises in as a result of they’re part of who he’s and helps him thrive when he will get onstage as a result of he’s making an attempt to entertain 1000’s of followers and provides them a memorable present.
“I bounce rope whereas rapping a verse earlier than I’m going onstage,” he defined. “Train shouldn’t be solely essential for me mentally, but in addition profession sensible. I would like to have the ability to management my respiration when I’m rapping, and it helps me try this.”
Ekoh’s future is brilliant, however he hopes that his journey so far could make a optimistic influence on another person. His highway could not have been as clean as different rising stars in his trade, however the mixture of restoration, health, and pursuing his ardour was price each step. He’s additionally proud that his story reveals that no matter the place one begins, they’ll get the place they need to go along with the precise work ethic and fervour.
“That’s fairly cool.”
Ekoh’s Versa Climber HIIT Exercise
If you happen to occur to have entry to a Versa Climber or related cardio machine, you’ll be able to strive a pattern of Ekoh’s HIIT exercise for your self. He begins his coaching periods by occurring it for 15-20 minutes earlier than he lifts.
“This can kick your ass,” he says fairly confidently.
Heat-up for 1 minute
90 seconds on, 30 seconds off
Repeat 7-8 occasions.
Cool-down for one minute.
*If you happen to don’t have entry to a VersaClimber, you should use a step mill or elliptical with the very best incline setting.