Steven Michel, a.k.a. Don Veno, was born and raised in Ottawa Ontario, Canada with his parents, immigrants from Haiti. Steven’s mom signed him up in music lessons at the age of 7 to keep him out of trouble and off the street.
His music teacher loved his passion for music and saw something special in him. He was forced by his middle school music teacher and his mom to join the school choir. Another music teacher, “Phillipe Duquette”, made Steven audition for the school Choir and was amazed by his voice and made Steven the lead singer of the school Choir called “Le Group Allegro”.
As the years past, Steven took a liking to music, but never took it very seriously. All of that changed in 2011, at the age of 16, when T Mitch got his first Midi keyboard and started producing beats on FL Studio for some local artists.
From the age of eighteen, Steven began using the name “T Mitchell” which he eventually changed to T Mitch. T Mitch is a multi talented artist that can rap, sing and produce. His music is versatile and crosses many genres, including Hip Hop, R&B, Trap and more.
If you ask T Mitch, his main focus is just making good music with his unique melodic rap sound. He’s currently doing local shows and working on new music and projects. In the start of the year 2018, T Mitch has change his name to Don Veno.
1) Talk to me about the making of your latest project. What was the inspiration behind it?
The inspiration I got me to do this 4 track EP was the current trial and tribulation and what I was going trough and how I felt.
2) With the music industry tanking and record sales falling, how do you currently make money as an independent hip-hop artist?
The way I make money currently with the music industry tanking and record sales falling is by selling beats, me being a producer also opens up doors for me to make money off my instrumentals.
3) From a business point of view, which artists in the game do you think are really pushing the boundaries and changing it up?
From my point of view, I would say Drake. Drake is no dough a game changer and has also push the boundaries in game, i remember watching jimmy “Drake” from Degrassi rap for the very first time on a wheel chair when I was a kid and to see him come this far is a incredible.
Drake brought the game to a new level and has inspire a lot of rappers to sing and rap. Him being able to prove to the wold that he’s still that guy today and have the hottest song out right now “Gods Plan” after all these years in is pushing the boundaries.
4) What business lessons have you learnt from the music industry so far?
Know your own business as a artist and to be aware of whats going on and always look for the information you need to know.
5) What do you love about hip-hop music?
I love the fact that hip hop music has grown, there’s so much to explore in it. Hip hop is the most diverse genre of music right now and also the most popular genre of music in the game, I love the fact that there’s so much to explore musically in genre of music. I love what the OGs in the game left us with and the knowledge we grab from them as younger cats
6) What still surprises you about hip-hop?
I wouldn’t say that I’m surprise by anything in hip hop but I’m happy with were its going. The only thing I’m scared of his, has artists we stop being original and we all start sounding all alike.
7) If you had the power to change one thing about the hip-hop industry to help independent artists – what would it be?
Developing these independent artists and putting them up to game.
8) Who do you think are top 3 rappers doing it at the moment?
Drake, Kendrick and Future.
9) So what are your plans for the future?
Going on the road and touring to engage with my fans and some new fans and I’m planing on dropping some more music this year.
