Who Am I?

I grew up in Ballymun, Dublin, back in the 80s. Before I ever set foot in a rave, I was a full-on rocker, blasting 80s rock music day and night. Then came the 90s—and everything changed. My first rave was at the Mansion House, and it flipped my world upside down.

I left that night humming two tracks I’d never forget: Rozalla – Everybody’s Free and 2 Unlimited – Get Ready for This. I was hooked. So hooked, in fact, that I walked straight to Abbey Discs on Abbey Street at 4 a.m. and queued until it opened (yeah, I know—bit of a weirdo). You’d swear it was the Christmas sales or I was queuing for one of those free holidays from Budget Travel.

That morning, I bought my first vinyl records—despite not owning a turntable. All I had was a tape deck. For the next year, I kept buying vinyl with no way to play it, until I finally got my hands on a second-hand mixer and turntable setup (nothing fancy—definitely not Technics).

While in college on Cathal Brugha Street, I kept raving—mainly in Sides DC. In 1993, I moved to Jersey and got my shot as a DJ at Raffles Nightclub. The only mixing I was familiar with at the time was flour, butter, and eggs for pastry. I flopped hard on my first night—and many nights after. But I kept at it. I worked six nights a week between the lights and decks, learning every step of the way.

Eventually, I came back to Ireland and settled in Ennis, where things really took off. I landed the big nights at The Queens Hotel nightclub and then Central Park. Life became a grind: 50–60 hours a week in a restaurant and 4–5 nights behind the decks. I stayed with The Queens Hotel nightclub for 20 years until I finally decided it was time to hang up the headphones. The long hours and late nights had taken their toll—I was done.

But the music bug never really left me. Over the years, I collected studio gear, planning to start making my own tracks. I dived into YouTube tutorials and music production books, teaching myself everything I could.

Then came COVID. Like many, I had a rough time. I had a serious talk with myself—what was I doing? If something happened to me, all this studio gear gathering dust would go to waste. So I made a decision: drop some weight, get healthy, and get back into music production.

Now? I'm back. Making tunes, loving the process, and reconnecting with the passion that’s been part of me for decades.

That me.

Birthdate February 21st 1968, Kevin Joseph Tervalon, was born in New Orleans LA. and raised in the Lafitte Housing Development. He has 2 sisters and was raised by his mother as a single parent. He had a tough childhood and an even tougher adult life.
  Turbalo was deeply involved in the club and music scene in New Orleans. He didn't have the resources or the connections to record but he could freestyle and had many songs written. Many of the DJs in his area knew him and whenever requested they would let him perform live. 
  He won many contests and was always on the scene to battle or simply entertain. He soon found that many people  started rapping because of him  but many recognized him as the first from his area, the 6th ward/Treme.
  One of the local radio stations WYLD would host a contest on Mardi Gras day at the end of the Zulu parade. He entered twice and won twice.
  Way back then he realized that he inspired many to try and he uses this as fuel today. " I mercked Turbalo even though he had that fire. I went with my nature. Now there's only Nzpya "
  He first realized he had this ability to create and relate orally when he was 12 turning 13 and his  best friend was arrested for murder. " I remember seeing him on T.V. in the back of the police car thinking and feeling how real life was, I felt as though I was going to jail ". A couple weeks later after his arrest and realizing he wasn't coming back anytime soon, Turbalo decided to write his friend a letter. A letter he never received because as he sat at the type writer ( no computers at home then ) he couldn't formulate what to say since he felt like he was in jail with him. Instead of a letter, a poem about the project he lived in came out. 
  He shared the poem with his friends and he started saying it as a rap from then on he was a rapper. Turbalo doesn't recall losing a battle although one time in while he was in jail he and a competitor both said that the other one won. Their  cell mates called it a tie. 
  Turbalo was 13 when he first stood before 1300 people, he remembers feeling like he was on drugs, the elation was unmatched even to this day. 
  He has 5 children and they are his  motivation. Turbalo is disabled as a result of an undetected birth defect, congenital spinal stenosis, since it went undetected for 44 years the damage was severe. When he met his surgeon he  was under his knife 6 days later. He  lost 45 pounds in the five days he lay in recovery. " I vowed then that since I can't work that I would still contribute and in the manner that [ now I'm certain ] was always meant, fate".
  He gave up recording and any form of creating in 1992 for a woman and didn't record again until 2009 for a brief stint, now he's returned to ignite the dwindling flame of Hip-Hop. In 2018 he released his first solo project TURBALO Who 1?
  Today he's focused on giving his sound to the world. He lost so much and experienced so much hate, treachery and death that he says he can't be tainted by anything that calls and tempts so many others. " I am Nzpya, this is my nature and the essence of my character. The music industry needs a hero, the world needs inspiration ".
          We R Nzpyration 2 Dis Nation
                     B Nzpyad yo boi 
                  Turbalo b.k.a. Nzpya 
  

instagram: Trutype Music
Artist  by TruType Music 2021
Video: https://www.youtube.com/@trutypemusic8453

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