ATLANTA, GA – Do you…Those two simple words are the foundation for everything that young hip-hop artist 5 Star Franko does. The Atlanta-based artist has been developing a reputation for himself nationwide over the past couple of years, and now at only age 15 his start is continuing to rise. And throughout all of his music and entertainment efforts he maintains one simple message: Do you.
“I just don’t want people to think you have to do certain things to be cool,” he said. “Just be you. I don’t smoke or drink because I want to show other teenagers that you don’t have to smoke to be cool. You don’t have to do those things to be cool and be the best guy. Just do you and let the world like you for that.”
Already his young career is making a difference in bringing attention to anti-smoking and anti-bullying, while also trying to help educate people about diabetes and raising support for research that helps to end the disease. In fact, 5 Star Franko donates a percentage of the sale of his music to help end teenage smoking, stop bullying and find a cure to end diabetes.
Though his music is the primary source of his reputation these days, he’s slowly building a resume that will include various other skills within the world of entertainment – from acting to modeling. It’s that diversity, in fact, that lends itself to his name – 5 Star Franko. He points to five specific things that he wants to be known for: writing, recording, performing, modeling and acting.
“Five years from now I want to be known as a household name in the industry and the entertainment business,” he said. “I want to be all over the place. I want to be on top of my game with music, on TV, in commercials, in movies … everywhere. I can even see myself sometimes helping other artists write their music. And of course I want to see myself on the radio a lot. But ultimately I don’t want to just be known for my music but as an all-around entertainer.”
Originally from Eufaula, Alabama, 5 Star Franko said he first was introduced to the world of music and entertainment by his father, who was a manager and promoter for up-and-coming musicians. Franko said he remembers being in and out of the recording studio with his father, getting a front-row seat into how the music industry runs and learning what it takes to make a successful career in music.
“It was basically all I saw,” he said. “All I breathed and ate and talked about was music. But even with all that I only started recording about a year-and-a-half ago. For awhile I tried playing football and even though I enjoyed it, I knew it wasn’t my thing. Even when I was playing football I was thinking about music. I’d listened to music so much and been around it for so long that it was already in me. So I decided there was nothing to do but embrace it. And when I first started writing it didn’t even feel like work. I can be in the studio for a whole day and it isn’t work, it’s fun to me.”
His most recent contribution to the world of music comes in the form of his new single “Up Next,” featuring a frequent collaborator and close friend, Young Rida. 5 Star Franko said the song came about after he and Young Rida left a football game and went straight to the studio. By 3 a.m. the two of them had found the perfect beat and began to freestyle. It’s a song that he said became about encouraging other people to be ready for their opportunity and willing to step up when chances present themselves.
“It’s upbeat with a high tempo,” Franko said. “It’s pretty fast and there’s a lot of energy to it. You can hear a lot of band instruments in it, and I can almost picture a lot of college or high school marching bands playing it. It’s different from a lot of my other music, but when you listen, you’ll see that none of my tracks sound the same. If you listen to an album, you’ll see that track 1 definitely won’t sound the same as track 11. I make a diverse collection of music. And that’s what I want to be known for. I want to be someone who is mainstream as well as underground music. I have more pop-sounding records, too. I’m so diverse that I want to aim as high as I can go. I want to go mainstream but also be respected in the underground world. I’m trying to get up there with the Drakes and the Two Chains of the business.”
To listen to 5 Star Franko’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
https://www.instagram.com/5starfranko/
https://soundcloud.com/5starfranko
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZPBuurOZrVilIpaFpgr3A
www.5starFranko.bandzoogle.com
