Jefferson Countian Matt Manning, a rap and hip hop artist, named one of his recent albums “Rise to Power,” and that’s a fairly descriptive name for his career as well.
Manning, 46, performs under the name Cobra Immortal, and his music can be heard on CDs and on an ever-widening list of streaming services.
“I’m excited about the direction I’m headed,” he said. “I have a lot of followers, here and internationally as well, and I’m looking to do big things in 2023.
“Music is everything to me. It has helped me in my life, and taken me places I never thought I’d go.”
Manning, who lives in Crystal City, said his new EP (extended play), titled “Bad Boy,” is slated to be released in January on his independent label, Glasstown Music Group, a nod to his hometown and its now-defunct Pittsburgh Plate Glass factory, he said.
The new EP will join his other works on streaming platforms.
“I’m on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora,” he said. “And there’s YouTube music, Reverb Nation, Sound Cloud, iHeartRadio – just about anywhere where music is streamed and sold.”
Molded by those who came before
Manning grew up in Crystal City, the son of Lillian Manning of Crystal City and the late Ben Manning, and enjoyed singing from an early age. He says his family exposed him to a wide range of musical genres and artists, many of whom influenced him to one degree or another.
“Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Madonna, Prince,” he listed. “Growing up, there were a lot of great rock bands, a lot of R&B singers. Barry Manilow to Frank Sinatra to James Brown to Tony Bennett, and then classical artists like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven inspired me as well. These were the legends, and they are what I aspire to be.”
Manning graduated from Crystal City High School in 1995 and spent three years at Lindenwood University before dropping out to pursue music full time.
“I just felt like I needed to do something beyond school, something more,” he said.
He started a rap group called the Dead Homies with three other aspiring artists in 2000.
“Pretty soon, I shifted to songwriting,” he said. “And then I started learning producing, how to really get into the music business.
“I was a fan before I was a performer. I saw a lot of acts, watched a lot of MTV, and learned from them. In order to be successful, you have to learn from those who came before.”
Paying his dues
Manning says the next decade and more was spent working to acquire the skills he needed to succeed in his chosen field.
“I had to learn to perform, how to dress,” he said. “I worked at making contacts. All those artist development things that a record label would typically do for an up-and-coming artist, I did myself.
“I did a lot of reading, researching, talked with a lot of people, before I started creating my own products. I had to ask myself, ‘What is my brand going to look like? What’s my demographic going to be? Who’s my market and where will I sell?’ In order to support myself, I had to hustle.”
Manning said he worked various jobs in the early years – at a call center, in restaurants and hotels, doing auto detailing – but gradually was able to support himself with his music.
In addition to his music, Manning designs and produces clothing and other merchandise.
“That allowed me to generate the revenue to support me on my musical journey,” he said. “When you’re not signed to a label, you assume the cost and the responsibility of your career. Every year I learned to do something different and to be a better artist.”
He consulted with an attorney when it came to contracts and worked to learn about merchandising and promotion.
Manning got what he thought was his big break in 2014, when he signed with the California-based Absent Dream label.
“I went to Los Angeles and worked with them for about a year,” he said.
His first two compilations, “Untold Stories” and “Rise to Power,” were released under the Absent Dreams label.
But, with all the knowledge and experience he had acquired, Manning says he didn’t like the constraints placed on him as a label artist.
“I decided to go independent,” he said. “I came back here and started MO ILL Records and the Glasstown Music Group.
“As an independent, I have more leverage; I can be more in control of my own path.”
Manning said he has done live shows at local venues, and has performed in New York, Florida, Texas, and California.
“I just did a show on Fremont Street in Las Vegas,” he said. “That was a lot of fun.”
Branching out
Manning said the pandemic slowed him down.
“I wasn’t able to travel or tour, of course,” he said. “I stayed in the studio, and mainly used social media to market and promote. I did some virtual performances, but it’s definitely different performing that way versus live. I thrive on that fan interaction.”
He said he sees himself continuing to widen his musical horizons, continuing to perform while moving up the ladder to management.
“I’m going to continue to do what I do, collaborating with other artists in R&B, country, pop, Afro beats,” he said. “I hope to do more writing and producing.”
Manning said he also hopes to get back into performing locally.
“The majority of shows I’ve done have been out of state or in St. Louis,” he said. “And I really want to be more involved in the music scene in the Twin Cities.”
He said he also is eager to provide guidance to other musicians just starting out.
“My stuff has been played in the US, in Europe, the Philippines, Russia – and the support has been overwhelming,” he said. “I want to show upcoming artists you can do anything you put your mind to. Doesn’t matter where you come from.”
Manning said he brings a hometown-bred work ethic to his career, hearkening back to his days at Crystal City High School, when he received solid advice from then-choir director Mark Cotter.
“Mr. Cotter told me, the first time you hit the stage, ‘You bring your best. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 people in the audience or 10,000,’ and I absolutely believe that,” he said.
“After more than 20 years of learning and working, I’m still trying to hone my craft. And I’m always learning something new.”
Manning can be reached by email at cobraimmortal1@gmail.com or on his Cobra Immortal Facebook page.
“I’m working on a new website, too,” he said. “I’m on Twitter, Instagram – I’m definitely all over the web.”