Originally published at The Well Versed

Remember the shy kid who used to scribble on paper in the back of your class? He may not have said much, but when you finally got a hold of his paper, you thought to yourself, “damn, this kid has talent.” The kid in the back of the class is now a grown man. And that man is Rapper Big Pooh. If you’ve followed Pooh’s career, you’ve seem him grow up on the mic. From the lesser known member of Little Brother to the artist and label head we see today, Mr. Jones has come into his own. Days before the release of his next solo effort, Dirty Pretty Things, Rapper sat down with TWV to discuss the new album, why he’s still got a chip on his shoulder and developing confidence in the rap game.

The Well Versed: How are things going these days?

Rapper Big Pooh: Everything is good, just trying to take care of some last minute things. I’m trying to release a video for “They Say.”

TWV: On your first album, you rapped about having a chip on your shoulder that’s bigger than a boulder, do you still feel that way given how far you’ve come?

RBP: I think I’ll always have that. Now, you keep that chip but you don’t always walk around like that’s the only reason you’re still doing something. You remember, and you move one.

TWV: What caused you to have that chip?

RBP: All the talk. I was always looked upon as less than, as a replaceable member. Even to this day, there’s still some of that chatter. Now I know how to pay no attention. At 21, fresh in the game to think you’ve done something marvelous and the talk is, “Yeah the project is dope, but Big Pooh? He can go.” Luckily I was able to channel that into something that worked for me.

TWV: How’d you get over that?

RBP: My manager Big Dho. He always saw something in me that I failed to see in myself. He was always pushing me to not only better myself but to keep going. I needed that push at the time because I was able to take that push and start doing things to build up my confidence. The biggest boost was when he pushed me to complete my own solo record.

TWV: Sleepers?

RBP: Yeah. I was always recording just to work on my craft. He told me that the other members were doing something so I needed to as well. That was me showing people I was doing something. I didn’t have any help from 9^th or Phonte. I took a then unknown producer in Khrysis—he wasn’t getting a lot of shine—me and him went in and put that project together. Once I saw I could do it, it really helped my confidence.

TWV: Given so much of the history with Little Brother and the Justus League, is there any anxiety now that you’re totally solo?

RBP: No anxiety, I know it’s a lot of hard work. The first time people heard me was with Little Brother, it’s been like that for a decade. I was never able to use LB as a real spring board for my solo career like with Foreign Exchange. For the [Connected] record we toured for that. We toured for that. That never happened for me. That made it a lot harder. I started building my brand after LB was dismantled instead of while LB was rolling. I got a later start. I already knew it was going to be a fight uphill

TWV: Is there any frustration from not trying to build that brand when you had the Little Brother spring board?

RBP: You can’t look at things in hind sight. It’s easy when you look back. I always believed everything happened for a reason. The mistakes you make—all that builds character and helps you become who you are. Where I am at this moment, I’m happy and proud so I wouldn’t change anything.

TWV: Talk to me about your new label, For Members Only.

RBP: Me and Dho had been talking for a while, he was talking about dismantling Hall Of Justus so we could all become our own bosses and be in control of our situations because there were some other things he wanted to do. That was just the next step. All of us had our own vision. If you work for somebody else, you become part of their vision; you create a niche within that vision. When you have your own, it’s your vision. I have my own situation and vision for it. Hopefully—eventually, when I settle myself I can start bringing on other talent and help others achieve their dream.

I didn’t want to be one of those people that signed 15 acts but don’t have time to put their records out. I wanted to start out slow and kinda be like Rhymesayers where they started with Atmosphere and helped them build and then bring another act. I want to follow that.

TWV: The intro for the new album is “Interdependent.” Most artists say their independent, why’d you use interdependent instead?

RBP: That was the name of the beat when I got it. I had to go look up the word. It was crazy, I wrote the verses before I looked up the definition and found out what it meant—being dependent upon something. I was dependent upon Little Brother to keep rolling. It was just me expressing all the things I was going through. I was dependent upon all those things in order to stand. In actuality, I didn’t need those things.

TWV: I was listening to “5.13.11” before we started and had some questions down until I got to the end…

RBP: [Laughs]

TWV: It seems like you’re consciously trying to work on storytelling and get better at that.

RBP: I’m a big Nas fan and I still think he’s one of the best storytellers. I wanted to have a story on the album. This isn’t based on real events. I had the “Around The World,” about meeting different women until you find the one. I wanted to do a song that was the opposite. You think you’ve met the one in your mind; in her mind, you ain’t the one. How does that play out? I just used that date because it was that Friday of the week I was in the studio. I just wanted to use a weekend. I wanted that to mark when the guy and the girl met. When the album comes out, that’s the month after. That’s all the date meant, it didn’t have any significance. When you hear it, that’s when the relationship ends.

TWV: Are you worried about having to explain that to the future misses one day?

RBP: The current misses [laughs]. I let her hear it. She laughed and said “You crazy.” She didn’t think it was her. I borrow from real life, but I don’t always put 100% in songs. That was a song where I stepped out of writing about me and wrote about a situation. That happens all the time, we just don’t know about it.

TWV: On “Good Clothes,” you talk about being walked over to the husky section. Were you ever uncomfortable in your own skin?

RBP: When I first started. When people assess and break down your skill level, it makes you [more] uncomfortable if you’re already uncomfortable. It goes back to me not having the confidence in the beginning— In myself or my skills. I was never a battle rapper. I just wrote poetry and lyrics on paper and never shared with anybody. Now I’m writing rhymes and I’m sharing them with people all over the world. I wasn’t ready for that step. It all happened way faster than I ever thought. I had to catch up.

TWV: Did it make it easier being in a group?

RBP: It didn’t make it any easier. I just had to deal. I learned quick that I had to have thick skin. When you have people you know… you and your boys are going in, your boy can take shots, you can take shots and y’all are good. You brush it off and have dinner. When it’s people that don’t know you… What hurt the most—it wasn’t that people kept it at my talent. They took it and tried to make it personal. That’s when you get offended like, “Hold up, you’re stepping out of bounds, you don’t know me.” I had to build tougher skin and build it fast. Being in the group, it wasn’t a thing of them jumping out and protecting me like, “Don’t be’ talking about my man.” There was no rah rah. They said, “You know how we feel about him, he straight.” They weren’t throwing up any extra shields. I had to learn to take it on the chin.

TWV: Do you ever stop getting frustrated?

RBP: After I put out Sleepers. Now I can take it with a grain of salt. You can’t please everybody. People say that but a lot of people don’t believe that. That’s why you have artists who have a club song and a song for the women. They’re aiming to please everybody. I really don’t give a f*ck about pleasing everybody. It’s impossible. Even Jay-Z has people who don’t like him. When you look at it on that scale, I know I’m not going to please everybody. You have to put it in perspective.

Originally published at The Well Versed

You know you have a smash hit on your hands when your song is performed by karaoke enthusiasts across the map and country music cover bands. Most artists wait their entire careers for a smash hit that never comes—Ginuwine checked that off his list at the beginning. As infectious as it was suggestive, “Pony” launched the former bachelor into the R&B stratosphere 15 years ago and he hasn’t looked back. With a TV One Life After special documenting his ride through fame, Ginuwine sat down with The Well Versed to discuss overcoming depression, cleaning up his music because of the kids and  what’s missing from today’s R&B.

The Well Versed: It’s been 15 years, is there a love hate relationship with you having to talk about “Pony” and perform it so much?

Ginuwine: Absolutely not. It’s a blessing. For me to be here after 15 years and have “Pony” and all the other hits. ”Pony” is the one that people remember and it’s the one that gets the biggest response. I’m not mad at that at all; I still get checks from it.

TWV: Are there other songs that still get good responses?

G: Yeah, I’ve been blessed to have at least two hits on each CD. When you have a show with a few artists, you usually get an hour and I get to do all hits. That’s a great place to be when you’re an entertainer and thrive off the crowd.

TWV: Were you worried about how people would receive you after “Pony?” The 90s was the one hit wonder era and you hit a grand slam out the gate.

G: When I first started, I didn’t worry about anything. I’m an artist and loved what I did and didn’t care. I didn’t know what it took to be successful. I was just doing what I loved. The benefits were the notoriety and the money. After the third CD and having acquired many things, yeah. I looked at people that had lost it. If this is your life, how do you go back to working at 7-11 or Popeye’s or wherever? I started looking at it as a business and making sure I didn’t have to work once it was all done. I was a little scared after I realized that. In the beginning, I wasn’t doing it for [money].

TWV: Going into The Life, is that when it hit?

G: Yeah. Well, after the first CD, you want people to know that you aren’t a one hit wonder. The second album I had Timbaland so it was cool. The Life really defined me as an artist. I had separated from who I started with and wrote most of the album. It ended up having the biggest song of my career, which was “Differences.”

TWV: The Life was my favorite Ginuwine album because of the depth of the songs. I understand you had a lot going on during the recording, can you talk about that?

G: My parents died like one year after the other. My father committed suicide and my mom died of cancer. It’s not like my parents weren’t in my life. They were there and I was close to them. That threw me for a loop. I believe that although I was able to get through, that’s where I started to stumble in my career.

TWV: How so?

G: Drugs, liquor, women. Not knowing who I am. It was so many unimaginable things that I went through because of the façade I had to keep up and be strong for my kids. A lot of that will take its toll when you have no shoulder to cry on and you are the shoulder everyone else cries on. I found my comfort in drinking and partying. As time went on, I realized I wanted to be there for my kids and didn’t want to show them an example of a loser or quitter. I wanted to show them the example of a winner and a hard worker. It took a few years, but I was older so the wisdom started kicking in. I have to thank God and my wife and myself. It still took me to do it for it to actually happen.

TWV: I know you’ve been a big advocate of mental health. During that period, was it you deciding that you had enough or did you seek out professional help?

G: The only professional help I sought out was through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Just implementing things I learned in church. The older cats were telling me certain things and I said, “I gotta start listening to this guy because he’s here.” That’s what’s most important, when you have somebody there trying to help you, you have to take it and run with it. I have a family and I wanted to be there.

TWV: A lot of times as men—as black men—we have a stigma about reaching out and getting help. What advice would you give to men about how to reach out or the need to reach out?

G: I really just found strength within myself. Let’s be honest, you’re a grown man; you know right from wrong. When it comes to that, you don’t really need help. You just have to find the strength to make that happen. I don’t know how to say that to people, other than that I wanted to be around for my family and be around for the things my father wasn’t around for. Just know when enough is enough by being a man.

TWV: I know that you’ve mentioned that having daughters has changed the way you’ve approached music.

G: In the beginning, I really didn’t have a conscious. I was still a young cat. I really didn’t care. I was all about having fun and not caring and you don’t realize the effects [music] can have on kids until you have your own. I had mine but I wasn’t in their life as much because I was young. With age comes wisdom. When you have kids you want the best for your kids and then you sit down and see the effects. When you see it, it’s a difference and I made the necessary changes. You can still be sexy but you have to be cautious at the same time.

TWV: Are there some songs in your catalog that will never be performed again because of that?

G: Yeah man. There are a lot of songs that I’ve done that I love that won’t see the light of day.

TWV: You’ve said before that Michael Jackson and Prince were your biggest influences, were there any concerns covering those artists’ songs?

G: Because I was who I was and having the juice I had, people weren’t really going to question it. It’s not about who you cover as long as you do a great job, that’s what matters. You have to do a great job on an MJ song; if you don’t people will talk about you. I had always wanted to sing that so I wasn’t trippin.

TWV: Do you feel like there are some things missing from today’s R&B?

G: The substance of it. The lyrics have been lost. You can say, “Jack went to the damn club and he drunk something” and that’s a hit. I just don’t get it. The substance of what true R&B is and was, is missing. You can’t hate on it because it’s working. I guess our parents said the same thing about our music. It’s one of those things where you have to keep doing what you believe in and there’s still a home for that.

TWV: Is that one of the things that still keeps you going?

G: I think there’s always a market out there. I still think I have a few more years. For some reason, they still view me as a younger artist. They don’t view me as an older cat. I’m always wondering, “Where is my place?”

TWV: Any chance we’ll get an official TGT (Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese) album?

G: I truly hope so. I hope that we’ll be able to do it but it’s three artists, it’s not just me.

TWV: This Life After special focuses on life after “Pony,” have you thought about life after performing?

G: I’m still loving the music and enjoying my family and my wife. I think about it, but I’m still young. I don’t really focus on it. Once you start focusing on it, you’re saying that you’re done. I’m not done. I’m looking forward to bigger and better things. Hopefully I’ll continue on this road and be successful while I’m doing it.

Originally published at The Well Versed

The name Christopher Martin may not ring an immediate bell, but if you came of age during the 80s or 90s, you know his moniker and his work. As the latter half of hip hop duo Kid and Play, Martin was one of the first artists to help spearhead the crossover movement. A string of successful movies, a TV show and a comic book series brought the pair into the homes of millions. These days, Martin is a college professor. But as he prepares to relive his past on TV One‘s Life After series, Martin sits down with The Well Versed to discuss why Run-DMC’s box office flop made him uneasy about House Party, why he only wanted one hit single and why he gave it all up.

The Well Versed: Before we get to the past, what have you been up to lately?

Christopher Martin: I’m going into my umpteenth year as an educator. Up until last year, I had five years at North Carolina Central University. I’m into my second year at Florida A&M University teaching a class on the music business and hip hop culture.

TWV: Was that something you always wanted to do or just something that happened?

CM: No, that’s proof that there is a God with a sense of humor. My educational background is not good. I got kicked out of five high schools in New York. The opportunity speaks to the incredible track record we had on the positive side of things and the staying power of the culture.

TWV: I understand that you and Kid were members of rival crews before getting together. Was there something you saw in him or he saw in you early on?

CM: It’s the adage of, “Where you’re weak, I’m strong” and vice versa. One of the reasons I didn’t do well is because I didn’t see any worth in it. My heroes were the people you saw on the American Gangster series. Those were the people I wanted to be. I didn’t hear about school on their resumes. I felt I would never amount to anything in [school] so why not dismiss it under the swagger of trying to be cool?

When I met Kid and had a chance to hang out with him, whenever Jeopardy or any of those game shows would be on that you had to know history, this guy would answer the question like, “Who is Socrates?” I would think, “Who is this guy I’m hanging out with that knows this stuff?” It rubbed off on me. If I couldn’t learn it the traditional way, I learned it through him.

What he would confess in interviews about me is that my lifestyle and living on the edge was something that intrigued him. When we came together as a team it was a complete person.

TWV: How did that affect the music you all made? It was very positive and inspirational. For you, did you ever feel like you wanted to be more edgy?

CM: That comes up quite often. When people speak of the Kid and Play brand, the clean thing is hard for me to embrace. When you look at the House Party movies, count the curses and the subject matter. I don’t see the clean part. It may be the lesser of two evils, but I don’t see anything clean about it. When you look at our discography, we spoke, we reflected what people of our age were doing but there was nothing innocent or clean about it. You couldn’t curse on the radio, so we did what we had to do. But our subject matter was about girls and what we would do if we had money.

TWV: I think, contrasting today’s hip hop, where guys are trying to look as tough as they can, do you think part of the fondness people have for Kid and Play is that you guys weren’t trying hard to be tough and just did what you did?

CM: [Being tough] wasn’t going to get us very far, so why? If you find yourself in a place where you don’t have to, why would you? A lot of our peers were quick to talk about us going soft, but Kid and I were vindicated once we saw Method Man and Redman doing a Speed Stick commercial. It’s about earning a living. Why on earth…even mafia and gangsters, real gangsters. Their code was they never wanted any trouble. Trouble was bad for business. It was something they had to do. They didn’t want to come in wanting to kill or rob. In a warped way, they drew the line at drugs, they weren’t going to deal drugs. It’s a mindset. There was nothing innocent—especially on my end going on behind the scenes. Since I had limited my options because of school, I had to deal with what I thought was left for me. It was like wow, I don’t have to kill anybody. I can wear this hair, dance and get paid for it? Sounds good to me.

TWV:   Were the roles in the movies extensions of who you all already were?

CM: Yeah. That’s what attracted the powers that be. It wasn’t a stretch. We did Class Act because that was something that really blew our minds. That was our actual lives. Here he was as this studious nerd who went to gifted schools and college; here I am at the fifth high school I failed in and barely getting my GED and running the streets.

TWV: Was there a point after that first House Party movie where you all realized you had something special?

CM: This may come as a surprise, but I was the one that didn’t want to do the films when they were brought to me. I was outvoted on that. It’s Kid and Play, but it was a whole lot of people that don’t get the shine. We had a rule where majority rules. I was outvoted. The reason I didn’t want to do it was because Run-DMC’s movie flopped, who were Kid and Play to think we could do what Run-DMC couldn’t? Krush Groove was a box office disappointment. I didn’t want that potential failure to cripple the recording career we had.

TWV: There was an all-star cast in the first House Party. Was there a sense that the majority of the cast would go on to do great things?

CM: It was something to do. Something to get paid, get some popularity and be attractive to the opposite sex. Where AJ Johnson and Tisha Campbell (Sharane and Sidney) were concerned, it was probably more than that for them. We tease them to this day. They’d come in and ask “What’s the motivation of this role?” We’d just say “Be quiet and act.”

It’s hard for me to fathom. I just wanted a 12 inch single. That was going to be the manipulative tool to get into Sarah or Grace’s pants. A hit record. I had no idea it’d turn into movies, or TV or comics. It was all about having a good time.

TWV: You didn’t leave the industry, but you gave your life to God, was there a catalyst behind that?

CM: A lot of disappointment. It was me thinking that the industry could be something that nothing could do but God. If I own this type of shoe, buy this car, or be with this woman… how many times have we said “once I get this, I’ll be set!” I meant that. It got to the point where I reached the pinnacle, getting married and into an adult conscious place, I realized this isn’t it. I just got tired. I had a few businesses and all of it was becoming a real burden. I dreaded my phone going off. It was all tiring me out.

TWV: Was it an easy transition since you felt so tired with the way things were going?

CM: It wasn’t hard for me. People ask how my friends took it and if I got questioned. Nah. I was always, to some degree, a loaner. When we all got money to get homes, most in our peer group bought homes in New Jersey— I bought a home in Long Island. When we all got money, I was the first to start a business, first to get married, first to get divorced. Maybe I’m just the first to go to Christ. I’m sure people had doubts and suspicions but that didn’t make any difference to me.

TWV: Was the end of Kid and Play more of a break up or a time to go do something else?

CM: I always tell people, “We never broke up, we grew up.” One of the things we got exposed to was LA. Kid loves LA. I don’t. Kid loved LA so much that he moved there. It was hard for us to maintain the relationship we had when we lived around the corner from each other. The accessibility isn’t there. I have things to deal with being an educator; he has different things to deal with. Because of the bond we have, every time we get together, it’s the same as it was back then. We can finish each others sentences.

TWV: Will we see any more Kid and Play projects? A lot of people have a desire to see the entertainers they grew up on doing things again.

CM: We’re not doing anything to discredit the bond we have with our friends. I don’t call them “fans,” I call them “friends.” It’s not about the money. It’s got to be right and make sense and speak to the relationship we have. Sometimes it’s good to leave on a good note. We’ve been looking at some scripts and discussing some things. If and when, is if and when.

Christopher Martin’s Life After special airs Oct 12 on TV One. Check your local listings for time and channel.

Edgar roars back, topples Maynard

It was like déjà vu all over again.

After nearly being beaten and bloodied in the opening round of his second match with Gray Maynard, UFC lightweight Frankie Edgar found himself in similar territory all over again.

And it truly was déjà vu—until it wasn’t.

Just like the second bout, which was an early Fight of the Year candidate, Edgar clawed his way back. But there would be no judges’ decision this time. Edgar rocked Maynard with a short left uppercut and finished him off with some precision right hands at 3:54 in the fourth round to retain the lightweight strap.

Before the finish, it was far from all good. Maynard scored early and often in the opening round of UFC 136’s main event with some huge uppercuts. The impact from the blows left Edgar—known for his cardio—with a badly broken nose going into the second.

Edgar used the sixty second reprieve to his advantage and came out looking like a new fighter in the second. He was more active on the feet and slowly began to find his range. As one of the best boxer’s in the game, Edgar’s head and foot movement was superb. With Maynard looking a slight step slower, Edgar began to attack, in and out with combinations before Maynard knew what hit him.

And in the fourth, Maynard didn’t know what hit him.

After going for a takedown that was stuffed, Edgar spun and unleashed a short left uppercut that wobbled Maynard. It was all the champion needed. As Maynard shuffled back to the cage, Edgar pounced, landing two right hands that sent “The Bully” down to the mat. With Maynard planted face first on the canvas, a few more punches sealed the deal.

“The Answer” found an answer to the only man to hand him a professional defeat. “I saw him rock, and I just went in for the kill,” Edgar said.

The victory may set up a super fight of sorts between Edgar and Jose Aldo. UFC president Dana White would like to see Edgar drop to featherweight.

A very human Aldo slips past Florian

Jose Aldo was a wrecking machine in the WEC. He stopped Cub Swanson with a double flying knee. He battered Urijah Faber’s leg so bad, the “California Kid” looked like he’d been hit with a bat. He made Mike Brown look like an amateur.

But in two UFC contests, Aldo has looked surprisingly human.

Read the rest at FightNews.com

Originally published at The Well Versed

Phonte Coleman is probably your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. And if your favorite rapper is Drake, the opening sentence is literally true. For the better part of a decade, the Phonte Coleman brand was built with the nuts and bolts of artistry: hard work, wit and dope rhymes. Whether part of Little Brother, The Foreign Exchange or guesting on another project, Tigallo consistently stole the show. On the heels of his first—and what many consider a long overdue—solo effort, Phonte chopped it up with The Well Versed about the need for a public reconciliation with 9^th Wonder, the moment he knew a major label wasn’t for him and why pretty women are liabilities.

The Well Versed: Was there some significance behind naming the album Charity Starts At Home?

Phonte: All my other work has been in service to another brand like Foreign Exchange, Little Brother or working with other artists. This is my first real solo outing and the first real thing I’ve done for myself.

TWV: Had you always thought about doing a solo album?

P: Not really. It was the furthest thing from my mind. A lot of people assumed that that was always what I’d do. I never had a reason to. Between Foreign Exchange and Little Brother, I was able to say everything I wanted to say artistically. Now, it just felt like it was time for me to do it.

TWV: With the new album, you go heavy on the rapping, what was it like to go back to rapping more than you have been over the last couple years?

P: It’s more of a shock to the fans than it is to me. I hear music in my head all day. I’m always coming up with rhymes or songs. I’m always creating. To me, it’s not much of a difference, I’m just doing me. To the fans, if you don’t live in my head you don’t know what I’m thinking [laughs].

TWV: Was it always in the cards to balance rapping and singing?

P: I just took a direction and ran with it. I grew up singing. I was singing before I started rhyming. I just started rapping because it was the cool thing to do. As a young man, I didn’t want to be in church singing like the Jackson Southernaires, I wanted to rhyme like Kane or Run DMC. I’ve always walked in both worlds. In hip hop, I think people want you to stay in one lane. I grew up on soul music.

TWV: A lot of fans were excited to see you back with 9^th Wonder. Did you feel that it was important to give fans a glimpse of what that reconciliation process was like?

P: With me and 9^th: We made mistakes in public, so we wanted to reconcile in public. Just to show people that it’s possible to rebuild and heal. That was the lesson we wanted to show people through our efforts of reconciling and working together. It’s about being men. Some things are bigger than hip hop. Our friendship is one of them.

TWV: Has anybody come up to you to share personal stories of friend or family relationships that have been reconciled as a result of your music?

P: A guy said “All For You” made him call his pops. I had another cat come up to me with a tattoo that said “Leave It All Behind.” He told me that Foreign Exchange album helped him get through his divorce. You never expect music to affect people in that way.

TWV: For me, “Fight For Love” off Authenticity helped me get through my divorce, so I wanted to ask if there was a story behind that?

P: It was a song I wrote from the standpoint of showing the difference between how men and women view love. When you’re in a relationship or marriage, you have so many people telling you “You gotta fight for love, marriage isn’t easy.” Dude, I’m not fighting for this s**t. Either it ain’t or it is. I’m not going to fight to make you love me. You either love me or you don’t. That’s where it came from. My frustration of hearing that you gotta fight for it speech. Like what the f**k is wrong with you people? I’m not doing this.

TWV: You’ve always been very candid, was there ever a situation where you look back and think, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that?’

P: Not off the top of my head. In some ways I’m glad I can look back and know exactly where I was and how I was feeling. The music acts as somewhat of a time capsule. There’s nothing that comes to mind where I think, “Oh God, what were you doing Phonte?” In ten years it may be different.

TWV: Has your definition of “making it” in the industry changed?

P: I’ve learned to not let other people’s expectations get me down. I’ve stayed the same. I think back to when I was working in a call center making $11 an hour. When we were working on The Listening, I remember saying and praying, “If I can just make $11 an hour rapping so I don’t have to back to this call center, I’m happy.” If I can just pay my bills. I got to that point and I’ve made way more than $11 an hour rapping. The problems I dealt with earlier in my career was me basing my work on other people’s expectations. You could sell 90,000 records. In your mind, you’re thinking 90,000 people, got damn! If it was 90,000 people in my yard, it’d be some s**t. To the label, they look at you like you failed. I don’t need to sell 90,000 records to pay my mortgage. I can sell 9,000 or 900 and pay mine. It’s y’all that need all this extra s**t.

Always base success on what you want. If you drive a Honda Accord, be happy driving the Accord. When people come to you and say, “You’ve got money, why don’t you get a Maybach or a Benz?”  F**k y’all, I’m happy with my Accord. I’ve learned to give less of a f**k about people’s opinions.

TWV: Was there a breaking point that caused you to focus on what you wanted to do and not care about others opinions?

P: My “Eureka” moment: I was in a meeting with Julie Greenwald of Atlantic Records. We were all in the meeting and she was talking about her next moves and mentioned wanting to by a TV station. I’m sitting there thinking, “How the fuck am I trying to validate my art—I’m trying to pay my mortgage and I’m about to validate my art to someone who’s thinking about buying a TV station? What’s wrong with that picture?” Julie is really cool and there are no hard feelings, but that was it. Like, I’m playing on the wrong field. This isn’t what I’m in the game for.

TWV: Looking back, was the major label experience a blessing in disguise or do you think, “I could’ve skipped that chapter in life?”

P: It was something I needed to go through to have an appreciation for what I have now. Every man has to have a really s****y girlfriend before they have a really good girlfriend. It’s the same way with the ups and downs in the game and the battles you fight. You need those battle scars, they make you stronger. I can appreciate what I have now and use my own resources to the best of my ability. You don’t look at being independent and say, “I should be major.” You look at it and say, “S**t I’m straight!” and you can be happy about it because you know what the other side of the coin is.

TWV: The monologue and the end of “Sending My Love” is hilarious and it’s something a lot of guys can relate to. Why should guys go home at the end of the night?

P: At the end of the day, nothing is free. This is straight up, real raw rap. A woman can put on a nice dress, do her make up and go to the local bar or club. Socio-economics notwithstanding, if you’re a fine woman, you can go up to a fine man and say “I just want you to fuck the shit out of me and never talk to me again.” That man will feel like he hit the lottery. He will do back flips like, “Word, that’s all you want?!?”

For men, it’s not that simple if you have any type of success or status. Any woman that wants to have sex with you is going to want something in return. You’re not going to just have sex and walk away. To those brothers at the end of the night, I relate to the struggle. Start looking at pretty women as liabilities. Instead of seeing big titties, see child support. Instead of a fat ass, see alimony. Instead of nice lips or a nice head game, see got damn family court. It’s not going to end there. That’s our burden to carry. Look at it like a dude that’s robbing you: If you get robbed on Monday, when Tuesday comes around he’s not going to say “I’ma let you chill today.” He’s going to be robbing you every day as long as he can get away with it. If you’re a successful, upstanding man, no woman is just going to want you for one night. If you’re showing her a good time and stimulating her mind, she’s not going to deal with you on Monday night and go back to the gump ass guys hollering at her on Twitter. Women are not backwards compatible. That’s not how it works.

To conclude this tirade, brothers: Think about what you’re getting into. It may look good, but it won’t end there. Think about what you got at home and ask yourself, “Can I handle two of her?” Most guys would say, “Hell nah.”

TWV: Musically speaking, you’ve worked with Drake, who says you’re one of his favorite emcees. When you were coming up, you all looked up to Tribe. How special is it to be able to work with artists  that you all have influenced?

P: That’s the biggest compliment you can get. To know that there’s somebody dope that you influenced. It’s an honor to see guys like Mac Miller or Drake or Wale come up and see them pay homage to me. You can’t ask for nothing more than that.

TWV: Where are you and Nicolay looking to take FE Music?

P: We’re looking to do us. We tried to do the “label” thing. We realized that just wasn’t the move for us. We work better when we’re self-contained. People ask “Are y’all looking for new artist?” No, we’re not. FE Music is me, Nicolay, Zo! and Median.

TWV: You’ve probably gotten this a lot, but people ask. Given that you’re working with 9^th, is there a chance we’ll see a Little Brother reunion? If not for an album, but maybe a track here and there?

P: It’s not going to happen. Flat out, it’s not happening. It’s over. We made our mark as Little Brother. That chapter is closed.

Originally published at The Well Versed

Mixed martial arts has seen its share of dynasties since the sport was (sort of) introduced to the masses courtesy of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at UFC 1 in ’93. Chute Box and the Miletich camp quickly come to mind of dominant camps of yesteryear. Today, Jackson’s MMA can (rightly) boast of dominance with Georges St-Pierre and Jon “Bones” Jones among its ranks.

After last week’s Strikeforce event, there’s a new camp in town—in case you missed the memo.

Nestled in San Jose, California, American Kickboxing Academy is rapidly becoming one of the sport’s go-to camps. In its early years, Jon Fitch, Mike Swick and Josh Koscheck made up the big three. The trio made waves as young fighters to watch, but all fell short of title glory.

Cain Velasquez turned the big three into the Fantastic Four, becoming the first man from AKA to snare a world title. His systematic dismantling of Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 was both confirmation and vindication for AKA coach Javier Mendez—who dubbed the able Cain MMA’s version of Muhammad Ali.

AKA went a flawless 4/4 at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. On the main card, Luke Rockhold battled back from a 19-month dry spell to capture the organization’s middle weight strap from Jacare Souza. Muhammad Lawal, a newcomer to the fold, KO’d Roger Gracie in the opening round of their light heavyweight tilt.

But the crowning achievement for the team lies with the performance of former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier. Stepping into shoes previously fit for Alistair Overeem, the Louisiana native needed just 3:56 to throttle Antonio “Big Foot” Silva and secure a spot in the Grand Prix tournament finals.

Make no mistake, plenty of people believed Cormier would emerge victorious, few predicted the ballet of violence that culminated in the opening round knockout.

Whether Cormier defeats Josh Barnett in early 2012 to win the tournament finals is inconsequential.

American Kickboxing Academy has arrived.

The team engineered by DeWayne Zinkin and Bob Cook have a nice mix of upper-tier athletes and promising young prospects. If Cormier’s performance is any indication of what’s to come, all eyes will be on AKA’s next moves in the future.

Iron sharpens iron as the adage goes. If you doubt it, just remember who Cormier’s heavyweight training partner is: Cain Velasquez.

Lil Wayne
Tha Carter IV (Cash Money/Universal)

Originally published at Las Vegas City Life

A prison stint, an awful rock album and a lackluster mixtape couldn’t quell the anticipation for Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV, given the reception for the third Carter album. And for the most part, Mr. Carter’s sixth official solo release doesn’t disappoint. The experimental aspects of some of Wayne’s earlier efforts are blended with minimal hiccups throughout. The “Intro,” “Interlude” and “Outro” turn into one giant — albeit chopped up — posse cut with Wayne helming the intro; Tech N9ne and Andre 3000 murdering the interlude; and Bun B, Shyne, Nas and Busta Rhymes capping the album. Weezy F. heaves a not-so-subtle shot at Jay-Z on the Drake- and Jadakiss-assisted “It’s Good,” a track sure to keep gossip blogs buzzing for the remainder of the summer.

In a truly surprising moment, “How To Love” emerges as a sleeper hit of the album. Tackling the subject of the good-girl-going-bad with a sensitivity not often found on hip-hop tracks shows Wayne’s versatility as a songwriter. His singing leaves much to be desired, but it’s a solid track nonetheless. It’s either an indication of how far rap has fallen, a testament to how good Wayne has gotten or that the album doesn’t contain anything that will have listeners rushing for the forward button. At the end of the day, Tha Carter IV is a reliable release that will stand out in a sea of subpar releases. ANTHONY SPRINGER, JR.

Median
The Sender (FE Music/Jamla)

Originally published in Las Vegas City Life

Hailing from North Carolina, Median has always been one of the more underrated members of the Justice League. But with a crew consisting of Little Brother and producers 9th Wonder and Khrysis, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. His sophomore effort, The Sender, may nudge him closer to the head of the pack.

Picking up where 2005′s Path To Relief left off, Median hasn’t lost a step on the mic. There’s not much improvement, either; he was a dope emcee to begin with. Fortunately, Median’s flow fits nicely over 9th Wonder’s production. Nowhere is this more evident than on the title track. Over a chopped soul sample, Median goes in, covering lyrical ground from memories to the rap game.

Where other album can be weighed down by guest appearances, The Sender is bolstered by them. Phonte and Median go back and forth on opener “Take A Chance.” The former Little Brother front man makes another appearance with Big Remo on “Turn Ya On.” The best of the Phonte collaborations is saved for last, as the rapper turned singer links with Bahamadia and YaZarah on “Special” — a song that lives up to its title.

Though it breaks no new ground, The Sender is nonetheless solid and will please those missing soulful beats and rhymes of substance. ANTHONY SPRINGER JR.

Cain Velasquez (pictured), Junior dos Santos tapped to lead UFC’s charge into mainstream

Originally published at Fight News
by Anthony Springer Jr.

UFC president Dana White always said the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion would be on network TV when the “right deal” came along.

Fox came along with the right deal and now, the UFC is going with a monster fight to introduce MMA to millions. On Nov. 12, shortly before Manny Pacquiao takes on Juan Manuel Marquez in a highly anticipated rematch, UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will put his title on the line against Junior dos Santos–on free TV.

White announced the pay-per-view worthy headliner yesterday on a media conference call.

“This is going to be an event of all events,” an excited White stated.

After a number of names were tossed around for the headliner spot–including middleweight champion Anderson Silva and MMA’s most familiar mainstream face, Brock Lesnar–White said going with Velasquez and dos Santos makes the most sense. Regardless of the sport, the heavyweight title is recognized as the biggest and best title for casual fans.

Despite previous success and growing popularity, White knows the UFC is far from mainstream appeal.

“Mainstream is when you walk down the street of any major city anywhere and ask them if they know what basketball is. That is mainstream. What we’re getting here is we’re getting the opportunity from FOX to become mainstream.

As for the challenger and champion, let’s just say both men know how much is on the line. The UFC has a history of big fights that took the organization to the next level: Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. No matter who emerges victorious, Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos look to add their names to the list of UFC legends.

“They know how big this is,” White stated. “They know what this means to the sport and to the UFC and to their careers personally. They’re honored, they’re pumped, and it’s going to be a great fight.”

A snippet of the article I wrote on UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans. Available in the Sept. ’11 issue of Ultimate MMA Magazine 

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“I’m Misunderstood”