INTERVIEW: Young Hot Rod - Living The Fast Life

[Damien J.]

by Yo! Raps - www.yoraps.com



Imagine sitting at your desk on your second week of training at work, your sidekick rings, and 50 cent is on the other end of the line telling you to quit your job because your lyrical skills were so impressive that he had to flny you out to New York City to discuss a possible record deal. “I went back into work after I got off the phone with an amazed looked on my face still looking at the plane ticket on my sidekick,” says Young Hot Rod after he received the call that change his life.

Sounds more like a dream huh? Well, this is one dream that came true for Phoenix rapper Young Hot Rod whose record deal was just processed in June, which means he has been officially signed to G-Unit records for only 4 months and creating a buzz that screams gggunit.

Young Hot Rod is a true overnight celebrity with his album dropping in January of next year and a hit single entitled “Be Easy” featuring the queen of hip-hop and soul Mary J Blige. If you would have told 21 year old Rodney Toole when he was rapping with his homeboy in Sacramento, California over instrumental beats to hip-hop singles on cassette tapes that he would be signed to G-Unit records one day he probably would not believe you. Fresh in the industry Hot Rod is still in awe when he sits in business meetings with 50, records songs with his label mates, or meets other artists such as Young Jeezy. 

Young Hot Rod or Hot Rod, which he prefers to be called, has swagga that makes you believe that maybe something really is popping in Phoenix, Arizona. He has a great personality and when speaking to this man you feel like you are talking to a regular dude on streets, not someone who is signed to G-Unit and worked with top producers on his upcoming album, which means he is humble.

 “My content I don’t talk about the same things people talk about I don’t kill people, I never sold drugs, and I never was in the worst part of the hood I never had to go through those situations so I don’t speak on it. I talk about what I’ve done in my life growing up having girls, fun, partying, drinking, chilling with my peoples, and having a goodtime so that’s what you hear in my music,” says Hot Rod.

With a flow that maybe compared to his boss 50, Hot Rod is proving that he can stand alone without the comparisons and spit rhymes about partying and bullshitting instead of getting shot and selling drugs.

Hot Rod is Bringing fun back to the hip-hop scene and he is definitely an artist to keep an eye on because big things are in the making.

A lot MC’s hot here think a record deal is going to fall into their laps. What made you send your demo to G-Unit Records?

I had nothing to lose. I was recording my own independent album and I wanted to print out some CDs and distribute them locally. I’m just like that would be kind of hot to be signed to G-Unit so, why not send in my CD it´s not like I’m sending any money with the CD I’m just sending in my music. I was just like whatever if they like, they like it, if they don’t, they don’t. It does not take anything away from me, but a little bit of time to mail out a CD.   

How does it feel being signed to G-Unit?

Amazing. It’s a lot of responsibility to keep my head right, avoid getting caught up in the fast life, it’s like a big dream.

Was there any pressure into changing your lyrical content or image when you signed to G-unit?

At first when I got the call and they were telling me that they wanted to sign me on the way to New York I was like damn are they gonna laugh or try to turn me into a thug or gangsta lover. So, the worst pressure in the beginning was when he sat me down and he was explaining everything out and was like I like your lyrics because they’re genuine and maybe you should talk about the things that you actually experienced in your music. So any pressure was released then because by the time we got in the studio I made the music that I wanted to make. I definitely don’t have any pressure to switch up the content or style because everybody in the camp knows that I’m not the aggressive one talking bout oh I’m a rider I’m just a dude that wants to have fun.

What are you bringing to the hip-hop industry that you think it´s missing?

I’m bringing fun back to the game because people associate being a rapper with being tough or killing 19 people in a song before it goes off. They associate being tough with being cool or they’re like, “oh he ain’t never been in a fight or he ain’t never shot nobody then you’re a punk or a pussy.” I’m coming into the game and forgetting all that and be myself and make it cool to  just be cool without having to walk around with a mean mug on my face or acting like I’m the toughest guy in the club. I just want to bring fun back to hip-hop.

Do you think just being the cool and fun guy who has never shot anyone will work in this industry?

You want to know why it is going to work because people don’t believe these rappers that talk about that stuff because not everyone in the game are killers. It’s kind of, like here is another rapper talking about his guns and shooting. They see me coming out and saying this is what I’m about it´s cool I think more people can relate to me because there are regular people that just want to have fun. People will look at me like this guy is keeping it real because I’m not lying and trying to prove something. I’m just saying hey man I’m a regular cat out here chilling looking for some cute chicks and trying to make some money and go to the club, party and get some nice shoes and a fitted, so who can’t relate to that. I think people would take that and embrace it and they will respect me for staying true to myself.

Who has influenced you musically?

E-40, RBL Posse, Mack Bone, and a lot of Bay Area artists I have all their CDs. Of course Jay-Z, Biggie, 50, and of course I listened to Pac.

Describe your style musically.

50 Cent, that’s the closest comparison vocally. As far as the way I do hooks, the way my flow changes to every single beat I don’t have the same pattern. There’s rappers that can sit there and rap without a beat and scribble and highlight one million raps in a notebook with no beat and just try to put rhymes on a beat. I never got that talented I never wrote raps just to write them and try to put them over a beat. I format my flow to the beat because I think it sounds better. That’s what 50 does too. When we’re in the studio we work the same exact way. We hear a beat and freak it the way we want to that particular beat, so my style works like that. My content I don’t talk about the same things people talk about I don’t kill people, I never sold drugs, I never was in the worst part of the hood I never had to go through those situations so I don’t speak on it. I talk about what I’ve done in my life growing up having girls, fun, partying, drinking, chilling with my peoples, and having a goodtime so that’s what you hear in my music. That’s what sets me apart from the rest of the G-Unit camp because I’m not as aggressive in my content. I kept my music consistent with me talking about what I want to talk about. It’s not like I have something to prove on my CD, I didn’t have to prove that I was the toughest dude in the hood I was just having fun.

What’s your favorite 50 Cent album?

“Get Rich Or Die Tryin´” that’s a classic.

Talk about this fun album entitled “Fast Lane.”

It’s called “Fast Lane” it´s coming out January of next year. The album is like club music, but not corny though. It´s not like chicken noodle soup [laughter] not saying that is bad though, but I’m saying it´s real stylish club music that you can enjoy driving your car while rolling up to the club. 

My first single I collaborated with Mary J Blige. Of course, I worked with 50 Cent on the album, Buck, Banks, Yayo, and Olivia. The first single was the first song I recorded when I flew to New York from Arizona and it was originally recorded with Olivia. Olivia wrote the hook, she performed it in the studio, and later 50 was like what do you think about Mary J Blige on the single. I was like having Mary J would be hot, so we flew out to Los Angeles and she thought it was hot and she went in and did it. We also have some other artists my crew from AZ, Philly North Pole, Carnegie, and JQ, kind of like my crew out here. I kept the features to a minimum I got my AZ, G-Unit, and I got Mary J. Blige. I didn’t want a whole lot of people on my album because it’s my time. As far as producers Dre, Eminem, LOC, and producers, I was working with before I was signed. Sound Squad they made the title track “Fast Lane.”

What are your favorite songs on your album?

It’s hard to pick, but I got a song on their called “She Loves Her”. It’s a story about a ménage a trois I had. “Chasing The Cat” is a song with 50 Cent and that’s a real hot record and “Rock To It” and “She Loves Her” are the top three songs that I really enjoyed recording. 

Where did you get the title “Fast Lane” from?

It’s kind of like living the fast life and the album has a car theme to it. It´s like riding with a new school spin to it.

How long did it take you to record the album?

3 weeks. There is 14 tracks on the album and that could change.

You only have been signed officially for four months, so far what you have learned about the business aspect of the hip-hop industry.

What I learned about it especially from 50 is that the game is a great vehicle for branching out into movies and all sorts of endorsement deals. I just recorded a song for a basketball play station game. Actually being in the game it opens your eyes and not being in the game and just coming out grinding you just look at the music side because your working so hard in the studio and focusing just on the music you don’t realize how much there is out there once you get in the game.  That’s the biggest thing I learned your manager coming to you like these people want you for an advertisement and they want you to work on this and it’s not all necessarily related to rap. It’s a crazy business, so much money to be made, so many people you have to know and talk to, and a lot of politics. It’s a lot different than I actually expected.

What are some things that you didn’t expect from being signed to G-Unit?

Well, first I didn’t expect to be signed to G-Unit. I think G-Unit is one of the most well ran labels, everything is just so on point. All you see is a guy on TV doing videos, but on the outside looking in you see this guy getting signed, he goes to the studio to record his album, they show the video and when he goes to 106th & Park a couple of times, goes back home and puts his album out and he either sells or he doesn’t. That’s what you think, but there’s so much that goes on like the whole staff at G-Unit are just so organized and they have everything like I said on point. I guess I didn’t expect all the little things that you have to do to get your name out there, all the DJ’s you have to network with, all the club appearances you have to go to it´s just so much and that’s something that I really didn’t expect. 

Working with Young Buck is crazy, hanging with him you always have a smile on your face because he does things like yelling in a restaurant. Banks is real laid back, Olivia is so sexy and hood at the same time she is like one of the guys. 50 Cent he is the general, the boss and a real fun dude. When I first got signed, I stayed at 50’s house for a month and had a chance to see him in his real life. I remember when I went to sleep one night and woke up the next morning 50 was still in the studio. He is real business minded and the hardest worker. He really sets the example.

After your album is released where do you see yourself in five years?
Multibillionaire, multi platinum artists, my label will definitely be up and running it´s called 150 Ent. My label is going to be popping. Probably be in a couple of movies, a lot of endorsements I want to attack the business side of it. So in five years I will be on the business side and a well respected rapper. 

I read in a previous interview you did with AOL and they ask you if you weren’t rapping what would you being doing and you said hustling what did you mean by that?

See your thinking about drugs the word hustling doesn’t always have to mean illegal. There are car salesmen that are hustlers. My brothers in real estate and I consider him a hustler. I think a hustler is a person that works hard to get money and in the rap game 50 Cent is a hustler. Hustling is doing something to get where I want to be whether it’s out there giving out my mix tapes, hustling doing shows, and grinding.   

What should the people expect from you this year?

I’m going on a promo tour with Buck on October 25 for a month. I’m doing a lot of radio coming to a lot of towns and going to malls showing my face with Buck. After that my second single should be dropping. After Buck’s promo tour I will be doing my own promo tour.

What is the next single?

“Chase The Cat.”

How is the hip-hop scene in Phoenix.

Basically it’s a melting pot there are people from the south, the east, and mid west so there is no actual sound like in the south, LA music has a sound to it, or New York type style music. So there is really not a particular type of sound because everyone is from a so many different region. I’m coming into the game and hoping I can identify a sound for Arizona and up to this point Arizona’s whole scene is underground. No one has ever come out to put Arizona on the map there is a lot of talent out here and I’m just happy to put a spotlight on the scene because a lot of rappers out here deserve a shot. I just think Arizona is being slept on because a lot of people don’t know what Arizona is about. When I say Arizona to you the first thing that pops up in your head is a cactus and a desert. Of course there are deserts around here, but the there are hoods and rich areas, but there’s no deserts in Phoenix it’s a city. Perception wise you get cats like DMX doing a reality show, I don’t even know where he’s at in Phoenix somewhere in the Boone’s shooting his show out in the desert because  he felt that’s what people want to see. So when people see that there like, “oh that’s Arizona oh ok. Arizona is a bunch of cowboys and hicks or whatever you want to call them in the desert having gun fights,” but it is not like that so I am just trying to bring a spotlight to the area and let people know it´gs cracking it´s poppin out there.

Tell me something about yourself that no one knows.

I am an ass person, but people don’t know I look at a girls feet it’s real important.

Thanks for the opportunity to interview you.

- By Nakia Hill