Nipsey Hu$$le ahh Q&A

[Elano]

Nipsey Hussle has managed to secure a major label record deal and the spot as lead hitter for the New West Coast all in about a year’s time. It may seem like dream come true to aspiring MCs, however his current position came with plenty of blood, sweat, and tears. “Growing up with a blue flag out my back pocket came with its own consequences, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my life,” says 22 year old Nipsey Hussle from the high-rise Sony office building in Midtown Manhattan. “I am proud to be the man I am today.”

Even with his well-known affiliations and reputation, Nipsey travels way beyond enemy lines these days. He’s on a quest to let his street candescent Hip-Hop music be heard by the world. As the first artists signed to Cinematic Music/Epic Records, Nipsey gained the support of influential California DJ Felly Fell early on, who was vital in him securing the approval of the California streets. His latest collabo with fellow Los Angeles native The Game titled, “They Roll,” is currently heating up the mixtape circuit and ever-growing Hip-Hop blog world alike.

With an untitled solo album on the verge of completion, the anticipation from Hip-Hop fans for another West Cost savior rests cautiously on his back. Taking this new found pressure in stride, Nipsey Hussle can only do what he’s been doing his whole life which is hustling to survive. The rapper with a penchant for all things blue, took a much needed break from the grind and broke down some of the methods to his madness.

On how he got into the game and what he represents.

“My name was given to me, not chosen because I was always in the street making money from a young age, but I still did the music too. I remember I came into the studio one day, and I had a bottle of cognac, seven grams of kush, and some food. And these n****s are grown men but everybody was doing bad at the time, they had no money. Since then, they just threw that at me like the young dude he “Nispey Hussle” and it just stuck with me. It ain’t all about the name though, it’s about what you do with it. The president of my label was willing to take a meeting based off my alias alone.

“My style is just straight LA streets to the fullest, and I’m a full Hip-Hop head. I really studied the art form and all the music that’s worth listening too. I really just try to keep it in my element and make sure my music bumps in the hood and the suburbs. I represent Slauson which is like the heart of Los Angeles, straight through the middle, actually it’s more like the artery from the east side to the west side. Crenshaw and Slauson is where I rep, we set the trends for LA. People from Compton and Watts come through to get anywhere. Which is a lot to represent but I put the most pressure on myself, so everybody else’s expectations comes secoind to [mine]. Nobody else is going to critique my s**t as hard as I do.”

On the importance of the mixtape scene to his career and importance of the Internet.

“Creating good music is vital for getting people interested in you, foremost. I feel like there is a void for good music right now. Whether it’s physical mixtapes, Internet releases, blogs, or videos it has to start with quality music. I really used the Internet and mixtapes to create my own lane. The Bay got a heavy independent scene, New York got the heavy mixtape circuit, but it’s different in LA. We had to figure what the popping locations are, and what local stores are selling the most units. I was in the streets giving my music out everywhere, out the trunk of my car. People used to see me just about a year ago on the corner of Slauson and Crenshaw selling my music with no record deal. And it just progressed so quick, all based on the way we orchestrated our own hustle from the streets. We had no foundation or footsteps to follow because no other new LA artist really has established themselves except The Game, and he had a Dr. Dre and 50 Cent backing him. I take in pride in knowing that I paved my own way.

“As quiet as kept, I can build computers, that’s what I do. I was born in ’85 so I was born into the computer generation. I seen a long time ago how vital the Internet was to the music industry. Obviously, it’s not as easy to sell records anymore, but one door closes and three more open. You can now easily reach millions of people through the Internet, my mixtape touched all over the world. And it would of never happened without the Internet. There’s just other ways of making money now besides record sales.”

On his buzz growing so fast and representing the New West Coast.

“As far what I represent from the new West is hustle music. I ain’t stepping on anyone’s feet, and I f**k with everybody from California. Jay Rock, Glasses, Bishop, Spider Loc, everyone man. Even the ones who I’m supposed to be “so-called enemies” with, red or blue. I met Jon Shapiro who already had a label deal for Cinematic Records with Epic, and I became the first artist on the label. Felly Fell was really the one that told Jon that, “Nipsey is the next cat to blow up from LA.” This was all at the end of ‘07, and that’s when I started getting into the industry. I signed my deal in January of ‘08, and I went to jail a week later, fighting a case for a few months, but I’m all good now. Sometimes you got to take time to think about your life and actions, I had to step back and look at my life like, ‘Who is an asset and who’s a liability to me?’ ‘What’s working for me and what’s working against me?’ When you sitting in jail, you can’t do s**t with your life.”

On being a figure that kids from his neighborhood look up to.

“I had some paper before I got into the rap game, I wasn’t getting no millions or hundreds of thousands, but I’ve touched paper before, so me and my brothers had nice cars, jewelry, cribs and all that. So for me being in the rap game, it ain’t no different from being in the hood where there’s always young n****s looking up to you because you’re older and getting money. I won’t tell you something wrong, I won’t say anything before I tell you something wrong, that’s how I try to play it with young dudes. I know people might hear my album and say it’s violent or endorses gangbanging. But at the same time to a kid that’s already in that life, they might hear what I’m really saying, and see the positive changes that I’m making in my life is going to get my message. The kids in the hood can relate to me because I look and talk just like them…I am the hood.”

On Biggie and Pac having a huge influence on him.

“If I got a chance to say anything to Pac, I’d tell him that he was right. I felt like he was trying something new and was pushing the boundaries when speaking for his people. I’d let him know that he did exactly what he was supposed to do, and he was a positive influence. He presented himself as thug, so the streets would pay attention to him and not to be a negative role model or influence. He was negatively portrayed in the media and was treated unfairly in the courts because of that.  It’s a double standard because at one point, you on these records talking about f**k the police and you a cop killer and all that. So you have to expect the backlash when it comes to getting a fair trial in court when you are arrested for something.  That’s when things are out of your hands and you are being judged on the picture that the media and prosecutors portray of you.

“For Biggie, I’d want to tell him that he’s the best and just give him his credit. I feel like Big made the best first album an artist can make.  Ready to Die, that’s how artists are supposed to come into the rap game with radio hits, club smashes, party music, and the streets with a real story to tell.”

[NillerTheKid]

isn't most heard before? but him propping Biggie is dope, though 

[the ghost]

Thanks for posting this.  It seems like his head is in the right place. 

[David Gutterman]

nice, cool stuff

[2euce 7even]

he´s the man.
him and jay rock.

[yeapp]

ts cares about what nipsey has to say more than dudes mom shit is pathetic