Exclusive: Tae-Tae & Big Bandit Interview (Like Father, Like Son) (8 Yr Old Kid!

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/1501/54/

Raptalk.Net hooked up with an interesting tandem over last weekend! Big Bandit, a well known west coast entrepreneur who has promoted concerts in the bay area for some of the biggest west coast rap stars, and his eight year old son Tae-Tae, who is on his way to becoming a successful rapper even at his young age!

Both Big Bandit and Tae-Tae have some very interesting things going on such as a popular urban clothing company that started with the help of NFL star Reggie Bush, Tae-Tae music videos, working with Bay legend Smig Dirtee and much more!

Enjoy...

 

Justin: We’re here with Tae-Tae and Big Bandit! How are you doing today Tae-Tae?

Both: We’re doing good!

Justin: Let’s start with you Tae-Tae. How did listening to music in your baby years impact the way you love music today?

Tae-Tae: Listening to music has always made me feel good. I was around it so much when I was younger, that now I wanna’ make my own.

Justin: What were some of your favorite songs as a kid?

Tae-Tae: A song by Bow Wow called “What’s My Name.”

Justin: This question is for you Big Bandit. How did your forward thinking as an entrepreneur help Tae-Tae develop his skills at such a young age?

Big Bandit: Just with my ear to the streets. As an entrepreneur, you have to know what people want and what people like. I know Tae’s style even right now as an artist and at his age, he is marketable. He has swag about him; he's young, and dedicated.  I just took my entrepreneur skills and mixed them up with Tae-Tae.

Justin: Ok. Tae-Tae, tell us about your single “Might Be a Baller.”

Tae-Tae: " Might Be a Baller " is a combination of my two favorite things. Sports and Music.

Justin: Who’s your favorite sports team?

Tae-Tae: My favorite sports team?

Justin:  yeah!

Tae-Tae: For football, the San Diego Chargers and for Basketball, the [Los Angeles] Lakers.

Justin: Do you play Football or Basketball?

Tae-Tae: I play both.

Justin: Which do you like more?

Tae-Tae: Football. I play Quarterback.

Justin: So if you could be the next San Diego Chargers Quarterback or the next rap star, which would you pick?

Tae-Tae: A rap star!

Justin: Ok. For you Big Bandit, how was it like working with Smig Dirtee and Tae-Tae for the “Might Be a Baller” single?

Justin: It was great man. Smig [Dirtee] really showed his creative side. He had to get into a kids way of thinking and he did that very well.  He gave it to Tae-Tae and I sat down with Tae-Tae for about a week memorizing the song. We went to the studio and I was surprised, Tae-Tae recorded that in an hour and a half.

Justin: Tae-Tae, who’s your favorite rapper?

Tae-Tae: I like Bow Wow.

Justin: What do you like about Bow Wow?

Tae-Tae: I like his songs and I think he can rap really good.

Justin: Big Bandit, you’re a well-known promoter for local artists. Have you begun planning any shows for Tae-Tae?

Big Bandit: We’re actually planning a show date now. I’m looking to book Bow Wow for a show in San Diego and then have Tae-Tae open up for him. I have some offers to do a high school tour with Tae-Tae in Los Angeles. We’re in the mix for that right now.

Justin: Tae-Tae, what do you like about rapping at such a young age?

Tae-Tae: I felt proud of myself. I like going to the studio and making music videos.

Justin: I saw the video for “Might Be a Baller.” How did that go?

Tae-Tae: I loved it. I was happy to play basketball in the video. All the shots I made were real. People think it took me a long time to do it. But we did it in 1 day.

Justin: You made some shots I can’t even make!

Tae-Tae: (Laughs) yeah I love to ball.

Justin: Tell us about meeting all the rappers you do.

Tae-Tae: My dad has a lot of rappers around. It makes me feel good. Not a lot of other kids get that. I want my dad to bring more rappers out here.

Justin: Tell us about the first time you went to the studio.

Tae-Tae: I made a song called “I Do This for the Kids”. I did the hook on the song. I was kind of nervous, but then, it got fun.

Justin: Big Bandit, how did you begin your Urban Collegiate Wear clothing brand?

Tae-Tae: I created Urban Collegiate wear because I wanted to create a clothing line that would represent who you are and where your from with the collegiate image. Many successful people make it out the hood and turn there back on the hood because were taught that the community in which we grew up in is negative. UCW has a collegiate look that gives people a sense of pride and hopefully encourages kids to want to attend college, but not to forget where they're from.

I started selling them out of the trunk so to speak and it just took off from there. Therefore, I said if my city likes it, every city should like where there from. So I made ATL University for Atlanta. I went to Atlanta, got a deal thanks to my boy Henry Master, and was able to get the shirts in Athlete Foot Stores . It took off real good.

I was promoting a concert a year later and I brought The Game out. Before we brought him out, I thought CPT [Compton] University would be tight. I gave it to The Game and his manager Delaney to see if they liked the line. He did and took interest in the line and now has agreed to take it to the next level. He agreed to be the face for the brand, so that’s how we got started. Look for the line in stores soon.

Justin: How does it feel to have rappers such as The Game and Jay Rock wearing the brand?

Big Bandit: It’s a good feeling. It’s a good thing to know something that started out with a thought and you see it to the actual manifestation, it’s a beautiful thing. For me to see them wearing it and have the same type of pride and the impact it has is the same as when I wear mine and represent my city. Jay Rock represents University of Watts as Game represents CPT.

Justin: No doubt. Tell us more about your relationship with Reggie Bush today.

Big Bandit: We talk a lot. We speak mostly through the phone because he’s busy. We’re family but we’re not blood. I’m like a big cousin to him.

Justin: What’s the next thing you want to do in music Tae-Tae?

Tae-Tae: I want to do shows and more videos. I really like doing videos, they are fun !

Justin: So we might see another video?

Tae-Tae: Yes, I’m doing a video for my second single “Play Time.” We will be featuring special guest Faizon Love  and Hotsauce from And1 street ball.

Big Bandit: Big Worm from Friday !!  (laughs)

Justin: I love that movie! (laughs) Where do you want to be Tae-Tae by age 20?

Tae-Tae: On TV 106 & Park,  BET,  MTV and hopefully Nickelodeon. I want to be an Actor. I’m real good at acting.

Justin: That’s all the questions I have for the both of you, thanks a lot for your time. Do you have any last words or statements before I let you go?

Tae-Tae: Hit me up at, www.myspace.com/taetaeinc

Big Bandit: Thanks for the interview and make sure everyone looks out for Tae-Tae. He’s next, that’s what we call him. I wanna give a thank you and a shout out to my boy Bangloose and to all the supporters of Urban Collegiate Wear, Kali boyz and Kali kids. Thank you and God bless.