CYSSERO  (February 2007) | Interview By: Inspire

      

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Interview was done by phone in January 2007.

Questions Asked By: Inspire

Cyssero Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here
 

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Dubcnn: Were sat here with the Protégé of The Game, Cyssero; introduce yourself to the fans that may not be familiar with Cyssero, where you're from and how you grew up

Whats Good? Its Cyssero The Virus aka Rockstar aka Protege Of The Game. If you ain't heard of me get out from under that rock ya dig? I been killing these mixtapes with the big homie Game for a year now. I'm from North Philly the murder capital ya dig? Growing up was the same ole shit you'll hear from any street nigga, Hard times, Street shit, don't wanna get it to it all We in a new space now.


Dubcnn: To familiarize yourself with your audience, tell us about some of the things you wish to achieve with your music

I'm here to bring some fresh air back into hip-hop, especially since my man Nas said it was dead. I'm trying to sell units but most importantly make music for my fans


Dubcnn: To you, what would be the most important factor, units sold or customer satisfaction, and why?

Defiantly customer satisfaction because you can sell 300k and flop like a belly splash (what up banks!) Id rather sell 10k and know those people who bought my CD were 110% satisfied and will come back to re-up. Its like the drug game, you can sell that bunk all day, sell it 2 for $5 so the product will move, BUT its bunk, who gonna come back for that? Me ill sell you that killa ewwww weeee a knot for $20, I may not get as many sales as the nigga selling bunk but you gonna keep coming back to me cause I got that fire!


Dubcnn: How long have you been rapping?

Since 1997, Been grinding since birth but took this seriously around 1997


Dubcnn: What got you into the rap game in the first place?

Seeing the struggle of the street niggas. and the consequences of doing street shit. I was in these streets I seen 1st hand how it kills the population. Rap is my hustle


Dubcnn: How does it feel to be rolling with such a heavyweight in the hip-hop industry at this point in time?

Man it feels good to have the big homies blessings. I appreciate everything Game did for me. He gave me that outlet to let the world feel The Virus!


Dubcnn: "Protégé Of The Game" came out on the January 23rd. How are the responses to the album?

The shit was crazy, they pre-sold on Amazon like a month or 2 before street date and Amazon damn near sold out! We shipped a good number across the US too. You know, the CD is being requested by retailers all over the world. Europe, Australia, Africa, Japan. its crazy when you don't have a major record deal and get love like these majors do! its a beautiful thing


Dubcnn: How do you feel about "Protégé Of The Game", as an album as a whole?

Its a good CD. We wanted to give the people some of that hard shit they expect from me, but we also hit them with a few songs. I'm sure we surprised allot of people with this CD. Songs like Fire In Ya Eyes, and So Fresh.


Dubcnn: Do you feel it breathes new life into East Coast hip-hop?

Yea of course! So many artists are taking the winter off, its 1st quarter its show and prove right now. The situation i'm in now we are planning to drop another CD Summer time called State Of Emergency, and if that cant make people a believer that IM THE NEXT UP then I don't know what will.


Dubcnn: To people who may be wishing to pick up the album, what can they expect?

Man, expect that thing to be fire, and to never leave ya CD player for months. I mean its got something for everyone, The ballers, The Hustlas, The east coast cats, the west coast cats, the down south cats. You will find something you like. And the whole album goes hard ya dig? Bar for bar its something that is hot from track 1 to track 15!


Dubcnn: Can you tell us who features on the album?

Game is featured On "Fire In ya Eyes" and Akon is featured in "Natural Born Hustlas"


Dubcnn: Who handled the production for this album?

Man we worked with allot of Producers for this go round, Had to have Nu Jerzey Devil on there, Shortyo and the Affiliated Dream Team, Akon, Simon Illa, Cool & Dre, Atlas, Dark Manis, Omega, A bunch of cats


Dubcnn: What was the recording process for this album?

A lot of it was recorded at The Black Wallstreet studio In Atlantic City so just being around them guys was clear motivation to make sure every-time I spit it was some shit they ran out the room like "Oh my god he just killed that shit" I remember when doing one of the songs, Devil jumped up ran out the room like "God Damn Did I Just hear That!" He came back in giving a nigga every hi-five imaginable!!!


Dubcnn: Did you work with the producers in person, or was it rather a case of them sending you a beat, you recording the vocals, sending them back to the producer and it working that way?

Just about every producer I worked with was there, except for Akon.


Dubcnn: There are only 15 tracks. Was this something that you wanted – quality rather than quantity when it comes to the overall finished product?

We built the album around a few key elements. We had 30 some tracks recorded. We decided to give the world a teaser, ya know here take this product try it out, when you high as shit and need more come back. we supply and demand. We don't wanna give someone a CD full of 30 songs, that's giving them everything. We want you to come back like "What Else You Got!"


Dubcnn: We know that you have a song on there with Akon, how did that come about and do you think you will work with Akon again in the future?

Well when Game was recording his new CD, we was up at Sony sound studios and Akon was there. Akon was in 3 rooms working on shit and in one room Akon was working on the song. I got the beat and just tore it the fuck down. I heard Akon sold the beat to someone else but that really don't matter because ain't no one killing that beat like I did.


Dubcnn: What would you say was the best quality of this CD?

I cant really point out one best quality, to me its a hot CD, song for song, bar for bar. I like So fresh, I like Stick Em, I Like the fact niggas can play it on repeat all 15 tracks and keep it knocking.


Dubcnn: What personally is your favourite track, or the track that you possibly had most fun with whilst recording?

So Fresh by far, I heard DJ's say that So Fresh Is the Modern Day In The Club. And to be compared to someone like 50 (Who has sold 15 million records) is crazy. But I like Fire In Ya Eyes also, The concept and wordplay on that joint is crazy.


Dubcnn: We know that you represent Black Wall Street, but you don't necessarily seem to roll with them as a crew, what's the deal with that?

This is the part of the interview I been waiting on, my time to address some things. 1st let me say THERE ARE NO BLACK WALL ARTISTS. BWS is like a family/click right now. I mean I got love for Game but this is how I eat, I got kids to feed. I cant be following around a grown man waiting to catch some of his crumbs ya dig? That's the reason I broke off and am doing my own thing, Game didn't kick me out BWS, Game ain't send me home. After I spoke to Game and left he told me its all love, i'm still BWS and I rep Bws for Game because that's where I got my foot in the door. BUT I will not tag along on another mans nuts. Imma get my own and at the end of the day if there's business with me and Game then it is what it is. Game already told me when he gets his situation for BWS if i'm not signed already he wanna sign me.


Dubcnn: How did you and The Game hook up in the first place?

He came to Philly with Snoop and DPG and shit. I got back stage, so ya know i'm hungry for the limelight so I see Damo filming the tour I stop nigga and start spitting crazy bars, he snaps out says Hold on imma go get Game, So he goes shows Game the footage of me spitting, Game tells him to go get me. I get back there and spit for 2 hours just that shit ya digg? Game snaps out throws a bottle of Moet against the wall grabs like 8 chains and puts them on me. Told me pack my bags and the rest is history!


Dubcnn: Tell us what sets you aside from the other artists that are on, or have come and gone over at Black Wall Street?

I spit that fire plain and simple. Listen to every track on any mixtape I been on with The Wall. You cant say there's a hotter verse then mine on any song I spit on! THERE IS NOT A RAPPER Better then me. Bar for Bar, Not Juice, Not Black Boy, Not Game. And I say that with confidence because i'm not in that spot I need to be.


Dubcnn: A lot of artists have come and gone from Black Wall Street through their own disagreements with what went on, can you honestly say that nothing like this has ever crossed your mind?

Na it did, See I was in Black Wall when Fase and G-Ride was In Black Wall, When Black Wall Was in Compton. The ORIGINAL Black Wall. When Game split with Fase a lot of shit went sour on all ends. All the people in BWS now are NEW they wasn't there when the shit was pumping with me, east, tech. Out of everyone that was with the old came I was one of the few who stayed loyal to Game. But like I said i'm not a follower, I had to get up and start doing MY OWN shit, its only so long you can spend ANOTHER MANS money, and that's real!


Dubcnn: Will you continue to work with Black Wall Street in future?

If its a good opportunity, and if its a good business move ill work with anyone. Imma free agent right now. So even though its all love they still my competitors. I still got that hunger I will give a nigga the business. Guarantee any label calls me up, I spit the most sickest shit they ever heard. Ill make your hottest rapper go back and rewrite his shit.


Dubcnn: What other plans do you have in the works now?

Me and Shortyo are starting a Clothing Line. Real tight shit. We doing 2 videos coming up, An Australian tour. So much moves being made!


Dubcnn: What comes next, another album or something else?

We just finished up a new CD titled "State Of Emergency" which by far is the best shit I have ever recorded. We are shopping that now to Labels and Distributors so if you interested in working with us, holla at us!


Dubcnn: Do you have a few words for a person that may not have already checked out your CD, that may sway them into buying the CD?

My music speaks for itself, If you ain't heard of Cyssero The Virus check out the MySpace page, or pick up any of the last 10 CD's I been on! And not only do you get a hot CD when you buy it, but you are entered into a drawing to win the OFFICIAL Black Wall Street Chain. All the details is on the myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/cysserothevirus


Dubcnn: Do you have any last words for the fans?

Yea keep it locked to the MySpace page! Any questions you got get at me, need a feature and ya money is good holla! Any Labels looking for a new artist and ya budget is nice, holla at us! Look for the Video for Corner Boy and So Fresh On BET, MTVU, MTV2, Make sure you request the single "So Fresh" on ya Local Radio Station! And of course keep it locked onto Dubcnn.com because they show us love.