What have you been listening to lately?
I've been listening to my new CD, called They Should've Known Better. I've also been pumping a local artist named Twizted Mind. He dropped a CD called Respect Me, Vol. 2. I get a lot of beat CDs from my fam Razorblade, so he's been keeping me inspired. On the mainstream tip, I've recently been listening to the Get Rich or Die Tryin' soundtrack -- I bought it 'cause the Kickdrums produced a street anthem on it. The only other albums I purchased recently were the latest discs from Kanye West, Little Brother, and AZ. Lastly, I listen to Saigon, Lupe Fiasco, and Papoose. They're all up-and-coming MCs that I expect to make big moves for hip-hop. I feel like I'm in a similar position, so they keep me motivated. The hunger is still there.
Name some must-have CDs that no aspiring MC should be without.
Nas: Illmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic. The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die and Life After Death. The Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang Forever. Tupac: Me Against the World, All Eyez on Me, and Makaveli. Jay-Z: Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album. Twista: Adrenaline Rush. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Creepin' on Ah Come Up and E. 1999 Eternal. The Roots: Do You Want More?!!!??! Mos Def: Black on Both Sides. Dr. Dre: The Chronic. Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP.
Name some of the most whack MCs.
Well, first off, if you're whack, you don't deserve to be labeled an MC. The worst rappers are the ones that sound like they just started rapping last week. They have no subject matter, creativity, or credibility. My least favorite music is usually that gimmicky, bubble-gum rap. If I close my eyes while I'm listening to your music and can't picture anything, you're garbage. You're supposed to be able to paint a picture. That's why you're called a recording artist.
