You started your career battle-rapping. How do you think it affected you as a rapper?
Starting my career as a battle rapper always kept me sharp. I treat the music as if I was stepping in front of someone ready to take their head off lyrically. I kept that hunger, and that determination to get better and outdo my competition. I always stay on my toes, that aggression and wittiness of battle rapping is an approach that I can apply to my music. Battling will always be part of what I do. Not so much in the sport itself but in the since that the action, aura, and creativity it sparks inspires me when I put together records.
What’s the meaning behind the name of your album The Missing Piece?
Well prior to The Missing Piece I dropped The Dutch Master 1&2 series, Think 12 and Too Big To Fail which are all available on datpiff.com. With this project I wanted to give my fans a piece of me that I haven't given them before. On The Missing Piece I got into my cultural background. I discussed my Guyanese heritage and where my roots are from. And I brought you a bit of my personal life, getting into some of my relationships with particular people in my family. It was just a different feel from other tapes that came before it. It gave you those east coast bars with the great stories you like to hear.
What was the feeling behind your recent single “Shut Up”?
When I first heard the beat it just brought me back to the late ‘90s with that grimy hip hop feel, s/o to E Class on the production. I wanted the song to bring energy and have a reckless feel to it. I had some things going on personally and this record just gave me the perfect opportunity to let my emotions out through the music. It was just one of those nights where my spliff was rolled right and my drink was chilled nice and the song came together the way I envisioned it.
What’s your favorite rap album of all time and why?
My favorite rap album of all time would have to be DMX’s Flesh of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood. At that time X was big on the scene and he was someone that inspired me. I loved the production on that album and the delivery was aggressive all the way through. I also felt the skits were clever and the energy was always at a high point. Around that time I just remember how much my love for music grew after hearing that album. Definitely my favorite of all time.
What’s your favorite non-rap album of all time and why?
Favorite non-rap album of all time would be Michael Jackson’s Past Present & Future Volume 1. It’s hard to name just one Mike album because his hits are endless and they all did something new for music. He is one of the greatest to ever hold a microphone and the performance was always outstanding. Couldn't name just one though. So I had to choose something where it was everything you would want hear from the late, great Michael Jackson.