"Chatting with L's" Roderic Interview

2L's: First off, for those who dont know you, give me some info about yourself.

Rod: Well im 19 and im born in raised in Tacoma WA.... at this point of my career i've been blessed to do quite alot. i won Showtime at the apollo in 2002, which lead to me building a name in my city and before i knew it i was opening for artist from Fabolous, to nelly, the clipse, missy elliot and many more.

2L's: When did you first start your rapping career and who were your influences?

Rod: I first started pursuing Hip Hop as a career when i was about 11.... My sister always had the dopest CD collection that i would sneak into whenever she left the house... she had everything from Michael Jackson, Stevie wonder, The isley brothers, to Biggie & Jay-z!.... they all immediately became big influences! It still seemed kinda unreal to live that dream Untill the day i found a CD that my sisters boyfriend made.... it was a song that he Recorded for her at a local studio.... once i saw that i was sold!..... it didn't seem so unreal to start creating and being like my influences anymore..... Thats when i just hit the ground running!

2L's: Has music always been your known talent?

Rod: Sorta... I first fell in love with the drums and became the drummer of my church when i was about 7. But i was pretty shy as a kid, so nobody would have ever really guessed that i'd be a performer..... i played sports all my life as well, so alot of people thought that i'd push myself towards Basketball of Football.... to tell you the truth i never even knew that i'd start rapping, but it seemed like the only way to combine the drummer in me, with everything that i was to shy to say, as well as keep my competitive nature all in one...plus i was pretty good at it! Lol

2L's: How do you feel about the what's going on with the AutoTune rappers?

Rod: Well I think it people overthink the whole situation sometimes. I mean music has no limits, so its unfair to say that NO rapper should use Auto Tune, because there are guys out there who make really good music with it.... But im also a firm believer of not just jumpin on the bandwagon and doin what every other artist is doing. especially if you end up lowering the quality of your music just to follow the trend.... when it comes down to it, AutoTune is really just an instrument. if you can play and play it good then proceed. and if not well then its probably just not for you.

2L's: Who have you worked with so far?

Rod: i actually got to work with NeYo when i was about 14.... it was a great experience for me because i got to see a great writer go to work!... i watched him go in and kill hooks back to back and even got a 101 from him about how important writting can be to your career. After that i got right to work!... now i even write all of the R&B that you hear in my songs like "Miss Ma" "Have you to Myself" "Gutta Girls" ect.I've also been blessed to work with great producers early in my career!... i think the most influential was Bink from Norfolk VA.... his credits range from Rick Ross "cigar Music" to Jay-z "All i need" "The Rulers Back" and a whooole lot more!.... he's had one of the most original sounds that I've ever heard to date, and he just really taught me alot about the game.

2L's: How do you feel about the adversity of the music culture?

Rod: I really think its all how you look at it.... To me theres both Pros & Cons about the music game right now.... alot of artist feel like the industry is messed up do to the digital world... i hear alot of guys upset because they feel like all the downloading and lack of record sales are causing labels to not sign and develope artist anymore. But on the flip side of that, the Internet and all of the downloading is giving that same artist the shot to push and get his or her music heard without a label, which is an option that wasnt available not to long ago... its all about how you flip the situation and make it work for yourself.

2L's: What impact do you feel you bring to the music industry?

Rod: Well of course i have to believe in myself and feel as if I'm "what the games been missing" and all that BS Lol... but i think the most important thing that i bring is my desire to better my skills and add something new and fresh to my craft.... i think alot of artist limit their selves because once they've found their swagg on the mic, the get content with their work. which is coo for some, but getting content scares me!..... As and artist, i know that while your getting yours, there's always somebody else hungry that wants your spot at the table..... with that said i think that great music combined with my work ethic will do the music industry justice right now

2L's: What's in your ipod right now?

Rod: Eeeeverything! lol..... if you put my i-pod on shuffle, your prolly gonna run into some Lauryn Hill, Definitely some Jay-z, some Sting....Plies.... Maaan, theres' no tellin! Lol

2L's: What can we expect from you in the future?

Rod: I'll be dropping another mixtape September 15th called "Yours Truly"!!! you'll be able to get that from my website www.Rodericmusic.com , Datpiff.com, and Hotnewhiphop.com.I also just got done shooting a TV pilot in LA for a show called "SwingHouse".... so if everything works out right you'll be seeing me weekly as an actor as well.... besides that I'm doing shows all over the country!.... you can check for dates at www.myspace.com/Rodericmusic

2L's: I see you will be on 106&park! Are you excited?

Rod: Haha, ofcourse!.... its always been a dream of mine to touch that stage!...... It kinda hasn't really hit me yet that its gonna happen, but I'll be ready when it does ;-) lol....Sept. 30th is the day, so if you'll be in the NY area, then you can get your tickets at www.BET.com !

2L's: Anything else you want the viewers to know?

Rod: I'm working for you guys around the clock, so you can get @ me anytime!!

www.RodericMusic.com
www.Twitter.com/RodericMusic
www.Youtube.com/RodericMusic
www.Myspace.com/RodericMusic
www.Ustream.Tv/RodericMusic
AIM sign in: RodericMusic

Hit me!.....100

"Chatting with L's" Albeback

2Ls: When did you first start your rapping career and who were your influences?

AlBe: Well I think I started in the lunch room of my high school lol I just jumped in a battle one day and I said something to this kid name Newton about his fade lol. It was my first two bars and everyone said OHHHHHH then the next two bars where like blaaah lol. He tore me a new one after that and everyone screamed! I fell in love with that scream. That's were it all started for me. I cant talk about music as a career cause I am too in-love with it to look at it in any other way than art. As far as influences go, a lot of local cats made me love it even more. I grew up in the same hood as Big Pun and Lord Finese (D.I.T.C) Fat Joe, Drag on, to name a few. The crowd influenced me the most though. Whatever they wanted I felt like I could give it to them.

2Ls: How was it working with T.I and the rest of the "Atl" cast?

AlBe: Tip Harris was a big brother from 21 jump street (the start lol), I think he identified with me more cause we were a little more poverty stricken growing up. Jackie long and Jason Weaver were and are like brother's to me. They say "Its always smart to be near smart people" Well that was true with the cast and crew of "ATL" 's amazing talented smart people.

2Ls: How do you feel about the drama with the AutoTune rappers?

AlBe: I don't think there is any drama actually lol. I think the craft of the game weeds out the "Good" from the "Exceptional" we will know if you're one of those people when we first hear you. How you choose to display your thoughts is not more important than what's being said.

2Ls: Who have you worked with so far?

AlBe: Wow I think I have been blessed in my life to work with artist such as Kanye West, Mos Def, Krs One, Mc Lyte, Fabolous and thats just on my mixtape called HI (available free on albeback.com) also Goapele, The Game, Macy Grey & Stevie Wonder.

2Ls: Who do you hope to work with in the future?

AlBe: ummm I always wanted to work with Michael Jackson (RIP). Not because of the hype of who he is or what he means to me BUT how he attack a song and what music means to him. I will be willing to work with anyone with that same passion & craft toward music.

2Ls: What impact do you feel you will or have had on the music industry?

AlBe: Heart. For heart to be shown and for hearts to be affected in every record. What matters to me and what makes my heart beat is New York City, as well as my up bringing in The Bronx. How I grew up weighs heavy on my heart because unless you've been to The Bronx you wouldnt understand it. So I wanna be that voice for all the faces like mine or kids who grew up like me. My music is attached to that Pumping of a Borough who started Hip Hop. The beat. The heart of it all. I want my impact to be as grand as its origin.

2Ls: What can we expect from you in the future?

AlBe: More music!!! Some movie's too. Creativity in song writing is a must as well. I teamed up with a young phenominal writer by the name of Tiffany Starr and Starr Studded Sound's. Creating music for big name artist as well as her artist Erin Christine. I want to push the limits of my pen and my passion for the craft. I love writing lol So I had to create this blog where all my friend's go and vent on the world of writing and the different art forms of it all at the same time keeping you up to date on everything ALBE from show's to interviews to idea's. ALBEBACK.COM !!!! FRESH.....

2Ls: Anything else you want the viewers to know?

AlBe: yea. Michael Jackson Was doper than we ever thought. It will take a couple of decades to get it though.

2Ls: Where do you hope to be in 5 years with your music career?

AlBe: I don't know... You are gonna have to ask the music. She's driving : )

2Ls: Just for fun, what do you think about 2Lsonacloud?

AlBe: The Interview question's were AMAZING!

Small World Interview

2L's: When did you first start your rapping career and who were your influences?

SmallWorld:I started professionally when I was about 16/17 years old. I was a prospect of Wyclef Jean. I'm on his second album "The Ecleftic". My main influence was Michael Jackson...2Pac too. I like all types of artists though.

2L's: How were you recognized by Ludacris and DTP?

SmallWorld: Free formerly of BET's 106 and Park show passed my music along to a few people. Chaka Zulu, CEO of DTP was a cool dude at the time so I chose to sign to DTP through Def Jam Records. True blessing!

2L's: How do you feel about the what's going on with the AutoTune rappers?

SmallWorld: I'm not mad because everybody seems to be having fun. Fun is always good.

2L's: Who have you worked with so far?

SmallWorld: Wyclef, Ludacris, Series Jones, 9th Wonder, Playaz Circle, FreeWay, DJ Don Cannon, Ive got songs with Lil' Wayne and Drake, and the list goes on.

2L's: How do you feel about the adversity of the music culture?

SmallWorld: Any adversity builds character.

2L's: What impact do you feel GA has had on the music industry?

SmallWorld: Don't know about GA as a whole but ATL, GA is in controll still. I love ATL. Nothing like it on planet Earth right now. Black people matter there. Shout out to the whole ATL!

2L's: What's in your ipod right now?

SmallWorld: My album "World Premiere" and a lot of RnB.

2L's: What can we expect from you in the future?

SmallWorld: You can expect my mixtape "The Carolina Blueprint" late summer and my debut album "World Premiere" to follow soon after. Classics! Trust me.

2L's: Anything else you want the viewers to know?

SmallWorld: I want everybody who's been waiting on me to know that your patience is not in vein yet a virtue. I will do what I set out to do in the beginning and that's change the game. Watch me!

2L's: For fun, what do you think about my blog?

SmallWorld: I think it's cool. Keep up the good work mama.

Myspace.com/smallworldpremiere
Twitter.com/smallworlddtp