Exclusive Street Child interview!!!

Street Child s my space account.
1. What motivated you to become a rapper?
I knew how to rap when i was like 7, but i really didnt think much of it, but when i hit 11, neighborhood people and classmates were telling me i was good, so i just got more serious with it.
2.How did you come up with your nickname?
I used to go to this studio out here in Virginia beach, called musik box, like everyday when i would get out of school, and i would either go up there and record or just sit up there, and i knew about almost hood, and i was never in the house, so people in the studio crowned me wit the name Street Child, and i just took it and ran with it
3.To what extent did the streets of Virginia influence your music?
Too much, HA, because VA is mostly all i know, i mean, i been to the bottom of the map, FL and i stayed in NY for a little bit, but VA raised me made me me, taught me everything i need to know, so when i make music, its more like VA is speaking through me, everything i do is for my state, not only because im from here, but because we need it, VA doesnt get much recognition, and the artist that come from here, they get big and leave, much respect to Timbaland, Missy, Pharell, Iverson, Plaxico, Vick, and many others, but when you look at them now, you dont really see VA anymore, but this is all i know, and VA plays the biggest role in my life
4. According to you, what makes you appear as unique in the world of hip hop?
First off, because im from VA, not a big market out here, so im looked at in a different way already, but the way i flow isn t like too many artists, because you have some artists that make songs, and all of them sound the same, or they hop on a track and spit 100 bars straight, but me, i make (songs) my hooks are hot, my flow has a punchline over flow, thats 1 reason why people keep listening, i can harmonize on tracks, i stay on subject, and i also produce
5. Which artists have you collaborated with already?
Personally i like to keep it simple, and do more work with undergroung artist, because artists on the big time level is all about money instead of music, but on my mixtapes, i’ve put together a healthy list of big names from Jay Z, Beyonce, Freeway, Rick Ross, T.I., Young Jeezy, Keri Hilson, The Game, Pusha T, Fat Joe, Papoose, 50, Yayo, Banks, Nina Sky, Eminem, Obie Trice, and many others…
6. Which artist(s) (underground or mainstream) would you envision a collaboration with?
There are so many big artists i would love to work with, but i have 1 track that i wand to do very bad, like a top priority for hip hop, i want to do a song with, Common, and Black Thought, and i want it produced by Will I Am
7. Who is your biggest musical influence and why?
Eminem, i pick him because a lot of people wouldnt even give him a chance, but he kept at it, and turned his back on the negative thing that people were saying, and proved to the world that he is one of the best in hip hop, also as a producer
8. Your Street Novacane work could be seen as a book composed of different chapters…could you tell us a little bit more about the Street Novacane concept?
It s more of a “as times go on” kind of thing, the streets love mixtapes, and watching soundscan, i would think that they love mixtapes more than albums, so as i try to climb up, i try to bring the streets along with me, and i try to keep them watching, so its like killing two birds with one stone, im bringing people into my lifestyle and in my house, and people can travel with me, and learn more about me, so when i get bigger, they will already know who i am and what im about, and at the same time im making myself closer to the streets
9. What is the biggest challenge you had to face since you started rapping?
Being an artist in VA, its hard out here, because its so many people doing the same thing, and shooting for the same goals, so when you try to bring your music to someone, or branch our for a collab, people are looking at you with envy already, because they feel as if there better than you, or why would i get on your track, while im trying to do my own stuff, out here its not like Atl, or NY, or FL, or CA, in those states, they can put together a demo, and go to the labels, and in those states artist stick together, we dont have a office to go to, or we dont have unity, everyone is trying to step on everyone’s toes, like Danja Handz, said, I was reading an article, an Danja was like, “noone out here shows each other support, thats why its not a label out here, and thats why everyone leaves, when they get on, like back in the day, if missy would have thrown a party not many people would want to go, but if she comes back and she does, it would be a line around the whole state, but they leave, because to get where they are now, they went through the same struggles that us artist are going through now, and why would they stay here, VA shows support late, this state waits until you get on to show love to artist, but while your down here with everybody else, they see you as just another person” I feel exactly what Danja Handz was talking about.
10.What are your thoughts about the current state of hip hop?
Hip hop it self took a different toll, most people are like, The South killed hip hop, but the south didnt do nothing but be the south, they stayed unified, held eachother down, and kept doing what they do, if hip hop is dead the listeners killed it, because the labels sign what the people respond too, like Soulja Boy, he comes out dancing, and listeners like it, so thats what they put up front, but the person rapping about real life issues, and actual Hip Hop isnt getting much exposure, because most listeners are playing it much, but to me, Hip Hop comes in different shapes and forms, but the labels are only pushing the club site of hip hop/ appealing to the kids, that fine, but i think hip hop should be equal, we should hear Hurricane Chris on the radio, and after that we should hear somebody like Nas or Street Child, HA
11.Old school or new school-where goes your preference?
Old School, definetly, i like the era of Biggie, Tupac, Bone Thugs, Redman, Wu-Tang, Erik B, Rakim, LL Cool J, and etc.. that was “Music”
12. Besides hip hop, what kind of music do you listen to?
Most people wouldnt think so, but i happen to like All Types of music, i like r&b, alternative, pop, old school malt shop music, 70’s music, flash music, a little bit of Rock, i espically like alternative when im taking a long road trip, its much better than rap, because i listen to rap all the time, and its more of an uptempo thing, but alternative slows that down, and just puts you in a realxing mood, so you can just sit back and ride, all over the country, sometimes i dont even wanna get out the car, HA, and one big reason why i listen to other music, is because it gives me ideas on my music, instead of just thinking inside of a little box.
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