Minus on the Grind |
Written by Robert ID532 |
Wednesday, 08 December 2004 07:54 |
Minus P’s "Welcome to the Heights" has been out for a bit now and it is a very good album. In many ways it is a great debut album.
This is not your fashionable, flash and glitter rap / hip hop sound. This is not your everyday drop. At a listen you can tell there has been much thought and preparation along with life experience put into this drop, and Minus is willing and eager to share it with everyone.
I wanted to know how the drop is going and what kind of feedback Minus was getting on the album, so I reached out to him; (and that again proves he is very fan friendly), to get the word directly from him.
Robert – Sup. Hope you are well and blessed.
Minus – Thank you, can’t complain at all, hope everything is good with you as well.
Robert – Well a lot has changed for you since we last spoke at length. The album ‘Welcome to the Heights’ has been out now for about a month now. How has it been accepted?
Minus – The reviews for it, the feedback from buyers, people who listen, everything has been lovely. And I’m glad too because I put so much into it, that it feels good for people to finally see the whole product, and be able to understand what I was trying to do all along.
Robert – So how has the ‘feedback’ been on the album?
Minus – As far as reviews on websites and magazines I’ve gotten all sorts of positive embracement, the lowest review was by rapreviews.com and that was a 7/10, and they called it “A work of art”, so you can only imagine what the rest of the reviews are like. As far as from fans and people who have bought it, its all love from day one, everyone who buys my album already believed, I put most of the album on my site for preview, so people already knew what they were getting into and they got it.
Robert – I remember The Cadillac Song was receiving air play. Are any of the other songs off the album hitting the air waves?
Minus - To be honest no, and is not because of stations, I really have not pushed other songs other than the Cadillac song to stations yet. The ones that are being felt the most however from the album other than that one, are “remembering you”, “Right here” and the title track “Welcome to the heights”.
Robert – I remember the last time we talked at length was right before you where going to drop a track you told me was called ‘Call Me’. I noticed it isn’t on the album. Did the title get changed or is it in your cataloged stuff?
Minus – Yeh that track, I had it done already, it’s a good track too on the story tip, but the mood was too dark for the album when it came down to it. I wanted my album to have a positive vibe overall, even when I was talking about subjects with negative connotations, I wanted it to be a bright album. Another thing was I wrote the track as a story track about a real life friend I got, and when he heard it he asked me to not to put it on the album, because the subject was still very hurtful to him, so I respect that, maybe in the future people will be able to enjoy that.
Robert – Are you pleased so far with the way things are going with the drop?
Minus – No man, I’ll never be pleased, that is what keeps me pushing harder. Do I like the love I’m getting? You bet man; it’s great to have something solid out in the world that no matter what you do will be part of you and the people who cherish it. IT’s strong.
Robert – I noticed something that sorta really got my attention on the ordering of the cd. You offer your own ‘bootlegged’ copies. How did ya come to that decision?
Minus – I know that even though I had the majority of the tracks in there for preview, the album is still being marketed towards the hood as well as hip-hop fans all over. When I go out to the streets to hustle the album, a lot of cats just don’t got the funds to support even if they want to, so I’m helping them out you know, because they helping me out. Same content, they get to hear what I did for them, no covers, but half the price. It’s lovely.
Robert -You appeared on B-Real's (Cypress Hill) "The Gunslinger" Mix tape, on a track featuring B-Real. How did that get hooked up?
Minus – It was by chance… People know I hustle, so B-Real had this thing going he was planning the mix-tape ect. Someone from B-reals camp got at me told me to submit my material, so I sent him what I had of the album at that time, a few weeks later B-real sent me the beat he had chosen for me to spit over, I did my thing, and Now the joint is out. Can be copped in his site brealonline.com
Robert – You also opened up for Jim Jones and the Diplomats just a few weeks back. How did that come about and was it a fun show?
Minus –People notice my hustle, so a lot of them send me opportunities and I don’t let nothing slip by. I got the info for the entertainment company that was throwing the event, called up, set up a meeting, the same day I got out of the office with a contract to do that show. As they say when opportunity knocks…. you got to be on your toes, some things may fall trough, but you can’t let anything go by if you trying to get noticed.
Robert – You also had a solo track on the ’11 Tales’ Mega Tech mix tape. So you haven’t been sleeping.
Minus – I ain’t been sleeping on my goals, and ain’t sleeping much on the physical side either this shit is tough! I work with Megatech a lot as well they funded the release of my album, they believe in me so do as much as I can. We got a show set up for Canada as well January, that’s Projekt zero from Megatech, Dark Sun and me, Minus P. More info for that in my site www.minusp.com for those interested.
Robert – Now that the album has finally dropped and is out there for everybody, what comes next for Minus?
Minus – I got a project I am working on, well first tho I’ma keep pushing this album you know, so other than in interview I ain’t mentioning this on my site or to anyone because I want people to stay focused on the album for a minute. But, I am working on this project; it’s an album with no restrictions like a mixtape. What I mean by that is I’ma have songs to jacked beats, also have stuff to original beats, If I wanna talk reckless I’m gonna, punchlines I’m gonna, like I gave the people the album material in the album, like the music that gives you a piece of me… This is going to be something to make them go “wow”, like I don’t have a goal other than to blow their mind out with this. I have called upon known artist as well to join me, but I don’t want to let the cat out the bag, it’s gonna be ill tho, but that’s a project for summer-time that I’ve already started to work on.
Robert – Well I would like everyone to check out your cd and you have album snippets on your web site right ?
Minus – Yes, at www.minusp.com, I have about 9 tracks they can check there from the 17 on the album. I had all 17 before, but what happened was I got 1,000’s of downloads and praises, but the units were not moving as they should. I love that people love my music, I’m glad they are hearing it, but understand I’m not signed, if you want to keep hearing my music you got to put that money where the mouth at. You know, if you reading this, cop that album, “great work” feels good, but it won’t help me put out more music for you to enjoy.
Robert – Well ya know I always wish ya the best and always keep an eye out for your next move.
Minus – And I appreciate that always.
Robert – Anything ya need to get out, shows or shout outs? Or anything I didn’t touch on?
Minus – Yeh, just to the people who have supported and bought the album, as well as the people who are joining forces for the project I got going on for Summer, Sangie from sagie.com who will be doing the artwork for it. Blackness, Outthere, Megatech Beats, Bean, Arin Turk, Kupiart, just the people who are always there. Shout to people like you, who give me the chance to show who I am through interviews and features.
Robert – Well keep us up on the progress of the album and of course on Minus P. I thank you for your time and hope we can talk again soon. I got to add here that you being so accessible and ‘fan friendly’ is one of the many things I have respect for you for. Really thanks for being real with us and always answering when we shout out at ya, it means a lot to us. All the best for ya – fo real.
Minus – Yeah, A lot of rappers make themselves inaccessible to try to make themselves seem more “Important” or “busier” than they are. I’m busy, I’m making moves all day everyday, but I also know what matters, without people who support you all you are is a man with a dream. Thank you for your time.
Robert – 1 – Peace
Minus – Peace!
*Read my first the first interview with Minus HERE . (c) Copyright 2004-2006 ThugLifeArmy.com. All Rights Reserved.
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