TW: It’s been a long wait for your album. You must excited.
Kinda bittersweet about it, actually. A lot of times people assume that when you get semi-successful that everything is peaches and cream. For me, it’s different. I lost a lot to get where I’m at. I got friends that’s locked up, family members that ain’t here to fully celebrate the situation with me. At the same time, I’m cool with it because it keeps me grounded and level-headed.
TW: You describe what you do as reality music. What do you mean by that?
For me, man, this whole music industry is to a certain degree a facade. I think if the consumer knew what they were purchasing wasn’t factual, they probably wouldn’t support it. I always try to be as realistic and truthful as possible. I think it’s a part of the game.
TW: So how do you write your rhymes?
Out of personal experiences. I’m not a dude that goes into the studio four times a week. I got to have just experienced something. I haven’t been to the studio for probably the last month and a half. It’s like a block that I go through sometimes. If I’ve experienced a situation then I don’t run to the studio until I get it under my belt.
TW: What kind of a situation do you mean?
Last time I was in New York, I got a phone call talking ’bout one of my partners just got killed back home. That was an unfortunate situation for me, but it allowed me to break down why I believe that happened, what could have avoided it, and the pros and cons of running in the streets. That was enough for me to be able to create a song off it. And that’s just what I try to do. It means more and it has more substance when it’s done that way.
TW: I’m sorry to hear that. You give a lot of credit to your brother Big Gates for inspiring you to pursue music. What kind of impact did he have on you when you were growing up?
I like to call him my everything. He was my brother, my father figure, my role model and my inspiration. I never been a person that was scared to show emotion or be educated. He taught me that. He showed me it’s risky to believe in who you are as a person, and that it’s easy to get caught up in the fashions or the trends. A lot of cats are scared to be who they are because they don’t know if they are going to be accepted. People try to buy they gangsta and buy they image. And I beg to differ when it comes to that. Who I am as a person is just who I am, and I don’t shy away from that. I learned that early on.
TW: You recently did a tour performing exclusively at prisons. What was that like?
That was totally important to me. To have the luxury to work with some of those cats and talk to people who are at the worst point in their life right now. I’m experiencing semi-success so I think I need to be a support system to the people that need me the most. It’s easy to just get caught up with worrying about your immediate circle. A lot of times we forget about the people who need us the most. I want to continue to be a crutch for the people who really need me, not the people who need my money, not the people that need my cars, but the people that actually just need me there for them—emotionally.
TW: You seem to reach out a lot to your fans, your consumers. How do you see your relationship to your listeners?
I’m glad you used that word, consumer. That’s how I like to refer to them. To me “fan” makes me feel like you’re instantly putting somebody in a groupie category. I like to call them my consumers because they support my product and what I stand for as a person. It’s important for me never to create a huge gap when it come to my music between my consumer and myself. I think I’d rather leave music alone in general before I make the dude on the bike who’s in the hood in Kentucky feel that because he ain’t got a quarter million dollar car that he ain’t as acceptable as a person who does have one. I don’t expect you to buy my product and then have me tell you on 15 tracks how good I’m doing financially or how much my watch costs.
TW: You had a verse contest, where people submitted entries to get a chance to have a guest spot on your album. How did that turn out?
Man, it was a crazy response. I wanted to provide an opportunity for anybody who wanted to be involved. I was never granted that opportunity so I just opened my doors as wide as possible to help somebody else pursue they dream. You got a lot of talented people around the world that just don’t have the financial support or the proper channels or connects to be able to put they talent on the forefront.
TW: So have you picked someone?
Yeah, we got one lucky contestant. I was trying to fight for two but we weren’t able to pull it off.
TW: You also had another contest on your Myspace page. The “be your shawty for a day” contest. Judging by the massive comments section there, you had an overwhelming reaction to that, right?
That was too big. We haven’t actually picked that one yet. I think we doing it the week after the album come out. That’s another situation where I would hope to have more than one winner. I really hate to narrow it down, but that’s the rules.
TW: What does Plies look for in a shawty?
For me it definitely ain’t about a physical attraction. I’m looking for a person who spends a lot of they time trying to convince me that they hold a special part in they heart for me. Someone who shows the most desire and commitment to the situation.
TW: What can the lucky girl or girls expect on their day?
I’m a pretty laid back dude, man. It’s totally whatever they want to do. If they in a little financial trouble or got a favorite store that they like or something, I’m just trying to be a support system. I’m more overwhelmed with the response than anything.
TW: After you recorded “I Wanna Love You” your verse was taken off the official release with Akon and Snoop. Was that because you were arrested, or was it just industry politics?
Out of respect to all parties involved, I just choose not to talk about it. But for me, I don’t regret it at all. Personally, I feel I wasn’t ready for a hit record at the time. I can honestly say that it was a blessing in disguise. I got a new hit record now.
TW: You recently released the video out for “Got ‘Em Hatin” and sure enough a bunch of diss songs and videos have popped up. Do you have anything to say to those people?
Something that I learned about my culture a long time ago is that it’s the people whose life is miserable that comment on others who are climbing the ladder. That’s why shock jocks are so big nowadays, because there are more people whose lives are miserable than people who are doing good for themselves. Everybody wants to live through the successful person. I relish it, because I understand it. I told someone the other day, it’s amazing that you can spend all your life becoming successful on your own and nobody helps you. And once you become successful in the eyes of the consumer, everybody wants you to live your life like how they would have lived their life.
TW: And if you don’t they have something to say about it.
That’s right.
By Toby Warner, ArtistDirect.Com
