We’re having our own problems with hip-hop in the United States so it’s not often that we take notice of an international rapper even if he’s as close as Canada but like a wise man once said, “talents gets noticed” and Canada native Bishop Brigante has the talent.

One of Canada’s top artists, he has held down the hip-hop scene there for years whether he was battling or recording albums. His grind and persistence eventually landed him places he never thought he would be. He was on 106th and Park before getting kicked off for a misunderstanding. He also battled lyrical heavyweight Jin three times.According to Bishop he “bodies him twice”.

Now with a new album on the way Sixshot.com caught up with Bishop to discuss Canadian government grants for musicians, working with Snoop Dogg, and why he lost his third battle to Jin.

Sixshot.Com: You’re from Canada but you do a lot in the United States as well. Is there a big difference between the two?

Bishop Brigante: It’s a huge difference. One of the main differences is population. The population of a province out here will be the same as just one borough in New York City. That means in the states there are a lot more support and a lot more people to buy records. The labels out here don’t really take chances on the artists that are doing their thing. When we do get deals here it’s not exactly the best deals and they don’t take the time to develop an artist like they might stateside.

We just don’t get the backing form the labels out here. We don’t get the big marketing. We don’t get the big promo push. You’re lucky if you can go gold here. In the States they take the time to develop an artist and they put the money behind them. We got a lot of things over here though that work in our favor like government grants. Every few months artists submit a package and if they get chosen they get a budget to make a music video. So we do have things that help us but as far as the labels go they don’t want to step up to help out.

Sixshot.Com: Can you expand on this government grant thing a little bit?

Bishop Brigante: The government has a certain amount of money that they give out every year. You could get money for a video. It’s definitely a good thing about being an artist here. we have access to money. Even the big artists from here use it. Nickelback and Avril Lavigne use it too which is kind of fucked up because they got huge labels backing them up but whatever, it’s free money. We even have grants that you could get to record an album. There’s money for websites. There’s just all kind of money that you can get from grants out here. The labels don’t really believe in the artists out here and the reason they don’t believe in them is because they don’t want to spend the money to make marquis artists. When artists come out in the states even if they’re new artists they look the role. The kids see that they have a team behind them and I think that makes a big difference.

Sixshot.Com: So how did you get your buzz to the level where it’s at?

Bishop Brigante: It all started for me when I was younger and I was freestyling on this radio show and I was doing my thing on there for I don’t know how many years. I have been the undefeated freestyle champion in Canada. I beat Jin too, twice. Then the third time it was planned, not the first two but the third was definitely planned. The first time we just got up there and I bodied him and the last time it was a planned battle. He came with his writtens and he got me. I was on 106th and Park. I kind of snuck on there because they thought I auditioned but I didn’t then they said I swore on the show, which I didn’t. I’m like the marketing king out here, TV, radio, music, all of that. I’m just constantly on the grind. I think it works for me especially when people meet me and they get to see my work ethic for themselves. I’m everywhere man. I’m in Miami. I’m in Los Angeles. Everywhere I go people are always asking why I’m not a millionaire, why I’m not signed, what the problem is, why am I getting over looked. They think something is wrong with my country because I haven’t made it to that level yet.

Sixshot.Com: Are the labels in the United States showing interest?

Bishop Brigante: I mean I haven’t really been taking meetings or anything like that but I had Nelly’s label trying to sign me when they first started doing their thing. I had so many labels getting at me but the middlemen that I was dealing with were always on some other shit. Luckily for me I never signed any papers that could jeopardize my career now. I actually just left a label because they didn’t know what they were doing with me so now I’m a free agent and I got to start getting on the grind again. I got to start catching the ears of some of these A&R’s.

Sixshot.Com: But you’re with Koch now right?

Bishop Brigante: I’m doing a distribution deal with Koch for one record I got called The Poker Face.

Sixshot.Com: How did you get into the situation with Koch?

Bishop Brigante: This guy Jay over there was a fan of my music. He was in the process of offering deals to certain people here and there so he reached out to me and we made it happen.

Sixshot.Com: What could we expect to hear on this album?

Bishop Brigante: This album is just crazy man and I banged this out in like 2 weeks. It’s a lot of producers from Canada. The features aren’t too heavy. It’s a story, like a day in the life type of vibe. It’s really crazy. I’m proud of it. I got a song with Snoop sitting in the vault right now. I got like 5 songs with Nate Dogg. I’m waiting on a Crooked I verse. I’m dying to get this Snoop record out real soon.

Sixshot.Com: What was it like working with Snoop?

Bishop Brigante: That was crazy man. I went straight to Cali to find him. We were in the studio for like six hours. Basically we were just chillin. We were like peers. I was helping him write some different hooks and stuff then we would freestyle. Once he got me spitting he jumped out of his seat. The whole Westurn Union was there and it was just crazy man. Don Bishop Juan was there and it was April 20 so you know 420. We were smoking and drinking. He let me keep the record and told me I was the king of Canada.

Sixshot.Com: Would you call yourself the top artist in Canada?

Bishop Brigante: I don’t really like to say that I’m the top but I’m definitely one of them. But as far as grinding and buzz then I’m definitely one of the top. Some people might say I am. Some people might say Kardinal is. I salute everybody who’s doing their thing.

Sixshot.Com: Alright man so what do you have coming up that we can check for?

Bishop Brigante: We got "The Money Train" video off of The Poker Face Album. That’s the first song off that album then of course we’re going to follow it up. The Weight Is Over is coming out too so watch out for that. We’re out here grinding hard. Keep supporting the gambling man. See me at your local dice game. Thanks for all the supports and everything.

www.myspace.com/bishopbrigante