How far must I go to gain respect? Um
Well, it's kind of simple, just remain your own/
Or you'll be crazy sad and alone/
Industry rule number four thousand and eighty/
Record company people are shady/

Q-Tip -"Check The Rime"- The Low End Theory.

It's never easy, this music business.

Relationships are tested, the same cooperation your work is constantly trying to rip you off while the same fans that love you one day could turn around and hate you next.  However, nobody has it hard in this 'biz' like the new artist. 

Meet Angelous, a twenty something year old rapper from Brooklyn who has had it a lil' bit harder than any 'new' rapper you know!  He has the charisma, the talent, has sold close to more than 30,000 CDs but his  voice and lyrical style have an uncanny similarity to another Brooklyn bred rapper- Jay-Z.

Yours truly got the chance to holla @ Angelous to talk about Hip Hop, his upcoming projects and that other 'Jigga'.

FoxxyLady: What does Angelous mean?

Angelous: It's a meaning of guidance, taking the game not necessarily , where it needs to be but where I feel I could take it.

FoxxyLady: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in Hip Hop?

Angelous: I've been rhyming and writing since I was 10.  It began with poetry then formed into rap, when I was around 17 is when it solidified into something I wanted to do.

FoxxyLady: Have you been putting out CD's since you were 17?

Angelous:  Yeah, around 17 or 18, writing rhymes, going into the studio, putting out mixtapes, some of  the s**t started getting hot...so i put those out.  

FoxxyLady: It's no secret people say you sound like Jay-Z.  You've worked with Kay Slay before... was it hard to get his attention and did he ever doubt you or point out you sounded like Jay?

Angelous: It was kinda hard cause Kay Slay wanted to see for himself.  I recorded a song with him and he would come in at different times to see if my voice has changed.  He became cool with it, he was like "this kid is really eminent", he looked  past the whole 'Jay-Z thing' and saw the lyrics behind it.

FoxxyLady: Do you feel like you've gotten the backlash of sounding like another artist, any worse than anyone else , like say Guerilla Black, Ja Rule , Shyne?

Angelous: In a way maybe so, People are gonna be people, critics are gonna be critics and everybody is gonna say something or one thing.  At the end day it boils down to 's**t happens'.  I don't think it's a backlash cause when people say Guerilla Black they say B.I.G , when they say Shyne they say B.I.G , when they say John Doe they say B.I.G....when they say Angelous, they say Jay-Z.  It's a compliment in a way but it's also a gift and a curse.  The gift is the curse and the curse is the gift...So ain't really nothing you can do about that.

FoxxyLady: Are you working on an album right now?

Angelous: Yeah, I'm working on a whole bunch of catalogues...a whole bunch of catalogues.

FoxxyLady: Do you have a title for the album yet?

Angelous: No, not yet.  It will probably be self titled but I'm working on a couple of other names.

FoxxyLady: Do you know approximately, when you are gonna have it released?

Angelous: It depends, you never know when situations come, you might have a hard time dealing with somebody or you might scratch the project and do it all over...It's truly hard to say but I'm aiming for sometime next year.

FoxxyLady: Do you have any outside artists or producers on the album?

Angelous: No, right now everything is on camp...K-Class Entertainment.

FoxxyLady: What should fans expect from your next album and what will help you distinguish you from other rappers?

Angelous: Everybody picks up different views from different artists, hopefully they can appreciate my views.  The way I see things, through my eyes and the way I put it in a rhyme scheme.  I'm not negative and I'm not 100% positive...born, raised and living in Brooklyn you see all kinds of things...so I'll give them what I see plus music is a form of entertainment, so i'mma try and hit people with what I think they wanna hear because it's not just all about me.

FoxxyLady: Is there any other artists you would like to work with in the future?

Angelous: Of course,  I'd would like to work with Nas, Biggie...but he ain't here no more, M.O.P., Jadakiss and 50.  It doesn't matter, some artists I wouldn't mind just working with cause I've watched them go through it...It would be kind of cool to sit down next to these dudes, do a song and get admired for your craft.

FoxxyLady: Do you have any stories on how hard it has been to get an opportunity and how shady people in the music industry can be?

Angelous: Oh yeah, they won't directly say things because they're not sure.  They play the field, they won't tell you no but they'll take your number and not return your calls. N****z are just scared, they like "I dunno what Jay is gonna say".  It's not like dude came out and said something.  To me personally, it's about [him] to a point but not really...people play the field for him, really just kinda ride the bandwagon and figure I feel what he thinks!  You get the backlash of it but it's nothing. You just keep grinding and show people it ain't a fluke and eventually they will come...but not really no backlashes, except from maybe...**SoundBombing. I was supposed to be on theSoundBombing project and that didn't happen....they are alot of things, alot of people do.

**NOTE:  In 2003, Angelous was slated to record on a Midi Mafia produced track for the next Soundbombing CD, on the defunct Rawkus Records’ label. The track was laid over an old Jay Z beat. That’s when it all fell apart. “We were told the song didn’t come out right, but unofficially we heard from various sources that the executive producer of the album did not want to piss off Jay Z, who was a good friend of his. That’s the bottom line. The song was cut,” says Meesha Phillips, Angelous’ business partner and co-owner of his independent label K-Class Records. Since the drama unfolded, Rawkus and Midi Mafia held onto the track, which Angelous hasn’t heard since.

FoxxyLady: Any other things you've learnt from the industry so far?

Angelous: Everybody is out to get their bread, the game is really politics more so than music.  It's good that  alot of artists are learning to maneuver and get money other than just rapping...learning not to get beat by the system but at the same time it's politics, somebody watching, somebody handing money to play the record or keeping it in a circle instead of letting new blood in.  I understand it's good to work for it but don't forget where you came from and how you got here.

FoxxyLady: You have a daughter , does being a parent affect your approach to music at all?

Angelous: No it doesn't, matter of fact it makes your drive harder...to go farther and go harder!

Foxxylady: What do you think the state of hip-hop is right now?

Angelous: Everything now is directed towards the mainstream and not just good music.  Most records that are out have a certain formula, alot of people try to make a song directed towards a particular crowd...everything is a scheme!  Me...I'm a lyrical person so alot of times I'm like "I'm not really feeling that!"

Foxxylady: If you had the power to change certain things in hip-hop, what would you change?

Angelous: I wouldn't change anything...especially if fate is the way it is...you either go hard or go home, everything that happens makes you who you are!

Foxxylady: Whats the biggest misconception about you?

Angelous: Everybody thinks I'm trying to be Jay...people that know me and hear me talk are able to take my music and be like "Oh ,okay...I understand where he's coming from" cause they hear me everyday, and alot of people don't hear me or talk to me.  So its kinda hard for them to believe what I'm trying to do. Yeah , that has to be the biggest misconception.

Foxxylady:  What album or song of yours gets the most play from people?

Angelous: From what I hear it's "The Sun Will Shine".  I think thats the song everybody gravitates to and loves ...and wants to get down with.

Foxxylady: Ok,  quick questions for you:

Foxxylady: Best album cover you have ever seen?

Angelous: I think...ummm...damn thats kinda hard!  I like the Stillmatic cover, that was a cool cover.

Foxxylady: Remy Martin Vs. Foxy Brown?

Angelous: Ahh man...thats kinda deep, I'm a Brooklyn head so I'mma be hating and say Foxy but I like Remy!

Foxxylady: Is there any advice for those just getting started in the game?

Angelous: "Do you"...what makes everybody win is people that are different.  Different is always the key...its funny where that is coming from but I'm just me.  Keep doing you and eventually you'll knock down the door, because people love somebody that's hungry!  It's not about the industry...it's about the people, because without the people...there is no industry.  So you gotta show the people, be in everybody's face...and word of mouth is a good thing, cause word of mouth just travels.  Also to have talent on top of it..."talent is like the icing on the cake", because they could make anybody look pretty but it's great if you are already beautiful and don't need that much enhancement!

Foxxylady: What's one thing the world could do without?

Angelous: I can't really say anything because you learn from everything  you go through.  It's a balance, I can't say without evil because without evil we wouldn't know what good is.  I think I would have to say less alcohol and cigarettes...we could do without that really.

Foxxylady: In closing is there anything that you would like to say to the people before we wrap this up?

Angelous: K-Class Entertainment, Angelous the king , Meesha the game is ours, holla at cha boi!

To listen to music from Angelous and learn more about him, visit www.k-class.com

Credits: **NOTE taken from Vibe.com/ Kim J. Ford

This interview was written and conducted by FoxxyLady for Sixshot.com