The mixtape has long been an outlet for the aspiring MC. It’s been a forum where an unsigned or signed artist for that matter can put out his music and get feedback where it will be honest, the streets. There are a few outcomes that can come from being on mixtapes.

The first one is that the mixtapes can serve as a jumping off point for an artist and they will build and eventually progress in the game.The second one is that the artist just couldn’t hack it and they fall by the wayside.

The third and possibly most dreadful outcome is that the artist will be labeled a “mixtape rapper” and while they will retain a presence in the game they will never take it to the next level.

Many people thought Maino, who was omnipresent on mixtapes and street DVD’s would suffer this fate but there was real talent there if you took the time to look. If you looked past the freestyles and the fights with Lil’ Cease you would see a major label artist ready to blow up. Maino’s time has come.

He is signed to Atlantic Records and his latest single “Hi Haters” is burning up the charts and instantly making Maino a viable artist and one to watch for. It’s an impressive feat when an artist can take that step to the next level and Maino has done it. Sixshot.com caught up with the Brooklyn native to discuss his hit single, ho w 50 Cent helped him get his record deal, and his upcoming album “If Tomorrow Comes”.

Alright Maino, “”Hi Haters” is doing really well. The buzz is crazy. Are you happy with the response?

Most definitely, why wouldn’t I?

I hear that but it’s becoming an anthem, it’s getting real big. Did you expect it to get this big?

I mean pretty much. I knew that I was holding a bomb to be honest with you. I had the record for over a year and I held it for all that time because I knew that once I got myself in the right position in terms of my business and everything I knew that it would make a big impact on the game. I felt like the content of the record was geared towards everybody. Everybody could relate to it because everybody feels like they got haters, I was definitely leaning towards feeling like it was going to do something big.

You seem to be in a real good position now. You’re signed to a major, Atlantic. Are you content being signed to a major?

Yeah, yeah because everything is working out for me. I was signed to a major before. Originally I was signed to Universal. Things didn’t go the way I wanted them to go over there but we live and learn and we move on, you know what I’m sayin’?

The word is that 50 Cent helped you get you deal at Atlantic, what was his role in that situation?

Well what 50 did you would call it, uh; he put in a good word for me.

What can we expect from your major label debut?

You can expect to just hear some real talk from a real dude, you understand? My life is definitely a movie. My life is definitely a real thing and that’s what you’re gonna get on my album, you know what I mean? You’re going to get different aspects of all the stuff I was going through after I got out of prison. The album is called If Tomorrow Comes and it gives the details on the portion of my life after I got out of prison. I wanted to be an artist but I was faced with a lot of obstacles, you know what I mean? I was on parole, I had just had a baby, I was still dabbling in the street, still had my issues in the street all while I was trying to be an artist so that’s what this album is gonna be about.

You always had a big presence on the mixtapes and the DVD’s. Did you think it would be difficult to break away from the label of “mixtape artist”?

I always wanted to use the mixtapes and the DVD’s as kind of like a springboard to establish a foundation and get myself a core audience. There are a lot of people that pay attention to what’s going on in the streets so that was part of my plan. When I got out of jail I didn’t put together a demo and shop it. I did my music and put it right in the street. I gave it to the DJ’s and they sent it to the streets and that’s what I had concentrated on. There eventually came a time when I wanted to use that to get to the next level so I used that to get a deal and so far it’s on. It most definitely helped me.

I saw the Youtube where you were premiering a video and you and Ed Lover made some good point on the older dudes in the game. Do you feel like they could be helping the younger artists out more than they do?

I feel like the older guys in the game still want to compete. This is a competitive business. If you look at the NBA you’ll see that at some point a lot of the greats will become coaches. They help to nurture the young players and they help to keep the game alive. In hip-hop it’s different and I’m not saying the older guys should stop competing or stop rapping but to help this hip-hop thing stay alive I think we need to help to give birth to some of this new talent. We need to nurture it and help to keep it relevant. We need to get it out there and I don’t think there’s a lot of camaraderie between the older generation and the younger generation.

As one of the few artists coming out of New York right now with a major deal and a big buzz, how do you feel about New York hip-hop right now?

I feel great about it and I never felt any other way about it. All we need to do is get back to making good music at the end of the day because that’s what people want to hear. They want to hear good music; it doesn’t matter where you’re from. I’m not into thinking about where this person is from or where that person is from. Let’s get back to the good music. I’m cool wit beefin’ and all that but there’s no balance. If it’s all beef and there are no hit records then there’s no balance. I think we just need to get back to doing good music.

Do you feel like artists are starting to go back to the good music a little more now?

I hope that what I’m doing by being the only new artist that has a record that’s moving around the country, I hope that dudes that came up with me on the mixtapes and DVD’s see that and not saying they want to be like me but I hope they see that I’m trying to go national and I hope they see that the only way to do that is to make music that is going to be accessible to people all around the country. We have to come to the people as the people. We can’t just make shoot ‘em up, bang-bang records and expect everybody to love it. We can’t expect radio stations in Middle America to play that kind of music. We just can’t expect that. I think we really need to strategize and get into a better zone.

Speaking of going national, is “Hi Haters” spreading fast?

It’s the number three most added record. There was only two records this week that was added higher than that and that’s if I’m not mistaken Robin Thicke and another record. This record is spreading like a disease and it’s a guaranteed fact. When you go to other places you will hear it all day.

Do you have any personal expectations for the album?

All I’m gonna do is what I can do and that means giving the best music that I possibly can, you know what I mean? I personally feel that people will like the record. I’m not saying how many records I will sell or how many records I won’t sell. It’s not about that. I’m just gonna let it do what it does because whatever is meant to be will be.

We all know you used the mixtapes and the DVD’s to get the buzz up. Did you use the internet at all?

Yeah definitely, I’ve used the internet in a couple of ways. As far as audio goes I used that and then there’s Youtube. I’m the Youtube king man. I took advantage of everything that was at my disposal.

A lot of people are dropping freestyles over the “Hi Haters” beat. Even LL Cool J did one. How does it feel for an MC of his caliber to use your beat?

It’s an honor because he’s a legend in the game. To see him rock on my beat is crazy. Shout out to LL for even jumping on my record.

Since the single has dropped do you feel like your stock has risen in terms of shows and all that?

Of course it has and it’s only right, you know what I mean? It’s just the nature of the business. You’re only as good as your last hit. This is my first one and now I’m in a portion of the game where I’ve never been before. Let’s be clear, what I did on the mixtapes and DVD’s was just the foundation. Now I’m on another level and I’ve never been here before. My stock has definitely risen.

Alright Maino, let us know about anything you got coming up that we can look out for.

I’m on the road. I’m out here all summer. The album is coming out on September 30th, If Tomorrow Comes. For the people that don’t know me get used to me. I’m coming.