MySpace a place for friends

1) What part of San Francisco (BayArea) you grew up in?? Which neighborhood?? Which projects you represent?

I grew up in Fillmore in my complexes Freedom West but we call it the West or Def-Wes, that's what I represent for life. No tattoos but it's branded on my heart. I've been there on and off most my life these blocks basically raised me. I was back and forth from my complexes to the projects all day so much that most people thought I lived in the projects. I started hanging out and selling dope in the projects in the seventh grade. My complexes and my project niggas fucked with each other so much we just called it "Def-Wes". That's the West and Death Valley for short.

2) So you've moved from San Francisco to Sacramento, then Antioch, Richmond then Mississippi, which gave you more influence musically, and how was it being raised without a mother and father?

My influences didn't necessarily spring from where I lived. It was more what music people played around me. When you got people playing certain types of music around you of course that's the kind of music you grasp too. When I was younger my brother played Run-Dmc, Ice-T, Mc- Shan, Rakim and N.W.A but as I got older I started to listen to rappers like Nas, Biggy, 2Pac, Snoop and Jay-Z; in a nutshell those are my influences. I was raised off and on with my father but for the most part I was raised by my grandma. It was nothing different to me at the time, all my folks was being raised by there grandparents. It didn't really take toll until I got older and realized how important it is having both parents in a child's life. Everything I learned I pretty much learned myself for the most part. It wasn't hard being raised with out them but it was hard learning everything by myself.

3) Could you explain everything you want us to know about your past growing up without your parents being raised in the streets & how it relates to your music?

I'm basically the product of these streets. This concrete I walk on is my life. I've been through a lot to be this young that's why I speak on street life so well. When I speak it's not me busting guns all the time, its' me talking about the mental strain the streets put on you. The waking up at the crack of the morning going outside to hustle or staying up all night trying to get ya cake up, driving with every last penny to your name in your trunk knowing if you get pull over it's really game over. But really I'm trying to let niggas know that while you out there doing what you do, it's a tug a war going on wit your soul whether you know it or not. That's why a lot of my songs are called 'soul on ice' or 'heaven aint close'. On most of my songs I'm speaking from my soul and if you don't feel it, you probably aint no street nigga or you not a fan of good music. In a way I'm trying to let people know about the soul struggle going on in themselves so when I speak I'm giving every once of my pain, my soul on music, my heart over beats. I would say my music is like soul music cause you feel it in your soul when you hear it. You can tell I lived this shit for real when I speak on certain topics or certain things I say when I spit, this shit is from a direction some people just can't relate to. Life without both parents is another issue. It wasn't that hard but them not being there was an obvious reminder that my life was extra hard so I didn't have time to make stupid mistakes but I had a big brother and sister so I was good. I learned a lot from them when I couldn't understand things.

4) What's the song Phone Call About? What does it represent?

Phone call is basically about my moms. She's doing life in prison right now for murder. The concept around that was me just talking about how i was going to visit her with my son and how the only way I can talk to her is on the phone most of the time and through letters. Moms a real soldier down there doing her time. I pray for a lot along wit the other people in my life. That song there is deep, I reach down a long way to capture that feeling.

5) How have you over come adversity... and how are you still searching for your dreams?

I feel I made it just being alive. I've seen my mother go to jail for life, my father pass away, more then enough people I went to school with die or strung out on drugs. I feel blessed I aint lost my mind by now I'm just trying to figure out the meaning of life and what I was put here for to be honest. My music is my main concern right now. If people hear and relate to my music then cool, if not fuck them. I rap because I love to do it and I just realized last year I'm in love wit hip-hop. I love doing this with a passion. My only dream would be for the world to hear it.

6) What did you learn being in the music game so far? Where were you doing then, now & where you going with your music?

My first album was a learning experience for me. I really didn't know about hooks or a song format, I was just writing versus. Now I pretty much know what I want. I'm still learning a lot, I'm still a student and I know it's a lot more I can learn. I'm hungry right now. I'm trying to learn as much as quickly as possible. Where I'm trying to go with my music? I don't really know I just let god steer my ways, I know he wont guide me the wrong way.

7) So you started listening to rap music at an early age, was that also kind of like a parent to you, and when did you really get seriously into rapping?

Rap was nothing like a parent to me. It was more like a form of seeing cats from the hood do positive when I was younger. I got serious when I was twelve. I knew I wanted to rap when I was younger but when I started teenagehood, I knew I was going to be a rapper.

8) How have you grown as a rapper, since you 1st held a mic at age 12 versus now.. How have you developed?

At first I was just doing it for the money. I knew I could make of rapping. Now I do it for the love of the craft. A lot of people right now don't love the art of making songs but they don't know that's gona be the down fall of there longevity in the long run. I take positive 'criticism' as a way for me to work harder. That word there helped me develop a lot as an artist and as a person.

9) Would you say your style is west coast, east coast or something else?

I used to say its combination of both east and west coast cause i listened to a lot of east coast music. When I was younger that's the only thing that was on the air waves at the time but as hip-hop grew, I started listening to more west coast rap. That's why I use to say my style is influence from both coasts but now my style is more authentic if you ask me now. I don't sound like no one. I'm a child of music so I do what I feel. My style varies song to song, topic to topic. I speak pain, not to many rap about that any more since Pac died. I feel that's my edge over a lot of rappers. More people can feel my music because it doesn't matter if your rich or poor, every one struggles and every one goes through growing pains. I just know how to rap about it. Style is style but I want my music to be influential.

10) Explain why you named the album "Devil On My Back". What is the song about?

Devil on my back explains the struggle I have trying to do positive with my music and just life in general. The concept came when I had a brief word with my dog Eddie-boy. He was talking and he just said it "feels like the devil's on my back". There I came with the concept and realized I was going through the same shit. To make the answer short it's just being pull back in to a negative position when your trying to do positive.

../261601278_m.jpg">

11) Who is featured (guest appearances) on the album?

I got Styles-P, Gypsy (Konvict Muzik), Freeway & Brian Casey of Jagged Edge. Mostly my niggas from around the way. I feel I can hold my own this time around so most of the album is just me. Out of twenty songs I'm on fifteen solo, the rest is just my dogs.

12) Which producers did you work with on this album?

I worked with Checkmate. My nigga done most of the album. But I also went and got at Ebonikz and Knoxville. They do production for Dipset. They heard a nigga and like my flow so they just pitch me a beat. I also got at Sean-T. He made beats for Game before he blew up and a couple for Mac Dre but he heavy in the bay. I got at Maki and Rob-Lo. They make beats for the Mob Figgaz and my young homey.

13) What's the song "Man Up" & "No Love" with Freeway & Allen Anthony about?

Man up is an up-tempo song for the clubs nothing out the ordinary, its for the radio. But no love is a metaphor for all the young cats that's in the game. It's not a true story but I know a lot of people who go through shit like that. That's how I came up with the concept for no love. It's not just a title, aint no love in those streets. In this particular song I'm just narrating some thing that happens in the hood a lot unfortunately.

14) Back in July 2002 you dropped the album by SLO-O. What was the response like to this album?

This album we getting crazy feed back. Like I said a lot of these songs hit home to a lot of people. I'm expressing this mental war a lot of people are going through. A lot of the fans feel the music because it's different it doesn't sound like everything else you hear. A lot of industry insiders are looking out for this album too. Be looking out for the album it's worth your money.

15) How is this album different from last "Game Over" album? What can we expect from the new album?

This album you'll see the growth in my music, the improvement in my delivery, stronger story lines and better hooks. You can expect a well rounded album this time around.

16) How/ When did you link up with Checkmate Muzik?

I hooked up with check through one of my folks in early 2000. He felt my flow and the rest is history.

17) What's the music industry like out there at the moment?

The music industry right now is at it's peak with the endorsements and the type of money that's involved in it. But everything sounds the same, a lot of cats sound alike and most of the songs on the radio is garbage. Rap used to be about creativity and being your own individual having your own style, now people do anything to make it. It really got bad when cats started to have other cats write their raps but what can you say, I just do me.

18) What are you bringing to the table? How is your music different from all the new stuff that's coming out?

My music touches your soul. I speak the pain, the strain of the streets. But not only the streets, just life. I'm bringing originality back to the game. I feel my music is different because I feel I'm more than a rapper, I'm a musician, a student of this art. When I write, it's 100% me I'm writing down on the paper. I gave up selling dope to do this so I take my music seriously.

19) So in 2006 what are your main goals?

My main goal is to get the attention of the world. Not to sound corny but I think my music scales certain regions where people who love good music will appreciate it. Me and Checkmate got our ideas and our goals set for a big thing in 2006-2007. Just remember the name and the face cause soon we gona run with it carrying the torch to the throne.

20) Where will you be performing and what can we look forward to?

I'll be performing around the BayArea a lot. You can look forward to a well rounded album something for every one.

For more information on SLO-O or his touring schedule, visit the Checkmate Muzik website at www.myspace.com/checkmatemuzik You can also contact us by email at checkmatemuzik@gmail.com (Serious Inquiries Only)

Check SLO-O Out on These Albums

Messy Marv - Gettin That Guac

01. Intro
02. I'm Wet
03. I'm A Hustla (Ft. Redman)
04. Here I (Ft. Selau)
05. Say That Again
06. M.O.B. (Ft. Killa Tay and 151)
07. In A Scraper Makin' Paper (Ft. Keak Da Sneak)
08. Click Clackin' (Ft. Click Clack Gang)
09. Military Thuggin' (Ft. Eddieboy and Slo-O)
10. On Da' Corner (Ft. Ice-T)
11. I'm A Pimp
12. I Drank, I Smoke
13. The Message

Rappin 4-Tay - Thats What You Thought

01. Intro
02. Thats What You Thought
03. Charger (Feat. Lil Network)
04. Live From 415 (Feat. San Quinn, Messy Marv, Big Rich,Seff)
05. A Whole Nother Level
06. J & H Skit
07. Business Is Heavy (Feat. Slo-O, Menace)
08. Sorry I Took So Long
09. Full Metal Jacket (Feat. Seff Tha Gaffla)
10. Helping Me Hurting Me
11. Highway (Feat. Shorty B)
12. I'll Take You There
13. If I Forgot Jesus
14. Heavy Paper (Bonus)
15. Live From The 415 (Extended Version Bonus)

Messy Marv Presents - Fillmoe Nation Vol. 2 Compilation CD

Back to the Yay, we're about to see a second part of a new compilation from Fillmoe rapper Messy Marv on April 17th. "Fillmoe Nation Vol. 2" is dropping on Scalen Inc. and it features mostly artists outta Frisco streets. Tracklist:

01. Mess Intro (skit)
02. Green Light - Playa P
03. Right Back In - Slo-O
04. Papa Bound - D Boy
05. Come Get Me - Blu Chip
06. Frum The Bottom - Seff Tha Gaffla, Telly Mac & Bubbs
07. Cuz We Want To - JT The Bigga Figga & Messy Marv
08. Sco Bidness - Jeneral Lee
09. I Know - Munip & Guce
10. Downtown: That's The Place - Startin' 5
11. All In A Bitch Face - Rome
12. Where I'm From - Tyson
13. Doin' My Thang - Big Rich
14. 924: Nine Two Fo' - D-Moe & Blu Chip

New Slo-O Video "Right Back In"