Pro-Payne - The Interview

May I introduce Pro-Payne to you.

Our favorite unsigned Hip Hop Artist right now!

I had the chance to sit down with him and talk with him about how he got started, where he want's to go and what to expect from him in the future.

lupEND Blog: Pro...introduce yourself to the readers.

Pro: YOOOO what up everyone out there on the planet of LupEnd? I go by the name of pro-paYne, I am 15 and I'm an emcee out of Jersey.

lupEND Blog: I'm pretty sure most people know who you are...but when did you start rapping?

Pro: I started rapping when I was 7 years old, around 2nd and 3rd grade.

lupEND Blog: Why did you start? What was your inspiration?

Pro: Well, I had a homie in my class that was a new student and he would always be writing raps and the teacher would ask him to read them to the class. So he would go up and read them. I would sit in the class while everyone has attention on him and I would think to myself, I should write a rap or a poem, so I did, and it just went from there.

lupEND Blog: How is your process of writing rhymes?...Do you listen to a beat first...or do the lyrics come first?

Pro: Ahhh well, majority of the time someone would play a beat and I would get attatched. But if i randomly have a couple lines come up in my head, then i would finish the rhyme and then find a beat that would fit it. Or I would play with the lyrics and customize them a lil bit to fit a beat.

lupEND Blog: Talking about beats...if you don't spit about another rappers beat. Where do you get yours from. Who produces for you?

Pro: Uhmm, I normally get them from people who think I should spit off of one of their beats or something. But as of right now I have Dj Napps working on a couple joints for me, so that is a good look. But honestly if you're talented in producing - I need beats.

lupEND Blog: Alright...I'm sure someone will get some to you. Next question...Who are people that inspire you?

Pro: Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Nas, Jay-Z, Old Busta Rhymes, ATCQ, Gemstones, Carmega, Mainstream, and just creative people and creative artists of any kind.

Click the picture to get the mixtape!

lupEND Blog: Cool...talking about Carmega and Mainstream...you guys just dropped "The Arrival" mixtape..tell me something about it...and about the group.

Pro: Haha, yeah, the group has been going strong for about 2 years. I actually met them out of beef. I didn't like either of them at first but we sort of came together and it was the perfect decision. Carmega is more of a "If you're not on my side then move out of my way" type and Mainstream is "don't lie, don't be fake, be real in what you do and do it type." The arrival was actually a mixture of all of our best tracks from when we first met to now. I personally Hate it.
People always say Carmega is Gem, Mainstream is Bishop and I'm Lu lol

lupEND Blog: That's not the worst possible combination.

Pro: Hey I don't say that lol

lupEND Blog: Are there more things coming from that group in the future?

Pro: Yeah, more down along the road, maybe this summer, we aren't sure yet. Right now I'm almost done my solo mixtape, Carmega just started working on his mixtape SketchBook, and Mainstream hasn't started yet. But maybe after people get a taste of our personal sides, we will do more collaborative stuff. I don't like saying we are a group. It's more of an incorporation. like a company with out the legal things. Like a group of solo artists that barely collaborate.

lupEND Blog: Ok....so you gonna drop your "Back to The Future Mixtape" soon...I heard a couple of tracks....and I saw you doing something over "The Coolest" beat....tell us what we can expect from that tape.

Pro: "Back To The Future", is actually a concept mixtape. I wanted to try something for the Hip-Hop heads at the same time keep my swagger. I sat down and thought about what our favorite old school rappers saw the future of Hip-Hop to be. Pretty much, what a legend wants after he is dead. I went and took that concept and mashed it with one of my favorite movies (Back To The Future of course). So this is not so much a movie mixtape like Revenge Of The Nerds and such, but more of a double concept mixtape pushing one message. I actually went and asked people "what would be dope to do for Hip Hop in the 90s?" They all said do old school tracks. So I took that input and just created what would old school rappers sound like now. Or what would they want me to sound like. When it is all put together and produced to 15 tracks, it takes people Back to the forseen future of our Hip-Hop legends. "The Illest" is actually not going to make the mixtape though. Too much "Pro acts like Lupe" drama.

lupEND Blog: haha..yeah. Errm...sounds like a nice concept and I agree "Back To The Future" is just awesome. When can we expect the tape to come out?

Pro: HAHA! Well, my mic actually died to tell you the truth. So I
So I'm in the process of getting a new one...so uhh, before May or Middle of May. If you care, you'll know lol

lupEND Blog: Alright...I also heard you go by the name of Pro Payne - The Product...where does that come from?

Pro: LOL! Well, my homie gave that name to me. he said that The product was because we are all products of our environment, but I wasn't the normal product, I look at life different lol. For example, I'd be with a girl, and she'd say something about the moon, like wow the moon is bright, and I'd say well that must mean that the sun is to our 6 o'clock because of the reflection off of the moon. Then I would think about (out loud) why people say 6'o clock for positioning, then wondering why clocks have numbers instead of some weird other language or font. lol, Honestly it's nothing serious, I just thought it sounded dope, but I'm not going to say it anymore lol

lupEND Blog: Alright...If you could choose one big artist, which would be the first one to feature you on a track..who would it be? and why?

Pro: Lupe Fiasco ALL DAY! Reason being We all know he is a lyrical genius. But the respect he gets, is dope, like, people would bring Lupe up around the saviors and front runners of Hip Hop. To be in the same category as Nas is a pipe dream, but to be on a track with Lupe, while people say I spit older than I am...that would be life changing for me.

lupEND Blog: I really hope you'll be able to get on a track with him. That would be dope... Last question.....What do you think about the word Amajanese?...and would you feature it on a track?

Pro: Amajanese.....I think its dope, I don't know how to use it in my everyday lingo, but, I wouldn't mind throwin' it on a track. I actually had an idea for you with that word you should host a mixtape with a bunch of unsigned artists and start a series called Amajanese
Don't you think that would be dope?

lupEND Blog: well..if they would all feature that word...it would maybe not appeal to Lupe that much anymore....but yeah it's a good idea.

Pro: HAHA yeah, I don't think Lupe even understands what it is. LOL

lupEND Blog: I think he does. But let's finish the interview...do you wanna give any shout outs?

Pro: iight! here i go

CARMEGA, MAINSTREAM, RHYMESTYLE, THE VISUAL, CALI, KAYCEE, DJ NAPPS, T-BROWN, LULU, KEENAN KOOL-AID, EVERYBODY HOLDING ME DOWN, EVERYONE ON THE LUPE BOARDS, AND EVERY HIP HOP FAN IN THE WORLD! REBELLION! FNF UP! AMAJANESE!!
lupEND Blog: Alright man thanks for taking the time...and much success in the future.

Pro: Thank you, and may you live long and prosper *holds up Star Trak sign*

Keep your eyes and eyes open for the "Back To The Future Mixtape"

Coming Soon!

You can visit Pro-Payne's Blog
(new layout!)

Here