Ed Sheeran is a British pop star who listens to Big Pun on his iPod and sings Britney Spears in the shower. Cultural identity crisis or the recipe for musical brilliance? While a simple 10 questions may not be able to unfold the complexity of his musical persona, it might provide just enough insight to pique curiosity. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter recently started making waves in the U.S. after Jamie Foxx’s team recruited him to sharpen his skills (Sheeran actually lived in Foxx’s home while in L.A.).

Following the breakthrough success of his debut +, which became the best-selling album by a U.K. male artist in the last 10 years, the one-time rapper now has his eyes set on the U.S. market. A five-track EP The A Team was released to iTunes and + will arrive stateside later this year via Elektra Records. Also on the horizon is The Slumdon Bridge EP, a collaborative project with Yelawolf.

Having over 300 shows under his belt in 2009 alone has allowed Sheeran to bask comfortably in the limelight, all the while staying on top of preposterous rumors and performing private gigs for the likes of Sir Richard Branson. Rap-Up.com chatted with the red-haired star from the across the pond about his soulful sound, favorite U.S. rappers, and the odd results of his Google searches.

1. You’ve been described as “soulful.” Why is that?
Just by looking at me, you wouldn’t expect what comes out to come out because I’m an odd-looking ginger white kid. I’m influenced by a lot of soul music, pop, and folk music, so I guess all of that blended together makes a soulful kind of thing.

2. Does the British accent help out with the ladies in the States?
I’m not quite sure because every time I’ve been over to America it’s been for work purposes, so I haven’t really been out. I’m not old enough yet to get into clubs, so I haven’t tried that out.

3. What hip-hop are you listening to these days?
Big Pun. I’ve got Drake’s new album [Take Care]. Gangstarr—I’m a big, big fan of Guru’s work. Jay-Z and Eminem. But I listen to more U.K. hip-hop because I’m more familiar with the scene.

4. Are there any artists you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Yelawolf was high on my list of priorities, so I’m glad I got that done now. Probably Lupe and Kanye.

5. What is your favorite thing about being away from home?
The peace and quiet I get. The down time. When I’m at home, the full day is usually promo and fan signings and stuff. When I’m on tour it’s usually one radio show and a gig. In between that I get to chill and watch DVDs so that’s fun.

6. How old do you think you are mentally?
I dropped out of school and moved to London on my own at 16. At that time, most of my peer group was 25-plus so I was in that kind of mindset. I don’t know what my mental age is now, but it’s probably a little bit more than I actually am.

7. When you first pick up a guitar, what do you play?
Usually, the first chord I start playing is a G, and then I’ll start singing something. There’s a U.K.-based artist called Foy Vance. He has a song called “Guiding Light,” which is great to play on the guitar.

8. If you could spend a week on vacation by yourself anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I just played Richard Branson’s daughter’s wedding on Necker Island. If I could go there on my own, that would be a good look. It’s next level. It’s fucking great.

9. What do you sing in the shower?
It’s really embarrassing, but it’s been in my head for the past four years. Everytime I’m in the shower I sing that song by Britney Spears, “Everytime.” I don’t know why. Maybe because in the video there’s a shower scene or something, so I just think about it when I’m in the shower. It’s fucking weird.

10. Have you every Googled yourself?
I actually Google myself every day because I often get bad things being said about me and I need to keep on that. I think you need to know your enemies. If you have people telling you how amazing you are every day, you need people telling you that you’re shit as well—just to keep you balanced. There’s this publication in England that I’ve never done an interview with but every week they post up some random story like, I’ve just bought a multi-million pound country house. In reality, I’ve just started renting a flat. They once said I was dating someone from a reality TV show in England that was a bit unsavory. I’ve never met her.

–Rajul Punjabi

The year was 1998 and Brandy and Monica were sitting on top of the charts with their smash “The Boy Is Mine.” Fourteen years later, the R&B divas have reunited to record a follow-up to their Grammy-winning duet, which spent 13 weeks at No. 1. Under the direction of songwriter-producer Rico Love, the new record picks up where the original left off.

“It’s a very soulful R&B song with pop sensibilities,” Love tells Rap-Up.com. “I wanted to make sure I made it a classic R&B record, but I definitely wanted to make sure that it had enough appeal to cross over and become a Top 40 record.”

The “Motivation” hitmaker hit the studio with both ladies last week in Miami to lay down the track. While they reportedly didn’t get along while recording the original Darkchild production, the chemistry was different this time. “They both had a blast,” says Love. “They have so much history together.”

In an exclusive interview with Rap-Up.com, Rico Love sheds light on how the collaboration came together, what it sounds like, and the enormous pressure he faced.

What can you tell us about recording with Brandy and Monica?
It was a really interesting situation because of the history that was in the room and the energy was so positive. It was electric. I really wanted to try my best to pull the most explosive vocals out of them. I wanted to create a story that picked up where “The Boy Is Mine” left off. It kinda carried on the next part of the story, just showing their growth and their maturity, and making it real and true to both singers. It was an amazing energy, an amazing vibe. The girls were all positive. It was just fun. We had a great time and I learned so much from both of them during the session.

How did the duet come together?
It was Monica’s idea originally because Monica heard the record and she was so excited about it. She was like, “Yo, I really think that this should be that thing, that next duet.” Then [RCA Records executive] Peter Edge and [Chameleon Records CEO] Breyon Prescott put it together.

How would you describe the track?
It’s a very soulful R&B song with pop sensibilities. I wanted to make sure I made it a classic R&B record, but I definitely wanted to make sure that it had enough appeal to cross over and become a Top 40 record. I wanted to include Beatles-sounding guitars. I made sure the melody was big enough for all genres and just a strong powerful vocal performance and strong content. I really don’t wanna give away too much because they wanna keep it under wraps as far as the title and the subject, but I can just say that it’s a very strong vocal that I got out of these girls and it’s a very strong subject. To say the least, it will be a shocker.

When they recorded “The Boy Is Mine,” they were not the best of friends. What was their chemistry like in the studio?
It was fun. They both had a blast. We laughed and hung out. They’re like old friends. They have so much history together. It was like sisters.

Whose album will the song appear on?
I believe it’s going to be on both of theirs, but obviously Monica [New Life] is coming out sooner than Brandy, so I believe it’s going to be on hers first. We did alternate versions for both girls’ albums. So the version that is on Monica’s album won’t be the version on Brandy’s album. Same song with slightly different things.

Did you feel pressure to deliver after the massive success of “The Boy Is Mine”?
Amazing pressure because no matter what, people on the blogs will comment, “Rico ruined it and it’s the worst song ever.” You always get those the first day the record comes out, but you gotta ignore that. “The Boy Is Mine” was No. 1 for like 13 weeks. The hype around it is so big now since the pictures came out the other day on Twitter. Honestly I’m the one that’s gonna take the fall for anything, so it’s huge pressure, but I thrive off that type of pressure. I feel like that’s why I wake up to do what I do, to continue to write songs for legendary artists, and try to reinvent the wheel as much as I can.

Tank believes that sexual innuendo is a lost art. “A lot of these kids are like, ‘Lick it, lick it, lick it,’ in their songs. Straight at it, no metaphor,” says the singer-songwriter in response to young R&B artists that are fresh on the scene. “I don’t know that they have a concept of a real connection outside of sexual aspects of music.” A bold statement, coming from the man who’s provided the soundtrack to many steamy nights.

A thin, navy, fitted tee hugs Tank’s sinewy frame as he sinks into a supple leather couch at the Atlantic Records lounge in New York City, reflecting on his responsibility to the industry. He grins wide and often, confident in his ability to keep his music true to its original sentiment. While his new mixtape Diary of a Mad Man boasts a feistier side to the ladies’ man, he claims that his next conceptual album, aptly titled Savior, is about bringing comfort to women and resurrecting sensual and subtle love songs.

In a candid discussion with Rap-Up.com, Tank spills about lyrics, drugs, and the physical flaw that his kids won’t let him forget.

1. What are women most insecure about?
Weight. I don’t know if women have been told that they’re OK the way they are or haven’t found a man that accepts them for what they are, but it starts with the insecurity on the physical side and then it permeates into everything else. It’s either too fat, too skinny, not toned enough—all of the above. Society provides the acceptable look, I guess.

2. As a songwriter, why do words have so much power?
I’m a spiritual guy and the Bible speaks about the word as the power of life and death. You can manifest them into life by putting those words out there. You can easily tear someone down or build somebody up with those words. This album, Savior, is to introduce the idea to women that there is a person [that's] divine for them. Everyone has something bad about them, but you have to decide who you’re willing to accept some shit from to get to the good part.

3. What is the most unsexy thing about you?
I don’t like my mole. My kids have tried to take it off so many times that I’m just sick of it. My homeboys have come up with names for the mole, like Keyshia Mole. This mole has become the story of my life. Every one of my kids when they were two years old has tried to take my mole off, like, “Daaaaddy, does this come off?”

4. What was the most reckless phase of your life?
’97. The Budweiser Superfest Tour. I was on stage with Genuine and Aaliyah. I left choir rehearsal, straight from the church to that life. It was 16 cities in two-and-a-half weeks. I had never seen ass so free in my life. I had my share of girls in high school and I traveled a bit playing basketball, but I was a church boy who wanted a girlfriend. That tour changed my perspective on life. You gotta get balance though. I was so churched out, I had no idea. Me seeing the world gave me an opportunity to experience the things I preached against.

5. You toured with Aaliyah. What’s something we didn’t know about her?
What people think that they know about her was what she was. Everybody thinks that Aaliyah was this sweet, humble person—just a kid at heart, living the dream and having fun, and that’s what she was. There was no super mystery, like, the curtain goes off and you go to the dressing room and Aaliyah’s cussin’ at everybody like, “I want my muthafuckin’ eggs!” No. She was what everybody thought she was. She was an angel.

6. What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV?
I watch “Basketball Wives.” You know what’s fun to me? I watch Shaunie [O'Neal] and then I watch the rest of them. I watch her just sit there and watch like, “Y’all ain’t gon’ have me up here looking crazy.” She’s done a good job of policing the situation the correct way.

7. Would you want your own reality show?
Yes. Would you watch a dating show with me? A bachelor type of show, but totally the opposite of what you [usually] see. It would be about finding a woman with morals, not one without. The women that would be on that show would have good jobs. They would have a good education. They would have the spiritual background; the things that they would have to do would not be foolish. They’d be practical to being a wife.

8. If you released a biography or memoir, what would it be called?
Survival of the Fittest: The Tank Story

9. What would you try if you knew you wouldn’t fail?
I’d try to fly. I’d jump smooth out the window.

10. If you could spend a day in President Obama’s shoes, what would you do?
I’d legalize drugs. That would cut down on foolishness. People are going to do what they want to do. If they want something, they’re going to find a way to get it. If they can’t get it the right way then they’re going to steal, rob, and cheat, which compounds the problem. If things are made available a certain way, then you cut down on that part of the problem. So now, the killing, the cheating, the stealing—all the stuff you have to do to get it—you cut down on that. People abuse cigarettes more than they abuse other stuff, and cigarettes are shoveling cancer into people that are smoking these things.

–Rajul Punjabi

“My iPhone is so jacked up. I’m clumsy. I drop everything,” says Elle Varner, rolling her eyes at herself. The 22-year-old singer/songwriter is so comfortable discussing her flaws that it’s almost as if she’s unaware of her killer Coke-bottle shape, lips perfect for pouting (though she never does), and the big, emotive eyes of a caramel-skinned Precious Moments doll.

Her playful and honest lyrical content meets with her voice (think Adele-like soul with a touch of raspy seduction) in a way that is anything but clumsy on her self-written debut Perfectly Imperfect, predominantly produced by Pop & Oak (Nicki Minaj, Diggy Simmons).

The “Only Wanna Give It to You” songstress tells Rap-Up.com how she built up her confidence, which record of Lauryn Hill’s inspired her, and the advice Alicia Keys gave her. Find out why Elle is next to blow.

1. How has your style changed from living in Los Angeles to now being a New York City girl?
I was the chubby nerd. I was so uncool it wasn’t even funny. It blows my mind when people are like, “Oh, your style is so great.” It is like night and day. It’s a recent thing because I was heavy growing up, I had really low self-esteem. In junior high, it was not cool to have glasses—four eyes. Now even people that don’t wear glasses get them. I didn’t look anything like I do now. When I finished school I started taking my health more seriously and I lost weight. I could wear stuff I couldn’t wear before and I felt more confident. You should feel confident regardless of what size you are, but in my journey it wasn’t until I broke that cycle of low esteem that I began to care. Style isn’t about what you’re wearing—it’s about how you feel in what you’re wearing.

2. What message are you trying to get across with your debut album Perfectly Imperfect?
[The title] piggybacks off of my song “So Fly.” That’s a song I wrote in school, which literally attacks the situation where I like a guy and he’s not paying attention to me because he’s looking at some pretty girl. Through that song, I just say, “Forget it. I am who I am and that’s why I’m fly.” Not because I have this, that, or the third. Perfectly Imperfect embodies the concept of embracing your imperfections. And even on the album, there were so many mistakes and slip-ups that we kept. And that was perfectly imperfect.

3. What was it like working with J. Cole in the video for “Only Wanna Give It to You”?
We had so much fun. It was crazy because that was my first video and I quickly learned that when you have a treatment and all of these scenes, even with all the people working, there’s a lot we forget to do and there is so much going on that by the time he was supposed to leave at 9, we didn’t get a scene together. And it made sense to have one. He had to leave; he had to go to Miami the next day, but he stayed to do the scene. We did the playful thing where he gave me the shoes in the scene and threw it on the floor. It was fun.

4. You put him in check in that video. Is it important for a female to put a guy in check sometimes?
Absolutely. It’s ridiculous. We go through so much; we put on shoes that hurt, we put on makeup, we wax, pluck, nip, tuck, and for what? A guy that really cares about you and is worth your time is going to love and appreciate you without none of that. Of course I love to get dressed up, but it’s not for them, it’s for me. It was cool because if I was working with some big rapper I didn’t know, I might not have felt as comfortable.

5. J. Cole is your only feature thus far. Who else would you like to collaborate with?
I would like to work with Kanye, André 300, Adele. I want to work with a lot of artists, songwriting and collaborating. And of course Lauryn Hill.

6. Speaking of Ms. Hill, she is one of your influences. How did her album The Miseducation affect you?
“To Zion” is definitely my favorite song on that album. I didn’t really understand the lyrics at the time because I was so young, but sonically, you have this hip-hop, but then you have this soul of her voice that cuts through. Because of her honesty, I just feel like I know her and I feel her. I may not be able to relate exactly but I can empathize and I’ve never felt so touched by a record like that. She’s a genius.

7. Your labelmate Alicia Keys is another female powerhouse. Has she offered up any advice?
She has. One of my first shows was opening for her at the Apollo and I was so nervous to go on stage. She walked over and her aura was so soothing and calming. She took my hand and said, “Don’t be nervous. Just go out there and sing your song. You’re going to do wonderfully.” I was so surprised at her vibe. Not to say I expected anything, but it was very real. She’s just so down-to-earth.

8. What song do you wish was yours?
Definitely I would say “Sure Thing” by Miguel.

9. If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be?
I would be vanilla bean. Not plain vanilla—it’s got the bean so it’s something that you’re familiar with. It’s comforting and not too overwhelming. As wildly quirky and kooky as I am, that’s what I’d be.

10. If you could live in another country for a year, where would you go?
Ghana. I had so many friends that studied abroad there. The food, the culture, the people—I love all of it. As you can see in my video, my dress is inspired by kente cloth. I love the fashion. And I grew up with some people from Ghana so I just love the people.

–Rajul Punjabi

If A$AP Rocky was not a rapper, he would be a “music video-directing fashion stylist.” Dripped in designer labels (A.P.C. denim, Jeremy Scott sneakers, and a Stussy track jacket and hat), the 23-year-old overachiever says, “This is just my streetwear. Tomorrow I think I might wear Margiela or something.”

Rocky’s name is on every hip-hop head’s tongue these days, including Drake, who’s been co-signing him heavy. His rhymes are steeped in southern simplicity (odd, since he’s from Harlem) and his demeanor is calm and confident, with an occasional tiptoe on the borderline of cocky.

“I don’t feel pressure when people are talking about me,” reveals Rocky. “I do this, so the pressure ain’t a bad thing. It makes me more anxious in a productive way.”

Polo Grounds Music/RCA Records is on the verge of re-releasing his lauded mixtape, Live.Love.A$AP, in a deluxe edition with “better mastering and some amazing beats by A$AP Ty Beats, Clams Casino, and a few tracks that the ladies will be feelin’.” While he bigs up his own crew constantly, A$AP has his heart set on working with Pharrell on his debut album, which will drop in the new year.

The self-proclaimed “pretty muthafu**a” opens up to Rap-Up.com about his love for Asher Roth, flying wizards, and Canadians.

1. You’re not from Houston, but you’ve been influenced by the Southern music scene. How so?
It’s just the culture. I’ve been sippin’ for a while now. When I’m in that zone and you hear those low-pitched voices and chopped-up music, it’s just kind of groovy, if that’s a cool word to use.

2. You’ve said that Asher Roth is one of the most talented rappers. Why?
Because of shit like “Be By Myself” and “I Love College.” I was bumpin’ that everyday in ’08. I’m a big fan and hope to be able to work with him one day.

3. Who are your top five MCs?
Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, and Dylan ["Chappelle's Show" reference]. Nah seriously though, I’m into a lot of them. Those A$AP guys are crazy though. They got next. I would like to work with Kid Cudi, Kanye, Pharrell, maybe Snoop Dogg. I wish I could have worked with Michael Jackson.

4. If you could remix or throw a verse on one of MJ’s songs, which one would it be?
“Billie Jean.” That shit is so dope.

5. Do you have any affiliation to Aesop Rock?
Nah, I didn’t even know who he was until people started asking me that. That’s my crew, everybody is “A$AP” something. I joined in 2007. I was an outcast and just wanted to persevere and these dudes are talented.

6. What’s Drake like as a friend?
He’s cool, fun, and a real genuine guy. I guess that’s how Canadian people are. I’ve been meeting a lot of Canadian people lately and that’s how they all are. They’re nice, polite, and good-hearted people.

7. Word is that you’re a Harry Potter fan. What makes him so universal?
Unfortunately yes. I’m into the books. I grew up on them. A lot of people did. I did about three years in an elementary school in Pennsylvania and my fourth grade teacher put me on. Her name was Mrs. Waters, I think. I been hooked ever since.

8. Who is your biggest fan?
My niece, India. She’s eight. She calls me every five seconds, like “Uncle Rocky, I just saw you on the Internet!” and “Uncle Rocky, I wanna be in your next video!” She puts her little friends on the phone too. She has her own cell phone.

9. Are you careful about what you say in your music because she’s listening?
I am actually. I would wild out a little more if I didn’t have her around. I could be acting ignorant and stupid as fuck like everyone expects me to. But I don’t even smoke on-screen anymore because I don’t want her to have to see that. It’s really unprofessional to be doing that. I’m toning down a lot of things.

10. You really thrive on that groupie love though. Who would you be a groupie for?
Zoë Kravitz. I got a crush on her. She’s pretty. I wouldn’t even use any pick-up lines. I don’t have any. I’d just speak the truth.

–Rajul Punjabi

Brandy is coming back hard. Sean Garrett has been in the lab diligently working on the R&B veteran’s sixth album, her first since signing to RCA/Chameleon Records. The hitmaker spoke exclusively with Rap-Up.com about developing a current, yet fresh sound with today’s top hitmakers including Bangladesh, Hit-Boy, and Tha Bizness, while staying true to her R&B roots.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to really try to bring R&B back,” explained Garrett, who also teased with details about the hip-hop-influenced first single, which will feature a surprise guest and is expected to arrive before Christmas.

Find out what he had to say about Brandy’s return to music.

How is this album going to be different from Brandy’s past ones?
It’s gonna show the evolution of Brandy, the fact that she’s very, very current. Her harmonies and vocal abilities are still unmatched and there’s still a lot of integrity in her records. I feel like there’s a great deal of cohesiveness in this album, but at the same time, there were a few chances taken. But I feel like it’s a really, really dope record. I feel like young and old people will definitely love it. I hope people feel like she hasn’t missed a beat with this album. What I wanted to do with these records is make sure that she kept the integrity of who she is, but she’s definitely still showing people how to do hit records. I wanted to feel her having fun and I feel like she’s having fun on this album.

You said the album has a hip-hop influence…
Absolutely. I had the opportunity to work with some of my friends who I love working with like Bangladesh. We definitely got a hip-hop element to it. I also worked with my man Hit-Boy and my buddy Tha Bizness. We always kept a very solid hip-hop type of vibe to it as far as the drums, but at the same time, it’s very, very climactic, harmonic, and it’s about love. A lot of the songs are very, very love oriented. Even though we have a touch of hip-hop on the tracks, there’s a great deal of Brandy in every record.

Will she have some club bangers on there?
Better believe it. You got to know that.

Are there any featured guests?
It’s gonna be action packed. I think it’ll be more fair for her to reveal the collaborator we’re putting on the first single. They’re really, really hot songs and I’m proud of it. I really love and enjoy working with Brandy and we’re still working, but the work we’ve already been able to accomplish has been incredibly fun and fresh. She’s just having fun and letting her hair down. It was just a very free environment, roll your sleeves up, and get to the fucking music. Trying to do what everybody else is doing is out the door. We just went in there and just got down to the music.

Will her R&B fans be pleased?
I wanted to take this opportunity to really try to bring R&B back. I’m not gonna do it single handedly, but there’s some records on here that are really good and gonna make people be like, “I love R&B music and I miss R&B music.” At the same time, there are some records on here that people are gonna be like, “Oh shit.” It’s so great to be able to create for people and have them really appreciate your love and appreciation for them because she has one of the most incredible voices I’ve ever recorded.

What else can you tell us about the first single?
What I can tell you is that it’s hot. It’s definitely something you have never heard—you probably haven’t heard Brandy over a track like this. It’s very commercial, but at the same time, it’s got a dope hip-hop influence—it’s club, it’s radio, it’s all formats.

That’s produced and written by you?
I am one of the producers on the record and yes, I wrote it.

Is it safe to say the feature is a rapper?
That’s possible, that’s possible [laughs].

Will we get to hear it this year?
It’s coming really soon. I’d probably say before Christmas.

And the album early next year?
Yeah, I think she said her album is coming around April.

It’s fitting that Detroit singer/songwriter/producer Bei Maejor is playing the piano as Rap-Up.com enters the room. Judging by his prolific discography, the 24-year-old, born Brandon Green, is rarely away from an instrument or machine, having already etched out a prodigious career dating back to 2003.

In addition to his own mixtapes, which include volumes 1 and 2 of his popular Upside Down series, the Grammy-nominated artist has worked with everyone from Trey Songz and Keri Hilson to Soulja Boy and Wiz Khalifa. Maejor boosted his profile with the release of his J. Cole-assisted single “Trouble” earlier this year. Now, the versatile hitmaker is focusing on his RCA Records debut, scheduled for release next year.

Rap-Up.com spoke with the rising star about his early days, the definition of “upscale music,” his most surprising collaboration, and how his music has literally saved lives.

1. Growing up, what was the first aspect of music you got into?
Definitely producing. I started when I was about 16, just having fun on [audio editing program] Cool Edit Pro. It was low budget; I had my microphone taped to my ceiling with toilet paper wrapped around it because I thought that would make a cleaner sound. I didn’t think much. I just started making songs in my neighborhood and I sucked, man. I ain’t gonna lie. But I just kept practicing and then sold beats locally for like $100 or whatever. When I first started, Timbaland was, and still is, my favorite producer. I’m from Detroit, so J Dilla was big too.

2. At what point did you realize you could make a career from music?
The summer after I made my website, a lot of people started hitting me up online and there was a lot of interest from different managers. I got a meeting with Roc-A-Fella back in the day. I met Dame. He came in and was like, “Yo, whose beats are these?” They were mine, but back then, I was so scared of people stealing my beats, I was like, “Bei Maejor, Bei Maejor,” every five seconds. He was like, “Yo, man, why do you keep saying that? I can’t hear the beat. Stop doing that.” But that was when I knew it could pop off.

3. How did you link up with J. Cole for “Trouble”?
I was a fan of him already, so when I [originally] did this song, I played it for industry people to hear what they thought. Somehow, Cole got a hold of it, but it was in rough form. And he just loved it. I gave him a beat for his album, but he ended up not using it. I did another track with him, though, but I’m not sure what he’s going to use it for.

4. What’s the status of your own album?
I’m taking my time with it. I really want to make it a special piece of work, zone in, and take my time and not put that pressure on me right now. Maybe I’ll have the pressure the second or third album, but now I want to make it so that I take the time to shape it how I want. But I definitely got some people who I’m working with for sure. Trey Songz, Drake, T-Pain. I’d love to get them all on there, but we’ll see what happens.

5. How is making a mixtape different from recording your official debut?
From a buzz-building perspective, I think I did it the wrong way because I treated my mixtapes—especially my first two—like albums and the things that tend to get big fast are more eclectic; things that couldn’t really be popular songs become big on mixtapes. Because of the style of music I make, I think I made it too polished and too commercial for people.

6. Stylistically, how would you define your album?
I definitely created my own style called “upscale” or “upscale urban,” with “Trouble” being the first song utilizing this. If you look at urban music as General Motors, “upscale” is like the Cadillac. You got some leather in there, you got some rims. It’s not the Lamborghini like Usher or Rolls-Royce, which is distinguished and for an older crowd. Mine is still ghetto and can fit in the ‘hood, but is still a little sleek and clean.

7. You’ve worked with dozens of people. Name a collaboration your fans may be surprised to hear you did.
When I was in Nashville a couple of months ago, I went to Rascal Flatts’ house. I was cool with them from Ne-Yo. I thought we were going to go to the studio and they were like, “Aww man, we’re just going to write songs right here, man. We got the guitar.” We wrote a song right there in the house.

8. You produced on the soundtracks for Bratz: The Movie and The Princess and the Frog. How did that come about and how was the experience?
My whole life, ever since I was a little kid, I learned a lot of songs from Disney movies. Lion King? Those are crazy songs—”Hakuna Matata,” “Circle of Life.” [Sings] “Nants ingonyama…” I did ["Never Knew I Needed"] with Ne-Yo and I would come to the studio every day and he was working on huge stuff like Beyoncé. I’d be like, “Yo man, let’s work on Princess.” He was looking at me like I was crazy, like, “Why do you want to work on that so bad?” Because that was just personal for me and meant a lot to me. You know that’s the music I grew up on, so hopefully some new kid listens to that and be like, “Damn.” To see your name in the credits of a Disney movie like, “Damn, you’re in there. You’re in the game.” There are some things that may not be as big to the world or as big as a hit single, but they mean a lot to you.

9. A year from now, what do you hope to accomplish?
I hope to just make a positive impact on people and for my songs to connect with them somehow and to build something bigger than just the music. I wrote a song called “Teardrops & Telephone Calls” [on 2010’s Upside Down 2] about this kid who’s going to commit suicide and ends up hitting me up and we got cool and he didn’t do it. At the time, it didn’t really happen. It was just my imagination. I have this number by the way, (313) 242-7775, where people hit me up and sometimes I pick up, text, whatever. One night earlier this year, I was checking my voicemail and there was this kid who was like, “Yo man, this is such and such. I was going to kill myself tonight and then I heard that song.” I was like, “Whoa,” and I called him back because I wanted to see who this guy was and I found out his whole story. He’s cool now, but that type of impact is more important than anything. This kid almost killed himself, so I feel like that was a blessing for him to have heard that. But that’s the type of impact I hope to be having on a bigger scale in the next year.

10. What would you be doing now if you weren’t involved in music?
I’d be some type of businessman. I’m definitely not good at doing a job or cooperating with people. I’m gritty and I know what I want to do, so I think I would make my own company and figure it out. And I might be broke or I might be ballin’. One of the two; I’m not gonna be in the middle. I’m either going to not make it or I’m going to be huge and I’m cool with that. Take a risk and go all in.

–Jason Newman

Following the release of his 10th solo album The Darkside, Vol. 1, Fat Joe has spent the better part of 2011 finishing up the follow-up The Darkside, Vol. 2, his first official mixtape out October 31. With guest appearances from Raekwon, Jadakiss, and French Montana, Joe returns to his hardcore hip-hop roots after 2009’s more commercially-minded Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), enlisting Cool & Dre and Macho as executive producers and handing the bulk of production over to fledgling producer Mark Henry.

But the Bronx rapper, who recently shed nearly 100 pounds, hasn’t completely abandoned his mainstream aspirations, having just released the slow, R&B-laced “Another Round” with Chris Brown. While no release date has been set for Joe’s upcoming album of the same name, his confluence of street, club, and bedroom hip-hop has allowed him to remain popular long after other rappers his age have faded from the scene.

Rap-Up.com spoke with Joey Crack about his support for Chris Brown, keeping in touch with Ja Rule, opening weight loss clinics, and why, regardless of his size, he will always be Fat Joe.

1. The Darkside, Vol. 2 is your first mixtape after nearly 20 years in hip-hop. Why now?
Because there’s a thing called the Internet [laughs] and times are changing. You have this outlet where you can get your music and content out there and the fans don’t even have to pay for it. They can just enjoy it. I love making hardcore hip-hop shit. That’s where my heart is at. The last album I put out was Darkside, Vol. 1 and it got great reviews and all the real hip-hop heads loved it to death. But at the same time, it’s such hard-body, gangsta music that you can’t really play that on the radio. People loved it, but that was my core audience, street ni**as. So I said let me make music for the masses with “Another Round,” which is for the ladies. But I love to make street music. I’m just trying to feed everybody.

2. How does it differ from Vol. 1?
I really don’t know if it’s different. It’s just some more of that Fat Joe; that hardcore shit. That smokin’ weed and driving a car-type shit. Years ago, in order to be successful in this rap game, you needed some type of credibility, like a Freddie Foxx or an M.O.P. or a N.W.A. There was a time when hardcore shit was the norm. And then you had these guys like Mos Def, Black Star, and Common like, “Yeah, but nobody shows us love. We on some positive shit.” And they were cool too. But now it seems like that’s the majority. You turn on the radio and it’s J. Cole or Kid Cudi or Mac Miller. And I love that shit. My favorite album now is J. Cole’s. But it’s like the gangsta rappers are becoming extinct.

3. In 2008, you talked about how the diversity on your albums made it difficult to define your identity. Is Darkside, Vol. 2 a way to separate your harder material from the more commercial stuff?
Definitely. And now I can say whatever the fuck I want to say. Back in my major record days, I wrote a line about Suge Knight and the executive said, “Oh no, we can’t have that on our album. You have to change that.” I had a video with clippings of John Gotti and they said, “Oh no. We can’t put that out.” But now, it feels great that you can just release whatever you want to release however you want to release it.

4. How did you link up with Chris Brown for “Another Round”?
I’ve known him for years and we toured together in Africa and he was like, “We gotta do something.” I’m like, “You are the hottest ni**a in the game right now; why wouldn’t I want to do something with you?” He always told me that for years but at the time, he was like 15, 16 and just so young. I was like, “Yo, it wouldn’t even be right.” But now he’s a grown ass man, so it makes sense. We just recorded that one song, but we’re shooting a video in November with [video director] Colin Tilley in L.A. We’re going over the concept now.

5. Are you surprised that people have re-embraced him?
Naw, I’m not surprised. He’s been a phenomenal talent; he’s a freak of nature to begin with and an incredible artist from day one. We always knew the talent was there. I think American society is very forgiving and people love that good music. I don’t really want to comment further, but I’ve seen several situations [with other artists] where I thought, “Oh man, this guy’s gonna have trouble.” But he kept dropping these hits and then everyone was like, “Yo, fuck it. I’m fuckin’ with him.” Music is spiritual and it goes into your soul and pores. Even if I wasn’t getting along with the usual suspects like 50 Cent, if he dropped a hot record, I was like, “Damn, that shit is hard. I fuckin’ hate him, but that shit is crazy.” There’s no way to hide good music.

6. Do you think it’s hard for people to reconcile an artist’s music with their personal life?
Everybody got problems. I’ve always hated people who’ve been hiding behind door number one pointing the finger at people. Most congressmen who are against gays and lesbians fuckin’ turned out to be gays and lesbians. I’m not with these guys who say, “Chris Brown is a piece of shit” and meanwhile, they’re smackin’ the shit out of their girl. Get the fuck out of here.

7. Jennifer Lopez recently brought you out on stage to perform in Connecticut. With Ja Rule in prison, was it a bittersweet reunion?
God bless him, man. He’s my brother and I wish him the best. I just got his address from his manager and I’ve been writing him. I was with him just before he went away. He’s a beautiful dude. He got a bad rap for everything. He’s a great guy and making great music.

8. You’ve been on a rigorous diet recently. What was your peak weight and are you happy with where you’re at now?
I dropped about 100 pounds and now I’m down to 260. I’m where I want to be at weight-wise and now I’m just trying to build muscle. At this point, I don’t want to be no more skinnier than this. I didn’t do it for psychological reasons or looks. I just did it to feel healthy and because too many of my friends are passing away.

9. Is it difficult to maintain your current weight?
It really ain’t hard because I’ve been trying to lose weight for 10 years. It got to the point where it’s almost like science for me. I know exactly what I can do and what I can’t do. I know I gotta stay away from those carbs. The only carbs I really eat are in the morning because it burns off. After that, I ain’t fuckin’ with them. I have a routine now. I’m trying to open up some weight loss clinics to help some other people. I’ve put four friends of mine on a diet that have each lost like 60 pounds listening to me.

10. So would you ever drop the “Fat” from your name?
Naw. I ain’t dropping nothing. Fat Joe is Fat Joe forever.

–Jason Newman

J. Cole just premiered his new video for “Work Out,” but he’s already on to the next. The Roc Nation MC escaped to paradise earlier this month to shoot the visuals for “Can’t Get Enough” (see photos), the second single off his debut Cole World: The Sideline Story (Sept. 27). Trey Songz guests on the Brian Kidd production and also appears in the Clifton Bell-directed clip.

“It’s like ‘Big Pimpin” minus the million-dollar budget,” Cole told Rap-Up.com of the last-minute shoot, which took place on a catamaran in Barbados surrounded by the beautiful scenery and women.

Cole spoke exclusively with us about the story behind the song, what you can expect from the island-themed visuals, and whether Barbados babe Rihanna will make an appearance.

How did the song come together?
So Brian Kidd produced that. When I first got in with No I.D., I’m looking at him like, “This guy’s fuckin’ incredible.” I saw how No I.D. works and listened to his beats and thought that he was incredible and everything I want to be in a producer. But he would always talk about how incredible this guy named Brian Kidd was. To me, it was like you talking to Kevin Durant like, “Yo, you’re really good,” and he’s like, “You think I’m good? You should see this guy.” It just so happened that Brian moved to L.A. and him and No I.D. got a studio together, so when I was in L.A., I got a chance to meet him and went right next door and heard some beats and I wanted every beat I heard. But I settled on the “Can’t Get Enough” beat because it did something to me.

What can you tell us about the video?
I was supposed to go down there on Wednesday, which I did, but the Friday before I went to Barbados to open up for Rihanna, I had an idea that came from one of the homies like, “You should shoot the ‘Can’t Get Enough’ video down there.” But it seemed so impossible like, “Yeah, that would be nice.” The very next day, I was like, “Why not try to make it happen?” I made a call into my management and to Chaka [Pilgrim], who works for Roc Nation and handles the videos, and by the grace of God, it came together quick. We only had a week to do it, but we made it happen. It’s like “Big Pimpin’” minus the million-dollar budget.

How much did you have to plan ahead of time?
It was renegade style. I knew I wanted a boat.

What’s the concept?
There’s no concept or storyline whatsoever. It’s just mad sun, beaches, and beautiful women. It’s just all beautiful visuals and fun.

What was it like shooting in Rihanna’s hometown?
I don’t know if the Rihanna shots are going to make the final cut. But she came out to show love. The intention wasn’t for her to be in it. But yeah, everyone knew she was there and she’s a hometown hero, so it was crazy.

What was your experience like filming in Barbados?
It was just a fun experience. Barbados was the whole experience. I was there four, five days and on the last day, we shot the video. It was just one of those moments in my life I’ll never forget.

When will the video premiere?
I’m thinking about putting it out the week of or week before the album.

–Reporting by Jason Newman

Ameriie breaks out of the box and explores new territory on her fifth album Cymatika, Vol. 1, which includes unorthodox topics ranging from ancient astronaut theory to androgyny to new world order mixed with elements of trance, electronic, house, heavy drums, and new wave.

“There’s a song about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with extraterrestrials destroying them with nuclear weapons,” explained the Georgetown grad of “Sodom & G.” “I don’t feel like that’s really been done.”

Other tracks include the mechanical “Intimidation,” “Run for Cover,” and the likely first single “FireStarter (Private Dancer).” “I really wanted to talk about the human experience,” shared Ameriie. “I wanted to talk about other stuff, but in a way that’s still listenable.”

Rap-Up.com spoke with the newly married singer about what we can expect from her genre-bending album.

How would you describe Cymatika, Vol. 1?
This album is pretty much trance, electronic, elements of house, heavy drums—not hip-hop in that sense, but drums that knock—and new wave with classic song structure. I probably finished about 80% of the project. Now what I’ve been focusing on is creating songs that really have strong essence of each of those elements in one song. I used dubstep ’cause I love the gritty sound of it. That’s my challenge right now is to take all of these five elements and combine them into one record.

A lot of the topics are about us as human beings—who we really are on that level, not a physical level. One thing I was experimenting with from a vocal aspect was androgyny and approaching the vocal in an androgynous fashion. To me it represents the dropping away of the veil of what’s physical and on a spiritual level, we’re not really men or women or age, we’re ageless eternal spirits without gender, without sex, so the androgyny symbolizes that—and of course it’s fun. A lot of the songs don’t really sound like me. I think I’m gonna have to start putting out albums every year because that’s the only way I can keep up with myself creatively. Albums are bookmarks of where I am creatively. I really want to put out more albums.

Who are you working with?
Riley Urick. He’s really talented. He has a great ear for what you want and he works with a crew of guys too. I worked with Andre Harris, formerly of Dre & Vidal. He did about half of the album.

Does the album have a theme?
The theme of the album is what it means to be human. I have songs about not being intimidated by society and what people think you should be, not wanting to be chic, kinda wanting to have your own identity and not feel like you have to follow the crowd. I also talk about self-suppression and how sometimes we suppress the feelings that we have or the ideas that we have. I’m into ancient astronaut theory, so I’ve combined my love for that into a song called “Sodom & G.” I basically compare the end of a relationship to the end of those cities. I make reference to me wanting to look back at the relationship when I still want to hold on just for a little bit longer before I totally relinquish it. Underneath that layer is the layer that Sodom and Gomorrah is not just being destroyed, but is being destroyed by nuclear weapons—all in a very listenable song.

How was the recording process different from the past?
I love to create moods and create sounds. Music is all vibration so I love to experiment. When you break out of a genre, you really have the freedom to do whatever you want. In all my situations, I’ve always had creative freedom so I never felt like the label was trying to get me to do something. However, it wasn’t until I really, really felt free that I realized that I felt a freedom that I didn’t even feel before when I felt free before. Right now, the page that I’m on is I’ma do what I want, and I always felt like I was like that. I do what I want and how I want to do it. There were parts of me that weren’t really ready to totally do what I wanted. No one else was holding me back. It was just myself. It’s kinda like [one of the new tracks] “Run for Cover,” it’s like running from yourself and you’ll eventually run out of places to hide.

What inspired you this time around?
The things that inspired me on this album were everything from fire to the color red to any indigenous people, like with the chanting on “Sodom & G.” Also machines and machinery to ideas of new world order to who we are as spiritual beings. I was like, ‘F– it. I’ma do what I want.’ I don’t care if it sounds really crazy.

What can you share about the first single, “FireStarter (Private Dancer)”?
On the surface, it’s about having fun, dancing the night away basically. A certain part of the song is fun, but it also speaks to our “look at me” culture a little bit. It’s kinda how everyone wants to be in the spotlight, not necessarily being in entertainment, just in some form. And kinda like how the world is a stage and how we are all the creator of our own reality. The hook goes, “‘Cause everybody in this whole wide world wants to be somebody in this world.” It’s very subtle, I don’t go deep into it like in the other songs.

Let’s talk about “Intimidation”…
When I did the vocals on “Intimidation,” that was different. When I hear that song, I hear stark warehouse, people being systematically programmed into doing certain things every day, living in the system, living in the matrix, living under certain rules. When you live under certain guidelines and rules, eventually you’ll adopt them yourself and then you don’t have to control the population because everyone controls themselves. It has this driving beat, it’s like a big, heavy beat, but it almost feels like machinery.

What do you hope people take from this album?
For this project, people will really know me because it’s not just about romance, it’s about other stuff in general and what I believe. If they listen to the CD, they can actually come away with it and say, “I know her and what she’s about.”