100 Bars: Where are you from?
C3: South Jamaica Queens, NY
100 Bars: Where did you get your
name?
C3: One of my friends gave me
the name. I went by CE originally.
Then after the Lil Wayne “ Carter
3” Album came out, people started
calling me C3. So I stuck with it.
My name is also significant because
of the 3 organizations that I am
involved with. The first is called “Life
Program”. It was started by Erica
fuller in South Jamaica Queens,
because everyone in the area was tired
of all of the violence and the killings.
It also helped the youth that were
given up on succeed in life, rather
than become the next generation
involved with crime and violence.
After I had joined that program,
I discovered poetry. Then I began
entering spoken word contests. From
there I really got into performing
rap. Even to this day, I go and speak
to the kids at different schools. I let
them know about my experiences
and how that program has changed
my life. The 2nd organization
that I am apart of is the “FemCee
Cypher Movement”(F.C.M.). It was
presented by QB through Bluuudy
Knuckles, and you could check
it out on YouTube. Lastly I have
my Group 4ML (For My Ladies)
Entertainment. Pretty soon we will
be having some projects coming out
with both F.C.M. And 4ML.
100 Bars: How old were you when
you started rapping?
c3
rising star
C3: I was young Lol. I started rapping
at 9 years old. I mean, I grew up
around music. Both of my parents
constantly played music around the
house. My God father was a well
known dj in my area. I was always
a part of music. Especially when the
Dj’s would host parties at the parks!!!!
They would have them parties, turnt
up with the music.
100 Bars: Did any rappers inspire
you to start writing? If so who?
C3: Well, I’ve been inspired by a lot
of rappers. Yet the first song That I
actually remember rapping-because I
was so Young when I started- was by
LL Cool J , called Dear Yvette. I don’t
remember what album it was from,
but me and my cousin stayed rapping
that song Lol. That was the 1st song
that I had memorized.
100 Bars: When was your first Rap
battle ever?
C3: When I was 14 at a BBQ. I had
battled a random guy. He rolled up
on a bicycle and started battling me,
of course I bodied him and won. At
that time the battle scene wasn’t really
poppin yet. Then eventually I had my
1st pro battle, through Spittaz league
on August 26th 2012, against Gucci
Banks.
100 Bars: Where you a fan of battle
rap before you battled on Spittaz
League?
C3: Yeah, I used to watch the Smack
dvd’s. Smack had interviewed a lot of
rappers from Queens. The first battle
I watched on camera was the Serious
Jones vs Murda Mook battle. After
watching that battle I was hooked on
battle rap. Unfortunately at that time
I did not have access to the internet
to see the “Grindtime” league. But,
once I did have the internet I watched
those battles too. But, yeah before the
internet all I had known about was
Smack, and the Lionz Den battles.
100 Bars: How did the opportunity
at Spittaz battle league come about?
C3: I attended a sparring session
w/ Lady E ( the one from Queens
not Rhode Island). I went to watch
her battle. At the battle we had got
acquainted with QB. Then after
the sparring session we ended up
becoming cool. We exchanged info,
and ended up tweeting each other.
QB asked me if I could rap, and then
I spit for her. Then she asked me to
do the “Femcee Cypher Movement”
event. I agreed and then she
Introduced me to Bluudy knuckles.
Once that cypher video had dropped,
I was getting hit up for battles left and
right. Some of those battles didn’t get
to happen. Then eventually, he asked
me to battle in his league against
Gucci Banks.
100 Bars: How did you prepare for
Gucci Banks???
C3: By the time of our battle I had
already become familiar with Gucci
Banks. I had seen her battle, and I
was Like “I can beat her”. Then I
began to write . In fact I wrote my
1st verse the same day as that battle.
Meanwhile Gucci was writing that
whole week. The reason I finished
the whole verse right before is because
I was excited and ready. The verses I
had set up just flowed. For me when
I battle I just feel free. Battling to me
is very therapeutic. I can release all my
anger and frustrations through my
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