I didn ' t play a major part in the second volume of the Street Kingz Radio series, I wanted to take some time to get myself together mentally and figure the direction I wanted to take my career in. In the process of clearing my mind I came up with the idea for Area 929. I figured people would ask the question, " Who is this guy?".. so I gave them an entire project of my life.
Influences
Predominately 90 ' s southern hip hop, late 70 ' s to early 80 ' s soul and jazz. I ' m a huge Goodie Mob fan, the Soul Food album can ride anytime. Of course OutKast, The GAP Band, Dizzy Gillespie, The Temptations, Frankie and Maze, The Isley Brothers, stuff like that. Also a lot of gospel, Southern Christians try to make church every Sunday, plus moms only played gospel radio on Sundays.
My pastor ' s delivery of his sermons was also a big influence, he had a way of rhyming his words that intrigued me, ever since I was a child. I saw influential a man could be with words and how when he could tell us anything that we would believe whole heartedly, he chose to tell us something intended to help us live a better life.
Inspiration
Growing up in SC, I was always considered a lucky kid, I lived with my mom and grandma on the " good " side of town, but I often visited my dad ' s side of the family on weekends. It was hood, some would say, but it was family, and a completely different type of freedom. Different challenges and struggles, the biggest one for me was fitting in.
I always had a pass because of my uncles and cousins but I always stuck out. It was a different place than my usual, Monday through Friday environment. A lot of the stuff I witnessed and even participated in would have gotten my ass beat at home but I was experiencing life, good and bad. Those experiences over the years, those exhilarating risks of doing the things that may not be right in the name of innocently living inspires me. The thoughts and results those situations produce are what make the records.