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 .