Q discusses new mixtape, new video, Tag Records, and Jermaine Dupri

Special contributor: Todd 1

I’m sure by now everyone has seen the new Boost Mobile Commercial featuring JD, Jeezy, and “The Funny Looking White Boy”… well we decided to go in and find out exactly who this guy is (he’s not what you think). The first time that I attempted to do the interview (via phone), I called and Mickey answered.. but he needed to do it later because he had to go to his daughters school for her birthday party. Hmmm.. this would be one of those times where you can insert the phrase: “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”… Turns out that you will say that alot after speaking with Mickey!

So… Mickey Avalon… You have been causing quite a stir on the internet ever since the commercial aired.. everyone is asking “Who the hell is that white boy at the end of the commercial?

Yeah… But this commercial is the short one, so I only have a few lines on there… but there is a longer one coming out where I have a whole verse, so people will be able to base things on more than how I look.. they can judge me on skills.

Exactly! That’s the thing… I know that you have probably read some of the message boards and blogs, it’s alot of comments on how you look. How would you describe your style?

I just.. well I think people… first with me being white, I think people trip on that. And then you add to the fact that my hair is long and I wear like tighter jeans or something, but I don’t have no crazy look.. it’s just pretty much Jeans and chucks and stuff. I did read a few things… I figured people would trip.. but people will say all sorts of things. I think the funniest thing I read is that I am a transsexual

Yeah.. transvestite, transsexual.. so dispel all of that stuff right now then…

It’s none of the above. No.. No… No

Well when I spoke to you last week.. you was going to the school for your daughter, and I was like Damn…these people are calling him a tranny, and he has a daughter.. doing the father thing… you know what I am saying? So I definitely wanted to put that out there and dispel that.. and be like get out of here with THAT rumor… you know what I mean?

Yeah.. that kind of stuff has been coming up alot, and the reason why I don’t go out of my way and go on record to talk about it is because… you know whenever you here someone like “Yo! I’m not gay!!!” and it feels like Whoa… (trying too hard). I just let people say whatever they want.. I know my deal man.. I know what my life is all about

Ok.. So tell me a little bit about your life.. Who is Mickey Avalon?

I mean.. as far as a performer and a recording artist.. that is probably already out there. As far as my past and stuff.. I think I’m pretty down to earth, I mean.. I’ve got a little more bread now.. I mean before.. I didn’t have any.. I didn’t have ANY! When i’m not on tour, I basically do the regular stuff.. I pick up my kid from school (about once or twice a week), and I try to stay in the studio as much as possible. We have a little crew called the Dyslexic Speed Readers… there’s a song with us on my myspace. We have a record label called Shoot To Kill, so I do alot of the behind the scenes shit too.

That’s hot. Walk me through this though..because this is all kind of new to this audience that i’m with you know? It’s like you just popped out of no where. So, first of all.. how old are you?

How old am I? (laughing) I’m 29

How did you get in the game? How did you get signed?

I’ve been rhyming since I was a kid and I never thought that anything would ever become of it, I used to just rap all of the time. Then a few years ago I checked myself into a halfway house and I was trying to get my life together. I met my boy Dirk Nasty and we started rhyming at his crib and recording stuff. From there the person who is my manager now started handing out the CD’s in clubs.. I didn’t know that he was doing that (because I had to be back at the spot by midnight). And I also worked at a pizza joint, and we started giving them out at the pizza joint and people started digging it.. and my manager got a hold of it and called me.. when he called I actually thought that it was one of my boys messing around… when I realized it was serious I met with him and he said that he wanted to work with me. When he said that, I was like.. “that’s cool.. if you can give me like $1,500 a month” (laughing) because all of the managers that I had ever dealt with in my life.. they paid you. So he went for it and I figured that I would just probably burn that bridge.. but they said that they would do it for 3 months. I figured something would happen by then but we just recorded a bunch of songs and I would hand out the CD’s in the pizza shop. Like we would rap them in the sex papers out here.. like the transsexual escort (laughing), the LA express.. you know? We would wrap them in those papers and just hand them out. So then eventually when I started to play my first shows.. they would be sold out.. and they knew all the lyrics and shit!!! We started off playing just in town, then eventually to like Orange County and then the next town over.. etc…. Then myspace came out and that made it easier for like touring and to get out abroad and all that. Then you know.. the record labels started to come around, and they came to my shows and then it was time to sit down. But we had already made the record THEN Interscope came.. like I didn’t get a deal and then go to the studio to record.. get approvals and shit. We sold the record as is, and they just put it out on a bigger scale. We have just been touring ever since. I am about to put out my second album… and this boost thing came along. It’s dope because it’s allowing me to get to the audience that I pretty much wanted to get too.. I mean it was hard because I’m white and the way I look.. people would be quick to say “Rock Rap or Alternative Rap” or whatever but I just rhyme over beats you know?

That’s a Hip Hop Answer!

It’s cool. Even if it is just people saying “hey look at this transsexual at the end of the commercial”, at least people are saying my name. And when the 90 second commercial comes out then they will be able to base their opinion on my verse

You write your (rhymes) right?

Yeah! I write all of my shit! I’m always recording. The next record is “Hot”.. I just got back from NY recording. I been trying to get down to Atlanta to do something with Jermaine Dupri. When we were at the commercial he told me that he had heard of me.. he goes down to the tattoo shop in LA that I go to and he told them that he is a fan.. and I am a fan of his.. so i need to get down to Atlanta and put it down

You’re from L.A.?

Yeah. Born and raised

When you was coming up and getting into this Hip Hop thing.. Who were some of your influences? Who did you listen to?

When I was growing up.. Eazy E, N.W.A. Too Short, Slick Rick.. like all that shit. Boogie Down Productions. KDAY was out back then (it came back now, but it had just come out back then) I saw Ice T.. my dad would take me to the shows. I saw Run DMC and The Beastie Boys when I was 11 (my mom took me to that) but like I remember winning tickets to see Boogie Down productions from KDAY, and my friends didn’t go.. so my dad went with me. So… before Hip Hop.. I just came up on my fathers records (old blues & rock and roll).. so I started listening to that music and I loved that.. but you know when Hip Hop came out.. that was something that I discovered for myself. I would be shoplifting cassettes (laughing) because I was getting into it. So back then it was like Too Short, Public Enemy.. all of the Def Jam artists… LL Cool J. And I had always written (not songs) stories and stuff, but the rhythm started coming in my head.. so I would just start writing to the rhythms

I never really took it too serious because the kids who I knew that were doing it weren’t really that dope. My boys were trying to do the underground thing and I went and got married and tried to do the family thing. But then when we came back around to it.. it started getting hot. we had better producers and the writing got good and my manager got a hold of me and it started. That’s how it is… you have to record and get your music out there. It ain’t about making a demo and shopping it. I don’t know anyone who got a deal off of a demo or anything. I mean you gotta have your city on lock, then your state, then your country. It’s probably alot easier now with the internet but kids come up to me and want to open up and stuff but.. I never went up to anyone.. no record people and did that. I mean I handed my CD’s to people when I worked at the pizza shop.. but I never did it like that

How did you come up with the name Mickey Avalon?

Me and my boy Andre Legacy were just trying to come up with porn names. I guess it was supposed to be your street was the last name but my moms lived on a street called “Avon” and that didn’t sound fly, so we changed it to Avalon. The first name was supposed to be a pet, but I never really had a pet… so Andre Legacy is real good with nick names and he just said Mickey!

So basically… you started in the pizza shop.. you wrapped your tapes in the transsexual newspapers, and you had a porn name! You kind of played on that theme alot in the beginning of your career?

Well to be honest, it was for our own humor. That was just top make us laugh you know what I mean? It was never a gimmick… it was just funny! Even with the rhymes.. the first stuff was real stupid.. then even with the auto biographical stuff.. it would still be stuff that was just funny and over the top and joking, like “I sodomized your father in a federal penitentiary”… that was just stuff to make us laugh

What’s the name of the new album?

The Ave. Like The avenue. The first one was called Mickey Avalon.. this one is going to be called The Ave

When is it coming out?

I hope between March, April, May.. you know there is always things going on behind the scenes.. but definitely before the summer

Final Words:

I’m definitely not a transvestite! (laughing).. I’ll leave it at that

Special contributor: Todd 1

There are alot of Entertainment Blogs (and Message Boards) out there where you get info from… shout out to Blackgirl Online, Sohh, Real Talk NY, All Hip Hop, etc… I think that the news is the news… so unless you are actually CREATING news, you are going to have the same basic information in these various locations. The thing that we are trying to do here at The Most Access (along with giving you the News) is to give you other shit that you can’t / won’t get anywhere else. We are just getting underway, but our goal is to give you News, Exclusive Behind The Scenes footage from videos, 1 on 1 interviews, Weekly Entertainment Recaps with Ms. Shyneka, Old School Mondays (1 on 1 interviews with “old school artists”, Red Carpets, Parties, etc…

With that being said, we just sat down with Yola Da Great -

Yola… before we even start, I have to tell you that I was at a party in Atlanta 2 years ago and they played your record “Ain’t Gonna Let Up” and the bitches went beserk! I haven’t seen anything like that in a long time. I was like “who is this??” and they said Yola. I was like… damn.. this nigga hit it with this shit

yeah… I gotta come back even harder this year!

What was you thinking about when you did that? That had to be your biggest record to date right?

yeah.. really it is. I have alot more songs, but that’s the one that everybody liked though

What was the vibe when you came up with that?

Really.. folks just be talking shit! And I got tired of it and put it in a song. I was just mad when I wrote it. Pissed Off!

Where are you from?

Atlanta… The West Side… Martin Luther King… Allen Temple

How did you get in this game?

I started out listening to Bone Thugs and Harmony, 2 Pac.. you know? Folks like that, and they influenced me to do this. I wrote rhymes in middle school, I used to write my raps in class.. I didn’t never do my homework. Then when I turned 16/17 me and my homeboy from my hood came up with a record label called “All Out Records”. We started recording some songs, folks started responding.. and it was on from there

So you had your own record label at 16???

yup

So what happened with that?

What happened with that was this dude who we were messing with.. me my partner and Drek.. we formed the record label, but you know man… people get too much of “the big head” you know what I’m saying? So Drek was really putting the money behind it and he was always trying to control a nigga or whatever. We all had our positions to play but I was like shit.. if he can do that… I can do this myself! So I stopped dealing with them on that end, and I formed my own shit.. “Power Hitter”

What happened with you and Grand Hustle?

Me and Grand Hustle? We just basically agreed to disagree for the simple fact that I want my record label to be like Grand Hustle or even better than Grand Hustle.. you feel me? I didn’t want to be signed up under nobody… like really, I feel like they are doing the same thing that I am doing.. I’m trying to accomplish goals too. Plus.. they ain’t gonna let nobody get bigger than TI anyway! You know what I’m saying? It didn’t make no sense for me to be fucking with them

How old are you now?

23

What happened with the shooting?

Well with the shooting… It was basically.. wrong place at the wrong time. Somebody tried to car jack me… I was riding in my car going to the studio and I got caught at a red light on the bad side of town. The dude tried to car jack me, I hit the gas and he started shooting.. I took one in the face. By the grace of god I am still here.. living good… still rapping and everything!

So are you all healed up?

Yeah.. I’m all healed up. I would say that I’m about 85 %. A good 85%

So what is going on right now with you?

Well I just recently got a release from Atlantic Records… I was signed to Atlantic for a year, I had “I Ain’t Gonna Let Up” and they didn’t promote it right or whatever. When they started, it didn’t go right.. so I just got a release from them and I’m looking for a new situation and new opportunities man. I want to open some new doors and meet some new folks.. I’m better than I ever was right now.. I’m feeling real good. I keep hearing people running around here spreading bad things about me or whatever but you can’t go off of what nobody else say.. you know what I mean? You gotta find out for yourself

Final Words:

I just want to tell the people that I got my new mixtape that’s out.. It’s called – “Don’t Shit Stop Because The Boy Got Popped!”. I got 7 Grams… I got 14 Grams.. those are the two mixtape cd’s. I got a DVD out called – “Don’t Shit Stop Because The Boy Got Popped”… That’s like a documentary from the hospital room when I got shot and the recovery. It shows everybody what’s really going on.. you got to get that! My myspace page is: myspace.com/yoladagreat… hit me up! I appreciate y’all for the support… it’s going all the way down in ‘08 man… Power Hitter… Yola Da Great!

One last thing… to these executives out there… I’m the rawest thing out here y’all already know what time it is with me… let’s get it.. i’m ready.. i’m hungry… say no more!

Special contributor: Todd 1

DJ Drama has a new album out in stores tomorrow… Gangsta Grillz – The Album (Go Cop That!). Some of the features on there include Fabolous, Outkast, LLoyd, Jadakiss, Young Jeezy, T.I., Lil Jon, G Unit, Pharrell, Yung Joc, etc….

In honor of this momentous occasion… TMA goes 1 on 1 with the Drama Man himself…

Five Questions with DJ Drama

1. We understand that you are from Philly, so how did you become 1 of the biggest DJ’s in the South?

Well… I been in the “A” since 96 so.. you know the South has been my home for 12 years. It’s just hard work and dedication!

(Bonus) What made you come out here?

I went to CAU… I came out here to go to CAU

2. How did you get down with Grand Hustle?

I met my nigga Jason Geter (and Tip) in like 2000 when they had just got their deal with Arista. We pretty much was all grinding and keeping in contact… we pretty much made that connection… made the bond, and we just brought the movement together to make history!

3. What year did you start DJ’ing?… Who was the DJ that made you want to go that route?

I started DJ’ing in 92.. I was actually in the movie Juice.. I was a fictional DJ character in the movie.. “DJ GQ”

So that’s what sparked the whole thing with you?

Yeah.. It was that movie! That was the first time that I really seen the DJ on the screnes… not the first time I saw it, but the first time I really paid attention to it like that. I was like “That shit looks right!!!”

4. What’s the biggest Gangsta Grill to date?

The album that comes out tomorrow.. that’s definitely the biggest one to date. This is the first official album.

What was your biggest mixtape?

They all did good.. but those were all for promotional use only

5. We know that you had a little run in with the police… where does that stand?

Where does it stand? It stands that after that.. I traveled the world, you know and did like 3 continents. I been through like every state in the country.. I have been on 4 magazine covers, my album is coming out… I did TV shows. It stands ok!

(Bonus) In your opinion… what is the state of the “DJ”?

It’s in a beautiful state! I mean.. there are like 5 or 6 DJ’s putting out albums right now… DJ’s are getting on as Producers I mean DJ’ have always been the staple.. the backbone of Hip Hop… You wouldn’t have this Culture if it wasn’t for the DJ.

Final Words:

I just appreciate all of the support! You know what it is AMG Aphilliates all day, everyday… watch what comes next!

Special contributor: Todd 1

After speaking with Amanda Diva for 5 minutes, one could possibly jump to the (wrong) conclusion that she is indeed a real DIVA! It is in that 6th minute that you finally start to get it though… she isn’t a “Diva”, she is just strong willed and focused. Another observation is that she is extremely intelligent (she drops alot of quotable gems throughout our convo). Before we go into the interview, let’s learn a little bit about Amanda Diva:

On the professional side, I feel like I am a jack of all trades… I came into the music business through poetry, I started out on Def Poetry Jam and I ended up on Sirius Satellite Radio with my own radio show “Breakfast at Diva’s” every morning on Hip Hop Nation for 5 years. I used to be a VJ at MTV 2 and currently I am on VH1 (Best Week Ever, Best Songs of the 90’s, etc…). In addition to that, I used to write for AllHipHop.com and I currently write for XXL.

I’m West Indian so I am used to having like 10 jobs!

On the personal side, I like to say that I am Amanda all day and a “Diva” when necessary! People always try to use the “Diva” against me and say that I am real pushy and what not but I am just a woman who works really hard and I expect to be given what I deserve. I expect people to follow through on their word and I hold you to that. If that makes me a Diva then I am like “Cool… that’s what it is then!”.

I am really a down to earth person who loves music, loves my momma, and want’s to see everyone happy!

Five Questions with Amanda Diva

1. How long have you been rapping?

It’s funny… I was a poet since college but I always loved Hip Hop! Anyone who knows me will tell you that Amanda is a Hip Hop head to the fullest! I always wanted to be on the rapping side of things because I loved music… But I couldn’t rhyme on beat! (laughter)

When you do poetry… you make up your own rhythm, but when you are rhyming you have bars! You have beats and bars… and if you can’t make it work in that bar then it ain’t gonna work! So it took alot of growth and perseverance, but if something is natural it will come to you, you just have to stick with it. Last year I went and did a poetry show and they had a house band. I hadn’t performed in a real long time but all of a sudden I was doing my poem and it was flowing like rhymes.. and I was like “By Joseph, I’ve got it!” And from that moment it clicked, 4 days later I ran into the drummer and he was like we want to be in your band. So we went into the studio and started recording, and it kind of morphed from an experiment, to an idea, to a goal to a plan. And that is where we are now… In 1 year, I feel like I have covered alot of ground. So to answer this question, technically I have been a “rapper” for a year, but ask my roommate in college.. I’ve been rapping for a long time!

2. How did you get the job at MTV?

I was doing poetry at the NuYorican Poets Cafe and Quddus (former MTV VJ) was there, and I told him “listen you are on MTV, and I need to be on MTV.. so we need to stay in touch!” and we stayed in touch for the next 2 years. Then I ran into him at a Kanye concert and he was like “oh shit, MTV 2 is hiring… I’m gonna get you an interview”. He had tried before to set up an interview, but it fell through. I guess this was the one that was meant to be because I went to the interview and within 2 weeks I had the job. When it is for you, it is for you… you know?

3.How do you feel about the state of female rap right now?

There is no state of female rap! There isn’t… and it’s not because there aren’t any female mc’s that are trying to rhyme, it’s just like folks really.. it’s just sad how small minded folks have become! And because they haven’t really seen any female MC’s crack that top spot in the recent times, they feel like it’s just not possible anymore. That’s wack because there are folks like me, Shawnna, Mystic, Nina B Jean Grae… there are a plethora of female MC’s who are just dope! But they are limited because the bigger industry doesn’t know where to put them simply because they are women.

(Bonus) Who were some of your influences coming up?

Lauren (Hill) is the reason why I started rhyming in the first place! Hands down. My first rhyme book is filled with verses like I was the 4th member of the Fugees. So I would have to say Lauren, Black Thought, Q Tip, and Nas definitely. On some music shit I would have to say The Roots & Tribe… oh and Pete Rock on the music side. I’m also a poet.. Ntozake Shange, Nikki Giovanni, and Gil Scott Heron all filter in there. Then of course there is MC Lyte and Queen Latifah.

4. What label are you signed to?

I’m not! I’m doing it myself. That is another thing because people feel like “if a label hasn’t signed you then you must not mean anything”, but i mean.. look at who the labels ARE signing. (Silence)…. and that’s my point!

(Bonus) Since you are doing this yourself, what are some of the trials and tribulations that you have endured?

After doing this… I feel like my next job could be President! Because of the amount of diplomacy that you have to learn when you are doing a project yourself is unbelievable. It’s like you are trying to organize a peace treaty with Israel and Palestine every time you get on the phone. Everybody is a personality, and we are dealing with an industry that is very male driven… so we are dealing with egos… people feel like you need to be on your knees thanking them EVEN WHEN YOU ARE PAYING THEM! It is absolutely Hillarical to me. So funny that I had to make up a word for it!

It’s difficult, but you have to keep your eyes on the prize… stay smiling and just make sure that no one tries to get you. Be honest with yourself. Some of the trials of course are the money… that’s always an issue. I guess you walk a fine line of proving yourself and explaining yourself. There is a difference. You would want to just do your shit, and people either fuck with you or they don’t. But once you get into the realm of having to explain what you are doing to people it becomes a slippery slope because you start giving people credit and credibility that really don’t deserve it. People are either going to like your stuff or not like your stuff, but once you as an artist start trying to force people to like what you do… you are setting yourself up man.

5. How would you describe your style?

A little bit of Lauren… A little bit of Kim… with a B-Girl twist.

(Bonus) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

At least 5 Grammy’s deep! I see myself as a respected artist not as a respected “Female MC”. I know that is the path that you have to take but I am more than just a rapper… I sing, I arrange my music and I have musical instincts that are far beyond just knowing what to put in a bar. I want to be respected for that and I see myself as someone who is looked to in the community as a role model… someone who says what they are going to do and does it! and it affects masses of people as opposed to just myself.

Final Words:

It only takes skin and bones to be a person, but it takes heart and soul to be an individual. Be on the look out for my trilogy of EP’s called “The Experience Trilogy”. The first one is called “Life Experience”, the 2nd is called “Love Experience”, and the final one is called “Live Experience” and that is going to be all live recordings.

My real work is just about to start. This is a marathon and not a sprint. When you are independent and you drop your album, that is when everything starts because now you have something in the market place and you have to get people to go out and buy that. 1st week sales do not matter when you are independent. When you are on a label, it is like build up, build up, build up.. then you drop… but that is when everything kind of stops. No one is really asking any questions after the first week.

I just came off of a tour with Floetry (Amanda replaced Natalie this summer), we did 21 cities with the House Of Blues and tore it down. We went from Atlanta… San Francisco… Cleveland and while we were on the road I found out that people really liked my shit, and they want (to hear) someone like me. Someone who is just a “regular chick”. I’m not from the hood, but i’m also not super conscious wearing red, black, and green every day of my life… i’m just a regular broad with a brain and they wanted my music.

Anybody out there who is an underdog and anybody out there who respects ambition… please support my project because that’s where it is coming from. It’s just coming from the idea that I believe in what I am doing, and I believe that it can change folks.. so that’s why I have to get it to them. I want people to know that there are artists that can give you music that is not just to listen to.. but also music to LIVE to. That is what you are going to get that when you listen to my “Life Experience” Ep.

Be on the look out for the Life Experience EP coming to Itunes on December 18th. Check out Amanda Diva – “Supa Woman” :