Kayo Alcatraz Chops It Up With BFochs!

BFochs: What's poppin' Kayo? Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview man, it's good to see you got time for the Fochsman lol. So what's happenin'? How's life treatin' ya?

Kayo Alcatraz: If it ain't rough it ain't right lol, at least that's what Lyfe [Jennings] said...well you know I got the album out, it's doing better than I imagined so I'm happy with the feedback and all of the support. I'm in the middle of negotiating an unplugged version of "The Way I See It Vol.1," Prove Gotti (myspace.com/provegotti) and me then you know Black Money is taking off, that album is superb, we are negotiating tours for the next couple months so that's great. Um Climax Magazine (http://www.visionspro.com/images/climaxpage/pages/cmaxmag27.html) just featured me as the top underground, youtube and myspace artist, so all in all I'm blessed, but don't get it twisted I work hard for this.lol. I think that's all that's new and good with me.

BFochs: An unplugged version of "The Way I See It Volume 1" sounds very interesting, keep me in the loop on that man. It looks you got a lot going on, good shit.I know who you are, you know who you are, but some of the BBB viewers may not know of you and what you are bringing to the game. How about you give the kind readers out there a nice little introduction, tell em your name, where your from, what movement your reppin' and who your favorite rapper of all time is and why.

Kayo Alcatraz: Okay cool, I am the one and only Kayo Alcatraz from Cleveland, Ohio, 116th & Dove to be exact…my favorite rapper...man that's a hard question, but Busta Rhymes will always be my favorite because he's the complete package and he's as versatile as it gets. Hey remember the song he did with Mystikal? He was my favorite before that, but that sealed the deal. So I'm rolling with Bus-a-Bus. As far as the movement goes I'm trying to break young people out being afraid to be smart and afraid challenge themselves ya know, that's why Black Money gives half of our profits back to the community because we all know how being broke can be a huge distraction and hindrance in accomplishing what you want to do in life. Then we got the Midwest Movement you know Chip, Drastic, Proph the Problem, Al Fatz, Black Money, Young Ray ,Prove Gotti, Corey Bapes and now me…lol. So I'm just doing my part putting on for my city on on for my city.lol.

BFochs: Know you know people and knowing is half the battle! Keep puttin' for the midwest mane, your doin' a hell of a job. You rep the midwest, the Cleveland, Ohio area to be exact, what is the climate like in Cleveland as far as the hip hop music and what not? Besides your movement who are some acts and artists that you think are puttin' on for your city and area?

Kayo Alcatraz: Yeah you know in Cleveland you have to earn your rep on the music scene if you come out trying to be somebody else, the fans ain't trying to hear it TRUST ME...lol. I like the scene because like if you look at it you see right now where everyone fits. I mean it's evolving into the perfect masterpiece, you have the party music, the mellow mood music, and the super lyrical music. Black Money is bringing political views back to music. what more can you ask…ya know. Artists who put on...okay... Corey Bapes is rockin' the city, Chip is rockin', Ray Cash has been quiet, but he's that dude when he pick up the mic, Drastic raps with passion for rap music and Ohio as a whole, Bam Bam is a singer that is dumb talented and making noise, Prove Gotti has Swangin' Music on lock, of course my crew and it's a couple other good artists, but I don't listen to everybody's stuff so I can't say.

BFochs: C-Town is doing it big, a lot of dope MCs doing it up in Cleveland people, pay attention! You are part of one of the strongest regimes in your area, the Black Money crew. When did you join the Black Money movement? How long has the Black Money movement been in the game? When will we the fans get to see a group project from the Black Money crew?

Kayo Alcatraz: I linked with Black Money I want to say in '04 because my boy Young Russ was a good friend of K-Chill. He was telling me that Chill heard our music off of the highly anticipated album and wanted to know if we wanted to be down. I mean I was like hesitant because I didn't know Chill ya know so I was like nah, but me, Young Russ and Truth were a unit called "All$et" and I didn't want to stop or hold up progress. So we began working on music together with the other members and it worked out cool. K-Chill been around forever, he produced Bone's first record "Faces of Death" and Black Money been in effect just as long, but as a solid unit man I'll say BM been in effect way before I was in. I'm just the new guy...lol. The album "Black Presidence" is completed, actually we just are putting the playlist together to maximize on the debut opportunity. If you are itching and scratching for BM music go to www.myspace.com/bm216 and give yourself a fix...lol. Black Money what up!

BFochs: Hit up www.myspace.com/bm216 now and peep game people! Black Money I see you! You spit and carry yourself like a seasoned veteran in this game, like your 5 albums deep or something, what situations in life have made you adapt and grow so quickly as an artist? Who has influenced you the most to step your game and make the quality of music you make?

Kayo Alcatraz: I'm a writer. There was a point in time where I wrote a poem a day just because I know how to express myself clearly. I wanted to write a poetry book my and my friend Monique still have to get that done, but yeah I get my ideas across clearly because I'm a public relations major and I've been writing literature since I was 12. Situations in my life have taught me to embrace the gift because everyone isn't capable of offering what I have to give and pain in my life is what makes me normal and human; so when people hear "New York Minute" I want them to hear the frustration in the song that refers to when I really was broke like an arm in a cast ya know. By the way being in college made that broke phase longer than it should be…lol. I think just being a writer for so long helps me to paint the perfect audio portrait regardless if it's beautiful, ugly, ignorant or whatever. When the music talks to me I talk back and that conversation is what you as a fan get to hear after you know what I'm saying. Joe Budden said it best “Music is just what feeling sound like.” I can't lie, I stepped my game up around the time "Get it Girl" and "Pull Up Slow" came up because before that I was making super lyrical underground music and that was cool for the respect, but I was trying to pay bills with my craft and the dudes was just saying “man you can spit”...lol. So my dude Chad came to me and was like, "yo Maja League needs you to be the point guard of this company" and I was like cool I've never turned down an opportunity to be productive ya know. So that's when we started getting LIVE and crushing the beats like “Cleveland N***as" and "Made in the Game" because my boy told me simple and plain “you can rap but we need to make Dope boy Music," so we made music for the streets and I thought he was trippin', but he was right deadass right….lol. So my inner circle influences me the most I know they need me to be the best I can because shit ain't easy out here, we out here dying and going to jail like everybody else ya know, so my raps are an out for us and I feel like the weight of the world is on me, but its cool...LOL

BFochs: That's deep stuff people, definitely a good reponse as to why your talent exceeds your time in the game. Swag and style seem to play an important role in today's industry, it appears that swag is rated over actual skill. Do you think it's a good or bad thing artistry is now being based on swag and style and just not lyrics? How have you been able to adjust to the demands of the fans and keep try to your music at the same time?

Kayo Alcatraz: It's like this, everybody doesn't want to hear that swag talk ya know. Most people are robots and will listen to anything you say is hot, but then you have those people who are waiting for an artist to connect with, like I connected with Nas and Tupac ya know and you can't be that rapper if you swaggin' on every track, it just can't happen. So I think it's good that all these rappers have so much swag, with their help I'll make it into history books for sure…lol. I don't know if I adjust at all truthfully. If you with me I'll make you proud, if not I'll make you wish you were, it's pretty simple. My music generates the fans attention that's all they want from me right now is quality and I got that by the bus loads...lol.

BFochs: Quality is crucial, it seems a lot of people just half-ass it in their music, that definitely makes your job easier haha. On your new project "The Way I See It Volume One" you were able to link up with not only a legend from Cleveland, but a legend in the game period, Layzie Bone of Bone Thugs N Harmony. How did you link up with Layzie? How did it feel spittin' on the same track as a local legend? Will we see any collaborations between you two and Bone Thug N Harmony in the future?

Kayo Alcatraz: Okay, so I'm laying on the living room floor with my little sister watching Spongebob right, then I get a call from Dev, one of the Maja League Bosses like, "yo Kayo you trying to come to the studio?" I'm like yeah and he told me my dudes Rob & Digga from Certified Hustlas really wanted me to come through. I was like cool, I think my dude Kev drove me there, it was at a studio on Superior. So I get there and I see Layzie and all my other people just chillin'. I'm thinking like "did he just get done recording or is he right to record with us man?" I didn't even know I was gonna be on the song. It's actually a longer version of the song. Layzie rapped and I was like “damn one take!” He saw me looking through my notebook for the hottest rhyme I had…lol. Man I ain't gonna lie, I was intimidated. His flow was so effortless and on point. Let's be clear, Layzie isn't a local legend he's a rap legend. I was rapping to my big homie Digga. I was like man I would come like this “I guess they want a strip fulla dollars, swap wit dis fulla hollas strip fulla product nigga naw I ain't I product of projects….” And he was like "yeah, yeah say that" and I knew it was going to be a dope record. And yeah I'll make it happen at least once every album if possible. I have a song called "Datz Me" and we wanted to get Krazyie Bone on it, but we'll see what happens.

BFochs: That would be super intense just going to record and then see Layzie Bone chillin' doin' his thing, that track definitely turned out good. I'm looking forward to hearing more collabos from ya'll in the future. The beat selection on "They Way I See It Volume One" was very notable, not only did you flow over some industry beats, but you had some tight original production on the project. How was it like working with the producers that contributed to the project? What are you looking for when you are looking for a beat to spit on?

Kayo Alcatraz: Just a mood, something to follow something to love and connect with ya know. I like original music so I can put my stamp on it then leave that lasting impression. I love working with Phatty Banks, he is a genius man. I wrote "Link Up" to that "Throwed" beat by Bun B with Jeezy and Pimp C and he made "Link Up" I was like “damn!” Soulrak is my dude from high school and we went to college together for a few years. That's my dud,e I got his back we believe each other has skills so he tossed me "It's Kay Baby" and I recorded it in his dorm room, no lie. JP is cool, he do his thing, he produced "Made in the Game" and "I'ma Boss." That dude is true to his craft. H-Rob, another dude I go to college with made "Fascinated." I was sitting in the room with Prove Gotti like man I got two hooks which one sounds better “Play my song the hood get buck, Show my face the hood show up they fascinated with me” and “I make it work it work it work just like a magic trick” Prove looked at me and was like use both of em...lol. Yung Zup did "Still Hungry." I loved that cause the beat is so hip hop and it gave me the room to be lyrical and rock the mic right. For "Cleveland Ni***s," "Beating Up the Block" and "Boom Room" I was blessed by Outta Control. Man these guys are nothing short of amazing, they knew exactly what I was trying to do with my music and they impressed me over and over again with their production. "New York Minute" was produced by Snugz. That's my dude, he drops beats frequently, but I connected to that one so much it reminded me of something Hi-Tek would've made because of the mood in the music.



BFochs: A very quality set of producers making quality beats for you man, I fux with your team of beat savants. You mentioned gaining a positive writing vibe from "Get Throwed" a classic Bun B/UGK record in my opinion. What other artists give you inspiration to not only write new tracks, but step your game up so you make the best music possible? If your favorite rapper Busta Rhymes wanted you to write him a record, what kind of record would you write for him and why?

Kayo Alcatraz: Okay, when I wrote "Made in The Game" me and Chip were both working with the same engineer. I think I had trouble with the beginning and he was like “man keep it simple” so for that track I took his advice and it turned out great so I give him credit for that. "Yeah Link Up/Hit my Cell" was inspired by “Get Throwed,” Rick Ross and Jay did "Maybach Music" so me and Prove Gotti flipped it and made Chevrolet Music. That's about as far as music I've released. I have a couple in the archives inspired by Twista, Kanye, etc but I haven't let them out yet. Oh, and Jadakiss inspired me on “Still Hungry” and let me not forget to say the Black Money and all the artists I do music with make me sharper. We have a high standard for music over here…

If Bus wanted me to write him a record I'd write something uplifting, a cross between rap & gospel with a little rock influence because uplifting songs are timeless and gospel and rock are rarely mixed and only someone like Bus could pull it off.

BFochs: I dig how you go about creating them heaters, that song with Busta sounds like it would be quite interesting to hear, I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for that. I noticed you have a very versatile flow, from the slow melodic delivery that you can sit back smoke to and just absorb, to that fast get to the point delivery that makes you rewind the track because you spit so much real talk it at times is hard to catch in all one listen. What type of flow do you prefer? Fast or slow? I think versatililty is a key trait in any artist in any genre, just not hip hop, let's say you had to make a rapper trading card for yourself and it was up to you to fill in all the blanks what would you put on it?

Kayo Alcatraz: Truthfully, I prefer the conscious flow, then I prefer the fast flow after that, the slow flow is cool too. I use them all to get my points across or not...lol Rap trading card okay I'll put the categories up but I'll let the listeners fill in the blanks:

Versatility

Catchy

Thought Provoking

Creative

Story Telling

Charismatic

Melodic

BFochs: All flows work for me man, I love versatility, so make it dew whut it dew haha. The Kayo Alcatraz Rap Trading Card coming sooner than you think! Lol. Let's step away from the music questions for one moment. As you are well aware our country is facing the biggest economic slump in our lifetime. What do you think of this fuckery? Let's say they put Kayo Alcatraz in charge of fixing this big mess. Where would you start? If you ran into George W. Bush what would you say to him about this fiasco? Obama or McCain, who you rockin' with in this election? What are your top expectations for whoever wins the presidential race?

Kayo Alcatraz: I think the economic slump is a result of the country putting the success of a few before the success of the many and you. I think the government particularly the President didn't have the countrie's best interest at heart. He only pretended to and you know people can only pretend so for long. His decisions of war and gas to name a few weren't made with the lower class in mind. Then again what do we expect out of capitalism? If I were President I wouldn't know where to start. Honestly, I'd have the most qualified people around me though I know that much…lol. I wouldn't have anything disrespectful to say to George Bush, we all make mistakes but I'd tell him that its time to realize he's not good for America especially in the leadership position. Between Obama and McCain I think both have their pros and cons, but I have role with Obama. Not because he's black either, but because in those presidential debates he's more elaborate and detailed than McCain. McCain keeps talking about what the records show and checking the facts. I watch the debates thinking “if I knew the facts I wouldn't be watching this”…lol and he talks as if we should just trust him like he isn't closely associated with Bush. That's what makes me look at McCain like he's not the one because he's not applying common sense to the matter of running for president. All he does is try to get people not to vote for Obama...lol BAD STRATEGY.

Whoever wins just has to use better judgment in the interest of the progression of this country as a whole.

BFochs: That's an excellent point about McCain trying hard to make Obama lose votes, Obama is leading right now because he focuses on the issues, hopefully this lead carries into the actual election. I myself have never been to Cleveland, I know there is a lot of cool places to hit up, but what in your opinion would be the top 5 things I'd want to check out while I'm there? If you had to change one thing about Cleveland what would it be and why?

Kayo Alcatraz: Well firstly, I wouldn't change anything because the good and bad made me who I am so to change Cleveland would be to change myself. I think to better Cleveland we need programs that praise the educated people of society to a higher degree just to emphasize that there are alternatives to being an entertainer. Man if you came to Cleveland I'mma call my boy DJ and we'd kick it. DJ knows everything about nightlife in the city. I'm low and bubbling right now I don't go out much...lol. I'm not one of these guys acting like he made it before he made it...lol.

BFochs: I'm definitely going to hit up Cleveland one of these days [Yung Joc]It's goin' dowwwwwn[/Yung Joc] LOL. You have a new project coming out, it's actually the sequel to your last project "The Way I See It Volume Two." Do you feel pressure for this project because you came so hard on the last installment in this series? What can the fans expect to see on this project? Will we see some of the same faces as production and features are concerned? Let's say you had to make a witty catchphrase to describe "The Way I See It Volume Two." What would it be and why?

Kayo Alcatraz: No pressure. I just have to be creative and continue being versatile. I got it under control though. No catchphrase just Kayo. Production from whoever captures the vibe of what I'm trying to do.

BFochs: I feel your vibe and focus for your next project, I'll be looking forward to it, keep me in the loop! What do you think the future holds for Kayo Alcatraz and the Black Money movement? Do you think Cleveland and the Midwest will get their chance to take over the game like all the other regions have? If you had to make a super group of Midwest artists, picking 6 people, who would they be and why?

Kayo Alcatraz: Nah, I don't need to make a super group. Black Money is the super group. Chill, Truth, Yung Russ, Profit, Luv, Coppo and Retti, yeah we are gonna make it. We hold the city down. As far as the future for me I'm about to graduate from the University of Akron, I'll be okay.

BFochs: Black Money is the movement and it's just gonna keep on movin', I definitely can dig that. Any shoutouts, last words or comments before we wrap this thing up?

Kayo Alcatraz: Shout out to Maja League, Black Money, Slab Up Ent., Fresh Money Ent, Jaz-O, Layzie Bone, That's What's Zup Ent., Outta Control Productions, Big Banks Music, JP, SoulRak, Boss Politiks and everybody who loves or hates Kayo.

BFochs: Thank you once again Kayo for taking the time to do this interview, I wish you and your crew continued success, keep doing it big mane!




Kayo Alcatraz is blessing his fans and the e-streets with a FREE DOWNLOAD (link is in first blog post) of his most recent project "The Way I See It Volume 1" now on his myspace, hit up the link below! Shouts to Kayo & The Black Money crew! KEEP PUTTIN' ON FOR THE MIDWEST DUDES!

CLICK HERE TO HIT UP KAYO ON MYSPACE AND GET YOUR FREE COPY OF "THE WAY I SEE IT VOLUME 1 NOW!!!"