In this interview with the Grammy holding rapper out of Cleveland, Bizzy Bone, I touched on issues including his childhood in foster homes, the current state of the music industry, drug reform, and even the rumors that he was dead.

My conversation with Bizzy was like listening to his music. His conversational tone jumps and falls, winds and unwinds as he speaks from his heart. Bizzy holds no opinion back, and is unafraid to pioneer music with a new style, which in my opinion is the sign of a true artist.

On your upcoming album Alpha & Omega's, first single "I Would Die for You", you mention what seems to be your sentiments over your fallout with Bone Thugs N Harmony.

Being a solo artist, now-what challenges did you face as a group that you no longer struggle with now?

Money, it was about gettin' my money that was the only challenge. Getting to every nickel.

How so?

As a group there are more individuals-if for say I wanted to audit an individual (not group members), I needed the say so of each member of the group, so in that sense, moving forward with business was the only problem.

I by no means am an angel in this, there's the duality (of business)- I wanted to get the money straight like they wanted me to be at certain shows.

In the song it seems that you hold no grudges against the other Bones-Will there be a reunion in the near future?

I talk to them all the time and its always brought up, always brought up, but nothing is ever done about it.

So you are still good friends with them?

(laughing) I wouldn't say that.

But theres no ill will?

No, they are doing their thing-I hope we could team up later, there would be a lot of money to be made.

How did you find out you were kicked out of the group, did the group take you aside and let you know?

Nah (laughing), it was like that movie The Temptations, the guy just handed me paperwork, exactly like that movie.

I wasnt surprised though...wasn't shocked .

It hurt ..at the time.. I bled, I'm not gonna lie, I definitely bled...at the time.

So is the Layzie Bone/ Bizzy Bone album just a rumor?

I'ts done. I've finished all my tracks, we are trying to put it out, It's just in its transitional stages

So lets touch on other rumors-A B2K collabo, a reality show?

It's all talk..just talk, I know where it's coming from, but it's all talk...(laughing) I think im going to put a whole section up (on website) and have it just for rumors, and at the end of the year we are just going to sit back and laugh.

So what's the craziest rumor you've heard?

That I was dead

You didn't believe it , did you?

Nawww I couldn't believe it, maybe on some different days, but at the time I couldn't believe it.

So, as far as when you see magazines' top 10 , top 50, top whatever lists of emcees and rappers- where do you feel you fit in the whole scene?

(thinking)A pioneer, a pioneer of a new style, on a Marvin Gaye level, meaning like a "feeling" artist-very unsaturated, non-gimmicky, a soul artist.

Soul Artist, I like that-maybe you should name your next album that.

Yeah (laughing), naw, because then I'd have to watch out for Musiq's lawyers to say something.

So as a pioneer-there is obviously a lot of mainstream rap that shows hints of Bone's style and influence. Who were your musical influences growing up?

Beyond hip hop...(happily) I grew up to that old school slow jams, bobbin'my head with an extra groove, and a lean in my walk...Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Jackie Wilson.

and as far as hip hop?

as far as hip hop, Slick Rick, Rakim, DOC, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, EZ-E

that being said, what are your thoughts about the state of hip hop right now?

HIP HOP IS ON SOME BULLSHIT...(laughing) no I'm just kidding, but it's disenfranchised. There are a lot of rappers making money or at least portraying like they are. I'm happy about that...artists making money.

Lyrically, though no one's doing anything...(excited) Bustah, I like Bustah, his music has soul.

He has a great live show

yeah he's a projection of energy. its real, it has soul.

So what are you listening to now?

old school stuff, a lot of old school...and beats, a lot, a lot of beats

From known producers or fans?

All around the board

You've done collabos with Lil Flip and Joker, among others, are there any collaborations on your new album?

Straight Bizzy, 7th Signers...intelligent flows

What do you mean by intelligent flows? In what sense?

Intelligent like in timing, mathematical...what everyone(other rappers) needs to be on...where you don't take a breath..hardly breathing..intelligent wordplay...real mathematical.

So what, besides financial gain, inspires you to keep making music?

I wake up singing, writing raps on paper, all this stuff in my head ,and it won't leave (my head) until it's on paper.

So when can we expect a Bizzy "singing" album?

(laughing then serious)never know, i'm always singing, I came out of the womb singing a glooorious sound; but whatever I do put out, it will be from the heart.

So you grew up singing in a church choir?

No, not a church choir, a school choir, you know, when everyone had to sing in school.

The reason I figured church , was because the theme of most of Bone's music is spiritual, and uplifting..of course theres that dark side, but overall it's spiritual.

Yeah all of my songs (lyrics)were the ones that dealt with God, Heaven's Movie, The Gift,the names of my albums are spiritual.

So do you go to church?

Ive'been there, a small one, because of who I am, I stay to myself. he reason is little kids, run up and want autographs and shit, talk to me during it, ...and i understand..but i dont want them to get in trouble, you know, with their people.

I stay more to myself, keep my bible open, read it, stay off the bottle, follow the guidelines.

Now that you are "off the bottle" and sober, how has that affected your music?

I dont slur as much...I'm not in the studio slurring as much. You see alcohol sends a message to the liver to pump out adrenaline, but I don't need that, I'm already on full throttle. It makes it better.

Another popular theme in BTNH's music is smoking herbs. Do you feel that the outlaw of soft drugs like marijuana is a modern day prohibition?

it should be illegal to make it illegal, people should put whatever they want to in their bodies-it's their own bodies. In Amsterdam, you can roll blunts on the sidewalk, eat hash...

So do you feel America is behind the times as far as drug reform?

nah, America is ahead of it's time...they are smart, they wont legalize it until they find out how they can capitalize on it, control it, sanction it. Legalization will still be 10 years down.

Are you doing anything personally to help reform the laws, such as supporting pro-active groups like NORML ( National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws)?

HELL NO, scared of the hip hop police, I dont want the hip hop police looking at me more than they already do.

So you feel there are hip hop police in Cleveland? (like the reported ones in New York and Miami, who were found to profile rappers and others in the hip hop industry)

Yeah, they can buy plane tickets too.

...or just e-mail files.The internet is making everything easier...including downloading music. As an experienced artist that has already won a grammy and is already well known- do you feel that music downloading is a positive or a negative?

I'm from the hood man, I mean there wasnt computers anywhere, I mean there was maybe one around, don't know one use the muthafuckas.

Yeah, but now computers are everywhere, I mean they teach kids in kindergarten on computers, it makes finding out about new music as easy as clicking on a button, has it hurt your sales?

Seriously, its the dishonesty of the labels killing the sales, they don't tell us when we are losing money. I've heard downloaded CD's and the quality is way worse than whats at the store, but more people hear the music that wouldnt get to ...you heard the new song..so I guess it works.. That's the first time anyone's asked me that, but I'd have to say it's (internet) positive.

You were affiliated with Russel Simmons' Hip Hop Action Summit, in where the main goal is to register youth voters.Whats your stance on voting?

I was on a panel in Detroit, ain't noone asked me anything though... If you are gonna vote , know who you are voting for. Don't vote just for voting's sake, if you dont know who you are voting for, then don't vote at all.

Do you see yourself and other rappers as role models?

Nah (thinking), I mean it depends on how you define role models, I mean I'm a role model to my children, I am a teacher and a student. I'm an entertainer.

No one should try to be me, If you want to be Bizzy, you have to be kidnapped, you have to be shot at, you have to see your friend take a last breath.

Understood and understood. Well that's all I have, thanks for your time and really appreciate it, and can't wait to hear that new album.

For sure, Look out for it.

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Check out Bizzy's website at www.bizzybonemusic.com