It’s gotta mean something when you call an artist to do an interview and that individual is in his state while in the studio…down to Earth, on his grind. To be honest, we were a bit nervous, as one couldn’t help but wonder how a guy of his recent stature (and past, really, as he is also a part of Akon’s Konvict Music) as a recently-inducted member of Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music would percieve a couple of start up Hip-Hop bloggers that are undoubtably in awe of the music he’s putting out. Quite frankly, Cyhi Da Prynce is most definitely set to be the next big star, and we are without better words fortunate to be able to catch up with him in the earlier part of that next level in his career.

It’s hard to simply tell a person or his demeanor by a voice on the phone, but you can certainly get an idea of his roots, along with the conversational nature of the interview. He grew up on the East Side of Atlanta in the Stone Mountain, Decatur area. He spoke about his parents and the shifting demographic of his neighborhood: “My parents were the first parents who really had a chance to get good jobs back then and had a chance to move away from the ‘hood”, he says. “Of course, you move enough black people to any area and it turns back into the ‘hood. When I first moved to my neighborhood it was all white people. Five years later it was all black. “

Read more after the jump.

The first surprising bit of information was that he was a poet first before he actually learned to rap (in retrospect, not that surprising if you follow what we be believe to be in the culture…spoken word really is as just much a part of it): “I actually used to write poetry at first. It was my way to get this girl to like me in school…later on I met this dude from Philly that taught me how to rap, [as far as] putting it into actual bars, and structure. I knew about song structure, because I was in the school choir. I just didn’t know how to actually write raps in bars. I used to a comedian and make jokes, but everyone was telling me, “You need to rap for real.”


Cyhi Da Prynce – Popular Demand (Freestyle)

We read in some previous editorial somewhere that he had a very strict upbringing, (it read that he wasn’t able to listen to rap until he was 12), so we wondered if he had to sneak behind his parents back or find other ways to be able to listen. Turns out it wasn’t that difficult. “Well, I actually did listen to rap…one of the main ways being when I went to clubs. I listened to [a lot of the music around me like] Triple Six [Mafia, also known as Three 6 Mafia], Playa Fly….I did begin listening to music in the northern regions like Jay[-Z], DMX, then Eminem came later, and Wu-Tang [Clan].” As time continued on, he was able to develop a lot of important and influential relationships (to name a few: LA. Reid, Clive Davis, Mark Pitts, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon, Jazzy Pha, Scarface and Keith Sweat) within the music industry while he grew up in Stone Mountain, learning more along the way. “Being around them I learned a lot about myself, how to take talent seriously. I started meeting some big people…dudes that raised me, everybody telling me that no one could ever fuck with me. Everyone was very protective.”

Early on in his career he was in a rap group called Hoodlum who were signed under Jazzy Pha’s ShoNuff (which should also be noted as the former home of Boyz N Da Hood member Jody Breeze before he left in 2008) along with Def Jam, which eventually disbanded. “Hoodlum went through five, six different labels…as time went I eventually stood out from the group in Atlanta. Shakir Stewart [former Executive VP of Def Jam who committed suicide in November of 2008] was actually the one holding the group together, other members had different situations so I decided to go all the way in solo…”


Cyhi Da Prynce – Sweet Georgia

In 2007, he began a relationship with Konvict Music, later signing with them, along with rejoining the Def Jam roster since he left Hoodlum after a showcase with the label. He spoke about Akon & L.A. Reid: “Akon is a special person to me…L.A. Reid told Kanye [West] that I was the only person that he signed twice, once to Konvict and once to Def Jam…Akon let me know once I did the showcase.” He also spoke on the benefits of running into the well known Atlanta DJ Greg Street. “I just happened to run into [him], and he already understood I was dope. He’s the one who let me know all the history as well as the dos and don’ts of the industry”.


Yelawolf x Cyhi Da Prince x Pill – I Wish (Remix)

Even at the current level he was experiencing, life was already setting him up for the next…it definitely earned him a lot of attention when out of the blue (seemingly), Mr. Kanye West himself decided to show love to Cyhi on his blog, immediately garnering him lots of new attention both in and out of the industry. “I remember that moment [vividly], I remember I was mad about something…then suddenly somebody on Twitter hit me, “Kanye just posted your joint.” It didn’t stop and just one post, either: he not only threw up videos of his or ones he’s collaborated in, when Cyhi released his highly accliamed The Prynce Of Jacks, Kanye was one of the first bloggers to promote it on his website, which effectively “blew the whole roof off it”. After a while of being associated with his admirer, the Chi-Town producer eventually took it to the next level, with the help of Akon. “Konvict worked it out, [and] everybody wanted to work with him…we were flown out to Hawaii and the rest is history.” He also spoke on how it is working with an individual that’s been so polarized in the media, and public as a whole: “He’s a great guy, and there are a lot of misconceptions about him…when the spotlight is on you, people don’t feel what they understand.”


Cyhi Da Prynce – Never Again

As far as who he has worked with since joining the new team, well, he opts to stay mum, and rightfully so, as they are probably the type of releases you’ll be seeing at the top of the charts in the future. “I already worked with a lot of artists at G.O.O.D. Music, I can’t speak too much on it though, they’re surprises…I do wanna work with Eminem, with T.I., DMX, Playa Fly.” While he has many hopes for collaborations with many artists, you’re less likely to hear them as much in his disk changer. “I do listen to Yelawolf, Pill, Donnis, Big K.R.I.T, Kanye, T.I….I don’t listen to anyone too much, though…[if you hear someone’s music all the time, after a while] you start to emulate [the sound] if you listen to too much.”


Cyhi Da Prynce – My Name Rings Bells

He brings in the interview by letting us know that his next project (Royal Flush) is locked and loaded, though, due to “his hectic schedule working with Kanye”, it is still waiting to be released. The other shocking revelation is that he has yet to be invited to come and perform in DC (which is a fact that won’t last long, I presume). Finally, he also mentioned his respect for the XXL Freshman cover that made a lot of news this year, and that he would be open to join a future class if called upon. Regardless, we are certainly going to be looking out for every new level he approaches on the way to the top.

Cyhi Da Prynce: Twitter – Myspace – Island Def Jam
Prynce Of Jacks (Mixtape)

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