RAGO MAGAZINE INTERVIEW (UK MAGAZINE)

RAGO MAGAZINE INTERVIEW (UK MAGAZINE)

RAGO MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

(ONLINE MAGAZINE) – WWW.RAGOMAGAZINE.COM

JOHN SPORTIN from Brooklyn, New York

What part of New York are you from and what's it like living there?

Ok well I'm from Brooklyn, NY from the Brownsville section and it's basically like every other hood in America there's drugs, violence, poverty, crime. But I love it, because that's what I know and that's what I've been living in all my life and it made me who I am today.

To date what have you released and what's the vibe been like on your music in the US?

I'm actually gearing up to release a street album in a couple of months. I get allot of good reviews and feedback from people, what's shocking to me is that even some rappers have positive things to say, and I know allot of rappers really don't want to say another rapper is good but I've been getting positive feedback from everyone out here, from all regions. Allot of people have been requesting a CD, If you visit my website and look at the guestbook I get questions all the time about a release date and where they can get a CD from so that will be released soon. I want to say early Oct.

Every man and his dog is doing a mixtape these days. Do you have any planned?

Yeah the street album is going to be considered a mixtape in some people eyes, but I didn't want to go the traditionally way of trying to create a buzz, so that's why I'm not doing 100 mixtapes like most artists are. I'm just going to supply everyone with good music with this CD, all original songs.

Why do you think mixtapes are so popular with New York artists?

Because it's seen as the only way to create a buzz. We all know how vital a buzz is for your career so that's why allot of rappers go to the mixtape route to get the buzz.

Why don't they press up mixtapes properly in boxes with 4 page artwork etc like they do in the South and The West Coast?

I believe that the east coast is not as supportive to a new artist like the south and the west coast is. In the south someone can just start making Cd's, package it up nice, and people will be there to support it, the same thing in the west, out here on the East Coast. You either have to have a "big name dj" hosting your mixtape or a signed rapper co-signing you before even get noticed.

So what DJ's out there are giving ya love?

Wow... it’s a lot it will be unfair just to point out a few but, the ones that stick out is Dj Biggie, Dj Big Dave, Dj One shot deal, Dj Finesse (Bad Boy's Ent Dj), Dj Lex and a lot of others been showing me a lot of love.

Your style is reminiscent of Biggie. Has anyone ever mentioned this before?

Yeah I've got that allot when I was younger even when BIG was alive, people been telling me that that is just how my voice and my accent is. I don't try to go in the booth and sound like BIG or anything like that; I just go in and try to make the best music that I can.

Do you plan to work on an album?

Oh yeah right now I've been recording allot of songs, I think since 2006 started and were in August right now I have close to 300-350 songs on stash so me and my team will be able to pick the best songs for a album.

How does your production?

I have a crazy in house production team so I'm always laced with the hottest beats, my main producer The Great Zee gives me allot of hot stuff, so do Charackta, Audio Crack and Rob Green.

What's your biggest achievement in the music industry to date?

Just gaining the attention of allot of majors and producers in a short period of time. And accomplishing my daily goals and exceeding my limits.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Just wanna send love to everyone that supported me from day 1, because it definitely helped me out and the haters where would I be without you guys... you guys are truly motivation to me the street album will be out within two months it's going to be crazy.
Check my website for more info on that (www.johnsportin.com) and I just wanna say that, I promise to continue to hit you guys with the joints you want to hear that real hip hop and not the fabricated sh*t.