A native Lorain, Ohio rapper Cynicus talks with 216thetakeover, about the his recently released project, the 10th wonder mixtape. Hosted by Mick Boogie, with Cynicus rapping over 9th Wonder beats, this is Cynicus second release. Following his debut LP in 2005, Cynicus is looking to stray away from cappin’, and sticking to hip-hop. The words of Cynicus “Put it like this, ‘Shell Toe Adidas, Beat Street, and a Michael Jackson Jacket’, Straight Up!”

216thetakeover: I admire the honesty! Everyone has to go through the learning process, as I am just starting to do. Can you compare the feed back from your first project, to your second?

Click to Download

Cynicus: You are right and I agree, mistakes are a very good teacher.  The album reaction was good because of, how I packaged my product. From the cover, to the quality in productions with 16 good songs. Unlike what a lot artist are bringing to the table out here in Cleveland at that time. All Independent, and out of my pocket. Things like that takes a record label for some. But not Cynnie! Now on my mixtape the feedback is great. I’ve got over 1,000 downloads, and not including the 50+ blogs that it’s posted on, and still growing. I haven’t had a chance to press them up physically but when I do, that’s 10,000 off rip!

Big thanks to Poetry Feen for doing his thing!
I had a great time chillin’, and speaking with you!
Hope to feature you on here again soon.

Jus Mic on WJCU 88.7 with DJ Cripple, Scheme D, and members of Prhymal Rage!

Be sure to check out the Ice bears Tour next Friday at the Phantasy, November 14th.

Check out Paulie Rhyme, Prince Po, and Edreys on their myspace pages.

Jus Mic spoke with Chanel Brooks on z107.9 today about his trip to NYC. From speaking with record label G-Unit, to Sirius radio. This young mans future is most definitely promising big things.

MarkMyWords, is one half of the emcee and DJ duo, “Nature of The Beast“. Residing in the San Diego area of California, MarkMyWords is helping return hip-hop back to it’s original state.  When MarkMyWords is not in the studio, or working, he’s at home spending time with his 2 year old son. Recently releasing their first album together, “Homeland Security“. Lets get to know MarkMyWords, and find out more about “Nature of The Beast“.

216thetakeover.com: Hows everything going?

MarkMyWords: Everything’s cool, just same ol’ shit, working.

216thetakeover.com: I feel that. So how did you, and DJ Sinn hook up to create “Nature of The Beast”?

MarkMyWords: I was in a group with a few emcee’s called “Natural Selection”. We just started running into DJ Sinn a lot, after a while he just merged into the group. When he finally became an official member, the group started to fall a part about a week later. He laid down the scratches on a couple cuts, and it just became an old thing. We started talking about the direction we each wanted to go in, and we both were on similar paths. We started kicking it more, and more. First I laid a few tracks out, and it was going to be an EP. I hit him up, and he wanted to do more with it. Then we started talking, and he became more of a stronger part of the group, until it became 50/50 MarkMyWords, and DJ Sinn. We are trying to bring it back to the old Gang Starr style you know, emcee & DJ.

216thetakeover.com: How long have you been into writing, and recording?

MarkMyWords: Probably about 10 years now. I started when I was in my early teens, but I didn’t record my first track until I was about 18-19. Worked a lot of gas station jobs, graveyard shifts, and stuff like that. I would just write to make time pass, ended up spitting some of those for a buddy of mine, Y-Test. He had the equipment at his spot, and we just took it from there.

216thetakeover.com: That’s a pretty long history. How’s the fan base, and reaction to the sound of the music?

MarkMyWords: Good, good. The crowd is real strong, a lot of groups have merged together through collaborations. There are a lot of people who respond real well to us. It’s a small close knit fan base out here, plenty of room for expansion. I’m sure a lot of kids out here in the skate parks, don’t know how strong the hip-hop scene could be out here. So yeah, a lot more room for expansion.

216thetakeover.com: Is hip-hop dead or a live?

MarkMyWords: There are so many different ways to look at that. I’ve been sitting back, and looking at the way things are today, to find the best way to market myself. It used to be if you wanted to make music, you had to write for so long, save up, and you had to really want it. Now you can just jump on the computer, and lay down a song. It’s so cheap now. There are websites that help you crack a program, where you can lay your tracks down, and mix them. Pretty much now, if you want to rap it just takes 5 minutes to lay down a song. It wasn’t so diluted like it is now, wasn’t as hard to get through to the masses of fans. If I’m out here saying my music is good, that just puts me in a class with 800 billion people. I don’t think its dead, it has just changed into a different kind of beast. It is a lot more diluted, but there are still a lot of hungry talented people, they just getting drowned out by all the other noise going on.

Click to buy!

216thetakeover.com: How are you making a positive impact on the hip-hop scene?

MarkMyWords: I’m trying to support everyone else, especially the ones who I feel have a lot of talent. In the past it’s been like “fuck them, it’s all about us”. If one of my fans say “this guy is dope”. I’m not going to say fuck them, listen to our music. I want everyone to listen to everyones music. Listen to all of us, and just make good judgment in your music. I’m really just trying to make quality music so, it will spread. Maybe other people will starting putting more time into their music. You can sit in the studio for a year, and come out with 400 songs, but really how many of those did you take your time on? I’m just trying to have good content, and good songs. Kind of remind people how music should be. It’s not just smoke a blunt, lay a track down, and call it day. You have to really put that work in, and once the music is done you still have to put work in on the streets. You have to spread it, and at the same time don’t hate on other people who are doing it also. I’m just trying to spread as much love, and music as I can. You have to just go as hard as you can.

216thetakeover.com: What message are you trying to deliver to the public?

MarkMyWords: Just good music, good shows. Something people can collectively get behind. I want to have that album we can push, for a really long time. So in 10 years, I can still have that first album by “Nature of The Beast, Homeland Security” on the merch table. For the next album we are trying to do it even bigger. We are just trying to give em’ good music.

216thetakeover.com: Signed, or Independent?

MarkMyWords: Independent. We just want to make music, and rock shows. We really aren’t looking for a record label or anything. A few A&R’s have approached us, once you look at the paper works it’s like no, you have to be offering us a really good deal.

216thetakeover.com: How would you compare the West, to the Midwest musically?

MarkMyWords: The west coast is always going to have it’s gangster element, from what you see superficially. The Midwest has a lot more of a solid bar for bar structure, where out the bars strike each one kind of like more targeted, you know what mean? It’s like you guys have more of that “Midwest twang” to your melodies. As far as my sound, I’m trying to get that southern California sound out, like from a skateboarding perspective.

216thetakeover.com: Are you familiar with any Ohio artists? Looking to collab with any one from out here?

MarkMyWords: Yeah, Copywrite. We are actually doing a collaboration with him now. I’m always down to do collaborations, as long as their as hungry for it as I am. I’ve done some songs in the past, and that song never goes any where. I did this one track like four years ago, and its still never made it out. I don’t even know where that song is, and it’s made me be like I wont do a collab with just any body. That’s annoying, as long as I see your actually doing stuff then yeah, because if I hit you up for a collab then I actually have goals for that song to go some where. I love collabing with people. Later down the road if a person comes out here, I can line them up with show, we can do the song together, or if I’m in there area, vise versa.

216thetakeover.com: Tell me more about your current project “Homeland Security”?

MarkMyWords: This is the first one that me, and DJ Sinn have done together. It took over 2 years, almost 3 to actually finish the project. I depended on so many people through out recording, after a year the album would come out, and I wasn’t satisfied with the out come. I didn’t like the way it was mixed, or recorded. So with this one I got a recorder, and a mic. I recorded all the vocals, I had to go through all beats. We really did like 80 songs, only recorded about 45-50, and we cut it done to about 25. I had my friend Y-Test, do the mixing, he’s a great engineer. Once all that was done, we chopped it down to 13 songs that actually made the album. After that we had to get the art work done, and figuring out the vinyl. It was a huge learning process. This is the first album that either of us, has done to this level. Everything else we have done has been CD-R’s, slim cases, and mixtape. This one is out debut album, we could have spent another 2 years on it. We our both pretty picky, we would have nit picked everything to the end, but then we wouldn’t have a product out. It’s been out for about 3 months. Any one who is thinking about doing vinyl, I can’t explain how it feels to finally hold my own vinyl. Don’t fall into that just put in on a low grade mp3. It would have stupid for us to not put out a vinyl with DJ, and what we represent. 13 tracks, 3 years, got the vinyl, got the CD. We are going to even bigger on the next we, so we are going to plan that one out. We are shooting for maybe end or 09, or 2010. We haven’t started recording yet.

216thetakeover.com: What’s in store for 2009?

MarkMyWords: Actually, I just talked to a screen printer so, we are getting the t-shirts. We have a few different t-shirts we want to do, I also want to collaborate with some other artists, and do a San Diego t-shirt with all the artist. We are working on putting out a b-sides album. As I told you we did about 45-50 tracks, so we going to take maybe 10-20  of them. Me, and Sinn had crazy fights over which ones are going to make the album.  So there are a lot songs we feel should have made the album but, we didn’t want to put to much on there. So a lot of songs that haven’t seen light are being mixed up for the b-side album, and that will probably drop the first quarter of 09. We are getting to keep doing shows, and pushing out album, but you can definitely expect a lot. We want do full color vinyl next time, probably do a digi pack for the CD. Just keep pushing.

216thetakeover.com: Thanks for taking the time to do this, great music, and I will be looking forward to speaking with DJ Sinn.

MarkMyWords: No doubt, thank you.

Go buy the album if you like what your hear, it’s only $5.50! Don’t be so cheap! The vibe is so you unique, and DJ Sinn is a beast on them turn tables. Go show some love to “Nature of The Beast”, and MarkMyWords.

Nature of the Beast ft. Qwel – All Time Greats

Before the Jus Mic show last night, I was chillin’ at Karl’s house with his friends, and family. I met a man by the name of Maxwell Shell, who happens to be a talented spoken word poet, and hip-hop artist. I, myself have always written poetry to express myself positively. So, having the chance to display one of my all time favorite arts is another goal achieved. The above video, is of a poem titled, Wish Number One. This is a perfect piece for my first poetic feature, listen to the depths of his words. Such ways with words, that paint an image while he speaks. I urge you to check out more of his poetry on myspace. Be sure to see more from him, soon!

By far one of Cleveland’s most slept on artists: Gun-Em, formally Kid Gun-Em of J-Squad.
Residing in Cleveland, Gun-Em is on a fast paced grind looking to rise to the top. Being more than well round, this young man Raps, Dances, and produces his own beats.
Expanding outside of Ohio, Gun-Em is making a name for his self in Iowa, and Indianapolis with club hits such as”Freeze“, and “Hachuu”.

Gunem: How are you doin’?

216thetakeover.com: Pretty good, how about yourself?

Gunem: I’m alright

216thetakeover.com: What inspired the name Gun-Em?

Gunem: It was just a name that came up. My words come out kind of quick so I thought of it as metaphor, like a speeding bullet.

216thetakeover.com: Tell me who Gun-Em the person is?

Gunem: A creative new artist trying to make my mark in this music game. My manager Amanda would say that I am a package deal because I write my own lyrics, dance, and I do 99.9 percent of my own beats. My mind thoughts kind of stretch, one minute I may practice this but in a flinch I might do something totally different that’s even better then what I had in mind. So I’m definitely Creative.

Gunem:I heard them rapping at a park. As a young cat, I told em’ I know how to rap to, they didn’t believe me or nothing. So, I spit something for em’, and they liked it. They didn’t even put me in the group right then, I started my own thing. Fame Entertainment, that didn’t work out either. Then J-Squad lost a member, and put me in the group.

216thetakeover.com: So what ultimately split the group up?

Gunem: I felt like I was being held back, I sing, dance, and rap. When I go to put on a show, I put on a show, not just stand there, and rap.

216thetakeover.com: Since becoming a solo act, how have you developed as an artist?

Gunem: I see more growth now that I’ve got more of an opportunity to show my interpersonal talent. When I was in a group I felt kind of held back no disrespect, but I wasn’t able to show case my true talent in productions, and song writing. Also, when your in a group you cant really say to much because your lines get cut short. Due to the timing of the song so you don’t want your crowd to get bored from a song being 30 min long in exaggeration. Also if we were to do a show I had idea’s and they would never fall through because it’ll have certain movements that the rest couldn’t do. You know? So it kind of made me feel like I’m trapped in a closet like R. Kelly! LOL! Since leaving the group I feel I have grown as a artist, I changed my swag completely in every way. I have a hole new perspective on music right now. My music has more meaning right now, its more of a fun lets get up and dance or joke around happy feel. Then there’s the r&b side that’s real laid back and chill but a lot of people can relate to this music with out being about I’m gon’ beat yo ass, or what hood I’m reppin’. I’m not saying I don’t like that music but I’m gearing more towards a mainstream feel. Where it can get played at a top 40 club, or a hood joint, or urban spot. Id have to say that my manager really helped me develop into the artist I am today.

216thetakeover.com: One word to describe your style?

Gunem: Unpredictable: you never really know what I might hit you with next. Like a hot new R&B song like “Lay Yo Body Down“, or something more mainstream like “Freeze” aka Frooze Like Da Wind, a dance song. Your going to have to wait for that mixtape to drop though.

216thetakeover.com: How did you get into producing other artists?

Gunem: Basically people heard production from my personal songs. I would try to get a song done every week and by the time the weekend came around, I’d go to skating rinks and give my songs to the DJ and get them to spin it. I would go to bars note, I wasn’t even old enough. I would just give it to my one cat who’s name is John. He would give it to the DJ, and I’d just wait outside the door until I heard that Gun-Em tag on the song. People would be asking who I was, who made the beats, it was networking like that. So, it just got out word of mouth.

216thetakeover.com: You’ve done production for Mz. Skittlez, and you have projects going on in, Indianapolis. Tell me about those projects?

Gunem: I produced a track for Skittlez called “Complicated”, I feel the track is different than what she usually does, and is a hot new look for her, along with what she is doing now. I’m also in the studio with her right now working on a remix to a new track on my up-coming mixtape. I look forward to working more with Skittlez in the future. The project in Indianapolis I’m working on, is a track called “the one” with a R&B artist out there named “Tiggy”, who has a large fan base out in the Naptown. I also have a couple tracks in the works in Iowa with a couple artist out there. I just like to network outside of Cleveland, and really Ohio in general whether its making beats, or collaborating on a track. A lot of cats stay just in Cleveland, to actually make it in this industry you got to go outside of your home, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

216thetakeover.com: Can we expect an album, or mixtape?

Gunem: I’m in the works of doing two mixtapes. I plan to release one mixtape, and with in the following three months I plan on releasing the other. I want to release the first one to catch the attention of people in the streets, and hit back to back with the next mixtape with remixes, and a couple newer tracks leading up to my release of my FIRST ALBUM. I have a single that hasn’t been officially released called “Hachuu” and I’m working on The remix with Mz. Skittlez now. So, expect major moves with these two mixtapes coming up, and a lot of collabs also.

Gunem: Thanks for this interview, I see you out here killing the internet with these interviews. Keep it up, about time someone is holdin’ Cleveland down. I wanted to shout out my mom, my son he’s the real kid gun-em, my manager Amanda Birovsek, Mz Skittlez, Rhalmne, Tiggy all the rest of the Cleveland artist doing they thing, but more importantly the people holding me down, and supporting me and everybody else who know ya boy Gun-em.

216thetakeover.com: Can’t wait to hear what you have in store, big thanks for doing this interview!

Gunem: You already know it, thanks again to.

Gun-Em – Freeze

Gun-Em – Lay Yo Body Down

Gun-Em – Fashion Show

Kolgate, a Cleveland native who’s on a steady hustle, and grind.
With 2 previously released albums, Kolgate is preparing do more in the near future.
With songs like “216“, and “It Takes A Village“, Kolgate pays homage to his city, and neighborhood through out his music, while expressing true emotion.
Not your average artist, delivering a unique ‘alternative’, influenced hip-hop vibe.
Lets find out what Kolgate is doing to push forward in this crazy music industry.

Kolgate: Whats up?

216thetakeover.com: Chillin’, and working, how’s everything going for you?

Kolgate: Not to much, just got off of work.

216thetakeover.com: So, where exactly did you grow up?

Kolgate: I grew up in Cleveland, Slavic Village area.

216thetakeover.com: You go deep with the emotion in your music, why so?

Kolgate: I feel like, that lacks in music right now. Especially hip-hop, their are not a lot of rappers that seriously touch base with that now. It’s more about ‘cappin’ especially in Cleveland, and I’m not going to rap about things I don’t have, and haven’t worked to get. So, I’m going to talk about what I do have, and that is my past; my history. That’s the best thing to talk about because I know I’m not lying. All that emotional stuff is real to me, and I feel I can convey that perfectly on a rap beat. All people go through ‘it’ so why not talk about it.

216thetakeover.com :So, what is it that influences you to write?

Kolgate: Day to day, I mean I never really had a strong influence. I just started doing it. It’s something that kind of helped me. I used to write short stories, and a project in school came up to write a song. At the time I wasn’t really listening to a lot of music, just what was on the radio. The song I wrote, happened to be written like a rap, and my teacher made a comment like “oh your gonna be a rapper”. I never really took it as anything, but what encourages me right now, that its a really good way to vent. I could be out being violent but, instead I write it out.

216thetakeover.com: Why should people listen to Kolgate?

Kolgate: People should listen to me because I feel that my music versus other music is like free therapy. It’s me saying things that other rappers might be ashamed to say; like people don’t want that light shined on em’. I’m not afraid to say anything, if it happen to me, it happened. It’s my life, but clearly I’m not the only person in the world to experience certain things. I feel like listening to my music, is a good way to look inside of yourself almost, and say “wow that happen to me two, I’m not the only one”. It’s a good way to experience things through someone else’s eyes as well. Their might be someone in the suburbs, like some rich kid who’s never in his whole life experienced the things I have. Maybe he never even knew about it, until he heard my songs. I feel that’s a pretty good reason to listen to me.

216thetakeover.com: Is hip-hop music, or a culture?

Kolgate: Hip-hop to me is a culture, it always has been. Hip-hop to me is like Eric B., Rakim, B-boyin’, taggin’. Now, you don’t have a lot of that going on, I mean you have cats like Common, and Talib Kweli. It’s not on all MTV, and it’s not what kids are seeing. I think rap is the culture now, because every body is sleeping on hip-hop.

216thetakeover.com: Can you tell me about your most recent tracks?

Kolgate: The last track I did was called “It Takes a Village”. It’s about growing up here on fleet, watching the neighborhood change. When I was younger it was predominately a Polish neighborhood. A lot of old folks, wasn’t really many kids around, it was kept pretty nice. Over time buildings started getting knocked down, and things started changing. Just like in any part of city, just natural progression, and change in a city. I saw a lot of kids, I saw growing up despairing, and moving away… new people moving. I felt like I’ve had some friend who’ve been there with me, through it all, and seen the change. They where feeling the same thing I was, like what happened. This used to be so different, there is so much violence now, so many houses getting burnt down. It wasn’t always like that, and the Ave. is gettin’ a bad wrap, I felt like I needed to talk about that. It’s consistently on the news with happened here, and this there. I just tried to pain a better picture.

216thetakeover.com: Who all is on the production team?

Kolgate: I do a lot of my own production, but I exclusively mess with this one fellow, his name’s Eric. He doesn’t really mess with hip-hop, he’s more of a techno producer. I tell him what I want, and he can do it. He’s just that talented. Most of the stuff you hear on my myspace, I did them myself, some of them where given to me by people who like my music, and said my style might fit their beat, and they’re usually right. I can pretty much rap over anything, I really like classical sounds stuff, with piano’s. No production, just me, and who ever feels like helping me out.

216thetakeover.com: Anyone from the 216 your looking to work with?

Kolgate: I’m looking to work with everybody! I’d really like to do a song with Corey Bapes. I’ve worked with his manger Truth, and did a couple songs at his studio. I like everything he’s put out, I think it’s got a good sound to it. It’s not necessarily the same style of music as me, but I think that’s one of the good things about myself, and Cleveland in general. We are all versatile, it would be a good balance. Also, Young Shank, I like what he’s doing.

216thetakeover.com: What the next step for you, with your music?

Kolgate: I’m in talks right now with an independent record label out of Detroit called Pinegrove Records. They are showing interest in signing me as a solo artist, and also my group act. It’s hip-hop influenced, but it’s comedy. The next step is just getting out there, and doing all of the paper work. With that will come with all of distribution on Itunes, and stuff like that.

216thetakeover.com: Last but not least, how did you end up with the name Kolgate?

Kolgate: It was given to me at South High, in my 9th grade year. The teacher asked what everyone’s nick name was, and I didn’t have one. Out of no where this girl said “I’m going to call you Colgate”, I was like why? She said “because your white like the toothpaste”. I hated it for the whole year, then naturally people would call me that jokingly, and by senior year I loved it. Then when I walked a crossed the stage for graduation, and to hear people yelling it, it kind of hit me then I’m going to go by this from now on. It kind of works, I like it because it calls attention.

Thanks again Kolgate, it was good speaking you.

To all of the true hip-hop heads, looking for a fresh sound. Check out Kolgate on myspace, download a track or, two. Enjoy!

Kolgate – 216

Kolgate – It Takes A Village

A 17 year old young man, who has over came multiple battles. Shifty Play did his first show at Peabody’s Concert Club on, August 13, 2008, I have to say he did good. Multi-talented, not only a rapper, but a producer. Shifty Play currently produces his own music, and has plans in store for the world. Lets get to know the man behind the Soulja Boy Diss “Crank That Shifty Play”.

216thetakeover.com: Who is “Shifty Play”, and how did you get the name?

Shifty Play: Well, I used to be just “Shifty”, I started rapping when I was like 7, and came up with the name in like 9th grade. I heard another rapper is out there with the name “Shifty” already, so we had to change it. I wanted something creative, that kind of described the darker side of me. Play is like more of a meaning, like me.. how I do. Like I play shifty.

216thetakeover.com: Are you still in school?

Shifty Play: Ya, actually I am. I’m in the 11th grade. It’s a big maybe if I’m going to college, because I’m putting my everything into my music. I’m just doing shows, as many shows as I can. Right now I’m exclusively doing them with Peabody’s.

216thetakeover.com: Describe your unique style?

Shifty Play: I feel like I got a newer thing going on, after all this Cappin’ on the radio.  I’d say I’m just real, and hardcore. I feel like my flow is unique, maybe my diction isn’t perfect. I have a different flow going on, and everything I write is hardcore, straight from me.

216thetakeover.com: What made you decide to pursue a career in this business?

Shifty Play: It comes down really to who I have listened to, it started up from them. Like way back when I was really hard into Dr. Dre, Eminem, Lady of Rage,  but now I’m into rock. I’m real big into Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Atmosphere, Stained. I have just a big mixture of artists I listen to.

216thetakeover.com: Your out here independent, how hard is that?

Shifty Play: It’s going a lot better then I thought it was. It’s hard as fuck to get shit together, I’m kind of in a rut when it comes to what songs I’m doing.  All the old shit, like the demo you got was done in my basement. Now I got everything all studio, like if you go on my myspace everything’s been redone.

216thetakeover.com: What are bringing to the table as a new artist?

Shifty Play: In the rap game it’s like you can’t get real emotion out there, everybody’s trying to be like “got money, get hard”. The game ain’t about that no more, we’re evolving again. It’s getting down to real shit. I want someone to hear my song, and feel like I feel, like when I hear Limp Bizkit, take motion from it. Like “that situation happened to me so I get anger when I hear that song” you know what I mean? I feel like I’m bring everything to the table emotion wise, and just hitting it as hard as I can.

216thetakeover.com: Do you have an album in production right now?

Shifty Play: No, right now I keep putting tracks up, like you’ll see some on myspace for a day or, two, and then its. If I don’t like it then I take it down. I do give demos out at every show though.

216thetakeover.com: I must thank you for doing this interview, it was good talking with you

Shifty Play: Your my first interview so I was kind of excited, so thank you!

Check out Shifty Play’s version of Lil Wayne’s A Milli.

I have to say from a personal point of view Mz. Skittlez, and her Ast. Manager Amanda, are fuckin’ great!

Not only a rapper, dancer, and college student, she is just an all around unique, creative person. Winning the 2007 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards “Best Female Artist”, and again being nominated in 2008. Mz. Skittlez being a strong prominent  voice for the Cleveland female artist’s, she is making huge moves out here. Releasing her first album “Controversy: Got My Name Buzzin like a Bee” on Cleveland based “School House Productions” on February 14th, 2008.
Mz. Skittlez has surely created a name for her self with the hit singles “Cappin”, “Callin Me”, and “Taste Like Candy”, receiving air play outside of Ohio: in Atlanta, Georgia  and Indianapolis, Indiana.

216thetakeover.com: What’s good Mz. Skittlez?

Mz. Skittlez: I’m good, how are you?

216thetakeover.com: Pretty good, how did you receive the name “Mz. Skittlez“?

Mz. Skittlez: Kind of funny really, I got the name in high school, a boy hollered get off the football field “skittle head”.  I always had different colored hair, and clothes so that’s how I got the name Mz. Skittlez .

216thetakeover.com: What is your main inspiration for writing, and performing?

Mz. Skittlez: My inspiration is just every day life. Like stuff that I am experiencing, things that my friends are going through. What ever’s going on around me.

216thetakeover.com: What is something everyone should know about Mz. Skittlez?

Mz. Skittlez: My grind right now is in the trillions, I never stop working at all. I’m in the studio right now, finalizing the mixtape “Swag School”. We grind out, we in a different city every weekend, no matter what! I’m a full time student, so it’s not easy, definitely not easy. But I will grind my way to the top because, once it’s given to you, it’s easily taken away.

216thetakeover.com: What makes Mz. Skittlez unique from everyone else?

Mz. Skittlez: My voice, my style, my image. I believe that you don’t have to always be a sex symbol, just for people to hear what you have to say. I often hear that my voice is different, it’s high. My voice is not what everybody expects but, at the same time that’s what makes female artist such as Trina, and Lil’ Kim the  people that they are, they are ledgeds in the female industry. Because of their voices, my voice might be high right now, but when I come out, everyone will get used to it. When they hear me on the radio, or in the club they gonna be like “Oh that’s Skittles right there”. Definetly what makes me different is my style, my style is crazy. I wear today what people start wearing tomorrow. My management knows that I will put on anything!

216thetakeover.com: Exactly what makes your style unique?

Mz. Skittlez: Like a lot of color. I can be real colorful, and then non colorful, sometimes. I started off wearing a lot of red, a lot of my name every where. My name on everything I had, shoes, clothes, that’s what branded me as an artist. Now everyone kind of expects me to wear all the colors. It’s my second year into this, so I have branched out a little bit. I’m trying to be a little more diverse, like you seen at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. I’m sure everybody thought I was going to come out with all these different colors on, and stuff like that. So, I really have branded myself with all the different colors I wear, but I wear a lot of tutu’s, a lot of custom clothing. My hair stays different, my stylist just makes sure that everyone’s looking. That everyone wants to know what I have on, where it came from, and why do I have it on.

216thetakeover.com: So how was it creating the “Summer Jam Expo” mixtape?

Mz. Skittlez: Most of the songs came of my album, or they were features. Me, and Pretty Boy Floyd had got together because I was on the “Indiana Black Expo” promotional tour. When we got together I did some drops, and put his drops on there, and mixed it together. That’s pretty much how that came together.

216thetakeover.com: Your name is making major waves out in the streets, how long have you been working to get where you are now?

Mz. Skittlez: We’ve been working at my image, and name for about two years now. I’ve done music since I was about 9 years old, and look where I’m at now, on my way to the BET awards next weekend. So obviously I’m doing big things. I definitely am the definition of put on for my city, definitely. I go hard, and grind hard no matter what.

Mz. Skittlez At The 2008 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards

216thetakeover.com: You killed it with your performance at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. What inspired the theme? Who did the choreography?

Mz. Skittlez: I just needed to up grade Cleveland. As you seen in the previous performances, it was like a talent show, you know what I’m saying? We really need to upgrade our city. When people come to an award show, the want to see an award. You don’t see Rhianna come on stage, and just perform. Like from me being everywhere, and seeing different award shows. Seeing how an award show is pretty much supposed to be conducted is how I pretty much got my theme. My theme was basically saying I’m in a different country right now, either respect it or check it, you know what I’m saying. We all did the choreography. I did most of it myself, but all of my dancers had input. I was a full time dancer before the music started, I’ve been dancing since a very young age.

216thetakeover.com: Any Cleveland artists you would like to reach out, and collaborate with?

Mz. Skittlez: Definitely, I’m in the process of working with some Cleveland artists that I think are definitely grindin’ in the streets out here. Which would be Young Shank, Young Ray, and Fat Al. I’m working with different female artists in Cleveland on a mixtape now.

216thetakeover.com: Whats next up?

Mz. Skittlez: Right now, I’m on new mixtapes, and I’m trying to figure out what deals we going to associate with. Definitely look out for my new mixtape “Swag School”. Be looking out for me on 106 & Park in up coming months. Like I said, I also have a mixtape coming out with all female artists from Cleveland. I’m working on something with a DJ, by the name of DJ Scream. That’s a project I’m putting out in Atlanta. Just be on the look out, I stay doing charity work, stay doing shows. Coming to a city near. Stay posted on my, myspace page.

216thetakeover.com: Anyone you’d like to shout out?

Mz. Skittlez: First off my family, they support me, and stay behind me. My hair stylist Spitz, my co hair stylist Joe. My Ast. Manager Amanda, she keeps me together. All my dancers, my crew. School house, and the promoters that keep me booked.

Once again I have to thank Mz. Skittlez, and Amanda for their time. It was great speaking with the both of you. Hands down, Mz. Skittlez is about start doing big numbers. That’s a women with a real head on her shoulders. Most definetly go show some love, and support. In the mean time check out a few tracks, and videos.

Mz. Skittlez – Complicated

Mz. Skittlez Ft. Crime Mob – Can U Handle It

Mz Skittlez, DOC Showstappaz, Nessacary, Chevy Blue, Ms Moone – We Run this