Fave collaboration (you and someone else) – Teedra Moses, Andre 3000 and 9th Wonder
Most anticipated album of 2007 - Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool
Most influential person in Hip-Hop - Nas, Jay- and 2pac
Fave movie – Malcolm X and The Wood

Repping for Chicago as DX Next artist this week is Add 2. Praised by Chicago’s hometown heroes including Naledge and famed DJ Mike Love as well as songstresses Teedra Moses and Marsha Ambrosias of Floetry, Add 2 has plenty to offer Hip-Hop enthusiasts. Bringing a breath of reality to a stagnant genre is what this lyricist is all about.

HHDX: What encouraged you to start rapping?
Add 2: When I was younger the first group that made me want to rap Kris Kross, no lie; because up until that point I never seen someone who was around my age rap and do it well. Then I heard Jay-Z, Nas, Pharcyde, Tribe and they made me want to write as ill as they could. So I started writing here and there but once I got in Jr. high school my best friend Jeremy kept pushing me to freestyle and rap every chance we could and I started getting a good response and a lot of good feedback every time so I decided to take it serious and see how far I can get with it.

HHDX: How hard is it today for unsigned artists?
Add 2: I think it depends on what type of situation you’re shooting for cause right now it’s probably the best situation it’s ever been to go independent but if you’re looking to get a deal through sending out demos and by chasing the labels you might be going the hard way. Yeah, its hard sometimes getting placement or getting DJs to spin your record or getting people to hit you back and become a priority on everybody’s list, but it also shows you who and what’s real in the industry. Most unsigned artist, and every person around them, believes that if you’re not signed you’re not on, which isn’t necessarily true and even if you got a deal that doesn’t mean you wont get shelved. I know as an independent artist the most annoying question that you constantly get asked "Why aren’t you signed yet?" but I don’t trip anymore, I’m glad that they ask because it lets me know what I’m doing I still good. Labels nowadays know that they can easily find a rapper and if they wanted to manufacture one they could easily do so just like they may do a pop artist. The easiest way to get signed for an unsigned artist is to make the music you love and get the people behind you and let the label come to you, plus they’ll have to get you what you deserve. Continued on page 2 »