Imagine how difficult it would be to emerge as a rapper from a market that’s only known for its sponge-harvesting industry. Tarpon Springs, Florida is inhabited with just over 20,000 thousand people making it much less than a blip on the rap industry’s radar. But these are the circumstances that rapper, 2Pistols, had to overcome—along with his previous life in the streets—in order to land where he is today. His track “She Got It” is already making its rounds on urban music charts and it’s a strong possibility you know his track but you don’t know him. Garnering not only attention from record behemoth, Universal, 2Pistols landed a deal with the label. It may be time to get familiar with 2Pistols.

Life Before Music: "Hustling…I get money. I used to do a little music here and there. I did the school thing somewhat. I actually made myself go to school and get good grades. I didn’t have a mom or dad pushing me. I used to play sports too. I played football to take my frustration and anger out from not having no money by just playing ball and focusing on that. At the end of the day though, music was always there. I had music there to say what I wanted. It’s just me speaking into a microphone; nobody could respond. It’s just me."

Growing Up In Tarpon Springs, Florida With "Crabs In The Bucket": "Where I’m from, no one has ever done the stuff I’ve done. I figured that being from the area [I’m from] I thought cats would respect that. Some of them do and some of them don’t. The ones that don’t [respect what I’m doing], it’s because I left them pretty much doing the same things they used to do (hustling) and I don’t have to do that no more. They don’t like that I can go buy whatever I want to buy. It’s a lot of jealousy where I grew up. When you’re on the same level as them buying old schools, rims and TVs and riding around with no where to go—the city is only about five miles long, a real small city—or you trying to fuck so and so from 'round here, everybody’s happy with that. But when I started getting some real money and getting these model bitches flying in from Miami to kick it with a nigga, they started looking at me like I’d changed. It’s like crabs in the bucket."

On Coming From A Place Where No Market Exists: "My grind…my hustle…a lot of cats didn’t get on like me. I don’t know what their story was but I really had to get out here and make cats pay attention to me. I don’t know what Plies or Brisco did but if I came from Miami I think it would’ve been a lil’ bit easier. There are no Slip-N-Slide's or Poe Boy where I came from. I came from nowhere. I come from a market that nobody’s camp comes out of. You ain’t never heard of nobody coming out from where I’m from."

What Separates 2Pistols From The Other Florida Artists Poppin’ Right Now: "I want to say…some artists - and I’m not gon’ say their names or nothing, but what they talking about is not what they 'bout and where they’re saying they from is not really where they from. It’s like T.I. said, 'Y’all better start checking these cats’ resumes.' A lot of cats are strictly doing music. They didn’t really come from that so when they’re placed in certain situations in this music industry I don’t think they’ll be able to make the proper decisions that decisions I’m going to make. I’m making that decision based off of what I actually been through. But basically, I’ma tell them how I feel from my streets and I don’t think they have that element behind them."

The Lead Up To Inking The Deal With Universal: "Before I went in [to prison], I was planning on putting out my own music. So when I got out of jail, I started thinking I got to do something. But my mind was focused on local shit. I had dropped out of school to take care of my daughter when I was younger, so I didn’t have a degree. What the hell could I do? I just needed a second chance in life to get out of this situation. [The cops] were coming at me [while I was in jail] everyday trying to give me 15 years, 30 years…just everyday saying, 'So and so said this and if you don’t say this you’ll be locked up forever.' It was just a lot of drama, but I got out on this probation house arrest shit. So I had my second chance and I hustled. I didn’t know anything else. I had to do what I had to do during the day and on the side, I had a cleaning service. When I got my money up, I started promoting. I wanted to bring someone big out to the city to get my name up. So, I put some shows together and [when they were promoting the shows] I’d have them say, '2Pistols performing live with T-Pain' or '2Pistols performing live with Fat Joe' on the radio spots. So I built relationships with the artists and deejays. Then people started hearing my name on the radio and they didn’t even know what I looked like. Then they’d see me open up for whatever major artists I’d bring to the city." Continued on page 2 »