DX: So let me ask the obvious question: Why did you leave?
RV: Man, truthfully...I hated the weather. [Laughs] Nah… that’s one reason, but the main one was the company was already grown and I felt like I wanted to build shit. I felt like I couldn’t make the impact that I wanted to by staying there…So I left… everything.  Everyone said I was stupid…that’d I’d never make it.  I said, “Cool. Watch me.”  So I came back home to Miami.  I actually chilled for like six months because when I was working at Def Jam, I did so much overtime that I was balling. I ain’t never have money, so when I had like $25,000 I was like party time.

DX: So what does "making it" as an A&R mean to you?
RV: Making it to me means first off having enough money to support your family and then some, and having the respect of others in the business to where they fucks with you. It’s so hard to make money in the music business. There are so many people who have no clue.  So if you can make a career out of this-it’s special. I respect all people who do it.

DX: What's your role in T-Pain's career?
RV: In T-Pain's career, most of the time I’m involved in the creative process. The music. I travel with him a lot too, making sure everything is straight.  You know, shows, interviews, etc. I try to keep him focused. I’m also focused on building his label Nappy Boy Entertainment. We have a couple artists about to blow. But pretty much I’m the creative person coming up with ideas and stuff. My partner Mike is the day-to-day dealing with scheduling and with the label, and Dave is business affairs. So we all play an important role in Pain’s career.

DX: It seems like for every T-Pain fan out there there's a hater there too.  Why do you think that is?
RV: Well if there wasn’t haters, you wouldn’t be nothing. But man, hating on T-Pain really pisses me off. People don't realize how talented this guy really is. I honestly have been with everyone and I’ve never encountered someone with so much talent like T-Pain. People don’t realize that this guy produces. He produced his whole album and wrote every single word himself. No help. Nobody does that. All these R&B stars that are in the limelight none of them write their shit. Except Ne-Yo, he’s special too. But Pain writes and produces his own shit like that’s crazy. He has the number one song in the country "Kiss Kiss" that he wrote and produced for Chris Brown and wait till you hear the ones he has coming out. He’s amazing and I'm not being biased. The whole industry realizes it too, that’s why they keep callin me trying to get records. He's a genius, straight up. So it bothers me when people are like, "Oh, anyone can sing through the vocoder." Are you crazy? I can't do it..I’ve tried. If everyone could do it everyone would be stars. He does it for fun. He has songs where he doesn't use it, like “Right Hand” on his album. To me you would think he has vocoder on his voice every time because that’s just how he naturally sounds.  You have to love him. Fuck the haters. Stop writing bad articles about him.

DX: As a manager and an A&R, do you take what other artists are doing into consideration when bringing your creative skills to the table?
RV: Definitely not..I hate being a follower. I want to hear the new shit. I really think that’s the problem with the game right now. People keep following. All the A&Rs are like, “Yo give me a record like 'Buy You a Drank.'” I think it’s hilarious. That's why when people like Kanye come with some new creative shit it sells so much. Biggest CD of the year. 'Cause he takes a chance and doesn’t follow everyday radio. I respect the chance takers.

DX: Kanye West has spoken very highly of T-Pain.  In your opinion, do you have anything else to prove?
RV: Definitely. especially for T-Pain. He’s only got two albums under him and really this last one to me was like his first album because people are now starting to be like, “Damn! Okay, you can’t turn on your radio for more than five minutes without hearing Pain on a song." We want to be legends. We need at least 10 albums to make that impact. Everyone in my camp knows this is just the beginning. For me I just turned 27. All these executives are in their late thirties and fourties. I still have a long way to go.

DX: Word. Tell me about some of the other projects you're excited about.
RV: B.O.B., he’s signed to Rebel Rock [Jim Jonsin’s  label] through Atlantic Records. He’s my first A&R project. It's a little difficult because he’s a superstar, but the label is scared to take a chance. I love him 'cause he’s different. To me I think he’s ready but they want to keep him more street, but that’s not him. I also signed on to manage this kid Ahmad Belvin, who I’m most likely going to sign to T-Pain's label. He’s an R&B singer, another writer who is just amazing. He’s 18. I got a producer Allstar who I just landed a song on Missy’s album and a couple on Flo-rida. He’s 16 with an amazing talent. And a group called Go Dav about the bay. They’re the shit.  Continued on page 3 »