DX: Are there any projects you’ve gotten approached about where it sounds great, but you’ve had to postpone it or turn it down because you’ve got too many others going on?
BM: I still plan on doing a project with Pharaohe Monch. Me and him have been going back and forth talking about doing something for a minute. He actually recorded over four or five of my tracks, I was sending him beats after his album came out, plus I’ve seen him at a few of these shows where I’ve opened up for him. That’s a project that I really want to make happen. I’m not sure about his situation with his label and whatnot, or if that project would be an urban legend or not. That’s something I really want to tackle, but I’ve got to wait till I get some of this other stuff knocked out.

DX: You’re working on a lot, and you put out Caltroit online for free download. The industry is known for exploiting talent and hunger like that without a paycheck, so how do you plan to combat that?
BM: These projects, there’s money involved, believe that. [Laughs] I don’t really do stuff for free. These projects, it’s cash involved. You can still make your money even if you’re on the so-called underground level, or independent level.

DX: You’ve gotten a lot of critical acclaim. Do you think it’ll require a major label push to balance that out.
BM: Yeah, man, I do. I’m just trying to figure out how am I going to be on a major label and still do what I do? Where are we going to meet in the middle? … I know they’re going to want certain things that I might not feel, on some mainstream, commercial type shit. I have to figure out, what can I do to still give them what they want, but still do what I do without having to compromise too much. So when that time comes, it’ll come, but I think a major will definitely help me go to that next level. The good thing about a major, if any, you know your CD is going to be in stores everywhere, for people to see.

DX: Have any major labels come at you yet?
BM: Yeah, a few tried to holla at me. It’s funny, a couple of labels had tried to holla at me before I even got my Fat Beats deal. But now, they’re recognizing [pauses] I’m on their radar, basically. A couple of them know my situation, but they’re like, “Keep us in tune to what you’re doing.”

DX: Michigan has had a really big year in terms of hip-hop, but I think that you, more than any other artist, have been able to expand really well. You’re still in the D, but you’ve got joints with Sean P, Bishop Lamont, Lloyd Banks. Do you think that you’ve been able to diversify your sound itself, or just that your sound is easy to adapt to?
BM: I don’t think my sound is one-dimensional, especially when it comes to the production side. I feel like I can do any style of music. You want a commercial beat? Here you go. You want an R&B track? Here you go. You want some dirty, underground stuff? Here you go, I can do it all. So that gives me an advantage over other artists—not just in the D, but just other artists period—because I’m an emcee, plus I produce, I produce well. So certain crowds are just going to take my music and take me in just because of that. So I kind of got an advantage with the beat thing. That’s the only reason I can think of right now that’s separating me from other people that are doing their thing, from out the city or anywhere else. I’m not just an emcee.

DX: I’m from Saginaw, so I’ve got to end this off on a Michigan note. If you got to record your fantasy track with three Michigan rappers, who would they be and why?
BM: Just a track? Or an album?

DX: [Laughs] Fuck it, either/or.
BM: To tell you the truth, that fantasy track or project is kind of in the works, man. You made me remember, I forgot all about it. it’s another one of those projects where somebody gave me the idea and both of the artists are down with it, but we’re taking on so many projects that I’ve got to put it on the backburner for a little bit. But, Royce Da 5’9” and Elzhi. I consider me as that third person. I’m not even trying to come close to the mic with those two dudes. Those two guys are the best emcees, not even from Detroit, but in the game period.

DX: It’s crazy, it seems like Michigan artists are working together more than they ever have in the past.
BM: Yeah, they have. I feel like everybody put what little things they had against each other aside now. Now it’s all about Detroit winning. Especially after Dilla passed and Proof passed, I feel like everybody’s on that page right now. We’ve got to work together if we want to win. Those were the two dudes that were really about Detroit winning, two pioneers of Detroit Hip Hop, easy. Without them here…like children without their parents, you’ve got to figure out that way to come together and make that shit happen, and live and win. So that’s what I think everybody is on right now, just having Detroit win. So that’s a good thing, man. I’m definitely feeling it.