Freeway: Showing �em The Way

If 50 Cent is hip hops version of LeBron Jamesyou know, the top pick here to save the game one magazine cover at a timethen Freeway is Carmelo Anthony. The talented Syracuse forward is super nice with the rock, and if all things go accordingly, his name will likely be the second one called by NBA commish David Stern in Junes draft. Much like with Ant, Freeway will have to get from under someone elses shadow in order to make it in the industry. That aint nuthin new for the young man from North Philly though. Hes already managed to step out of Beans and Hoves humongous images. The squeaky-voiced MC can thank solidif not stellarverses on Jays 1-900-HUSTLER and Roc the Mic for the attention. Now that the release of his full-length debut, Philadelphia Freeway, is finally upon us, the 23-year-old father of two cant wait to make even more of a name for himself. Hiphop DX is more than happy to oblige, so with the second pick of the 2003 draft, the rap industry selects

It seems we grind to the bottom just to make it to the bottom. Free, what do those words mean?
Man, thats a whole hour right there. It seems we grind to the bottom just to make it to the bottom is the story of my fuckin life and everybody around me. Its like, where Im from, niggaz is trapped in the hood, stuck. Niggaz cant get out. The only way out the hood is on some music shit or some basketball shit or super smart. But the majority of niggaz aint super smart. When you hustle, one minute youre upyoure eating, making moneyand then [all of a sudden] the cops grab you and youre right back at the bottom. And thats just one example of the situation. I can go on and on. I meant so much when I said that.

Free, youre on BET, making money now. When you pass people on the block nowadays, what do you say to them?
I tellem to just watch they self. You gotta be on point when youre out there on them streets cuz its crazy. Dont nobody care about nobody on the streets. Everybody tryin to get a dollar. Everybody worried about they self. Everybody tryin to feed they family. Its similar to the music game. The only difference is you could go to somebody [on the streets] if they dont got your money right. In the music game its not like that. In the music game, if somebody does something to you, you just gotta take it. You cant really do nuthin about it unless you wanna get sued.

Is rapping your only source of income now?
See, Im still developing. I aint even dropped an album yet and I get anywhere between $10 and $15,000 a show. Im eating but I want to expand my horizons. Im trying to go to film school. Im looking into some real estate. I know rap isnt the only thing cuz I dont know no rich rappers. You dont get rich from rap. Hove rich from rap, but he got clothing lines, he got vodka. You dont get rich from rap. Its probably like three or four rich rappers. Its a hustle. Youdont really make money off your albums. You make money from your shows. You gotta put yourself out there so you can be popular. Thats where you get your money fromthose shows and those appearances. Its such a game.

The situation is dead serious over in Iraq. What are your feelings about a potential war?
I think its the last days. I think people gotta do what they gotta do. They gotta get their money so they can take care of their families cuz its crazy. Every other day something is happening. Were about to go to war, man. Its war out here on these streets.

Philadelphia Freeway was supposed to drop last summer. What kept you so resilient from then up to now?
It was a lot of stuff going through my mind. In the music game, things dont happen when they say theyre going to happen. A lot of stuff dont happen when its supposed to. It just made me strongerThe world is going to hear what I got to say when the album comes out. I was never frustrated cuz I was around my family, the Roc.

When you really talk about albums of the year, you gotta put Nas God Son up there. Have you peeped it?
I didnt hear the whole thingIt was alright. Im a critic. Nas is alrght right now. Hes just aiight. Im a keep it raw with you. Settin aside the Jay-Z/Roc-a-Fella/Nas beef, from my point of view, Nas is alright right now. Nas used to be the shit! Nas used to kill shit. He used to pick better beats. Its just not the same. Its not Illmatic.

How big has Mr. S. Carter been on your life?
Hes so influential. Being in the studio with him, being around him with everyday life. Hes just a big influence on my life. When you talk to Hove, youre going to get something out of it. Everything he does is like a lesson for us. He be tryin to school us with everything he say. You just gotta be on point when you talk to him.

Im sure hes given you advice on handling the games temptations. But how has your spirituality helped you in the bizness?
With everything, you have your good and your bad. You got things youre supposed to do and things youre not supposed to do. I think about that and just stay focused.