Big Ben

Nach “Up In Yo Yard” mit den Rally Boys und einigen Mixtapes soll in Kürze schon unter dem Titel “Gotta Be Me” das offizielle Debütalbum von Big Ben erscheinen – Don $P im Gespräch mit dem schwergewichtigen Aufsteiger aus Fort Worth, Texas.

Please introduce yourself first to the readers who may not have heard of you before.

Im Big Ben of the Rally Boys. You know, that shit y’all been jamming “Up in Yo Yard” and “Rally World Vol. I”, we them boys Big Ben, Kottonmouf and Jizno, huh.

Where did you grow up and what was it like?

Ft. Worth, Texas a.k.a Funkytown. I came up in the 90s when it was a lot of set trippin and gang affiliations. It was cool, cause cats knew me on that music shit so everything was real playa.

How would you characterize yourself?

Man, I’m a cool laid back cat. I don’t trip on a lot of shit. Give me a freak and some weed and its going down, fo real.

When did you first start rapping?

When I was 13 and got into it more professionally when I turned 19.

What about your musical roots?

Man, I came up on that Face, Ball & G, UGK, Getto Boys, N.W.A, Dre, Ice Cube, and the East and Westcoast shit.

How did The Rally Boys come together as a group?

Jizno and Kottonmouf was already a team when they started on “Rally World Vol. I”, they heard about me from some friends and featured me on the album with the likes of Roger Troutman, Lil Keke, Too Short and more. The rest is history. I met them first in 1999 when they started recording on that album.

What’s going on wit some new Rally Boys heat! “From The Streets 2 Tha Beats” -give us some Information about that project…

Ah you know, we got that new shit dropping “From The Streets 2 Tha Beats” with some baggin’ beats and hot features. We got Bun B, Too Short, Lil Flip, Lil Keke Tha Don, Lil O – man I’m too tired to name the rest. That’s how Rally does it baby.

You’ve released a mixtape in Aug 2005. What’s up with the “Live from Funkytown” mixtape series?

The mixtape series is called “Hard Hood Classics”, it’s a series to promote and let these folks feel what I’m on. The latest was “Live From Funkytown Vol. II” – I’m working on my third as we speak.

Where can those be purchased?

5.000 have been pushed in the streets of the Midwest and the South. You can go online and listen to the whole joint at 3BigEntertainment.com or myspace.com/3big and purchase a t-shirt and get the mixtape free. The t-shirts are them thick ass tall T’s.

Your first solo album “Gotta Be Me” is set to be released real soon – what can expect from that record?

Ah, it’s about me being me expressing myself from my view points and shit around me.

Who is doing the production and who will be featured on it?

Right know it’s Mia X, Twisted Black, 62 from that Chronic 2000 and trying to get a song done with Face. Production is by Base Heavy, Domo and working with some cats out of Cleveland, Ohio named Kickdrums that’ve done five tracks for Ray Cash’s new album and cats from Hartford, Connecticut named OneWay Beats.

Alot of Houston acts have had successful albums in 2005/06. Cham already went platinum! What do you think about the “H-Town/Screwed Up Movement”?

I think its something positive them boys are doing and they paid their dues for years and know they gettin they chance to shine, man aint nothing but luv for them dudes.

You’ve worked with Lil O and some other S.U.C. members like Lil Flip. On May 1, 2006 John Edward Hawkins aka Big Hawk got murdered. R.I.P.! Did you know him? What about your feelings about his death?

I meet him on a few occasions the man had a great spirit about him and it was unfortunate what happened, my condolences go out to the Hawkins family and the whole S.U.C. Let’s stop killing each other and get this money.

What about sign to a major, possibly to enter the mainstream?

Right know Im just trying to stay focused and stay on my grind so when they do come I’ll be ready. So, any majors lookin for some hot shit get at yo boy!

Would you say that your music has the same potential and/or intention behind it?

Fo sho, Im doing major music with out a major budget right now and still grindin’.

I wish you big success for your first solo release – real recognize real! One last question: what do you know about Germany and it’s people. I know you know we fuckin’ wit that lager beer!

I don’t know much about it, but I’ve heard it’s the place to be if you want to have a damn good time and understand it’s a beautiful country and look forward to making a trip over there. So get ready to fuck wit’ me in the 07 – it’s Texas, bitch! Peace!