Did you always dream of being a hip hop star?

When you're a kid you dream of being lots of things, from fireman to movie star to hip hop star. I know I definitely want'ed to do something that would attract attention!

But was hip hop something you did when you were little?

It's like a way of life. You try to write rap when you're younger, y' know. Ii was writing rhymes, just playing around. I think that's where it started. 

You were chucked out of four schools when you were a kid. Was getting in trouble part of the whole scene?

Yeah, yeah, I was definitely gettin' in trouble. My hood was real wild, we had gang activity all were my whole block.

How did you get away from it?

Well, I was dead smack in it for a minute, y'know? And that's what took me away from the whole base ball project (Nelly could have been a pro baller), being around that kinda environment. So after getting in trouble a few times, I needed to do something, and rap was there for me.

You put St. Louise on the music map, like Eminem did with Detroit. Two young rappers with similar backgrounds - how come your styles are so different?

In the end it's your life, and it's how you choose to live and how you speak in your music, and I think Eminem's chosen to use his music as rebellion - and he makes it hot! I just choose to use mine for celebration, but that doesn't mean I'm dissin' anyone else's style.

You've been in trouble before, but, unlike Em', you've moved on...

Yeah, but it's still there. I might reflect on it every now and then and do a song or something, and it's definitely something I'm not afraid of telling people about... y' know what I'm saying? Rap got me out of all that, but I will let you know about it.

Em's got D12, you've got your hip hop homies the St. Lunatics...

We're all old friend and it keeps my feet on the ground. So if I am getting big headed, they're getting' big headed, hahaha! We got the first St. Lunatics album coming out, and it's a group album, but every one does individual albums as well. Murphy Lee is different from Nelly, Big Lee is different from Murphy, Kyjuan is definitely off the rack!

 
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