He’s seen it all: shiesty business dealings, family turmoil, prison, and almost death. Now independent rapper Streetz wants to take us on the journey with him, from his struggle of coming up out of the most terrifying areas of the Caribbean, where shootouts and all-out war were the norm, to coming to the U.S. with nothing but a bag and a dream. Streetz, CEO of Street Value Entertainment, is now working towards pulling off his next dream: becoming the biggest rapper to ever come out of Atlanta.
Everyone is screaming and my grandmother and sisters are crying. We manage to wrestle the gun free right as the police arrive and my mother collapses inside the grey Cutlass Supreme parked in the driveway.
Tale of the Streetz, Part 2:
It was somewhere around 7 p.m. Everyone was sitting in the living room. My mother was fixing my sister’s hair, my uncle was on the phone being the mack that he is, my grandmother was talking that "God is so good talk" like she always did, my other sister was sleep and I was sitting there observing like I always did. Can't really remember what was the joke but we was all laughing. Maybe if we hadn't let down our guard for that split second, we would have seen the assailant's shadows moving around the house.
BAM!!! BAM !!!!BAM!!!!
Within what seemed like the blink of an eye, three shots went off: One shattered the sliding door as the assailant jumped through--and in what appeared like some shit out “The Matrix,” the other two went into my mother's chest followed by three more shots from what would be later identified as a .357 gun. My mother throws my lil sister in the air and gets up fighting back. I jump on this motherfucker and my uncle jumps on da dred.
Everyone is screaming and my grandmother and sisters are crying. We manage to wrestle the gun free right as the police arrive and my mother collapses inside the grey Cutlass Supreme parked in the driveway. Police, ambulances and neighbors are everywhere and as my mother is being taken away into the ambulance she looks to me and mumbles, "You the man now. You hear me? You the man now.”
It’s funny because I remember that shit like it was yesterday--standing there with blood all over my shirt and pants, and my heart beating fast as shit.
That memory was just one of many that made me STREETZ and motivates me to become the best and achieve the impossible. Those words still echo in my head everyday: "YOU DA MAN." And it's something I try push to my entire team because we them boys out here now. Fuck who feels different.
Being a CEO/artist comes with a lot of hats to wear but until the right label comes along to partner with us and understand my vision, brand, and importance to not just hip hop, but the Caribbean (being one of the first to be involved with hip hop music in this generation, I'm like the first real nigga to touch down in the world of hip hop).
With my island style mixed with southern feel, I have a unique situation and my own lane and story. That's what's missing right now in hip hop: A TRUE STORY.
I love being creative and being involved in each process — from the making of a beat to the editing of a video. It actually drives me to want to do and learn more because that approach is what has allowed me to be successful in life so far and will allow me to exceed expectations in this music industry. I look at this studio shit as release time. I guess that's why I record so much: because I got a lot to get of my chest.
I feel at home in the studio. It's a crazy feeling to create a record that has an effect on somebody else. I remember working with NITTI and he would always say, "With your work ethic, hustle and talent, you about to take this game by storm and lock it down."
In da islands, we have an expression that says, "THE VIBE SET STILL." Basically, when everything is going according to plan or lining up perfect, it's normally a reply to how everything is coming. Well, right now it's way beyond just "THE VIBE IS SET." We right there and the labels are paying a lot of attention. This is not about the money anymore (been there, done that).
It's about the endless possibilities that can come with this business and the other areas we can invade and conquer. I believe strongly that the best is yet to come because the worst is behind me. My life has always been real so my music has to be a reflection of that reality. I strive for people to get to know me through my music and share those feelings with me as I show my flaws, strengths and weaknesses. I call it theme/timeless music to peoples' lives.
I'm not a rapper (says anything in the booth so lines can rhyme — he just trying to get a hot song but they quickly disappearing, watch). I'm more of an artist (paint pictures with his life that is able to relate to others).
Fuck it, according to the people, I’M A MOVEMENT. Let the old heads tell it. I'm on some prophet shit and this just the beginning. I guess my shit stirs up so many emotions out of others because if they didn't go through it, they know someone who did. No matter what happens from this point, I've already made history putting the Caribbean on my back and making it this far (I love being a island boy). And I know we have a long way to go as a company and I have a long way to go as an artist.
I'm smiling but I think we gonna be alright having the support of the hood, DJs, publications and the internet (Fuck, a nigga close to 3 million plays on MySpace). We in the starting process of shooting this movie. I love directing shit because I know how I want my music and videos to look and feel. I'm just recapturing memories on film and tape. I never wanted to be just an artist but more of a brand and with STREET VALUE ENT using the same blueprint set by ROCAFELLA, BAD BOY, NO LIMIT and DEATH ROW and accomplishing what we have in less than two years, you can do one of two things: BELIEVE NOW OR HATE LATER.
I'm a boss before this music and will be one after this music because unlike most of these artists, I was doing shit before music was ever involved and no fucking marketing team at a label made my life. Trust, these niggas so fake you don't even know…
Anyway, just saw Jay-Z do a deal for $150 million and T.I. beat his case, so this was a good couple weeks for niggas. And as one wins, we all do. I was told that I would be dead or in jail but now look at the haters. Even they are now admitting that I'm next up for rap elite.
It’s funny because I remember that shit like it was yesterday--standing there with blood all over my shirt and pants, and my heart beating fast as shit.
After my mom was hit five times, she was supposed to die, according to the doctors. But it's 2008 and she walks around in great shape with shells still in her as a vivid reminder and motivation to never listen to what people say you can't do because you control your destiny. With a tattoo of GOD'S PLAN right above my heart, it's a constant reminder to fuck another man's opinion. It has been written for me already to be the best.
Call radio stations and request the music and check it out at WWW.MYSPACE.COM/IAMDASTREETZ or contact us at streetvalueent@gmail.com.
You can also pick up a copy of the new mixtape DA SUPPLY, featuring JAY-Z, PLIES, DJ TOOMP, NITTI, KAY SLAY, DJ DRAMA, MEAGAN GOOD and E-40, there for FREE.
If you're dealing with adversity, trust it's gonna get better. Look at my life.
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