By Sirion
Sewell
This is
Gotti, one half of the R. Kelly protégé rap duo, Boo&Gotti,
turned new Cash Money team, coming straight out of the
rugged streets of Chi-Town. Educate yourself!
S: We
know you as Gotti but what’s your government name?
G: Mwata
Mitchell (The M is silent)
S: How
old are you?
G: I’m in
my early 20’s
S: Do you
have any children?
G: Yeah,
I got a daughter, I love her, she’s my only child.
S: Where
are you from?
G: The
West Side of Chicago.
S: Do you
still live there?
G: Yep, I
still live in Chicago and I’m gonna stay there until I
leave.
S: What
was it like growing up in Chicago?
G: Wild,
crazy, fun. I met a lot of people, crossed a lot of paths,
did a lot of bad, learned a lot of good. It made me the
person I am today. I learned a lot from my mom and my dad,
my mom and I are real close. I had my 2 brothers, my
sister, my family, ni**as from off the block, I looked up to
a lot of them. I looked up to my uncles and cousins who
were hustling for cash, so that’s what I wanted to do, they
were my role models.
S:
Growing up, what was your dream job?
G: Well,
I’ve never had a real job in my life, I’ve hustled since I
was 13 years old. I don’t glorify that, I’m just saying,
all the wrong I did, made me who I am now, I’m stronger. I
wouldn’t go back to that. I don’t judge people I let ‘em do
that, cause you never know what people go through until you
walk in their shoes. I did it to get what I wanted, I had
my own car when I was 14 and I never looked back. I was
driving when I was 15 and had my own home when I was 18.
So, I’m young but I’ve been around, it’s like I’ve been here
before, I’ve done a lot.
S: What
is the most important thing you learned from the streets?
G: Save
your money. Value who you got around you and make sure
they’re straight, that way, there wont be no kidnappings, or
breaking into your house, or jealousy, or envy because those
are your friends. If you got it and they don’t have it,
they envy and they’re jealous of you. Keep all of the stuff
that ain’t right away from your house, keep it away from
your daughter, you mom and your real family. Keep that from
them and don’t ever mix the two. That’s the most important
thing I learned. Also, close your mouth, don’t talk over
the phone, and don’t snitch. If you're doing something you
don’t have any business doing, accept it like a man, man up,
if you want to be a man at a young age.
That's what I learned.
S: Who
are your favorite music artists and who are your musical
influences?
G: I like
a lot of guys: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed, Marvin Gaye, Al
Greene, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Tupac, Biggie, Big Pun, Jigga,
JaRule, Big Tymers, Weezy, Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, Run
DMC, N'sync, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Ashanti, Amerie, Mary
J. Blige, Toya, Xscape, Aaliyah, TLC…I'm feeling all of
Chicago. There are a lot of influences; I like a lot of
people as far as Pop, R&B, Rock and Roll, and Hip-Hop. I
like everybody. I love music period.
S: How
did you hook up with R. Kelly?
G: I
hooked up with R. Kelly when I was hustling in the streets.
I had gotten locked up and I got
out.
Basically, I got a second chance. I beat my case. I hadn't
been rapping in 90 days and the money I made before I went
in, I invested it in getting different producers and artists
from the Chi and I put them on an album. I didn’t really
shop my album, I just put it together. I had like 50,000
CD's, 25,000 tapes and I sold like 18 or 19,000 copies in 7
major cities and within three months R. Kelly gave me a
deal. Boo had been with him six or seven months prior to
myself and then he put us together, made it happen and here
we are.
S: What
is it like working with R. Kelly and what have you learned
from him?
G: He's a
musical genius. He taught me a lot like, just the will to
stay in the studio. I don’t know anybody who stays in the
studio longer than him. He got a nice big house and company
but he lives in that studio, everyday, all day. He got the
will power, the hunger and he writes and produces for a lot
of people. He taught me a lot about this industry. I
stayed out of hustling and the crime of the streets by being
in the studio. I got a lot of ideas from him. I was a
sponge around him; I soaked up all the game. I appreciate
it and I respect him a lot.
S: What
is an average day like for you?
G: My
average days have been like…well, I haven't had too many
average days for a few months. We've been on tour, in
different cities. Everyday you wake up in a different city,
check into a hotel, do the radio station interviews-let 'em
know where the after party is gonna be and pump up your
album, go do the show, after that, an hour of meet and greet
with the fans, then you go back to the hotel and then to the
after party. Then you go get your stuff, put it on the bus,
and then the same thing happens in the next city. Like with
Cash Money, weather its appearances, or just vibin' with
them in the studio we’re always busy. So when I have free
time, and when I'm not in the studio (which I usually am)
because we've been so busy working with a lot of people on
remix's and what not, I play the PS2. Boo just taught me
how to play that a couple of months ago, so now I got
something to do when were not working on our album or other
people's projects. I also like to spend my free time with
my daughter, moms, family, play basketball, play arcade
games, just chill and watch movies. I go out so much, so
when I get free time I just chill. When I'm at home and I
get a couple of days, I holla at my homies in the
streets-still doing they thing and let 'em know I haven’t
forgot about 'em. I don’t do it, I don’t participate but
the love is still there. I came up with them, they been
with me when I wasn’t nothing so I still go back to the
block but I'm smart. I pattern my moves and everybody plays
their role on my block.
S:
Growing up, did you ever image that you would be
famous…playing venues, on television, in magazine and on the
radio?
G: No not
in my wildest dreams. I never even really started rapping
until '97-'98. I never even thought about that. I never
had a job, so my career was just hustling and trying to get
ahead. I ain’t gon' say "hustle", that's the wrong thing
but everybody hustles in whatever they do. It’s a hustle if
you got a 9-5 corporate job whatever it’s a hustle. I never
thought though. When I first saw myself on the "I Wish
(Remix)" video with R. Kelly, as hard and as tough as I am,
I cried because I was so happy and excited. I was like,
"whoa!" There were people telling me I wasn’t gonna be
here, I was gonna make it until 20. Then my mom told me
when I was locked up, "I thought you would be right here
where you're at or either dead." So that really woke me
up. I just thank God I put him first in whatever I do.
S: Do you
have any crazy fan stories?
G: Man,
there are a lot of crazy stories about crazy fans. When our
crew goes to the mall or to the movies they all come holla,
especially after the video. Like, 2-3 months after the
video came out they all were knowing' us. Out of about
every 20 people, 10 of 'em will come over and say
something. It's a lot of love. Sometimes I'm tripping.
When we be eating, they be bringing the phone up, "say hi to
my such and such." It's crazy, I be bugging. And then
they'll be like, "can you touch me?" Some girls be like,
"just kiss me or hug me." They're crazy but I don’t mind
because they make us who we are and they buy our records.
One girl followed the tour bus for 12 hours we went from
Atlanta to New York. She followed the bus that long to say
that she needed my phone number. I was like, "man!"
S: Tell
me about you and Boo's album.
G: The
album is going to be titled: Perfect Timing and it'll be
coming out on July 22, 2003. The first single from the
album is "Ain’t it Man" featuring Lil' Wayne. We did some
tracks with Mannie Fresh and the Cash Money crew, of course,
Irv Gotti, Kanye West from Chicago and Jazze Phae so we got
some hot production. When Slim and Baby signed us, they put
us out there and said whoever yall wanna work with, we're
behind yall so do yall thing. They support us so I really
got a lot of love and respect for them. A lot of people
don’t get to kick it with their CEO's and bosses like that.
I put friendship to the side when were working and I respect
then as a CEO and I'm an artist. I play my role. You gotta
be humble, once your stop being humble and stop trying to
help people, that’s when the blessings stop. I'll always
continue to do that no matter how much paper I get.
S: When
did you and Boo sign with Cash Money?
G: We
signed with them about a year and a half ago. You know, we
were with Rockland Records and Kelly had to stop his label
because he wanted to focus more on putting out his album and
writing for people and producing. It was too much on him.
But he had all good intentions with us and we still got a
beautiful relationship. We had a good relationship with
Baby and Slim about a year or so before that and we would
holla at each other and they said you can come over here,
yall ain’t gotta go nowhere. Baby said,
"Have your lawyer call our lawyer." It was business, I
respect that, especially with black people because sometimes
we can get it twisted and tangled but once we put business
first and then save the friendship and other stuff for
later, its all good. I respect that a lot. So, yeah…we got
with them. It's been a lot of work but we've been doing our
thing. It's fun too but its a lot of work, we gotta make
sure our family and friends have what they need. They get
what they want, that's why we do it.
S: Of all
things, why did you pursue rapping?
G: Just
to escape the hood, escape death. I think I was chosen, I
don’t think it was just all me, I think God chose me to do
it, because I have a real testimony, a real one.
S: What
can we expect from Perfect Timing?
G: We
will not be 1-Dimensional. We hit the streets, we hit
what's real-reality or (reality to us). I hit the father's
club, we got club bangers, and we love the ladies so we do
something for them and also something for the regular,
conservative, everyday people. We’re not 1-Dimensional, I
think we hit all the bases and then serious matters like
life and death. So, on our album you’re going to get a lot
of versatility, were not 1-Dimensional.
S: Did
anyone teach you to rap or did you just develop your own
style?
G: I just
developed my own story…like I said I was blessed, and I was
chosen to do this. It isn’t anything I practiced.
S: What
can someone expect to receive from a performance by Boo&Gotti?
G: Man,
we are hype. I’m a little hyper than Boo because Boo is
more laid back and chillin’. I’m real hyped at all times I
gotta natural high too. It be hyped on a good show because
we put our all into it, me and Boo give 150%.
S: What
is your relationship with Boo like?
G: That’s
my dawg, he’s the brother I never had. I got two real
brothers but I look at Boo as my brother too. He’s family,
I’ll go all the way out for him.
S: What
other aspects of the entertainment industry would you like
to get into?
G:
I’ll probably get into producing but right now I’m trying to
master this craft and then maybe acting. I got a few people
that are trying to get me into a couple of movies, I’m
thinking about taking that up, but one at a time for now.
I’m gonna take my time, I’m not trying to do too much. I
can’t wear too many hats, that is how some people mess up.
S: What
do you think you bring to the rap game?
G: I
think I bring a lot of realness, I think I bring negative
and positive at the same time. I think I bring positivity
after I talk about the negative, then after that I’mma let
you know what’s goin on. I’m just trying to touch lives
like mine has been touched. So I think I bring something
big to the table. I think me and Boo as a whole bring
something big to the table because it’s really “we” ain’t no
“I”. I think we bring it big for the fathers, the ladies,
the teenagers, the girls and the crossover crowd, I think we
touch ‘em all. Not just because its us but I really listen
and pay attention to music and I think everybody is gonna
feel us. Don’t be surprised if we go diamond, I’m not
talking about platinum. We gon’ double team ‘em. Diamond!
S: What
is your favorite color?
G: Black,
red, and white. When it comes to Air Force Ones-white.
S: What’s
your favorite animal?
G: Fish.
S:
Favorite cereal?
G:
Honeycomb.
S:
Favorite TV Show?
G:
Martin, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Good Times, Three’s
Company, The Jeffersons-Lawrence Fishburn, Samuel L.
Jackson, and Robert Dinero-all of their movies.
S: What
did you buy first when the doe started rolling?
G: When I
got serious money, I got my mom a house.
S: How
would you describe your personal style?
G: I just
think I’m a good dude all around the board. I’m just a hell
of a dude. I wouldn’t say fly, I wouldn’t say suave. I’m
just a hell of a dude. I think I’m very outgoing. Either
you love or hate me.
S: Where
do you see yourself five years from now?
G: Being
a successful black businessman.
S: What
do you think about recent rap beefs, do you ever take sides?
G: I
don’t really get into all that because I take it seriously.
If anyone comes at me saying anything I’mma take it
seriously and when I see you, its whatever. I don’t know if
its people being an entertainer or what but everyone has
their own view of things. Different strokes for different
folks, but I don’t feed into it. I’m just happy to be in
this business and me personally, I wouldn’t get into all
that. If you gotta problem with me as a man, holla at me.
When you see me…keep it gangsta, instead of talkin’ gangsta.
When you see me deal with it, man up. I just do me, Boo and
I do us and at the end of the day, it’s a second job.
S: What
artists would you like to do a record with?
G: I’d
like to work with a lot more up and coming artists and
mainstream artists from Chicago. There are so many artists
out there that are so good like Ashanti, Fabolous, Diddy,
The Neptunes, I’d like to do something with Creed. There
are a lot.
S: What
advice would you give others looking to do what you do?
G: Keep
God first and if you’re in school, stay in school, ‘cause I
didn’t, I dropped out of high school and also have a
secondary plan. If you’re trying to do this, please have
something on the side to fall back on in case this doesn’t
work. Put your all into it, keep God first and go after
it. Work hard and don’t let negative people around you.
Get all the negative people around you away from you and
surround yourself with positive people.
S: What
would you like to let your fans know?
G: I
would like to let them know that we appreciate all the
support that they give us and I wouldn’t be me without
them. I would be me but I wouldn’t be the father that I am
without them.
*While
taking part in this interview with Gotti, I was very
intrigued by not only his personality but also his
background, how he got his start in the industry, where his
life was going, and where his life will be. It seems as if
his “new life” is a gangster or hustlers’ dream; to come up
from the streets, never have a “real” job and now be making
serious money, in a positive way, living the “good life” by
rapping and entertaining people all across the world. That
experience seems almost surreal to most of us. Good luck to
Boo and Gotti.
http://www.cashmoney-records.com
http://www.Umusic.com
*BOO&GOTTI
* PERFECT TIMING*ALBUM IN-STORES JULY 22*
