This Is Why He's Hot - Mims Chats It Up With Sound-Savvy!

Posted by Mack of Sound-Savvy On 11:00 AM


"People see your glory but they don’t know your story

After chatting it up with the homie Mims on the phone, I must say I gained a whole new level of respect for him as a man and an artist and I really hope you guys get that out of this interview. With his new album Guilt slated for an April 7th release, Mims is bringin' music for the people. The album has an interesting yet genuine concept and Mims is determined to show the world that he's more than a gimmick or a one-hit wonder. Check it out and leave some feedback...



Sound-Savvy: Mims, what’s goin on man?
Mims: Whats good homie?

SS: Chillin man, it’s ya boy Mack from Sound-Savvy.com. Just wanted to touch base with you today and see what you got goin’ on? I understand you got a new album.
Mims: Yeah, I got the new album comin’ out April 7th, it’s called Guilt. I got the first single off the album called Move doin’ its thing on radio right now, and the video is out on that now, so basically I’ve been working the circuit making sure I stay afloat in this business. It’s a hard business, a lot goin’ on with the economy so I’m out here working 10 times harder than I would normally work.

SS: Definitely. There’s a lot of people that don’t really know your story, how did you get your record deal and how did you get started in the music industry?
Mims: I could take you back in the day, but I won’t do that; what I’ll do is just tell you about the ground work that I laid to get the deal. Originally I had did some work in Canada that had reached a certain amount of success up there. We sold about 50,000 units in a matter of 4 weeks. I did the work with Universal Canada then I went on to come back to New York and pursue a career in my own country obviously. One of the things I learned from the deal that I worked out in Canada is that I wanted to be in control of my music and I didn’t really wanna have a major label dictating my style or my sound or anything that has to deal with me stylistically. So I formed a company at one point with some good business partners. One of whom is Erik Mendelson, the other is Corey Llewellyn who is actually the CEO of Digiwaxx and we formed a company called American King Music. We had a couple of records we started off with in the beginning that we put to radio and some got local success, some got national success but none of them were big enough to get on anybody’s radar. I then went on tour as a national opening act for Method Man all around the country and I built a lot of relationships on tour. That wasn’t a tour that I got paid for. Honestly that was a tour I had to pay to be on, and I had to come out of pocket to be on it. So we built a lot of relationships throughout the country and when it came time to pushin another record, the record I chose to go with was This Is Why I’m Hot and this was about 2006. We independently serviced This Is Why I’m Hot throughout the country and instantly got a major reaction, especially in the South Florida market. And in time every label and their mother started lookin’ at me and my career for what I was doin’ independently and they started coming with the checkbooks open. So for those who don’t know my story and my history and they talk about I’m an overnight success and the grind work wasn’t laid out – you’re talking about a person who, with the help of some great business partners came into this business independently with no money and had every single label and their mother chasing me to offer me a deal.

SS: Wow!
Mims: I didn’t go to an A&R with a demo disc and get a deal based on my music. I got a deal based on my hustle and my grind. And that’s why I’m able to sit and talk with you about my success because I actually laid that grind work. That’s just a little bit of history on what I’ve done for my career that not a lot of MC’s even have the ability to say they’ve done.

SS: That’s wassup, that’s a grind right there. A promo tour pretty much. You mentioned This Is Why I’m Hot and that really did become one of the biggest hits of ’07 when it was dropped. But after that, we didn’t really hear from Mims, so what do you say to the hip hop fans and critics that just blow Mims off as a one-hit wonder and say that you can’t repeat that success?
Mims: People were saying that about me when This Is Why I’m Hot was around. I’m starting to learn about what hate really is. One of the things I say, I think Maya Angelou said it: “People see your glory but they don’t know your story”. It’s easy for anybody to make one single comment about my career from listening to one record. I would have respected the comment if the people actually listened to my album and then said “I don’t like what this kid has to offer, I don’t think he’s gonna be around for a while.” The people who actually listened to my album didn’t think the same way. I did follow-up This Is Why I’m Hot with a successful record called Like This that obviously stayed under people’s radar because it wasn’t of the caliber of This Is Why I’m Hot, but it was still a successful record – a top 10 record. So with that being said, this whole one-hit wonder thing, I’m not really convinced that it even matters to listen to what people say. I know that I’m gonna continue to do what I gotta do. I got signed to the label for a multiple album deal, so what that means to me is that they invested in me for a long-term relationship and until they stop investing in me, that whole one-hit wonder thing could never be because they’re gonna fund the money it takes to get a record out. That’s why I’m on my sophomore project right now and that’s why I’m able to deliver the first single Move off my sophomore album.

SS: So Guilt is the title of the sophomore album, and it’s due out April 7th. What’s different about Guilt than Music Is My Savior?
Mims: The biggest difference that I could tell off the top is that Music is My Savior is the independent album. If somebody got in their home studio and wrote a bunch of records, got them mixed and mastered – that’s what Music Is My Savior was to me. Not taking any credit from it because it was a great album but it wasn’t a major label project. It wasn’t something where I got to sit in the studio and feel comfortable and put my feet up. It was an album that I did when I didn’t have food in my refrigerator or money to pay my rent because I was busy focused on the music business. So just from a man’s standpoint, me being a man, that was the biggest difference. With the Guilt album, I got to concentrate on my topics a little bit more. I had the ability to not have to worry about putting food in my stomach or where my next paycheck is coming from because I’m financially situated. So it’s a different feel, I’m doin it for the love of the music and I’m doing it because I got a message to get out. You’re gonna hear a lot more emotion in this album, a lot more maturity and you’re gonna hear a lot more issues that I think are relevant to the times.

SS: What are some of those concepts that you’re talking about on the album?
Mims: I could run down a list of the records but the record that’ll probably give people a gist of what the album is about is the intro record off the album which is actually called Guilt. It kinda expresses my emotions for what I’ve been blessed to receive over the last two years compared to where the country is financially and obviously my emotions on how I feel about financially where the country sits compared to where I sit. When I see friends and family members callin me about losing jobs or their homes are going into foreclosure, it hits me in a soft spot because I know that I just bought a home and I know that I just bought a couple cars and I know that I’m going on the road and I’m gonna make enough money to survive but these people aren’t. So when you listen to certain topics on my album I wanna make sure that I relate back to the people. I don’t wanna rap for rappers – rappers don’t buy albums, fans do. I wanna give them stuff that they can relate to as opposed to throwing my money back in their faces.

SS: I’m digging that! So Guilt is a title that was more so born out of an obligation to your fans, I respect that.
Mims: Pretty much.

SS: So Move is the first single, but I understand that Bread N’ Butta is possibly the next single, is that correct?
Mims: Bread N’ Butta is actually not the second single. It’s a record that leaked out, it was originally intended to be on the album and something that was gonna entice the streets, but then it got leaked out without my knowledge and kinda messed up a lot of things as far as the element of surprise. Nonetheless it’s a great record and it’s a different side of me. It shows a different side of Mims that other people weren’t even aware existed. I wanna make sure that my fans get to see all the different sides of me that obviously the naysayers wouldn’t agree was me, but I know that it is me

SS: Now you say that it messed up the element of surprise, but I’ll tell you one thing it has done: its built up anticipation. It has gotten around the net and a lot of people have heard it and heard the Biggie sample on it and just from what I’ve seen around the blog circle, there’s been a lot of good reception to it. Was it an issue with getting the sample cleared?
Mims: Yeah that’s the biggest thing and I think the problem is that it got leaked out before we could go through the proper channels and make sure that we got the proper clearance. It got leaked out and just made it a little bit harder for us to do that so now we’re still trying to work the situation out. But you know, it is what it is. Like you said it’s out there and I know how people get music nowadays. I’m not a stranger to it so if it’s in anybody’s iPod or if it’s in anybody’s MP3 player right now, I’m not gonna be mad because if I can’t offer to sell it to you right now, I know you gon’ go out and take it. I just want people to listen to it and respect it because with this album, I’m bringin’ a lot of different flavor and I wanna make sure my fans understand that.

SS: Okay, that’s wassup. Now with the video for Move, I like the whole concept of the video. Who came up with that, was that your concept or the director?
Mims: I'd say partially, I don’t wanna take any credit away from the director. I will say this, one day I woke up and I started looking at television and I just got tired of seeing the normal looking videos where everybody had a Ferrari, everybody had a Lamborghini and everybody had the big chain and lived in a mansion with half-naked women running around. It’s like “Okay cool,” especially as a man. Any man is gonna say that’s cool, that’s a great life but that ain’t the reality. So I just wanted to do something different. When I stepped to the label about doing the video, I said "Man, we gotta remove all of those elements, I don’t wanna see none of that in this video. What I do wanna see is something creative." I think I was extremely creative with this project and when it comes to the video you see a lot of trickery, a lot of special effects. Many times people ask me was it shot on green screen and I say “Definitely not”. It was shot in LA, everything was live on location, and it’s just unique. I think it’s in contention to be hailed the best hip-hop video of the year.

SS: Yeah, I would agree. It’s a very creative video and I definitely think that if that’s the element you were going for, you definitely got it with that. So who else did you work with on the album Guilt as far as collabs?
Mims: I actually got a record – one of my most prized records in my career is a record I have with Ky-Mani Marley, the record is called One Day. It puts a twist on hip-hop period. It’s not a hip-hop record. I grew up listening to Bob Marley, I listened to reggae a lot in my life and I’ve been influenced by it. I wanted to do something different musically and when you check this record out you’re gonna see that this is a record that probably won’t get classified as a hip-hop record but its definitely gonna be a record that moves the world – something that the whole world can relate to. And I don’t care if you the toughest of gangsters or the nerdiest of nerds, computer technicians, you gonna appreciate this record because it has a positive message behind it. So that’s one of my features.

I also have Nice & Smooth on this album. And that’s because I wanted to get back into that old school element. A lot of artists talk about linking up with old school hip hop artists and doin music but they don’t do it. I wanted to actually pay my homage to hip-hop and a couple cats that I used to jam out to back in the day by puttin’ them on the album so that’s gonna be a phenomenal record

I got a record with Letoya Luckett which is called Love Rollercoaster, she’s on Capitol records. I also got a record with J. Holiday. It’s not a very feature-heavy album, I never really do a lot of features, but best believe when I do collab with somebody it’s gonna sound great. It’ll be a good record, a great song

SS: It does sound like a very versatile album from what I’ve heard. I’ve heard the one with Letoya and that’s a pretty hot joint.
Mims: Oh, thank you.

SS: You have a song called Barock Star, which is basically talking about the new change in administration. So what’s your take on things since he’s been in office?
Mims: I think Barack is doing what he feels it’s necessary to do to restart this country’s financial issues and interests. So with that being said, I’m gonna give him his time, he’s got 4 years to do it. I know a lot of people come out and criticize his administration and the decisions they’ve made but why do that now? They didn’t do that 8 years ago when Bush was in office and he started messing a lot of things up. So now they want to do it when Barack is in office for a couple months and it’s like the man’s not gonna change the world in a couple months. So we gotta give him his fair amount of time. I think he’s already contributed to a lot of the success that the country has seen so far, one of which is inspiration. I think people needed inspiration, people needed hope, they needed to believe in something again and I think he made that possible. So with all due respect, I’m still a fan, I’m still a believer, but I’m also a believer that one man can’t turn this country around. The people gotta stand up and do something. They gotta stand up and spark this country back up. A lot of people out there are scared to stand up and I respect that, but you gotta remember when you don’t spend money it’s a chain effect. If I don’t spend money, then somebody’s losing a job because that company that gave a job is not gonna be able to keep somebody working. So I gotta make sure I’m at least moderate about what I do, I shouldn’t go out and buy frivolous things, but at the same time moderate yourself. Live a healthy life, live a good life because for one: you only got one life to live and two, that’s what its’ gonna take for the country to get turned around financially. So I have faith that we’re heading in a good direction, I just think we need to give him time to be who he’s gotta be.

SS: Definitely, great words to live by. Just to wrap things up, is there anything you wanna say to the Sound-Savvy audience or to any of your fans?
Mims: April 7th, the album Guilt will be in stores. Tell a friend to tell a friend. The biggest thing to me is that I’ve been shunned and I’ve been hated on a lot. Most of the time I just shut my mouth because I’m not a controversial person. But I don’t comment, I just work. If you appreciate a person that works and has a great work ethic and tries to do as much positive as he can, then definitely support my project April 7th the album Guilt will be in stores.

SS: That’s wassup, and do you know what’s gonna be the second single?
Mims: We’re actually releasing two records, one of which is called On & On which is one of my personal favorites off the album and the other is Love Rollercoaster which I’ll probably be shootin’ the video for real soon, that’s the one that features Letoya Luckett. I also have a record called Chasing Sunshine, that’s an alternative pop record that we’re gonna service just to kinda get that world involved and I got a record called Rock N’ Rollin that’ll probably go out to the rock stations. So, I’m doin a lot man.

SS: You are!
Mims: I got a lot goin on. My thing is I want people to hear as much music as possible. This day and age, I want people to know that they’re buying into a strong album and not just a one record artist.

SS: That’s wassup man definitely. It does sound like you’re doing a whole lot and Sound-Savvy is behind you the whole way. If there’s anything you need from us let us know.
Mims: Man I just appreciate the time that you’re givin’ me to voice myself so all the Sound-Savvy people out there thanks for supportin’ me, April 7th the album Guilt. And honestly, I know you got the comment box below this and it’s gonna be a lotta haters out there but if you a hater and you leavin’ a comment and I didn’t say anything hateful, then you really need to doublecheck yourself and what some of your aspirations in life are cause I’m still gonna be doin’ my thing!

Keep Up With Mims
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Mims' Official Website

Related Posts:

New Music from Mims - Bread N' Butta
Video: Mims - Move

1 Comment

  1. dafonzarelli Said,

    did you ask the nigga why he still rocking a flannel?

    Posted on March 27, 2009 at 4:23 PM

     

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