Gifted
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"Streets on Smash Magazine Interview"

SOS: What's your real name?
Gifted: Marquis Hall


SOS: At what age did you start rapping?
Gifted: Around 13, 14... i was a younging


SOS: Tell us about growing up in Jersey?
Gifted: At that time when I was tryin to break out into the industry Jersey was kinda on the scene but really wasnt. You know you had Redman, Naughty By Nature, Queen Latifah, Joe Budden and many more. Growing up in Jersey was cool. Many famous people often move to Jersey once they get some money. But me on the other hand I lived in the hood and my main focus was tryin to stay alive to see another day. Point blank period!


SOS: How did it feel being the only boy growing up around a group of girls?
Gifted: (lol) It was cool.. at times it got lonely because I would want to do boy things like basketball and racing but my older sisters wanted to play with dolls and stuff.. (lol) but it was cool because my older sisters schooled me on what a girl wants so I had an advantage over most dudes.. (laughs)


SOS: "The Paper Chase" was your first mixtape did you decide you wanted to it by yourself or you wanted to show the world you can do it yourself
Gifted: Basically around that time I had got fed up with dealing with people who was bulls****ing! I was working with a team from around my way and after a while they didnt want to work anymore so I said forget it imma go on my own. Bought me a 7 dollar microphone from walmart, got fruity loops then acid and it was a wrap from there.. The quality was terrible but it was a raw mixtape and it really help put me out there.


SOS: Are there any new mixtapes or albums in the works?
Gifted: Im currently working on my second solo mixtape entitled "I.AM.GIFTED The Introduction" but since I did the whole major deal I might withhold that mixtape to focus on the album. Soo yes the album is coming I dont have an exact date yet but its coming. During this process I'll be doing some music and I will allow my fans to download it for free.


SOS: What was your reaction when you got the call about being signed to a major label?
Gifted: Wow.. (laughs) it was crazy because when Clif called me (shoutout to him) I was like this cant be true.. I was like nahh this is a dream. People always tell me what they can do for me and things like that but once I met up with Clif in New York then I recieved the contract I was like damn this is real. I didnt understand the whole process at first but afterwhile it was clear to me that it is finally my time and Clif was ready and serious to sign me!


SOS: Who are you signed with?
Gifted: Futch Entertainment/Universal Records


SOS: Being from Jersey what makes you different from any other artist out of Jersey?
Gifted: What makes me different is my grind. I dont think anyone grinds as hard as me. I have done shows in and out of my state, been on mixtapes in and out of my state, cover of this magazine and got signed and during that time I never had a stable manager. There was never really a "Team" behind me. I had people that helped every now and then but basically at the end of the day it was just me there promoting, emailing and recording myself. Dont get me wrong I get help.. and on top of it all im lyrically iller than most dudes and my style is so versitile. I can make a club song and then turn around and go way left with a song that makes you really think. All the while im still producing and song writing so I have a better chance of being in the industry longer than most dudes from Jersey.


SOS: We hear your a producer as well, so how can a artist get in touch with you about production?
Gifted: Im very much on MySpace so you can hit me up on there. or email me personally at Nextlevelmg@gmail.com but I only take serious offers and NO I DO NOT GIVE AWAY FREE BEATS! (laughs)

SOS: What can we expect from Gifted next year?
Gifted: Hopefully next year I will the number one single out! Thats basically it im taking everything one step at a time because this industry will try to spread you thin. But im prayin that this time next year the album will be done and everyone will enjoy it.


SOS: What is one of the biggest obstacles you've had to overcome being in the music industry?
Gifted: The biggest obstacle I faced was doing everything I can to stand out. Because everybody raps now so being an artist you have to be just that.. an ARTIST.. which means creative and different. So I had prided myself on being just that different.


SOS: When did you hear your first track on radio and what was the name of the song?
Gifted: The first joint I had on the radio was "Around Me" on Sirus Satellite radio. That was the first and last time. So I think I need to change that.. (laughs)


SOS: Who are your influences?
Gifted: What influences me the most is me. This life I live. I speak on it a lot because I have seen so much. I have lived through soo much. And to be able to be alive and healthy means a lot.


SOS: Do you feel like you - Streets on Smash Magazine


"I Can U Can Interview"

I Can U Can: This is a number one question I'm sure all of your girl fans would like to know: Do you have a girlfriend? Are you involved with anyone?

GIFTED: (laughs) well at this moment im currently talking to someone.. but thats pretty much it.. if you know what i mean.

I Can U Can: What is it that you look for in the opposite sex?

GIFTED: she has to be independent, smart, talented, of course beautiful and she has to respect my grind and hustle in this industry

I Can U Can: What is your zodiac sign?

GIFTED: taurus

I Can U Can: How old are you?

GIFTED: 19

I Can U Can: What is your favorite color?

GIFTED: green..

I Can U Can: What is your favorite food?

GIFTED: my new fetish has to be italian food at the moment

I Can U Can: Who is the number one person that you would love to meet/work with and why?

GIFTED: number one would have to be Jay-Z just because of who he is and what he has done for hip-hop.

I Can U Can: Who is your favorite singer? Rapper? Actor? Actress?

GIFTED: singer well im really liking Jazmine Sullivan, Rapper wise i dont have a favorite rapper. actor ummm i really dont know... i have a few.. i just like actors who put there all in there movies..

I Can U Can: What musical influences did you grow up listening to?

GIFTED: Jay-Z, Biggie, Nas, KRS-1, De La Soul, Eazy-E, Stevie Wonder, Micheal Jackson, Prince.. and many more.

I Can U Can: How long have you been rapping?

GIFTED: I've been rapping since age 13, producing since 15

I Can U Can: Do you write your own songs?

GIFTED: Of course, when you hear my music you can tell that its personal to me.. and I also write R&B songs for singers..

I Can U Can: How do you feel about American Idol? Do you feel it's a help or a hurt to artists?

GIFTED: I really dont care because its not in my feild of music.

I Can U Can: What makes you different from the other artist of your kind?

GIFTED: Im lyrically iller than most rappers my age. I can be soo deep with my music and touch a different auidence and then still turn around and make a club joint for everyone to dance too. Im soo versitile. and I also produce and write so I see some longevity for me.

I Can U Can: When do you expect your first project to be out?

GIFTED: Well im currently working on my new mixtape "I.Am.Gifted" Vol. 1 "The Introduction" should be out in December 2008

I Can U Can: Who can we look forward to hearing on the new project?

GIFTED: I dont want to spoil it but I got some names on there you might know.. lol

I Can U Can: Where can your fans and my friends find you?

GIFTED: myspace.com/officiallygifted and im also launching my website IAMGIFTED.COM in December 2009

I Can U Can: Do you have any perks/free give-a-ways you want your fans to know about?

GIFTED: well this new mixtape is totally FREE!

I Can U Can: Well, I thank you sincerely for taking time to give me an interview, is there anything you would say to the young kids that have dreams and are striving to pursue them just like yourself?

GIFTED: Dream Big! Live Bigger!
- I Can U Can


Discography

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Bio

On May 8th 1989, Marquis "Gifted" Hall was born to parents David and Novella in Newark, New Jersey, and ever since birth he was destined to be great. The only boy amongst a host of sisters, he was brought up in a broken home. However, unlike others, Gifted never let the minor obstacles lead him down the wrong path. At the age of six, he followed in the steps of his father and began drumming and at the age of seven, he began to play the piano. As time went on and he became more serious about his music, he performed at various functions and spent Sundays playing the drums and the piano for his church. Around the age of eleven, Gifted would make beats on the desks at school and watch his fellow classmates rhyme to them. Watching his classmates rap to the beats that he made with his hands made him want to rap. When he first started rapping he wasn't very good but never having been one to give up, he kept trying and came up with different, better rhymes. His rhymes continued to improve and a few years down the line, he hooked up with a group of his friends who were recording in a basement and thus began his career as a producer. Now at the young age of nineteen, Gifted not only raps, he also produces many of his own tracks. To gain recognition in the music world, Gifted has been a featured artist on many underground artists and DJ mixtapes such as DJ Reef, King Records, 5th Street Fam, DJ Bigg L. His mixtape work has helped him develop a serious fan base in and outside of his home state of New Jersey, along with the growth of the popular social networking site MySpace. com where he has well over 250,000 plays of his music and over 1,000 free downloads of his song "Where Ever You Are". Gifted has been ranked among the top 10 New Jersey artists on MySpace countless times. The rapper, who released his first solo mixtape "The Paper Chase" at the age of eighteen, is hard at work on his second mixtape which he calls his introduction to the world and is entitled "TakeOver is Only The Beginning" -