Maddmann

This man is mad about his work. We're referring to MaddMann from Yonkers, New York. A promising talent with a triumphant story to tell. For those of you familiar with the dynasty of SPATE Magazine, SPATE Radio, and SPATE TV, this MaddMann is partially responsible for much of it's successful growth. He's a rapper turned entrepreneur whose up on the come up with his very own cartoon, MaddMann: The Drunk Reporter that is taking the internet by storm receiving fifty-thousand views in just one week. To add to his collection of accomplishments is a newly released mixtape and another soon to follow in December of 2008 entitled, Do Not Feed The Birds.

Yo! Raps inquired if the distinctive title refers to females being birds, and he humorously replied, "When I say birds I'm not necessarily talking about women in general, because some males can be labeled as birds too, according to a few females I know."

MaddMann is also the proud winner of two UMA awards in the category of Most Original Male Artist and Best Live Performance for 2008. With so much brewing, his plate is full, but it doesn't stop him from being on his daily grind. He's now working on his album, and is soon to drop a single, It's My Party on SPATE Digital, also set for release in late December.

Triumphantly, he's gone from being homeless to having overnight success and has avidly learned the morals of appreciation when it comes to life, because of the humbling experience. Based on the hardship alone, he states that he wouldn't wish it on his own enemy, even if he had one. Possessing talent, smarts, and strength, MaddMann is well on his way to becoming one of Rap/Hip Hop's elite Moguls. Don't believe us? Log on to YouTube and watch his work!

First, I'll start off by saying that you chose an interesting entertainment name. It almost sounds like a cartoon character. What's the actual meaning behind, MaddMann and what initially inspired it?

First and foremost, I would like to thank you guys at Yo! Raps for showing interest in wanting to interview the kid. It's funny that you made that cartoon comment about my name, but we going to get into that later on. It was certain times in my life when it felt like no one could relate to anything that I was going through in my life, and it was driving me mentally crazy. I had nobody to turn to, or talk to at certain times in my life. So I watched a lot of TV. I can't remember exactly what show, or movie I was watching one night, but it had a guy in it that was going through a lot of crazy shit in his life, which was very similar to me. I could relate to the character, because he stayed to himself and never really let his true feelings show, but long story short. It came a point in the movie when he just freaked out on everybody in a very violent way, and it was certain parts where people kept calling him a madman, and that was when I said, "Damn, that's me". [laughs]. I felt his pain, I didn't agree with his violent actions, but I did understand why he did what he did. I live up to my name naturally, it's just the way I am. It comes out when I perform and write certain songs. I can be very unpredictable at certain times. Just go check out my YouTube videos (www.youtube.com/spatetv) then maybe you'll get a better understanding of what I mean.

You are co-founder of SPATE Magazine. Please tell us a little about the magazine, and what it represents.

SPATE Magazine is an urban life style magazine with a spiritual side. We interview some of today's top Rap artists and singers. We have editorials on staying motivated and creating plans to make your dreams come true. SPATE started as an e-magazine then quickly grew into a respected print publication. We have tons of business partnerships coming in SPATE magazine. It's growing at an alarming rate. SPATE magazine is available for download and print. We also have SPATE TV where we post interviews for the readers to see. We plan to expand in many different fields of entertainment such as films, DVDs, clothing, real estate, finance, video games and much more. For now there are interviews with artists such as 50 Cent's G-Unit, Camron's Dipset, Pitbull, Kay Slay, Karina Pasian, Styles P, Sha Stimuli, Mysonne, Aaron Reid, AJ Johnson, Dame Grease, Khia, Ronin Ro, Easy Mo Bee, Ras Kass and many more. Check us out at www.spatemag.com.

Now, let's reflect on you as a recording artist. First, we'd like to congratulate you on your UMA Award. Shortly after winning the UMA, you were then nominated for two other Underground Music Awards. How excited are you to have garnished all this attention, and in which part of the house did you put it?

Thank you, thank you, but I want to correct what you said. I was nominated for 2 UMA awards this year, Most Original Male Artist and Best Live Performance for 2008. I won the Most Original Male Artist award. I was very excited to accomplish such a huge goal in the matter of one year. I just want to thank all my fans and supporters for all their help with that. I'm very different from a lot of artists, actually you will never find another artist like myself on the come up right now. I'm the diamond in the dirt that ain't been found.

You're partners with Coalishun Records, which produced many of your popular songs like, Lickety Split. What's your business relationship like with Coalishun Records, and are there any new label releases soon to come?

I been rocking with Coalishun for about five years now. I just recently became an official partner of the company. They mix all of my records and produce the majority of my tracks. They also edit my cartoon, and many other things that you can find out by logging on to the website at www.coalishun.com. The street team is the best. They played a huge roll in promoting everything that Coalishun dishes out. As far as label releases, we have my homegirl, Eve on deck working on her solo project, and my super producer Cauze is working on a lot of projects of his own, too. All I can say is go check us out on the website so you can stay updated with everything, because we are constantly working on new projects.

It's also known that you have a cartoon called, MaddMann: The Drunk Reporter, which was made popular by website Thisis50.com. It received 50,000 views in one week instantly becoming one of the most popular online cartoons. Are you the sole-creator of the cartoon? What's your exact affiliation, and is that the outcome you expected?

The cartoon was an idea inspired by an interview that I did with actor/comedian, A.J. Johnson at the paradise theatre in the Bronx. It was so funny that the publisher of SPATE Magazine said that I need my own cartoon, and it would be based on me interviewing celebrities. I thought he was just kidding around, but he was dead ass serious [laughs] He had a very talented friend of his (shout out to Brad Fredericks) draw up a sketch of me as a cartoon, and when I saw it I was amazed. I couldn't believe that I was really a cartoon [laughs]. As far as the outcome of the cartoon, I wouldn't have guessed in a million years that it would do the numbers that it has done so far. I really thank God for everything going on in my life right now, because if it wasn't for him bringing all of these talented people in my life, I really have no idea where I would be, or what I would be doing. I have the up most respect for a lot of artists on the come up grinding and all that, but this brings me back to what separates me from other artists out here today. How many artists do you know that's on the come up right now that can say they have their own cartoon bubbling on YouTube right now? We have done cartoon interviews with T.I. and T.I.P, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain. I do my own voiceovers as MaddMann, and I also do the voices of the celebrities that I can, but check the credits, because that's bound to change at any time. Especially, if I sound nothing like the person I'm interviewing. I'd rather get somebody else [laughs]

Speaking of online, you've been featured on websites such as AllHipHop and WorldStarHipHop. How has all this online exposure contributed to your career?

It has played a major roll in my career. Just by WorldStarHipHop posting my cartoon up on their site, I got a lot of people signing up to my fan site just because they enjoyed one of my videos. It really amazes me every time I see new subscribers logging on. I really appreciate all online websites that help promote independent artists like myself and others, because it's real hard to be heard these days if you are just on your street promotion. That's good and all, but people just have to learn how to embrace the internet, because if you do it the right way, then just maybe you could have the internet work for you. For example, while I'm sleep at night people are watching my videos on the internet and while I'm at work people are watching my videos and downloading my music on the internet. While I'm out on a date with a fly honey, [laughs] the internet is working for me and I love it.

There is word that you're currently working on your latest masterpiece mixtape, Do Not Feed The Birds. How is the mix coming along and when is its official release? Oh, and when you say birds, are you referring to women [laughs]?

[Laughs] Yes, my next mixtape is entitled Do Not Feed The Birds and it will be hosted by my homegirl, Nickey Nicole and friends, but when I say birds I'm not necessarily talking about women in general, because some males can be labeled as birds too according to a few females I know [laughs]. It is set to release in December 2008 right before the new year, and it's coming along very well. I been getting a lot of love from a lot of industry cats that I do business with as far as the title of the mixtape, and they already know my style is like no other, so a lot of my friends and fans are looking forward to how I'm going to attack this mixtape. I got a lot of love from my first mixtape MaddMann, The Interview Part 1 with over 50,000 downloads and counting. If you want to check that joint out you can get it on DatPiff.com, Coalishun.com, or just Google it. I like to keep people entertained with everything that I do. I also like for people to get a visual of what I say very similar to what Biggie used to do in his rhymes, but just in my own way.

It's stated in your bio that you were once homeless. Going from homeless to success must be a sigh of relief. Are you comfortable enough to tell us a little about your homeless experience?

I wouldn't wish homelessness on my worst enemy. It still pains me to walk through the streets of New York, and see people homeless on the streets sleeping on boxes and trains, or sidewalks. Fortunately, I had my own car to sleep in (a 1989 Dodge Shadow). It's not something that I'm proud of, or that I'm trying to glorify, but it definitely humbled me as a person, and taught me the morals of appreciation when it comes to life. A lot of people don't appreciate what they have as far as a roof over their heads and food in their mouth. Some people get upset and have a fit, because they can't get certain material things in life. Fuck that... be grateful for the things you do have in life, because there is always somebody out there that is living ten times worst then you are, but with the help of God and a close friend of mine, I was given a chance to better my situation, and so I did. Now, I got my own magazine, my own cartoon, and my own personal producer, etc. Most importantly, I have God and when you learn to except him in your life on some real shit, that will be the day you become a better person and learn how not to take things for granted.

You were born in Yonkers, New York. Yonkers is where you had experienced years of hard times before co-founding SPATE Magazine, and winning the UMA trophy. If you hadn't experienced this hardship, do you think the outcome would've still been this successful for you?

Absolutely not! If I didn't go through the trials and tribulations of my life and overcome them then I wouldn't have a story to tell and that's real talk. I still got a lot of obstacles in front of me, and more life lessons to learn. I may be slightly successful and known in different parts of the world thanks to Antoine King and the internet, but I'm not rich or wealthy yet, but I promise you I won't stop until I reach those goals and beyond. You feel me? Shout out to Yonkers, my birth place and the Bronx, too. That's where I have currently resided for the past nine years. Success comes and goes for certain people. I'm aiming for that longevity in the game. That's why I stay so versatile and open minded. I suggest anybody entering this game follows by the same code, ya dig.

As an artist, I want your honest opinion. Do you feel that race plays a factor in today's music industry, especially in Rap/Hip Hop?

No, not at all. I came up listening to Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z, Eminem, Big Pun, Kid Rock, Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, Linkin Park, and many more. All those artists have their own stories, but if you want to single out Rap/Hip Hop I still feel that race doesn't play a factor, because a lot of those beats you hear Lil Wayne and T.I. on and on. Many of those tracks are produced by interracial producers, and without those interracial producers dishing out Rap/Hip Hop tracks, we would have nothing to listen to, but acapellas. My opinion is, if you nice you nice whether you're Black, White, Puerto Rican, Indian, Jamaican, it don't matter. If I can relate to your music and you can spit then that's all that matters. Music is international, you'd be surprised to find out who is really behind Rap/ Hip Hop music.

Without getting too deep and political, what are your likes and dislikes about the music industry, and why?

I like that it has become an international outlet for a lot of talented and original artists to showcase their talents through the internet and let the world be their critics through YouTube, WorldStarHipHop, and any other video sites that allow comments. As far as my dislikes, I just don't like how labels are treating artists. I mean it's always been known that labels try to trap artists, but it got a lot worse with record sales not doing as well as they once did. You can blame the internet all you want, but if they did their research then they would have been better prepared for the internet takeover.

How would you classify your music, and how do you define your style? Is it important to possess uniqueness as a recording artist considering how competitive, and challenging the game is?

My music is made for people that like to party and have fun. I'm an entertainer so I feel that I'm more versatile than most artists you may hear today. That's why I was able to have a successful cartoon and bring fifteen models on the stage to dance with, because I know how to have fun. I would also say that I have my own style. I do occasionally wear the name brand clothes, but most of the time I'm branding myself. It is definitely important for an artist to be unique, because the competition is so heavy. But in reality, if you have a lot of competition it means the market is lucrative. If nobody is doing it then there is no money in it. The competition makes me better.

In closing, we'd like to ask if there are any upcoming projects, aside from your mix tape that we should know about? I'm sure your fans would like to know.

Of course, I have my single dropping on SPATE Digital on December 20th called It's My Party. I'm sure you will see the video all over the internet and we are going to holla at BET so if someone from BET is reading this article hit me up by e-mail. madman10469@yahoo.com.

- By Inga "International" Newson
- Yo! Raps