Mullyman

Mully Man is Baltimore’s frontline when it comes to rap. The MC is making a serious buzz and people are starting to take notice besides his hometown. Read this in depth interview on Mully as we discuss his upbringing, Baltimore’s rap scene, HBO series The Wire, the independent grind, and future projects.



TheSource.com: First off, just give us a little overview of Mully Man and what your music represents.

Mully Man: Okay, my name is Mully Man and I’m one of Baltimore’s premier hip-hop artists and nationally recognized. I’ve been doing my thing for a while and I’ve been independently drawn for a few years now. I worked with some pretty big name artists and I’m pretty much the voice of my town right now, Balitmore.

TheSource.com: Where did you come up with the name Mully?

Mully: Mully Stems from my last name. It’s short and it’s also an acronym for Master of Unorthodox Lyrics Leading You. The ‘man’ aspect came about like superman; we need to add the super hero aspect to my name.

TheSource.com: So you were born and raised in Baltimore?

Mully: Born and raised in West Baltimore. Lowe Street and Riggs avenue

TheSource.com: How was that? How was growing up there? Was your upbringing influential?

Mully: Grew up poor like most people where I’m from and where you come from has a great influence on you because it motivates you; the hard times will make you or break you. It made me tough and it motivated me to want more out of life. I come from a musical family, my father sings, my sister sings and raps, family of musicians, so I have a natural love for music. I come from a place where the environment influences my music and influences my sound because I put my experiences into my love for music and it gives you the effect that you hear in my music.

TheSource.com: So describe your style and what makes you different than everybody else?

Mully: I think what makes me different from everybody else is the fact that I bring the unique energy from a place that has never had a Hip Hop artist emerge. I embodied what the HBO series The Wire was about in songs. I come from where The Wire was made so naturally I lived most of the stories that you do watch on that show so I have diversity, I’m a true music lover, have lyricism and I have a wide range of topics whereas a lot of these artists are stuck in a box and lyrics are based on one topic. So I talk about everything from the streets, to the life, I take it to the party, whatever. Without sacrificing my artistic integrity.

TheSource.com: You think that being diverse now is something that you will need to have in this industry?

Mully: I think at some degree it’s been a lost art like most people look at success like a cookie cutter. Like a big cookie cutter approach to success, which means this person did it like this so I’m going to mimic this person and try to do it the same way. But if you look at all the classic great artists throughout the history of music, they all have their unique signature and always had the ability to change with the times without sacrificing who they are. And that’s what I feel like I have embodied. I feel like I’m unique and have my own signature sound, own signature slang, own unique story and I also have the ability to adapt to whatever the environment is without sacrificing who I am in my art.

TheSource.com: So how is it working with the independent man? How do you utilize the Internet and different venues to get your music out there to be heard?

Mully: Well I use Internet as a way of being heard versus the time when most of the things we do now on the Internet we actually had to show up for. But now you can post the video up on YouTube and put the link on your social sites, your twitter or on your Facebook and it can be seen instantly. You can be more instant on what you know with the rapid fire and get your stuff out there and put more content out there. But how I use it is, people have more access to you now into the social sites and using the computer. So all my links on my website which is mullyman.com, my twitter is mullyman and I also post all my links on my Facebook. Whatever is on my mind, I speak to my social sites, when I’m at shows I’ll post it on there and that capability of technology allow us to have a chance on an independent level to do things. - The Source Magazine

Artists like Raheem Devaughn and Wale rep the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area and now MullyMan has stepped up to rep for Baltimore. B-More, more famous for being the backdrop to the wildly popular HBO series “The Wire” than music; which MullyMan contributed songs to, is overdue for an artist as profound as him. He represents the “newness,” he says and refuses to be sucked up into the “machine” that he explains is the never ending cycle of similar music! Mully is sweet with the demeanor of a humbled man but is confident his sound will better generations to come… - The Urban Daily

Since the HBO episodic series The Wire, few people get to see what the city of Baltimore really is. With a strong music scene and a long list of talent B'more is ready to make their mark. One of the top MC's of the area is West Baltimore's own Mullyman. After getting a host of music videos placed on MTV, Mullyman has been on a non-stop campaign to promote his music and his city. - BLOW TV

Mullyman will be making his way up to the XXL Offices this afternoon to spit a few bars on our weekly UStream show Rhyme Time as well as quick Q&A session.

The video is set to broadcast in real time at 4 p.m. EST on both XXLMag.com and our Channel Live UStream page. Fans are encouraged to hit @XXLStaff on Twitter with all of their questions for Mullyman.

The B-more rapper, who’s had several songs featured in the acclaimed HBO series The Wire, recently released his new single, “Home to State.” [Watch here]

Be sure to tune in to Mullyman on Rhyme time now. —XXL Staff - XXL Magazine

Forget the police. Mullyman is Baltimore's finest. A veteran MC with roots in the DMV scene (that's DC, Maryland, Virginia), Mullyman has been making some serious national waves with a new mixtape entitled 'Mullyman Vs. The Machine.' The BoomBox got the scoop on his origins, conquering the DMV scene, moving to Atlanta and linking up with DJ Whoo Kid.

The BoomBox: Tell us your origin story.

I've been rapping since I was a child. I had been in the freestyle circuit and won a few battles, but in 2004, I dropped my first radio single with the Clipse. I dropped another record with Freeway, produced by Clinton Sparks, and one called 'Home of the Realest' that was the top record on 92 Q [in Baltimore] for 13 weeks straight. That really kicked things off.

As far as history, I've done it all. I'm the premiere artist from Baltimore and one of the most premiere artists in the whole DMV area. I've been featured on 'The Wire'--both the show and soundtrack. I've had five videos featured on MTV Jams. The biggest was 'Harder Than Baltimore.' One time I actually saw it air between Jay-Z's 'Death of Autotune' and Michael Jackson's 'I'm Bad.'

Be honest, though. Aren't you a little sick of 'The Wire'?

You always take for granted what's in your hometown. What's everyday to you is very entertaining and extraordinary to the outside. You always take for granted what's natural.

What's the split between Baltimore and the region? A lot of Baltimore rappers we've talked to seem insulated and anti-DMV. How have you gotten past that?

Baltimore is a world of its own. DC has a very different yet similar culture. The big difference is that they listen to go-go and we listen to club music. We dress a little different. The slang is different. They tend to be more Southern. We're more influenced by the North in general. The crazy thing is that once you get past the differences, it's pretty close. Some of my best alliances are in DC. As far as Baltimore being a world of its own, 'The Wire' speaks on that. It's a world of its own, but as far as the DMV, that's a bigger world of its own. I'm B-more til I die, but I want to be that aspect of the DMV movement.

You recently moved to Atlanta. How's that going?

Being out here, next to these alliances that are making hip-hop choices all over the world, has changed everything. For instance, I'm having a meeting yesterday and we just see Polow da Don walk out of the restaurant. I chopped it up with him real quick, but that's everyday, though! Whether you're at the mall or a restaurant, it's the most productive place for making a star in hip-hop right now.

Let's get into the mixtape. What do you look for in a beat when putting together a project like this?

There are only three producers outside of the industry tracks I went over. Mbahlievable has the most tracks. The big single right now is '6:30 (Six Thirty),' which has been killing the streets, and the club single is 'Block Star,' which is also produced by him. DJ Booman is on there. He's responsible for most of the popular B-more club music. He does those uptempo club records. He did a record with me, Raheem DeVaughn and Phil Ade on there. I've been building with these guys through the years. I'm a street dude, but you don't want to come off cliché and sticking to what you're used to. I pride myself on being a brilliant MC. Every time we come, without sacrificing my integrity, we always dare to be different. They come to me with something that will challenge me, but can be more than the cliché way of telling my story. It's not locked into a box.

How did you hook up with DJ Whoo Kid?

My best answer is by the grace of God. The conversation just started because he was feeling my music. Whoo Kid isn't the type of DJ that needs to do this type of work, but he likes stamping something that he believes can be a movement and leave an imprint on the game. That's the power he has. Thank God he was feeling my music and was willing to work with me.

What comes after 'Mullyman Vs. The Machine?'

The future plan is to become one of the greatest that ever lived. That's an infinite possibility--from awards to sold out concerts. I don't see no limit to this thing. I'm not an artist that's gonna leave a small dent. I'm gonna tear this whole rap game apart. Expect infinite things. Awards: Just name a show and I'm gonna be there. Videos, sold out stadiums, a frenzy of a movement. It's gonna be crazy.

Download Mullyman's new mixtape here and follow him on Twitter @mullyman. - AOL