DAMN-SON.COM / INTERVIEWS

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DS: Aiight, for those that don't know who you are introduce yourself.
Priceless: Simple enough. Jamaican born, I'm a student at the University of Central Florida majoring in psychology and minoring in magazine writing. I also happen to rap, fantastically. I go by Priceless and one of the best the south has to offer.
DS: Haha,that sounds about right.
Priceless: ;)
DS: So, as far as all the music stuff, how's Florida treatin' you? Lot of opportunities down there?
Priceless: Florida's in a transition period right now as far as the industry goes. Pitbull and T-pain kind of blew up overnight and this nigga Rick Ross from miami has a single out called Hustlin' with one of the best beats hip hop's heard in a while. The beat alone got him signed to def jam south by Jay-z. For an underground artist though, its hard. The locals dont treat us right man. No one supports or comes out to the shows, there's a dirty south crowd and a backpack/underground crowd but the people who enjoy hip hop for what it is tend to stay inside and download their shit off limewire. This just leaves florida hip hop oversaturated and underappreciated.
DS: Yeah,thats how things tend to work in places like that. Its just a negative enviroment to be in. People don't support each other the way they should. You'd probably have a better chance blowing up out here in Iowa.
Priceless: I'd love to blow up somewhere. It's a grind no matter where you're from or where you're at. I dont know what the hip hop scene is like in Iowa but florida definitely has its outlets. If things work out the way I'd like when I blow up in FL I'll blow up everywhere else simultaneously.
DS: Yeah, especially when you've got people like me bumpin your shit, haha. I feel the same way though. Success is success, it doesn't really matter where you're successful at as long as you get the ball rolling somewhere everything else should fall into place.
DS: So...what do you have in the works at the moment?
Priceless: Alright well i got a little something coming soon... The Unmistakable Ep should be out sometime before the summer and I'm taking a step back with it. 5 tracks, all fire and all free. It'll be online for download as well as being handed out in my area. The first track, Not Ya 1st Time, will be available shortly and I'm sure there'll be a link to it on damn-son.com ;-). After that is the full length LP, More Than a Hustler, coming... when I feel like it.
DS: Sounds like a plan to me. As far as the new stuff goes how is it gonna be different from the stuff with you and Ocean on Orlando Magick?
Priceless: Oh man, big deal. I love magick like crazy but it wasn't what I wanted to do with a project of that importance. Me and Ocean click on a level that I can't even put my finger on, we're like brothers, but even though we were on the same page, it wasn't the right one. Magick is made up of music we both love to listen to, but not music that's particularly popular. The Unmistakable's a huge flip whereas I made it my focus to do music that people won't just like, they'll love. The tracks are radio friendly, the beats are infectious, it's perfect. The LP, on the other hand... well i don't really have much to speak about that yet but we can put it this way - I've made my mistakes, I won't be making any more.
DS: Yeah, understandable. You already know how I feel about the album. I've actually severed friendships with people for not agreeing to buy it, thats how much I felt that shit, haha. I probably promoted the album more than you and Ocean combined. It sounds like its gonna be something to look forward to. For the people that don't know explain the whole TNS movement.
Priceless: TNS is ridiculous man, always has been. As a unit it started with me and ocean and our boy Contempt in Pennsylvania. O and me always had a connection so we decided to make more of it, i moved to orlando to connect with him about the same time he joined the army. When he came back from boot camp, back from Iraq, we needed to mount up. Magick came together, Dirty Dem and Koffee Blakk joined up with us. We covered a lot of bases, shit, ALL of them. But the joke is... things don't always work out the way they should. Dirty and Koffee left orlando, Ocean and myself don't necessarily come together like we used to... TNS is still here it's just no longer the focus.
DS: Things like that happen. You gotta go through situations like that before everything works out the way you want it to, thats how life is. At least in your case it gives you something to talk about, which at the end of the day just puts more money in your pocket, haha. Get it how you live man.
DS: I met you back when you used to do the whole battling thing pretty often. How did you get started as far as that goes?
Priceless: Battling is fun man, I still have a good time when I do it. I did the freestyle battle thing pretty often in high school. I did the online rap shit when i found it, back in 98 or 99, saw that you could get around and spit with niggas worldwide. I had a lot of time and energy, and a lot of growing to do. All of that got me along to where I'm at, this is where i belong. The other day i told a friend of mine, Wiseguy, that I may never battle anyone ever again but we'll see. The feeling comes and goes and it's always fun to hear peoples' criticisms.
DS: Yeah, I noticed Wiseguy is coming up himself. "i'll be drivin' on the wrong side of the road / with my eyes closed, wearin church clothes...screamin' FUCK LIFE"
DS: Haha. So what do you enjoy more, the recording process or getting out there and doing shows for the people?
Priceless: Oh god man, it's two sides of the same coin. There's nothing like creating a piece of art man. You know how it feels, especially to get it out and have people bump that shit. But when you're on stage and people are watching, nodding their heads, throwing their hands up. The energy they give is unrealistic. I envy niggas that are out there 3-4 times a week, not even the ones making ten g's a show, just the ones out there. I love it all man.
DS: Yeah I feel you. It makes it all worth it when you can do what you love and get that same love back from the people, it doesnt get much better than that. Having people respect and appreciate what you do is one of the best feelings in the world.
DS: So how much does your personal life play a part in your music? Theres obviously a big difference between "The Bitches" and "Whatever it Takes."
Priceless: HUGE difference, haha. Nah man, "Whatever it Takes" is a Price that doesn't get on record that often. [It] was a special record man, driven by fear and stress. I still can't listen to it without tears building up. But every artist needs that kind of work to be complete. [The Bitches]... shit man, "The Bitches" is just fun. That's what I do it for, I'm not gonna jump out in this like "Hey take me seriously, I'm a serious ass dude," that's not me. I draw the line between both sides on some tracks, then completely disregard it on others, "Now Stop" for instance. You'll see a lot more of that in my coming music... fun, reality. that's Price.
DS: Yeah, thats Price indeed. Speaking of Price, how's 50% off doing? (aka half price) I know you've got a little family situation going on now...
Priceless: Yeah man, that's new. I got a three month old, the kid is amazing man, he's the reason I force on. Stress is something else when you have a kid but when I get home and he's sitting there, lying there, whatever... it all goes away. Yo see him smile and to know that he can grow up and be whatever he wants to be... man. Having a kid is something that you can't understand til you have one, it's beautiful.
DS: Yeah, i can only imagine. I've got 2 little nephews that I feel like that about and they arent even mine. Not that i'm in a rush to have any mini-me's running around but ya know.
Priceless: Haha yeah.
DS: As far as the "Whatever it Takes" record goes, its probably one of my favorites. Music is music...the people are gonna always have their preferences. A lot of people stick to certain formulas because they know thats what people are gonna buy. Thats understandable because people have families to feed, but at the end of the day...it gets old quick. A lot of people aren't willing to take risks with songs and be themselves. What are your thoughts on that?
Priceless: I think that its all necessary. People need to hear what they hear, I'm not a fan of backpack, underground rap... not a fan of heavy metal or country music, but they exist because people want to hear them. Give the people what they want, shit. iI'm not in this for the buck man, don't get me wrong nothing would make me happier than to make a living off of this, but I don't spit for the dollar. I got to do everything else for that.
DS: Yeah, I feel you. If you could correct one misconception that people have of you or your music what would it be?
Priceless: Misconception about me? Motivation i guess. Despite my situation, lack of motivation's been weighing me down something serious, but when my motivation's on i'm a fucking animal.
Priceless: And shit, its about time I get bestial dont you think?
DS: Yes indeed. Tis' the season to be gully.
DS: Before we go is there anything you'd like to say to the people? Anything you'd like to shamelessly plug?
Priceless: Yeah man of course. Priceless man, 2006 i'm on my own. TNS is my family and we'll never die. "Unmistakable" coming soon... "More than a Hustler", sometime after. New website coming soon. Get Money Kids coming soon.
Priceless: Oh and of course damn-son.com.
Priceless: We here man!
DS: No doubt. And on that note I'm gonna end it but you know I got your back 100% in everything you do. Take it easy man.




