Electrifying, energetic and inspiring, L.I.V.E. is HIP HOP! NYSD had the amazing opportunity to interview L.I.V.E. Wire of the Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah produced documentary “The Hip Hop Project”. Artist, entrepreneur, role model, L.I.V.E. Wire is destined to leave an unforgettable impression on every one he encounters. Get electrified, get energized, get inspired, get WIRED!NYSD: Yo!
L.I.V.E. Wire: Yo! Lol!
NYSD: Lol! Give me 5 words to describe the man that is Live Wire.
LW: Energetic, Fire, Hot, Cool, Inspirational. And that’s cool in the sense of being a cool guy.
NYSD: Oh ok, I see I said.
NYSD: Now tell us about the Formula.
LW: The formula started as a group of MC's in BK and one R&B artist, you may have heard his name, Mike Shorey. The crew later formed under a management company (CROWN TOWN MGT.) created by one of the members (Asa) who felt he was stronger in that area. I incorporated The Formula along with Jamal Clay (brother of former Rocafella CEO Kareeme “Biggs” Burke) and big things poppin’, little sh!# stopping. Lol. That’s extremely brief.
NYSD: We get the gist.
LW: Now we are going strong in our 3rd year. With myself as the 1st artist on the label being featured in movies and different project across the US. We are getting our business on. Everyone is focused. We are doing everything our self music, concerts, events, and it's all coming together greatly.
NYSD: Speaking of movies, I know that you were involved in The hip hop project. Tell us what that was all about.
LW: Wow! That could take a book. Lol. The Hip Hop Project is a program created by Chris "Kazi" Rolle. A lot of people want to rap rap rap and sing all damn day but no one wants to take the time out to learn the music business. As a teenager I thought I was coming to the program to get a deal and record a demo and get rich. And that never happened. But, I received more from that program than I could ever imagine.
I am who I am today because of Hip Hop Project. I not only learned the music business and the fact that ownership is the key and the do it yourself method. I got sooooo many life altering lessons and morals and basic principles through The Hip Hop Project that will stick with me forever. In the program we began to chronicle our process and growth. So that we could see where we came from in order to know where we were going. These tapes inspired Kazi to create a small EPK which led to a small documentary. The whole thing snow balled and our process through Kazi's amazing life story caught the attention and eyes of huge moguls in the entertainment business. It led to the second largest nation wide release of a movie titled THE HIP HOP PROJECT. Executive produced by Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, with co-producers such as Mona Scott of Violator. It features Russell Simmons (who has always supported the program), Dougie Fresh (long time mentor of Kazi), Sway (of MTV) and The Hip Hop Project. If you give a dog a pill. He's not going to bite it, or he'll spit it out. If you chop it up and put it in his Kibbles and Bits, lol, he will get what he wants and not even no that he is getting what he needs at the same time. It’ll benefit him in the long run. That is what HHP did. We thought we were coming for the food and Kazi slipped in the pill. With the pill in the dog food approached, we learned to live our lives through respect and reciprocity. And look at us today!NYSD: We saw you at a show last month and was blown away by your energy. What do you do to relax?
LW: I don't relax. I close my eyes at night and my brain is still going. I am involved in so much. Kazi made us stay on our ABC's. That’s “Artist, Business and Community”. And those three areas, I stay busy. You see the artistry, the business is The Formula (and that keeps me busy) and then I help facilitate 3 different youth organizations.
NYSD: Wowwwwww!
LW: Da Biz, Hip Hop Project and A.P.E.X., African People Exalted. And I have a job. Lol, yup, Live Ludda Kiiids! Lol!
NYSD: It seems you are a man of many trades.
LW: You can say that. I just want to be successful in all that I do and live up to my name, L.I.V.E.
NYSD: That's cool.
LW: Living Inspiration Via Entertainment
NYSD: Ok so, if you were Hip Hop what would you say you’re most uplifting moment was?
LV: If I were Hip Hop myself?
NYSD: Yeah, figuratively speaking.
LV: WOW! Great question! I would have to say...Early 90’s. When the entire industry was poppin. WEST COAST, EAST COAST of course!
NYSD: Of course!
LV: Master P and those dudes in the south. Everywhere was getting it good.
NYSD: True indeed! Do you think Hip Hop will ever get back to that stage?
LW: Yeah! It's not dead, it’s just evolving.
NYSD: I hear you. Name your top 5 dead or alive.
LV: Jay-Z
LV: Tupac
LV: Biggie
LV: Nas
LV: Eminem
LV: They are all equally CRAZY.
LV: I gotta say though my greatest moment was performing at a HHP show and five thousand people came out for no one else but us. With the sun setting right next to the water and feeling like the world was listening to what I had to say.
NYSD: Would you say that’s the livest place you've ever performed?
LV: That shit made me tear up, I won't even lie. The LIVE Concerts may be the livest place. LIVE 07 is coming soon, December 7, 2007! You don’t want to miss that!NYSD: Shameless plug, lol!
LV: Definitely shameless, lol!
NYSD: You have so much swagger in your song “Her favorite”, what makes
you “her favorite”?
LV: What makes me...?
NYSD: Yup, you?
LV: That’s a nick name that has stuck with me for years. And something I used to yell at my shows. IT'S YA FAVORITE!!!! And it stuck. So, I had to put it in a song baby. Lol.
NYSD: So swag has nothing to do with it?
LV: You see the other dudes, then you see me and I mean, lol, I gotta be “her favorite”. Lol.
NYSD: Lol!
LV: But, yeah and no. I am a bundle of so much more.
NYSD: Or maybe its the laugh?
LV: You see that? Lol! You know what…you got it! That gets em, lol!
NYSD: Alright, well now I have some quick fire questions for you.
LV: Ok!
NYSD: You up for it?
LV: Yeah, lets get it.
NYSD: AM or PM?
LV: PM
NYSD: Underground or Mainstream?
LV: Mainstream
NYSD: 50 or Kanye?
LV: Both
NYSD: Sucka!
LV: Lol! Next!
NYSD: Single or Attached?
LV: SINGLE!
NYSD: Lol!
LV: AND LOOKING!
NYSD: Valentines Day or Memorial Weekend?
LV: Valentine’s Day
NYSD: Awww!
LV: Whatever! That was interesting. A lot of interviews are boring as hell. Thanks for the opportunity. Peace and Love. IT’S YA FAVORITE!!!!!!
Now, here's your chance to score a signed copy of L.I.V.E. Wire's hot new album, featuring NYSD's "favorite" L.I.V.E. song "Her Favorite" featuring Mike Shorey. Just email us at giveaways@nystylediary.com with the subject title "Her Favorite". Three winners will be selected! Go check out"The Hip Hop Project" and stay tuned for more updates on L.I.V.E. Wire.
Check L.I.V.E. out at www.myspace.com/itsyafavorite!