That After Skool Special Cru

Well yesterday on January 29. 2008, I interviewed a very good friend of mine also an up and coming Rapper on a venture to save this thing we call hip-hop. Needless to say he is under-underground and this is your chance to get an early heads up on the future of Hip-Hop. Oh he goes by the name of Mike Petrow; with out further delay...Here we go...

Well hip-hop these days is taking a major backseat in my Itunes Library, thanks to dudes like Soulja Boi, Flo-Rida and Hurricane Chris. Not because there wack...Well ok maybe it is, anyways so as little Hip-Hop is possible is in rotation, but since Lupe's The Cool; conscious rap is exploding in my eardrums, I'm talkin' Common, Mos Def... You know those Dudes... Which leads me to my main Focus? My close friend Mike Petrow doing Amazing things, Just finishing a short film and will be dropping his second album all while still underage, Never heard of him?. Well Damn right this guy is under-underground...This Young Man has a strong head on his shoulders and a story to tell... He is a super conscious rapper, resembles dudes like Talib Kweli with a Dash of Eminem. Yeah Eminem! But not that "Smack that" Garbage, the First LP Eminem the one nobody heard. Well As I have been jammin' to his latest all week, I said why not get down to the gritty and get an exclusive interview of an up and coming STAR!

AB: After a Few phone calls, a couple of text messages and one email, I finally got a hold of this busy young man. I Arranged a public interview at a nice local spot downtown... yeah, Starbucks... we get there at the same time, noticing the sweet booty pregnant chick behind the counter and yes the gay guy with he hoop earrings was checking out your handsome hero, but besides that lets get to the main attraction.
Mike was goin on?
Mike Petrow: Nothing, I’m good... Just got out of work.
AB: ohh Snap, you hold down a job, a Rapping Career, a Directing Career and High school... now that is a Multi-tasker...Now with a finished Short Film and a Album on shelves this Friday, where is your free time?
MP: Well, I have been doing this album for about a year, and it's wierd not having this to work on, but now that its done i get alot more free time.
AB: ahah, Baller Status, so how does it feel to have complete control over your albums, like Beats, Marketing, Producing, Artwork and obviously lyrical content?
MP: Well, its all a learning experience, trying to know the right sound to fit me and my expression, so you know when I move to college I can find people more excepting of my music!
AB: Third Album? Entitled?
MP: Instant Classic, not official, but something i have been thinking of.
AB: Intresting, what levels do you wish to reach with this Third Album?
MP:like, I'm really am trying step up my game like you can tell from my first to my second album, like I gained respect and I lost alittle at the same time.
AB: OH, did you see that waitress' butt? DAMN!
MP: she’s pregnant
AB: You right...like with this Second Album how have you changed?
MP: Well, I basically reached an Epihany...like the first one and even this one was all learning expierences because I am striving for perfection like every detail including my lyrics will be perfect the harder, better and stronger I put my energy into it, but this album i'm more about making good songs rather than just putting out song
AB: What’s the hardest part of all of this?
MP: Well getting started, to ignore the bad comments and just get hungry for recognition and eager to learn and to change stereotypes of an average rapper, like negativity and bad morals.
Ab: What?
Mp: No Cursing in my rhymes. Will Smith was and still is a big influence in my music, beacuse he was the frist Hip-Hop artist that i have listened to and no cursing in my rhymes. Him along with Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common and pretty much Concious Hip-Hop...oh and can't forget Lupe, inspired me lyrically.
AB: Yo, as much as I want to sit here and chill, it’s too comfortable in Starbucks, we gotta wrap this up, gotta be out...any last words?
MP: Yeah, Thank you Ab, for doing this Interview, and the album Reality Check is out Friday my Birthday and it is free or Five dollars for a deluxe copy of the album.
Take care and be safe.
Ab: Ight, mike... wait can I get a ride?

There you have it folks the First ever sit down interview from the Boys in the Cru!
Don’t forget to get the album Reality Check by Mike Petrow!

(Reality Check Album Cover)

Much love,
AB

You may not know this about me, but I'm in to comics. Not so much american comics, but manga(japanese comics).So I picked up this graphic novel, which is basically a comic, I don't know the differenceand it's called Rocketo by Frank Espinosa. I have to say I had no idea what to expect from this book because the first time I looked at it, it looked weird and not in a bad way. I'm also kind of an art guy(not sure what that's supposed to mean though) so when I looked at the illustrations I was blown away. The art is hard to describe, it's very colorful and loose. Very original, to me anyway. Enoguh about the art because the story is as good. The story is about Rocketo and his epic adventures and that's all I'm saying cause I don't wanna give anything else away. I recommend this book to anyone who likes comics or just likes art.