24: For the readers that may not be too familiar with you right now but I’m sure they will very soon introduce yourself and let them know where your representing?

Big K.R.I.T.: I’m from Meridian, Mississippi third Coast representer. I’m definitely putting in down for the South but overall for the sake of Hip-Hop! Also representing The Alumni, Cinematic Music Group and Def Jam‘s newest Signee.

24: Who were some of your musical influences growing up?

Big K.R.I.T.: Man, definitely UGK, Outkast, Dungeon Family, 8Ball & MJG, Organized Noise as far as production all the way to Goodie Mob and not to mention  artist like Scareface. Soul wise I can name artist from the 60’s & 70’s like Willie Hutch, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, The Dramatics to the Commodores. It’s a gang of them man but I was definitely into soul a lot and Al Green is one of those artist as well. I loved the emotion they put into their music.

24: What do you feel like your bringing to the music world and what separates you from other new artist?

Big K.R.I.T.: Definitely, Just a real aspect you know what I’m saying a just really telling a story about my life and not really being afraid and just being honest. I’m a human being at the end of the day so I think it’s real important that people get to know me and my music so that way when they see me and approach me or see me out and about it all make sense. Staying true to myself and letting people know that they are not alone, giving them music they can relate to and hopefully I can say something that’s inspirational or inspiring to help them keep on following their dreams and really being themselves. As well as telling both sides of the story kind of like if your going to do this than this can happen, there’s a consequence to it. You can be a “Playa” but this can happen. You can sell dope but this can happen.

24: I agree because after listening to your latest album “K.R.I.T. Was Here” I felt like it was simply a breath of fresh air in my personal opinion and I wanted to know your mind state going into that album and what did you want to get across to the listeners?

Big K.R.I.T.: It was really almost like the last hurrah for me. I was in a situation where I only did music for a living and nothing else for 4,5 years and really just grinding. So being able to put out a project of 19 records of just emotion of what I was going through with my girl, if you go back you can here the growth in my music from then to now. Really talking about the spiritual aspects talking about how I felt about the music industry at that time to really expressing the fact that I’m country and rapping about it. An how I felt like I was kind of like the hometown hero just for leaving and following my dreams and leaving my comfort zone. The album really exceeded all expectations and the fact that it captured a lot of people and they were willing to give it feedback with leaving comments whether negative or positive, I still accept them all because for a person to sit down and take time out of his or her day to leave any kind of feedback about something that I did is amazing. It’s definitely a testimony that people want to hear real music and their is a lane for that and for you to just be yourself. Plus it shows that a Major Label is wiling to also get behind it as well.

24: One of my personal favorite records from K.R.I.T. Was Here is “They Got Us” because it seems like recently in music concepts was missing and you told a story that felt more like a vivid portrait for every ghetto in America and I wanted to know how that record came about?

Big K.R.I.T.: That record their In touched on three different situations. Being around partners that sell or do what they have to do to survive and you watch one of your partners get jammed up and the struggle of putting money on books and calling lawyers and dealing with baby mothers not to mention the stress of courts dates etc with the first verse. To actually being literally being in the strip club and a female stripper is like your a player and your trying to get your free dance here and their if you can or whatever and a female responding with “I’m trying to buy a bike for my child“. You know what I’m saying(lol)? It’s almost Christmas time, that’s where the second verse came from. Or being from where I’m from and having a partner that was a playa and he contracted something he couldn’t get rid of. Life is definitely interesting and the things we have to do sometimes in order to survive or how our frame of mind or morals might not be the way they should be. Or when society makes you feel like somethings right when it really ain’t and that’s the whole purpose of that record “They Got Us“. The content at the end is definitely extreme but I feel like people definitely need to hear what can happen! It can happen to you if you don’t be careful and safe and watch out as well as being selective with of what you do in your life.

24: Will you be dropping any music video’s soon for a few more records from the album?

Big K.R.I.T.: Yeah, I think so. I think “Voices” might be one of the next videos that we drop just because of the vibe of the record it’s slightly different from everything else we have dropped so far. I definitely think we will be dropping “Moon & Stars” with Devin(Devin The Dude). Lord willing we will be able to get down to Houston and shoot that video but it’s really up in the air and I think “Country Shit” is another video that will be have to shot soon as well as “Return of 4eva”. It’s more of less making sure it’s all quality because I really want to express the song more than just being into of some shit just rapping(lol). I want to go a little bit further than that so we’ll see in due time.

24: You worked you ass off and now things have paid off and your now signed to Def Jam Records, How does it feel?

Big K.R.I.T.: I feels amazing it’s a blessing. it’s definitely inspiration to me and a lot of other people I know that if you keep going and keep grinding that you’ll eventually succeed at whatever your trying to succeed at. An I’m definitely trying to be the spoke person for that for people to be able to “Dream Big“. It was 5 years in the making but it was definitely a blessing, Sha Money and Jonny Shipes saw the vision and we all formulated a plan and I really believe that it’s going to work. They believe in what I’m doing and “Now or Never” is a record I did just to let the people know that I’m not going to change which I did after the signing to Def Jam. It’s the same K.R.I.T. I’m still country but I’m going to utilize different things that’s now at my disposal such as R&B Singers, Live Instrumentation, Bands and being able to make the music sound bigger. That’s really my goal now.

24: You kind of took my to my next question because I know you produce a lot of your own records so I wanted to know who would you love to work with in the near future producer wise?

Big K.R.I.T.: DJ Toomp which I think is going to happen soon. I had the opportunity to work with Cory Mo which if you are familiar with any UGK music then you know who Cory Mo is. He’s definitely a dope producer as well as an artist too. Other producers such as Timbaland, Pete Rock, DJ Premier to Kany West. An who ever was producing a lot of those Rap-A-Lot records because I can’t really remember his name they were dope. Organized Noise, Rico Wade and the list kind of goes on and on.

24: What should the readers be looking out for from you for the rest of  2010 going into 2011?

Big K.R.I.T.: Quality music and the Chopped & Screwed version of “K.R.I.T. Was Here” is on the way believe me. Definitely, branding the group I have coming out with my partner  Big Sant called The Alumni he’s on the very first record of the album with me called “Return of 4eva“. I’m doing more work with my big brothers Smoke DZA, Yelawolf, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa. An definitely just putting out more quality music and branding my sound.

24: What advice would you give to other up and coming trying to get into the game from your experience so far?

Big K.R.I.T.: Stay down, get you. Get yourself a good Entertainment Lawyer, watch your taxes and get yourself a good business manager if you can. As well as stay true to yourself and your music no matter how long it takes because it will benefit you in the end because rapping about your real life and what you actual been through is way easier than fabricating. There’s no exposing you when your just being yourself. Definitely, be aware of the stereo types and entourages is cool but the more people that are around you the more situations can pop off and things can happen so keep your circle close knit. Stay away from the “Yes” men and keep people around you that will be totally honest with you and your craft.

24: Years from now what do you want people to say Big K.R.I.T. brought to the game?

Big K.R.I.T.: Hopefully it will be the “Return of 4eva” aspect kind of ushering in somethings that’s been around before and people just really being honest and rapping about what they really went through in life. The same thing happened in the “Golden Era” rappers made music about  what they saw and what was going on right then. I really want to be apart of that and creating timeless music and being apart of a long line of artist from Mississippi that’s going to come out and shedding a different light on where I’m from. Crushing the stereotypes!

24: How can the readers find out more about you as well as check out your music and stay updated with everything your doing?

Big K.R.I.T.: Twitter(www.twitter.com/bigkrit)lol. I really try to respect Twitter and talk to everybody and let everyone know when we have shows coming up as well as Facebook(www.facebook.com/BigKritMusic)and on Myspace(www.myspace.com/bigkrit)your going to be able to hear new music and see new videos.

24: Any final words for the readers?

Big K.R.I.T.: It’s going down 2000 & Beyond, Return of 4eva. The Alumni, Cinematic Music Group, Def Jam and definitely be on the look out for that Chopped & Screwed version of K.R.I.T. Was Here. We are on itunes now, Look out for me and Big Sant as well as The Alumni, my partner Smoke DZA just dropped “George Kush Da Button” so go out and get that. Kush & Orange Juice by Wiz Kahlifa is out go get that. My big brother Curren$y “Pilot Talk” album is out go get that I’m on that. It’s a new regime go get that “Trunk Muzik” by my big brother country cousin Yelawolf! An it’s new artist out here it’s a new generation and we are all out here doing us with no ego’s and doing it for the quality and the best for Hip-Hop.