B. West: They Call Me Mr. West!

24: Introduce yourself to everyone that doesn’t already know who you are.

B. West: My name is B. West aka Mr. West. I’m a Rap Artist, Funeral Director, Film Director, Published Poet & Networker. I’m a determined individual that will stop at nothing to achieve my tasks & goals.

24: Before we get into your music, can you describe the history of how you got into music & what inspired you?

B. West: I was in 7th grade when I began to write poetry and watch my friends gather in a circle and have a rap cypher, being intrigued i began to write my own lyrics and record myself on cassette tape and thats how it all began. Hearing rap music on the radio didn’t compare to being in a cypher rapping ya lyrics and hearing the crowd cheer you on or saying your lyrics with you as you say them. Rap cyphers definitely inspired me to wanna rap as well as good lyrics from artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, DMX, Missy Elliot and the list goes on.

24: What was the Hip-Hop scene like for you growing up where you’re from?

B. West: Growing up in Philadelphia the hip hop scene was almost like a trend because everyone wanted to be a rapper or everybody wanted to battle everybody to show how good they were. Knowing this about the hip hop scene immediately made me create a strategy so i could stand out from the trend & battle rappers.

24: What makes you unique as a artist and different from other artists out now?

B. West: One of the ways i differ from other artists is by having my own reality show entitled: “A Day In The Life Of Mr. West” which you can watch at www.MrWestTv.com. Another way I differ from other artists is because im not a 1 dimensional artist, im very versatile and dont have a problem switching up my flow or being creative with a track. Most artists out now are followers, and lack creativity as well as versatility. My music is me, by saying that i mean everything i talk about in my lyrics i actually do or have actually did, in my eyes thats real music & hip hop. I understand being in the music industry you have to uphold a certain image in order to sell your music to the world, but my image is being real and although i dont have a recording contract now im still selling music worldwide just being me, or should i say being real so what does that tell you. At the end of the day i dont wanna be a made up artist that somebody put together, I wanna be real and tell the public whats going on, as well as being able to connect with them through my music by making it relatable.

24: Tell us about what you are working on?

B. West: I’m currently doing a reality show entitled “A Day In The Life Of Mr. West” i recently released the 7th episode of the show, be sure to tune into the show at www.MrWestTv.com. The reality show consists of me traveling around the world, showing the public first hand how hard i grind with my music as well as showing you the real me. It also shows you the different artists & producers im working with as well as showing you everything i talk about in my music. The show also has appearances from Tone Trump, Sandman, Mulegend, and other known artists. I also just released my new mixtape entitled “MonsteR WEST 2WO” which will be available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody & all other online stores within a few weeks. Im also working on my album which is currently untitled but will release later on in December 2012. I also have 8 other projects that are currently available now on iTunes & other online stores such as “MonsteR WEST”, “B. West Music 3”, “I Wanna Rock Mixtape” and more.

24: What producers have you worked with and who would you like to work with in the future?

B. West: I’m currently working with my producer “Diioia Beats” who is working with David Ivory at the moment. Ive also worked with AC Gotit, Truescribe, Panic, HR The Producer & Biggle Beats. In the future I’d like to work with Just Blaze, Timberland, the Neptunes, Swizz Beatz, Cool & Dre, and whoever else that makes hot music.

24: Are you happy with the feedback you have been getting from people about material you have released?

B. West: Yes. I’m satisfied with the feedback I’ve been getting from my music and videos that are currently released. Im also satisfied at the fact that i don’t have a record deal but yet I have fans all around the world that support & purchase my music on a daily basis. I do my best to provide good music for the public’s ears and make it as relatable & entertaining as possible.

24: In today’s free download age, what do you need to do to make yourself a household name?

In today’s age with all the free downloading the best way for me to make myself a household name is to make real music. People will download whats hot and who’s popular at the time but mostly a lot of that music isn’t relatable. Not everyone has a Bentley or diamonds on they neck & wrist etc, it sounds good and its entertaining but when you hear songs that you can relate to you find yourself putting those songs on repeat. When you have a record that is catchy, with a hot beat & flow as well as relatable to everyday life you automatically separate yourself from all the fabricated music out there. They say “Real Recognize Real” and I’m a firm believer in that statement.

24: How do you feel about the current state of the Hip-Hop scene?

B. West: Honestly, I feel like the essence of Hip-Hop is fading away and a new era of flashy rap is arising. I’m a artists that respects good lyrics & real lyrics, now days it’s all about money, clothes, sex & violence. I understand those are popular topics that sell but at least if your going to talk about those subjects make it creative and not sound like every other song that is currently out at the time.

24: Outside of the music what are you currently working on?

B. West: Outside of music, I’m a Licensed Funeral Director & Film Director. The funeral business keeps me pretty occupied especially with the crime rate in Philadelphia. I also film and edit anything from Music Videos, Vlogs, Performances, Commercials, Interviews, Rated X Adult Films, and more.

24: Where do you see yourself going in 2012 and how do you plan to separate yourself from the other artists out today to get the recognition you feel you deserve?

B. West: In 2012 I see myself working harder, recording more music & music videos, traveling more doing shows outside of Philadelphia, selling more music worldwide and getting the attention from A&R’s and record labels.

24: How can fans go about contacting you?

B. West: www.MrWestTv.com
www.Twitter.com/BWESTMUSIC
www.Facebook.com/BWESTMUSIC
www.YouTube.com/BWESTMUSIC

All my fans can Google: BWESTMUSIC

24: Thank you for providing 24HourHipHop.com with this exclusive interview, do you have any last words for your present & future fans?

B. West: To all my fans out there, I appreciate all of your love & support that you show me by watching my videos, purchasing my music, retweeting what I post on twitter, attending my performances and everything else you do to support me, I Thank You!