24: Introduce yourself to everyone and let them know where your repping?

BK Cyph: I’m representing Brooklyn, New York. My borough has so much tradition I took the BK as a part of my name to pay homage. From the Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z to Spike Lee and Mike Tyson, Brooklyn has been a breeding ground for incredible talent. I owe everything to BK. So far my biggest contribution to the game has been my single “Never Sold Crack” which was produced by the homie Acafool down in Tampa. I also did a remix with Nina Sky for their single “Curtain Call.” It wasn’t no bullshit put together shit either, I recorded that on the actual Pro Tools session. They should of used me for the official version, you can’t tell me that my verse wasn’t better than Rick Ross’s. But this is the music business and it makes more sense for them to run with Rick Ross. It’s no disrespect to him, but I put my all into that verse, the opportunity meant more for me than it did for him so I went hard. He just kind of coasted and took it light.

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

BK Cyph: I’m bringing truth and integrity to the music. So much of Hip-hop now is exaggerated and fabricated, it just doesn’t make any sense. Like if these dudes were really drug kingpins and gettin’ all this money, why stop to become a rapper? A lot of what these dudes are saying on their records isn’t adding up. That’s why I can make a song like “Never Sold Crack” and have it impact the way it does, because it’s the truth. I was in the studio with Plies and when he heard “Never Sold Crack” he was like, “I ain’t gonna lie homie, that’s a hit record.” Now this is Plies, who represents for the goons and the entire street movement in Hip-hop and even he can appreciate how real I’m keeping it. I’ve learned a lot from Plies, just being around him, and his reality is totally different from mines, but I’m just comfortable with being BK Cyph. There is no reason to try to front and be something I’m not. An I feel that’s why my fans fuck with me.

24: Who were some artist that you would say influence you musically?

BK Cyph: There’s a few artist that influence me, even though I’d like to believe that my style is definitely my own. Still, I grew up studying Jay-Z’s lyricism, Tupac’s songwriting ability and Scarface’s sincerity. I would say my style is a combination of all three of those cats. Like when it comes to lyrics Jay got that shit hands down. Now Pac wasn’t the greatest lyricist, but he wrote songs from the heart, everything he spit you can tell that he felt that shit. And Scarface, find me anyone who has ever had anything bad to say about Face. That’s because Face was so damn sincere and always kicked the truth, even if we weren’t ready to hear it.

24: Tell about some the projects your currently working on?

BK Cyph: Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on my latest mixtape Rhymes Are Easy, Life is Hard. There’s gonna be like 12-13 tracks and there will be half original production and half freestyles, but the tape is 100% dope, feel me? I’m saying’ shit on this tape that no other rapper has the balls to say. I mean, I’m not a gangsta, I’ve never sold drugs, or bust my gun, but I’m from the hood and the daily politics of the hood still affect me. I’m just a regular dude, I’m more like the listeners than the rappers; that’s why my fans love me because I’m able to spit that shit that they can relate to. The actual rapping part is easy for me. Putting bars together, that shit is easy; but raising my two sons, trying to put food on the table and do it legit in this recession; that shit is hard. But the tape is not preachy or corny, it’s done in a very real way. I also have songs where I’m just straight spitting, like “Stars” featuring Mickey Factz. That’s the homie, I know yall seen Mickey on that XXL cover.


24: Who are some of the producers you have been working with and who would you love to work with in the near future?

BK Cyph: My man RL from Ft. Lauderdale produces the majority of my shit, he’s real dope. Acafool from Tampa did my single “Never Sold Crack” and me and my man Gooch from Staten Island, NY are doing some real dope shit. For me I don’t care about whether a producer has a name or not, all that matters is whether or not the beat bangs. I have real relationships with the producers I fuck with, I feel that the artist/producer relationship is key. I make better music when I deal with producers that I really know, because I know they aren’t just giving me a beat, they are giving me their soul! But I am a fan of Hip-hop so I would love to work with Just Blaze, Kanye West, Alchemist and Mannie Fresh. A lot of folks sleep on Fresh, that dude is so underrated.

24: Is there any Major label or Independent label which would you choose that you think would fit you best?

BK Cyph: Nah, there is no label that I have my eye on. They should have their eyes on me. Believe it or not my goal is not to get signed. For what, so I can become a worker for someone else? Plus the major label system is failing right now. Our jobs as artists is to make the records and their job is to sell ’em. They can’t even sell records no more and it’s not because of the music- 2008 was a dope year. Luda dropped a dope album, Plies dropped a good one, Killer Mike, Immortal Technique released great albums; Joe Budden is about to drop a crazy joint, Black Milk had a great project. Shit and those are the underground artists, look at Soulja Boy, he bricked the first week, G-Unit bricked, The Game did o.k. I guess. But why sign anywhere if they can’t hold up their end of the bargain. I will always make powerful music and I don’t need the help of a label to go double wood, I can do that on my own and reap all the benefits. If a label wants to partner up and they match my drive and my energy then we can talk, until then the Major Label system can kiss my ass.

24: What should the readers look out for from you in 2009?

BK Cyph: 2009 is gonna be my breakout year, mark my words. You’re gonna see more mixtapes, more singles, videos, live shows and I’m gonna kill the net with this content. You can see me on all the major blog sites.

24: How can someone find out more about to and check out your music?

BK Cyph: Just google “BK Cyph” and see what comes up. You can check me at BKCyph.com or Myspace.com/cyphadiaz. You can catch me on all the blogs like 2dopeboyz.com, Onsmash.com, xclusiveszone and of course 24hourhiphop.com.

24: Is there anything you want to say to the readers?

BK Cyph: To everyone reading just please support the artists that you love. The corporations wanna tell us that this Hip-hop shit is dead, but it ain’t, we’re still here and we ain’t goin’ nowhere. Support BK Cyph, but if you can’t fuck with me and you like Soulja Boy instead, then support that dude. Maybe you like Shawty Lo or T.I.,  Jay-Z or OJ Da Juiceman, Joe Budden or Ball Greezy. It really don’t matter just support what you like. Let’s not be afraid to be fans again, all this hating has got to stop. If we get divided then we can never take Hip-hop to the level that it needs to be at. Secondly, just judge me on the music man, if you can’t fuck with my music fine, but give the music a chance because it’s some real shit!