24: Introduce yourself to everyone that may not be familiar already with who you are.

I’m Keith Raymond aka Lil Keife; Owner, producer and songwriter for 2Hoodz Entertainment.

24: Before we get into your music, can you briefly describe your history on how you came about getting into the industry and who were some of the artists that inspired you?

I think hard work put me in the industry, but my love for words is what made me want to rap.  I use to sit and rewrite all of Bone Thugs, Twista, and Do or Die when I was 11. This is what got me to want to put words together uniquely.  Lil Wayne got me to pursue this when i heard him on the B.G. “Chopper City”.  He is who i look up to far as this music thing goes!! He don’t know me but he is like my GURU!!!

24: Tell us about the projects you currently have in the works.

I am currently working on my second album!!  I am producing pretty much everything on this one.  I have used a prodigy beat in which I put Mullage on the hook and a Bino Beat who is a local producer out of Bellingham, Washington.  I would love to work with Jay-Z  on this project, as well as T-Pain and Akon.  The name of the album is name “ONE LIFE TO LIVE”.   I also have the JUST ME BEIN ME ablum which is currently on ITUNES, AMAZON, and any other internet retailers you can think of.  Zone out of Seattle, Washington produced most of this album,  but i managed to produce 3 tracks on that album also I just started a mixtape called “4 DA LOVE OF $”

24: Are you happy with the feedback you’ve been getting from the songs you’ve released so far?

Yea I been gettin so much love man its crazy!!!!  To have people know you and you have never seen them before IM LOVIN IT!!!!

24: When you put music up for free download, does it bother you at all that you’re giving out the music for free or do you look at that as something that you have to do at this point in your career?

I look at it as it takes money to make money!!!  No one is going to buy something that they have never heard or from an artist who they have never heard!!!!  Everyone’s money is tight so to show people that you understand and want to give them something to recognize you by and I think the fans appreciate it.
 
24: Where do you see yourself going in 2010?

Making a colossal jump into the industry!!!  And hopefully getting myself  on a regional our nationwide tour.  Becoming one of the best new artist for 2011!!!!

24: How do you feel about the current state of music in general?

I feel that it is ready for an artist like myself.   I like direction its going.  I feel that its finally getting to be about who is good and not about who you know.

24: How would the fans go about contacting you?

www.reverbnation.com/lilkeife,  myspace.com/2hoods, hitlab.com/lilkeife or hit my email lilkeife@yahoo.com

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

Its been almost 10 years since i started pursuing this dream and I think its my time.  Much love to the STL  NORTHSIDE 4’S UP!!  THANK YALL FOR TAKING TIME TO READ A LITTLE ABOUT ME!!!  WITHOUT YALL IM NOTHING PLEASE KEEP SUPPORTING!!! LIL KEIFE