The fact that Chicago native, Bullet, chooses not to curse in his rhymes may at first seem like a gimmick or perhaps a marketing ploy to the casual listener or observer. However; as I soon discovered, this deliberate effort is an integral part of his global approach. Bullet is not merely content with engaging US audiences; instead, this jovial rapper takes a worldly approach during his creative process. On Back to the Lyrics, Bullet proves to be a more than capable rapper, who like recent Chi giants, Lupe Fiasco and Common is ready to offer the game his sense of distinctiveness by barring the usual ish. I recently caught up with this young cat who describes his music as, independently creative but commercially acceptable. ER: I take it that you are home in Chi-City right?
Bullet: Yup
ER: Does Back to the Lyrics serve as a mixtape or your debut album?
Bullet: It was an album...but just for commercial purposes. At first it was a mixtape or whatever but then we just had to do an album cause' it's all original music.
ER: So when is your album slated for release?
Bullet: We working on an EP right now cause like Back to the Lyrics was just to solidify that I can actually rap but whatever (laughs). Now we working on an EP Alien on Earth, I think that is slated for January or February of next year.
ER: Back to the Lyrics is a very bold statement for a young cat like yourself; it appears to be suggestive of your perception of the rap game. Could you speak more on it?
Bullet: I think that right now it's more...I think people care more about money than actually wanting to rap. Like I think people just get into the game and not actually have any depth with the music or whatever. Like the movement in maybe the Eighties or Nineties guys could actually rap but now anybody can rap.
ER: When did you begin rapping?
Bullet: I started rapping maybe sophomore year of high school. But when I was like sixteen I started taking it seriously.
ER: How would you describe your style?
Bullet: Independently creative but commercially acceptable.
ER: (Laughs) how do you fit that commercial part into it? Cause nowadays being commercial implies doing what sells.
Bullet: I think people take commercial as Soulja Boy and people like that. My thing is that you can actually be commercial and still be dope. I think that Jay Z proved that, Biggie even proved that you can be commercial and down. And that's the lane that I am in, I like making mainstream music.
ER: You mentioned Biggie and Jay Z, who are some of the artists that have influenced you?
Bullet: Lupe a lot, Eminem is my favorite rapper ever.
ER: Really?
Bullet: Yeah, he is my favorite rapper ever. But right now all my influence is coming from out of the country stuff. I like European music, like right now that's where my influence is coming from.
ER: You purposely avoid using curse words throughout your rhymes, what is the reason behind this effort?
Bullet: First reason is like you know how mothers are (laughs) they don't want hear cursing or whatever. Secondly some kid hit me on aim and said he liked my music or whatever, and it was just like, "ok it's kind of hard to be like super role-model." Youknow I am saying you got to take responsibility as a rapper I think. There's nothing wrong with cursing it's just...there are more words than curses and then it's easier for me to do shows. You can't tell I am not cursing till I tell you I am not cursing.
ER: Despite the amount of fans they have garnered, a lot of people still consider artists such as The Cool Kids and Kidz in the Hall as gimmick rappers, do you fee that your relationship with The Cool Kids might cause people to box you into that category?
Bullet: Oh nah cause' we are not on the same...we are just cool youknowhatiamsayin' we went to the same school, Columbia and that's where our association really comes in. When you listen to our musical efforts, it's just like two different things youknow. But I understand what you are saying; I understand exactly what you are saying.
ER: With the success of Common, Kanye, Lupe how has the Chi scene evolved?
Bullet: Its more fashion oriented. Like before Ye got on or whatever, or before Lu got on it was more of a gangsta rapper thing. Now it's more party music but we still have cats like Bump J.
ER: Where do you hope to take your music?
Bullet: Right now just globally, the records I am making now are just like a global type thing, it's not just United States type of stuff.
ER: You mentioned taking your music globally, how do you feel about European audiences?
Bullet: I think that they appreciate music more because they are so many people in the States that try to rap. So it's kind of like having a girlfriend and a prostitute (laughs). Like she [girlfriend] is not going to appreciate youknowhatiamsayin' a nice guy or whatever but like a prostitute will appreciate a nice guy cause' she is always dealing with whatever. I think that's the same thing with music, like European audiences hardly get rappers so it's like they appreciate...
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