What's good Appetite?
We can always find room to complain, but that just makes everything harder to deal with, so I'm good, thanks for askin. I'm getting some exposure right now for doing those, so that helps make the movement all the more worth it.

Who is Appetite?
Appetite is my personality on steroids, in a nut shell. A 23 year old Mexican kid from Anaheim, CA, with a fuckin pierced lip. As a person, I'm a sponge, and I'm very bottled up because throughout my life-trust has always been an issue. So I don't trust many people, and that causes me to be closed up as a person. So the only time I'm able to let it all out and write some of my innermost thoughts is when I write lyrics and make music. So Appetite is my personality, but I say on steroids, because it has no limit to where I can take something, musically. I have the opportunity to take a personal experience, then run with it and add some fantasy when I make music. I'm a little bit of everything. I'm that voice in your head that you try to avoid, or that you keep silent because you don't know how people might react if you say it. I'm the everyday person, with the non-everyday mentality. I don't like pigeonholing myself and putting a label on me because right now I'm in the phase of TRYING to get people to just listen to the music, so I don't want to say "yeah, it's this/that", then they hear it and it's not that at all. But putting it really plainly, I am the alternative to cliche hiphop. Simply because I abide by my own set of rules. I walk and talk the same off the mic. as I do on the mic. My motive is that I don't have a motive. I'd be writing lyrics and making music even if I didn't know that I could make a career out of it, because it's my only outlet to vent, to talk about shit that I can't talk to anyone else about, it's the only thing that keeps me sane, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that. And the reason I say I'm the 'alternative to cliche hiphop' is because not only do I not give a fuck to fit whatever trend is hot in the 'biz'...I don't look/dress like whomever's on 106 & Park right now. That's just not me, and I'm ok with that.

What does the name Appetite mean to you and why did you choose it?
It means a lot. Of course, people usually connect it to craving food, but it has multiple meanings. To have an appetite for something, it's to want something and turning a want into a need. And it means maintaining that hunger, because if you don't stay grounded and keep doing what you were doing before you were sucessful(being that you're sucessful), then you start to lose sight of what got you there. And you gotta really feel like you can't slip up no matter what you do in life, because the second you slip up--there's already a line of people ready to fill your shoes. I got the name Appetite from my cousin/producer/partner, WhatsHisName. We were talking one day and I wanted a new alias, 'cause I had some wack ones that I was starting to go by, so he pitched me that name because at the time I'd thought of "Feed My Children Records" so he thought of Appetite. At first I didn't like it, but it grew on me and I attached the multiple meanings and it made sense, I fell in love with it after that. And I've lived off Top Ramen Noodles before. I know what it's like to not have that warm meal there. I know what it's like to go to the pawn shop and get scraps to go buy something to eat. I know what it's like to stretch a dollar and not have a penny to your name. So the name couldn't suit me any better.

How would you describe yourself as an MC?
As an MC, I think growing up and taking a liking to whom I think stood out as the better MC's, lyricists and artists helped mold me. Because as I experienced the culture, I was up on who Rakim was, on who De La Soul was, and the Tribe's, the Organized Konfusion's, the Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's, the Jurassic 5's, etc. Going to shows from 16 on, seeing how the mic. was supposed to be rocked and listening to mix shows really gave me an understanding of what the art of MCing was, as opposed to just listening to rap and taking it as that. So that showed me the ante, the blueprint. So as I wrote, I kept all that in mind, and just applied the basics to what I did as an MC. But I never tried to pattern myself after anyone, or mimmick what was already being done. But that was all preliminary. I think I've came a long way since then. I feel comfortable actually riding beats now, finding the pockets and adjusting to the beat. At first I was concerned with being a dope MC and lyricist. Now I'm at a point where I'm more concerned with crafting the greatest song I can craft. And though I'm cocky when I spit, I'm not gonna sit here and try to convince you that I'm the greatest anything. That shit is corny. So I'm not gonna say "I'm the next Jay-Z, BIG, 'Pac, etc."--why would you want to be something that's already been?! Besides, if you're great at something, your time will come and you'll hear it from the people that matter, anyway! But MC wise, I'm confident enough to say I'm well rounded in styles and variety. And you won't see my name anywhere without the same quality that I'm used to bringing. Whether it's a mixtape track or an album track, I treat it the same, and as if it's the last time I'll ever be in the booth on the mic.

How did your "I Got Can'd Today" EP do?
It's actually getting pressed up right now, we just sent it out to Texas to get pressed up. I'm excited, man, 'cause I put my blood, sweat & tears into that EP, and the work that went on behind it. But the anticipation is there, WhatsHisName and I have been really fortunate to being embraced like we have been so far. I expect to encounter more hate as more people listen to us, but that's a risk you take when you put your music out there, especially indpendently. We have high hopes for the EP, though, it's just the first phase of our movement and I can't wait to look back 5 years from now and see where we are from this point on until then.

How did your "Change of Plans" mixtape do?
That's not pressed up yet, we leaked some track's on MySpace, DubCNN and on my site(wwww.fmcmedia.com). I'm not too concerned with how that does as much as the EP, we did the mixtape to showcase a different element of me. The EP is more song-oriented. The mixtape is more "just kill the mic." oriented. FOCUS(Aftermath Ent./a.Fam Records), who's Dr. Dre's protege showed me love and hosted it, that was huge. He wasn't on no industry bullshit. So him co-signing was big for me, because he knew what I was doing was different--but he liked it, and came through like he said he would by hosting the mixtape, he produced 2 track's on there as well. Oh yeah, and at the end of the mixtape I put the a cappellas for DJ's to use for their own use, and any producers that wanna take my vocals and see what they can do with them, that's on there for you too.

When are you planning to release your album?
Well we're going to push the EP and the mixtape as hard as we can. But during that time, we'll also be in the lab, knocking stuff out. But I'd say late '05, early '06, you can expect my full length album. WhatsHisName already threw a title at me, and I'm digging it, and we even have a theme for the cover. But we'll see what happens from now till then. I'm definitely trying to get a Focus beat or two for the album as well, WhatsHisName and Focus both got some fire coming, and people need to get ready for that.

What would be the ideal conditions under which you would want to release your album?
Me having a strong team behind me that understands the potential behind my music and has vision. I have the big picture laid out, I just need the right people to hear it and hear my vision out, and all I need after that is the financial backing and the team of people ready to really get the movement up & running. So that would be the only thing I'd change. I honestly believe that all I need is the proper platform to showcase my music, I just need that, and let the music speak for itself. Right now, I feel like "ok, who's gonna get the finder's fee?". All the promotion I've got so far, I went out and got it. All the stuff on the site's, I went out and got it. Whatever help I had, I went out and found it. WhatsHisName and myself have done this on our lonesome so far, so balancing all this with our regular lives is like a schedule conflict and pushes things back. But I'm curious to see what'll happen once my music gets into the right hands. I'm looking forward to that day.

Who do you work with now?
WhatsHisName, Focus, Harmony, our engineer Scott(SoundMatrix) and that's basically it. I've found it too hard to rely on people, so I keep those whom I work with down to a handful of people.

Who would you like to work with?
Preferrably someone I vibe with. But if you want names, here's a list for you: Red Hot Chili Peppers, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Rick Rubin, Kurt Cobain, Nottz, Hi-Tek, The Neptunes, Jay Dilla, Linkin Park, DJ Honda, Timbaland, Miri Ben-Ari, and just dope musicians, doesn't really matter who though as long as the record comes together well.

What DJ?s have supported you so far?
DJ Warrior said he dug it, he won "Westcoast Mixtape DJ Of the Year" at the Justo(RIP) Awards, so I got him a freestyle for a tape he's droppin soon. Eric D-Lux(Power 106) really dug my shit. And a few radio shows here & there, but since it's been a handful of people in my movement, I haven't had the time to reach out to the DJ's as much as I'd like to. But that will change once the EP and mixtape are pressed up. You gotta take care of the DJ.

What has been the hardest part about being independent and trying to get heard?
Just getting people to listen! Fans are spoiled nowadays because they have so many options to choose from. So they can be picky now and not give you a listen because they're content with that they already got. So just getting people to listen is a task in itself. Balancing the creative end with business isn't easy either. Emailing people and having them not even having the decency to say they're either not feeling it or they're busy, that gets frustrating real fast. Dealing with industry people who think they know shit, that's always fun. And its just frustrating as hell when you see some new cat get coverage, then you listen to their music and it's whatever, you feel like "why can't I get that coverage?" you feel like you deserve certain things over other artists. But we're all in the same boat, and I don't like to bitch about nothing, I just keep it moving and knock on the next door. But it's funny to see how some of these industry people work, some of these websites are on some bullshit. And let me take this time to thank you for what you guys say on the front of your page "We break new artists, they don't"...that's the fucking truth! A lot of these sites and magazines don't even care to keep their ears open for new talent, which is part of the reason a lot of the music out there isn't that good, and the artists sound the same. So just dealing with shit like that, leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But fuck 'em, honestly, because in the end, it's those types of people who don't really matter to you and I anyway.

What do you do to pay the bills while you're grinding on the music?
I worked mainly at law firms, and offices. But I've done everything from Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, up to the corporate work. But right now, time's are getting tougher, and job-hunting sucks balls. I do what I have to do and I'll leave it at that.

What do you want your fans to take away from your music?
A lot of what I do is personal. There's always some sort of personal tie between myself and my music. Whether good or bad, one emotion led me to write what I ended up writing down and putting in a song. And I say a lot of things that I haven't heard people say in their music. And I think there's a lot of people who can connect with what I'm saying because they haven't had that voice before. So if they connect with it, or just like and appreciate what I do, that's it right there, I'm content, and it feels like you partially met your quota in life. Like "ok I was able to connect with someone and reach them, it wasn't just a verse, it was more than that".

Whats your next move in this game?
Get the EP out, the mixtape out, shit on whomever attempts to get in the way, and just flood peoples speakers with Appetite & F.M.C. Media. No matter what happens, I'm going out with guns blazing and a fight. My whole life's been lived at the bottom, so all there is to do is go up from here. But I just want to get the name out there, and get people familiar with my brand of music making and just keep the movement ongoing.

Where can people hear your tracks?
www.myspace.com/appetite and www.fmcmedia.com

How can Heads get at you?
Either on MySpace(add myspace.com/appetite) or appetite@fmcmedia.com
Thanks to Brian and HipHopGame.com for providing an outlet like this for cats like myself, it's a blessing and a beautiful thing!