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10/10/2006 What's up? I'm chilling. We got the Another Day, Another Dollar mixtape dropping now. I'm back like I left something! How do you like the new mixtape? It's fire. I had to do me on this one. This one is more for the streets. On the last mixtape, I tried to reach everybody even though it was a hip-hop tape. This one is for the streets, for everybody going through the hustle. It's what every day is like. When you wake up, you're trying to find a new way to get this paper. Did anything specific make you want to title the mixtape that? I'm repping the hustle. That's anybody. Whether you're hustling in the streets getting street money, whether you're doing the school hustle or working the nine-to-five, we're all chasing that buck. Life is real short so we have to make sure we use our time wisely and come up. Another Day, Another Dollar is about waking up on your grind and living to see another one. How's your grind been lately? I'm always back and forth between New York and North Carolina. I'm working on my album. It's untitled as of now. I'm working with Nottz, The Heatmakerz, 9th Wonder, Simon Vegas and Capp-n-Kidd. The album is going to be fire. I'm also working on my label, First in Flight Entertainment. How's the album coming? I'm just working. I'm just cutting records. The album isn't finished because I don't have a deal yet. I'm not really rushing it. I see a lot of people get signed and go through problems trying to get a single done and all that. I'm taking care of all of that before we go to the label. Right now I'm just cutting good records. I'm in my mode. I'm just trying to go in the studio and make good records. How is it working with Nottz? It's crazy. I met him through Cory because he's working on Cory's album. It's wonderful. His style knocks and it fits me. His beats and my lyrics go perfect together. I'm also affiliated with Smack DVD right now. They're involved in my project now too. We're on the same team. They're like family now. We help each other with anything we need. Have you been in the studio with 9th yet? I got some tracks by 9th Wonder but I haven't had a chance to work with him yet. He's from North Carolina. Whenever we see each other, it's all love. He's from the 919 and I'm from the 910. We're going to be working together in the future. How was it working with Lord Tariq? That's my man! Tariq is a legend. He's my man, but I also look at him as a legend. Tariq was the first person talking that street shit on the mixtapes. He was the first one talking the latest cars and street fashion and street stuff. The things you hear everybody rapping about now, he fathered. He's on my side and he's in my corner. He's going to be working on my album too. The chemistry is there. For a legend to want to come work with me, that's a big deal to me. He's helping me with what I'm doing. We did the "Coming of Age" remix on my mixtape. That's the joint Jay-Z and Bleek did on Reasonable Doubt. How was it in the studio with Tariq? It was crazy. Just as quick as I come up with my music, he comes up with his. The vibe was good. We were both just talking about stuff that was going on with us and it came out fire. What's going on with the Militia? Right now the Militia has a mixtape out called The Militia - Call of Duty. It's hosted by DJ E.Nyce. We were blessed to get Mixtape Monday on MTV. The CD is real big. Big shout out to Cory Gunz and Hash. That's a big look to finally get the first Militia project complete. It was really a big deal for us to be on MTV for that. How's the Militia album coming? We're working on the Militia album. Cory's still working on his album and I'm still working on mine. When it's time to do the Militia album, we'll all be there. When it's time to work on Cory's album, we're all there. We all make sure we give opinions on everybody's projects. Have you been on the label hunt? I'm confident enough with my music to walk into any label right now, but I'm trying to get the buzz up to where I can walk into any label and get the deal I want. I had a few sit-downs with some people but they're just giving out the regular hip-hop deal until you get your name out there. I'm just trying to get the buzz up and we'll get the right deal we're looking for. That's what it's about. What are your goals for your label First in Flight? It represents North Carolina. We were the first ones to get the planes off the ground. I have a few big-name people working on it. I really don't want to put the name out on who they are until it's set in stone. I'm also working with my older brother. We're going to start getting it moving later this year. Everything should be spinning how we want it. The first artists are me and my man Traffic. He's from North Carolina as well. You've done a lot of work with Big Cas. How's he doing? He's doing good. He's doing his thing to keep NC alive. We're trying to give you what the game's missing. That "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" is cool dance music but you would never find that in my CD player. I don't consider that real lyricism, and that's what hip-hop is about. I respect any man trying to coming up but if you don't have nothing to say then shut the fuck up. It's time to raise the bar. Is it hard coming from NC? It's hard because there's politics out here. People are paying for their airtime, but that's everywhere. I can't single us out because it's the same thing with New York. The DJ's play whoever pays them. The records don't get played because they're hot anymore. Plus every DJ has an artist. Every radio DJ and mixtape DJ has an artist. That's why the life expectancy on a mixtape is so short. It's like three weeks now. That's why you have to work nonstop. You have to make 1,000 t-shirts with your name on it and do the flyers and all of that so you stay in everybody's faces and stay relevant in the game. What's the next move for you? Getting my label situated. I'm trying to get distribution for my label. I'm looking at Universal, Interscope and Atlantic. I'm just trying to get my distribution. I have to get my shit off the ground. Cory's my brother and I'm still riding with the Militia but I have people in NC waiting for me to get it popping. I have to get myself in the position so they can do what they need to do. What do you want to say to everybody? I'm bringing that real music. I do this for y'all. I'm the voice of the new generation whether you like it or not. I'm raising the bar. It's going to be hard for this fake hip-hop to last. I'm bringing a fresh style and I'm going to lead this next generation for the next ten years. I'm going to be the leader of the next generation like how Big did it and how Jay did it. The next ten years is me. I'm doing this to better the culture and better hip-hop. I'm doing this for everybody, not just me. It's time to bring it back around. http://myspace.com/rain910 Download Rain's newest mixtape, Another Day, Another Dollar, right here: killahertz.com/Rain%20-%20Another%20Day,%20Another%20Dollar.zip Tracklisting: 01 Intro 02 Another Day, Another Dollar 03 Pushing It 04 Dope Boy feat. Traffic 05 Flying Birds 06 Coming of Age feat. Lord Tariq 07 Real Talk 08 Freestyle 09 Wasn't Born Hustlers feat. Cory Gunz 10 I'm On Skit 11 I'm On 12 It's Yours 13 Gun Talk feat. Hash 14 Grindin feat. Traffic 15 Another Day, Another Dollar Part 2 feat. Big Cas 16 War Time 17 Melon Off feat. Cory Gunz 18 Skit 19 Wrong Choices 20 Kick, Push Freestyle 21 1, 2 Y'all 22 Take a Picture feat. Money Millz and Chubby Baby 23 Outro

By Brian Kayser

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