Artist Spotlight: Topic

Topic (feat Trey Songz): “I Gotta Get It”

Up and coming emcee Topic is hitting the circuit hard to bring the west coast back.  With his new mixtape American Hustler on the streets, backed by DJ Warrior and DJ Felli Fel and his debut album due out on SRC Records, there’s no holding this cat back.  I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Topic to see what this hard working emcee was all about.  Before we hit you with the interview, here’s a few words to let you know who Topic is.

Life for Topic began in West LA and evolved in West Covina throughout his adolescent years. The Yin and Yang lifestyle of religious based principles instilled by his mother and hard knock life experiences learned from his father laid the foundation on which this universal rap artist was formed.

Extremely confident in his ability to write or rap about anything, hence the evolution of the epithet ‘Topic’. No literary form of expression can exist without a ‘Topic’. Having a true love for music since the early days of his youth, Topic began singing and writing his own lyrics in grade school. By the summer of 8th grade writing his first rhyme created a natural euphoria for the lyricist, and an addiction for which there is no cure, only temporary relief. In 1993, Topic had his first experience in a professional recording studio. He took advantage of the opportunity and learned all he could about the mechanics behind the development of a song.

An innate passion for writing combined with being outspoken and a natural leader, this lyricist is certain to accomplish what he wants. What he wants is to share his truth on different points of discussion by expressing them in his lyrics. There is truly no fear emanating from this man when a pen is in hand. In love with the lyrics that flow from his soul he stirs up the game on a mental level while stimulating your desire to move to the beat.

Along with staying modest, balancing confidence with humility and driven by a passion to spit the truth, Topic began performing in local clubs, competitions and underground spots throughout LA, the Inland Empire, and West Covina. The development of his own company BOSS (Business Over Stupid Shit) Life World Inc. is a testament to the prodigious potential the artist possesses.

Topic has endured a series of tribulations synonymous with the testing of Job. His lyrical schemes reflect the influence of his life experiences as well as those around him. Marrying his strengths, insecurities and weaknesses with the melodic element of hip-hop, it is ingenious the way he brings the truth so uninhibited it exposes the very soul of the man.

The Boss of it all with a canvas of soul felt, epic beats of street life and hard-core hustle make it difficult for you to ignore the formidable hip-hop rap artist. Possessing all attributes of a West Coast gangster but the demeanor of a true businessman, this prolific rapper honed his skills and landed a record deal with SRC Universal through the independent label Drama Family.

Previously working with “WC” of Westside Connection, Knocturnal, and Shanta formerly of Aftermath, also alongside producers such as; Johnathan “JR” Rotem, Cool and Dre, Jelly Roll, and Neff-u who has production credits for almost every music genre, and artist from Dr. Dre to U2. Now label mates with such artists as the world renowned multi-platinum selling Akon and David Banner, Topic will soon accomplish his mission to make a predominant impact in the Industry.

‘Topic’ can be defined as complex but not complicated, simplistic but by no means simple. Ardently motivated by success and God’s timing the intimate, hard-hitting songs written by this artist are sure to induce an encore.

This Is Hip Hop Exclusive Interview

Kevin: Yo, what’s good man? Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us and telling us your story. Why don’t we start with the back story…tell us a little bit about yourself… where you from and how’d you get into this game?

Topic: Thank you, the pleasure is all mine. I’m Topic and I been in the music game for awhile now. I come from Los Angeles CA, but was raised in West Covina CA. I started rapping at a young age 9th grade in high school to be exact. Other than that I been in the streets hustling making a way for myself like anybody else. Music has always been my first love, with that being said since my first real studio encounter in 93 I been grindin with it since.

Kevin: Man, I was just listening to American Hustler this morning… how’d the hook-up with Felli Fel and DJ Warrior come about? What’s the concept behind that mixtape?

Topic: Well Felli Fel is a prominent DJ on the West Coast on Power 106 and DJ Warrior is like the mixtape king out west. So I have personal relationships with both, I just asked them and they both said yes. It was really just as simple as that to be honest. The concept of the American Hustler is almost self explanatory in the title. It’s about that hustle that everyone is on in life. My hustle happens to be music so on the pre album I illustrated different sides to my hustle through music that is the reason you hear so many different emotions on the American Hustler. Besides that I have these skits on there which I took from the movie Departed, and it’s basically the hip hop police are trying to stop my hustle.

Kevin:  That’s dope.  So the new single with Trey Songz… how’d that matchup happen? What’s the song about and how’s the reception been so far?

Topic: Well the single with Trey Songz, “I Gotta Get It”, came about the same way that I normally do everything. We established a personal relationship awhile back on some street shit, due to that we were able to put the record together and it just became my single once the label was ready to jump start my project. To be honest with you, when you minus out all the politics, things are not that hard to get done in this game. It’s just when certain labels and sucka ass niggas get involved then you have issues.

Kevin:  I hear you man.  Everything else aside, at the end of the day it’s all about the music.  Where do you draw your inspiration from? Personal experiences? People around you? What emcees inspired you to do what you do?

Topic: To answer your first question I draw my inspiration from all of the above, I consider myself a true artist so I write about a variation of things. The emcees that inspired me would have to be people like Scarface, Pac, Special Ed, DIC; there are too many. Reason being I started off a “back pack rapper” so at that point my inspirations where a lot different as far as emceeing was concerned. Once I got to the point I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life then I got more serious about the music, which wasn’t long from when I first started.

Kevin:  What emcees do you think are hot in the game right now? Who would you like to collab with?

Topic: I think that Jeezy, Kanye, 50, The Game, Lil Wayne, TI, those are a few artist I think that are hot. I would personally like to work with Jeezy, 50, and TI. I think our situations would mesh together well. Although I think on a soulful music tip me and Kanye could do damage.

Kevin: Yeah, I could definitely picture those collabos.  What do you look for when picking a beat to rhyme over? What producers have you worked with and would like to work with in the future?

Topic: I don’t look; it’s just if the beat grabs me then I write, if I’m inspired then I write. I usually only pick beats with a purpose or if it’s a business decision I’m making, otherwise it’s useless and not real in my opinion. For example, if I knew I needed a radio single or something like that then I would choose something specific.  Other than that, I just like to create what feel right. I would like to work with Polo Da Don, Toomp, Dre, Kanye, Timbaland, Focus. I have worked with JR Rotem, Cool and Dre, Hi Tek, Kane beats, Neff U and a few others.

Kevin: So what’s next? Got any new projects lined up?

Topic: Yeah the single right now Topic Ft. Trey Songz “I GOTTA GET IT”, the debut album self titled Topic “If Not Me… Then Who?”. Other than that look for me to be everywhere in the streets, on the internet, and in a hood near you.

Kevin: Cool man, we’ll def look out for that.  On a less serious tip, what’s the one hip-hop album in history that’s the most important to you and why?

Topic: Makevelli, and I say that because in my opinion it is one of the realest albums ever made in history, and I can relate to almost everything on it. That is important to me. I think sonically the album was put together incredible from the singles to the actual content on the record. Another reason I choose Makevelli is because it had so many different emotions on the one record that it always kept me going no matter what mood I was in.

Kevin: There are new artists poppin’ up in the game everyday. What does Topic bring to the table? How will you change hip hop?

Topic: Well artist do pop up everyday; the problem is most of them that are poppin up now a days almost don’t even deserve the title “artist” in my opinion. The game is fucked up with this pop corn bullshit these guys are releasing. I think I, Topic, represent the true, integrity, honest, and musical side of hip hop. I wouldn’t say I’m trying to change hip hop but I do believe we should all add on to hip hop in a powerful and impactful manner. That’s the problem now; too many artificial flavors being added into hip hop’s gumbo, for lack of better words.

Kevin: Real talk.  Thanks again for your time man. Any closing words?

Topic: No problem, once again thank you. I have a few closing words… Let’s get the art of music back into the mainstream of hip hop and the music industry. Let’s boycott all the bullshit that contaminates hip hop. Always stay tuned to TOPIC and check me out on MySpace or whatisthetopic.com. 626 West Covina, Topic the NEW DON OF THE WEST COAST, MR. I GOTTA GET IT!!! West Coast till the world blows up…

Download American Hustler

• Topic on MySpace
• Topic’s Official Website