EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CALIFORNIAN AND I.E. REPPIN HIP HOP ARTIST EPIC!!!!!!

EPIC Interview 26 Questions

The long awaited debut mix-tape “Long Story Short” was finally released on April 5th to a very positive response. Justin Barnette known as the emcee EPIC out of the I.E. takes some time out of his, I’m sure is rapidly filling up schedule to answer my 21 questions. Sit back and enjoy as I pick this young emcee’s brain.

When did you decide music was going to be your career? What made you decide that?
I’d say once I graduated high school and went to college. My first semester in college I used to sit in class all day and write music to the point that I didn’t really pay attention to the professor. So it was then when I realized that music was what I wanted to do.

What do you use your music to do? To tell stories? Talk about society? Get out your thoughts?
All of the above. I don’t really aim all my music in one direction I just kinda do what I feel at the time and my songs usually reflect whatever I was going through at that time. Sometimes I’m in a partying mood so I make that type of song or sometimes I have women problems so ill write about that, I just try to keep everything true to me and original.

Who are some of your influences?
I honestly don’t think I have any influences because I don’t try to be like anyone I just do me, but some artists that I favor would of course be Kanye, Jay-Z, Wayne, Drake is dope, Andre 3000, Mase in his prime was my favorite.

How does EPIC rate against the rest of this emerging rookie class of talented hip-hop artist entering the game right now? Against guys like (Kid Cudi, Drake, Wale, J Cole, B.O.B, Asher Roth, etc.) You a fan of any of their music?
Much respect to all those artists they’ve all kinda set the standard for the new age of young artists like myself by showing how powerful of a tool the internet can be for your career. I’m defiantly a fan of all those names and I hope to reach their level of success sooner than later.

Canada got Drake putting them on the map, North Carolina got J Cole, DC got Wale, does the IE got EPIC?
I think our region is the toughest to gain the support of your peers because of the simple fact that everyone out here is an artist so it’s more like a competition with everyone instead of supporting one another. I can’t tell you yet if the IE got me but I can tell you that I got the IE and I’ll always represent where I’m from with pride.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’ll be somewhere on a worldwide tour still going hard. Maybe have a couple grammys under my belt with a couple platinum selling albums lol.

What direction do you think Hip-Hop is headed? And is it a good or bad direction?
I feel like hip hops headed in a good direction. I’m confident that this new era of rappers will bring back the substance that we’ve been missing.

What’s your favorite song on your mix-tape “Long Story Short”??
Man, honestly my favorite song changes every time I listen to it. Every single record has significant meaning to me and it takes me back to when I wrote it and recorded it and all the emotion that went into it. So to answer your question, I’d say all are my favorite.

Long Story Short is a hot mix-tape I can personally say, and I’m a tough critic, but even the peeps I’ve played it for were very impressed so big ups. Now the danger of releasing such a hot mix-tape is that now your fans, me included, are going to be expecting a FIYA debut album…So how do you plan on topping this mix-tape and any other mix-tapes you might plan to release before your debut album? How are you going to make sure your fans continue to be impressed?? Did you save some really hot songs for your debut album?? Or are you going to create some new hot ones??
Long Story Short was actually my third mixtape so anybody who has been following my career has to notice the progress since my first mixtape back in 2007. I feel like I keep getting better with every project and hopefully that continues forever. I didn’t save any songs from this tape, every song I recorded for the project went on the project which is kinda crazy, but yea I just plan to continue making real heart felt music and hopefully everyone keeps spreading the word and keeps rocking with me. Im not really sure what my next project will be, an album or mixtape so I can’t really comment on that just know that it will defiantly be soon.

If you had your pick, name 5 artists you would want to work with on your debut album?? Any genre….
Lauryn Hill, Kanye, Pharell, The Dream, and Timbaland.

You took on the juicy beat in your mix-tape; did you feel any added pressure to spit some hot shit on that track to make sure you did it justice???
Hell yea lol. That was the only beat that I had to think twice about jumping on. That’s a classic so I didn’t wanna come wrong and make big turn over in his grave. From all the feedback though people seem to be feeling it so that’s dope.

What’s next for EPIC?
Just trying to stay productive, active, and continue progressing.

Is the I.E. a new breeding place for talented people to come through across the board from sports to music to fashion??
I hope so. There’s a lot of really talented people out here and I wish everyone the best.

What’s in your IPOD right now? Give us a snapshot of your IPOD…
Man I’ve never owned an ipod in life lol. I’m kinda old school I still rock with cds. As far as what I listen to now id say: Drake, Kudi, Dom Kennedy, Pac Div, Nipsey Hussle, Wayne, Rick Ross, Plies, I’m just a fan of music, I like it all.

I’m a big fan of the “Top of the World” track, was that song inspired by some real events that have taken place in your life thus far?
No doubt. That’s all speaking from the heart. Shoutout to my boy Farrin who blessed me with a hook on that and TMG who produced that, defiantly one of my favorites on the tape.

How was it working with DJ Ill Will and DJ Rockstar?
It was good, it was actually my second time working with Ill Will he’s a big homie and he knows good music and always offers advice so I got a lot of respect for him.

Favorites Corner

Color? Money Green
TV show? Entourage and How To Make It In America
Movie? The Wood
Food? It’s a tie between Asian and Mexican
Sports Team? Athlete? Lakers and of course Kobe
Music Artist? Jay-Z
Place to Party? The studio
Place you’ve travelled to? Definatly Hawaii

What’s your take on the whole Tiger Woods episode?
He’s human, he’s gonna make mistakes that’s just life. Hopefully he learned a lesson from it all.

If a big time record label wanted to sign you up for like 10 million, but would switch up your whole style and turn you into the Justin Bieber of Hip-Hop would you do it? For 10 million? 20 million? How much would it take?
I don’t know how to be fake so if I can’t stay true to myself and my family and friends then I don’t want it.

This is for the ladies…. Is there a miss EPIC in your life right now??
Sure isn’t. I’m focused right now.


Out of all the collabo’s on your mix-tape like (Mister Wright, Farrin, Curtis King, Dub, Stunna P, and Jazzie) whom did you have the most fun working with? And did any of them come in legendary status and just kill their part in one take?
They all brought there own thing to the table and I enjoyed working with all of them. No one take status but they’re all very talented people.

I’m going to test how Unfluenced you are…

Finish this statement: With my music I hope to…Inspire

What kind of music do you like? A variety? Or just a few main genres?
What do you think of Bob Dylan? John Mayer? Kenna?
They’re all super dope. I’m a big fan of John Mayer.

Are you looking to get signed as soon as possible, or just taking your time and waiting for the right deal to come along? Do you prefer a major label or a smaller one?
I don’t have a preference right now I just want to be in a situation that benefits me and still maintain my freedom.

Where is your next performance going to be?
Depending on when people read this it could be already passed so ill say just stay tuned to my myspace for future shows (www.myspace.com/epicthefuture) and (twitter.com/epicthefuture)

[Space for Shoutouts!!]
Shout out to you fam and Michael Arballo, we all go back to elementary and I thank you guys for this interview along with the rest of your team.

EPIC is not only a talented hip-hop artist...hes also a cool ass dude...I've known him since elementary school, he was a cool ass dude back then, and with all the hype and love hes getting now...hes still the same cool, down to earth dude...RESPECT to EPIC...I and Unfluence Society will see you at the top homie...All the best...

I can certify that EPIC is Unfluenced...so he got my full support....

if you havent already...go ahead and cop that mixtape "Long Story Short" and give your ears an orgasm...lol...foreal tho...shits fiya....


Stay Unfluenced!!

Hip Hop's top MC's and Newcomers

So i just barely got wind of MTV's top 10 MC in the game right now (yea im a little slow sometimes)...and it was average, they left off some heavy hitters in my opinion...So i'm gonna give you guys my current top 10 (put stuff out in the last year or so), the top 10 period as of now, and top 10 newcomers

Top 10 Current MC's (Not in order really)

1. Jay-Z
2. Kanye West
3. Lupe Fiasco -(SUPER ILL)
4. Lil Wayne
5. Eminem -(he is on here for just some of the flows he has spit on other people's tracks this last year or so)
6. Kid Cudi
7. Drake
8. Wale
9. J Cole
10. Rick Ross/Clipse -(Clipse last cd was a sleeper, and i heard from some peeps that Rick Ross came off on his last cd)

Top 10 period (relatively in order)

1. 2pac
2. Biggie
3. Nas
4. Jay-Z
5. Kanye West
6. Lupe Fiasco
7. Lil Wayne
8. Eminem
9. Andre 3000 (LYRICAL BEAST)
10. Talib Kweli/TI

notes:
Close tie between 2pac and Biggie, so of course being a Cali boy i gotta put pac 1st.
And its a close tie between Jay-Z and Nas...but i give the slight nod to Nas for some of the topics he has addressed with his music
Eminem prolly could be higher but that pop garbage he released right before he went away for a little while really pissed me off and thats why he's 8.

Top 10 newcomer (not really in order)

1. Kid cudi
2. Wale
3. Drake
4. J Cole
5. EPIC
6. Kwame Darko
7. Asher Roth (dont let "i love college" fool you...dude can really spit)
8. Whiz Khalifa
9. (OPEN SPOT)
10. (OPEN SPOT)

Soo there are my lists...there are two spots open on the newcomers list if you can think of anybody i left off....

I'd love to hear who you guys have, and if you agree or disagree and why...i love a good ole healthy "lets agree to disagree" debate

Stay Unfluenced!!!

THIS IS THE FUEL THAT FEEDS THE BURNING FIRE WITHIN ME THAT DRIVES ME TO WANT TO UNFLUENCE THE WORLD!!!

For sure we are desensitized...but i also think a lot of people have the mindset, "that surely someone, or the next person to walk by will do something, and therefore they dont necessarily have to do anything, because they believe eventually something will be done even if its not them doing it..." as bad as the people that walked by are...im even more concerned with the dude that stopped, touched the man and like lifted him up and kept walking...When i saw that video i just thought to myself, "what if that woman being mugged was my sister, gf, mother, niece, etc...is that how i would repay the man that saved my sister's or mother's life?? Hell naw...that woman that was attacked was someone's daughter, sister, maybe wife, and just like i would want someone to help someone close to me, i would repay them by helping them in anyway i could. What society is telling people by this incident, is that if someone is getting mugged, you better keep walking and ignore it, because there is no help for those that are helpful. Ironically, at the very least, it wouldn't have killed any of the people walking by to take out their phone as they walked by and dial 911 and just say, "a woman was just almost mugged, the man that rescued her has been stabbed and is badly injured and lying on the ground on main street"....but it did end up killing that poor man...We as a people need to get Unfluenced!

pardon the essay...lol...just passionate about things like this...

Beautiful way of seeing things....

A compilation of some of the most beautiful eyes in the world...



A girl with pretty eyes always catches my eye...


Stay Unfluenced!!

Fresh of the day

Only change is that the t-shirt would be an Unfluenced T-shirt

Stay Unfluenced!!!

Video and Song of the Day

Fresh of the day

Something Fresh I would wear...


Stay Unfluenced!!!


Reggie Reg

Lupe Fiasco is a beast

"Dumb it Down"

Red Pill vs. Blue Pill

With my forthcoming graduation, i am faced with a Neo-Morpheous-esque red pill blue pill scenario with what i am going to do once i graduate.

For me this is what the pills represent...

Blue Pill: get a 9-5 job with some company, spend the next 40 years working my way up to as high a position i can reach in that company or another company, while builiding my 401k and preparing for retirement, while i work ill go back to school and get my masters and maybe my doctorate depending on if i want to become a CEO or something...basically join millions of people that follow that familiar path

Red Pill: Do what i love, travel, live life to the fullest, become successful in whatever i choose to do by creating my own path and doing it my way...

needless to say...im gonna swallow that Red Pill baby!!!!

Stay Unfluenced!!!!

Another "Quote of the Day"

"I gotta not be derogatory, so she'll talk to me, then i'll be derogatory" (While chatting online)

-Ally

lolol....big up to my homie Ally for that quote...i was rolling...

Stay Unfluenced!!!

Quote of the Day

"I can't wait till i'm shaggin english birds..."

-Aussie

lolol...thanks to aussie for providing me with this one...

Stay Unfluenced!!

Music Zaps

1. Kenna "freetime"

2. John Mayer "Perfectly Lonely"

FIYA Tracks!!!

Download Now!!!

Reggie Reg

Two Pill System

What if in a different world, every citizen would receive two pills in the morning or before they started their days. The first pill would be adderall, and would be taken first to ensure that the person is able to focus on their job and complete all the tasks they needed to. The second pill would be ecstasy, and would be ingested after a person finishes work or all their tasks for that day so that they would feel good and be happy if they were tired from a long day or were in a bad mood because they dont enjoy their job, the ecstasy would serve to eliminate any anger or bad feeling that were felt by people...

just a crazy idea...

THIS IS NOT A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE TO START TAKING ADDERALL AND ECSTASY. POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION OF ECSTASY IS ILLEGAL AS WELL AS NON DOCTOR- PRESCRIPTED POSSESSION OR CONSUMPTION OF ADDERALL!!!!!

What you think??

Reggie Reg

UPcoming INterview with Hip-Hop artist EPIC

Look out for it....

BIG UPS to the IE

Yo, big ups to the inland empire for producing a good amount of talented people that are doing their thing over the last 5 years or so...here are some of them:

1. Maurice Edu (Rangers FC and US National Team)

2. Darren Collison (New Orleans Hornets)

3. Jeff Pendergraph (Trailblazers)

4. Unfluence Society Clothing Co. (Reggie Edu, Darnel Mcdermott, Mark Araujo, Michael Arballo, Michael Barbeito)

5. EPIC Justin Barnette (Hip-Hop Artist)

6. Mister Wright Kenneth Wright (Singer)

7. Jiovanni Miers (Houston Astros)

8. Chuckwudi "Chuck" Chijindo (Chivas USA)

9. Krystlasia (Rapper, Manager, Model, More...)

10. Ancient Vision (Reggae Band)

Those are just some peeps i know...If i forgot you, let me know...If you not from the IE (Inland Empire), then let me know who your city or county has produced in the last 5 years...

Get Unfluenced!

Reggie Reg

My Current Music Galaxy

Some peeps in the galaxy right now are:

1. Kid cudi

2. Kenna

3. John Mayer new cd

4. Bob dylan

5. Wale

6. J. Cole

7. EPIC

8. Mister Wright

9. B.O.B

10. Drake

11. Lupe Fiasco

12. Jay-Z

13. Kanye

14. Celine Dion (oldschool classics haha)

15. John Legend

Who's in your Music Galaxy right now???

Experience Needed

As an emerging senior graduate I am encountering a great deal of job applications that say "experience needed." For me those words mean "Don't Apply"

As an athlete, i spent my free time in highschool practicing soccer and working on improving myself so that i could get a scholarship to college. Therefore i didn't have time to get a job in highschool. While i played college soccer, which is like a full time job, i also spent my free time training to improve my game and practicing soccer in the hopes that i would be able to play professionally. Therefore i had no free time in college to get a job and gain this "experience needed" to get a job. So what happens to us college athletes that dedicate themselves to their sports and thus dont have time to get pointless jobs to gain the "experience needed." Its not taken into account by employers that all the things a person learns from working some highschool job or in a clothing store as a manager during college are also learned by any college athlete competing on a competitive team. Things you gain from working previous jobs like Time management, organization, discipline, working with teammates, communication, etc... are all things that you learn playing competitively for a college sports team. And therefore all those stupid job applications should say "Experience needed" or "2 years minimum of competing on a college sports team" that way the college athletes out there like myself that didnt have time to get jobs or do internships are compensated for in the job market search....

Thats all i gotta say....its kinda annoying...and its like we are being punished for dedicating ourselves and focusing on our respective sports.

What do you think?

Stay Unfluenced!!

Reggie Reg

Welcome to the Opinion Dominion

Im just gonna speak my mind...have your say...