Mono Bagends talks to Smarter Hip Hop about his single "On Fire" and gives the readers a little more information as to who he is as an artist.
Smarter
Hip Hop: We read about how you got the name "Mono
Bagends" from a previous interview done on another website, but has anyone
ever told you that the name sounds similar to Bilbo Baggins? lol
Mono
Bagends: All The time...It's actually a good thing
because people remember it that way. Name association.
Smarter
Hip Hop: For those that may not know, where did you
get the name "Mono Bagends"?
Mono
Bagends: I am very selective who I hang out with so a
lot of the time I like my own company best so my boys started calling me
Mono...meaning the prefix for one. The last name Bagends is street slang for
making money...when you Bag-Ends. That's what I am trying to do with the music....make
money for myself.
Smarter Hip Hop: What inspired you to rap?
Mono Bagends: I had a higher calling one day to be a rapper. That faint voice in my head (God) told me to be a rapper. It came out of nowhere so I decided to become a rapper at that moment. Mostly everyone thought I was nuts but God's plan is always the right plan.
Smarter
Hip Hop: Who are some of the artists that you looked
up to?
Mono
Bagends: DMX. I
loved his spiritual nature. The way on
an album he could have one song talking to God and then another one speaking to
the devil. That's a battle we all go through in our own mind's whether we
realize it or not. I was able to relate
to him. I would love to meet him one day
and to do a record with him would be incredible.
Smarter
Hip Hop: We heard that you worked with DR Period (the
man behind popular hip hop hits such as "Ante' Up" from M.O.P.,
Cam'ron's "Hey Ma", AZ's "I'm Back" and many more) in the
past, how did you hook up with him and why don't you work with him any longer?
Mono
Bagends: We originally met at a hip hop
competition. I thought he was very
respectful to me even though at the time I wasn't one of the better artists.
About a year later, I hit him up and he loved my new music and he wanted to
produce me. We wound up doing 6 records
together. Everyone thought I was signed
to him but that's not what I wanted. I
had started my own company Bagends Records and wanted to keep the relationship
separate. My music has gone in a
different direction since working with him and it wouldn't make sense from a
music standpoint for us to work together now.
Smarter
Hip Hop: You have a single and video out right now
titled "On Fire" that's hot! The video has reached over 300,000 plays
on youtube and has been getting lots of love and support on radio stations
across the nation, what makes "On Fire" so hot?
Mono
Bagends: It is a positive inspirational record that
everyone and anyone can get behind. It has a big time chorus, a sick flow,
catchy wordplay and a hot beat. The video brings the song to life as well.
Smarter
Hip Hop: Who did you work with for the song and video
to "On Fire"?
Mono
Bagends: For the song, Luxxury Music did the
production, I recorded it with Filthy Rich and he also did the mix... a great
engineer. The video was directed by Brian Dalthrop. His company is We are Pop Studios. I would recommend working with any of them.
Smarter
Hip Hop: You also have another single titled "You
Drive Me Crazy" floating around, what would you like to say about this
record?
Mono
Bagends: It is a fun fast paced pop/hip hop record that
is about a bad relationship. Everyone has gone through that at one time in
their life so many people can relate to it and ultimately feel it.
Smarter
Hip Hop: The critics and bloggers are already
comparing this song "You Drive Me Crazy" to something that a Pitbull
or Flo-Rida would do.... what do you have to say about?
Mono
Bagends: I don't really pay much attention to
comparisons. That's what people do naturally...they love to compare someone to
someone else. Those are two of the hottest artists in the game right now so I
take it as a compliment.Smarter Hip Hop: Tell our readers something that they may not already know, that you would like to share with them.....
Mono Bagends: I am a honest humble God fearing/serving person. I am confident in myself and believe that sky is the limit in anything I do but at the end of the day none of it is because of me....All Glory to God. If you would like to check out more of my music and follow my career you can check me out at the following websites. Thank you for the interview.
