Mann

Interview By: Tyrone Davis

Check out another Twenty4SevenMagazine exclusive! Read about this Los Angeles native representing the city’s Westside. In this one on one interview, take a closer look at a rapper who treats his talents as nothing less than art. Learn how a stroke of luck forever changed his life, his career, and took beyond the confines of West L.A. We introduce to you “Mann”.

Mann, what’s happening brother?
I’m shaking man, in L.A. Trying to get it in. On my way to the gym.

Ok, you got to stay right for the ladies.
Gotta stay on it brother. Its summer, I’m off the shirt with it, ya feel me?

Yea, I dig bruh, let’s get right into it. How did you come up with the name “Mann”?
Mann was always a family nickname from everyone that was around me. I’ve always had an older soul. I’m 20 years old but people have always thought I was older. They started calling me “Mann” or “Lil Mann” but when I started rapping, I didn’t want the “Lil” on there so I just

stuck with “Mann”.

Explain your background and upbringing.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles but I represent West Los Angeles. My father wasn’t around so it was just me and my mom in a little house in West L.A. We weren’t super poor, but we didn’t have a lot of money either. I’ve always loved performing, even as a kid. All I wanted to do was be on TV and be in front of people. Before I started rapping at 14, I was a dancer and actor; kind of like a clown Hip Hop dancer. Growing up in L.A was kind of hard. I wasn’t a gangbanger but the gang life was still around me. Still, I wanted to keep my head on straight, so I started rapping when I had a story to tell.

How were you discovered?
Honestly, it happened randomly. I was performing at this spot called “The Get it Factory” with my homeboys, “The Flyguys”. I was the special guest and I did a song. I was 16 at the time. My manager came up to me about it. I ended up sending him a song called “Jerking” and he sent it to Steve Lobel and I was signed the next week.

How did the 50 cent collab’ come about?
We had a record called “Buzzin” which I thought was a great record and really represented who I was since being signed. The label wasn’t really trying to push it at the moment so we leaked it to L.A Radio and Big Boi blasted the radio off. 50 was listening to L.A Radio at the time and was living out here shooting movies. He hopped on a handful of upcoming L.A artists records. I know he jumped on mine, and Y.G’s record. I can’t remember the others but I know my record got the most notoriety and blew up overseas. It was luck.

I know you guys shot a video for “Buzzin”. What was the chemistry between you two like?
50 taught me a lot. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in right now. He told me “Fuck the label”, do what I want to do, don’t let anyone tell me “No”, and to control my records. We took a chance with “Buzzin” by leaking it but it paid off. He also said to always stay an artist because the label doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Since then, I’ve been more hands on as far as my career is concerned.

Mann Ft. 50 Cent- Buzzin’

That’s crazy because I was going to actually ask you, being with a major label, how that went as far as creativity. I know labels tend to put a lock on people in as far as being creative and what they can put out and what they will actually push.
Yeah man, my label did that to me for sure but I don’t blame them. I got signed at 16 years old so I guess they wanted me to be “that teenager” and be “for the teens”. I’ve always been older (in the mind) so I wasn’t exactly feeling that image. I’m 20 years old, and I want to be reputable in this industry. I don’t really talk to the label as far as the music is concerned. I’ve just been doing my own thing.

So, is it safe to say that the people who own and run the labels don’t necessarily know what’s best for the artists?
Yes, I don’t think that’s their position……Let me get this right. They know what’s best to make money, but I don’t think they know what’s best creatively since they are not artists. They can tell the artists what type of music to make, but the ones who do themselves, are the ones who normally get the bigger payoff in the end.

What was the sample used in the song, “Buzzin” because that is what actually grabbed my attention immediately and I think that the older crowd will definitely appreciate that and gravitate to it fast.
That’s Nu Shooz “I Can’t Wait”. I was actually in the car with my moms one time listening to L.A. Radio and the song came on. I asked her what it was and she broke it down to me. I believe the song came out before I was born since I was born in ‘91. I texted J.R (J.R Rottem) and told him we needed to flip it. That’s how that happened.

How do you feel about the west coast in general? The music is shifting all over the place to where now, a little bit of everybody is coming out from every coast at the same time. Do you think the west coast will ever get back to the way it was in the ‘90’s?
I think we’re on our way to it. This music we’ve put out lately has been influential. Tyga’s “Rack City” was big on billboard. We’ve got Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, etc. and we’re just getting started (again). I think in a couple of years, the west is going to be a powerhouse again.

I actually checked out some of your records and some of your videos. You remind me of the old west coast.
That was my goal on the first album I dropped overseas was; to reintroduce the sound and the swag to people. That’s one thing that kept me on top while overseas because the people there love the west coast. A lot of people from the states just didn’t have love for the west coast. It’s not gangster, I’m not a gangbanger, but I’m all about making money, being fly, and having fun. My music reflects that. It kind of has that DJ Quik vibe. All about partying.

I grew up on a little bit of all of that Mann, so I’m familiar. A big fan of it so I can definitely relate to it. Describe your writing process.
I have to be in the studio, listening to the beat. I don’t like to write at home and as soon as I write it, I want to record it. I’m really just in the moment with it. Sometimes, if I feel like the vibe isn’t there I’ll feel like I’m forcing it. It’s all about vibing, man.

Let’s talk about the new project.
‘FreshMann on Varsity’ is the project. It’s kind of different from the stuff I do with J.R. It’s more personal and explains more of who I am vs. the partying records. After this, I want people to feel like they know me. I’m about to drop a video for a song called, “4 a.m.”, that probably won’t be able to be released on TV. Also, I got my 3rd single off the album called, “Get it Girl” featuring T-Pain that’s going to kill radio.

Mann Ft. T-Pain- Get it Girl

I’m going to throw a few words/phrases out there and I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind.
Fo sho

A: Text Messaging
First thing is my bitches, my girls. I love talking to my chicks through text messaging. I be going in, I meet hella girls on websites and shit, like my fans. I love text messaging man.

Lol, one of the words I had was “fans” but you can go ahead and piggy back off of the “text messaging” as far as the women. What type of fans do you come across?
I have a lot of female fans, which is amazing. I love getting to talk to them and finding out why they are my fans and what all my fans have in common. It seems that all my fans who are girls just like to have fun and party which is cool. I’m starting to learn that the club was made for girls, I think. I’m just a people person, feel me? I like learning about people.

With that being said, what is one of the craziest things to happen to you, coming from a fan?
The fans? I’ve had hella’ girls from overseas like in London, they’re different from the girls in America. They flirt a lot more. They’re kind of “About that Life” more than girls over here. They’re about having fun for real and they kind of just do what they feel in the moment. I’ve had a couple different things. Girls are really wild, bro. They do some wild stuff. I’ve seen girls get naked in public.

So, basically they’re way more aggressive than the females over here?
WAY more aggressive. They’re confident in themselves, not like they’re hoes. If they want something, they want something and they’re not tripping off of what people think. It’s crazy.

C: Mason Betha
My favorite rapper. He is who inspired me to be “Mann”. I love Mase, bro. I love the whole “Harlem World” and what they represented. The way I treat West L.A is how I feel Mase treated Harlem.

How did you feel about him leaving and coming back, then kind of leaving again?
I mean, I don’t know. I felt hella weird. When I’m a fan of something, I learn all about it/that person. I went and bought his book and read about his reasons for leaving. I respected him for leaving as a man. But I feel you, I mean his life is crazy. And it seems when you come back, everything you say is invalid. It got under my skin in a way. I still got a lot of respect for Mase though.

Tell us something about you that most don’t know.
It’s a lot of stuff. I feel people don’t really know me at all. I think they have a misconception of me. I’m really an artist. I’m not just some kid who got a deal for no reason. I work really hard at what I do. I just want people to hear my music. Aside from the club records and the radio singles, there may be may be 2 club records. I have a Dubstep record called “4 a.m.”. I sing, and I write. Sometimes it sounds poetic, sometimes it’s ratchet. I do a little bit of everything.

What is the hardest thing about making it in the industry and what obstacles have you overcome?
You gotta go against the machine because they will try to control you and your stuff. It was an uphill battle because how am I going to tell a person who has been doing this for 10 years that I don’t want to do it their way? At the same time, it isn’t about the time you put in, it’s about the art. If I as an artist don’t like the music I’m putting out, what am I doing this for? Another thing is being my own CEO. I go out and look for studios, and I’m looking to shoot my own videos. People think once you get a deal, everything is going to be handled for you and that’s not true.

How can people get in contact with you or keep up with your career?
I’m heavy on twitter @Mann, real simple. Also, I’m on Facebook at Mann as well.