The Chachi Interview: Part 2 of 2

In Part 1 of his interview, Chachi spoke about Rhode Island and its Hip Hop scene. Now he speaks about his inspiration, upcoming projects, and his mission.

Part 2 of The Chachi Interview also coincides with the world premiere of his latest CD Mind the Gap. It's only on Amie Street, so check it, starting with these tracks: heaven sent prod. by j’ depina , i gotcha open prod. by j’ depina , mary wanna break prod. by j’ depina and let em’ in feat. casius .

How'd you get into Hip Hop? Who or what inspired your dedication to music?

When I was younger, my cousin Vic used to break dance with a local B-boy crew. I was trying to mimic the moves; I was getting into the groove. Also movies like Beat Street and Wild Style, just seeing and feeling the culture.

Rap wasn't really accepted in my household so I had to sneek out to hear Run DMC. Hip Hop was rebellious when I was growing up. I'd pop in a Hip Hop tape in my Dad's car and he'd throw it out the window onto the highway. That was inspiration. Why doesn't Dad like it? My rebelliousness grew.

It was all freestyling back then, no one picked up a pencil.

I DJ'd when I went to Boston College. I made some money, met a lot of girls doing it. But I started getting jealous when rappers would get up at parties and steal the spotlight from me. So I started rapping after they did.

Back in Rhode Island, I met up with Joey Beats at URI and he recorded my first song. He got me my first show, made me my first beat. I gotta thank him--he got me addicted, gave me the confidence, got me into the culture.

I've grown. I'm a real hardworking individual. I pride myself on my work and how I treat people. It pays off, not in material wealth, but in the way people greet me and show me respect. I'm working on just being a good human.

Is making music, or writing lyrics, easy for you, or is it hard work?

No, making music is easy. Recording, pressing CDs, and dealing with financial issues are the hard parts.

I don't sell and I don't hustle, but Hip Hop requires lots of money. It's a big money business and the recording part is hard, expensive.

In any art form you'll be your own worst critic, so you need to find chemistry with the people recording you, like your engineer. That can be an interesting experience.

What's on your plate? What sort of projects are you working on, musically or otherwise?

I've started my own company, Big East Music Entertainment (BE ME), specializing in production, artist development, marketing, event planning, promoting any and all things involving music and entertainment in and around New England. Hopefully, I'll be a bridge to outside artists trying to get into Providence. Once the word gets out, people will associate BE ME with stuff you gotta see. I'm trying to tell people "you don't need a big label to validate you and your mission, you just got to be yourself." BE ME 'cause nobody else can.

I just completed the first project--a CD titled Mind The Gap by myself, featuring a couple local artists on the scene. It bridges the gap from early in my career to now. It's got one of the first songs I ever recorded and it's under a different rap name. Hopefully, people will embrace Mind the Gap and like it. It's been a brain child of mine for a long time. I've been waiting to get it off my chest.

Up next is my debut album where I'm gonna step it up a notch and put myself on the top shelf. It's called Happy Daze. Mind The Gap is for my fans—it's gonna mind the gap between the stuff they know and my debut album.

My DJ is my cousin DJ Therion. He's working on a project called RIPSA(Rhode Island Pot Smokers Anonymous). It's dedicated to those who like to smoke. Rhode Island is known for having a large population of ganja smokers.

I've also got a project called New England Dynasty where I'm compiling a bunch of NE artists on one CD. I'm trying to live up to the name Big East Music Entertainment.

Any shout-outs, last words, last thoughts?

My mission is bigger than me. I'm a father--dedicated. I'm a teacher--dedicated. I'm a football coach--dedicated. I'm a youth advocate--dedicated. I'm a friend--dedicated. My mission is way bigger than me. I just want to lead by example. Not everyone can be a star, or a millionaire, or at the top of the game. Success is measured on your merit, how people look at you and see you. How those around you acknowledge you, that's success. I'm just working on being a successful man. I want to help pave the road for all these kids so they don't have to dig no dirt and scuff up their air force 1's. I want to walk these streets and have people say, "yo, that's Chachi, he's a good dude." I don't need to be their favorite MC.