Your Favorite White Boy

Queens representer A. Pinks is on the come up. With videos on MTV and BET, a spot in The Source’s storied “Unsigned Hype” column and a new mixtape Will Rap 4 Food flooding the internets and the streets, you’re going to hear a lot from dude in the next little while. YFWB had a chance to sit down and learn a little more why he’s like an X-Man and why we should “Think Pinks.”

Q: For those who are straight sleeping, who is A. Pinks?
A: A. Pinks is young, black, educated man that happens to rap. I’m pretty much a ordinary fellow with an extraordinary vocabulary. I don’t start trouble, smoke(eh!) or fabricate. I do drink, joke and fornicate. I like chick flicks and salmon croquettes, and I don’t like hockey or American Dad. At the end of the day I’m a down to earth dude that goes stupid on a drum kick.

Q: You hail from Queens. How does it feel to represent a borough with such an important place in hip-hop?
I actually have a joint on the mixtape “JumpStreet Hero,” well, a shortened version of it, over the Nas “Hero” record in which I address the particular question at hand. The hook goes something like:

“Palm readers say the legend won’t die, too much culture to just let it fry/ You see, I’m from the side of things, Infamous Mobb, the Nas’, Cormega’s, the Tragedy Khadafi’s/ B&H my posse, I ain’t from the bridge tho, little to the left homie/Gotta let these kids know…tell em’ I’m from JumpStreet.”

And basically the theme of the joint is that I am obligated to carry on tradition do to it’s rich history in hip-hop. If you visited my residence you’d more clearly understand my proximity to greatness. There are some big shoes to full and I love the pressure it puts on me to perform.

Q. You got an early start in the rap game at 15. Have you always had that drive?
A: Now I have been writing since 15, I didn’t start actually recording until about 17/18. Up until that point, and even a little further in, it was merely a hobby. More of an outlet for me rather than a profession. I was more so determined to vent than I was to impress. Somewhere along the line, I realized that I’d much rather be doing what than I love than punching through walls while I get ready for work at 6:45am.

Q: You’re an educated dude – Howard University. What did you study?
A: Well, I like to think so..lol. I actually started at Howard as an advertising major for a little while. I figured I could offer my creative services to some sort of agency and get my Jamie King on writing jingles for Snuggle or some shit. After a few failed journalism courses, I decided to switch to Radio/TV/Film, which I’m betting is a tad bit more up my alley.

Q: How did you hook up with Whoo Kid for your first mixtape, Its Not A Rumor: Google Me?
A: Ahh the infamous “‘Sada Pop”. We actually linked through a publicist we were both working closely with. I was looking for that first big injection into the public eye and she took the music over to the man himself. He was a fan of my work and we went from there.

Q: You say you plan to stomp down the monotony that is currently plaguing rap. What’s missing in hip-hop?
A: Honesty. The majority of the rap community, is not being truthful with themselves and in-turn not being truthful with the the fans. Interestingly enough I was once an offender of the same hip-hop crime. I too had gotten intertwined with the status quo of what a rapper was “supposed to sound like” and forgot why I started writing in the first place. I want the audience to connect with me and take something away from my music.

Q: How will you change it for the better?
A: If you cut on the radio it seems like every artist is the same person. Who’s not a pimp, a hustler and a gun buster all at the same time? I can only convey messages through being myself so that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. I can’t say for sure that I will cause a Category 7, but I will try to leave a unique imprint on the game. In my opinion, my approach is the essence of my artistry. Experience/perspective is key to differentiating myself from the haystack needles. If everyone viewed things the same way, the music in turn would be quite similar. Especially in these times when everyone seems to speak on the same thing, I will try to broaden the spectrum.

Q: It must have felt incredible when you found out you grabbed a spot in “Unsigned Hype”. Take us back to that moment.
A: Yeah, it seems like it was forever ago. That was like my first huge accolade and still one of my proudest achievements. To be acknowledged in the same vein as greats such as Biggie and Em is like a fairly unknown actor winning an Oscar for his/her first movie. Self-praise is only satisfying on Wednesday’s so a booster of that nature serves as a great motivator and it let me know that people we actually paying attention.

Q: You just dropped a fresh new mixtape “Will Rap 4 Food” on Friday. Why should heads check for it?
A: This project is about going in with reckless abandon. Full out onslaught of raw material. I just wanted to show people I can RAP, so you’ll always have something to refer to when I’ve “fallen off” because I’m making music that’s “commercial.” LMAO, really the whole “Will Rap 4 Food” theme derives from hunger to succeed.

Q: With your appearances on BET, MTV and in the Source and Urb Magazines, you seem to be taking a more traditional promotional route than, say, an internet-based artist like Charles Hamilton. Was that a deliberate move? Why?
A: Yes, it is deliberate. There are 8 billion people in the world and it is virtually impossible to reach all of them – but you could try. Any medium that is willing to offer their platform is an avenue that I am willing to explore. Being an independent artist, you have to scratch and scrape for exposure so I bought some Wolverine claws on Ebay and showed up to some offices unexpectedly, Ha!

Q: People feel you’re about to blow. Do you feel that way?
A: Is that what they’re saying? That’s good to hear, I tell myself that three times in the mirror every morning. You have to think positively especially in this business of uncertainty, so yeah I think I’m about to BLOW UP!(Martin voice). I feel I’m definitely making the right strides towards my goal.

Q: You’re just getting started, but I wanted to flip it and ask you where you want to be at end of your career. What would be the legacy you’d want to leave on hip-hop?
A: I see the innovators re-taking the game and bringing it back to point of intrigue for everyone. There are and will be leaders to come and re-invent what already is and was. It’s what hip-hop is all about. I could see myself pioneering the ship, but then again so can every other aspiring artist. I’d love to be mentioned with the greats at the end of the day and it would be fantastic if I could make a substantial living from this art.

Q: What’s next for you?
A: Ladies and Germs can be on the lookout for the brand new mixtape Will Rap 4 Food which is available for FREE DOWNLOAD on various websites [Ed: including here] and my page as well as Look What I Can Do the EP scheduled to come out early spring. Aside from that, you can always check the blogs out, mags, etc. for new music, videos, and interviews. We are in phase one of the “Think Pinks” process.

Q: Spit a verse that best represents what A. Pinks is all about.

A: Ah hem:

I was born on a Tuesday I think, in the rotten apple
I had a few goldfish that died and a cocker spaniel
I like long walks in the park and I can’t swim
But it really ticks me off if you tell me I can’t sing
The name Pinks comes from my government…..yeah and?
I’ll plant these five fingers across your bare chin
I’m out of shape physical, hate people personally
I’m handicapped, and I went to Howard University
With that said, the cats fed, flat dead
Now maybe there’s room in your fat head for me
So you can just respect how I backhand a beat
Instead of steady wondering if I clapped kids with heat
Stuffed bricks in jeeps. fucked 20 broads a week
And whatever else you need to list to my CD
It’s got to mean something if it’s passing through my teeth
I am the only way I know to be…ME!

Tags: A Pinks, Chopping It Up, Interview