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Freestyle Recorded in December 2006.
"After breaking Wale, UCB and getting Marky a deal, I felt like there was a part of The City that wasn't being represented. I mean our whole mission was to put on for The City and that was happening, I mean there's NEVER been this much light on The DMV, but there was still an element that was missing...My Homie from way back at Rabaut Jr High, Oboy, who was managing Top Notch Teamsters and now had become part of 43 Management was telling Me about XO and that he was where we was from.
I remembered XO initially from Wale telling me about him. I then, over the years saw flashes of Greatness, but it wasn't til I heard him on a AB THE PRODUCER jam "Go Hard", that I wanted him on Studio 43.
I believe XO and what he says. He's a Real Dude! There is something about Dude that is Old School, even though he's so Young.
From his Values to understanding that there is a Code in these streets and all You have in this World is YOUR WORD!His campaign F.R.N.O (For Real Niggas Only) is going to put it all into prospective."
Look out for the illRoots.com x Studio 43 debut of X.O coming very soon, its going to be Monumental.
illRoots.com: Define X.O.
X.O: XO stands for unknown origins because its from all angles.
illRoots.com: You've recently done some work with Oddisee for the Diamond District project. Where do you feel you make the most impact at, that level with a group or you solo projects?
X.O: My solo work for real because all the verse are mine [Laughs].
iR: What track do you feel is going to make the biggest impact ,that you've recorded thus far, on your new mixtape?
X.O: I think the title track, "Monumental", would be the biggest one. Its produced by AB the Producer and I feel confident in that track more than any of the other tracks that we have record so far in my personal opinion.
iR: What are your general opinions of the internet thus far?
X.O: Well I think the internet helped everybody and people have to just adjust their hustles. We have to adjust to whatever is more convenient to our hustle or your not going to be able to arrive as fast as someone who is utilizing all aspects of exposure. The people who are guerilla with it and are on the street everyday should notice the tools that are laid out and utilize them just as much.
iR: When was that first moment in your life where you decided "this is what I want to do"?
X.O: I started around '98 with the whole era of Jay-Z,DMX, Big Pun, Wu-Tang and so on. Around '97 or '98 is when I started to take it more serious and said this is what I want to do.
iR: What was the first album you ever bought with you own money and at what medium?
X.O: The first album I ever bought with my own money was probably that Bone Thugs & Harmony when that Double Disc joint came out The Art of War and that was a CD.
iR: The DMV is obviously stepping into the hip-hop scene pretty strong in the year 2009. What artists should we look forward to seeing this year that hasn't already shown their faces?
X.O: Gordo Brega, my spanish homie from the Dominican Republic, Benji, Tony Knight, Dose Capone, there is alot other guys that are out there too.
iR: I was definitely feeling that "Go Hard" track with Pro'Verb, Lyriciss, and AB.
X.O: Yea, no doubt.
iR: Explain how D.C. is different from the rest of the world?
X.O: D.C. is different from the rest of the world because its the capitol of the world. America runs the world and everything is handled and taken care of in Washington,D.C. we are the capitol of the world.
iR: Explain to me who you contribute most of your success too up to this point.
"XO is definitely the next STAR out of the DMV! I feel he actually has what it takes to dominate Hip-Hop as a whole! The sincerity in his performance and Powerful delivery is reminiscent of some of the HipHop Greats! I think what AB and XO a creating is truly a MASTERPIECE!"
-Kenny Burns
X.O: Me. I'm a business minded dude, a hustler, a go-getter. Every decision that was carried out I gave it the final ye' or ne' like a President would. So I'm a President and I have cabinet members.
iR: So if you were a President then which Nation would you choose to run and why?
X.O: America so that I could look out for us more. So I could look out for the people that need to be looked out for.
iR: With Obama in the office now and being in D.C. and right in the political threshold, How do you feel that influences the culture and ultimately defines that area?
X.O: The music is getting better because the climate is getting better. The right example is being set by the people we can relate to in the hood I guess you could say. The music is being better and people are being themselves now. Its a self pride thing going on that we didn't have before.
iR: So your saying before there was a lack of focus in the area?
X.O: Lack of focus and pride and being confident that we can do other things instead of the normal.
iR: What projects are you looking forward to hearing this year besides your own?
X.O: I'm looking forward to Tony Knight's new project, Wale's album Attention Deficit and Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z.
iR: What do you think about the first single for Wale's album?
X.O: Its cool I like it.
iR: Where can find X.O. next?
X.O: The event at Pure that I do every Monday is an open mic joint. We really have the whole city on smash with that, its really the only place in the city where any artist to be seen. Alot of people tried the open mic thing but they weren't handling their business the right way so they kind of messed up their report with alot of the artists in the city. We now have an Open Mic where pure intentions are to better the artists. We just shut shit down though, bar none. Pure is the same place where Raheem DeVaughn got signed and its more so history and now that torch has been handed down I got this now. I'm 23 but I was out there rapping when I was like 17 just like alot of these young cats out there now.
