***EXCLUSIVE*** Upcoming Artist V.A.I.N Talks New Mixtape & Future In Hip Hop

Upcoming rapper V.A.I.N has a lot to say. For one his name is attention grabbing enough; he says it’s an acronym which stands for “Verbal Assault Is Nasty” and secondly he is sexy enough to be labeled vain. The attractive artist admits to have started rapping at the age of 9, that his favorite old school artist is Slick Rick and admits that he doesn’t hold anything back lyrically. V.A.I.N has worked with Kanye West, Jim Jones and 112. With a new mixtape, ready to be indulged, V.A.I.N speaks on his humble beginnings and where he wants his future to go!

You have an interesting name, ‘Vain.’ What is that about?

It’s actually an acronym. People get it twisted — it means “Verbal Assault Is Nasty.” I’m nice on that microphone man. People get it confused a lot; they think I’m all vain and vanity-ed out, but that ain’t the case. I’m on my Hip-Hop.

What’s your favorite old school Hip-Hop artist?

I’d say Slick Rick. I thought he had all the swag. He had pretty good knowledge of what was going on. You could definitely understand where he was coming from from a woman’s perspective — talking about women, talking about what goes on in the streets. So you learn a lot from the artist and I think that’s what Hip-Hop really does; it teaches you stuff you don’t know, especially if you’re scared to ask your parents. [MCs] are filling you in on what goes on in the streets.How long have you been rapping?

Since I was 9 years old. All my life. My mother used to make me do shows all the time because she was in a band. So they used to make me perform: I’m doing Will Smith songs on stage, I’m doing Slick Rick songs, LL Cool J songs, just constantly gotta perform for the family. So I’ve been rapping and really got serious about the writing maybe about 10 years now with the writing.

What is your favorite rap line that you have come up with?

I’ve got so many raps, that’s hard. I’ve got this record, “Keeping it Gangsta.” I come in and I say, “They think it’s all rap [pyros?], ice froze and light shows. They don’t know I run with killers that’s ice cold.”

How would you classify your music?

I’m street educated. I rap according to how I feel; I don’t hold nothing back. You’re going to hear internally how I’m feeling. I live my internal on the outside. That’s why I’m giving it to you hard. I don’t care. When I’m in love, you’re are going to hear the love rap. I’m on my street, I’m running with my thugs, you’re going to hear my thug rap. That’s just what it is.

As an upcoming artist, what separates you from the artists that are out now?

I think the last question would separate me — the way I write; My records are conceptually based on emotions and actual feelings. I think I deliver the energy through the record — real energy. You’ve got some great writing — I think R&B people touch on it more than the Hip-Hop artists. I think a lot of Hip-Hop artists strictly aim to make a joint for the club. I’m making a record of really how I was feeling, in the club, or how I felt about a woman, or not just about how I was feeling — why I was feeling, what came along with that. I think that’s what separates me from artists out now.

What projects are you currently working on?

Right now, we’ve got the All Ghetto mixtape. You see me on the cover looking like Captain America. My man PF Cuttin did that mixtape, and that’s what we’re into right now. We’ve got a lot of big names on there. It’s like we’re in the mix; it’s a real dope mixtape. A real mixtape like you would hear Kid Capri do back in the day. DJ Clue used to lay it down, stuff like that.

Who did you work with on this mixtape?

Red Cafe, Jim Jones, Lil’ Mo, Slim from 112, Kanye West.

Three artists you want to work with in the industry?

Rick Ross, Trey Songz, and T-Pain

RELATED TAGS

V.A.I.N