HHNLive.com writer Tanya M. Fowlow takes a moment to discuss the past, present and future with rapper Ali Vegas.

Hailing out of Jamaica, Queens this young artist has had his share of industry ups and downs and has managed to persevere. From two major record deals going sour while he was just in his teens to a fairly publicized beef with Dj Clue and Fabalous, Ali Vegas told us he has learned that, “you never take the business personal.”

Although he is dubbed as “The Prince” he was quite a humble man to chat with as he shared about growing up, his label, his latest mixtape and his new album scheduled to hit the street in August.

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Tanya M. Fowlow: You grew up in Jamaica, Queens; tell me a bit about what life was like and how you feel growing up there may have affected you when it comes to your music.

Ali Vegas: Basically, there was so many artists I grew up around. It shaped and molded me because I got to see what to do and what not to do. I mean the hustlers they just hustle -it’s just like any other neighborhood. There was so much love there; the hustlers they come together to put things on for the kids and stuff like that. I got to learn what to do with money, what not to do with money, how to treat love and how to show love without offending somebody.

TMF: It seems that you are called the “Prince of New York” can you tell me a bit about where that came from and what’s the story behind it?

AV: So, when I was down doing a show in North Carolina somebody at the show was calling me the prince. He kept calling me, “The Prince, the prince, the prince,” and at first I didn’t know he was talking to me; I mean, my name’s Ali. When I turned around and I finally got outside and I’d seen him face to face he was calling me “The Prince.” I mean I only acknowledge Christ as King so I would never say I am the king of anything so that’s why “The Prince” stayed with me. No matter how big I get I will always be The Prince of New York. I choose to be “The Prince.”

TMF: Who do you feel are your greatest musical influences?

AV: I would say there’s a few, some like Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack... they made me want to do music because they put so much feeling into it. I mean it’s not rap but that just made me feel like I want to get my point across and get my story across.

TMF: I read somewhere that you started rapping at the age of 6. Is that true?

AV: Yeah

TMF: As a child what was the biggest thing that inspired you to be like, “Hey this is what I want to do?”

AV: I always liked poetry. It was like you’re either gunna play ball; and I mean I wasn’t going to waste my time if I knew I wasn’t going to be the best at it and I knew I wasn’t gunna be that tall. I watched my older cousins and my older brother as they did the street thing: like, sell drugs, guns and all that – I’ve seen all that and I’ve seen where that gets you. I was just like, “This(rap) is what I could do.” My brother told me, “Your poetry is ill, you should try and say it to a beat.” When he put the beat on I said the poetry and sped it up so I’ve been rhymin’ since I was like 6 years old.

TMF: Clearly, you’re no stranger to the game. What’s your view about the current state of hip hop?

AV: The current state of hip hop – it’s perfect. The way it is, is the way it’s supposed to be. I don’t know why some teenagers look at it as if it’s never been this way before; I mean it’s been that way. You had Tribe,… Tribe Called Quest, then Nas came, Biggie came, so it’s perfect. So, it’s like this right here, if it wasn’t the way it was we wouldn’t appreciate it: you wouldn’t appreciate Ali Vegas the way I’m appreciated.

TMF: You’ve been in the game for a while and you have had your share of setbacks when it comes to your career. People know about the two deals (one with Trackmasters and one with Tommy Mottola at Casablanca Records), and they know about the beef with Dj Clue and Fabolous. So, I won’t ask you to tell me how you feel about all that or what when down because the past is the past but; can you share with me some of the things you learned as you have gone through the rough times and experienced the negative side of the industry?

AV: You never take the business personal. That’s the most important thing I have ever learned. Really, never take the business side personal, that’s the best thing I’ve learnt so far.

TMF: Currently you are signed to Lamar Odom’s label, Rich Soil Entertainment correct?

AV: Yes

TMF: I’ve heard that you are a co-owner of the label is that true?

AV: Yeah

TMF: How did you hook up with Lamar in the beginning?

AV: We are from the sandbox. We used to always say when we was in a position to do it we were gunna go it. He took his route, I took my route and then we just made it happen together. Ain’t nobody gunna put as much in it as we put in it. He’s got the same feelings for me as I got for him, we want to make it. So, we just put it together and that’s how it came about.

TMF: Is it really true that you are cousins or is that just a way you refer to each other?

AV: Yeah, like blood type.

TMF: You are often compared to seasoned artists and industry greats such as Biggie, Nas and Jay-Z, do you ever feel like you have big shoes to fill because of these comparisons?

AV: I don’t feel like I have big shoes to fill. You gotta understand I started working at the age of 10, I moved out of my mother’s house at age 14, I grew up without my father and that really makes you understand that you’re either gunna stand up or sit down. I’ve always accepted the challenge. It’s no different than Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, you could use that as an example. Everybody knows Kobe Bryant is the best player and at the end of the day his stats are better than Michael Jordan’s stats; but people don’t accept and that’s what happens in hip hop -they don’t wanna pass the baton. They think, “Why should Ali Vegas come in the game this quick and get all these praises,” when they had to put hard time in and more work to get to where they at. I don’t feel like I have big shoes to fill cuz they made their mark, they did what they did and I can’t ever change that but I am supposed to want to be better than that. It’s like if Jay-Z got 150 million from Live Nation, why wouldn’t I want to get 250 million? That’s what keeps it going, that’s what keeps a generation going. When you set goals you gotta achieve them. You see I don’t just wanna achieve them I wanna do better than that. Jay-z and Nas had their shoes to fill, I got mine and next thing you know 5 or 10 years from now somebody got their shoes to fill by following Ali Vegas.

TMF: Starting in the 90s and right-up to today you seem to have a steady stream of mixtape releases. What’s the latest one?

AV: The latest one is called “Leader of the New School.”

TMF: When was that released?

AV: That was released about a month ago if that, about three weeks ago.

TMF: Have you had any response or feedback on it? Have you heard anything that people are saying about that release?

AV: Everybody’s sayin’ it’s hot, it’s crazy!

TMF: How can someone get their hands on the mixtape and give their ears a sample of your sound?

AV: Hiphopzone.com, you can get it there. If you want it you can get it.

TMF: So, there’s an album in the works. What’s the anticipated title and release date?

AV: Generation Gap and August 26th is the release date.

TMF: Who do you have working with you on the new album?

AV: Well, the whole point of the album is I wanted to bridge the gap between the students and the teachers so I put the students and the teachers on the same album. As far as production goes I got up and coming producers like Band Boyz, JNight and I got them on there with Dj Premiere and Scott Storch. We about to shoot the video for the single and Scott Storch produced that. I got Cool and Dre on there, and Midi Mafia. As far as artists go I got young up and coming artist and I’ve got them on there with Akon, and Nas. I mean it’s a real treat.

TMF: Can you explain the vibe of the album. What are some of the concepts and themes that you are going to incorporate?

AV: It touches everything, like every element. I mean I got a song on there, it’s the first track, and it’s called, “Don’t You Miss Me?” That’s like don’t y’all miss me, like don’t you miss me a little bit? ‘Cause I know you want some real hip hop, I know y’all want some real concepts. I’ll take you on a journey through the whole album. I got a track on there called, “It’s Alright” and it’s about a family that gets divorced and the little brother has to be the big brother now because the big brother is his father’s child and not his mother’s child; so when they get divorced the big brother has to go with his father and the little brother has to stay with his mom and his sister and he’s gotta go through them changes. Its stuff that I go through but people don’t see it, normally I don’t wear a frown on my face I smile. Its feelings, the whole album is feelings. I got positive songs, I got party songs, real life songs. When you listen to them it’s the real truth.

TMF: What are your plans after the album drops? Are you thinking tours, more mixtapes, what are we going to see from you?

AV: All aspects. We got Rich Soil clothing, we got Snotty Nose Kids – a cartoon we did. We got the Ear To The Ground reality show basically showin’ the grind; like up and coming artists showing them it’s not overnight you get a car, a chain, some money, and you’re a superstar. We show them the grind that comes along with the game. We got the Alpha Beta Kappa – I started a frat where we got 360 college students and we brought them to Jamaica to celebrate their graduation. We’re about to do the Alpha Beta Kappa college tour. Basically when you buy the album there’s going to be a barcode and you go online and you go on to the Rich Soil website and you become an honorary member of the frat and when Ali Vegas comes to town we make sure you come and sit down and have dinner with him and you cool out. So, that’s what we got in the works.

TMF: Is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers at HHNLive.com?

AV: I just want to tell the ones that have been supportin’ me, thanks for supportin’ me; and the ones that’s new, whenever they hear the name Ali Vegas support it cause it’s real music - it’s real life stuff, I am a real person and a person they need to hear. I just want to tell them thank you. Check out www.myspace.com/alivegas, get the album when it drops and look for Ali Vegas in a town near you.