Who is MaG? I’m an artist still finding himself through his music, trying to create art that will help change the world and the people in it. What was it like growing up in the Bronx? Hard. But, also enjoyable. I learned a lot from the people and the environment I was raised in. The Bronx taught me how to protect myself, and also forced me to want to strive for more. I saw folks who I came up with go to jail, end up dead, in wheelchairs from shoot-outs. I knew and believed there was more out there before me then my three-block radius. But even with that, there were block parties, open fire hydrants during the summertime, twohand touch football games in the streets after school...there was a lot of love coming up. Who are some of your musical influences? The list grows it feels like, every year. But, Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, Common, Andre 300, Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def, D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Kurt Cobain,Quincy Jones and Frank Sinatra, to name a few. When did you realize music was your true calling? It’s hard to pinpoint a time period. I’ve been rapping, and in love with music, since I was five years old. Its just always been a part of my life. I used to spend hours free-styling and making up songs in my mother’s bedroom growing up. Heck, I still do that now (not in my mother’s room though. That would be weird). But, as far as a life decision to pursue this fully as a career? I would have to say around 2004. Tell us about “freedom”. Well, “freedom.” was a free project I released in January of this year in conjunction with DJ Mick of Roc Nation + RCRDLBL.com. I hadn’t put out any new music since 2009’s “I Ain’t Goin’ Back to Retail!”, so this project was a real labor of love for me. I did
a lot of growing between my last project and this one, and I wanted that to be reflective in the sounds I chose and the music I recorded. “freedom.” represents me finding myself, and finding the freedom to be who I am and to love who I’m becoming; in hopes that others would follow suit and do the same for themselves. What is it like seeing a live MaG show? Seeing a MaG show is like coming home to your mother’s soul-food cooking after a hard day at work. I’m feeding people with my music. I try and give everything I have on stage, and leave it there by the end of the night. I’m giving the audience a piece of myself with each show, praying they leave a little happier then before they came. Words to live by? Be yourself. Love who you already are. Have faith in the unexpected. Believe in magic. Follow your heart. Trust your gut. We can do this all day... Plans for 2013. To continue to ride this wave, and to continue to grow as an artist. I’m currently working on a couple of side-projects with some extremely talented folks I’m excited for the world to hear. Also, trying to book some more festival gigs. I want to really make sure people become more familiar with my music, and build off some of the buzz I created with “freedom.”, and make some new fans in the process. What do you like to do in your free time? I’m definitely a reader. Mainly biographies, and social science books. But, I can go for some good fiction as well. I really love watching documentaries, and I’m kind of a nerd so PBS is my favorite channel. Other than that, just being around the people I care about.
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