Raptalk.Net hooked up with bright southern future star, J-Money for an exclusive one on one interview.

We start this interview off with discussion regarding the upbringing he experienced in his hometown of Crawford, Mississippi in a single-parent home.

Many rappers now in days have similar stories to tell but not J-Money; his is one of great uniqueness with quite excitement involved. J-Money was well on his way to a professional baseball career as a pitcher and was scouted by a few major league teams. J-Money tells us about the decision to leave baseball and pursue a career in Hip-Hop.

J-Money is going to be dropping a solo album (My Life: Check Me Out) but first saw success in a duo with Cadillac Don. Money informs Raptalk.Net on his current relationship with Cadillac Don and whether or not Don supports his solo move. We also discuss the possibility of ever seeing another a duo album from Money and Don and what J-Money sees as the major difference between being in a duo group in comparison to a solo artist.

Finally, we get all the juicy details surronding the upcoming album -- the meaning behind the title, guest appearance lineup, production, label distribution and more.

Enjoy...

Raptalk.Net: We are here with J-Money himself! How are you doing?

J-Money: This ya’ boy J-Money right now! I’m holding it down. I’m sitting down, I’m about to get my grub on.

Raptalk.Net: We feel that. Your in Mississippi right now and that’s we’re you grew up; Crawford, Mississippi to be exact. How was it growing up there?

J-Money: Life growing up in Crawford didn’t have much to do. You had to focus on things that get you in trouble to try and find something to with your time. It was difficult but I maintained.

Raptalk.Net: You grew up in a single-parent home. Tell us about that experience and how it helped shape the man you’ve become?

J-Money: I grew up with my mom as a single-parent home. I had no father figure. Sometimes people with no father figure lead the wrong way. She taught me how to be a man but she couldn’t teach me everything about a man. I had to learn that on my own.

Raptalk.Net: I’m guessing you learned that in the streets?

J-Money: Oh yeah, no doubt. I am a street boy. I have a song called “Street Boy” on the album, “My Life: Check Me Out.” It explains the way I grew up and all that.

Raptalk.Net: We’re going to get into the album shortly. After graduating high school, you seemed to be well on your way to a professional career in baseball. Tell us about that and why it didn’t work out?

J-Money: When I graduated high school, I went to play college ball and Baseball was my thing; actually I was doing both Football and Baseball, but I chose Baseball. I grew up dealing with Baseball; my fast ball was 94 miles per hour; I’m like (Pedro) Martinez on that mound (laughs).

Raptalk.Net: (Laughs) we like that right there.

J-Money: You know I had that fast ball, curve ball; the scouts were impressed when I went to meet with the major teams. I met with the San Diego Padres and some other teams. I gave up on it because my arm was hurting and I didn’t want it to keep going like that.

Raptalk.Net: So you just gave up on it out of fear of a shoulder injury?

J-Money: Yeah it was the fear of an arm injury. I just gave up on it and pursued the music career.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. You decided to take Hip-Hop as your second option and that has clearly worked out well. Would you say giving up on Baseball was a gift and a curse?

J-Money: I think it was a chance to open up my eyes and not dwell on what I can’t do in life.

Raptalk.Net: How old were you at the time when you made that decision?

J-Money: I was about 22.

Raptalk.Net: A very positive decision you made at a young age. You’re now working on a solo album which we are going to discuss shortly. But you first saw success as part of a duo with Cadillac Don just two years ago. Tell us about making the transition from performing in a duo group to now being a solo artist.

J-Money: In a duo group, you don’t have to do all the work; you have a partnership. Y’all share, it isn’t everything focused on you. As a solo artist, everything is focused on you. You have to hold up for what you do. Everything just comes back to you. When you’re doing an interview as a solo, you have to talk yourself and so on. It’s different but not really hard to maintain.

Raptalk.Net: So how would you say you’ve handled the change?

J-Money: It was a change but once again going back to the manhood; I was born a man and I have to be a man. I was born as a man in this world by myself and I have to do things by myself.

Raptalk.Net: What’s the current relationship like with Cadillac Don?

J-Money: Cadillac Don is still my dude and my partner. Right now we’re listening to some beats and tracks to try and make another single with me and him.

Raptalk.Net: Does he support your solo move?

J-Money: Oh yeah, no doubt. He is very supportive. I have him on the album; I had to show him love. He is supporting me.

Raptalk.Net: That is good to hear. Will we ever see another duo album from J-Money and Cadillac Don?

J-Money: No doubt. Cadillac Don and J-Money still have major fans. We still have great fans who want to see us do another song together. The fans love my music too, they love J-Money.

Raptalk.Net: yes sir. Let’s get into the upcoming solo album. Tell us about hooking up with Rick Ross for the single, “I’m Ballin.”

J-Money: Well we go to Miami all the time. We always get a chance to meet Rick Ross, Trina, Plies. I wrote the whole complete song. Dealing with that right there, I was listening to it and thought Rick Ross would sound good on it. My people got in touch with Rick Ross’ people and we chopped it up. Rick Ross heard the song and loved it. He thought I did my thing on it and we hooked up from there.

Raptalk.Net: How did you end up signing with 35-35 Entertainment?

J-Money: Clarence Weatherspoon is the CEO and he is originally from Crawford, Mississippi, that is where I grew up. We all grew up in the same area. He had an NBA career, 14 years in the league. He retired and wanted to do something special for the people doing something from his hood. He knew what I was doing and he just grabbed on to it.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. How did you guys land the distribution deal with Fontana?

J-Money: Things didn’t go right with my last deal; I don’t want to get into it. We just kept grinding and kept shopping. I knew somebody would soon pick me up.

Raptalk.Net: What’s the motivation behind the album title, “My Life, Check Me Out?”

J-Money: The motivation behind that is the album being based on my whole life; dealing with situations. There’s some motivation music, music for the kids, music for the ladies and not just average. It’s for everybody. When I say I make music for everybody, I really do. People will get a good feel out of this album.

Raptalk.Net: and what is the release date?

J-Money: The release date keeps getting pushed back. The video campaign is really blowing up right now. We just shot the video and we’re waiting since the song has really picked up.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. Who else appears on the album besides Rick Ross?

J-Money: Ok. I have Rick Ross, Jim Jones came through and showed love, Yo’ Gotti, Slim Thug, Lil Boosie, Jackie-O, 8Ball, MJG, Cadillac Don. The album is hot. It’s something you want to hear. I put a lot of time into it. I know good music and I do good music. The album is gonna’ be hot.

Raptalk.Net: That’s a really hot guest appearance line-up. Which producers did you work with?

J-Money: I got my dude Big Fool who got the “Peanut Butter and Jelly” beat. He did a lot of tracks on the album. I have my dude C-Sharp who did a couple tracks. I have a dude named K.J. who did a big track. Those three are some hot producers right there.

Raptalk.Net: Ok. Why should the fans go pick up the album when it is in stores?

J-Money: Because there is a lot of motivation music on it. It isn’t just hardcore. It has music for the ladies; the ladies will love a lot of songs. It has stuff for the kids as well. I have street music. It’s a lot of motivation. I think they should pick it up because it’s great music.

Raptalk.Net: I appreciate your time J-Money. Do you have any last words before I let you go?

J-Money: Big shouts out to Raptalk.Net, I appreciate y’all for supporting J-Money. I love everybody. Hit J-Money up on Myspace at www.myspace.com/jmoney. Check out the new single with Rick Ross. Check out some other singles on the page and tell me what y’all think about it.

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