Interview: McKeve aka BBoy Bobby Baggumz

YPs, I had a chance to sit down with South Carolina’s own, McKeve.  McKeve is an up and coming hip hop artist with a lot of promise.  In talkin with McKeve I was really impressed with his understanding of business.  He’s come to realize that opportunity is everywhere and he is not trying to let any of them pass him by.  He is very loyal to his hometown and the people who stand behind and right next to him.  Checkout the interview below to get a better understanding of who McKeve, aka BBoy Bobby Baggumz, is.  The audio version is available in the link below.  YPs Stand Up!!!

McKeve Interview (Audio)

YPs, I’m here with hip hop artist, McKeve.  First of all, how are you doing today??

McKeve:  I’m very, very lovely.  I’ve been on the road.  I’m here in Atlanta now. I’m here in the studio with (inaudible) and Tricky Business is in the building also, who was one of the panelists that was down at the conference the last two years that I been there.

 Ok, so tell everybody where you’re from, I know you’re in Atlanta now, is that where you’re from???

 McKeve:  Oh nah, I’m from Cheraw we call it Raw Town, South Carolina!

Ok, with that said, lets jump right into it.  Who were your musical influences when you were growing up, I mean who made you want to start rapping?

McKeve:  I would say that I do mostly east coast hip hop so, I would say Nas, JayZ, and Biggie because you know, that’s my era… I’m only 26 years old and I been rapping since I was ten, so 16 years later with 16 years of experience and those were the artists that were out at the time.  You know AZ, BuckShot, the whole Boot Camp Click, Smiff n Wessun you know… and when it comes to the West Coast, you know; Snoop… Wu Tang.  I’m all about keeping it thorough and keeping it real Hip Hop.

 So as far as how you would describe your music, you would say you’re more of a lyrical type artist?

McKeve:  Yeah, yeah, very much lyrical, very lyrical…you know, but I would say that I dibble and dabble in all types of music.  You know, pretty much lyrical but I do what I like to call INDIES, where it gives you that sort of beach feeling, where all types of people can relate to it.  But it’s all thorough, I still keep it thorough for my people.

Ok, I feel that, and I can definitely feel your east coast influence, being from jersey myself, so I definitely feel that.

McKeve:  Word! Speaking of Jersey, Redman Too, when you said Jersey it made me think of my man Redman and also my homeboy Scheme Beats out there, he got scheme beats radio, big ups to Scheme beats.

Ok, now the SMES Summit is right around the corner, so tell us a little bit about that and how you first heard about it?

McKeve:  Well you know, I first heard about it through the streets.  You know my man Chubbs, a shoutout to Chubbz, he signed me to the SMES Music Group which is a label that he’s getting ready to branch off with, and that’s a blessing too.  But you know, being in the streets and Chubbz being in the streets you know, me and him kind of bumped into each other through mutual friends.  You know I was already doing my thing in my town, you know that’s where it starts.  If your town ain’t even talking bout you, well you know how that goes, I ain’t even going to get into that right now, but I was doing my thing in my town and I was doing my thing in Charlotte and I’m not even from North Carolina but I was doing my thing in Charlotte and I brought my boy Marcus Allen through, shoutout to Marcus Allen, who’s signed to Koch as well and we did a track together.  And so I went to Charlotte and got the music award and just kept moving, I was motivated. You know so we (Chubbz) talked, we went to my crib and talked, and he told me about the conference and it was just a beautiful thing, it was God’s plan for it to happen that way.

 No doubt, so the King of The Ring…they tell me that you’re the champ two years running….

 McKeve:  Right, Right, they told you the truth

 Ok, ok, so what exactly is the King of The Ring??? Is it a battle is it head to head???

McKeve: Yeah, yeah, it’s a battle and shoutout to my boy DJ Skillz because the funny thing is, I wasn’t even going to get into the battle, you know I’m not really a battle rapper but my man DJ Skillz came up to me at the conference and was like McKeve there ain’t enough people to get involved so he was like, just showin love, lets have some fun… and the ladies were out there, so it was a nice event…we went and I went and did my thing man and that’s how it happened.  I won 08, I came back for 09 and when I came back, I was more confident because of the love I got from the conference in 08…so I came back in 09 and I did my thing, I won again…so the confidence was a big help.

Ok, so that lead me into my next question.  After winning, was it added pressure to come back and do it again or was it more like, this is me now, I just got to do what I do now and represent?  How were you feeling going in the second time around?

McKeve:  The second time around was more like this is me now, and now I got to go out here and represent.  You know in 08 I talked the talk and walked the walk, now 09 I gotta definitely make sure… (inaudible) got to get up there and represent for the people that influenced me the first time you know, so when you come back that second time you got to make sure you’re on point and you’re focused and you’re prepared, as far as what’s going on.

Ok, so you won the King of The Ring two times and I know you were out there doing your thing prior to…and you spoke a little bit about some of the exposure gained, tell me a little bit about that, maybe some connections that you made specifically due to performing at the conference?

McKeve:  Ok, well at the conference, it’s a beautiful thing to see different genres of music getting together, I must say that cause I met a lot of good people doing that, shoutout to my boy E-Terry, (name inaudible), shout out to him too, who keeps in touch wit me, he keeps in touch with me about events that are going on.  I took what I learned from the conference, and every time I went to an event I had my flyers there.  I had people that were going to back me 100 percent, and that’s what it’s about.  When you go somewhere, you have to be prepared with your business cards, you know the conference taught me all of that…helped me with the confidence to be able to talk and go places and every time I go places, I hit the stage and it makes me want to represent more, to the fullest.

I definitely respect that because on our website ypblogspot.com, that’s what we’re about, we’re about our business and I’m glad to see you gained some of that confidence and knowing to keep your business cards with you and your promotional tools with you.  I know you do it for the love, but you have to get out there, you have to do the right things, you got have to do your marketing and other aspects of the business side too, I’m glad to see that!

McKeve:  Definitely, the SMES Conference teaches you the process.  Everybody is not going get it.  Everybody is not going to listen or pay attention and it’s sad because you have a lot of record execs, A&Rs, and panelists and some of those people (Execs and A&Rs) are the panelists…but they take time out of their schedule to come there to teach us and help us along the way so that we can get noticed.  A lot of artists feel they have to do this and that to get noticed and really all you have to do is be yourself and be about your business and know what you’re talking about when you talk to these people.  That’s the reality of it.

Ok, so the whole thing behind the SMES is that the panelists are there for you, they give you that guidance that an up and coming artist might need.

McKeve:  Right, Right, they give you all of that, it’s kind of like they’re cheating in a way because if you look at it, they don’t have to tell you anything, and that’s the beauty of it….I see the panelists moving and these are professional people.  So how can I get myself to a professional status and a light-bulb went off in my head to say, this is how…by paying attention and listening to what they’re saying and not only listening but applying it

Exactly, that’s something we talk about all the time, you have to implement what you learn, implementation is the key.

 McKeve: Right, and realize that your image is everything.  That’s why I’m BBoy Bobby Baggumz, I Bags everything.  That’s my slogan, that’s my niche that’s my own lane…I stand in my BBoy Stance and I do my thing and I like to flirt with the ladies.  I Bags everything; I bag the ladies, groceries, whatever.  That’s what I’m known for in my neighborhood…go holla at Baggumz cause 9 times out of 10 if he ain’t got it, he knows where to go get it from.  So that’s me right there. 

 Right on, so you mentioned earlier about your label, tell the people again what label that is and what’s going on with that?

McKeve:  Ok well its SMES Music Group and that’s smesmusicgroup.com, it’s SMES Music Group and Koch and it’s a beautiful thing…..You have to put the work in!. A lot of rappers think once they get signed that they’re millionaires overnight and it’s not even like that…Your mind has to be on learning!!!

 Now, most importantly, tell the people where they can get your music or anything about McKeve.  Are there any websites? Are you on Twitter, Fb… tell the people where they can go for more on McKeve.

 Hit me on  www.twitter.com/McKeve

Hit me on   www.facebook.com/Mckeve

Check me out on  www.bboybobbybaggumz.com

McKeve: As far as my music, it will drop this year at the conference and I am performing with Marcus Allen from South Carolina.

McKeve: Shoutout to TI, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Bun B, UGK everybody that kept it within the essence of hip hop

Ok, I just got a couple lighthearted questions for you real quick.  What’s playing in your ipod or in your cd player as you ride down the highway?

McKeve: Honestly, everything I’m popping in is from 94 to maybe 2000…Pete Rock, Wu Tang, MOP (shoutout to Brooklyn, shoutout to Fabo), Bleek, Tru Life (shout out to them boys) keeping it thorough,  I put in that TI, that old TI that IM SERIOUS the first joint…The first Snoop, the first Dr. Dre, the first 50 cent…that’s pretty much what I’m on right now.

Ok, you mentioned that IM SERIOUS a lot of people don’t know about that, they need to go back and get that…

McKeve: They need to go back and get that definitely and that’s what I’m trying to bring to the game… shoutout to TIP, he can’t do it by himself.

Is there anybody else that’s putting in work maybe locally that’s not getting their just due???

McKeve: There’s one female out there her name is Neisha from South Carolina and she can really sing man and my boy Marcus Allen.  I really don’t know too many other people, I’m really focused on me right now.

Ok, that’s what it is.  So if we were in South Carolina what radio stations should we check out, that’s playing that good music and playing your records?

McKeve: I would say 106.3 at 12 o’clock that’s when my man DJ Skillz is on…and I’m on the radio 106.3 I start the morning show.  Get your day started with Bobby Baggumz.  Shoutout to Jahadda it’s her show, I do the intro!

Ok once again we’re here with McKeve and it’s been a pleasure speaking with him.  Hope to see you down at the summit along with everybody else.  YPs want to come down to support all of the talent and the professionals down there to help the talent.  We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us and with that said, YPs signing out!!!

 

 

Tagged as: McKeve, Rap & Hip-Hop, SMES Interview