Enhanced by Gulfport, Mississippi life-lessons, Tito Lopez, continues to speak for society’s underdogs. His cathartic pen catalogues the human experience. While other rappers, enslaved to the puppet show, continue to spew lyrical fallacies, Tito, masters the actual art of Hip-Hop. Delivering poignant messages sans a soapbox an appreciative audience steadily multiplies. Having cultivated a more carefree perspective, he is striving to become the number one narrator. AllHipHop.com delivers another intriguing exclusive interview as it delves into the mind of Tito Lopez!
AllHipHop.com: When I heard Trae on the track I knew you were doing something right. How did you meet him?
Tito Lopez: Man, Trae—just let me say salute—that’s one of the realest n*ggas in the game, 100. I met Trae when I was in Houston at T.I.’s listening party for that Trouble Man album. Shout out to Tip, too. He’s somebody who supported from the start. If you look on my Instagram I got three of four pictures with Tip, because I kept running into him at different places; he always shows love. He invited us to the listening party. We was in there, and you know Trae is on Hustle Gang, Grand Hustle. So, of course he was there, and Slim Thug was there. I had just got off tour with him. We was just in there chilling. I had never met Trae—I had bumped into him in the hallway—I just went to say respect, because that’s the type of sh*t that I grew up on. Especially in the South, there’s so many unsung heroes in the South. Scarface deserves more credit than what he got. You know, UGK, Goodie Mob—Trae is one of them Southern really respected ni**as.
So, when I went to salute him, he told me that he already fu**ed with what I’m doing… We swapped numbers right there. He said, ‘Hit me anytime you want me to jump on a song.’ I said, okay. I went back to the crib and made “Diamonds & Whips.” I said, I got one for you, I sent it to him. No, lie, this is 100. Trae had the flu—fu** texting—he called me and said, ‘I got the flu, do you want a 12 or a 16?’ I said, let me get a 16. He said, ‘I’m about to go get some Robitussin and when I get back I’m going to spit this verse.’ That’s on the Bible, those are the words he said to me. He got back and sent me the verse in 30 minutes; he murdered it. I was like, this is powerful here. We’re going to have to put this out. Shout out to Trae, one of the realest ni**as I ever met.
AllHipHop.com: According to Antonio Lopez Mouring, what’s the most pressing social issue that America is facing; how is this issue reflected through Hip-Hop?
Tito Lopez: The most pressing social issue is—this ain’t no bullsh*t, there’s a lot of them—me and my man was just talking about how they don’t legalize weed. It helps a whole lot of problems you got, sickness and sh*t like that. In the world, the fact is all these pharmacies are the biggest drug dealers. I’m not into politics, I can’t lie, I’m not big on it; it’s all lies to me. Socially, it’s the desensitized nation. The fact of the matter is, that nobody ain’t understanding that with everyone has been scapegoating the same bullsh*t for the longest. And that’s Rap and so-called gangsters. That’s the least damaging to all these kids out here.
As Black folks, I’m saying we’re the most desensitized on everything. Ain’t nobody really speaking on it. When they do speak on, you were asking how it’s depicted in Rap—it’s really not. Because as soon as you talk about, after two seconds, n*ggas are like, ‘I don’t want to hear that sh*t.’ If you say anything beside, ‘this party, turn up, or have fun,’ that sh*t is considered preaching. The thing is ain’t nobody want to hear it. The thing is, if you’re struggling so muthaf*cking much, that you don’t haven’t to hear it. The fact of the matter is, all these n*ggas forget that—let’s just say, Pac; or, somebody came out today and put out “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” or “Keep Ya Head Up,” they wouldn’t get no play…
It’s perfect for me to say that instead of some politic issue about government and bullsh*t. we’re talking about society. The fact of the matter is, as Black folks we’ve lost our whole radicalness. Think back to the L.A. Riots when n*ggas was blowing sh*t up in ’92. Over my man getting stomped out, Rodney King. Nobody started no damn riot over Trayvon Martin. All that n*ggas do is talk about that sh*t for a week. The next week we forget about it. We walk around with a bunch of hoods on like that’s going to do sh*t. And if I was out there right now and picked up a brick and threw it through a window; or, said ‘Let’s start up a riot!’ Ain’t nobody gonna do nothing but pull out a cell phone and send it to WorldStar[HipHop.com] and try to record me.
AllHipHop.com: In the past you’ve stated your appreciate for Nirvana’s work. What’s your stance on writer’s block, and suicide?
Tito Lopez: What’s crazy is I used to always say I’d never get writer’s block. I never really did, because I’m just speaking on my life… But now I know that’s bullsh*t. I got writer’s block towards the end of last year. I had a whirlwind year, I was going everywhere. And I just think it’s good to get writer’s block at sometimes. That just means that you’re searching for more things to search about. If you’re a real artist, you get tired of hearing the same sh*t. Even me, I get to looking at my music sometimes and I’m like, ‘Okay, this is dope, but let’s go back to being relatable.’ …I think you should accept it. When you got writer’s block that’s just Him telling you—Him being God—‘Just relax, you’ve did a lot, chill out.’ Watch what’s around you then put it out.
I used to be suicidal when I was like 17. That’s why I could always relate to that—Kurt Cobain—and sh*t like that because that was me at my lowest point. And when you don’t want to be here no more, there’s not much that can be said. A lot times, my car us broke down, I got this going on. When you don’t want to be here you don’t give no fu*k about a car. You don’t even want to be walking here. Every step that you take when you’re walking it’s pain. You’re just going further into sh*t that you already want to get done with.
I’ve realized that my stance on suicide is that it’s never the option. Somebody loves you out there, somewhere. That’s the reason why I crusade so much through my music. This is my voice, you know what I’m saying. This is what makes me feel like I am somebody. When I’m stepping off stage and they’re chanting Tito. Which they’ve done a bunch of times at my shows, I feel like somebody, I can’t let it go. It’s like a drug; so, I I’m glad that I didn’t choose that route. But a lot of people have done it have me wondering where they could have been. That’s not just with suicide, with getting killed you wonder, how far they could have gone.
AllHipHop.com: Until the next time, what would you like to share with your supporters?
Tito Lopez: …Spread the word, because half this sh*t is word-of-mouth. Sh*t has been dope for years, but until everyone starts talking — 80% of the work is just bandwagon-riding, because everybody else is really jumping on it. All you got to do is spread the word and I’m going to be here. For my supporters, go download that Y.O.U. mixtape. It’s really an album because it’s all original. You know, just f**k with your boy. I’m coming with all new energy; new everything this year. I never felt like nothing can be told to me like I can’t do something.
So, when I’m coming out and putting out music and performing my songs and seeing people saying, ‘Nothing, but respect.’ This really got me through these times because people are crying to me that, ‘I relate to that underdog sh*t.’ I’m doing something right, whether a motherf**ker sees it or not that’s they problem. I ain’t going nowhere. Let that music play. Music and talent overrides all that bullsh*t. The It-factor, the intangibles, and all that sh*t—killing kids dreams on all these f**king TV shows, because they feel like they ain’t pretty enough, or ain’t skinny enough to do what they want to do. Talent overrides all that bullsh*t. Just make sure your sh*t is dope and focus on your craft. When it’s jamming they can’t deny it. That’s what I got to say to all my underdogs. My underdogs is my fans, my people; so, shout out to them!
