When you have interviewed as many artist as I have you very rarely, if ever, become star struck. What’s worse is that you hardly ever become startled by an artists humility. Last week I had the privilege of talking to Ray Benzino. Now for those of you, who don’t know who Ray is, here’s another lesson in Hip-Hop. Pay attention. Ding! Class is in session. Benzino a.k.a. Raymond Scott is a soldier with 15 years in this rap game. He started out with a massive squad of cats from Boston. The Almighty RSO was a crew that didn’t get much love on a National level but through grinding in the streets they maintained. They continued to put out records even after the loss of some of their members. Then a few years ago Benzino popped up again as a member of Made Men. Everybody was askin’ who’s this cat coming out flossin’ like crazy with no real street buzz (music wise that is)? Well little did they know Benzino was building an empire. Also what a lot of you didn’t know was that Benzino was also a part of the team that put together what many consider the Hip Hop Bible. The Source. Benzino is also one third of Hangmen 3, a production team who have done tracks for cats like Nas and Mobb Deep. Ding! Class is over. Now you can say you know a little more about Zino.
Now we move on to the old, but newly paved, road that this humble man is traveling. In addition to grinding for years as an artist and entrepreneur Zino has been perfecting his flow and his production skills. He has spit with many a rapper and held his own. Some might say that he’s no lyrical monster but he does what he does and he does it well. Don’t hate, it’s not good for your health.
After linking up with Teddy Riley Benzino began to feel the love that another artist had even after years of being in the game. That in turn sparked a new feeling in Zino. About the union with Teddy he says, “That was incredible. He reached out through Queen Pen. I didn’t think he was serious so I went to meet him two weeks after we were supposed to actually meet. What I got from Teddy was the seriousness that he has. He’s really focused on the producing side of things and that helps me. He’s like an astronaut he’s very serious. I also get a lot of that from Mario Winans too.” Zino also talked about his new project. The Benzino Remix Project. “With my new stuff I hope to get sales like everyone else but what I really want is the respect as an artist. I also want people to notice my production skills. I just want to be taken as a serious artist all around.” Well it looks like somebody’s taking Zino seriously. His “Rock The Party” joint is blazing radio and video stations across the country. About the remix he says, “I got Lil’ Kim and Petey Pablo on the remix of ‘Rock The Party’ so it’s crazy. I also got Jadakiss, Wyclef, Scarface and Mario Winans on the album. So I feel like it’s a good album.” Sounds like Zino is making big dog moves to me.
So why did he keep his involvement with The Source so quiet if he wanted to be known? “Back in the day there was conflict. I think the public perception from then to now has changed. Now it’s acceptable for an artist to do more than one thing, for me it was just timing. It was Dave Mays’ vision and I supported him but I’m a music man. I’m in the trenches. He’s more organized and office like. I’m in the streets.” Now for a man who’s got his hand in the pot of the biggest selling magazine in the Hip Hop machine, how could Zino say things about White America’s Hottest MC, Eminem being the poster boy for the machine? “What I said was Hip Hop’s gone mainstream. I said Eminem’s the poster boy for the machine (meaning the corporate structure) and if we as a people don’t watch out for Hip Hop it will be stripped away from us like so many other things have been. My whole life is about music man, it don’t matter what color you are but let’s not let it get out of control.” That is an understandable statement but with all the brotherly lyrical maniacs and the rest of us, who live, eat, breath, sleep, and shit Hip-Hop, we are not about to let anyone tear this thing away from us. Even if Em is nice he didn’t start this thing called Hip Hop and he knows that. So to not respect us as a people and our craft would surely lead to his banishment from the art form. Good lookin’ out though Zino.
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Now with all that said Benzino still truly displays a humble demeanor and when it’s all said and done isn’t that really what this is all about? Having peace of mind? So, at the end of the day how does Raymond Benzino wish to be remembered? “I’m a Blue-collar guy and there’s no arrogance within me but music is my life and being that there’s no arrogance in me that gives me a certain amount of peace with myself. To get love from the fans is the best. There’s nothing better than that. I just wanna be remembered as the peoples champion. I want people to know that I loved Hip Hop and that I was true to it.
