Clark Kent, the man who discovered BIG and Jay-Z, calls this 19-year-old MC Young Brooklyn. He just might be the next King of New York. The world is yours!
Curtains, a.k.a., Young Brooklyn is shooting. Not gats or lyrical darts, but pool. More specifically, the eight ball into the corner pocket. And though he may not hold the MC title of King of New York yet, his winning streak after two rounds proves he just might claim it soon. His Artist Direct debut is set for release in July and his song “It’s Like That” is buzzin’ on the underground. Hear what all the hype’s about at www.itzcurtains.com.
Who gave you the name Young Brooklyn?
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DJ Clark Kent. He was a big Brooklyn DJ back in the day. He discovered Jay and BIG. So he just thought I’d be the next one to bring Brooklyn up.
What about Curtains?
Somebody gave me that name when I was real young. That’s just a metaphor for being real. I say what I feel and I hope you feel what I say. It’s like, when the curtains come down, that’s the end of the show. So that’s a metaphor for me. No more acting. Just Real. Me being who I am.
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How did you meet Clark Kent?
My managers had a good relationship with him. And once I hooked up with them, they took me to meet him and he loved me from the first time he met me. I freestyled for him and then I played him records. It was just over from there. Everyday he would call me and say, give me something new or come to the studio.
Did Kent release the songs on mixtapes?
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Nah, before I had a deal he started working on my album. Him and the Heatmakerz started pulling my album together. We just made songs every day after school. I wasn’t doing mixtapes back then.
You’re 19. Did you just graduate from high school?
Nah, this is my second year of college. I go to City College. I took this semester off to finish my album. I got a double major, English and psychology. I have to pick one now.
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What high school did you go to?
Brooklyn Tech. Clark Kent went there.
When did you meet Clark Kent?
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I was 15. But I was rapping all my life. Since I was 6, in the first grade. I used to battle 20-year-olds when I was 12.
When did you realize you wanted to be a rapper?
Some things you just know. I just knew. From day one, in the first grade I said I wanted to be a famous rapper.
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Which rappers inspired you?
EPMD and LL. That was it. No one else mattered but them. Those were my favorites growing up. Then I started getting into Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, then Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z. “Rampage” was the song that put it in me that I was going to be a rapper. With EPMD and LL together. In like ’91-’92.
Where do you get inspiration for your lyrics?
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I read a lot. I’m a real observant person. I don’t talk much. I just sit back and look. I like driving around. I go on the internet. I grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Every day there’s another song to write about. Something happening. Family. Girls. School. Whatever starts my brain that day.
Were you good in school?
I could have been. I don’t like authority. I didn’t like the way the school system worked growing up. They always taught you how to work for somebody. Why can’t I be my own boss? They never taught you how to be independent. They taught you how to be a follower. And I’m a Leo, and Leos were not born to be followers. We’re leaders. That took away from me liking school. And when I don’t like something, I don’t put my effort into it. I got by though.
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What’s the last four years of your life been like?
I used to battle every Friday and Saturday on 42nd Street. I used to stand on the corner of 42nd and 7th on Friday and Saturday night. They knew who I was. I never lost a battle out there. I want to put that out there. From ’99-2001. That shaped me for dealing with pressure. Then I was in the studio all the time, recording. I was an intern at Roc-A-Fella Records in my junior year of high school. I was there to learn the business. I never told anyone I rapped. I was in the marketing department for about a year. I was there when The Blueprint came out. Cam’ron, State Property. I saw how it really goes down. Now I’m an artist but I understand the business aspect of it. So now I’m real cautious.
How did you get signed to Artist Direct?
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I was with Def Squad. I had a deal with their production company. Then the production company signed to Artist Direct.
Does how deep your voice is shock people?
When people hear the music before they see me, they trip because I’m a small dude. I’m skinny. And they hear this big, grown voice and they’re surprised. I got a heavy voice.
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What producers did you work with on your debut?
The Heatmakerz have three joints on my album. Clark Kent, Amadeus, Ruggedness from Philly, Trackmasters, Denaun Porter from D12, Dame Grease from Ruff Ryders. We re-did Public Enemy‘s “Buckwildin’.”
Do you have any favorite songs on this album?
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Every record on the album is important to me. Clark Kent did a joint called “My Little Girl.” It’s like “Brenda’s Got A Baby” today. It’s six minutes. It’s about a girl from the day she’s born to the day she dies. I talk about the struggles every girl goes through in the hood. The “Buckwildin'” record is very political. I’m talking about everything that’s wrong, stereotypes
