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 In recent weeks, there has been speculation from bloggers accusing New York rapper Mims of lying about his upbringing, specifically where he grew up.
In a blog entry posted on Sohh NYC, an email sent from an anonymous source claimed that the rapper grew up in a wealthy area of Long Island called Westbury (home to daughter and grandchildren of late mob boss John Gotti), contradicting claims by Mims that he'd grown up in the rough neighborhood of Washington Heights.
"I grew up in [Long Island] and I had beef wit some dudes in a town called Westbury, and I found out at the high school that Mims went to that school [Westbury High School]," the source claimed. "Nobody shows him love [in Westbury], even when he tried to come back. He came [to Long Island from The Heights] around the age of 12. Too young to know really know The Heights.
"Here is another fact why he is from [Long Island]," the entry said. "After high school, he went to Nassau Community College, located on the border line between Westbury and Uniondale, right next to Nassau Coliseum. Nobody goes to that school unless you're from [Long Island]. Nobody."
Despite the rumors, Mims maintains that he's from New York City, no matter what any "hater" says. In a recent sit-down with the rapper, he set the record straight for us.
"I'm from Washington Heights. I was born and raised in Manhattan, New York on 164 between Broadway and Fort Washington, that was my block," Mims told BallerStatus.com. "I moved away when I was 16 or 17 years old. If you want to go to that block and ask anybody about me -- go ahead I welcome you to."
Mims admits that in his late teens, he did, in fact, move to Long Island -- Westbury to be exact -- but it was because his mother had passed. He moved in with his aunt and uncle, but explains that he moved around a lot and pays homage to all the past cities he's lived -- including Brooklyn, and even Jamaica Queens.
However, he makes it clear, he's New York through and through. If you don't believe him, Mims challenges you to put him to the test.
"I tell people my story because when people say I'm not from New York, I say, 'I'm the epitome of New York'," the rapper exclaimed. "There is nothing you can tell me about the train system, or the bus system. I know every block in New York City. I know half of Long Island, so if you’re looking for a tour guide, I can bring you around. There is nothing on me that doesn't spell out New York. So for anyone trying to falsify information saying that I'm not from Washington Heights, or from New York, do your history man, because I don't lie about my story. I'm not here to fabricate."
To the rapper, anyone who questions his background are just haters, and looks forward to anyone doing so meeting him face to face.
"For all you haters out there that keep trying to throw salt on my name, or tell me that I'm not what I am, hey man, I'm not a chump, I'm no punk," Mims said. "I would love to meet up with some of these people face to face because most of them are corny. A lot of them are just computer thugs that have nothing else better to do but to hate on somebody.
"I'm not even angry, I love it because hate is the new love," the rapper maintains. "I just think people misconstrue and think because I do records and I preach positivity that I'm going to let the next man step on my shoe. If you step on my shoe, you better say sorry and I'll forgive you if you say sorry. But if you do it on purpose, you might just get punched in the face. That's my attitude, I'm not a gangsta, a thug, or killer, I don't have to run around talking about murdering people, it's just not me. I'm not a chump and I'm not someone that you should underestimate, and that's all I got to say."
And that's all he had to say. To end his explanation, Mims had no qualms about plugging his sophomore album, Guilt.
"MIMS! April 7th album is in stores make sure you buy that," he concluded.
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