Bling, bitches, banging, and bogus records are infiltrating today's hip-hop principles. Dancing jiggaboos motivated by tiny advances are propelling contemporary coonery. Empty expressions and smeared smiles are ever-present at modern-day minstrel shows. Is hip-hop lost? No, not as long as there are MCs like Nipsey Hussle.

His perspective isn't skewed by the generic facade that cash creates. He is using his platform as an MC to voice more than just a clever hook: "... I don't believe 9/11 was Osama / because on 9/11 Bush made a billion dollars / I heard him say gang violence is the problem / and he think that more prisons is a step to resolve it / but more prisons means the checks keep revolving / and it don't take a rocket scientist to see the conflict / you can't cover up the pain with fake progress / it's time you pay back a portion of the profit ..."

In the second half of this exclusive interview with BallerStatus.com, Nipsey Hussle opens up about his thoughts on personal awareness, President Obama, self-improvement and acting. This is guaranteed to be an interesting read.

BallerStatus.com: I like your overall delivery. You express your opinion without preaching your point. Your song "Payback" illustrates that your awareness isn't confined to the block.

Nipsey Hussle: Straight up.

BallerStatus.com: On "Payback" you say: " ...living in L.A. every single day / it's a war going on outside, no man is safe from / but since it's just --"

Nipsey Hussle: But since it's just n****s killing n****s / you cats turn prison into a business / I'm talking payback, I know you bitch n****s from way back..." — you talking about that line?

BallerStatus.com: Yes, the eloquence is beautiful.

Nipsey Hussle: I'm glad that people appreciate them records. Because, a lot of times, as the artist that represents a certain culture, we get a little comfortable with just preaching to the choir. It's good that I can do a record like "Payback" and that'll be the one that you'll bring up in an interview. That's really my opinion. When it comes down the real me that really how I feel.

There are lots more people who do music who are scared to voice that. When I do my music, I try to leave all my inhibitions at the door, and just do what I feel. That's what I felt when I did that record. Imagine if all the gangs in L.A. would just stopped warring with each other. Imagine the force that we would make on whatever our agenda would be. Just think of what our direction would be if it wasn't killing. That's what that record is about. I'm just speaking hypothetically. I don't want people to get AKs (assault rifles) and start shooting at police, or nothing like that. That ain't what I want. I'm speaking hypothetically on the power that we would have if we turned all these killers -- that kill for this reason-- into soldiers that will stand behind a righteous cause. It would really be powerful and a force to be reckoned with. That's what that record was really speaking on.

BallerStatus.com: President Obama has been in office for over a year now. What do you think of his progress so far? Is he just a figurehead, or is he excelling and empowering the people?

Nipsey Hussle: I'm biased when it comes to Obama. I ain't even going to lie. It's hard for me to give an objective opinion about Obama, because I feel like I just like him, personally. I feel like him as a person seems like a sincere dude. It seems like he a real person and he's not reading teleprompters. Even if he is, the way he's saying it, he's injecting his own opinions and beliefs in there. Nobody's perfect, I don't expect anybody to perfect. The one thing I expect people to be is sincere and I get that from Obama. So, I feel like the mistakes he's made is natural. Them are mistakes that people make. I feel that his intentions are actually sincere and that he wants to do everything he said-- from reforming health care, to bringing the troops home, and formulating some type of resolution in the Middle East.

You know, I feel like that part of what he's saying is sincere. Now that he's in office, I see that the things that he said to win people over -- the things he was campaigning for -- is actually on his political agenda. So, I respect that a lot about dude. In his campaign he talked a lot about reforming health care; now he's going up against the whole Senate and fighting, basically, the whole Capitol Hill to get these laws passed. They're criticizing him for it and he's probably losing a lot of political favor, but he's standing on his word. Another thing about Obama, that a lot of these other politicians got lost in, is that he understands that the interest of the people is what the President is supposed to serve. It's not the interest of the White House, or the Democrats, or the Republicans, or any private companies that helped campaign with you and dedicated and donated money to your campaign. Those are not the interests that you serve as the President, you serve the interests of the people of your country. I think that's one thing that Obama articulates a lot and I respect that about him. I believe that's his will.

BallerStatus.com: On "Roll The Windows Up," you say: "... that's why my only mission is contradicting statistics—"

Nipsey Hussle: Make it out and double back, with a pot that n****s could piss in / or at least a window we could throw it out'a / but for now, just roll it up so we can blow this sour...

BallerStatus.com: As a man, are you with your happy with your individual progression? What motivates you to try to be a better person?

Nipsey Hussle: I feel like I can always be a better person, because I'm not perfect and I never claimed to be. But, you know, like I said, I feel like I'm a sincere person. I'm human, so I'll never be able to be a perfect person. I feel like where my heart is in the right place. I just want to be able to do for my family without breaking the law. I want to be able to be a man without risking my freedom. I want to be able to do what I love to do and get paid from it. I can always improve on what I'm doing and I try to every day. I try to make an improvement and learn something every day and apply that knowledge into changing my program.

Man, everything happened so fast. It seemed like it was taking forever, but now I'm at a point to where I gotta reevaluate my goals because it's like I done already accomplished everything before I even dropped an album. Like, being highly acclaimed with having my first album -- a project that's in high demand -- and getting the respect of my peers in rap music and having my '69. It's time to step back and reevaluate my goals for a day or two, and just start grinding again. I feel that we did everything that I planned when I was 16 and 17. Everything that I wanted to do I've did it, or I'm doing it as we speak. I got a major deal and I got the respect of the hip-hop world. That means a lot to me, because I am a student of rap music. That means a lot. At the same time, I just feel like I want to make this a progress. That's my biggest fantasy, making this a progress.

BallerStatus.com: You were just discussing goals, you're doing well within hip-hop, I see that you're starting acting as well. Has the Wrath of Cain already been released?

Nipsey Hussle: No, the Wrath of Cain hasn't been released just yet. It's done, as far as the editing and everything. You know my n**** Ving Rhames, he reached out and plugged that for me. That was the first time I did any type of acting or anything. He made that happen for me just off the strength of my mixtapes. We met and he was like, "I respect your grind. I'll try to make a way in this Hollywood sh** for you, too. So, that you don't have to solely depend on rap." I respect dude for that to the utmost. He a multimillion dollar n****, he ain't gotta try to f*** with nobody he don't want to. My involvement didn't serve no interest to him. It was just him trying to look out [for me]. I think that people are going to add it to they collection with the Belly's and the Boyz N The Hood and the Menace II Society, and all that. It's going to be some sh** that they have on they shelf, for sure.

BallerStatus.com: Did you learn anything from him or from Gillie Da Kid when y'all were on set together?

Nipsey Hussle: Yeah, Gillie, that's my n****. That was the first time that we met on the set. But, since then, Gillie's been out to the hood. Gillie, he's a straight n****. Me and Gillie got along really well during the filming, even though he played my enemy and my brother in the movie. Between scenes we were joking and laughing and sh**, got some flame and smoke up and listen to music while were in the trailers and all that. Gillie is A-1. I f*** with Gillie.

BallerStatus.com: Gillie is good people, his lyricism is crazy. Now, what's going on with Blue Laces? Is this film already done, are you still working on it?

Nipsey Hussle: Nah, Blue Laces, I'm still writing the synopsis and the concept for that. I'm going to definitely move on that film. It's a song on my album called "Blue Laces," it's a real visual record. I've been talking to Ving about it and he was like, "Just write it, or even the synopsis of it. I can get it somebody to attack it and make it a film, based on what you got going on already." My label is going to match funds with whoever's going to produce it. The film's going to be [with] an independent company—I gotta press pause on that, because I don't want it to get taken out of my hands until I really develop the story. So, that's one of my things I got in the oven so. I'll throw myself into that once I finish my album.

BallerStatus.com: Thank you for sharing your time. BallerStatus wishes you the best. Until the next time, what would you like to say to your supporters?

Nipsey Hussle: To my fans, I'd just like to say that I appreciate it and I'm right here with you. I mean, a n**** wouldn't be nothing without the fans. So, I hope I'm living up to everybody's expectations. I'm going to keep pushing and I'm going to keep grinding. That's it!