Published: Tuesday - August 7, 2007
Words by Jay Casteel & Ronnie Gamble
Wallet (Photo: Mill Ticket Entertainment)
For an MC coming up in a rough neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles, Wallet is not your typical super gangster. He isn't rocking red or blue, nor is he wearing a backpack and making you decipher the meaning of his complex flow. Instead, he's a hipster whose love for hustling to get bread and getting at beautiful women has molded him into a unique breed of MC from Los Angeles.
Wallet is about getting his money, but before he received paper on an independent route, he was infatuated with the rhymes of some of the earliest rappers like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap. Despite coming up on hip-hop from the pioneers, it wasn't until N.W.A. emerged on the scene that the young rapper really became immersed into the culture. "N.W.A. really influenced me because they brought the West Coast to the world and that really caught my attention," Wallet says. "I wanted to be another representative to L.A., just in my own way."
Beginning in junior high, Wallet demolished would be foes with ease, but freestyling was all for fun, according to the rapper. It stayed that way all through high school, as he enjoyed his popularity as a grizzled playground battler with not much competition in sight. It wasn't until his friend and manager, E. Mills, pushed for Wallet to take his talent seriously. After suggesting a career in hip-hop music, the pair started hitting the studio to record and release mixtapes.
Although he may take the same approach as many of today's newcomers, Wallet has other things to offer than you typical "gangbang banter" Los Angeles is known for. His originality sets him apart from the rest and he hopes his honesty will be the straw that breaks the camel's back, when it comes to selling his music at least. "I'm not a gangsta rapper. I grew up in the middle of gangbanging, but I wasn't into it, so I'm not pushing that on you," he explains. "With me, what you see is what you get. I give you good old songs making and originality. I ain't trying to forcefeed you no bullsh--." That's what he's banking on as his selling point, and it seems to be working so far.
To date, with the release of nearly five mixtapes under his belt (including It's A Problem and In My Grindtime 1 & 2), Wallet and his indie label, Mill Ticket Entertainment, have moved more than 10,000 units independently. That's a big accomplishment for a rapper struggling to make it on a Coast that is barely being recognized as it is.
He was also recognized by the legendary Sway & Tech, who both co-signed him, when he appeared on their radio show to test his freestyle skills. "When I busted, they were like 'you're dope, but you're not there yet.' They were comparing me to Eminem and Jay-Z. It was a good look for me," the artist recalls. "Lyric-wise, everything was intact, metaphors and everything."
With a hustler's mentality and original style foreign to many Los Angeles MCs before him, Wallet has a bright future. Despite his accomplishments thus far, it's the love he gets from the crowd while he's performing that keeps him motivated. "Just touching the people really is what I see as the benefit of being a rapper. To have people say, 'oh, he's a real n----, he's touched my hand' or 'he shared a blunt with me' is great. I love that," he admits.
Whether he makes it soon or not, one thing is certain, he's not gonna stop. "The only people who don't make it stop [working] and I'm gonna keep pushing," Wallet says.
Scouting Report
With a level head, unique swagger and lyrical prowess, Wallet is something of a Los Angeles black sheep, but with the qualities we come to love from an L.A. based rapper. As his buzz grows and his ambition to win thrives, Wallet will undoubtedly won over his hometown crowd... or at least gain a solid fanbase. As the South continues its dominance, it will be a challenge for the young rapper to pop outside his comfort zone. But if anyone can accomplish this, Wallet has the goods to make it happen.
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