FREE MONEY
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK HIP-HOP ARTIST
VALIDATED: Where are you from and what's the story behind your rap name?
FREE MONEY: I'm from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. My name is Free Money aka Papi Shampoo. The "Free Money" part came from running around these streets. I'm a hustler. I get money so fast my homies swore I was getting it for free, hence forth the name Free Money. "Papi Shampoo" is a Dominican thing, it means a guy that gets all the girls. One of my Spanish Mamis kept calling me that so I ran with that too. Lol
VALIDATED: Growing up, what kind of music was played in your household and how has it influenced the music you create?
FREE MONEY: My father had me and my cousin Fingaz dj'ing from a young age. (Shout out my Uncle Tubby too, R.I.P) I think we were playing for adult party's at like seven years old. I was different though. I use to listen to Pattie Labelle, Atlantic Star, Michael Jackson, old school reggae... I mean hits you don't hear no more that actually gave a meaning behind the music. The music we hear is cool now but back then you can't even compare to it. I started listening to Biggie and Pac when I started to have a hear say in what I could listen to. My biggest influence was and still is myself. I never wanted to become a artist because of seeing other people do it. It was something that I felt I just had in me and I figured out how to express my raw talent.
VALIDATED: Tell us about your neighborhood growing up and how it influence you?
FREE MONEY: CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn, not an ordinary stomping ground. You have to be diverse in an area like this. If you don't have balls and a big gun stay away from where I'm from. We just don't take disrespect from no one. You can't even cross the coolest cat without his or her guard up. Crown Heights teaches you early not to accept the disrespect. I love my hood. The only place I know at 4 o'clock in the morning you can get oxtails with rice and peas. I'm a greedy cat. Lol
VALIDATED: Name the hip-hop artists that have influenced your flow and what, if anything did you borrow from them?
FREE MONEY: To be honest I don't even listen to the radio. My goonies gotta be telling me yo this song or that song is hot check it out. The trash I be hearing on the radio and the way they repeat wack songs I think my radio broken. Influences... if I have to say are Biggie and Pac. I didn't steal none of there flows though. Let me know when the get a Pac and Biggie station and I will never change the channel.
VALIDATED: What sacrifices have you made or things that you had to go without because you've invested in your artistry?
FREE MONEY: I've sacrificed love, friends, money and time. It comes along with the rocky road to success but you can always make amends when the time is right. I invest my own money... ain't nobody sending no checks! They will eventually though!
VALIDATED: What's your earliest memory of hip-hop, the culture?
FREE MONEY: My earliest memory is Humpty Hump and that big ass fake nose! The first time I got "busy" was to "Doing The Butt" and Vanilla Ice had me rolling. I think I ask my mother for a pair of those MC Hammer pants. Lol
VALIDATED: What are your thoughts on lyrics remerging as the focus in hip hop again?
FREE MONEY: Please let it remerge! I'm tired of molly in someone's cup or how many times they popped pills in a day. My home girl kid is six years old and he asked his mom for molly for Christmas because he wants it for his cup. I'm just saying rap needs to change up.
VALIDATED: Not including you, name your top 3 most slept on indie rappers from your borough and why.
FREE MONEY: Bo Nasty, my partner in crime needs to be unleashed to the world. He's an incredible artist which will make a big impact on the game. Judah One is just different. If your looking for diversity with a up liftment but yet you can still feel the pain through his literature. He's a beast. My big homie, Spliff Star. This man is a grinder... works harder than all you artist put together! He sees something in you and he brings it out of you. His flow comes from experience and you can tell his fire can not be tamed.
VALIDATED: What can fans expect from your upcoming project "Twisted Vision"?
FREE MONEY: My new project is not your regular norm. "Twisted Vision" is what I'm coming with. It's a well rounded album. A lot of different styles because I didn't want this album to stick with one style. It shows that I can adapt to any beat and still bring content.
VALIDATED: What producers and artist did you work with on this project?
FREE MONEY: Of course it had to have my homie Bo Nasty and the great Spliff Star on it. I also have Billy The Kid and Chris Crown on it. There are to many Producers to shout out but I do want to mention Synesthetic, Menace 2.0 and CharlieBrown Beats because these dudes are a problem!
VALIDATED: What's your reaction to the response of the "Top Shelf" single?
FREE MONEY: The reaction to "Top Shelf" was and still is crazy. Loving the Love. Bring back that essence of hip hop shows through this single.
VALIDATED: How difficult is it creating your own lane while trying to stay true to you and your brand of hip-hip?
FREE MONEY: It was hard at first but now that I'm more comfortable with my styles my lane became easy. I'm in every lane that's how I feel.
VALIDATED: Tell us about other ventures you're currently working on.
FREE MONEY: Be on the look out for them PaperRock hoodies, sweaters and shirts. Also me and Bo Nasty have a song called "Aries Type" which is on my album that is also in a commercial. Shout out to PHD Clothing. Also we out here in that Olayinka Clothing swagging that new fashion. We also promoting that Happy Kit, nice portable smoke kits to get your smoke on.
VALIDATED: Where can the reader support you and your music online and social media?
FREE MONEY: If you want to find your boy check me out on Instagram at therealfreemoney or you can hit me on Twitter at freemoneyakafm. My Snapchat is FreeMoney47, YouTube is Dhutty N Charge/ BrookkDirty Cartel or Google me at Free Money aka Papi Shampoo.