RESPECT. Interview: ‘First Family of Hip Hop' - Antonio Jordan - RESPECT.

FIRST FAMILY OF HIP HOP — Season:1 — Pictured: Antonio Jordan — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo)

Bravo has an exciting new reality series that has recently come to TV: First Family of Hip Hop follows the next generation of the family behind Sugarhill Records, the children and grandchildren of the late Sylvia Robinson, the creator of the first hip hop label that made current hip hop labels possible.

While the show is airing, we will be getting answers to some questions that I’m sure many of us fans have from the different cast members. This time we have Antonio Jordan giving us some insights to how he works. Be warned, there may be some spoilers ahead.

Obviously history is a big part of the show, with not only the family aspect but in relation to the music industry as well. We asked the family if there would be a large focus on that history, or if the attention of the family members would be more in the now and the future. Antonio’s answer was that, “Honestly speaking we always have to reflect on the past because that’s what makes a strong future, we’ve lived and learned, so now it’s time to apply it toward the goal at hand.”

Same “goal at hand” or not, after watching the first episode of the series there is no doubt that there a lot of differing opinions in how the professional side of things should go when it comes to running the label. When we asked if there were any influences outside of the family that the members looked to, he had this to say: “There are a lot of ideas that float around and when we look for music, we look for it to contain a certain substance. We look for music that is relatable and has a genuine feeling.”

We asked if filming this series had any impact on making him reevaluate future plans, or if it only made his current convictions stronger. His answer turned out to be a unapologetic mixture of the two sentiments: “Filming has definitely made me think about my future goals differently as well as strengthen my dedication.”

Beyond the personal lives of the family members in the show, the biggest aspect of this series is the actual label and getting it back to its glory. We asked if the family thought that this series would be able to get the attention that they wanted and needed to the label. Antonio thought that, “I think the series will give Sugarhill Records the right attention and introduce our legacy to an entirely new audience. It is also my hope that Ms. Sylvia Robinson and Joe Robinson get the credit that they deserve.”

Beyond the more serious stuff about the history and the label, we had to know if there were any parts that the cast may have regretted getting on film. Antonio answered with a candid, “Not at all, because I always remain true to myself.” When asked if it was difficult to shoot the series, he had also said that, “I would not say it was difficult filming the series, but it was new territory always having a camera around. I always remain my genuine self through it all.”

We had one final question to ask, wondering if filming this series, with all of the different ideas being expressed, had ended up being a bonding experience or an experiment in seeing how far patience can be extended. At least in Antonio’s case, he said that “Most definitely. It actually has made my patience a lot better with things.”

You can watch the first episode of First Family of Hip Hop on Bravo. Look out for the next interviews with the other cast members that will be coming soon.