RESPECT.: How did you get your name? What is the meaning of it and how it spelt?
I got the name 5IVE from being 5’2 and always the shortest in the pack. The Giant was added later realizing though I was the shortest and I was also the strongest,bravest and out of the pack. To some people being the shortest would’ve been a misfortune but the exact opposite for me,being blessed with gifts & abilities far beyond height or any physical appearances and from that came GIANT, a word to describe my personality and my strength.
RESPECT.: With you being from the South, you do know that they birthed hip-hop music. Do you think that hip-hop is an ideal genre everyone can relate to?
Well to me, hip-hop originated in the Bronx, though I feel we play a very powerful role on how it spread across the globe. We gave it a soul that couldn’t come from knowwhere else.The slang and swag, took it to unimaginable levels even wayy before the southern artist that’s out today. At the present state, I think hip-hop is felt and used everywhere it seems like every race & genre relates.
RESPECT.: I come from Tennessee as well and with you being from Tennessee, preferably Knoxville, we know that the center of Tennessee is Nashville, Music City, do you think that urban music will be more of a reach to the country music town?
Definitely will and always has been though we’ve had some success stories from Tennessee, it’s so much more udiscovered talent that need a chance to shine. I used to joke saying i should’ve sang country or even rock and I would’ve broken every boundary especially being from Knoxville,but then again I am a GIANT so I go against the grain anyway.
RESPECT.: Who inspired you to pick up a pen and paper and start writing and becoming a rapper? Why?
So many inspirations come to mind,but top i would say that it wasn’t really rappers that inspired me first.
Michael Jackson energy and passion, Lionel Richie’s soulful songs and Marvin Gaye’s powerful stories set me up to feel early greats in hip-hop. LL.COOL J one my strongest influences amongst many more he brought the type of energy,passion and creativity as the soulful singers my mama would play. I never could just listen to the music. Ive always had to feel it as well.
RESPECT.: You have a soulful sound and blend it with your own twist that has a unique vibe with a slight of street edge to bring in to your listeners. What can you say your sound is? Describe that.
My sound is exactly what I was raised on: hard,soulful and passion from the heart, also inspiration that can hit the common working man,hustler, lovers or even church goers might feel what i have to say,because it’s real. Most definitely,LET’S DANCE is one of many to come.I don’t wanna spoil what’s cooking,but will be dropping again soon.
It’s a terrible state that we’re in and have been for so long. We just have so much added media to the situation. With the marching,protesting and sacrifice of life that has been made,i think it’s only right for us to understand that we have to come together as black people first, to even be taken serious. The destruction that we are doing to us is overwhelming and the finger tends to point at the youth,but they listen to us and watch us. We can’t just wait until a George Floyd story breaks.We gotta stop killing us. Until we stand up,stop making excuses and turning our heads to what’s going on right around us,we’ll continue to suffer at the hands of others too. I can only pray and do my part in bringing our people together the way we should be. Police or anybody else for that matter will have to think twice before just taking one of our brothers or sisters lives i vain.
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