2XL Neighborhood Rapstar
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tell me who you are and what do you bring to the group-2XL.
Laze: I'm Laze. I'm 16 years old. My real name's Bennett Armstrong.
We have different personalities that collectively go together real well. I'm more outspoken or agressive.
Royal: I'm Royal, Justin, I'm 16 years old. Personality wise I'm a little bit more laidback. Both of our personalities reflect on our record.
You're both 16 years old. Did you just get signed?
2XL: We first got signed when we were 11 years. We were discovered in a mall out here in LA. After that, we moved to Atlanta for about 6 months and did our demo. We were still young and new to the business so we just wanted to make a record.
Were your parents involved in music?
2XL: We were always surrounded by music. Our dad was a member of the Platters and is from Louisiana, but he wasn't around. Our mom raised us. As a single mother, she exposed us to all types of music...like jazz...classical. Being in music happened naturally. It was destined to happen.
Has your mom been supportive of your music career?
2XL: Yes…she's our number one fan. She's been diagnosed with cancer for 10 years. Our biggest goals was to have our mom watch our dreams come true. She's watched it all happen first hand. She's happy for us and tells us every day how proud she is of us. She's always been behind us. She's been one of our biggest inspirations.
Sounds like she believed in you from the very beginning.
2XL: She did. She was investing money in our careers long before we had a production company.
What can listeners expect when they pick up your album?
2XL: The whole album has a good positive energetic vibe. It's personal. By the end of the album, listeners should feel like they know us a little more than before they put the album in. It's about where we come from; what we’ve been through. That's why we call it Neighbor Rap Star.
It's good music. We're real proud of the album. We have something on there for the ladies, for the dudes. There's songs on the album to fit every mood. It’s an album you can listen to all the way through. The young or old can listen to it.
Who all did you work with on it?
2XL: We worked with so many people. Scott Storch did a record on the album that we did with our cousin Cherish. We got bay rapper E-40 on two songs. We got a couple of local producers and others.
Who came up with the name 2XL?
2XL: We did. We used to battle rap a lot and be 2 extreme lyricists. The name has multiple meanings. It could mean to excel or to do something over the top.
For more information about 2XL, visit them on myspace at www.myspace.com/2XLworld or on their website: www.2xlworld.com.
Interview by entertainment writer Shelia M Goss. She's also the national bestselling author of My Invisible Husband. To read more interviews or find out more about this writer, visit her website www.sheliagoss.com.
