Illuminati 2G

I2G chilled with one of the youngest "vets" in the game, Ali Vegas. Now 25 years old, Vegas already has a decade of experience in the music game and has worked with such artists as AZ and DJ Premier. We talk about his new album, Generation Gap II and some good memories he has from that album, his upcoming album, Veganomics, which is dropping next year and much more so check it out.

Illuminati 2G is here with Ali Vegas, how's it going?

Everything is good.

Generation Gap II has been out for a little bit now, what are your thoughts on the album?

I still feel the same way about it as I did when I was in the studio. It is like a textbook to me, to the point where generations today and tomorrow can go back and check it out as the blueprint on how to do this music thing. I still stand by it and I still love it.

How has the reception and feedback been from the fans and the listeners of the album?

Oh it has been real good. It served its purpose and people really appreciate it and the album is real music, so it is like it is a breath of fresh air so they really appreciate it. We got real good feedback.

Do you have any good memories or stories from creating the album that you want to share with the people?

One that really stands out is when I was in the studio with DJ Premier, and we were having a long conversation. We were just talking from the perspective of I was speaking from my generation and he was doing the same for his.  It was fun and he was telling me I am from both eras, so I have watched the transformation of the music and I was just letting him know. It was real fresh for me to sit down with a legend and talk to him, and for him to sit and talk to me and learn something from me, it felt good for us to get things off of our chest. That was one of the most memorable moments.

Do you have any other videos or singles set to drop from the album?

Yeah the song Brother Brother is going to drop soon.

Then probably 2 more videos will come from the project, drop a EPK of the album and after that just start getting the people ready for Veganomics.

That leads right into my next question. Veganomics being your next project, have you started on it yet?

Yeah it is practically almost done. The people are really going to appreciate this one. Veganomics, I is like....., it is hard to explain but if you love hip hop, you are really going to appreciate this album. It is rhyming to its max.

Being that you have been in the industry for such a long time and came in at such a young age, what is the biggest lesson that you feel that you have learned about the industry? Even to the point that if somebody now coming into the industry at the same age to did, what advice now would you give to that artist at such a young age like you did?

I would tell them don't take the business personal. Don't take anything out on anyone personally in the business as well. Sometimes middle men have alot to do with how situations play out. 9 times out of 10 it is not even that person's fault that you think is in charge.

What are your feeling right now on the state of hip hop? What new albums have you been listening to that you have really been feeling at the moment?

The music that is out right now, everything has its own time. I know alot of people are not happy with the state of hip hop today, but everything has its time. It will turn around once again. I listen to Big Sean, NO, Termanology, John O Connor, it's alot of young and up and coming that's really talented. It is a shame that the way the game is, it is like it is a closed circle sometimes and it is hard for the newcomers to get in.

That is why I have generated so much music and material over the years because this music thing is all I do. Anytime you hear me, I always do music with a new artist that many people do not even know, because that is what it is about. I got a new team of newcomers from all over the world, not just in New York City. From Detroit, Indiana, France, all over the world, that is what it is about. That is the only discrepency I have with hip hop today is that it is the same people over and over again. It's nothing new so we can't generate like that.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates?

I have been finishing up this album, Veganomics, but yeah I am going to be doing some shows. We will be hitting up all the colleges and then from there back to overseas. Chile, Thailand, all over, I will definitely keep the fans updated on Twitter or my Facebook page. We coming.

What is your website information for people looking to check out your music and see what you got going on?

www.facebook.com/alivegas. www.twitter.com/therealalivegas. www.myspace.com/alivegas. My music is up there and any up and coming artists that have questions or want to know how to survive in the game and how to stay relevant, they can go to www.askalivegas.com and leave a message there. I will answer back and it is me as well.

Well that is all the questions I have for you. Appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

Yeah I want to shout out Illuminati 2G, thank you for having me. I want to also shout out my whole AlphaBetaPaper team, my management team, go to ITunes if you have got checked out Generation Gap II and pick that up. Prepare for Veganomics because it is going to take you back.

Appreciate the interview.

Aight thanks.