Illuminati 2G

Former 2 time middleweight boxing champion Keith Holmes took time out of his busy schedule to chill with I2G. We discuss his boxing career and his upcoming album, 3 Da Hard Way. Also a CEO of his own label, he is a tireless community supporter and is also working on a reality show. Check it out.

Illuminati 2G is here with Keith Holmes, how's it going?

Doing great.

Tell me a little bit about how you got your start in boxing. I know have a extensive background in the sport, what made you get involved in the sport?

I started at the age of 8, I was inspired by my Mom. I used to watch it alot, and plus I used to fight alot as a kid. She inspired me to go to the gym and try it out. 8 years old and went into the gym and realized I could fight and not get in trouble so I sticked with it. So it has been a great success for me.

What made you get involved in the music industry?

Well I have been involved in music for a long time. I have a great passion for the music and in 1989 I started working with a artist in Washington D.C. and I did a video on him in 1991 or 92. I had a direction but none of the artists could see my direction so I became a artist myself in 1997. This is my second album and video and I have a great feel for the game and alot of knowledge. I have been through the ups and downs, trials and tribulations of the music game. Right now it is a blast for me and it is something that I desire.

Who were some of your musical influences coming up as far as musically?

Well in the old days I am a EPMD, Ice Cube, all those guys back then. LL Cool J, and then Scarface, 2Pac, and right now today I like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, people like that.

Let's get right into it. Tell me about your new single, This Ain't No Lease and your new album 3 Da Hard Way.

This Ain't No Lease was also a inspiration to me to create true activities that have happened in my life. I never liked bills, so I would always pay for anything I was involved in. That includes my videos and my artists videos. 3 Da Hard Way came about because when you growing up in the streets of DC, you get involved in alot of things that you may not be proud of later on in life. From the boxing, the streets and the music, all 3 seem to be very hard to become stars in. It's a avenue, but to go up that avenue, you got to go over so many obstacles.

This music right now to me, it's a great obstacle for me and challenge so that is another hard way for me. That is how a came up with the title of my album.

Have you shot the video for This Ain't No Lease or are you planning to do that?

It's already done.

Tell me a little bit about your reality show that you also have in the works.

That is a great transition for me. From boxing to music, because I am still fighting right now, to modeling, to acting. All through my boxing career I was a motivational speaker with the youths and speaking in the jails. That is also a part of my transition, develop a way for the youth to grow instead of continuing to kill each other and themselves. So that is a good avenue for me also to introduce my album and do my great reality show through my great publicist, Trea Davenport, to inspire these kids.

And inspire these inmates also because it is important to never give up hope.

Tell me a little bit about what are your thoughts right now on the state of hip hop and just what do you think about the music that is out right now.

Well I guess I got to look at it like the old heads look at it, it really ain't the same. Everything changes it life and I believe what goes around comes back around. The old hip hop way will come back around again, but now people are flourishing off of the skills and talents that they bring to the table. It seems like every and anybody can bring any type of song out and it be a hit. I am happy to hear that a person can be successful but I am coming in with a old school style, not too old, but a style like a 50 or a Jay-Z and I am like the majority of the world.

I still also like the Stylistics and the Temptations. I just don't want to be in this for 5 years and then be gone to the point that my music is never heard from again. I want to be like the Salt-N-Pepa and the Rakims. When you hear their music, it always comes about. Music out today I don't think that it has longevity, like say for example Jay-Z or 50 Cent's music. The hip hop world is fickle right now.

Another industry obviously that you are in is boxing. That has gone through some ups and downs over the years. Where do you think just being in the sport, where do you think boxing is headed in the next couple of years and what do you think of the state of boxing right now?

Well as a fighter, you are always a independent fighter. But when you are promoted by certain promoters, they take away that independence but it makes you mentally think that you are still independent. Right now I think boxing is changing a whole lot, giving the fighter a opportunity to maintain his atonomy over his career, instead of getting into a promoter. If you see the fighter now they are promoting now, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones, they are promoting fighters now, but at the same time because they know what they went through as a fighter being under promoters, they are not persay taking a majority or bulk of the money.

A promoter may get a 10 million dollar budget and they may pay the boxer a million or 2 out of that budget. That is not fair because as the boxer, you are the one taking the risk. Right now, boxing is staring to make a change for the better I believe.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates, community events coming up around the country or there in DC that you want to let the people know about that you have coming up for you?

Trea Davenport is a great publicist for me and she has been putting together alot of things for me and we are looking to do a show in DC around the 18th of this month. It will be a live show for my reality show and we want everybody to come out and be a part of it. That is a great opportunity for me to give back and to show people what Keith Holmes is doing right now in my city.

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

I have a Facebook and Myspace www.myspace.com/2champkeithholmes, www.facebook.com/2champkeithholmes. I have 2 videos on myspace, I have 1 on Facebook. But you can listen to my single on there as well.

Do you currently have a release date for the album 3 Da Hard Way?

We looking to drop it 1st quarter in January. I am in the studio right now as we speak. I had to step out of the booth right now to do this interview, but I am always making songs and that is why it is taking so long to complete my album. I like to compete and I see myself competing with the big heads. So I am back in the studio tightening my project up.

Alright 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?

I just want to give a shoutout to my publicist Trea Davenport. Thanks to her for doing a great job. Thanks to Illuminati 2G as well and I just want people to continue to look and move forward and be successful.

Alright man appreciate the interview.

Alright thanks alot.