Hot Rod:
Shit man, just been making music, making money, having sex, ya know the usual. But definitely keepin it extra swaggery.

Aftermathmusic.com:
So what you doin’ right now man?

Hot Rod:
I’m in the studio right now with 50 Cent, Cinque, Young Buck, The Goons and there’s also a few screezys but they ain’t too cute. (laughs)

Aftermathmusic.com:
Okay let’s go way back. Where did you get your name Hot Rod from?

Hot Rod:
well, I was originally Young Rod back in the dizz-ay, but when I came to the Unit I changed it to Hot Rod, beacause there’s too many “Youngs” out there ya understand. But since the name Hot Rod has been taken for copyright reasons, we put “Young” in front of it. I prefer to just be called Hot Rod a.k.a Mick Swagger a.k.a. Black Bauer a.k.a. Yo girls study buddy a.k.a. The boy with all the a.k.a.’s.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Ok The Mr. AKA, who influenced you to start rappin?

Hot Rod:
I’ve always been into music from an early age. I’ve always been into the beats before lyrics, so I actually started out as a producer and ended up fallin in love with rap while doin it. I just had so much style and sag on the mic that people couldn’t help but gravitate toward my music. I’ve influenced a lot of people musically that I’ve come in contact with. And its just because of my style and my confidence in being myself as an artist.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Thats good, how would you describe your style?

Hot Rod:
My style’s fuckin amazing. (laughs) like, wow, shit, I am the shit on the mic I’m number one, but I am also number two because I’m the shit. (laughs) Yeeeaaaa. Damn I need to stop drinking this damn Red Bull and Jager.

Aftermathmusic.com:
How did you hook up with 50 Cent and G-Unit Records?

Hot Rod:
I sent in a demo, Shout out to Taurus Scott because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.

Aftermathmusic.com:
What have you been doing since you been signed to G-Unit?

Hot Rod:
Everything I wasn’t doing before I was signed to G-Unit. Recording with a buncha cats I never thought I’d be recording with, performin, all types of shit.

Aftermathmusic.com:
How many albums are you signed to do on G-Unit?

Hot Rod:
I’m signed for 47 albums. I’m gonna have my children’s children finish out my contract for me. (laughs) Nah I’m signed for 6 albums.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Okay let’s talk about the album “Fastlane”. Who’s handeling the production and how was it working with them?

Hot Rod:
Shit I’ve worked wit the best. I’ve got tracks from Eminem, Dr. Dre, Polow Da Don, Jr. Rotem, Jake One, Pete Rock, Dangerous LLC, Lab Ox, MRell, Soundsquad, J Henn, Sha Money XL Kadis N Sean and a few more I can’t think of. Its gonna be a classic!

Aftermathmusic.com:
Who’s going to be on the album ?

Hot Rod:
So far 50 Cent, Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, Olivia, Mary J. Blige, Cinque, Akon, and a few others. I wanna work with are Snoop Dogg, Omarion, Chamillionaire, and Pharrell.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Do we have a date for that yet?

Hot Rod:
Sometimes in May.

Aftermathmusic.com:
What can we expect from the album?

Hot Rod:
A classic.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Do you expect to sell platinum? Is that realistic in your mind?

Hot Rod:
If I don’t sell platinum I’ll kill myself twice.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Wow, I mean the artists aren’t selling as much as they used too, what do you think is the main cause for that? Do you think the internet helps some artists too? Is it just negative or positive in some ways too?

Hot Rod:
Ipods n shit, limewire. They fuckin up sells, but that just mean niggas gotta make quality music as well as have superstar qualities to succeed in the game nowadays. Consumers are buying into the artists these days, so you gotta be onpoint to sell the records man. Gotta go hard to da paint on these niggas.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Okay let’s talk about the streetsingle “Be Easy” with Mary J. Blige. When you first heard that she’s doin the chorus. What were your thoughts?

Hot Rod:
I was like ’shut the fukk up yall lyin”.

Aftermathmusic.com:
How do you feel about that record?

Hot Rod:
It was an incredible warm up record, just to let everybody know, I can get whoever I want on a record. I mean, shit man I got Elvis Presley on a record. I hit him up like ‘yo elvis man, bring yo ass to the studio, I got some shit for you to get on.’ He was like ‘aight my nigg I’ll be there in 10.’

Aftermathmusic.com:
What is the first single from the album?

Hot Rod:
It called “Rock 2 it” and it’s crazy. If you don’t like it kill yourself.

Aftermathmusic.com:
You worked with a lot of producers and rappers over the years would you like to do a collabo album with anyone that you haven’t worked with?

Hot Rod:
Pharrell and Timbo. Them niggas are damn near musical gods.

Aftermathmusic.com:
How do you go about making a song? Do you always write to the beat or sometimes you get an idea and then build a beat to the lyrics?

Hot Rod:
Nah I need the beat. I have 1 zillion different flows I fuck with and depending is how decide what flow I’m gonna use.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Please tell us more about 50’s new album. What can fans expect from his next record?

Hot Rod:
Its called Before I Self Destruct. Buy it or kill yourself.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Are you going to be on his album?

Hot Rod:
Buy it Or kill yourself

Aftermathmusic.com:
Speaking of which, how involved are Dre and Eminem on 50’s third Aftermath/Shady LP?

Hot Rod:
Buy it Or kill yourself

Aftermathmusic.com:
Ha ha ok ok. Is it tough for the G-Unit Label to impress 50 Cent being that he’s signed to Shady/Aftermath and directly works to impress Dr. Dre & Eminem?

Hot Rod:
There is pressure and sometimes it is tough impressing Fif sometimes because he’s a perfectionist. But it makes us better artists at the end of the day.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Does beef keep G-Unit in shape? Because sometimes it seems that some of the beefs could have been avoided and on the other side, sometimes beef brings the best ouf of an artist!

Hot Rod:
Beef is fun till the guns come out, shots fired man down.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Do you think that some of these beefs are really on some personal shit, or are they just trying to get your attention?

Hot Rod:
Some niggas think beefin is a game when its not. Most niggas are just trying to get attention, but they don’t understand that there’s knuckleheads out there that are lookin for a reason to do some stupid shit. And that’s how niggas get touched over the beef shit.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Are you planning to get involved in any on-going beefs that G-Unit is involved with?

Hot Rod:
Lyrically I’ll smack niggas around man, but I aint tying to get involved unless I get the word. That’s not really my lane. I’m for the fun side of the music. But if I need to toss a bar around and let cats know I aint no chump I will. I love hiphop and I’m down for competition, but I aint promoting beef or killin or none of that kind of shit.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Whats up with our own company 150 ent. Can you tell us more?

Hot Rod:
It’s my label that’s about to blow in a hot sec. Stay tuned.

Aftermathmusic.com:
If you weren’t successful in this rap game what would you be doing?

Hot Rod:
Probably having sex everyday (laughs). Naw but I’d be with my bro making that legal money, doin gloans and shit. I was getting into it before, but 50 called a nigga and gave me a shot. But yea my bro is pushing a 760 so that moneys real good.

Aftermathmusic.com:
What do you do when you aren’t writing songs? What do you do in your spare time?

Hot Rod:
Im spending my damn money, doin 160 on these beautiful arizona highways, or gettin tipsy at the crib with my niggas. Oh and I be on the myspace extra heavy. Wussup Tom! That’s my nigga right there. Tom be holding me down.

Aftermathmusic.com:
Ok, who do you look up too in the Phoenix rap scene? Who do you think are doing it big right now?

Hot Rod:
I look up to myself first and foremost. (laughs) Seriously yea, myself, I look up to my nigga Cinque, because he’s an all around hustla, leader, real nigga, and good person. His deal is comin next. His flow is very swaggery with a street edge to it. He has street swagger. Much love to my nigga.

Aftermathmusic.com:
What do you wish to accomplish in the game?

Hot Rod:
I wanna be, excuse me, I’m gonna be a multi-million selling artist, get my label 150 ENT crackin, puttin AZ and Sactown on my back, piss off all the hating ass niggas, and be respected in the game as a nigga that has that new west coast swag sound. I’m that new nigga man. And I’m a beast. Call me Black Bauer. Shouts out to my peoples Kiefer Sutherland.

Aftermathmusic.com:
That’s about it for the questions, I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us, do you have any last words?

Hot Rod:
Buy my shit or kill yourself. Oh and hit me on the myspace www.myspace.com/rodt also www.younghotrod.com. Shouts to my bumsquad dj niggas for holding me down. Also my heavy hittaz and shadyville niggas. Shouts to my bosses J treezy, Mr. Meez, Nick Nastee, Cinque, all my man up squad niggas, and Tineshia the greatest sister in the world. I gotta go take the lambo out for a spin and catch a stunt on the strip right. Holla at ya boy anytime. Ok? Oh yea. Hip Hop’s alive bitches.

~~”the smartest thing to ever come out of that girls mouth was my dick…” – 50 Cent