Al Kapone, the "True Underdog," comes off tour with Kid Rock

MEMPHIS, TN (MemphisRap.com) May 03, 2006 – Al Kapone also known as Ska-Face Al Kapone, the name not yet so known as a Three 6 Mafia yet with similar achievements, has just wrapped up his tour with Kid Rock and tells MemphisRap.com it was not the ordinary tour. Known mostly for his legendary singles and multitude of Memphis rap classics such as “What They Doin” off the album “Goin All Out” and “Lyrical Drive By” from the album “What Cha Got”, just to name a few, Al Kapone tells MemphisRap.com in a phone interview that his popularity has grown from his role in the movie Hustle & Flow (Paramount Classics, MTV Films, & New Deal Entertainment). Although, DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia who appears in the film gained most from the film for Oscar-winning song “Hard Out Here For A Pimp,” other local rappers also appear in the film like Nashville’s Haystak, and Memphis’ own Free Sol and Al Kapone. In Al Kapone’s case, he also played a major role in the movie soundtrack. Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer spoke to Al Kapone through a mistaken identity phone conversation whereas he mistook him as DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia. After later knowing it was Al Kapone he gave him an opportunity to submit a song which Brewer ended up liking the submitted song “Hustle & Flow (It Ain’t Over)” so much it landed him not only with that one song on the soundtrack, but an additional three songs with one being “Whoop That Trick” performed by Terrance Howard who portrayed DJay in Hustle & Flow.

Though Three 6 Mafia’s song won the Oscar, if you watched the awards post-show on E! you would have heard, in an interview with Queen Latifah, who when asked about Three 6 Mafia’s performance and the song “Hard Out Here For A Pimp”, stated, “Hard Out Here For A Pimp” was a great song but “Whoop That Trick” was her favorite. When Al Kapone was asked what he thought about Queen Latifah’s statement, Al Kapone stated, “Nah I didn’t catch that. Cats got mad. Someone saw that and told me about that. That was something. That’s big. It was better than getting an Oscar winning song. That’s even bigger, Queen Latifah digging something I did. That’s what I’m saying…”

As to what Al Kapone has been doing for the last month, he’s been on the road day after day performing with none other than Kid Rock and other live bands. Now that Al Kapone is on his way home for the first time since touring with Kid Rock, he is heading home not to settle down but to perform at the annual Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival along with live band Bo-Keys consisting of some of the original members from Stax and band members who actually perform with Memphis’ own Issac Hayes as well. “It’s gonna be a nice collaboration of Memphis Hip-Hop today and Memphis soul music of yesterday,” Al Kapone stated to MemphisRap.com

Many may think, “Why haven’t I heard of this artist?” and according to Al Kapone it’s quite simple, no major marketing, and it’s on his list of priorities to change that. When asked what he’d like to make happen for himself in the next 2 years, Kapone had this to say:

“One solid opportunity.. One good opportunity to release an album on the right level with the right label to push it in the right way. One real push. A lot of times I always release my album independently. I even had someone like E-40 to present it but it was still an independent situation. A major situation to really get behind a project. That’s all I want. If I can get that, then I can say I had that chance and that will be a real completion for me. But at the same time I got some other things going on and I’m finally just being an artist. I’m proud of being a person able to write songs and co-write songs with Lil Jon and E-40 and then turn around and write music for movies like “Black Snake Moan” and even a cartoon called “Barn Yard” and Snoop Dogg’s “Hood Horrors” and do just more than an artist at the same time. I’m happy with what’s going on and been going on. It’s just a whole different level than just being an artist. And if I had one last wish that would be the last wish someone to get behind my project in a real way.”

And that’s just what Al Kapone expects to accomplish with the upcoming release of his latest solo album project entitled “True Underdog” which he is currently working on with a number of other platinum producers which he stated will possibly include the likes of Lil Jon, 8 Ball, MJG, E-40 and a host of others. Remember, anytime you hear “Snap Your Fingers” by Lil Jon and when you go get the new E-40 album and you hear songs “I’m Da Man” featuring Mike Jones & Al Kapone, “Gimme Head” featuring Al Kapone and Bosko and “U and Dat” feat. T. Pain & Kandi Girl you hear what’s co-written by ‘yo boi’ Al Kapone, the “True Underdog”.

For the full entire interview with Al Kapone, logon to http://interviews.memphisrap.com for an online exclusive of that interview and more.

To hear the original single, off the “Hustle & Flow” movie soundtrack, “Whoop That Trick” performed by Terrance (DJay) Howard visit the official Hustle and Flow movie site at http://www.hustleandflow.com (song and ringtone also available at http://downloads.memphisrap.com).

To listen to the new Al Kapone’s single “M Town Love (featuring Memphis’ underground vetaran Mr Sche)” or to find more Al Kapone music, videos and more information logon to MemphisRap.com (free downloads available at http://music.downloads.memphisrap.com)!