CERO
Interviewed by: Angela

ANGELA: It’s nice to finally get the chance to interview you. I wanted to do it live at the LRC but there was way too much going on. I understand that you have lived in a lot of places in your life. What are some of them?

CERO: Main spots ..I’ve resided in Cali, Colombia and Langley Park, Murdaland...a spit distance from Washington D.C. the Dirty Capitol but I have been everywhere. I have spots everywhere. NY is my backyard. Miami is my mom’s crib. Chi-town is my bro’s crib. Boston is my cousins crib.

ANGELA: Which place feels more like “Home”?

CERO: Cali …..pa’changuero.

ANGELA: Do you record when you travel to all the places that you travel?

CERO: Yeah...I’m pretty much connected everywhere.. so I try to milk time as much as possible.

ANGELA: By connected you mean with other artists? Like collabs?

CERO: Yeah artists and street noogas as well.

ANGELA: What other artists have you collabed with?

CERO: There’s a long list, a lot of underground cats as well as cats that are coming up and doing they damn thang. It all depends in what city. I’ll tell you this I've worked and I’m connected wit all the Colombians in the game as well as gente de otro paises.

ANGELA: Nice. Are there any artists that you haven't collabed with that you would like to?

CERO: Aztek as well as ASILO 38 they one of the hottest groups in COLOMBIA..... as well as anybody that wants to change the game , get money y representar el movimiento.

ANGELA: Cool. I hope that they will all start contacting you after this interview

CERO: Yea it’s been a minute since I talk to them, its been like a couple of years.

Angela Islas: Wow. Ok

CERO: I would also like to do shit wit cats in the west coast as well as in Texas. And other artists in NYC

ANGELA: Anyone in particular?

CERO: There’s a long list. Sinful, Kemo, Sondoobie, Cypress, Pyscho Realm, ChingoBling, Malverde, Temparamento, 3Coronas, El Meswy, Ari, T.Weaponz,etc…

ANGELA: That's a good list. Do you write all of your own material?

CERO: Yes and I ghostwrite as well. Todo en Spanglish

ANGELA: Nice. That's great. When you write material for yourself is it based on your own personal experiences?

CERO: Yeah that and the people I’ve been around. I represent the people that have so much to say but can’t say it, people that don’t have voices.

ANGELA: Very cool. You have lived in some of the most violent places in the world and you have managed to stay out of trouble. Do you think that is because of your music career?

CERO: Yeah I blame music for my existence. But, it’s also because I stay focused and I’m so use to shit popping off.

ANGELA: How exactly did you decide to start in the music business?

CERO: When I lived in Colombia...it was that or start trafficking drugs...lol. I liked music better.

Angela Islas: Wow. Tough choice. You made the right one though. Have you had more love or hate in the industry so far?

CERO: I’ve gotten a lot of love and respect because I return love and respect and give props when props are due. I’m a str8 up dude...a sincere and humble migo "te digo las cosas como es".

ANGELA: That's respectable. If you had to name one person in the industry that has shown you the most love or helped your career the most, who would you name?

CERO: Damn there are too many....in Chi-town I would definitely have to say J-Kapo and Tony Vinyl, in NY I would say The Whole Que-TV (Cardona, Oh Incredible) family...in MIA D’shon, El Bayo...in DC damn there are too many to name. Boston gives a lot of love. RDBM

ANGELA: What is that?

CERO: Reyes Del Bajo Mundo.

ANGELA: Oh they are GREAT and Cruz is really nice.

CERO: I’m going to do a track wit them next time I’m in NY.

ANGELA: Wow. You will HAVE to let me hear it when you are done! I am sure it will be hot!

CERO: No doubt.

ANGELA: You have been a key member in 2 different groups. One was Buddha Bandits where you carried a large machete. Can you please tell us why?

CERO: Damn how did you know that? ...lol

ANGELA: ha ha ha. I am the press. It's my job to know

CERO: I did that at 1 show. I was a young buck back then. I had stage fright and if anybody was going to talk shit I was coming to them. I’m calmed down now...plus the machete represents nuestra cultura. My tongue was a machete I was cutting in English and Spanish, my style was chopped up. I wanted to butcher the mad cows that have been poisoning heads wit that sour milk....si me entiende. I almost chopped one of my boys up by accident ..PEACE TO POWER, TOPPOMENTAL, SUPERJAM.

ANGELA: Oh wow, that’s funny. I can't imagine you EVER having stage fright though.

CERO: At first yeah.

ANGELA: You were also in a group called Trafikantez. Do you think that going solo has been the best thing for you?

CERO: Trafikantez was a head of the time...a lot of shit you hear now...we been doing we were trying to do the impossible but now as a solo artist I have learned a lot of the keys in the industry and have been able to concentrate more on DC than worrying bout everywhere else.

ANGELA: Are you planning to stay solo in your career or do you think that you will eventually find another group that you want to be a part of?

CERO: That’s a tough call. I would rather remain solo but ill definitely collab on some famila type shit...it all depends what is offered.

ANGELA: I hear ya. What point in your career would you say has been the most productive?

CERO: This whole year. I met a lot of cats, done some hot records, been around the world smoking lalallalalla. lol. Done more shows. Got the website.

ANGELA: What is the website?

CERO: www.ceromundo.com

ANGELA: I have heard you called several different names. What made you decide on CERO?

CERO: Well lyrically I remain Carnicero, my niggas call me Parcero, a lo bien soy Sincero, I rep that 2Cero2, that 3Cero1,that 7Cero3, and at times that 3Cero5.....I’m between it all (especially legs...lol).....

ANGELA: lol Yes, it is rumored that you are quite that ladies man. Are you single?

CERO: Yeah....living and loving.

ANGELA: I finally got the chance to meet you in NY at the LRC. Did you gain a lot from that? Did you walk away with a lot of knowledge?

CERO: Yeah...that was a powerful thing there. I walk away with knowledge no matter where I am but that was powerful pa el movimiento.

ANGELA: What was your favorite part of the convention?

CERO: The hooks up at the bar (the bartender was a cat I knew from Cali,Colombia)...lol...Letting my name out, politicking was powerful there, the shows were hot, and putting DC on the map.

ANGELA: Did you get to hear any of what was said on the panels?

CERO: Yeah I got there a little late. Next time I am going to bring a voice recorder. There were too many people making noise and interrupting. It was hot but some stuff was not said.

ANGELA: True true. Maybe we can suggest that next year they sell a DVD to people who want to remember everything that was said, just in case they were interrupted and were not able to see the full panels, that would be good right?

CERO: Hell yeah. That would make good money, plus the soundtrack.

ANGELA: That would be great!

CERO: What I did not like about it was that the DJ should have been playing the music of the people that were there and that were bout it, not the same old commercial shit you hear on the radio and in the club. Why play artists that did not attend the event and probably could care less about the movement?

ANGELA: That is true. I know a lot of people were upset about that. That would have been hot though.

CERO: Yeah it would have made a difference.

ANGELA: Will you be there next year?

CERO: Yeah most def.

ANGELA: Nice. Indie Street Latino will be there too. So what new and exciting things are going to be happening for you during the rest of 2005?

CERO: Well I’m a throwing a MAFIOSO birthday party at this Club in DC, for my birthday weekend. It’s going to be DEC 2 (Pablo Escobar’s 13th year anniversary of his death, his bday was the day before) at the Mafia Room in Club Fur. It’s one of the biggest clubs in DC. 2006 is going to be gangsta. Or as I like to call it 200Spix is going to be the year. The Latin rap, Hip-Hop en Español is going to be bananas this year.

ANGELA: That's great. Do you have any new releases coming out soon?

CERO: I was going to drop my album for my birthday but I think I’m going to wait for Spring 2006. Get ya ass heated up for the summer na' mean?

ANGELA: Exactly. What will you call it?

CERO: “CERO SACRIFICIO”

ANGELA: Nice, and do you have any shout outs you would like to give?

CERO: First to INDIE STREET LATINO, I appreciate what you are doing for this movimiento....Anybody in this movement if you really reppin’ it, Mi gente, damn, there’s too many they are going to have to visit the website for their shout outs... My Langley Park, Lacoste rocking Escobar dinero niggas...WASHINGTON DC movimiento hip hop.. shout out to all the Colombians and Salvadorians that have been giving mad love

ANGELA: Well thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to do this interview with you. I wish you all the best in everything you do and I hope to see you again, when you come to Chicago

CERO: No doubt. Stay up and be safe.

Angela Islas: Thank you. You too