"This is a video interview done with XV during his recent tour stop through Chapel Hill, NC while on the road with The Clipse. In the interview XV talks about why Wichita's Hip Hop Hop has Bay-Area influences, his "gangsta" beginnings in the game, what his comic book hero super powers would be (XV's known to be a huge comic book fan), his upcoming Midwest tours in June & July, why blogs are more important to him than radio, and then tells a wild story about the craziest thing that's happened to him while on tour with The Clipse.

The video also includes clips of XV's show; during the performance the track started skipping and XV demonstrated the best way to handle that problem with finesse." Nanci O

Hustle Mill: How would you describe yourself as an emcee?
Scottie Flippen: Being an emcee is an art form in itself. I’m confident but humble at the same time and always try to give the crowd their money’s worth with a hype set. I’m not just a studio artist; I’m out here on these stages from DC to Atlanta every weekend getting it in. I try to make a little bit of music for everybody, so I feel like I’m pretty diverse an artist. Content is something that you’ll always find in my flow though, no matter the type of song.

Hustle Mill: What does Scottie Flippen get into outside of music?
Scottie Flippen: I love sports, so you can usually catch me at a game or watching one on TV. I grew up playing point guard, quarterback and shortstop, so playing ball was a year round thing for me. I think performing has replaced the adrenaline I used to get from hooping or busting heads on the gridiron. Obviously music consumes most of my time, but it’s good to kick back and relax with friends and family when I get a chance.

Hustle Mill: What type of beats bring out the best in Scottie Flippen?
Scottie Flippen: I can usually tell within the first 15-30 seconds whether I’ll fuck with it or not. I don’t like using the same old candy ass beats that everybody is into copping; I need depth to the instrumental. Give me something that I can write a REAL song too, not just put some verses on. You feel me?

Hustle Mill: Speaking of beats, what producers have you worked with in the past?
Scottie Flippen: I try to keep it in house with Turn Two Productions out of Winston-Salem as much as I can. Conbud & Mike Machete (Turn 2) have been with me from the start, and there’s a reason that I still fuck with them…they bring that heat on every track, and they have their own style. I also did a couple tracks for the album with JJ the Jenius who makes the music for Cartoon Network’s “The Boondocks.” Beyond that, I’ve done a couple joints with Tone P from up in Harlem , but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, I’ll fuck with Turn 2 all day.

Hustle Mill: What artists have you worked with?
Scottie Flippen: 2nd Revolution is like family to me, they hold it down in Winston for sure. Renaissance & Mr. Mohalyn from what was formerly Solos Unit are always on the scene with us too. I’ve shared the stage with so many artists on the East Coast it would be tough to name them all, but I’ve done a lot of shows with Mack Jones, Ed E. Ruger, Kaze, Young Flu, etc. The list goes on and on. I don’t have a lot of features on the album but I will have a track with Pic Squad (another group from Winston), a joint called “Rooftop” I gotta lay down with Kaze, and a couple joints with Kelsey McJunkins, who is probably more talented than myself or anybody I named above…we call her “the light.”

Hustle Mill: Who would you like to work with in the future?
Scottie Flippen: J. Cole and Immortal Technique…it’s a short list.

Hustle Mill: What has been one of your greatest achievements in your music career so far?
Scottie Flippen: We could sit here and talk about awards and accolades, but more than anything else, getting a good crowd reaction at each and every show I perform at is top priority to me. I try to go so hard that nobody wants to get on stage behind me. Trophies and plaques just sit around and gather dust; if you give people something to think about, they’ll remember you forever.

Hustle Mill: What was one of the worst experiences you have in the music industry so far and how did you bounce back from it?
Scottie Flippen: I definitely feel like I’ve been looked past or stepped over a couple of times. There were a couple opening spots for some big names I had secured, but I got fucked over in the end by some groups or individuals who went under the table and agreed to perform for free. It’s all good though, someday they can open for me…for free.

Hustle Mill: Where do you see yourself as an artist in 5 years?
Scottie Flippen: I really try to take this one day at a time. Although I do have long term goals and an idea of what I want to do in the years to come, I feel like this game changes so much from day to day that artists have to be ready to evolve with it. I stay humble, don’t project myself as something I’m not and try to be realistic with where my career stands. A lot of cats want to be Jay-Z or Lil Wayne overnight…pace yourselves. It’s taken over ten years for me to put in my miles and come into my own as an artist. I’ve still got room to grow, we all do.

Hustle Mill: How was it on the Middle East Micfest Tour?
Scottie Flippen: It was a great experience, and I got to hit a lot of spots outside of North Carolina for the first time. I don’t have anything but good things to say about the other artists from the tour – Mack Jones, Kaze, K-Beta and Jah-I-Witness. It was one hell of a lineup and anybody who made it out to a show saw some great hip-hop.

Hustle Mill: Are there any wild experiences that you would like to share?
Scottie Flippen: The craziest show I ever did was at Guilford College in Greensboro . They were having this event that the art department throws every year called the Draw-A-Thon. They hired models from around the area to come and pose nude for hours at a time so the students could draw or paint the scenery. They also invited us to come and do the music for the event. So here I am rocking it out in front of a table of like eight naked ass girls. There was this thick Amazon looking shorti who had me all tore up haha. Needless to say I was a little distracted, but it was definitely a show I will never forget.

Hustle Mill: So you are working on an album to be released this summer, could you talk more about that?
Scottie Flippen: No doubt, it’s been a little over two years in the making, and I’m in the finishing touches of the recording process. It’s titled You Bouncin With Scott and will feature about 14 tracks from all over the hip-hop spectrum. I talk about a lot of social issues and injustices on the album along with a few club bangers and ballads. Songwriters are going to really appreciate this piece of wax, and I hope it will serve as a challenge for other emcees to step their game up with the content.

Hustle Mill: What are some of the topics you are talking about on this upcoming release?
Scottie Flippen: We live in a country where people’s entire lives are based around money and the pursuit or lack of it. I’m throwing all that money, cash, hoes bullshit out the window and coming at you with a project about real life and real people, not just fantasies about shoot outs and million dollar dreams. I’ve got tracks like “Proud American,” “Better Way,” “The Day I Shot the Former President” and “Writing You a Letter” that cover some of the injustices taking place in capitalist, greedy America. Then I’ve got joints like “You Bouncin With Scott,” “98,” and “So North Cack ” that are a little less serious and have that old school hip-hop feel. I’ve got something on there for pretty much everybody, and it’s as diverse as a hip-hop album is gonna get. Stay on the look out for that joint this July. Thanks for having me!