9 Things I’ve Learned After Nearly a Decade Interviewing Rappers

Life lessons from interviewing rappers.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Interviewing rappers as an occupation is an interesting way to make a living, to say the least. I’m not going to sit here and throw out some overused cliché like “there’s never a dull moment,” because there are. But as a huge hip-hop fan, and someone who loves penning narratives, it’s an ideal way to bring home the bacon. Even if it is more like Sizzlean these days.

Rappers are a different breed, for better or for worse. And after nearly a decade of sitting down with and writing about these cats for magazines and websites like XXL, the Source, Vibe, Complex and others, I’ve noticed some patterns. Today, I pull back the curtain and let you know nine things about rappers that I’ve picked up on during my tenure as a music writer.

Vernon Coleman is a writer living in Atlanta. He has a terrible profile site with some of his old magazine articles you can read here.

They Give Zero F**ks about Your Time or Schedule

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75 Percent of Rappers Are Your Girlfriend's Height and Stature

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Very Few Have (Or Take Heed To) Media Training

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You Want to Interview Them While They Are High, But Not Too High

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Rappers Get Really Freaking High

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Phone Interviews Kind of Suck

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New Rappers Always Want to Give Shout-Outs

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Getting a Good Interview Is a Crap Shoot

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They Neglect Their Smoke Detector Batteries

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