Reed Dollaz

The music industry will never suffer from a lack of new and talented unsigned hype trying to break into the game. That’s where Philadelphia’s own Reed Dollaz comes in. Growing up in the Bartram Village Projects in southwest Philly, the 21-year-old MC honed his craft as a battle rapper, taking on — and usually beating — anyone willing to accept the challenge. (Check him out HERE.) Reed soon became a local underground star, dropping four independent albums since 2005, along with a ton of mixtapes and DVDs. Along the way he appeared on 106 & Park’s “Freestyle Friday” and has worked with Young Joc, Freeway, Gille Da Kid and Roscoe P. Coldchain in the booth. Still trying to break into the mainstream scene, Reed Dollaz has signed with Beyond Bars Entertainment and has a new album forthcoming. I recently had a chance to get up with the up-and-comer about how he’s gotten to where he is, and what he has planned for the future.

Dime: How did you get started?
Reed Dollaz: I’ve been doing this since I was 11. I was always real heavy in the underground due to YouTube and MySpace. I’ve been in every battle, every cipher. I was meeting the right people, being at all the right places.

Dime: Philly has a reputation for producing battle rappers, not necessarily all-around MCs who can make a hot album. How do you feel about that perception? Would you consider yourself a battle rapper?
RD: I’m not a battle rapper, but I could do it. I’m an artist. I make good songs. It’s like that down in Philly but it’s ’cause it’s a lot of beef. Nobody really listens to mainstream artists down here; it’s mainly underground.

Dime: Describe your style.
RD: I can’t describe it — I’m a chameleon. I change up. However I’m feeling, that’s how they (listeners) gonna get it.

Dime: What’s up with your new album?
RD: The album is called “…And then there was Reed.” The reason I call it that [is] I’ve been through a lot, met up with people like Joc, Freeway and Jim Jones. If the females get tired of being downgraded, if you was tired of all that other stuff, I’m the alternative. I’m tryin’ to bring some truth to the game.

Dime: Any other works in progress?
RD: I do a lot of mixtapes. The next mixtape is called Who’s Ya Daddy, Volume 1. I do shows; I’m about to go on a 12-city promo tour. We gonna be in Miami, New Orleans and Tallahassee. I just shot the video for “Toast to This” off the new album. It’s like, whatever you do, if you hustle, you got a 9-to-5, if you’re the trash man, it’s something everybody can relate to. I wanna bring something different to the game.

Dime: How do you feel about some of the other rappers that have come out of Philly?
RD: That’s what it is. I’m not taking nothing from Beans, but I feel like Will Smith was a real artist despite his perception. There’s real talent out here. I’m tryin’ to put Philly on the map. At the end of the day, I got love for everybody, whoever rock with me. I don’t let negativity get to me.

Dime: Who are some of your influences?
RD: My mom influences me. The streets and my mom are my influences. I’m not gonna get on TV and talk that BS. I’ve never killed anybody or anything like that. I used to watch the old-heads do that. I just wanna let the kids know you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to be a follower.

Dime: Are you a basketball fan?
RD: Definitely. That’s my favorite sport. I don’t play, though.

Dime: Who’s your team?
RD: I was loving Philly when we had A.I., but I got love for the Rockets. Philly be disappointing us. We need to upgrade the players.

Dime: Who’s your favorite player?
RD: All-time, MJ. Right now, Kobe.

Dime: If you had to compare your style as an artist to a player in the League, who would it be?
RD: LeBron. He goes hard. That’s how I do it — I go hard at whatever I do.

Related posts:

1. NBA/Rapper Comparisons: Lamar Odom and Fabolous
2. NBA/Rapper Comparisons: Dirk Nowitzki and Eminem
3. NBA/Rapper Comparisons: Chris Paul and Lil Wayne