GEMSTONES IS ON HIS OWN written and interviewed by Badnews

Rush: GEMSTONES IS ON HIS OWN written and interviewed by Badnews
As the world rotates and the sun gets bigger, how many rappers really want to be this rapper named Gemstones. I get to sit down with the underground rapper who is signed to Lupe Fiasco’s label and talk about his home town Chicago, Lupe, and the big problem Chi town rappers are receiving from there city; hate. So check out this interview as well as the world he’s from and getting a chance to perform at the place Jordan built on one of the biggest tours of 2008
Badnews: What’s good Gemstone?
Gemstones: What’s Poppin!
Badnews: I’m chilling man, just working. I see you making a lot of rounds on the web
Gemstones: (laughs) A man who don’t work don’t eat
Badnews: That’s very true (laughs). Okay now you’re a talented rapper from the south side of Chicago who’s been doing this for a while, but how did you get into rapping?
Gemstones: I was in 3rd grade and a guy by the name of KIC started me rapping he was one of the older guys on the block and ever since then I’ve been going strong
Badnews: Damn you’ve really have been rapping for years (laughs)
Gemstones: Oh yeah man, I started off young and I always been the type of person that once I put my mind to it, I do it I’m not a quitter
Badnews: That’s what’s up, your definitely proving that. Well you are known as Gemstone, but you were formally named Gemini (laughs) the artist formally known as Gemini, why the name change
Gemstones: Well for legal reasons and because the name Gemini ran its course. I was tired of it. It was time for a change. There were too many people with the name Gemini taking credit for my accomplishments
Badnews: What do you mean? Like there were people out there swagger jacking your style and taking credit for your accomplishments?
Gemstones: People didn’t have a face to the name so when Lupe started to blow up and the name Gemini started being heard more, nobody saw my face. Guys that had the name Gemini established were getting the credit for it. It was all good till my face started being shown
Badnews: I see. Well it made sense to change it then and you’re getting a lot of buzz of a song you and Lupe did but ill get to that in a minute, right now I’m going to backtrack for a minute. Coming out of high school in 2001, you linked up with an unknown Lupe Fiasco as well as Stack Bundles (RIP). How different was there vision back in 01 compared to 08?
Gemstones: Back then we was just rapping, now in 2008 we’re entertainers. Stack bundles passed away last year God rest his soul but back in 2001 we were just rappers talking about nothing
Badnews: Right. So basically mainly Lupe, wasn’t as conscious as he is now?
Gemstones: Not at all but it was mixed in you can see where he was headed though, but it was no where near where he is lyrically now
Badnews: Ok that’s interesting. We’re you the same? Did you switch it up a little bit?
Gemstones: Yeah I was the same it just took me longer to evolve into the person I am now; I’ve grown since 2001
Badnews: Ok cool. Now you were featured on Lupe’s first album Food and Liquor where you did four tracks on his album. What were the names of the songs, and what did you contribute?
Gemstones: Pressure, He Say She Say, Just Might be Okay, Emperors Soundtrack and I believe I compliment Lupe very well. Every time we work together something magical happens
Badnews: Did you add vocals or write mostly?
Gemstones: I just did vocals
Badnews: Right. That brings me to another question, you’re also a singer. How did you get into that?
Gemstones: my whole family sings…I was just blessed with the talent to sing since birth…I’ve been singing all my life…it was just a matter of time before I put both talents together to make a marriage to come together as one and create Gemstones
Badnews: That’s what’s up my next obvious question though is would you rather sing or rap
Gemstones: that’s a hard question to answer they both my babies…that’s like asking me to chose one son over the other…I love them both
Badnews: (laughs) Ok I see what you mean. Well it’s a blessing to rap and sing, some can’t pull that off. I thought it would be an obvious question because you’re pursuing rap
Gemstones: I just got a deal for rap. My rap deal came first, but when my album comes, I’m doing both
Badnews: That’s what’s up. Will the album be a Black Ty/Tyreese sort of thing?
Gemstones: No it won’t. I can rap. I rap nothing like Tyrese, I sing nothing like Tyrese, I sound nothing like Tyrese, what I’m getting ready to do has never been done at least at the level I’m doing it
Badnews: What is that that level? I mean what are you trying to convey to your fans and people who really don’t know what to expect from you?
Gemstones: No one has ever done it at a level 10. Many have tried but no one has actually succeeded at it. I’m a rose that grew from the concrete and you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Stay humble and put God first. I just have a story that needs to be told. I would have probably written a book if it wasn’t for rap. Luckily I get to put out an album it saves me the trouble of writing a book.
Badnews: Ok I feel that. Plus it might come across better being an artist right?
Gemstones: Yeah
Badnews: Ok. Now you were on a mixtape 1st and 15th how important is that mixtape to your career right now?
Gemstones: It’s everything because I got a lot to prove. Lupe came out and did so well and it’s like okay what’s next? So I have to do either Lupe status or better so for me it’s either go hard or go home basically
Badnews: Right. So was that more of a mixtape where you were trying to establish yourself as an artist that can hold your own, or more of an album that you deserve to be mentioned as one of the new top artists?
Gemstones: to hold my own
Badnews: Ok. And the next couple questions are Chicago related
Gemstones: Let’s go
Badnews: (laughs). You were on a Youtube clip basically introducing yourself. But you said Chicago is a “no love city” what did you exactly mean by that
Gemstones: This city is full of haters. This is hater capital. This is the taught to love yours hate mine city. Its very few people that want to see you make it in this city
Badnews: So how difficult is it to come out as an artist from Chicago?
Gemstones: It’s very difficult because there’s no help here you have to do it yourself. Anything you want done you have to do it yourself no man is an island. That’s y when u get talent from here its top 10 talent because we know how hard we had to work to get where we at. Then on top of that you’re dealing with the hate.
Badnews: Right. Now speaking of top 10 lets break it down to top five… who are the top five Chicago artists that have a chance to blow other than yourself?
Gemstones: Give me a second to think
Badnews: (laughs) Ok
Gemstones: Shayla G, Sarah Green, Matthew Santos, Soundtrack and Bishop G
Badnews: That’s what’s up. Would you or have you collabed w/ any of them?
Gemstones: I’ve collabed with all of them on my upcoming album Troubles of the World
Badnews: Right. Talk a little bit about the album who are the other features and when will it drop?
Gemstones: The album Troubles of the World is due to drop this summer…there’s no outside features just my FNF crew…the album is a personal album its my life that’s y I named it Troubles of the World…not only are they my troubles they are your troubles also…we all go through the same thing….just speaking on a lot of serious issues that are going on in the world today…you know…same shit different toilet
Badness: That’s what’s up. Without giving too much away, what are your plans on the singles?
Gemstones: to train really well…get up to bat…and knock it out the ball park!
Badnews: That’s what’s up well were looking real forward to the album and the song We On is crazy. What do you have lined up in the coming weeks?
Gemstones: To drop the Testimony of Gemstones and just to keep releasing crazy records to the internet, doing shows ill be performing on the glow in the dark tour in Chicago on May 23rd and May 24th at the United Center…and preparing for my debut album Troubles of the World
Badnews: That’s going to be crazy… to perform on the Glow In The Dark tour in your home town at the United Center. Good luck with that
Gemstones: Good looking thanks for the love and support
Badnews: No doubt talk to you soon… you have any shout outs before we go?
Gemstones: Id like to thank god because without him non of this wouldn’t be possible…id like to thank Lupe and chilly for giving me the opportunity, id like to thank my mama for having me and to my FNF Crew Shayla G, Sarah Green, Bishop G, Soundtrack, Matthew Santos, KayCee, Jroc and thanks to HipHop Ruckus for having me.
Badnews: Thank you. And good luck with your career