Blazin Streetz chopped it up with B. Rossi, Decatur's flyest MC.

B. Rossi could be considered Atlanta's version of Kanye West, but he doesn't mind the comparison. The 23-year-old Florida A&M University dropout is Decatur's newest fly guy who considers himself a band geek trying to take his instrumental hip hop sound worldwide. Rossi couldn't afford to stay in school, but he didn't stray too far from the college band. With some of the biggest producers in the game working by his side, B. Rossi is ready to prove to the world that he doesn't need a major label to take flight.

Blazin Streetz: For the people who never heard B. Rossi before, how would you describe your sound to them?

B. Rossi: I would tell them to close their eyes and think of an airplane. That's it. It makes you want to get in your car and just ride. My music is inspirational and makes you feel good. I'm really thematic. I pride myself on content and concepts. How many songs are there out here that's about money, I feel like artists are probably more powerful than preachers. You listen to artists all the time and if artists are all about money, money, money that's all your gonna think about. I try to pride myself on dignity and pride. Everybody can relate to that, even the hardest people in the world. Why not be yourself?

Blazin Streetz: Where did you come up with the idea to call your label the Aviator Band?

B. Rossi: I know in Atlanta if you were in the band you were thought of as cool. Where I come from it's fly to be in a band. The highest level of being in a band is the aviator experience. An aviator person is qualified to operate an aircraft. I used to work with these guys called Crime World. It was cool, they were giving me stuff but it wasn't going as fast as I wanted to. Ever since I thought of Aviator its been working out. I never looked back or thought about it twice.

Blazin Streetz: Who exactly is part of the Aviator Band?

B. Rossi: The Aviator Band is not only the name of the label it's also the band. My background singers are called the Flight Attendants, that's also part of the Aviator Band. The band is actually alternative rock/ hip hop. I'm gonna make them like a Maroon 5. I'm gonna make the Flight Attendants like a 2008 Supremes.

Blazin Streetz: You have a lot of marching band influences in your music. In the South, college bands are a big deal. But, do you think it will be hard to break out of southern markets with your sound?

B. Rossi: The marching band sound is one type of sound. The name of my label and group is the Aviator band. We play live music. It's my version of the Roots. Kanye was the college dropout, Jay-z was the hustler, Nas was the street poet, and I'm the band geek.

Blazin Streetz: When you add soul music samples to songs like "The Best" your sound is a lot like Kanye's. Do you get that comparison a lot?

B Rossi: A lot of people compare me to Kanye. I don't think it's because I sound like him. I think it's because of the content. He has the balls to be himself. Every song I create is a story. I'm not trying to make it up or sound cool, so I take it as a compliment not necessarily criticism.

I still know all of my scales. When we make production I'm always looking for a live sound versus the 808s like most southern rappers. I?m not trying to be regional.

Blazin Streetz: Who have you been working with on production?

B. Rossi : I worked with a lot of producers. I worked with Bink who's worked with Jay-Z on The Blueprint. He did,The Ruler's Back, .Momma Loves Me, and ll I need. I worked with Anthony Bent who did "Survivor" for Destiny's Child, worked with Aretha Franklin, and Mya. Da Real are cats that are working with Kanye, and the Fraternal Twins. Flight Power my production company, and the fraternal twins gave me my sound.

I don't care who the producer is, if the music is tight I'm fooling with them. I just did a record with Lloyd produced by Mario Winans.

Blazin Streetz: How much does it mean for you to be performing at the Georgia Dome coming from Decatur?

B.Rossi: It means a lot. This is the thing about Atlanta, there's only one type of music here. For me to be performing my type of music, people may pay attention to different types of genres. I'm excited about that. I can't wait.

Blazin Streetz: How did you get the opportunity to perform there?

B. Rossi: My manager Bambino is best friends with Jamal Lewis who plays for the Cleveland Browns. Jamal went to high school in Atlanta. Derrick Moore was putting on the event and looking for sponsors. He was talking to Jamal and told him that he needed a song to advertise on the radio and get people to come to the event. It just so happened that last summer (2007) I had the opportunity to meet Bink and I told him what my record Halftime sounds like. It actually has FAMU's band in it. He heard the song and was like, that's it. I'm using that record to set me up. "The Best" is actually about this girl that I used to date at FAMU.

Blazin Streetz: What has been the best moment in your career so far?

B. Rossi: I'm gong to give you three. I came home from FAMU in the Fall of 06. When I came home all I had was nine records. I didn't know any producers. That summer I had the opportunity to go to L.A. for the BET awards. I met so many people. I met Kanye's manager, Steve Rifkin, just so many people. So when I got back from L.A. I had contacts and I was hitting people up. My first big moment was working with Bink, that did ,The Ruler's Back, and,Momma Loves Me.I also got to do a record with Mase. Rico Love who just did Keri Hilson's record "Energy" put me on with Mase. A year later I started messing with Anthony Dent and I got another record with Bobby Valentino that's called "Vacation". I worked with Jazzy Phae as well. Working with Anthony Dent was cool too. He was the first producer who took a chance an artist on that nobody knows. He's fooling with me hard and wants me to make it almost more than I do.

Blazin Streetz: Are you looking to get signed to any major labels right now?

B. Rossi: I used to fool with Universal, but they have this thing called a 360 deal where they want half of your show money, merchandise, and CD sales. I wasn't giving them half. I was blessed because Jazzy Phae took my records into Interscope for me. I was fortunate enough to meet Kevin Liles, and Geffen records loves the music and Atlantic loves the music. More or less I've really tried to get a label deal with Aviator Band. I'm going on an overseas tour to Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai independently at the top of the year on our own merit.

Blazin Streetz: Who are some dream collaborations that you have for your album?

B. Rossi: Solange is amazing. She is not scared to be different. That's an artist that I look forward to working with, her and three stacks. Andre 3000's creativity and production, his style. I feel what he speaks about in his songs is how I live my life. I actually have a song with Cee-lo Green. He is the perfect example of how to be different and how to be successful in the music business. Lupe is the shit, people don't give him his credit. I want to have Lupe's respect, but Jay-Z status.

Blazin Streetz: Do you have anything else going on besides music?

B. Rossi: I just started working on a clothing line called the Mile High Club, which is pretty fly. It's like Polo Rugbys and funky t-shirts. I actually just got my logo done and I can't wait to get started printing up t-shirts.

Blazin Streetz: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

B. Rossi: In the next ten years I plan to put out five albums, I will want to be respected as an artist and a record executive. I also will be respected in the fashion field. Most importantly I want my entertainment peers to respect me as a mogul. I don't want to be 40 and rapping like Jay. After 35, I'm gonna quit rapping. I want to be a new improved Russell (Simmons), that's it. I want to have a family and be like Run's house.

Blazin Streetz: When can we look for the album?

B. Rossi: Tentatively lets say Fall 2009, this time next year, "The Band Geek." I'm about to work on a mixtape called band practice with DJ Infamous of the Aphilliates. I'm about to work on another mixtape with blazinstreetz.com shout out to Rob that's my partner; Amir, Thomas, all of them. They be hustling for me. I was over my friend's house and a girl from Chicago was actually listening to one of my songs on her iPod and didn't even know me. She got it off of Blazinstreetz.com, so I really appreciate that.

Blazin Streetz: Any last words for the people?

B. Rossi: Just continue to love one another. Less hate more love. Young major, Aviator Band, we still in route almost landing.

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