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hough his name might suggest things haven’t went well for him, Bad Luck claims his experiences have been nothing but positive. Ever since winning the first talent show he ever entered, Bad Luck knew he was destined for good fortune. Who is Bad Luck? Well, I’m with Rebel World Records. I basically got street music. I’m from the hood so I make music that relates to people from my area. Which of your songs best expresses issues related to those people? The single we’re pushing right now is called “Cop’em.” It’s basically about buying whatever you want. The hook is: “I see it/I like it/I want it/ I buy it.” That’s what we’re pushing right now. Ok, so it’s about spending money. What do you usually spend your money on? I got a clothing fetish. They call me the walking mannequin. I get fresh, that’s what I do. When you see me you gonna know that I’m fresh. I’m sure everyone asks you about your rap name. Why do you call yourself Bad Luck? I don’t personally have bad luck. (laughs) But a lot of crazy things happen around me so people started saying, “Man, you bad luck.” It just stuck. It’s been my name for over ten years. Were people calling you Bad Luck before you started rapping? Yeah, they been calling me that, but I been rapping forever. I just never really had a name. It’s a catchy name. My thing is, I’m trying to turn bad luck into a good thang. Everybody needs a lil’ luck in they life. You said you’ve been rapping forever. Exactly how long is that? I been rapping since I was 9 years old, that’s when I did my first talent show and I won. It’s been on ever since. Who were some rappers that you looked up to back then? I came up on Geto Boys, Scarface, Snoop, people like that. I was young listening to grown music. Did your folks encourage you to do the talent shows or was that something you got into on your own? I always liked attention. I love the spotlight. I’m a fiend for attention. I’m a messenger. I guess
that’s my gift. I been rapping in front of my mama’s friends and other people my whole life. It’s just something that came natural. Is rapping your only talent or are there other things you do well? Nah, I feel like I can do anything that can be done. I hoop, play sports, video games, anything. So you can sing? Shit! I’ll try, but I can’t. What’s the history behind your label Rebel World Records? We started off being called Naptown Records and it was located in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2000, my CEO Marlin Driver moved the studio back home to Indianapolis and I was the first artist he signed when he got back. We were like childhood friends. We went through a lot of ups and downs. When we first started we had eleven artists on the label, now we’re down to just one. In 2003, the Co-CEO, Lee Driver, was murdered. So we done had our ups and downs. But now we’re headed in the right direction. How was the label based in Huntsville, Alabama but called Naptown Records? The CEO is from Indianapolis. He was down in Alabama going to college and that’s where he started the label. He was still connected to here ‘cause this is his home. What do you and the label have going on as far as mixtapes or albums? I just dropped a mixtape called It’s Not a Game. We got it in mom and pop stores here, like DJ Black’s store. It ain’t in no major stores. In general, mom and pop stores aren’t doing very well. Are they doing better in your city? They’re just like everywhere else. They struggling. That’s why we gotta do all the footwork ourselves. I’m in the club five nights a week with the music, and in the streets, the gas station, wherever. That’s the hustle. We need the mom and pop stores, they help us out, but we gotta do a lot ourselves. With you out promoting the mixtape, are you getting a lot of shows? Yeah, I just opened up for Plies. For the last couple of years, I’ve opened up for any major artist that comes through Indianapolis. I done opened up for everybody from Lil Wayne to 8Ball.
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