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but promises that there’s more where that came from. And even though he’s currently riding the wave of momentum that he’s received from the bounceheavy, club friendly “Hot Topic,” he explains that the full-length project won’t be restricted to only one type of sound.
“As an artist, I’m really focused on this music right now, but I wanna be more than an artist. I wanna be a mogul,” he explains. “I’m hungry. When I get up on that stage, I sweat it out. I don’t care if I just bought the outfit, I’ll sweat it out so that people feel that passion. It’s important to me how people perceive me. It’s not all about getting a check. It’s about that respect too.”
With subject matter ranging from classic block beaters to his own personal letter to the president, Bullet Proof is determined to not only make a name for himself in the game, but make a legacy.
ith haters throwing shots these days like never before, having a name like Bullet Proof definitely has to come in handy for 20 year old Justin Marshall. Though still a youngin’ in the game, the Shreveport, LA representative has been honing his skills since the age of 12 and has recently made some noise with the remix of his single “Hot Topic” featuring Bun B. Now officially receiving the RapA-Lot stamp of approval and being welcomed into the clique, Bullet Proof is setting his sights on being more than just another rapper coming out of the boot-shaped state.
Bullet Proof is hoping that his as-yet-untitled debut album on 5 Entertainment/Rap-A-Lot will help him gain that level of respect that he’s seeking. Tight lipped about the LP’s guest appearances, he only reveals that fellow Southern rhyme sayers Trae and Z-Ro will peek their heads in on the action,
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“I told people not to get too comfortable with ‘Hot Topic.’ You really gotta pay attention to what people wanna hear. I’m showing diversity. I don’t have a problem with trying nothing new. A lot of artists don’t do that,” he says. “I don’t want people to say ‘Yeah, he’s got nice beats, but the substance and content ain’t really there.’ I sit up with my pad and pen and really get to it.”
“I want people to know this is the making of something special,” he says emphatically. “What separates me from other artists is, basically, I’m not playing. I’m consistent and persistent. I believe I can be one of the next greats.” //
Words by Anthony Roberts Photo by Jack Thompson