W
hen PI Bang emerged in the Orlando rap scene in ’01, his expectations were high. He expected to shine immediately and automatically receive credit for his talent. But things didn’t exactly go his way. “When I first started, I thought if you were hot you would just get on, and they would sign yo’ ass,” the independent rapper explains of his misconception. “It’s nothin’ like I thought it was gonna be – it’s more of a challenge.” PI expressed his initial frustration by freestyling on an underground radio station, where he dissed a lot of the movers and shakers in Orlando. He explains, “I wanted to make a name for the O ‘cause wasn’t nobody doing it. I was like, fuck everybody – if I gotta push everyone else down to do it, then that’s what I’ma do.” While dissing the locals wasn’t the most political move to make, the controversy did get PI Bang’s name out there, and he was given his own radio segment. From there, he started throwing concerts and teen parties in an effort to stay relevant. Promoting shows allowed him to open for major acts that came through the city, increasing his buzz. He continued making music and promoting himself. In 2006, he dropped a popular mixtape with White Boi Pizal. The tape brought him the attention he was seeking. Once people knew his name, all that was left was finding a hit. “I had good records,” PI explains, “but never really had a hit song.” In hopes of finding that song, last fall he reached out to producer Zaytoven via Myspace. “I had just got out of jail and the first thing on my mind was coming up with a record and getting on the radio. I hit Zay and his people sent me some beats.” The end result was “Trap Keep Jumpin,” which is currently in heavy rotation throughout central Florida. Area DJs were the first to cosign the record before it hit the internet machine. “The night I recorded it I went to do a show with Dawgman,” he recalls. “I performed it and [the DJ] Disco J.R. was like, ‘Oh, that’s it.’” The encouragement ignited his campaign and once the song got hot, a video was released. Currently increasing in spins, the song has placed PI Bang on the one-to-watch list. Years after his freestyle, sneak-dissing days, PI now has a better understanding of how the business works. He’s learned the importance of marketing, relationship building, and patience. And while he strives to reach a national level, PI keeps his sights on what’s most important. “I’m trying to turn a negative into a positive,” he explains. “I come from the street and ain’t nothin’ good out there.” Words by Ms. Rivercity Photo courtesy of Colourful Money
34 // OZONE MAG
Patiently Waiting