The Lost & Found interview series is where we rediscover the ill cats that were holding it down (and continue to) but for whatever reason are now out of the spotlight. It’s much more than a ‘where are they now’ as we not only discuss their time on top but also the lessons they’ve learned that can be imparted to up and coming hip hop artists and fans.

We also have a section called Snapshot where we post pics of fans finding one of these “lost” artists. If you have some pics of you and say Redhead Kingpin or you’re walking down the street and catch a snapshot of K-Solo chillin send it into us at lostpics@halftimeonline.com.

In our second installment of the continuing Lost & Found series we connect with a HalftimeOnline favorite, Queens MC Mic Geronimo. Back in 1995 when you mentioned dope Queens’s emcees you had to mention Nas, Mobb Deep, and Mic Geronimo. With his debut, The Natural,’ Geronimo had a couple certified classics, ‘Shit’s Real’ and ‘Masta I.C.’, while also showcasing a couple artists coming up including DMX, Ja Rule and Jay-Z on ‘Time to Build.’ After enjoying early commercial success Mic caught some criticism for working with Puff and showing up on an MTV documentary during his second album. As time passed the limelight dimmed a bit as Geronimo resurfaced again with his third album, A Long Road Back. Needless to say his career has had its ups and downs but Geronimo is grateful ofr it all. He chats with Halftimeonline about the lessons he learned in the game, acting, school, his relationship with Irv Gotti and of course the new project in the works.

Halftimeonline: You’ve been on the low for crazy long. What’s been going on with you?

Mic Geronimo: I’m just chillin right now. I took some time off, got my business in order and have just been figuring out what I want to do with my next project but everything is cool.

Halftimeonline: What’s been keeping you busy? It’s been at least a few years since you dropped your last project.

Mic: It’s been a couple things. We’re still working on a label called Rebellious and putting out the people we want to get out there and there’s been things like me wanting to get into acting. There are other jobs I do besides rap. I was considering going back to school so there have been a few things on my plate that I thought about doing during my time off. That kept my mind busy just thinking about if I decided to do another project how I would want to do it. That’s enough to keep your mind busy.

Halftimeonline: Since you mentioned school did you have anything in mind that you were going to major in?

Mic: Originally when I first started school my major was going to be Forensics but I don’t think there is much room out here for a rapper that solves murders and shit.

Halftimeonline: Haha

Mic: So I guess I’m gonna change it to English Lit or Business Administration.

Halftimeonline: When were you planning to do that?

Mic: I originally planned to just work on the album and then when everything slows down that I’d go back at whatever semester is convenient. The record shit comes first and once that’s out of the way if that’s still where my thinking is that’s what I’ll do.

Halftimeonline: When you came out you were running in the same circles as the Nas’ and Mobb Deeps. Do you still keep in touch with any of those cats? If so what’s the relationship with them now?

Mic: We all still cool. I was speaking to Hav a lot before they started working on the Blood Money album. Me and Nas is pretty much cool. The last time I got to see him was I believe at his birthday party. So I don’t see everybody as much as I used to because as individuals everybody is busy but none of the relationships have changed. They’re still my peoples the same way they were from day one.

Halftimeonline: I was listening to your first album last week and put on ‘Time to Build’ and back then that was the first time I had heard Ja Rule and DMX. With you putting them on, since none of those cats including Jay-Z were that big at the time, why do you think none of them really tried to return the favor once they got into the limelight?

Mic: The public doesn’t get to see everything. I worked with X a couple times since then. Me and X have a close relationship. We actually did a record they were going to put on the Training Day soundtrack but he ending up buying the record from me and putting it on Great Depression as a bonus track. With Rule I’m not going to lie there was some tension at first. Not necessarily tension with him but there was a thing where me and Irv was going through our own issues and I guess that played a part in not allowing us to work together as much as we used too. That was one thing niggas had to get past but we did and he ended up doing something with me on my album Long Road Back. We’re working together now doing stuff so that’s another thing that’s happening. In terms of Jay he’s a busy man. I mean it is what it is to me. I don’t consider him less of a friend because I didn’t do xyz with him or he never stepped to me to do this or that. I don’t hold it against nobody. When I do things with people it’s not with the hopes of them coming back because that would be a selfish reason for me to do anything. It’s either you do or you don’t and if you don’t its not going to prevent me from doing anything. So there’s no love lost with any of them and I’m gonna always be in their corner.

Halftimeonline: At the time these were your rap contemporaries and you were basically on the same level. How did it affect you seeing them blow up while you’re like yea they my peoples but at the same time knowing you could or should be at the same level?

Mic: I’m human so I’d be lying if I said that it’s not times where you sit back like damn all these niggas is poppin what’s up? But the older you get the more mature you get so now I look at it in the sense of that it might not have ever been meant to be for me to have exploded to the extent that they did. God works funny so it might have just been meant for me to be an artist that doesn’t sell two million records. Maybe my records might change somebody’s life rather than sell thru the roof. Maybe my records might make the next Ja Rule or Jay-Z want to rap. Everybody plays their part in this world and not all parts are the same. So I look at it like whatever I was put here to do that’s what the outcome is. I never really looked at it like how come they are popping and I’m not. I came to terms with it. I get hit everyday with people everyday saying I remember this record from that, this changed my life or this record was playing when this happened so I’m thankful for that. On the other side I look at it like I got to do so many things in life I never thought I’d be able to do so who am I to complain about what position I’m in or not in. I gotta be thankful for everything that occurred in my career. That’s how I look at it.

Halftimeonline: You have a pretty unique flow. Who were some of the people that influenced you or helped you to develop your style?

Mic: A lot of people. I look at Large Professor as a big influence. I grew up with him and being able to grow up with him enabled me to meet Nas, Busta, Q-Tip and all these people I looked up to at the time. Even Large himself. He was a good friend but at the same time he was definitely someone I looked up to. Just being around that influenced me a great deal.

Halftimeonline: I remember back when you were doing the MTV documentary joint with you and your girl Milky. How did that come about?

Mic: The way I think it all went down was MTV was doing a special on people and my publicist heard about it. The guys from MTV called her and me and Milk went up there and were talking in front of them. We actually started arguing in front of them and they were just like stop can you do this show? Next thing you know they were with us for like a month. It was a good thing though. People ask me about that all the time, all over the world. Sometimes I feel I’m more known for that then for rapping.

Halftimeonline: Are you still with her?

Mic: Nah we still friends but time passes and everybody might not see things the same way so we split up but we real cool with each other.

Halftimeonline: A lot of people tend to say that the show and working with Puff really hurt your street cred a little bit. I remember cats being mad cuz on the show you were talking about moving to Brooklyn. Did you catch any flak from that?

Mic: You gonna catch flak for everything you do because you can’t please everybody in the world at the same time. I got a little criticism for working with Puff and I got some criticism for doing the special but you have to weigh the good with the bad. I got more of a good response than bad when I did those two things. I’m just the type of person that realizes that someone is always going to have something to say so I could care less about it.

Halftimeonline: So looking back you would make the same decisions?

Mic: Definitely. I would do the same thing over again because whatever I did was meant for me to do, you dig what I’m saying? If it wasn’t meant for me to do that show and work with Puff then it wouldn’t have ever occurred. I don’t regret anything that I ever did. You just look back at things and you either learn from them or get what you can from them but I wouldn’t change what I did.

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Posted by Jbutters on Tuesday, August 1st, 2006 and is filed under SICKWIDIT, LOST & FOUND, INTERVIEWS.