I first became aware of the Prop Hustler on Instagram. He has a joint called ”Crabs in a Bucket” that features Detroit’s own Marv Won. It was pretty fly, so I featured it on the MyDetroitHustle.com playlist #1 on Spotify After getting my attention, I kept my eye on him. I started noticing that the Prop Hustler is out here putting in work. He is collaborating with a lot of familiar faces and promoting his projects. You know here at MyDetroitHustle.com we are about the product and the hustle. That being said, it was only right that I sit down and kick it with the Prop Hustler to see what he’s all about.
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “Can you explain the name Prop Hustler?”
(Prop Hustler): “I been involved in real estate for the last 10 years, so Prop is actually short for property and Hustler just came from always having unorthodox ways of making things happen. I been flipping properties in multiple states for a minute.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “Where are you from?”
(Prop Hustler): “My roots are in Newark, NJ but I been movin and shakin around a lot of different places and haven’t really been stationary for a long time.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “What inspired you to pick up the mic?”
(Prop Hustler): “When I was a kid, around 11 years old I wanted to be a DJ and a producer. I wanted to be behind the scenes though. At that age, I just didn’t have the money or resources to get DJ equipment or learn how to make beats, so I just taught myself how to freestyle off the head and then eventually started writing. I was a huge mixtape head in the 90s. I used to go to all the mixtape spots around Newark and Paterson, NJ and used to take the train to NYC just to cop tapes. I used to hit Canal Street and then take the train all the way up to Harlem and hit 125th and sometimes go to the Bronx. On other mixtape runs, I went all the way out to Jamaica Ave in Queens. It was like an addiction to have the exclusive joints that nobody else had, and I was willing to venture out to fulfill the addiction.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “Who are your major influences?”
(Prop Hustler): “My major influences early on was KRS, LL, Rakim, G-Rap, Slick Rick, Redman, CL Smooth, Cube, Diamond D, Treach and Tame One from the Artifacts.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “I see you have collabed with Bizarre and Marvwon, do you have some kind of connection with Detroit?”
(Prop Hustler): “Yeah, I was actually living in Detroit when I first got the idea to do this project. I had been doing business in the D for a minute, so eventually I ended up staying for a while because it just made sense at the time. This might sound crazy but I never considered really putting out real records before. The pandemic played a big part in that, and inspired me to create something. Originally I was thinking about writing a book, but after giving it some thought, I decided on writing and recording some music. Keep in mind, I started writing in the early 90s but never pursued music on a serious level. It was never a serious aspiration for me to be an artist. Fast forward to 2010, I quit writing completely and didn’t pick up a pen until December 2019. A good friend of mine named Hassan Khaffaf is an artist and producer in the Dame Dash camp, and just out of boredom I suggested that he let me write him a verse. So I ended up writing something for him, and then he used it and that pretty much put the battery in my back to start creating. As far as working with Bizarre, the inspiration for that record came from an old unreleased joint called “Take The World With Me” by Pacewon, Bizarre and Eminem. I just thought it would be dope to create something with a similar type of energy but with great sound quality. The idea for the joint with Marv Won came to me when I heard the beat. I always had a high level of respect for what Marv Won does and always felt like he is greatly underappreciated and overlooked, so it just made sense to make it happen.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “You have also worked with Pacewon. A lot of people don’t know about how Detroit and Jersey used to be connected. Were you around when Eminem and Bizarre used to work a lot with the Outsidaz, and when Pacewon and Young Zee would often be doing underground shows here with in Detroit?”
(Prop Hustler): “The connection between Jersey and Detroit in music actually goes back to George Clinton. But in hip hop there’s definitely history as well, between the Outsidaz, Eminem, Bizarre and D12 for sure. I was in the streets back in those days when Eminem and Bizarre was in Jersey, but I wasn’t around them. The first time I heard about Eminem, I was in downtown Newark buying some mixtapes and my man Faro was telling me about some white boy from Detroit who was with the Outsidaz, and he was nicer than Milkbone and I remember arguing with him at the time. Looking back at it now it’s kinda hilarious. This had to be sometime mid 90s. I was always a big fan of what the Outsidaz did stylistically with the word play, multi-syllable rhyme schemes and metaphors and they are definitely underappreciated and legendary.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “What’s the name of your new project?”
(Prop Hustler): “This is actually my first legit project and it’s called Nostalgic Energy.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “Who have you worked with on this project as far as features and producers? “
(Prop Hustler): “This album features Young Zee, Bizarre, Pacewon, Marv Won and Squabble The Great. As far as production, we got Domingo (who produced The MC for KRS-1 and tons of other classics for a long list of artists), J DePina, Foul Mouth, Tobes, OP Supa, No1seMach1ne and Simple Cuts. The production is very high quality and the album was mixed and mastered by Nate Kontra. I wanted this album to have a very nostalgic feel to it, with a soulful sound but also gritty at the same time. Big memorable hooks, quotable verses and well-rounded beats.”
(MyDetroitHustle.com): “What can we expect next from the Prop Hustler?”
(Prop Hustler): “I got another album on the way following this one. I will keep creating as long as I’m inspired. It’s funny because I don’t even listen to a lot of hip hop these days. I listen to a lot of classic soul and classic Puerto Rican salsa music from way back. I might tune in to an underground hip hop show once in a while to hear something new, just to stay in touch with what’s going on. I also get a lot of inspiration from stand up comedy and current events. So, yeah definitely expect some new material from Prop Hustler.”
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