Just when you thought the summer couldn't get any hotter, Carolina All Day brings out the August featured artist of the month, Charlotte representer, Bettie Grind. With the smash hit "Dammit I'm Fly", Bettie Grind is guaranteed to hit the main stream straight to the top of the game. We caught up with Bettie Grind to discuss his life and trials as a Carolina MC tryin' to make it in the game. Enjoy.



CAD: Where are you from?

Bettie Grind: Charlotte, N.C.

CAD: You won numerous Freestyle competitions on Power 98. Do you still participate in Freestyle Battles?

Bettie Grind: No, I haven't been in any freestyle battles in a while. I freestyle w/ Tone X every now & then for leisure, lol! Last time I freestyled was after my b'day party, the next day I had another invite only Yacht Party & on the yacht while popping bottles and relaxing Tone X, Chase Chancellor (Hood Supastar Ent. Artist), Black Sun (Hood Supastar Ent. Artist) , & myself were freestyling while Champ (one of my mgr's was fishing) but battles... no not lately. I kind of passed that mark a minute ago. I went almost a year on Power 98 freestyle friday & proved I'm a heavy weight in the game. Also, once you start gettin' paid for cameos and thousands of dollars for shows you see your worth and realize that this is business & you deserve to be paid for your gift!

CAD: How did you link up with Drumma Boy for the hit single "Dammit I'm Fly?"

Bettie Grind: I linked w/ my mans Drumma by having a buzz in the street and having cake! Drumma, heard about me and told my manager we should come get a record, so we did! Drumma met us at Lennox Mall in Atlanta. This is before I got a condo there. So we drove from Charlotte to Atl & Drumma left the studio w/ Rick Ross in one room & Young Jeezy in the other room to meet me & let me hear some tracks! At the time he was working on records for their last albums, so Dammit I'm Fly could have been on Jeezy, T.I. or Rick Ross's Lp at the time because that's who's album's he was workin' on amongst other top artist.



CAD: Did you know you had a hit when you recorded "Dammit I'm Fly?"

Bettie Grind: When I recorded "Dammit I'm Fly" my team told me I had a hit, the engineer told me I had a hit, but lol honestly I felt it was a hit when I came up with the hook before recording it. I rapped the main part of the hook "DAMMIT I'M FLY" & nothing else in the garage of my house over the beat and he was like "uhhh, its cool." But, I knew once I recorded it the words would breathe & come to life on the track. All I had when we went to the studio to record the record that day was "DAMMIT I'M FLY" & no other parts & "I'M FLY ALOT, BUT SEE A YOU JUST FLY A LIL' BIT." I freestyled the whole song & a couple verses no one besides Black Sun, Champ, & the engineer has heard.

CAD: How does it feel to have a single getting airplay nationwide?

Bettie Grind: I feel blessed! Humbly speaking I come from nothing fam. I've lost close people to me to jail or death. Good people! I grew up with guys who are my brothers & we all suffer from generations of curses. Single mothers, who did a good job, but we come from fathers who either weren't there or dead or were hustlers or pimps or maybe both! So to be able to have a song playing in L.A., Atlanta, and 40 other markets in the U.S.A. is a miracle to us. I say us because without my team I wouldn't be where I am! My team believes I'm G'S US, they believe in me and work hard for me everyday! They make Bettie Grind! As well as every D.J. who has touched the record or blasted it! Also a big shout out to the person who believed in "DAMMIT I'M FLY" outside of the dudes I grew up with & grind with! You know who you are Big Homie! Oh, and it feels good because the fans believe in me and they are the reason why most stations play me, because the streets, the fans love the song & love me. They really believe it when they say "I'm so vain, I am Feelin Myself" they really feel like "DAMMIT I'M FLY" they are making the song an anthem, a dance crave, a hit!

CAD: Are you still in talks with major labels, or do you plan to stay independent?

Bettie Grind: LOL! Yea I'm in talks with all the labels. Just finished texting with an A&R from Def Jam! Man!!! I want to put the whole carolinas on the map but especially my city because no other artist who's been signed has. They leave & don't claim us! I'm "QC" I'll rep forever and I rep everywhere! I didn't even get put on Summerfest & most would fall out with the station or do something politically dumb or get mad & not want to claim home anymore! I care, but I don't care because my city love me and this is the 1st time, this is HISTORY because Charlotte, NC doesn't or didn't believe in their own independent artist to this level before me. But to answer your question YES I want that label money, but I got a small bidding war going on & I have every label you can think of watching me. So it'll come but until then I'll collect my ringtone, itunes, mixtape, cameo, & show money and keep it all to myself!!! But TRUST when they give me the money I'm asking for.... I'M PUTTIN ON FOR MY CITY to the 3rd power!



CAD: What is your advice for young artists in the Carolinas?

Bettie Grind: My advice is to believe in yourself when your girl/boyfriend doesn't! Believe in yourself when your sister, your brother, your best friend don't believe you have what it takes! Also, listen and respect peoples opinions but learn how to digest what you need and pass what you don't! And promo, promo, promo!!! Don't sign anything without an attorney! Also, know its ok to support another artist, you don't have to hate on them. Its all the same movement!

CAD: What projects are you currently working on?

Bettie Grind: I'm working on my album with DJ Chuck T. Were releasing my mixtape "THANK GOD FOR CRAAACK!!! Vol. 1. G'S US is here in August! Working on the remix for "Dammit I'm Fly" and the next single too. I'm recording everyday and also I'm going to Chicago & maybe Hawaii to record with No I.D. Yes! The guy who produces for Jay-Z! He loves my voice & wants to do some records with me! He wants me to get with the big homie's label. Oh and yes when he heard me he said "YOU HEAR YOUR VOICE? MAN, I LET JAY HEAR YOU AND HE SAID... MAN, YOU HEAR HIS VOICE?" He also said "I LOVE THAT PART WHEN YOU SAY, IF JAY HOV I'M G'S US FASHO." BUt I'm working my managers have me on a 50 song a month plan! We (HOOD SUPASTAR ENTERTAINMENT) have models too and one of them by the name of Amazong Grace is from Charlotte also and was just named XXL EYE CANDY OF THE MONTH! Check her out online @ xxlmag.com and she's also in Lil Ru's video and my video that was just shot by Camp Riley and Nascar!!! So lookout for it soon on youtube B.E.T. & MTV! Also, we're putting out Chase & Black Sun's mixtape series this fall & I'm also a member of a group called City Council! Lookout world!!!

CAD: Where can fans listen to your music online?

Bettie Grind: You can check me out at myspace.com/HoodSupaStar or twitter.com/BettieGrind or Itunes.com/BettieGrind or Facebook.com/BettieGrind or Youtube.com/ChampHse or google me baby I'm worldwide!

CAD: Shout outs...

Bettie Grind: Big shout out to Craig, Cash, Capone, Champ, Chase, Black Sun, Medina, DJ Big Gee, DJ Buttafingaz, Incognito, DJ J Flex, Waleed Coyote, DJ Tone, DJ D Roc, DJ Cannon Banyon, DJ Dyce, DJ B Lord, Deon Coles, Neek, Mike Tech, Kalim, DJ Stretch O Matic, Unique, DJ Storm, DJ Danny Diaz, DJ Lucky Leon, DJ D Tec, Lil Ru, LIl Brod, Royal Tee, Arnold Taylor, Cemeka, Seyla, All my fans who hit me everyday on myspace & facebook, Drumma Boy, Drake, No I.D., Amazing Grace, S. Dub, King Carter, Sonny, Tiny T, Nine Mil, Pat at CHP who told me I was the best he'd ever heard and I'd be a star, My ace DJ CHUCK T, Pragmatic, Nascar, Gina, Terrell, Wayne, Brent, Sport E Odie, DJ Live my family, Magic, DJ Red, ONYX, Club 935 , Adolph, Orlando, Ski $, Tab Dibiasi, Young Gee, Tap $ wutup! My mom, pops, sisters, Dontae, JR, If I forgot you I didn't forget you I'm just tired of typing... so to all my fans WUZUP BABY!!!!

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