Swazy Baby has remained true to himself and to his music. Not only talented, but also intelligent, this rising star has made a conscious decision to put out his debut album when he feels the timing is right. With his mixtapes, performances and videos (one already featured and supported on Worldstarhiphop), Swazy Baby is giving his fans everywhere a reason to anticipate his debut album.

This week, Swazy Baby spoke exclusively with MVRemix about his music, his influences, his first time meeting rapper, Trina, his celebrity crushes and future plans.

MVRemix: What’s up Swazy Baby? How are you? You ready to get into the interview?

Swazy Baby: I’m good, I’m good. Yeah, I’m ready.

MVRemix: Ok, let’s get straight into it, for those that don’t already know you, in your own words, who is Swazy Baby?

Swazy Baby: A[n] artist. Some people [are] rappers, some people [are] singers, some people [are] beat makers, some people [are] producers, you know what I mean? I feel like an artist, cause I don’t just rap, I mean, I rap, sing, write, make beats [and] produce. I call my self a[n] artist, a true artist.

MVRemix: Why the name Swazy Baby?

Swazy Baby: I had to keep Swazy cause my uncle was the one who inspired me to do the rapping thing. I was looking up to him, and he gave me the Swazy, so I just took the Swazy and ran with it. The Baby came from the females.

MVRemix: What was it like growing up in Georgia, I know in a recent interview you said if you weren’t doing music, you’d be selling drugs or in jail?

Swazy Baby: yeah. As far as I can remember, I was used to growing up in the projects. My mama was strict on me, she made sure I went to school, you know what I mean? . I wasn’t no bad child or nothing like that. I really didn’t get into a whole lot of trouble at home, you know what I mean? I kinda got in[to] trouble at school, like fighting and stuff. I mean, we struggled every now and then with bills and everything. She [mom] was raising us by herself most of the time [and] my grandmother helped out. My mother, my aunties, my uncles [all helped]. I wouldn’t say I struggled worst than the next person. I feel like everybody done went through trials and tribulations and I made it out, so I thank God for that, cause I could have been in jail or doing stupid stuff. The music kind of saved me.

MVRemix: And you’ve been rapping since you were 9?

Swazy Baby: Yeah, I started rapping when I was 9.

MVRemix: Like you said, you’re not just a rapper, you’re singer (yeah I heard that little falsetto track you did, don’t worry I won’t ask you to sing.)

Swazy Baby: [laughs] Ok, I appreciate that. Most people when they see me they want me to sing.

MVRemix: And you write and produce. What do you love doing the most?

Swazy Baby: Hmm, I have to say producing. I like producing.

MVRemix: What do you like about producing?

Swazy Baby: I mean, the fact that I get to do me. I record myself most of the time. I only get to record when I’m out of town. I record like 90 percent of everything I do [myself]. So, I get to know like, ok, I like this, I want that done and I don’t got to depend on nobody else. Some producers like to put their own little twist on it [tracks]. So, when I’m at the crib and just doing me I get to do whatever I want to do, so if I feel like something ain’t right I can take it out, or if it needs something I can add it on. That’s what I love.

MVRemix: As the newest artist signed to Slip N Slide Records, how has being signed changed your life so far?

Swazy Baby: Awe man, my popularity grew, first of all. I was popular in my area, but now my music is reaching other states and stuff like that. I got little kids running up to me asking for autographs. I really wasn’t used to it. I never thought that people would be running up to me and saying that they love me, or love my music, or give me a[n] autograph or take pictures, I mean, stuff like that. It was like 12 o clock one night and I was coming out the crib and this dude seen me walking out and said he was out there for like 10-15 minutes, cause his little boy wanted my autograph. So that kinda made me feel good, you know? To know people love me like that.

MVRemix: You mentioned Plies, as being one of your influences, how has he influenced your music?

Swazy Baby: I got a chance to meet him in Atlanta, when I met him he gave me some good advice, first of all. He told me, “don’t let the people that signed you stop you from doing what you was doing that made them sign you.” It was something like that; I really didn’t get it until now. When I was just sitting around waiting on the label to do this and do that, it kinda dawned on me. I was putting music out before Slip N Slide came, so why not continue to do that? When I started doing that my buzz started picking up, everybody was talking about Swazy Baby, you know what I mean? I feel like, I’m not gonna say I can relate to all his [Plies] music, some of his music be off the wall. Some of his songs I listen to off his old mixtapes, like the one about God [Plies “God”], I like that. He talks about real life situations, [even] with females and stuff like that. He influenced me that way. I keep my music real.

MVRemix: Have you done any records with any of your label mates yet?

Swazy Baby: When I first got over there, I got on a song with Qwote. I did a song with Camar, he’s on the label. Hmm, I did a song with Trina.

MVRemix: What’s that track called?

Swazy Baby: “Talk About This Money.” It’s on a mixtape. I forgot the name of the mixtape [laughs]. It was nice working with Trina, she’s real cool people. The first time I got signed, they had me down there [in Miami] for a month just recording. She came to the studio one day [and] I had never seen her in person before [and] I kinda wanted to see how she look. I was young watching Trina on TV. So when I seen her, she didn’t have no makeup on or nothing, I was like, she’s beautiful and nice shape and everything. She really is the baddest. No makeup on, no nothing and she was beautiful. I told her to check couple of my tracks out. She was like, “you’re real good.” So since then we’ve been cool. She showed me love, so I respect Trina for that.