Hip Hop's PumpFake: Interview with Carlos Hawkins

Born in Anniston, Al in the late 80’s, Carlos Hawkins began falling in Love with his music at an early age. Raised under the influence of a drug addicted Mother and a Father who didn’t really have it all, Carlos felt his only choice was to live in the streets the best he knew how. Carlos ran away at the age of 12. For about a year, Carlos was taken in by a white family (Cody Carter’s mom). Got really close to her granddad (Bob the repo man), a well known member of the KKK, and managed to still go to school, and play for the church. During this time, or some time after, Carlos recorded his first Song with a guy he called “Farmer”. After being in and out of jail, and then locked up for quite some time, music became an everyday thing. Carlos started to write more and more. Certain CO’s would come in playing his songs and they would tell him they downloaded the ringtones and encouraged Carlos to keep at it. He had a gift.

Interview with Carlos Hawkins

First of all, thank you for the amazing opportunity. I know your name is Carlos Hawkins, but on the street or on stage, do you go by any other name?

Carlos: People call me Los. Or Loso. Hawk or Hawkins. Carlos Hawkins period! Stage name whatever.

I know you started in music at a young age. Was Church a major influence or was it something else like the prison guards...or all of it?

Carlos: All of it! From the church pews to the thunder domes and jail cells.

Who were the first recording artists that inspired you to become a Hip Hop artist?

Carlos: Tupac and Outkast. baby D, Sammy Sam and that oomp camp clique were the first. But pac and outkast inspired me.

A lot of Hip Hop artists fall into a stereo type and rap about money, "hoes", their sweet ride, and getting over on the next guy. How is your music different?

Carlos: Nothings fabricated! The hell I look like making some shit up that everybody know ain't me! I give it raw. Uncut. Say the shit that most are scared to say! I really live the shit I rap about.

Is Hip Hop dead or is it alive and well?

Carlos: I'm doing this interview aren't I? Just kidding. But man hip hop is alive and well. You gotta live it to feel it.

What do you feel about the music industry as a whole today and what direction is music headed?

Carlos:  I feel as if they don't want rappers to survive much longer. The got all these sites designed to give our shit away for free. They want us to promote sex, drugs and violence. And all kinds of other stuff to make the majority of artist (African Americans) or minorities look bad. I think its headed back in the direction of realism. Music will soon be music again. I'm gone catch that wave.

What has been the best part of your career so far?

Carlos: I gotta say being able to reach out to people. Being looked up to by kids who don't know me. Signing autographs. And finding myself totally. Music and its hustle has a way of bringing the best out a person.

You have a new joint out and it's called "Don't Look Right". Tell me about the song and the music video. 

Carlos: Well you know, lots of shit Just Don't look right. In the song I said things that are relative. The video shot by Louis Kole was 3d kaleidoscopic. Made to not look right. We built the set for it ourselves being creative and went with. Numbers did really good in the first week. And it wasn't even finished.

If you were to share the stage with someone major, who would you pick?

Carlos: Right now. Yo Gotti. JayZ. Or Tip! That show would be CRAZY!

What next big project are you working on? A new EP, a music video, a tour?

Carlos: #PumpFake the mixtape coming very soon. And all the above! I'm trying yo set the streets on fire.

Find more of Carlos Hawkins at:

Official website: www.carloshawkins.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MrCarlosHawkins and http://twitter.com/StreetHolocaust

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrCarlosHawkins