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Coming from the rich fertile soil that produced the blues, the
musical foundation for American popular music, stands Big Cat
Records’ flagship artist, PBT, whose highly anticipated
sophmore album, “Pimpin’ My Pen,” is poised
2 be one of the biggest selling albums of the year.
PBT was born twenty two years ago in Starkville,
Mississippi, a small city just two hours North of the state’s
capital. 2 say the least, Mississippi is a paradox in socio -
economic studies. On one hand, it has one of the highest number
of millionaires per capita in the nation, one the other hand,
the state also has the highest poverty rate in the country. Second
only 2 their neighboring state, Louisiana. And like most rural
Mississippians, PBT grew up in dire circumstances. Spending his
youth struggling 2 avoid the many traps that an impoverished life
can thrust upon it’s victims.
“Starkville is a poor small town
with not enough jobs, so everybody’s trying 2 hold on 2
their job for as long as they can. Most of the kids there are
either going 2 work, school, or jail. Most of the jobs out there
are minimum wage, and that’s not paying them enough, so
they’re reduced 2 selling crack, and from crack they go
2 Parchman (State Penitentiary). It’s a system. Music is
what saved me from all that,” says PBT.
Although PBT grew up listening 2 blues
and soul singers like : Bobby “Blue” Bland, Tyrone
Davis, Johnny Taylor, Sam Cooke, and Betty Wright - all records
his mom owned, it was hip hop artist such as LL Cool J., and Run
DMC who captured the youngsters attention. While most of the kids
in PBT’s neighborhood were dreaming of finding riches through
a career in football or basketball, the youngster who dabbled
in poetry, aspired 2 be a rapper. But in Starkville, his dream
seemed almost unobtainable for a poor boy from Mississippi. But
all of that changed one day when PBT turned on the television
and saw another Mississippi based rap group performing on tv.
“I remember I saw Poetic Climax on BET and they were representing
Mississippi. That was one of the biggest inspirations I ever had.
That let me know that it can happen,” says PBT.
The problem was, there was no local rap
scene in PBT’s hometown. And the state of Mississippi wasn’t
on the hip hop map. Despite the countless shows and freestyle
battles that PBT did 2 earn his rep as the best rapper in the
streets of North Mississippi, he knew he stood a snowball’s
chance in hell of being discovered in Starkville, Mississippi.
And 2 make matters worse, things were getting hectic in “The
Ville.” Jobs were getting scarse, and the temptation 2 hit
the streets and start hustling was getting greater and greater.
There was only one solution 2 his dilemma. Leave.
At the time, Atlanta was becoming a hot
bed for hip hop. With acts like : Kriss Kross, Outkast, and Goodie
Mob selling platinum and gold records. It was also home 2 several
thriving record labels, which made it a perfect place for PBT
2 be. So in 1995, PBT convinced his mother 2 scrap up enough money
for a bus ticket 2 Atlanta, and he left Starkville 2 pursue his
dream of being a rap star. He had no money, nor did he have any
friends or relatives there. All he had was his prayers, his belief
in God, his talent,
and his trust that God would see him through. Initially things
looked real bleak for PBT. He arrived in ATL broke with no place
2 call home.
“I was homeless for a month,”
recalls PBT. “I stayed downtown at The Underground, riding
and sleeping on the train back and forth. But the Lord was with
me. I met people and stayed with other people here and there,
and did what I had 2 do 2 survive.
Part of what PBT had 2 do entailed him
making his rounds throughout Atlanta’s hip hop underground
sparring with various local emcees, and landing a small guest
appearance on two or three local records. Eventually, his hard
work paid off in 1998, when he met and befriended the founder,
and CEO of Big Cat Records, who recognized the Mississippi natives
unique style and promptly signed him 2 a deal. A few months later,
he released PBT”s debut LP, “Dreamin’ Of Riches,”
under the moniker - Pretty Boy Thug. A nick name he got because
of his baby face looks. The record created a strong regional buzz
stretching from Mississippi 2 Atlanta. He was called upon 2 open
shows for the likes of Ja Rule and Trick Daddy in addition 2 doing
a guest appearance on the Jenny Jones Show.
The regional success of “Dreamin’
Of Riches” put PBT (which now stands for Prayer Belief and
Trust) one step closer 2 realizing the dream he set out 2 accomplish
a few years back, but he still had a long way 2 go. He knew that
in order 2 truly reach his goal, he had 2 dig a little deeper
and return with an album that was ten times better than his last
effort. With his latest effort, “Pimpin’ My Pen,”
PBT has far surpassed his debut and proves that he is now on the
verge of hip - hop superstardom.
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