We sat down last week with Brooklyn’s Troy Ave to review his newest mixtape “I’m In Traffick”. Interestingly enough, the interview took place…in traffic! Triple entendre?

Listen to the mixtape below or download here

Troy Ave “I’m In Traffick Intro” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - I’m In Traffic Intro

Troy Ave - “Aint A Rap Song” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Aint A Rap Song

Troy Ave “Trick It If You Got It” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Trick It if You Got It

Troy Ave “I Do That” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - I Do That

Troy Ave “Bermuda Bahama” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Bermuda Bahama

Troy Ave “Redbull” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Red Bull

Troy Ave “Short Textin” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Short Textin

Troy Ave “Aight” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Aight

Troy Ave - “Nina” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Aight

Troy Ave - “Like This” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave- Like This

Troy Ave - “Regular Joes” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Regular Joes

Troy Ave “Alphabet” Review from The Famous Firm on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - “Alphabets”

Troy Ave - “Street Dreams” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Street Dreams

Troy Ave - “Steve McNair” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Steve Mcnair

Troy Ave - “Livin The Life” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Livin Da Life

Troy Ave “Bonvoyage” Review from Thank God I’m Famous on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Bon Voyage

Troy Ave “Swagger” Review from The Famous Firm on Vimeo.

Troy Ave - Swagger

Follow Troy Ave on Twitter

J Rich - Off Da Meter from Michael Su on Vimeo.

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spotted via Esquire

It’s not technique — it’s what you have to say.

I got the mumps. They threw me in a crib so I wouldn’t roll out onto the floor. And there’s a big bay window in my house, and that window stayed perfectly still until that train started to chug. At a certain speed, I could reach up and feel the pane, and that glass pane would vibrate. I said, Doggone, there’s got to be a reason for this. So I go to the kindergarten teacher, and she takes me to the science teacher, and the science teacher takes me to the library and reads it off to me — “This is called resonance.” That was the beginning.

The audience, they’re not professionals. They just love music. It isn’t necessary to play over their heads to be admired.

You can’t go to the store and buy a good ear and rhythm.

I got out of the car and there was a knife in my neck. The guy says, “Don’t move.” And the drummer got out of the car, and he got a gun in his head. This was my entrance to the South Side of Chicago. But it was necessary, because I wanted to play jazz.

When rock came in, people didn’t know what to do. Even Sinatra, he didn’t know what to do. The music was changing. And it’s changing now.

Last time I saw Count Basie, he was in a wheelchair. They wheeled him up onto the stage, he sits down at the piano, and he gives the downbeat, and that band played like they were in heaven. And right in the middle, the band cuts. He had to take one hand and put the other on it, and he comes down with one note. And it was the greatest note I ever heard in my life.

I gave up the guitar in 1965. Didn’t want to see a guitar. I’d go out and get drunk. When I came out of the heart surgery, the doc said, “Promise me you’ll work hard.” I said, “I thought working hard is what got me here.” He said, “No, working is what will keep you alive.”

There are times when you want to go where you used to go and you can’t go there. So I’m back to Count Basie lifting his hand. And I find you can stop that show with one note just like you can with a hundred.

I better go play now.

Scans from Drake’s 1st magazine cover. Dope Hermes Scarf