Poppy: Poppy (me), Scooby, and Unique.
What sets you apart from the competition?
Scooby: What separates us is we’re better then a lot of rappers and groups lyric-wise. We be grindin’ harder you know. We’re humble, easy to work with. It’s not hard to do an interview with us, it’s not hard to do a song with us you know what I’m sayin? Even though we’re successful and we know we’re good, we’re still level and not trippin.
Poppy: I think it’s just our overall work ethic. The way we work and the type of music we make. We make songs. We rap about what we feel and what we see. We paint good pictures with words.
Scooby: The jist of it is we’re better! (laughs)
How did the you guys come together?
Poppy: We came together like in 2001. We all from the south side of Houston, we all went to the same high school. We all basically knew each other before rappin together. I was at a label that Todd was working at and at the same time he doing some work at where Scooby ended up going. He brought Scooby to the label. Scooby in turn brought Unique to the label and since we already knew each other it was easy for us to work together. Then we just had the same work ethic and was on the same type of shit and after about a year or two together PT came up with the name G.R.I.T. Ghetto Reality In Texas. And our big bro Hawk, rest in peace, whenever he spoke on us he was like “I got them GRIT Boys with me!” And we just liked the way that sounded more then GRIT so we ended up rollin’ with GRIT Boys.
What was it like working with Pretty Todd?
Scooby: Pretty Todd, working with him… He showed us everything. He’s been there from the beginning so it’s like we learned together. We learned how to be good artists and he learned how to be a good producer and CEO at the same time. We didn’t know nothin’ about it at first. I rapped on one of his first good beats so working with him was just like a learning experience. If we never met him we wouldn’t be at the point we’re at, even if we’re good. It’s the connects that he had that got us in the mix so we could build.
Is it true you’ve lost group members to incarceration, the streets and death? If so, how have you kept the group going?
Scooby: Well,nobody that was actually in the GRIT Boys went to jail or died except Hawk was a GRIT Boy and he was murdered a year ago and he was a big part of our career. I was his hype man for 5 years. He had just released his album. He taught us a lot of stuff that other rappers woulda been like ‘I ain’t finna give you the game” you know. He gave us the game for free and participated in blownin us up. His legacy helps us keep goin, we have a point to prove. He always told us we’re the best so that’s why I say we’re better then a lot of people. One of the great legends told us we’re the best so we gotta be the best you know what I’m sayin?
What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment with your new album “Ghetto Reality In Texas”?
Scooby: Getting it done.
Poppy: Yeah, finishing the album. It took us a long time to do this album, 3 maybe 4 years. We put a lot into it, lotta blood, lotta sweat
Scooby: The recording didn’t take us that long but we were waiting on a situation you know? The distribution deal that we got right now with TVT. While we were waiting we just kept making our shit better and better.
Poppy: While we were waiting we just kept making our shit better and better which made the whole overall project come out better.
What are your favorite collaborations on the album?
Scooby: Mine, my favorite collaboration was “Streets” with Travis Barker and Bun B. I also like “The Way I Live” with Mase. All the collaborations were great but those were my favorites.
Poppy: I like em’ all, I really can’t narrow it down right now.
How’d it feel to be nominated for the Houston Press Award – Best Underground Act?
Scooby: It’s been two years straight. We didn’t win last year but we gonna get it this year. It just feels good that somebody out there is acknowledging you for all your hard work over the years.
Poppy: And paying attention.
Scooby: And then it’s coming from Houston! It’s good to know it’s not just the people in the hood who listen to us that think we deserve to be nominated.
Word is you’re in talks with Sirius radio to do G.R.I.T. Boys radio.
Scooby: We already had a radio show called “Live From The Grid Iron” with DJ Paul Wall. DJ Paul Wall, you know what I’m sayin? It was “Trap Music” at first but then it got changed to “Live From The Grid Iron”. Neither of us really have time to maintain it right now though so it’s just there. But with Sirius, I didn’t know nothing about that but maybe. I can’t say it’s not in the works. Me personally, I didn’t know about that but the Live From The Grid Iron is on XM satellite.
Poppy: Yeah, I think they combined now so it’s like the same.
Scooby: Hopefully we can, we want one! If you got the connect, send it our way! (laughs)
What’s happening with your mobile reality tv show?
Poppy: Yeah, it’s from Next Mobile. Basically they were following us around with our daily activities and all the things we was doin trying to get to where we at. They broke it down into like 52 episodes at 3 minutes each. They’re gonna be available after the cell phone providers pick them up. I think Sprint is picking it up and T-Mobile also.
Scooby: Cingular.
Poppy: Ahh, Cingular, I’m sorry. It’s gonna be pretty big cuz you’ll be able to watch that anywhere if you can get it on your phone. You’ll get a lotta people with fuck with on there like Paul Wall. Us out in the streets and in the lab doin what we do.
What would you like to say to the people out there that might not know your music yet?
Scooby: I think “Fresh”, the lead single, some people are gonna hear that and like it but when they hear the whole album they’ll be like man these dudes are on some whole other shit! Real reality type rap. It’s a nice record and it ain’t no sellout. I think they’re gonna enjoy what we bringing to the game, bottom line.
Poppy: Yeah, I think they gonna be able to listen to our music and relate to us. Probably more then they think they will. We got a lot of day to day real life shit on the album. I think they’ll be able to enjoy it, and feel and see where we’re coming from. And understand the stuff we’re talkin about. They gonna be able to feel that and apply it to their life in some kinda way.
Scooby: We reppin’ Hawk real heavy on there. I feel like he ain’t been represented, since he died, in a correct proper way you know. His fans are showing him love but there’s people who ain’t .. you know .. We holdin’ him down, we representin’ him well on there.
Thanks for talking with FEVER MAGAZINE. It looks like you guys have a lot going on and the chance to be very successful!
Thank you very much.
