Wednesday, September 5 2007 I Aint No Joke - Don Cerino Interview
I Aint No Joke - Don Cerino Interview By Jeff Wisdom Barreau
This week CHH caught up with Don Cerino aka Girth Brooks. Known for his sniper-like flow, prank calls and his Statik Selektah hosted The Rap Game is a Joke mixtape, we find out how this Bronx MC has come from battling in NYC high schools to recording with the cream of the underground hip-hop crop in just a few years.
Jeff Wisdom: How long have you been rhyming and recording?
Don Cerino: When I was 8 months old my first word was rhyme.
Jeff Wisdom: Get the fuck outta here, your first word was rhyme?
Don Cerino: Real talk my first word was rhyme kid. I started taking it seriously about age 3, My parents were broke then so couldnt afford the studio time for me. In school I would write essays in rhyme and only speak in rhyme, some kids thought it was weird but fuck it none of them wanted to battle. At around age 16 my parents finally came around after 13 years and got me some studio time and it was all up hill from there ..Haha, nah, Im fucking with you. Honestly I started battling in high school. This year is gonna make 6 years spitting, 5 years behind the mic, and 3 years taking it seriously.
Jeff Wisdom: So you said you got into MCing about 5 to 6 years ago, were you into hip hop music before that or did you just fall into the culture in high school?
Don Cerino: Well Im only 22, I cant sit here and say I was listening to Rakim when I was 2-3 years old, but I grew up listening to a variety of music, which I think influenced me and my music. My father was always listening to jazz, or old school rock, and my cousins lived right upstairs from me and put me on to hip hopLords of the underground, Pharcyde, Wu-tang, Nas, etcetera. So I grew up listening to hip hop, jazz, amongst other things. But when I started recording diss tracks for the garbage MCs in my high school and kids started bumping it in their cars heavy, I knew I had something special.
Jeff Wisdom: Diss tracks?
Don Cerino: Yeah I started off battling in high school and the first 3-5 tracks I recorded were diss tracks. You gonna make me dig for it and post it in this interview huh?
Jeff Wisdom: That wouldnt be a bad idea actually So when you first started getting serious with it, were there any MCs in particular you modeled your style/flow after? or did you just try to come as original as possible?
Don Cerino: Definitely as original as possible. I never modeled my style, flow, lyrics, or songs in general to be like anyone elses. Sure Ive been influenced by plenty of artists, but half of them didnt even rap. My style is just pure. Im real selective when it comes to production and I write to what the beat tells me to.
Jeff Wisdom: Nowadays it seems when certain MCs finds a shtick or gimmick that blows them up, theyll run with it until the wheels fall off.....you however are known for your versatility and flipping a variety of styles, from straight punch lines, to comedic, introspective, to story telling, what makes you take that versatility route rather than finding than one gimmick that hits and sticking with it?
Don Cerino: Versatility is key when it comes to rhyming. No matter how good an artist is no one wants to hear 3 cds of the same material. Im always trying to grow as an artist and learn new things, read new books, etc. Everything I experience goes into my music, so as long as I dont keep the same daily, ill have fresh material. plus Im open to criticism, if someone says my verse is weak, ill ask why ... if someone says they think my story telling is my strong point but I dont do it enough, ill try to do it more. Im not really the type for gimmicks but I do plan on coming up with that crazy marketing scheme to make me some real dough.
Jeff Wisdom: Now you're currently unsigned, unmanaged, so you basically had to market yourself, yet your fan base is still crazy and growing, what do you attribute that to?
Don Cerino: Skills. Being motivated. I got where I am not because of money but because of networking and growing as an artist. Like I said Im taking this seriously now and Im open to criticism, Im always looking to grow as an artist and a person. My fan base is strong, even overseas, mostly through my overseas producers and their love for real hip hop. Its going to keep growing now that Im going to be performing more often, and my name is going to be on some big projects in the future. Im about to shoot two videos by the end of this year as well so thats gonna be something new. I just recently released my new mixtape which is free so now is time to promote it. Im real proud of the way this tape came out so now I gotta share it with the world.
Jeff Wisdom: What is the new mixtape called?
Don Cerino : Nothing In Life is Free
Jeff Wisdom: Who are some of the producers you worked with on this mixtape?
Don Cerino: Statik Selektah, Domingo, Croup, Realson, Incise, Hubert Daviz
Jeff Wisdom: Hubert Davis? Isnt that that frog looking dude that played for the Knicks back day?
Don Cerino: (laughing) Yeah, honestly I have no clue why he chose the production name Hubert Daviz. This reminds me of when everyone thought Joe Budden was Rasheed Wallace because of the drop before the Budden track. However, I am not working with any ex-basketball players nor frog looking dudes.
Jeff Wisdom: Hey Chris Webber did a Nas record, you never know
Don Cerino: And Troy Hudson rocks a chain with a peanut holding a microphoneshout out to T-hud!
Jeff Wisdom: (laughing) Is the mixtape heavy on guest artists?
Don Cerino: I wouldnt say its heavy but I got some names on there. on some movie shit, in order of appearance: Reef the Lost Cauze, Silent Knight, Emilio Rojas, f.e.a.t.u.r.e., Kyle Jeeda, l.e.g.a.c.y., D Minor, my boy CP, Tunji of Inverse, and napsNdreds.shout to all of those dudes.
Jeff Wisdom: To the listeners that aint up on you yet, what can they expect from this mixtape?
Don Cerino: Raw ass hip hop with some of the most impressive production for a mixtape. They can expect to laugh at some skits, prank calls, which are all real by the way, they can expect to say "why the fuck was this tape free? Its so damn good. They better head to www.doncerino.com and cop it before I change my mind. They could expect to learn about me as an artist, what Im about, and a little about my life. Most importantly they can expect to relate. Whether its the NES joint or a more personal joint like wishes, theres something for everyone to relate to. They might even expect one of their friends to steal it from their whips if they've got a real copy.
Jeff Wisdom: What else have you working on lately? Any other projects we should be looking out for?
Don Cerino: Too manynext up me and my man CP are doing a joint album together thats gonna be wild. Check for our blog on hiphopdx.com. Besides that Im working on getting some shows in, and managing a few producers.
Jeff Wisdom: Sounds like you got some major plans coming together. Now, again, you were able to do a lot without the support of a label promo team or major press. A lot of our reader are artists themselves, what advise would you give them to getting a foothold in this game as well?
Don Cerino: Honestly, dont let anyone change you or mold you. if youre happy with your style, run with it. You really have to be open to criticism and understanding of the way this business works. Never stop pushing your music and never stop making new music. different advice should be given to each individuals, to each his own, but patience and willingness to grow and learn can never hurt youor you could just pay for a Don Cerino verse now and wait for me to blow up ... yeah thats good advice right there.
Jeff Wisdom: (laughing) Aight, so where can people download or get a copy of Nothing In Life Is Free?
Don Cerino: The link is already on your site dick (laughing). But yeah, www.doncerino.com is coming soon - for now it redirects to my myspace - www.myspace.com/doncerino ... they could download it there or just click this link > www.doncerino.com/upload/nothinginlifeisfree.rar if youve got a slow connection or are just too slow to know how to open a rar file you could go to hiphopdx.com for the next week or so and let it stream.