New @HardKnockTV Audio Interview: @itsaPROBLEM talks FAST LANE concept, Bay Area, His mentor @DJQUIK, + MORE.

“Problem is a problem, ya’ll bout to see…” DJ Quik saw it before any of us when he spit that line. I sit down with Compton native and rapper, Problem, to have a conversation surrounding his work ethic in the music industry. Problem is a humble and talented young man who has learned overtime how to make hits, but beyond that, he is focused to build an accomplished establishment with Diamond Lane Music Group.

Problem came out of left field for casual hip-hop listeners who’ve been hearing him lately on Los Angeles radio stations like PWR 106 and KDAY, but just as any big local artists who put in work, his shine is coming for even bigger things. From working with the major roster of West Coast hip-hop veterans to working with a diverse range of current artists, he knows what us Californian party goers often crave for – a well-crafted raunchy song. (Yeah, you know you do.)

In this interview, Problem talks about being a free spirit and what he means when says “fast lane” and staying intense at all costs to live life to the fullest. He goes on to talking about how he decides who to work with, and learning from other artists to add a twist on their style in his own way. He then goes on to talk about learning from his friend and artist, Terrace Martin. After talking about learning to perfect his craft, we talk about his production team League Of Starz and preferring to work with artists directly rather than sending an e-mail – he used Mann as an example since he was currently working with him when I stepped in to the studio. We also learn about the advice he gets from his mentor, DJ QUIK, and other veterans in the game. Then we switch the conversation to talk about Mac Miller‘s successful independent hustle and how Problem is pushing for that everyday. The conversation ends with us talking about DLMG artist Badd Lucc, and his overpacked show at the Key Club a couple of weeks ago. TurNup!

-Celeste (@cellyonthetelly)