KK~Introduce yourself to everyone that doesn’t already know who you are.

Lil Bootsy~ Wats craccin world my name is Daryl Gist aka Lil Bootsy of 2 Strong Ent.

KK~Before we get into your music, can you describe your history about how you got into the industry and what inspired you?

Lil Bootsy~ Well I grew up listening to a lot of Local music like Dr. Devious, Ecay Uno, Mooch Massive, Lil Cs, and the Underground Family Ties cd so I would picc up on different lyrics here and there and one day I was with my lil cousin Dory aka DJL or 3 Demensional and we started trying to rap and he was better then me like he had done it before so I had to make sure I said something better eachtime and this was at 11 years old, the first beat I ever attempted to rap on was the Luniz “I got 5 on it” beat so the better I got and people older then me started telling me keep trying just gave me the drive to want to keep it up…

KK~ Can you tell us how you came up with the name LIL BOOTSY?

Lil Bootsy~ Ha ha the name Lil Bootsy was a name I was givin at birth because I was a Jr. and my dad was known as Bootsy in the streets so it was automatically inherited so those of you who this I stole Lil Boosie bad ass name not at all way different spelling and I was born with mines.

KK~In your personal view, what is the music scene like growing up in EAST SAN DIEGO?

Lil Bootsy~ I feel it was just everyone pretty much speaking on their struggles on coming up in Dago and with different neighborhoods throughout the city having rappers you get to hear it from all angles and that to me was a good thing and now I think most of it is based on people remaking what is being heard on TV and radio like you have to incorporate where you come from in your music to be identified but if you don’t have your own style of it you just another person rapping.

KK~ Would you say football & your music kept you out of a lot of the everyday street activity?

Lil Bootsy~ Yea I can say that football gave me a chance to focus on more than just the streets because it was something I enjoyed doing and when I got good at it I was like I can make money and not have to deal wit the street stuff but yet I was still around it and at that age everyone wants be a knuccle head so I was battling wanting to be street involved and doing whats right and later football took me to college and beyond so thank god for that.

KK~ You beat the odds of a lot of black men comin up out of the ruff streets of Daygo and graduated from college, how has that affected you in you life? And the life of others around you?

Lil Bootsy~ Well I can actually say it gave a lot of hope too some of my homies I grew up with knowing that it is possible to overcome the obstacles and be more then what the streets see you as and yea my appearance draws the police to me but I have a piece of paper and a good job that say different then what they see me as so I have been greatly affected in a positive way and it opend more Job doors for me…

KK~Have you ever felt like too much time passes in the game where you have to make it and that window is closing when it comes to your music and football?

Lil Bootsy~ Actually that’s what I’m dealing with at the current moment I haven’t did no music in about 2 months to focus on my training and football career that I still have an open window in making it in so what I’m saying is football don’t last forever physically and rapping will always be there rather I want to make it big or use it for therapeutic reasons but I still exercise my mind and right a few bars just to stay in the groove of it…

KK~As of right now, who in the industry would you say you listen to on a regular and would probably like to work with in the near future?

Lil Bootsy~ Well honestly I listen to a lil bit of everybody but I play a lot of Dago music for the fact that rather it’s good to me or not I want to support my city as many ways as I can do it but I wouldn’t mind working with Dr. Dre just because he knows a lot about this game and what it takes.

KK~ Are fans responding to your new music the way you want them to?

Lil Bootsy~ Yes and no but I blame myself for limiting myself to doing mixtapes and not putting time into an album but its all in the near future going to be how I want it.

KK~ What is your relationship like with some of Cali’s up-and-coming talent and how important is having unity amongst you all?
Lil Bootsy~ I deal with everyone whose really about making it happen no matter where they grew up at or from and that is important cause it will bring unity throughout the town even in the streets eventually.

KK~ What direction do you feel the Westcoast is headed in 2011?

Lil Bootsy~ Upwards I see big things able to happen if we can sticc together

KK~How would the fans go about contacting you?

Lil Bootsy~ Either follow me http://twitter.com/LilBootsy or Facebook me Boo Gist or Like my fan page on there as well also http://myspace.com/lilbootsy2strongent

KK~Thank you LIL BOOTSY for linkin’ up wit Dreamsblend.com any shout outs?

Lil Bootsy~ Thanks I appreciate it and of course to you and Dreamsblend for being interested in me and also God for one my family my cuzzin Young Gee for doin his thing throughout SD my boy Double Hit, Ecay Uno for coaching me on becoming a better artist and perfecting my craft all my East Dago niggas Southeast niggas shit the whole town!!! Much luv!!!

Untitled from chris stallworth on Vimeo.