I work in the Camp creek marketplace which is located in East Point, GA. One morning I was headed to BJ’s to put gas in my car. As I’m making the turn to BJ’s my car stops, I tried to crank it, but it was obvious that my car was out of gas. If you are familiar with the Camp Creek marketplace you know that BJ’s is directly across from the East Point police precinct. So my car is directly across from the police precinct. It’s probably about 9:30 in the morning so the shopping center isn’t busy at all. A police officer pulls up and asks “what’s going on?”. I tell him about my situation and he tells me that he will talk to the other officers about helping to push my car. As I’m waiting I hear the other officers outside talking about my situation. Basically they were saying they weren’t going to help me. The first officer finally comes back and he proceeds to tell me “that pushing the car wasn’t going to work and that if I didn’t move my car it would be towed. So I guess five police officers can’t push a car 50 feet? After walking to the gas station, I finally get back to my job about 30 min later. As I’m walking back into my job I see the police officers behind my store playing around on one of those “segways” (waste of time and money). I guess thats why they couldn’t help me. They were too “busy” making my community “safe”. Is there where my tax dollars go? Now I do take full responsibility for not having enough gas in my car. But I thought it was their job to “serve” and “protect” especially when they have nothing else to do. Maybe my expectations are too high or maybe theirs are just that low. You be the judge.

Q. How long have you been doing this?

A. “I have been doing music since I was six years old and started rapping when I was 16″

Q. What got you started?

A. Listening to 8ball and MJG’s Comin Out Hard (which he stole from his cousin).

Q. How do you stay motivated?

A. My own struggles and other people’s struggles are what keeps me motivated

Q. What separates you from your competitors?

A. “Competition is like the wind. You can feel it but you can’t see it”

Q. Where did you get your name from?

A. “By reading up on poetry. Stanza is part of a whole. I feel like I can bring peoples conversations together.”

Q. Anybody that you would like to work with in the future?

A. “The first people that come to mind are Portishead, Janelle Monae, and Massive Attack”

Q. Who do you admire/look up to?

A. “Barack Obama, he respects peoples struggles.”

Q. Do you consider yourself to be a role-model?

A. “Yes, I consider myself to be very role modelish (laughing). I feel like I’m not the typical rapper. I went to college which is not normal for rappers.

Q. What advice do you have for upcoming people?

A. “Stop rapping if you can’t rap. It’s a very slippery slope. One hit wonders are not good unless you are Soulja Boy.”

Q. Anything to say for the people of Atlanta?

A. “Be prepared…”

Q. How do you manage to stay out of trouble?

A. “Thinking about situations before I act”

Q. Do you consider yourself to be a leader/visionary?

A. “Yes but its not calculated. Can’t acquire traits to be a leader. It’s just natural.”

Q. How does your family feel about what you do?

A. “At first they didn’t support me at all. Now for the most part everyone supports me. My mom is coming along a little slower than everyone else.

Q. What are your main goals?

A. “Looking to the future slows me down. You grow older faster always looking for the next date not living for today.”

If you are interested in finding out more about Stanza or hearing his music you can check out theses links:

http://www.iamstanza.com
http://www.myspace.com/stanzahiphop http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=622358028&aid=35748#/group.php?gid=2360338337