In numerology, the number five signifies coming to life, invention, vitality, enjoyment, play, and creativity. The Grammy nominated Kentucky rap quintet Nappy Roots is the literal personification of all that the number 5 represents. From a 2003 appearance in Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar as one of the few Hip Hop acts (and one of the most requested!)  to participate in a USO tour, to artistic collaborations with everyone from Kanye West to The Dave Mathews Band, Nappy Roots has come a long way from throwing house parties as undergrads at western Kentucky State University. True entrepreneurs, Nappy Roots have been steady grinding, releasing mixtapes and touring, staying in touch with fans and creating music that has been a southern stew of blues, rap, politics, alcohol, weed, sex, soul and fun. After taking the industry by storm with 2002’s platinum selling Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, and following that up Wooden Leather a year later, Nappy Roots earned themselves a plethora of accolades and fans across the globe. They are the epitome of grown ass men, unapologetic and true to themselves with their word as their bond.

Those words have kept them bonded to diehard fans as they navigated the often tumultuous music industry. An exit from Atlantic Records and down a member (R. Prophet left to pursue a solo career), five years later, official Kentucky Colonel’s Skinny Deville, B. Stille, Ron Clutch, Scales and Big V have spent the last 5 years grinding hard and with the August 5 release of their 5th CD looming, and a new deal with Fontana/Universal, Nappy Roots is poised to establish themselves once again as a force to be reckoned with.

I recently had the opportunity to have a very candid conversation with Skinny Deville about where Nappy Roots has been, why the fuck the rap biz is all sorts of fucked up and what’s on the horizon for one of rap music’s most creative groups. (more…)