As a former resident of Williamsburg, Virginia, I was excited to take the hour drive to the College of William and Mary to hang out with Blair and her lovely sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., as well as the Student Hip-Hop Organization for the High Fidelity Tour.  I was even happier to see a fellow past schoolmate Intalek on the roster to perform as well.  The show was amazing and included people such as J.ust b.cause, fellow 33'er Millz, and even Kooley High.  Intalek and I weren't super close in those days, we kind of knew each other by face, but after that amazing performance and this interview, I realized I did not know Intalek at all.

33: Define hip-hop.
Intalek: It's an expression of urban life, whether it's music, clothing, or lifestyle.  It's basically a movement.

33: Where do you feel your place is in the world of hip-hop?
Intalek: In the center.  I dress the part so if someone was on the outside looking in, they would see that I have ties in hip-hop.  I'm doing the music, I speak it, and I speak of it, so it's like I'm more into the culture.  That's where I feel I am, right in the center.

33: How did you get started rapping?
Intalek: I was always into music.  When I was overseas I would more often write lyrics down to music that I would listen to on the radio.  That kind of generated into poetry and stuff.  I didn't really get into it until I began to battle people on online rap boards.  It was cool - I went undefeated.  It wasn't until I came back that I began to record music.

33: How many mixtapes do you have?
Intalek: Five stemming from '07 til now.

33: Who are your influences?
Intalek:  I don't necessarily have a list of people that influenced me.  I base my music off the world as I see it.  It's anything that I get involved with, see or hear.  I listen to everyone so I can't just pinpoint a person or style - I like them all - from Jay-Z to Lupe to Taylor Swift.  Yeah, Taylor goes hard.  Those are some musical influences but it's mostly the people around me.

33: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Intalek:  If the world doesn't end in 2012, hopefully I will be traveling it, buying a bunch of sneakers and clothes while still making music.  I'll probably end up hanging in Europe eating crepes with the locals.

33: What are you currently studying at Old Dominion University?
Intalek: Music [laughs].  How cliché is that?  Well, in 2004 I was studying math, but I was having a hard time focusing.  It wasn't stimulating my mind enough so I just switched my major.  IDS music, which is the business composition and the history of music, I even have a minor in history.  It's easier to stay focused when you're driven by your dreams.

33: So does that make rap more of a business or a hobby to you?
Intalek:  It's more like a hobby soon to be business.  When you say business, it seems that I'm in it for only the money.  I mean, I see it as a hobby first then business second.  I don't see anything wrong with making money by doing something that you love.

33: Describe a typical day at the studio.
Intalek: The process depends on the day.  Mainly they're planned out - I wake up in the morning, shower, gather my belongings.  It's always like a rehearsal.  I always go over the songs before I get to the studio because there is money involved.  You have to be smart about all things, even money, so I don't want to go into the studio and play around.  I want to get there, knock it out, make it good and be on my way.  I usually have a drink of something dark or a wine like merlot or shiraz.  It's not necessarily a strict environment.  We goof off a little bit, but it's an even juggle.

33: What's your first memory of hip-hop?
Intalek: It would be begging my mom to buy me the Fugees' The Score album back when the "Parental Advisory" stickers weren't on every label.  The Fugees were on Columbia at the time, and I was a determined to have it.  She made it clear if it had the parental advisory sticker, it wasn't going to happen and luckily it didn't.  When I got home I threw it in, and it had cursing everywhere, but I had to have that album.  So that would have to be the biggest memory.

The important thing in Intalek's life today is to continue to chase his goals and dreams.  "I am music, and I have to stay true to me.  It's my identity." - Intalek

Intalek on MySpace

Intalek's Mixtapes for download

By Author: Monet Freeman

Monet Freeman hails from Virginia Beach, and has her roots dug deep into music. Most of her childhood was spent singing in the church choir, Voices of Tomorrow in Elementary School, and Chorus in middle school. By the time she reached high school she found that her calling was not in the spotlight but behind the scenes. Finding comfort in journalism she began to write poetry and raps to help cope with the growing pains of life. Now she has found that the best way to find herself is in the service of others, thus leading her to aid the exposure of others who are finding their way in the music industry. With her loves of fashion, cosmetology, photography, writing and music, she feels there is no better way to live than with her heart planted in hip hop.