Kanye & GLCWhat do GLC, Ludacris and Macy Gray have in common? They’re all featured artists on “True to the Game,” an album that celebrates everyone who played in the Negro Baseball Leagues and helped set an example for African Americans of today.

Rapper GLC (short for Gangsta L. Crisis) has the track “Big Screen” on the CD and he describes “jumping at the opportunity” once he received a phone call to be a part of the album. But he isn’t alone on the track. Non other than Kanye West is featured on his song, which would be a pretty big deal for any artist but not for GLC. The man clearly has some connections having met West growing up as a teen in Chicago.

The two were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in the early ’90s and became pals. “Back then we was trying to rap. We were young, super young but still had these dreams and these ambitions,” GLC tells andPOP.

These ambitions led the two to grow as rappers and West landed on the worldwide stage. The rapper remained supportive of his friend and eventually was asked to collaborate on the track “Spaceship” off West’s “The College Dropout” album, giving him an official introduction to Hip-Hoppers around the globe.

He’s also done a few mixtapes, most notably “Hood Celebrity,” a compilation of old records GLC put together while he was touring in 2004, and the “Drive Slow” mixtape, which he compiled with five-time world champion DJ A-Trak.

And when West invited GLC to join his label G.O.O.D., it was pretty much a no brainer. “I decided to sign to his label because he’s my best friend, and we’ve been working together since the ’90s…we pretty much knew the ins and outs of each other’s rap styles,” GLC admits.

But being signed to G.O.O.D. doesn’t mean G.LC.’s rap is similar to West’s. In fact, he insists his style is unique. “Anybody who’s a fan of GLC or listens knows it’s different,” says the rapper.

GLC says he tries to see the positive aspects in what would normally seem like negative situations, and this is something the rapper can personally relate to.

He started writing poetry at a very young age, and for one very specific reason. “I started writing poetry when I was a shorty because you know buddy,” says GLC, “I found out that women, they were always captivated by a man that had, you know what I’m sayin, a way with words.”

But poetry also became an “escape” and a “departure” as the rapper describes it, from tough situations. Having lost both his parents as a kid, poetry became a tool for GLC to express his anger and emotion in a non-violent way. “But it also helped me get me some girls at a young age,” he jokes.

So where did he get the name Gangsta L. Crisis from? GLC explains:

“The name came when I grew up as a shorty. I was part of a street organization and they used to call me Gangsta L. you know, that’s what my rap name was. So people just call me Gangsta L. or Gangsta Love cause I got love for women.”

The “crisis” part came from many tough crises in his life, such as losing is house and losing his parents at a very young age. But it’s not just crisis that influences his music, GLC says growing up in Chicago has had a great impact on his rap.

“If I grew up in Alabama, if I grew up in Africa, if I grew up in Colorado, it would definitely influence my rap. The things that influence my rap are the things that I’ve lived, the things that I’ve seen, the things that I’ve witnessed.”

So what’s next for G.LC.? Fans can listen to his latest single “Flight School,” featuring Kanye West and T-Pain. G.LC. also plans to release a long-awaited album this summer.

“As long as people are sayin when’s that GLC comin out, when’s that G.LC. comin out, GLC come on with it!’ that’s when it’s gonna drop,” says the rapper.

As for the ladies, GLC has a couple in mind that he wouldn’t mind teaming up with. “I like Keri Hilson, she look real sexy. I like Ciara, she look real sexy. I like Keyshia Cole, she look real sexy,” and the list goes on.

To buy “True To The Game,” go to Amazon or iTunes and for more on GLC check out myspace.com/glc and follow him on Twitter.






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