After three failed attempts at breaking into the hip-hop scene, Loon still has earned the overwhelming support of Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. In a track off the Bad Boys II Soundtrack, Diddy goes as far as calling Loon “the future” of his Bad Boy label.
With the expected pressure that this would bring the average budding rap artist, Loon, the Harlem-born MC, remains at ease.
“[Being called 'the future'] has a certain level of stress to it, but overall I got a great team behind me,” he tells andPOP, on the line from New York. “Bad Boy has a great staff. I got a great management team. All those forces play a roll in harnessing the pressure that comes with my situation.”
Loon is quick to point out that even though he is under the guidance of Diddy, he is where he is now because of his own skills.
“Without P. Diddy I probably would still be somewhere making a hot record because at the end of the day, I have a talent of my own that surpasses Puff when it comes to writing and rapping, where Puff himself is the ultimate entertainer.”
Loon will get the chance to showcase these skills when his long-awaited album drops on October 21. When describing the sound of the album, Loon’s precision is mixed with a business-savvy approach.
“It’s more of a sophisticated collegiate approach to hip-hop without excluding any other market or age bracket,” he says.
The album will include 14 tracks, which he says are all potential singles for the clubs and radio. Guests include: Missy Elliott, Trina, Claudette Ortiz from City High, Kelis, Aaron Hall, Carl Thomas, and of course, Diddy.
One aspect of Harlem especially affected the lyrics that Loon wrote for the album, but it had nothing to do with the area. While growing up in Harlem, his grandmother stumbled over one of his rhyme books. She told him he wasn?t going to make any money with the vulgar language he was using.
“Back in the day when I first started rapping, I didn?t really have the dialogue to express myself. I didn?t really know how to articulate words that well so I was using a lot of profane words to get my point across. She ultimately was the one who converted me into taking a professional approach to music.”
Besides preparing for the album, Loon has been busy with other projects. He hopes to be part of the Nike-sponsored Broadway play, “Ball,” which is in pre-production. “I’m just excited that I could get the opportunity to be the first Bad Boy artist that’s actually in a Broadway play.”
He also has a role in “Death of a Dynasty,” a Roc-A-Fella film featuring a huge list of talent including Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Jason ‘Jam Master Jay’ Mizell, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Carson Daly, and Walt Frazier.
Although it will be Loon’s first acting gig, he is no stranger to performing. Loon has been most identified with his part in last year’s hit, “I Need a Girl” with Diddy and Usher. In the song, he raps about his desires for women, but he says now that was all an act.
“I wasn’t really in dire need of a girl and I wasn?t suffering from any relationship problems. It was ultimately like an acting job that I was able to relate to personally because I had been through situations where relationships didn?t work.”
The roll Loon took in the song was more to support Diddy and the Bad Boy family.
“We were a target for the backlash of the court case with Shyne. And we were a target for the separation with him and Jennifer Lopez. I had to take the initiative to get in the middle of that and turn it all around and it turned out to be a humongous record and it added more light to the work ethic.”
He has the right backing and attitude he needs to succeed. Is the fourth time the charm?
