The Black and Beautiful Life of Mookie MoTonio

"... it's people in our own cities doing great things. Shit so media driven now days. They control the way we feel about everything."

- Mookie Motonio

Mookie Motonio has grown from a young energetic rapper to a well traveled and though provoking young man in hip-hop culture. We caught up with the Cleveland-based artist to reflect on the passing of the late Nipsey Hussle, as well as his own accomplishments in the world of music.

Mookie how are you, and what's going with you in the world of entertainment?

Mookie Motonio: All is well brother. Just loving life and having fun, to be real. That's how I cope in this entertainment world.

The hip-hop community is getting over the death of Nipsey Hussle. Seems like a lot of people are taking it hard. But something seems strange to me. How is it that somebody that was doing so many good things was not being celebrated while he was alive?

Mookie Motonio: Well, first off R.I.P Nipsey Hussle, and my condolences to his family. To answer the question I feel we need to learn to give people their flowers while they're still here. He wasn't celebrated, because it wasn't the "cool" thing to do. Nipsey was nominated for a Grammy, but unless you're really into hip-hop no one was listening to Nipsey. He's not a new artist, Nipsey been out for over a decade. He wasn't celebrated because he was more known on the west coast, but not worldwide.

I just think it's so whack how folks pay so much attention to what's wrong. R.Kelly was the topic of everyone's conversation. Jessie Smollett too. Meanwhile we have someone doing good things, and nobody was saying anything until he's dead. Now everyone is an expert on Nipsey's plan to give back. Imagine the momentum he could've had if everyone took their focus off of what was wrong to help him do something right.

Mookie Motonio: Exactly, I mean it's people in our own cities doing great things. Shit so media driven now days. They control the way we feel about everything.

You performed a song entitled "Black is Beautiful" a few years back, and you also did it live at last year's Ohio Entertainment Awards. Let people know what drove you to make that song, and why it's so important to you.

Mookie Motonio: I've always been about my people. I felt like I wanted to do something important for not only the black culture, but hip-hop culture. No matter what I've done, or do, musically, "Black is Beautiful" will leave a stamp on my career and live on forever. The song now has over 150,000 streams collectively worldwide.

You've been around the world with music. Tell people about where your musical journey has taken you as far as cities and countries.

Mookie Motonio: I've been fortunate to hit the road with Bone Thugs and Caine. Shout out to them. Man I've been places that I can't even remember (laughs). I've been through California, Texas, the Midwest, the south and more. My top five favorite cities I performed at are, in no order, Knoxville, Tennessee, Corpus Christi, Texas, [which is a] beautiful city, Birmingham, Alabama, Cincinnati, Ohio and Silver Spring, Maryland. There's a story behind those cities. Outside the country I performed in Canada and Australia.

You've been on the road with Bone Thugs. Have you learned anything from them as far as performing is concerned?

Mookie Motonio: Most definitely, I learned something collectively from each member honestly. Voice control, crowd control, and having an ear for stage quality. Performing on big stages hit different than performing in open mic venues.

You've been performing since you were a teenager. You've done a lot of records. What would you say are your top three songs that have done the most for your career and why?

Mookie Motonio: "Black is Beautiful" is number one. That song means the world to me. The effect it has on people is so amazing. I'm thankful to be the person who made that record, shout out to Londyn Rae. My song "One More Time" would be number two. That video has almost 7 million views, and I was the first solo independent artist out of Cleveland to hit a million views on YouTube. Number three is my song "Don't Call My Phone," because it was my first ever music award–shout out to Rebel Army Radio. That song got popular a little too late.

Finally, what are your plans for summer artistically?

Mookie Motonio: Videos, shows, web shows, and a movie. Y'all just stay tuned.