Identity Theft has risen at an alarmingly rate in the past couple of years. I know what you’re thinking – “Carl, what does this have to do with Pleasure P?” Well, unlike Pleasure P, or Marcus Cooper, he hasn’t had any issues as far as people swagger jacking his style, or more or less, his persona. His candor may come off as pretentious to some, but could you blame him?
Could you blame him for the atrocious fallout between him and his group Pretty Ricky?
Could you blame him for having interviewers assiduously cajoling him to spew a couple of shots towards his former bandmates?
Could you blame him for just wanting people to recognize him for just simply being him?
There’s more to the crooner than the ballads, and lullabies. Raised in Carver Ranches, Florida, coming up, Pleasure P was merely Marcus Cooper – a kid trying to find his way out.
Now, Marcus, is the man who just finishing touring with Lil Wayne, Drake, & Young Jeezy this past summer. Now Marcus, is the man whose first album, Introduction to Marcus Cooper, has smash hits including “Did You Wrong”, “Boyfriend No. 2”, and “Under”. And now, Marcus is the man touring with the King of R&B, R. Kelly. Get the picture?
Ballerstatus was able to sit down with the self-proclaimed new “Bad Boy of R&B” and discuss his fallout with Pretty Ricky, the fakeness in the industry, fatherhood, and the essence of valuing life, in this tell-all interview.
Ladies, and gentlemen, here’s Pleasure P.
No – here’s Marcus Cooper.
BS: It’s been about four months since your debut album was released. If you could change anything on the album, would you? And if so, what would it be?
PP: Oh hell nah man. My album is a classic man. You know, once people actually take a listen to it, they’ll be like: “Yo – he has one of the best R&B albums out this year. You know something that’s really R&B.” So nah – I love my album. I love everything about it. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
BS: By titling your album the Introduction to Marcus Cooper, you were able to show a more close up view as to who you were as a person. Were you trying to remove the label of being Pleasure P from Pretty Ricky, or was this more of a personal thing, for people to get a closer look as to who you were?
PP: It was more of a personal thing. Being with Pretty Ricky, the personalities of the group kind of overshadowed who I was as a person. I don’t think people got the opportunity to meet that person. So, you know, I wanted to introduce them to me – to show that I have maturity – that I’m a grown up just like everybody else because life isn’t all about playing games, and all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to show them that side of me. I actually feel that as an artist, my next album – which is titled Suppertime - should have been titled the Introduction to Marcus Cooper because I’m actually connecting with music as an artist. Each album, you get better, and better, and better. You learn more. That’s what grooms you into becoming someone like a R.Kelly. This album, I’m actually connecting with music. I’m going to get a lot of stuff off my chest. I’m going to tell them like it is. You know, this album is going to be a phenomenal album.
BS: I remember reading an interview, you said you were the real quiet one, and didn’t have a personality in the group. Was that how people behind the scenes wanted you to be marketed as?
PP: Nah I used to be quiet because it was always a battle of who talked the most. Since I was the singer, I was always singled out. So, you know, maybe one rapper out of the group would get jealous or something like that. Now, when you see the group, you see the singer – he don’t talk. He don’t talk as much. And, the rapper, he always talks. That’s how they wanted the group to be. They didn’t want the singer to get all of the shine, and stuff like that. But, the singer will always get the shine when it comes to that, because there’s only one singer. So, they definitely gon’ want to hear what the singer can do. Always.
BS: Songs like “Did You Wrong”, and “Under” were real deep records (cut off by Pleasure)
PP: And they both number one records. I’m the only R&B artist out right now to this day, at this time, with two number one records on one album. Number one on Urban, and number one on the R&B charts. In my world, I’m very happy about that. “Under” touched number one a couple weeks ago, and Boyfriend 2, of course, went number one as well.
BS: Before I even pose you the question I was going to ask, do you feel you’re not receiving enough credit as far being mentioned with the Ushers, the Chris Browns, the Trey Songz etc?
PP: I definitely don’t get the credit because this was my first album. I’m the underdog. With me coming from Pretty Ricky, I’m going to be honest, it was a negative. I came in the game at a negative because I have people thinking I’m one way when I’m really not. So this album sort of solidified to people like “Oh he cool.” Now they want to see what he’s coming out with next. A lot of people didn’t even know I was solo. There’s a lot of things that comes with that. I’m not Usher. I’m not Chris Brown. I’m Pleasure P. I just started this shit. In due time, people will know, and realize that I’m real R&B. I mean, R.Kelly, he realized it – that’s why I’m on this tour. I appreciate him for giving me the opportunity to show that I’m real R&B. Everyday my motto is I’m gonna turn people into believers. And, slowly, but surely, we’re definitely doing that. I toured with Lil Wayne all summer, and I had the opportunity to perform to different types of audiences. Now, I’m on this R.Kelly tour, and this one is older, and sexy. You know, who knows? I might come back a as co-headline with Usher, and Chris Brown. You know, it’s all about introducing everybody to Marcus Cooper. You know I’m introducing everyone to him. I’m going to keep coming with hits.
BS: Being that you are on the tour with Kels, was he able to give you any type of advice?
PP: I’m at the beginning of the tour, so we didn’t really have the opportunity to build like that yet, but, I believe in the middle or the end when everything is settled, we’ll get to do that.
BS: What I was going to say before in reference to "Did You Wrong", & "Under", was that, those were real deep records. I know some artists record to just record, but were those records actually referring to past experiences in your life?
PP: Yeah they were. You know, but you lets take “Boyfriend #2”. I wrote Boyfriend #2 because I’m the type of artist who’s the new bad boy of R&B. I’m going to say whatever I want to say. You know, a lot of people to this day are scared to admit they go under – like a lot of dudes. I mean, we’re grown now. Come on now. We ain’t in school no more when that used to be nasty. I’m going to say that. You know what I’m saying? Some people won’t say it. Like “Boyfriend #2” is telling a girl “Yo? Let me be Boyfriend #2”, because she has a man who ain’t treating her right. I’m going to be the one to say that. I ain’t scared to talk to any female. If she said she has a dude, I respect that. But, at the same time, if he ain’t treating her right, then she gon’ have to be a good woman for me. I’m going to say however I feel. With this album, I feel with the experiences that I’ve been through - this new album that I’m working on – as far as the music industry, the people, how fame is, and how people just come out of the wood works expecting you to have a mentality of your own – I think his album is going to connect more with people because this is going to be the realest shit I ever wrote - Just like Pac said. This album is going to be the realest shit I ever wrote. I’m going to speak some shit that everybody can relate to. I learned in songwriting that a lot people feel like you, you just don’t think they do. I’m going to actually say the shit that people don’t say, but you really feel. Call it what you want, but I’m gonna always keep it 100 when it comes to that.
BS: You just had me thinking, why do you feel artists are so scared to be honest, and personal with certain things in their songs?
PP: Because that was how the entertainment industry was set up. Songwriters stay behind the scenes, and artists are supposed to be marketable. They want you to be marketable, but I feel like if you’re real, that should be something to market about. As long as you keep yourself separated from little kids to grown people, and as long as you keep yourself separated from setbacks, then you’ll definitely be fine. People think R&B guys have to dress a certain way. They have a whole persona of an R&B guy. They say R&B guys can’t have tattoos. They’ll tell you all kinds of stuff. Me, I’m just the type of nigga that does his thing. I just do what I want to do. That’s why I’m the bad boy of R&B. I have tattoos everywhere. I want to have tattoos everywhere. People gon’ have their thoughts, and mentalities, but mine is totally different. I came from Carver Ranches Florida, and now I’m living in Bel Air. That’s my mentality feel me? I live down the street from Eddie Murphy, and all them other people. That’s my mentality. I think that’s why R&B guys are the way that they are. Me – I’m from the streets. There’s no doubt about that. I ain’t trying to make my whole R&B career based off that. I definitely don’t forget where I come from, but I just kind of feel like, it is what it is man. The shit is what you get.
BS: I always thought artists were scared to make certain moves in fear of what the label might have thought.
PP: And that’s what I’m saying. It’s the label – the people behind the scenes. And, honestly, for some of them, it ain’t even within them. There’s some rappers that don’t even have it in them. I know I could beat the shit out of them, because rappers they deserve that man. Niggas going to look at me because I’m an R&B cat, and sing R&B. I don’t want them to look at me like that, but if a rapper even did a diss record on me, it’s gonna be a problem – a real personal problem. I don’t talk back and forth on records. I don’t believe in it. Women do that.
BS: You right. Do you ever feel because you are an R&B singer, a lot of rappers characterize you as a soft?
PP: Yeah they do. They be like “I’m a gangsta rapper. I’m that” Man I don’t give a fuck. I’ve been through the same things you’ve been through, and probably even more than you’ve been through honestly. I don’t carry myself nor walk around like that, but, the day that it ever comes that a rapper tries to diss me on a record, that’s when I’m going to introduce his ass to Marcus Cooper. Feel me? A lot of rappers man, they hide behind security, but me, win or lose, I’m going to go all the way. I’m the type of person – if you lock me in a room one on one, come see what happens. I mean with none of your homeboys around. Let’s do it head-on. I’m from that school. I’ll shoot another man a fair fight without anybody around. A lot of these niggas don’t do that no more. A lot of rappers and people don’t do that no more. Niggas wanna be about gunplay now. That’s their mentality.
BS: Do you feel in rappers in particular follow that mold?
PP: Man, honestly, and truthfully, I don’t like to expose people because that would be a contradiction of what I said. Honestly, that would be like a diss record, where niggas just say names. I don’t name drop in interviews. If a person has a problem with me, you gon’ know about it. That’s all I gotta say.
BS: You’ve mentioned the phrase “Bad Boy of R&B” a couple of times during this interview, and a lot of people have referred Bobby Brown as that. Do you feel a lot of people might try misinterpreting that, and start saying, “Oh, he’s trying to be another Bobby.”
PP: Nah I’m trying to be me. I ain’t trying to be Bobby. I respect Bobby. I love his music, and stuff, but I’m just trying to be me. You’re talking to me right now, and the bad boy of R&B is a mentality. It’s something than more or less what you did. For me to have sense to say: “Man I’m not going to namedrop.” That’s what a bad boy does. Those niggas would name drop for attention and recognition. That’s gay and lame. You know what I’m saying? People do that everyday, and people go out and support these people. I don’t know why. I mean I don’t respect them no way. I treat them like the men that they are. I don’t say nothing to them. I just keep it moving, because they don’t pay my bills. It don’t make no difference in my life. I’m going to keep making records, and I’m going to keep doing my thing,
BS:I know you’re a little tense, so I want touch on something that’s more important to you, and that’s you being a father.
PP: Yeah man I’m a father. I’m definitely a father. I’m a father of a 5 year-old.
BS: What would you want your son to take away from you not only being a musician, but more importantly, as a person at the end of the day.
PP: I just want him to take my teachings. If I had to die a couple of years from now, I’d just want him to take my teachings, and my manly qualities. You know what I mean? I’d want him to take the mentality of not having a small mind like me. Where I was from, I only knew ten streets. Going out of town for me was three hours away to go to my auntie house in Bradington in Miami. So, I’d just want him to just know the world is bigger than that, and not to have a small town mentality. A lot of people have small town mentality, not knowing, there’s more out there. Instead of spending your money, trying to impress these girls in the club, take your money, and travel somewhere. See something different. Hopefully, that’ll make you some money. You might meet somebody, and run into somebody, if you do something. You know, just to have that mentality, to know not to name drop, to know not to do certain things. I want my son to be that man.
BS: You know what it is pleasure? A lot of artists try to expose their kids so early in the game, and it doesn’t necessarily pan out. How do you prevent yourself from exposing your son to the entertainment business with all the negatives swirling around?
PP: Oh, I don’t. I don’t expose him to the entertainment business at all Carl. He grew up like a normal child. He goes to school. To me, when he sees me, it’s daddy, not Pleasure P. I keep that separate. I keep that totally separate. It’s a tough world out there. I just want him to know the things that he needs to know in due time, so when he does become an adult, he’ll know how to handle certain situations. If I’m not around, and daddy gone, he could say: “I know how to do this, because daddy taught me how to do this. Daddy taught me to be private when it comes to girls because these niggas that’s supposed to be my friends, gon’ get after the girl, and spray me.” My son will know all of my teachings man.
BS: I know women throw themselves at you since you’re a celebrity. But, because you have a son, how do you avoid making potential slip-ups, and be a good model in terms of females?
PP: Man, my son is too different. My son is living two different worlds than me. He lives in the I’m daddy, not Pleasure P world. He don’t know nothing of what I do with females, and stuff like that. Honestly though, I’ve been keeping it cool. I used to mess with a lot of females during my Pretty Ricky days, but now it’s kind of tiring and boring. It’s just like how being in the club is tired, and boring now. How many times can I go in the club, and pop bottles of Ace of Spades? It’s just boring on. You have to do better things with your money, and time, other than, make the club a lot of money. We do that. We think that’s going to bring women towards us more by being the freshest people. But, if you think about it, your ass was just sitting at the table the entire night, spending 10Gs, and you didn’t get any women because you were sitting at the table thinking the women were going to come. Now, the nigga that be at the bar, he’s the one that’s getting all of the women man. (laughs) At the end of the day, the nigga who was at the bar is getting all the women. He’s on the date with the girl, while you’re on the phone with your accountant like: “Where my money?”
BS: You’re not lying man.
PP: Yeah. I’m not fascinated with that no more man. People live for that – not me. I could say I did that. I have an old soul.
BS: Safe to say money doesn’t define you?
PP: Money definitely doesn’t define me man. That don’t make you happy. You could do all that stuff, but you won’t be happy. There’ always going to be something you’re missing. You could buy anything in the world, but there’s always going to be something you’re going to complain about, or don’t have.
No comments:
Post a Comment