Yo! Raps caught up with Lil Chuckee to talk about how he got into hip hop, what it’s like working with Lil Wayne and how a brotherly joke turned into a viral controversy. You can read the interview below, and also view some pics of Chuckee and Bigman at the 2520NYC photo shoot!

State your name and where you’re from?

Lil Chuckee and I’m from New Orleans, Calliope.

What was your first encounter with the hip-hop culture?

Before I was born, my mom was rapping. My dad was into rapping too. By the time I was here, I was surrounded by music.

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Yo! Raps caught up with both ladies while they were out on the road trekking the country with Lil Wayne on his super-successful America’s Most Wanted Tour…

When did you all first discover your love for music?

SNL: As long as I can remember. I’ve always loved music.

Nicki Minaj: I’ve always loved music. My mother sang all the time when I was little. I loved singing as well. Eventually, the bad girl in me began to surface, I guess, and then rapping became my thang.

So, who else influenced you all to do what you love to do, which is perform music?

SNL: I listened to some of everything. Some of my influences are Lil Kim, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Wu-Tang Clan.

Nicki Minaj: LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, DMX, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown.

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New Orleans, Louisiana, is the hometown of Jermaine “Mack Maine” Preyan. Growing up in the 17th Ward, the Hollygrove section of the city, Young Maine, as he was known then, always had aspirations for doing music. Fortunately, through his childhood friend, the now superstar Hip-Hop entity known as, Lil Wayne, those dreams have since come to fruition.

As the latest act to emerge from Weezy’s fledgling Young Money Entertainment imprint, Maine, who cites, in no particular order, the late Soulja Slim, UNLV, The Hot Boyz, the whole Cash Money movement, 2Pac and Biggie as major influences, definitely looks to be the next rap sensation — Welcome to the Mack Maine show!

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