Felony: It Would Be a Crime Not to Listen

Every Friday, Rocks Off will beam hip-hop artists into our demented, imaginary, incredibly witty, fantasy world of pretend scenarios. We predict it'll soon be known as a feared interrogation of hip-hop artists, revealing their innermost thoughts and desires. In reality, it's just a fucking cool Q&A.

If you are going to rap over a Drake track, you better come with it. Northside rapper, 24-year-old Kenneth Young, better known as Felony, did just that. So did he come with it? Do you think we'd be wasting our time writing this if he didn't come with it?

If you follow us religiously, then you saw in Monday's Mix Bag a video of Felony spitting fire on Drake's beat from "Forever." We're not huge fans of hearing people rap on other people's beats, but history has shown it can be done well. Coast, Stunta and Lucky Luciano did it all over NAWF 2 and Felony was able to get us to listen to his version of "Forever" all the way through.

So we had to get his 6'5" ass in The Hot Seat. That's right, he's 6'5". He stands tall and so does his music.

Rocks Off: God comes down to earth one day and says to you "Felony, you can no longer rap, but I will make you a star, but you have to choose between country music and being a violinist." What do you do?

Felony: Mayne, I'm gonna have to go with country music. It sells more than hip-hop. I can hit that boot-scootin' boogie all day on their ass and [sing] about punching my wife in the eye. Violins give me nightmares anyway.

RO: MTV calls you one day and says you were chosen to battle Eminem on national television, today - not five years from now. If you decline, they won't make anything public and move on to another artist. What do you do? And who would win?

F: OK, number one, I back down from nobody. Number two, I always win; even if I do lose in the battle, he still has to walk to the car. This ain't 8 Mile. That would've ended differently.

You know what, I'd just rather not battle Eminem. I still want to make music with that boy.

RO: Why did you pick the name Felony? Why not Misdemeanor?

F: Because that's a minor crime. I like to think of myself as a major crime to hip-hop. I was given the name by a relative, saying what I do on this mike is a felony, saying I go [federal] and what not. It stuck with me. It used to be Young Felony. I used [Young] because that's my real last name, but many people just used it because it sounds cool so I took it off.

RO: Why should this saturated Houston hip-hop scene pay attention to Felony?

F: It's saturated with a lot of lame and untruthful people. It needs a new breath of fresh air. I'm not one of these people who complain about the way hip-hop is, but if you don't get with the times and make hit music, you'll find yourself 40 years old and still complaining. It doesn't matter what you don't like. Get money and be comfortable with who you are and what you do. I do, every day.

Fuck with the real and I'm as real as they come. People see my tall black ass coming a mile away, as you should, because in music, I'm coming. All I need is my daughter, a microphone and the circle of real niggas I'm around. I'll shit on any other artists who stand in my way. You won't mention that top five artists and MCs or entertainers, in general, without mentioning my fuckin' name. Felony.