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E Ness Opens Up About His Time Collaborating with Diddy
E.Ness rapper and battle MC hailing from Philadelphia, recently sat down with O’god from the popular platform Hip Hop News Uncensored and co-host SamAnt from Viral Hip Hop News for a revealing interview. The rapper took this opportunity to discuss none other than his experiences working with hip-hop mogul Diddy.
For those unfamiliar with Ness’s background, he gained fame as a participant on Diddy’s MTV reality show Making the Band 2 from 2002 to 2004. During the show, Ness engaged in an intense on-camera a cappella rap battle with fellow Da Band member Jae Millz, making it one of the more prominent examples of a cappella battle rap in mainstream media at the time. Despite the group’s disbandment, Ness continued to make a name for himself in the battle rap scene, competing on some of the biggest platforms such as King of the Dot, URL, Rare Breed Entertainment, Don’t Flop, Gates of the Garden, and Grind Time Now.
In his recent interview, Ness began by expressing his gratitude for being in the music business during this era, stating that the industry now offers more financial opportunities for younger artists compared to when he was at his peak.
Reflecting on his early days in Philly, Ness recalled that the city has a rich musical history, spanning from the sounds of Philadelphia with Gamble and Huff to the Neo-Soul movement. However, when it came to hip-hop, Philadelphia was an intensely competitive and gritty environment. With limited resources and opportunities, aspiring artists had to be exceptional to stand out. This led to the rise of the battle rap scene, where MCs could showcase their skills and prove their worth.
Ness talked about how he knew music producer Black Key when he was young. Black Key helped him a lot with his talent in Southwest Philadelphia. He also mentioned that he went to the same school as Cassidy, who is another famous rapper from Philly. He remembered seeing rap battles in the school lunchroom and other places.
As the conversation turned to his time on Making the Band, Ness hinted at the challenges of working with Diddy. He exposed the reality of being under Puffy’s wing, saying, “You couldn’t say no to a guy like Diddy!” It appeared that Puffy had a lot of power and control, which made it hard for artists to share their thoughts or make choices that didn’t match his ideas.
As the conversation continued, Ness shared candid insights into the world of reality television. He acknowledged that Making the Band had both positive and negative aspects. While the show was a blessing in disguise and provided a platform to showcase his talent, it also presented challenges. Ness described how they were subjected to intense auditions, where they had to endure days without sleep or food.
The conversation then turned toward the portrayal of Black artists in reality TV and the creation of storylines for entertainment purposes. Ness acknowledged that reality TV often involves scripted or edited scenarios, and he pointed out that this has been a common practice for years. He made it clear that it’s important to know that entertainment is like a business where they put on a show. They often manipulate things to make it more interesting for people to watch.
When Ness talked about his time on Making the Band, he explained that it’s normal for people to have disagreements when they spend a lot of time together. However, he mentioned that the entertainment business thrives on drama and excitement, solely focused on keeping the audience entertained to boost ratings.
Ness expressed: “That episode where me and Fred fought, we actually beat out ‘The Osbournes’ on that episode. So once we created that kind of rivalry, it was encouraged to have more fights.”
As the interview continued, Ness spoke about his post-Making the Band career. Despite the group’s disbandment, he, Chopper City, and Fred were selected to stay on a probationary period with Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. This period allowed him to continue making music and collaborate with renowned producers, such as Hitmen, Fat Yogi, and D-Dot.
Moreover, Ness revealed that he secured two deals out of his association with Diddy, one with the Atlantic Records imprint, and the other with Universal Music Group.
In the talk with O’god and SamAnt, Ness told the story of his path from joining the hip-hop group “Making the Band” to being part of the battle rap scene. He explained how his rap battle with Jae Mills on the show helped him secure his place in the group and his plans to become a solo artist.
Ness talked about how the music industry has changed a lot. Nowadays, artists can become famous and successful by posting viral stuff on social media. It’s different from how things used to be, where artists had to go through a more traditional process to get noticed and developed.
The MC also mentioned his time in the music industry and dealing with contracts. He knew that the music business can be tough and competitive. He said it’s crucial to be smart about business, always on time, and look professional to do well. He also mentioned the difficulties he faced when he was very famous and how he managed the good and bad times in his career.
The interview touched on the passing of the legendary DMX, with Ness expressing his admiration for the late rapper and how his struggles and story resonated with him personally.
When it comes to the current state of hip-hop in Philadelphia, Ness mentioned some upcoming talented artists, OT The Real and Leaf Ward, to look out for. He pointed out the success of artists like Cassidy in the battle rap scene and the impact he’s had on the hip-hop community.
The interview ended with Ness talking about his upcoming music projects where he’s teaming up with different artists like Benny The Butcher, Method Man, Vado, Jadakiss, and other big names in the industry.
In the interview hosted by O’god and SamAnt, we got a glimpse into E. Ness’s experiences in the music industry, his views on the state of hip-hop today, and what he plans to do next as an artist.