Jamati: You have a new project with G. Kofi Annan called ‘Bling Is Dead’ which is trying to influence people’s ideas of how they view diamonds. How is that project going and what are the plans for 2008?

“Bling is Dead” is a project started between me and Kofi Annan; there are many levels to the organization.

On the first level, we as young Africans were dissatisfied by the negative portrayal of Africans in the media the world over. It is 2007 and people still view us as less, and as sub- human, even here in America, even amongst African-Americans. Surprisingly, people actually think that Africa is like “Coming to America“, and we walk around with stuffed tigers over our shoulders. We decided as young African men that we want to change the perception of Africa and show a new Africa. We also wanted to show how we are making moves in music, fashion and the arts.

‘Bling is Dead’, is a statement that all the excess jewelry that people are buying has a big consequence for our people in Africa. We are not trying to say don’t buy diamonds, but we are trying to say, “Take a look at what you are buying into, and look at the lives that it is affecting.” Excess materialism is a huge disease, and we are saying that, that’s whack now; ‘Bling is Dead’.

Jamati: Did the ‘Bling is Dead’ project prompt you to revisit the project with Kanye West and release your latest song expressing regrets?

I think it was not just the ‘Bling is Dead’ project that made me revisit the diamond situation. I think for me it is the whole thing of celebrities and big corporations pimping Africa. Its seems to me that so many celebrities and cooperations, when its convenient for them, wanna save the poor, poor children of Africa. But when their movie or project comes out, that’s the last we hear about their concern for Africa.

This year it was amazing to see how many save-this or lets-raise-money campaigns came out. I felt that Africa became the new fad this year. I praise organizations that are not out for their own gain but that are really for the cause.

In regards to Kanye, I recorded ‘Tell me something‘ because I think it was time. When I was needed for the narration for ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone‘ they had no problem calling me and trying to rush me to come down to the studio. When I left, it was like, “Yeah, we’ll get back to you,”and then I never heard from him. While I was there it wasn’t a problem for Kanye to ask me a million and one questions about Sierra Leone and what he thought they wanted to hear lyrically for the remix he was doing. The next thing I know, the ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone ‘ video is out with my voice on it and credits at the end of the video without my name on it. The funny thing is, I think everybody but me was really mad; like really pissed. But I’m cool like that. I was just like, “Nah, leave it alone and just do what I do–work and grind harder”. I remember being interviewed by a lady from Germany and she asked me the Kanye question, and she was mad. I felt that, again, people were jumping on a situation that, to them, adds to their publicity and hype. After the smoke clears, if you’re still wearing even bigger diamonds than before, and talking even more about the rocks you got, then, to me, thats crazy.

I had to push back my song called ‘Blood Diamonds‘ because I didn’t want it coming out when his song was out, because people would turn around and say I’m jumping on the bandwagon. What you should do is put the two songs together–Chosan’s ‘Blood Diamonds‘ which is still on my myspace page, and Kanye’s ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone‘ and decide for yourself whose song was real, and written from the heart, and whose is better lyrically.

So I said I would keep doing what Chosan does. When I saw the video for ‘You can’t tell me othing‘ I felt that it was a slap in the face with Lambourghinis in the desert racing around. I decided to stand up after all the hype from the last album came and went, so I would not appear as just some kind of mad rapper. So like I said, “Kanye, tell me something.”

Jamati: African Hip-Hop is growing in leaps and bounds and the artists are beginning to draw the attention of the international world. Do you have any plans to perform in Africa, where you have a huge following? Are there any African rappers that you think have real potential on the
continent?

I can’t wait for the day I can go back to Africa and perform, I think that it would be one of the greatest days of my life. I also feel that I would have come back full circle, because, for those of you that don’t know, I was born in Africa and spent a good amount of time out there. For me to be able to come back and perform would show a lot of kids that anything is possible, and that you are not defined by the situations or surroundings you are born into. I am so proud and happy I was born in Africa (or what they call the third world). It has given me a burning fire in my heart to do well and achieve big things for myself, my family, and my people. I think Africa is really going to be the next big thing, because there’s a whole different sound and story thats coming out of there that is so different from the commercial, formula-driven music that is out now.

I am real proud of the Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars. Every time they come out to New York I go support those brothers. They really escaped that whole war and got a chance to share their story with the whole world. That’s beautiful.

Jamati: Are there any new projects in the works for 2008?

I’m looking foward to 2008. At the beginning of the year I have a song on a U2 tribute compilation coming out that I’m real excited about. I have got a couple of auditions for some small roles (I have always been into acting from a young age. Music just swallowed me up).

My custom design company ‘PaintSoul‘ is doing really well; we managed to do over a hundred or so exclusive pieces in the first 4 months which I am really proud of. I think I will be doing a lot of the college shows next year and I will continue working alongside African Underground and L.I.B.B productions.

I have a couple of deals on the table but, because I have been in control for so long, I am taking my time and making sure I choose the right one. Finally, I am very excited about the after-school program I work in, in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. It has really taken off and I’m doing great work with a bunch of crazy, and beautiful, tough kids in regards to song writing, performance, and creative expressions. This is actually is one of my proudest projects because seeing the effect it has on some really tough kids in a real hard urban environment, makes me happy right now. When I see their smiles, that’s my Grammy and my MTV award right there.. Also expect a bunch of great music.

To learn more about Chosan visit his website or his myspace page.