First Cousins is made up of, C. Masino, aka Gustapo and Joseph Genovese, or simply Genovese. Laying down hard rap and spitting their outer-borough street sagas of hustle, trust, honor, respect and loyalty, Genovese, a Yonkers native, and Gustapo, of Queens, have known each other since birth and have each spent a decade in the rap game.
1. What inspired you to get into hip hop?
Gustapo: I have had a love for music my entire life. Growing up listening to the Classic Rock my parents were playing, or the Disco some of my uncles were into I was immediately attached to the hiphop sound with the fusion of samples and drum machine rhythms. The story lines of the rap was something that provoked thought, whether about party life, street life or simply just bragadocious verbiage about how great you were on the microphone. Graffiti was something that was also running wild in the five boros and a lot of my friends were into that part of the culture. I have always liked to draw but I never really got into that seriously. The entire crew aspect of hip hop was just something that came natural to the people I grew up with, it is just a reflection of the times I guess, had I grown up in the 50s or 60s maybe I would have been into something else.. but in the 80s.. and 90s its all about hiphop.
Genovese: Growing up listening to run dmc, ll cool j, nwa, epmd, kool g rap, rakim, i loved the music and how everybody had a different story and a different style…i didn’t know i had a talent till i tried writing and then that was that…never turned back
2. If you were a super hero, what powers would you choose and what would be your name?
Gustapo: I am a super hero already, I can see into the future and have the ability to stay awake for days on end. I can astral project and travel the universe without being seen or heard. My name is PsychicMetaSomniac and I am watching you. Aka PMS i have an emotional effect on females and sometimes get them really pissed off at me, ask my wife.
Genovese: I would be “ForTheHood” and i would have the power to take money from rich cats that don’t help the broke cats, like go into there accounts or pockets on the low and get the hood right.
3. If you could deck a famous person in public and get away with it, who would it be?
Gustapo: George Bush
Genovese: Pedro Martinez
4. If you were approached to do a reality show, what would be the name of it?
Gustapo: This Aint Friends.. Its Family!!!
Genovese: From the Outside Lookin In
5. Your girl caught you leaving the theater with another girl. Give me your best lie.
Gustapo: She is a casting agent and wants me to be in the sequel to this movie, so I was researching the film.
Genovese: I aint gonna lie to her, im gonna tell her that its over for u, i gotta new boo
5. What do you love and hate about hip hop?
Gustapo: I love most everything about hip hop. I can say that I do hate some of the recent music ive been hearing when it seems like everyone is aiming for the same sound.. for example the whole autotune thing. That shit don’t fly with me, I mean that’s original disrespect.. that’s biting.. and that used to be forbidden.
Genovese: I love what it used to be when i was comin up, when it was about talent and being different, when u can listen to a whole album intro to outro…when it was about lyrics and not being a follower…nowadays everybody follows and everythings r&b, and they still get accepted, its ok to follow now…i still love the game in general, but not the people in it
6. What’s the dopest shit about your city?
Gustapo: Cmon man.. im from QUEENS.. NYC.. what the hell aint dope about my city???
Genovese: My city is fukin crazy, u know a cat is from yonkers right when u start talkin to him…we got our own slang, our own style…and we like the united nations, u can have a club full of yonkers cats and u will have black, italian, irish, arabs, puerto ricans, dominicans, shits crazzyyy…if u aint from yonkers u probably wont even understand us and think we crazy till u get to know us a lil bit.
The First Cousins’ debut album, “THIS AINT FRIENDS…ITS FAMILY”, will be released on ILLSEED Entertainment and distributed through Sony in the Spring of 2009.
Site: www.firstcousinsmusic.com
Here’s their single ‘Worked Our Whole Life For This’.
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