Detroit Rap City

P-Live released his debut record earlier this year, but he already knows how to party right. He shot the video for his hit “Fresh 2 Def” at the Penthouse Club in his hometown of Detroit.
By Rebecca Swanner

Isaiah Perkins, better known as P-Live, has had a deep connection to music his entire life. He was raised by his single mother and his grandmother on the east side of Detroit, and while his uncle was playing bass in a local band and his mother, sisters, and grandmother were belting it out in choir, he was laying down rhymes atop fresh beats. After he creamed the competition at the Roc-A-Fella Records’ Rock the Mic Battle in 2004, he continued to dominate freestyle battles, then signed with Protekted Records, a local indie label. This summer he released his well-received debut, Coming to You Live, with the help of producers who have worked with Obie Trice and Lloyd Banks. And while P-Live’s roots are undoubtedly in Detroit, his appeal is universal. As he puts it, “I have a Detroit mind-set, a New York flow, and a West Coast vibe. I tried to touch as many varieties of music and people as I could.”

P-Live is already at work on his next album, as well as writing songs for other artists. This summer the rising star shared the stage with some well-known rappers, including Rick Ross and Soulja Boy, as part of Summer Jam; he appeared on the MTV Music Awards; and he’s spent the past few months on tour with other major headliners.

How did you get started as a rapper?
My uncles listened to Run-DMC and stuff like that. When I got to middle school, I started hearing Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Nas. I liked the beats more than anything. From there, I started writing raps and freestyling.

How did you decide to make music your career?
I was receiving offers from a lot of labels, and I got into a lot of events and met a lot of people and, at some point, I realized I must be doing something really good. I started having conversations with people like Russell Simmons. He was the one who told me, you gotta create a buzz for yourself. Ever since that conversation, that’s what I’ve been doing.

How has Detroit’s hip-hop community changed in the past few years?
The battle scene has definitely picked up. Now everyone is trying to be “that artist.” Everyone wants to be “that guy” from Detroit. The competition is real strong here.

How do you take charge in a battle?
Creativity, sharp punch lines, and the ability to not fold under pressure. I just tune the other guy out. A lot of the guys get caught up in what the other guy said to them and the crowd, and it throws them off. Don’t listen to that guy; sit there and figure out how you’re going to take that guy apart. And then, when they say go, do it.

You’ve performed with a lot of wellknown hip-hop guys. Who have you most enjoyed sharing the stage with?
The tour with Mobb Deep was interesting. It was my first time ever seeing Mobb Deep up close and in person. We did a tour in Winnipeg, Canada, and they rocked out and the audience gave me so much support. That was my first tour, and to have people shout back and know the words to my stuff was amazing.

Was your song “Good 2 U” inspired by anything going on in your life?
Definitely [laughs]. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty favored by women. I’ve gotten an earful of what a guy is supposed to be like and what he’s not supposed to be like. And when I was getting out and dating before I got married, I saw a lot of things a woman should do as well. It’s a two-way street.

You shot your video for “Fresh 2 Def” at the Penthouse Club in Detroit. What’s the song about?
The producer hit me with a real uptempo track, and I said, “This sounds like runway music.” I started thinking of all the flashy stuff I’d seen on Rodeo Drive and thinking Fresh 2 Def. Image is everything in this business.

Why did you choose the Penthouse Club? Had you been there before?
Oh, yeah. The lighting was amazing. When I first went there, I thought the stage was awesome. The martini glass, the way the bikes drop down, and knowing Alan [the owner], I was like, Why not bring the idea to him?

What kind of girls do you go for?
I’m a fan of beautiful women. I don’t have a specific type, as long as when she opens her mouth she doesn’t say anything stupid. I love intelligence and I love class. Sometimes that goes further than looks.

Any good club advice?
Be nice. Be yourself. I think guys go wrong if they try to formulate game or think of a catchy line. Just say hi. Start
off with the basics. Be a gentleman. And don’t be desperate.