[FLASH]http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/qEC12ieb8TI[/FLASH]
AllHipHop.com: So, Floyd you officially dropped the moniker “Pretty Boy” and replaced it with “Money.”
Floyd Mayweather: Pretty Boy Floyd isn’t my name any more—they keep calling me that. But my name is Floyd “Money” Mayweather. It’s Money Mayweather, until the day I die. When you say the Mayweather name, it’s about money. When you’re talking Mayweather, you’re talking money.
AllHipHop.com: Recently you were a participant in the ABC Network series “Dancing With The Stars” and got eliminated in the fourth round, what was that experience like?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, it had me upset at first but I got over it. It was a great experience. I wish I could do it again, but I’m told they only let you do it once. My advisor Leonard Ellerbe worked on that deal for over a year. It was an amazing show. I was basically letting people from the urban communities know that it’s okay to step outside the box and try something different. Everything isn’t always based upon Hip-Hop and R&B. I’m not too hardcore to go on “Dancing With The Stars.” I’m not afraid to go on network television every week and expose myself to a different audience consisting of 20 or 30 million viewers and not have to be on pay-per-view to do it.
AllHipHop.com: You recently had a meeting with Barack Obama, how did that go?
Floyd Mayweather: I can’t talk about it because it was confidential. No disrespect. I can’t discuss what we spoke about. The HBO crew was with me filming “24/7” and they had to turn the cameras off. But, I can say this. It was great to see a man who comes from the same background as me doing such big things. I am encouraging voters from the ages of 18-34 to get out there and vote.
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of big things, your recently showed off your house on TV - pretty impressive.
Floyd Mayweather: When I first moved to Vegas I lived on Flamingo and Cobalt Lane at the Meridian. It was a luxury apartment. I was sitting on about half a million. When Tupac was murdered it occurred on the corner where I lived. The crib I have now is 12,000 square feet and everything is paid for. The majority of the cars are paid for. A couple of them we lease just to keep our credit right, but we don’t have to. The last Maybach (62) I bought I spent 411 thousand, cash. The McClaren I spent half million cash on. Whatever I want I go out there and buy. I’m not a rapper who’s on an album talking about it. You got a lot of rappers that just talk about it. But me, I really live it. Not to knock what rappers talk about. But, I really own my own my 12,000 square-foot mansion. I really own these cars. All of this stuff is paid for. I really got eight figures liquid cash. I’m not far from $100 million—at all.
AllHipHop.com: So how’s everything working out with your record label, Philthy Rich Records.
Floyd Mayweather: With my record label Philthy Rich Records what we’re trying to do is scout talent and get them deals with major labels. As far as signing rappers to a deal—it just don’t work like that anymore. Rappers are not loyal at all! My history goes back to the first rapper I signed, Dirt Bomb. He was underground. He couldn’t accept the fact that labels didn’t want to take him because his music was too underground. He just couldn’t take it. He went on about his business and we went on about our business. We have H-Flo from Cleveland, Ohio and Baggz Lombardi from Atlantic City, NJ signed to us. They’re exceptional rappers. Earl Hayes is another rapper who we spent tons of money on. He signed with Dr. Dre and Interscope. Dr. Dre and Interscope are not good business men, but great business men. We’re interested in helping Chilli from TLC get her project out there. She got one hell of a project. She’s also a close friend of mine.
AllHipHop.com: I came across your rap video on the internet. Since when did you start rapping?
Floyd Mayweather: I don’t call it rapping. I call it s**t talking. I got too much money to be a rapper. You saw it. It wasn’t nothing but a freestyle on there. I was playing around. I had a Floyd Mayweather weekend. A DJ from Atlanta came out here. He brought his guy out here that had a camcorder. He asked me if it was alright if he recorded some of me partying and talking for a youtube contest. I said, ‘No problem!’ I told him I just wanted to see it first. He agreed. The next thing you know this guy went out there and made up any type of video that he wanted to make up and went put it up on youtube. I was highly upset, because we got plans on shooting a real video for the song.
AllHipHop.com: Ok, so tell me about the song?
Floyd Mayweather: It’s called "Yep," some people spell it "Yup." However you wanna spell it is how you spell it. Everything I’m taking about on the song is real. The hook goes like this, “1 to the 2, 2 to the 3, these hating ass niggas can’t fuck with me. It’s like 4 to the 5, 5 to the 6, these hatin’ ass niggas all in my mix.” I’m sticking to the basic ABCs and 123s. I’m not trying to go all outside the box. I’m talking about what’s real and what I really got. It’s no fronting where I come from. I come from the Southeast Side [of Grand Rapids, Michigan].
AllHipHop.com: I know you have referred to 50 Cent as one of your best friends. Did he have any influence on your decision to rap or shit talk?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be in the video for my single. If not that doesn’t change our friendship. 50 Cent is an icon in the Hip-Hop world just as I am in the sport of boxing. I look at myself as an entertainer. I don’t want to label myself as just a fighter. Just being an A-lister and talking with 50 Cent, he’s very intelligent and he’s one hell of a business man. 50 Cent heard my song and told me, ‘Floyd I thought you was going to be bull shittin’ with the music. But after hearing your song, you can really do this.’ It made me feel good. Now I’m ready to o go out there and shit talk, trash talk or whatever they want to call it. I’m not a rapper. I got to much money to be a rapper.
(See, Money Mayweather’s “Yep” and continue reading below the video as the story continues.)
AllHipHop.com: So after 50 Cent said that he liked what you were doing did that boost your confidence?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, he didn’t say it was bad, he didn’t say it was great. He just said, ‘You shocked me with this song. He said it’s a cool song. He told me that he was going to ghost write a couple of songs for my album. I said, ‘No problem.’ Look what he did for Game, Lloyd Banks, the list goes on and on. Look what he did for the whole G-Unit.
AllHipHop.com: What’s on your playlist right now?
AllHipHop.com: Keyshia Cole. She’s the hottest. She’s fire. And my boy from around my way, Willie The Kid, we bumpin' him too. He’s truly amazing. I don’t care what they say. Right now, if I had to choose one of the hottest rappers out there, it’s gotta be Willie The Kid. I would really love to do business with him.
AllHipHop.com: I agree. Willie The Kid is a great rapper. There appears to be quite a bit of talent in your hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan, these days.
Floyd Mayweather: That’s the best kept secret for talent. It’s a city that’s slept on. If someone’s looking for rappers, that’s a city that’s slept on! If there’s 20 of them on the block, 19 of them rap and the other one will make a beat.
AllHipHop.com: I already know. The murder rate and crime rate in Grand Rapids is also unbelievable.
Floyd Mayweather: I feel bad that a lot of kids call my city Gun Ru, because they say the gun rules the city. I like to call it G Rap because I say the Gs like to rap. We’re going to try and get my city back on the parallel path. We got the Floyd Mayweather Foundation trying to give back to the city, so we can keep everything like it’s supposed to be. We’re trying to preach to the kids about being positive and not negative, and not killing anyone that looks like you, talk to people in a respectful manner, and just get along. We feed battered woman and children and we give to people that are less fortunate.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve talked about living seven-deep in a one bedroom apartment for a period of time as a kid, when you’re sitting in your pool or in your house do you ever reflect on the times you were a disadvantaged youth?
Floyd Mayweather: All the time. My friends keep me grounded. I don’t really change up. I try to keep positive friends around. It feels more comfortable when I have friends around that come from the same background that I come from, ‘cause they can relate to me better. They can understand the struggle. That makes them want to go out there and strive harder and be on a mission and be a go getter. Life isn’t all about materialistic things.
AllHipHop.com: When you went to England for the press conference with Hatton it appeared that you were facing possibly one of the toughest, most irate crowds ever. Do you think that was one of the most challenging crowds you’ve had to confront?
Floyd Mayweather: You have to realize a crowd can’t get in there in fight for a fighter. A fighter must go out there and execute the game plan that he’s taught and that’s told to him.
AllHipHop.com: So when Ricky Hatton was makes fun of your participation in “Dancing With The Stars,” do his taunts aggravate you or make you wanna to get at him even harder?
Floyd Mayweather: Nah, not at all. He’s entitled to say what he wants to. I’m not worried about him saying me being on “Dancing With The Stars” was weak. It’s just that I’m versatile and he’s not. He’s just one-dimensional. I’m an entertainer. I’m able to do movies. I’m able to box. I’m able to play basketball; I’m able to play football. When you say Ricky Hatton, he only labeled as a boxer. Who is Ricky Hatton? He’s just a boxer. That’s it! I can make millions outside the box. I’m a chameleon. I can adapt to any environment. Something Ricky Hatton can’t do.
AllHipHop.com: Not too long ago you felt like you weren’t given the credit that you deserved as a fighter. Do you still feel the same way?
Floyd Mayweather: I’m six time world champion in five different weight classes. What’s done in the dark has to come to the light. Great talent has to show. That’s why they can’t deny.
AllHipHop.com: Most of the so-called experts seem to vote in your favor regarding the upcoming fight with Hatton. In the past there’s usually been tons of speculation about you winning. Now there appears to be no doubt, what so ever, that you’re going to take it. How do you feel about that?
Floyd Mayweather: Because I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk. Being involved with the sport for 20 years, dedicating myself to the sport, it’s truly amazing to do the things that I’ve done and dominate that sport of boxing. I’m going to continue to do me and just be me and respect every competitor involved in the sport—you can’t deny God given talent. Ricky Hatton is considered the best fighter in England. I’m the best fighter in world. He says he’s going to beat me, but that’s what the last 38 guys have said and you see what happened to them. He should be lucky that I’m even giving him this opportunity.
AllHipHop.com: So, Floyd you officially dropped the moniker “Pretty Boy” and replaced it with “Money.”
Floyd Mayweather: Pretty Boy Floyd isn’t my name any more—they keep calling me that. But my name is Floyd “Money” Mayweather. It’s Money Mayweather, until the day I die. When you say the Mayweather name, it’s about money. When you’re talking Mayweather, you’re talking money.
AllHipHop.com: Recently you were a participant in the ABC Network series “Dancing With The Stars” and got eliminated in the fourth round, what was that experience like?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, it had me upset at first but I got over it. It was a great experience. I wish I could do it again, but I’m told they only let you do it once. My advisor Leonard Ellerbe worked on that deal for over a year. It was an amazing show. I was basically letting people from the urban communities know that it’s okay to step outside the box and try something different. Everything isn’t always based upon Hip-Hop and R&B. I’m not too hardcore to go on “Dancing With The Stars.” I’m not afraid to go on network television every week and expose myself to a different audience consisting of 20 or 30 million viewers and not have to be on pay-per-view to do it.
AllHipHop.com: You recently had a meeting with Barack Obama, how did that go?
Floyd Mayweather: I can’t talk about it because it was confidential. No disrespect. I can’t discuss what we spoke about. The HBO crew was with me filming “24/7” and they had to turn the cameras off. But, I can say this. It was great to see a man who comes from the same background as me doing such big things. I am encouraging voters from the ages of 18-34 to get out there and vote.
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of big things, your recently showed off your house on TV - pretty impressive.
Floyd Mayweather: When I first moved to Vegas I lived on Flamingo and Cobalt Lane at the Meridian. It was a luxury apartment. I was sitting on about half a million. When Tupac was murdered it occurred on the corner where I lived. The crib I have now is 12,000 square feet and everything is paid for. The majority of the cars are paid for. A couple of them we lease just to keep our credit right, but we don’t have to. The last Maybach (62) I bought I spent 411 thousand, cash. The McClaren I spent half million cash on. Whatever I want I go out there and buy. I’m not a rapper who’s on an album talking about it. You got a lot of rappers that just talk about it. But me, I really live it. Not to knock what rappers talk about. But, I really own my own my 12,000 square-foot mansion. I really own these cars. All of this stuff is paid for. I really got eight figures liquid cash. I’m not far from $100 million—at all.
AllHipHop.com: So how’s everything working out with your record label, Philthy Rich Records.
Floyd Mayweather: With my record label Philthy Rich Records what we’re trying to do is scout talent and get them deals with major labels. As far as signing rappers to a deal—it just don’t work like that anymore. Rappers are not loyal at all! My history goes back to the first rapper I signed, Dirt Bomb. He was underground. He couldn’t accept the fact that labels didn’t want to take him because his music was too underground. He just couldn’t take it. He went on about his business and we went on about our business. We have H-Flo from Cleveland, Ohio and Baggz Lombardi from Atlantic City, NJ signed to us. They’re exceptional rappers. Earl Hayes is another rapper who we spent tons of money on. He signed with Dr. Dre and Interscope. Dr. Dre and Interscope are not good business men, but great business men. We’re interested in helping Chilli from TLC get her project out there. She got one hell of a project. She’s also a close friend of mine.
AllHipHop.com: I came across your rap video on the internet. Since when did you start rapping?
Floyd Mayweather: I don’t call it rapping. I call it s**t talking. I got too much money to be a rapper. You saw it. It wasn’t nothing but a freestyle on there. I was playing around. I had a Floyd Mayweather weekend. A DJ from Atlanta came out here. He brought his guy out here that had a camcorder. He asked me if it was alright if he recorded some of me partying and talking for a youtube contest. I said, ‘No problem!’ I told him I just wanted to see it first. He agreed. The next thing you know this guy went out there and made up any type of video that he wanted to make up and went put it up on youtube. I was highly upset, because we got plans on shooting a real video for the song.
AllHipHop.com: Ok, so tell me about the song?
Floyd Mayweather: It’s called "Yep," some people spell it "Yup." However you wanna spell it is how you spell it. Everything I’m taking about on the song is real. The hook goes like this, “1 to the 2, 2 to the 3, these hating ass niggas can’t fuck with me. It’s like 4 to the 5, 5 to the 6, these hatin’ ass niggas all in my mix.” I’m sticking to the basic ABCs and 123s. I’m not trying to go all outside the box. I’m talking about what’s real and what I really got. It’s no fronting where I come from. I come from the Southeast Side [of Grand Rapids, Michigan].
AllHipHop.com: I know you have referred to 50 Cent as one of your best friends. Did he have any influence on your decision to rap or shit talk?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be in the video for my single. If not that doesn’t change our friendship. 50 Cent is an icon in the Hip-Hop world just as I am in the sport of boxing. I look at myself as an entertainer. I don’t want to label myself as just a fighter. Just being an A-lister and talking with 50 Cent, he’s very intelligent and he’s one hell of a business man. 50 Cent heard my song and told me, ‘Floyd I thought you was going to be bull shittin’ with the music. But after hearing your song, you can really do this.’ It made me feel good. Now I’m ready to o go out there and shit talk, trash talk or whatever they want to call it. I’m not a rapper. I got to much money to be a rapper.
(See, Money Mayweather’s “Yep” and continue reading below the video as the story continues.)
AllHipHop.com: So after 50 Cent said that he liked what you were doing did that boost your confidence?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, he didn’t say it was bad, he didn’t say it was great. He just said, ‘You shocked me with this song. He said it’s a cool song. He told me that he was going to ghost write a couple of songs for my album. I said, ‘No problem.’ Look what he did for Game, Lloyd Banks, the list goes on and on. Look what he did for the whole G-Unit.
AllHipHop.com: What’s on your playlist right now?
AllHipHop.com: Keyshia Cole. She’s the hottest. She’s fire. And my boy from around my way, Willie The Kid, we bumpin' him too. He’s truly amazing. I don’t care what they say. Right now, if I had to choose one of the hottest rappers out there, it’s gotta be Willie The Kid. I would really love to do business with him.
AllHipHop.com: I agree. Willie The Kid is a great rapper. There appears to be quite a bit of talent in your hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan, these days.
Floyd Mayweather: That’s the best kept secret for talent. It’s a city that’s slept on. If someone’s looking for rappers, that’s a city that’s slept on! If there’s 20 of them on the block, 19 of them rap and the other one will make a beat.
AllHipHop.com: I already know. The murder rate and crime rate in Grand Rapids is also unbelievable.
Floyd Mayweather: I feel bad that a lot of kids call my city Gun Ru, because they say the gun rules the city. I like to call it G Rap because I say the Gs like to rap. We’re going to try and get my city back on the parallel path. We got the Floyd Mayweather Foundation trying to give back to the city, so we can keep everything like it’s supposed to be. We’re trying to preach to the kids about being positive and not negative, and not killing anyone that looks like you, talk to people in a respectful manner, and just get along. We feed battered woman and children and we give to people that are less fortunate.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve talked about living seven-deep in a one bedroom apartment for a period of time as a kid, when you’re sitting in your pool or in your house do you ever reflect on the times you were a disadvantaged youth?
Floyd Mayweather: All the time. My friends keep me grounded. I don’t really change up. I try to keep positive friends around. It feels more comfortable when I have friends around that come from the same background that I come from, ‘cause they can relate to me better. They can understand the struggle. That makes them want to go out there and strive harder and be on a mission and be a go getter. Life isn’t all about materialistic things.
AllHipHop.com: When you went to England for the press conference with Hatton it appeared that you were facing possibly one of the toughest, most irate crowds ever. Do you think that was one of the most challenging crowds you’ve had to confront?
Floyd Mayweather: You have to realize a crowd can’t get in there in fight for a fighter. A fighter must go out there and execute the game plan that he’s taught and that’s told to him.
AllHipHop.com: So when Ricky Hatton was makes fun of your participation in “Dancing With The Stars,” do his taunts aggravate you or make you wanna to get at him even harder?
Floyd Mayweather: Nah, not at all. He’s entitled to say what he wants to. I’m not worried about him saying me being on “Dancing With The Stars” was weak. It’s just that I’m versatile and he’s not. He’s just one-dimensional. I’m an entertainer. I’m able to do movies. I’m able to box. I’m able to play basketball; I’m able to play football. When you say Ricky Hatton, he only labeled as a boxer. Who is Ricky Hatton? He’s just a boxer. That’s it! I can make millions outside the box. I’m a chameleon. I can adapt to any environment. Something Ricky Hatton can’t do.
AllHipHop.com: Not too long ago you felt like you weren’t given the credit that you deserved as a fighter. Do you still feel the same way?
Floyd Mayweather: I’m six time world champion in five different weight classes. What’s done in the dark has to come to the light. Great talent has to show. That’s why they can’t deny.
AllHipHop.com: Most of the so-called experts seem to vote in your favor regarding the upcoming fight with Hatton. In the past there’s usually been tons of speculation about you winning. Now there appears to be no doubt, what so ever, that you’re going to take it. How do you feel about that?
Floyd Mayweather: Because I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk. Being involved with the sport for 20 years, dedicating myself to the sport, it’s truly amazing to do the things that I’ve done and dominate that sport of boxing. I’m going to continue to do me and just be me and respect every competitor involved in the sport—you can’t deny God given talent. Ricky Hatton is considered the best fighter in England. I’m the best fighter in world. He says he’s going to beat me, but that’s what the last 38 guys have said and you see what happened to them. He should be lucky that I’m even giving him this opportunity.
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