#EXCLUSIVE: Rapper, PRIME Talks Working Kevin Tita & Call Out Fake Rappers In Cyprus.

So for those who are just reading about him for the first time just know one thing and that is the fact that the guy you are about reading about is not your average artist that spews average words conjured up in the studio like most of those wack artists in Cyprus that claim to be the best rappers but rap like Mode 9 with a Benin ascent while dissing other artists thinking it would help their career..... lol SHADE.

Marvin Brown other wise known as PRIME is an upcoming Nigerian rapper based in Cyprus. We first took note of him when we came across his song 'A Rapper's Creed' on Facebook 1 year ago and since then we started watching his YouTube Vlogs as well as video game streams. Although 'A Rappers Creed' did not get him the attention he needed, he still kept strong and dropped another song 'Really As It Is' which outperformed his debut. Finally he released what would go on to be one of the best rap songs to ever hit Cyprus in a long time titled 'Brag' on which he features multi-award winning rapper, Kevin Tita. If there was any award recognizing the best rap song of the year in 2015 in Cyprus, 'Brag' would definitely be a top contender. Today PRIME sits down with ReplayTunes Magazine to talk about everything about his career, what he thinks of the music industry in Cyprus working with Kevin Tita and more. read below.

ReplayTunes: Welcome to this interview session with ReplayTunes, we are glad we could do this again. Just for clarity purposes can you tell our readers about you?

PRIME: Well my name is Marvin Brown, aka Prime or General Prime or Optimus Prime...but usually just Prime, I am from Rivers State, I grew up in port Harcourt with my parents and siblings, I am currently a student of Eastern Mediterranean University  in the Radio TV and Film Studies department.

ReplayTunes: Tell us about your beginnings as a musician.

PRIME: I started rapping way back in secondary school like everyone else but that time my lyrics were just basic and wack so I didn't think of recording the. I kept practicing till I got better. To this day I still feel like I am  practicing though.

ReplayTunes: What challenges did you face while starting out and do you still have any now?

PRIME: My challenges are so many I cant even count them, but music wise i am just looking for a way to get heard like heard to the point that peoples eardrums will explode but so far, in this dancehall afrobeat inclined industry its sort of difficult for rap to strive so that's a challenge in itself.

ReplayTunes: Talk about your debut single and what was your first studio experience like?

PRIME: My first single was called ''A Rappers Creed'' but here in Cyprus my first single was "Reality As It Is'' it was produced by DJ Java, I was comfortable enough to just spit my rhymes the way i felt, it was a good experience I'd say because as I kept spitting he was like ''whooa kill them kill them'' you know...it was cool.

ReplayTunes: Being that you are schooling in Cyprus and you see other artists trying to harness what might become an industry here, what do you think about this?

PRIME: The music industry in Cyprus...hmmm... well I'd say we all are just trying to get heard and make a difference in our own various ways so the artistes try different things to see the ones that would work for them, but also i feel like as Africans, most of the artistes are just doing what every other artiste is doing. There isn't really any diversity, its the same old stuff but yea its great though, it really is.

ReplayTunes: Ok. You have been around for quiet some time now  even before a few artists who are popping now but it seems you have never really gotten your shine on as big as we think you should be especially when it comes to awards and shows. Do you ever feel like you are under rated in Cyprus?

PRIME: Talking about being underrated, I wont say I am because from what I have heard from people that have listened to my music, its all  positive still. I don't think that enough people have listened to my music and i don't think that if they do I wont get the credit I expect, its just that I don't have enough buzz yet and that's why it seems. Lastly I do mainly hiphop, I mean like raw rap and the norm here is afrobeats and dance hall which is what Africans here love and so like I said before its sort of difficult to be heard.

Prime featured award winning rapper, Kevin Tita on his single 'BRAG'

ReplayTunes: Your single 'Brag' which features Kevin Tita is currently rated as one of the best rap songs in Cyprus this year. Can you tell us about that song?

PRIME: Brag is umm....so one night my brother texted me and said I should watch Ice Prince's ''N Word' remix video and I did, so he asked what i liked about it and I said that the beat was tight and the video was nice, so he asked about the lines and I said I thought Ice Prince could have done better and I and my brother had a bet and then I wrote my own verse in 2 days and months later i recorded it and well... he still wont agree that i did better. (laughs).

ReplayTunes: That's great. It was also one of the series of collaborations Kevin Tita did this year, can you talk about how it was working with him?

PRIME: Kevin Tita is a nice guy...cool, humble... he worked me through the process in the studio, I even met the producer though him.. he is cool..it was really nice and I'd love to work with him again God willing.

ReplayTunes: The song is easily one of the best rap songs ever released in Cyprus. Do you think it got the kind of exposure you envisioned it would get when you were recording it?

PRIME: I hope it got to the people I wanted it to get to, I mean i hope  because some people be forming best rappers here and I just be looking at them with my third eye, but aside that, I just want it to get heard more you know I want people to just listen to the lyrics and be amazed and just enjoy it.

ReplayTunes: So what next for you as an artist in Cyprus after 'Brag'?

PRIME: My next move is a track called Alien Invasion and while I am working on that I wanna do a Cypher actually two Cyphers. They are already ready I just searching for a director that will execute the concept I have in my head perfectly.

ReplayTunes: You plan on shooting a video for 'Brag' to boost it's popularity or you just want to move to the next song?

PRIME: Nah, I just want to get it popular first then settle down and do my own track with my own beat then we can talk about  a video.

ReplayTunes: Looking at the movement of black artists in Cyprus these past 2 years, is there anything you think should be improved in the industry?

PRIME: Well here in Cyprus, if music isn't for you then you just can't force it just because you see your friends doing it, there are so many other things you can do aside music and for the ones that are doing the music already please give it your best also there are many genres of music people will love and not just dancehall and afrobeat and club bangers, not every African likes all these noise, I mean iIam a rapper and i dont even listen to rap music anymore. I listen to Indie music and my favorite band is ''Of Monsters And Men'' that's where I get my inspiration from believe me. So iIbelieve the music industry here can do better.

ReplayTunes: So tell us what your plans for 2016 are? Do you have an EP or something of sorts you would want people to look out for?

PRIME: Like I said before...ok here is my plan for 2016, expect two Cyphers from me, and tracks like 'Alien Invasion', 'Oh Dear Lucifer' also I will be working more as a Vlogger on my YouTube channel, I do video gameplays and funny vlogs so expect that from me and so many other things i haven't even thought of yet.

ReplayTunes: Now lets take a little reverse here, this year the music circle in Cyprus ushered in quiet a number of new artists like JayBlinkz and the likes, do you have any advice for any artists looking to start out in 2016?

PRIME: So if you wanna join the music industry van here in Cyprus, just be yourself and be unique and different and don't do what everyone else is doing just because its the norm, just be....different...it works eventually

ReplayTunes: Before we round up this interview, is there anyone you will like to shout out?

PRIME: Yea shout out to Kevin Tita, the ReplayTunes team, my girl JayBlinkz, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, J Blinks, Classic X, Tbizz, Hayz, Arcade, Pastor Lale on his wedding, and the mallam in Port Harcourt that took my 500 Naira and then put 150 Naira Suya mixed with 700 Naira onions and wrapped it in 1000 Naira news paper, I hope you are dead now. 

ReplayTunes: Thank you PRIME for sitting down with s today. We wish you continued growth in your journey.

PRIME: Thanks for having me on your platform. God bless you guys.