Funkmaster Flex Breaks It Down for Impact210 (Impact 210)

Impact210: List some of the companies you do business with.
Flex: Ford Motor Company, Castroil, Cooper Tires, Turtle Wax, Hot Wheels, Lugz, Yahoo, Verizon/Def Jam Mobile, Mack Tools, DiCast Toys, TycoRC Remote Control Cars… I have TV shows on Spike TV and ESPN about cars.

Impact210: How do you feel about radio today?
Flex: When I was on the outside looking in, I nowhere near thought that artists and everything was so political and about who you know. Then when I got into it, I learned why some of my favorite records when I was a kid didn’t go national. I loved a record called “Set It Off” by Strafe. It was on a small label. I remember I went out of state and people didn’t move. It was the biggest record in New York. They were on a small label. There was no radio promotion. The group didn’t come here and perform. I learned what a national record means. I think the state of radio is like… the death of rock n roll. The minute a mom in a caravan can sing some of those records, it’s getting super pop. I think rap might be there, super pop. I think in a reeling back in, there has to be a lull. And then it rises. It’s never done though.

Impact210: Some radio personalities, like Angie Martinez, get criticized for being too friendly with artists. How do you feel about mixing business and pleasure?
Flex: The artists come to my car show tour, but I pay them. So I don’t hear them complain. Sometimes I invite them to hang out or perform. But I think that I’ve always been a pretty vocal person. And they’re not afraid to dig into me. I think Angie is the same way. I think Angie doesn’t buy into artist’s beefs. Which is the way it’s supposed to be. I get caught in the moment. I give my opinion. I never felt the mixture of business and pleasure. Unless the artist hasn’t told me. I understand that they don’t tell me. I don’t like to ruffle 50 Cent. He’s a big artist. I’m just happy I can get him on the phone.

Impact210: Why do you think the fans like you so much?
Flex: I think I can relate to what their day was. I often got offered other radio station jobs, they say you’d be great for afternoons or mornings. I know I’m not great for that. When I grew up, I was a kid that lived my life on the radio. I would listen, hear what clubs were rocking. I’ve been on the radio 15 years. But before that, I know what a kid’s thinking Friday night. He’s getting dressed. He could be 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, I lived that. I know what’s going through his mind. He’s riding around with four guys, slumped in the seat, borrowed his mom’s car, went to the car wash before it got dark. I feel like I’m the King of Saturday night. Whether you’re going to the movies, at home with your girl, I know the life. That’s why I’m so successful at night. I’ve never lived a 9 to 5. I couldn’t do Angie’s slot. I’ve never been in the work force. I’ve never been a morning guy. I don’t know what people do 6-10AM. I know what it is to be in your living room and have the radio on. I know what it is to have the radio on your stoop at night. That’s what has helped me get ahead of everybody. And I grew up in New York. Other lifestyles are different in St. Louis or DC. That’s why I think people like me. I don’t have the best voice. I don’t have the booming Frankie Crocker voice. Or the booming Howard Stern voice. It’s a little squeaky sometimes. Kids still too, which has been my success, they think Funkmaster Flex and they think there’s a party going on. That image is still in people’s minds. The days I played the clubs, the Tunnel. It’s like the party on the radio. That’s my little cheat factor because the kids respect the music that I play, so they listen to me. They tolerate me. I’m regular. Sometimes I talk about expensive cars. But I’m regular. I put a lot of kids on the air too.

Impact210: I heard you say you look at all your own contracts. Would you say life is the best teacher?
Flex: I learned from bad contracts. I learned from not so favorable contracts. I learned from taking advantage of companies in certain contracts. I pick my battles. I try to pick what’s important. I do the best I can. I have mixed feelings in terms of I like to know what’s going on in my life. That really helps.

Impact210: Have you change much since you were a kid?
Flex: I’ve been lucky enough to love what I’ve always loved as a kid. Michael Jackson music and cars. I thought I was like every other kid. But I never outgrew the cars. I loved those two things. I didn’t know that I was never going to let go. I tried a lot of things, school. For every six days I went to school, I would DJ one day. It was always there. I never let go of those two things.

Impact210: You’re married and it seems difficult for marriages, even couples to survive in the hip hop industry. Nas and Kelis, Jay-Z and Beyonce, for instance…
Flex: I’ve been married five years. But I’ve known her for a long time. I’ve known her since I was 12. We’ve been together 15 years. I think with those relationships they’re really finding, they’re already entrenched with each other. Beyonce and Jay-Z are separate entities but they’re in the business together so their days are similar, so I would see why that would work. So would Nas and Kelis. I think it’s a little harder if you’re a celebrity and your wife is totally distant, or even half distance. My wife runs the TV entity. She owns the production company. Our days are together. I think that’s the problem, Realistically, I have to say if my day doesn’t involve my loved one at some point, why would this work. I think behind the scene Jay-Z and Beyonce are a team. They have similar personalities. She’s a lil’ ruthless. She’s a businesswoman. Enough with this Destiny’s Child. She gave plenty. Jay-Z, enough with this Roc-A-Fella stuff. I think Nas and Kelis are similar too. They’re two artist that are big and trying to stay big. Jay and Beyonce are bigger so they don’t have to maintain that part of their lives as much. They can probably take some vacations. I think the ones that are together are going to do better. I think those two relationships are going to last.