Bobby Valentino stops by for a interview with QTHEQUESTION.COM. After back to back hit records Bobby V. stops by to let the world and industry knows what is his latest. Blu Kolla Dreams is his new movement and while he is now his own boss, Bobby V. puts it out there that he is still tight with the DTP camp. Now when it comes to the formula of what it takes to make hit records, consistency is what defines Bobby Valentino

Written by Quinton “Q The Question” Hatfield

Q: When you look your status at the industry, you stay coming with a hit. The industry saying goes “Your as good as your last record”. You happen to stay relevant for your ability to collaborate on big records whether it’s your single or not, why?

BV: That’s really the key to the game and the music business now is like survival of the fittest. If anybody ever asked me how to be successful in the music industry I’m a say consistency. You have to hit them, hit after hit, album after album to keep yourself relevant. It’s a lot of artists out there and whether you sell 10 million or a hundred thousand you have to keep grinding. Continue to spread your wings so you can continue to fly.

Q: Is there really a formula to put together a hit record or its just talent alone?

BV: Really the formula is to grind. R&B has change and doing a lot of collabos is the new thing, R&B mixtapes too. You just have to be out there politicking the campaign. The vocals that I put on records is my talent and you just can’t buy that at the store. You can have all the talent in the world, but if your anti-social then your music is not gonna get heard. You gotta mess with all the rappers, producers, and just can’t single nobody out. Like you said earlier your just as good as your latest hit and you will never know where it’ll come from. I will say “Slow Down” is one of my favorite hit records, because that’s the one that started it off and you will never forget your first. That song is always in the back of my head. “Ms. Officer” with Lil Wayne was really big for me being on his biggest album he put out thus far. That was his biggest album as he did a million in one week and just to be a part of that project was priceless.

Q: So what it’s like as an artist with that whole A&R process? You know the things where you meet with the label to decide what will be the hit single for a new project. If you technically look at it, it’s a gamble as to deciding which records will do well.

BV: Man, it’s the roll of the dice. Everybody in this game would be rich if we would all predict hit records. It’s a gamble, and the new way nowadays is artists record songs and throw them out there online to see if people gravitate to it. If the people like it that’s when they would go behind it and put the money up to support it. It’s like throwing darts and my philosophy is that you just have to keep putting out records. If you keep throwing them records out there and you make good music, one of them will hit.

Q: So were there times when you felt a record should’ve been a single, but it wasn’t when you look at past projects of your career?

BV: Most definitely! One thing about me is that when I make an album I try to make them for the singles. I put at least fifteen songs on my album and its a lot of records on there that I wish to be singles. You just know as an artist it don’t workout like that all the time. Labels these days only put out 2-3 singles per album unless you sell millions and millions of copies. You know when you put out an album with fifteen songs and three singles, you know the other 12 have possibilities of being singles. Its a lot of favored records on my album that we wish we could’ve put out as well.

Q: Well like you said it’s like rolling the dice.

BV: Yeah man, when you roll you want to hit that seven and not crap out.

Q: Going back into your career your major introduction was coming in the game with Ludacris & DTP. Though you are no longer signed with the label you continue to maintain good relationships with Ludacris and Chaka Zulu. Speaking on that situation explain the reason for keeping that connection?

BV: This game is all about relationships, you never want to burn your bridges and you never know when your gonna need somebody. We (DTP), never had a falling out anyway. We always was cool and it was just time for me to go my separate way and they respected that. I still talk to them (Ludacris, Chaka Zulu), all the time and we still family. I’m on Playaz Circles new single and I’m gonna always be on DTP projects. You will see a couple of them on my album as well. Maintaining relationships is just another key to this game, because you never know when you need somebody.

Q: Now that your in the position of being your own boss, what’s going on with your label Blu Kolla Dreams?

BV: Blu Kolla Dreams we doing big things right now man. We got artists we working with, artist development too, and I’m working on my new album that will drop on my label. To me this is really just about being on top of your business. I tell people all the time that the music business is the business of music. Now that I got my own situation I’m handle every aspect from the marketing, promotions, radio, and being an artist as well. Blu Kolla we just branding it right now to make it a household name and it’s a lot more to come in the near future.

Q: When you think blue collar worker, you think of occupations like firefighter, police officer, or even construction worker. Can the label be defined as a team that works hard physically?

BV: Most definitely! Blue collar workers on the ones out there on the grinding nonstop punching the clock 9-5. They don’t get a lot of the positive publicity and that’s how I see myself as an artist. I’m a blue collar artist, I’m the first one to wake up in the morning and the last one to go to sleep. I represent for all the blue collar workers, families, and you know its the Blu Kolla movement.

Q: Lately you’ve been traveling a lot going overseas exposing fans to your music. While across seas what would you say was your favorite city to visit?

BV: Honestly, everywhere was popping over there man. London, Germany, Netherlands, Amsterdam, Switzerland, and honestly I can’t say that one crowd was better than the next. They were all very excited to see me and very super-turned up. Europe as a whole was just a gorgeous experience. People need to go over there and visit, artist really need to tour there because it’s a great experience.

Q: So as far as the new projects what’s going on?

BV: I’m working on my new album and as of right now, I’m working on my new mixtape. The mixtape is called “60 Minutes with Bobby V.” which should drop around Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s gonna be crazy for the people and my album should be coming around March or April. Blu Kolla is looking for talent as well and it’s gonna be crazy for 2010.