Montana Tripp da Boss talks Current Hip Hop, His Record Label, and Reality Show

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

One of the biggest underground artists in the game is Montana Tripp da Boss. Now the head of his own company, DS Trini Ent., Montana has new projects in the works. From the background, he has been watching the game unfold.

Montana Tripp da Boss is now ready to move to the forefront of the game. He has watched long enough and now he wants his turn. Not only his turn, but it also his crew's turn. Montana is on the hip hop takeover movement.

Recently, Montana Tripp da Boss teamed up with one of the biggest DJs in the South, Justin Kase and he is now making major moves. Montana Tripp da Boss is a Brooklyn, New York native, but he is receiving plenty of Dirty South love. Now, Montana is working on several projects, including a surprise and Hip Hop Vibe had the chance to talk with him about the projects.

What was it like growing up in Brooklyn?
It was great, had fun, rolling with crews. We repped hard and had fun.

Before living in Brooklyn, you were in Trinidad?
Yeah. Basically, it's an island, like Jamaica and others. It is a great island. Just like any other island, it was lovely and nice, it's home, the hood. There was no better place for me to grow up. Rude boys and dons.

How has the Trinidad influence helped mold your music?
It influenced it because Trinidad is in me. I started off doing Reggae in Calypso. There will always be a bit of Trinidad in my music because I was born on that island. It is also home to one of my relatives, who is the legendary Scrunter de Hunter Calypso King, so the talent is in the family. We're brining that island seasoning into hip hop for the people to enjoy.

Growing up, with rappers inspried you?
Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Eazy-E (the NWA family), Jay-Z, KRS-One, everyone in hip hop who actually paved the way for me to enter the game as the great artist I am today. If it wasn't for them, hip hop may have been over a long time ago. Now, I will become one of the people who helped save hip hop and kept it going.

Speaking of saving hip hop, how do you feel about the current state of it?
I feel, right now, hip hop is in a state of emergency. Right now, they need a doctor to perform emergency surgery and I feel I have the talent to do just that. Back in the days, artists would get together and hip hop was about something. Now, hip hop is only about the money, hip hop just isn't the same anymore. The good artists are irrelevant and the ones who would have been irrelevant are. But, I'm here to take it back over.

The month of August has been good for hip hop, though, with releases from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Game, and Lil Wayne, how do you feel about their releases?
Really, I've not been paying much attention. My focus has been on my projects. I have heard songs from them I like, when I listen to other music. But, for the most part, hip hop will need more than just those artists and now I'm focused on bringing things back. Those four artists, alone, cannot bring hip hop back, because hip hop is about everyone getting the treatment they deserve. As far as them, I have nothing but love for them, they have done incredible things for the game.

Tell us a little bit about your DS Trini Ent. movement.
DS Trini is a label, named after my home country, I made to represent me and what I came from. I started this label a long time ago, over ten years ago. The label was created to represent me, my team, and what we have going on. Now, the company is out there and the people have heard about us. We have artists and producers, distribution, the full team and we're in the studio, now, griding.

Expand on your Hip Hop Takeover statement.
Hip Hop Takeover is self-explanatory. We're coming as a team to take over hip hop, because it is in a state of emergency. The people who are running hip hop are the reason hip hop is in this current state. I have people in the streets, people in the industry, and we're coming together to save hip hop because it is dying fast.

So, you have projects going with Brick Squad?
Yeah, my homie Murder Baby hit me up. I was on one of his DJs' radio station playing my song with Juelz Santana. Murder Baby gave me a song, which became "My Block," I did my verse and we shot the video, which we are still waiting on to come out.

What was it like working with Juelz Santana?
It was great, everybody knows him as a superstar and it was a great chance for me to showcase my talents alongside a bonafide superstar. It was an opportunity to introduce myself to people who have never heard of Montana Tripp da Boss. All of those who didn't know me, know me now.

Aside from working with Dipset, you have also worked with Wu-Tang?
Correct. The first record I did was with Dungeon Masta, called "Put You Up on Game." We did the song and the people began liking it. From there, I worked with former Wu-Tang, G Tee Shoutta, and our song is called "Hold On." The song also features Dana Dane's artist Eleven. I grew up listening to these dudes and I was honored to work with Wu-Tang. God gave me the blessing to reach out to those guys. It was a great opportunity for me.

Outside of music, what other projects do you have going on?
I'm actually co-starring in this movie called Throw Away Pistol. I am doing business ventures, I am teaming up with Hip Hop Vibe and we have major things coming out. We even have a reality show coming out and I am working on a book. I am working on a movie of my life and getting into the film scene, spending time with my family and kids, loving life.

Can you tell us more about your book?
The book is about my life, a biography, how I came from a family of six, moving from Trinidad to America and getting into the music. At the same time, I was in love with the streets and it held me back from showing my talents to the world. But, I can't give it all away because I want the people to check the book out. The book will be called My Life, however. The story of how Montana Tripp da Boss went from negative to positive.

How did you get invovled in the Throw Away Pistol movie?
I always had a passion for acting, that is one of my secrets. My life is like a movie, so it was not a stretch for me to position myself for a movie role. I hired photographers and got professional pictures made and I linked up with agents. I ran into some old friends working on a movie, I auditioned and landed the role of a man from Trinidad.

So, will all of this be detailed in your reality show?
Yeah, everything should be. We have so much going on and everything the company feels will bring a positive shine will make the reality show, but I can't tell you what will be on there, scene-by-scene. What I do know is that you will like the reality show, because it is history in the making. Viewers get to se my personal rise to the top.

How did you link up with Hip Hop Vibe?
Actually, me and the homie we were Facebook friends and I thought he was Webbie's brother. Shout out to the Savage Life team. I thought he was Webbie's brother, but he wasn't, but we had similar goals and now we are giving the world a Montana Tripp da Boss reality show through Hip Hop Vibe. The rest is history.

Anyone you would like to shout out?
Everybody out there who supports my movement. My family, fans, thank God for waking me up every day and allowing me to stay relevant and keeping me grounded. Shout out to all the artists I have done songs with Lauryn Hill, Calico Jonez, Dungeon Masta, Juelz Santana, Eleven, Justin Kase, Team BGM, shout out to the kids, and everybody, free my cousin Head, Brick Squad, Murder Baby, and the list goes on. Everybody who shows me love from all over the world, I want to shout you out.