By Mehka

Maino is the type of artist that deserves a round of applauds. A little under 5 years ago, Jermaine Coleman a.k.a Maino walked out of prison after serving 10 years for attempted kidnapping. When he walked out he knew that he was never going to walk back inside.

So with the same hustle he had on the streets, Maino took to the recording booth. Creating Hustle Hard Entertainment, Maino went on mixtape onslaught, blazing everyone from Dj Clue to Dj Whoo Kid. One of the first artists to fully use DVD magazines and the internet to build a buzz, Maino became a star in the hood for his solid gold street rep and realistic street music.

But it was his single “Hi Hater” that shot Maino from the underground to the mainstream. The all-star remix and video made Maino one of the games newest stars to watch. With his album “If Tomorrow Comes” ready to drop this month and his second top 20 single “All the Above” under his belt, Maino is ready to prove the doubters wrong one more time.

It’s been a while since you’ve been signed, I know you’re ready for the album to drop.

Maino: Yeah. It’s been a minute. They’ve been holding it up but finally going to get it out there. It drops June 30th.

Talk about the album “If Tomorrow Comes” what can we expect from it?

Maino: It’s my life. My life from after I came home from prison to right now. When I came home I had a dream of making it big in this rap game and doing something different with my life. I don’t got a lot of features, because I needed to express myself to the world and let them know what‘s been on my chest.

“All the Above” with T-Pain is a big song. Was you ever worried that the streets wouldn’t feel this record?

Maino: Why would I be nervous. I’m making good music. It’s a real song. Even with Pain on the hook, listen to the content of the record.

“Tell me what see/when you looking at me/I’m on a mission to be/what I’m destined to be” It’s about coming up. I’m not talking about living in a mansion and popping champagne for breakfast. I’m talking about going from nothing to something. Picture me growing up. I wasn’t worried about the hood not feeling it because I knew the hood was going to feel real shit. A nigga living in the hood right now going through trials and tribulations will understand what I’m talking about.

Did you ever fear becoming a one hit wonder after the success of “Hi-Hater”

Maino: Anyone who paid attention to Maino before “Hi-Hater” would know that Maino always came strong and had his own melodies and hooks. It just took a while before I took it to that next level. When I came with “Hi-Hater” They thought it was a game and that’s all I was going to come with. I’m not here to be a one hit wonder. I got 2 top 20 hits on Billboard and “All the Above” is bigger than “Hi-Hater” “All the Above” is a certified goon single.

First you was a goon turned rapper. Then you was a mixtape/DVD rapper. Now you have 2 hit single. Do you feel that labels actually mis-labled you as an artists?

Maino: I do. People are still just getting to know me a little bit. When you pick up a nigga like me with my background, you feel like that’s all he can do. I still feel like they don’t give me credit for being creative and for making good music. They thought I was about trouble. The mis-understood and underestimated me. And all that allowed me to do was sneak up on your ass.

You’re new single “Million Bucks” looks like it could catch “All the Above” and “Hi-Hater”

Maino: Yeah! Swizz is my nigga! That’s my homie for real. I called him and told him, “I need that joint” There’s a lot of pressure on me because they watching me now. They want to be able to say, “he was a one hit wonder” they wanted to write me off like that. Swizz came through for me. The song is “Million Bucks” We shooting a video for it next week

You were one of the few who had the chance to perform with T.I. at his going away party. What was that like?

Maino: That’s my brother. That’s my nigga. And anytime I get the chance to rock in front of 15,000 people and they’re showing me love and singing my songs back to me, I’m gonna take that shot. That’s great for me. I come from the mixtape grind. I come from the Smack DVD and that level, so to see something like that is amazing for me. And I want another nigga whose coming up behind me who’s doing the same things I was and is trying to get into this rap shit to be like, “I can do that too”

“If Tomorrow Comes” drops June 30th check out www.MainoHustleHard.com