Comprised of emcee Duane “Snupe” Lee and deejay / producer Mike G, Extra Prolific first emerged in the early ‘90’s as part of the Hieroglyphics collective.

In 1994, Extra Pro unleashed their highly impressive debut studio collection, Like It Should Be [Jive Records], largely produced by Lee and Souls of Mischief’s A-Plus, before later parting ways with the Oakland, CA, based Hiero crew.

First things first, last year (August 11th to be exact) marked the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?

It means a lot to me! I grew up when they said Hip Hop was going to be a fad. None of us were sure how long it was going to last, so to see it make fifty years…it’s monumental! It’s like watching a premature baby be born. You aren’t sure if they’re gonna make it, and then 1 day you see them….a strong man lifting weights…the progress is unbelievable.

To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?

I never thought that it would be this big.I thought that it would always be something that would celebrated in the ‘hood. I thought that it would be a part of breakdancing and the other elements in Hip Hop, but no I never thought that we would have multi-platinum albums like this. I never thought that it would crossover until Run-DMC, Fat Boys and Whodini started blowing up.

What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?

I guess meeting people that I looked up to… Whodini called me one morning and told me they loved my style…I told them they influenced me! Free-styling for hours with Hiero, going to shows, movie premieres and being acknowledged by my peers…acting a fool and dissing people…lol!

That said, what are your future plans and / or goals throughout the remainder of 2024 and beyond?

I just finished an Extra Prolific album…that’s being mixed. I’m doing another Lee Majors project…I’m featured on some projects coming soon…And my wife, Regina Chavon, sings…I work with her, too.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?

I want people to be able to get a message in the music. I want them to be able to understand that there’s more to this life. I want them to be able to realize that there are only 2 sides, good or bad, life-or-death. And, I want them to be able to grab things out of my music that’s gonna last longer than this life. I want them to be able to get healing from my music….get conviction out of my music. And, I want people to get clarity out of my music. We all love Hip Hop, but sometimes it can stunt your growth and cause men not to be men…but stay boys, but I want people to understand that you can grow and be a father. You can be a good man. You don’t have to be a thug, just because you rap…you can be responsible…you can be a man of principles.

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Dana Dane, Slick Rick, LL, Rakim, Jalil (of Whodini fame), Kool Rock-Ski, Al B. Sure…’cause these are guys that influenced me when I was a kid.

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

Madison Square Garden…’cause it’s legendary.

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?

No, the current state of Hip Hop is dead…it encourages drugs, thugs, stripping and degrading women. And, it’s leading many people in the wrong direction. When I was a kid, Hip Hop still had a soul. We had songs like “Self-Destruction” and BDP’s ” Why Is That?,” which made us understand that we were going in a certain direction. They were looking out for us…but now, kids that are still impressionable are being led in the wrong direction. And, music has a powerful influence over them. People say “don’t blame the music,” but we gotta be honest …we were influenced by Hip Hop when we were young…of course it’s still influential today. So if it’s influential, we gotta ask, “Are we influencing our children in the right way?” So I don’t listen to the trash that comes out today. I listen to things that uplift us. Lyrical songs that’s causing people to think. I don’t like dummy music…monkey music…all it does is cause us to be animalistic. We need music that’s going (to) cause us to be better men!

What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?

Being organic and not trying to fit in with the trends. Trends come and go, but good music will remain. We sample records that still sound good…so why try and “make a hit?”…just make music from the heart. Earth, Wind & Fire sounds good 40 years later…but Lil Jon sounds old. That’s my point.

Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?

I teach God’s Word, and I’m into Christian apologetics. Shout out to Higher Expectations Church and Pastor Bryant Lee in Humble, Texas. My goal is to be the best husband and father that I can be!

What’s an average day like for you?

I wake my sons up, take them to school, read my WORD, hit the gym, go to work and rest.

Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…

I treat fans with love because I’m a fan, too. My album has influenced many guys like Kendrick Lamar and others who aren’t as popular. It’s all good. I’m just a down to earth guy.

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?

My favorite part is listening to beats and creating…I love to hear what pops up in my mind.

…My least favorite is the politics in Hip Hop. People in cliques and being afraid to share…like, “dude…you gone leave earth with nothing!?” You’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse!

What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Know who you are so that others don’t tell you who you are! Never be afraid to be different. Be bold enough to be disliked. Be a leader.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?

I wanna continue on this path. Shedding light in a dark world. Only what we do for CHRIST will last…so I want to stay focused on the things that last forever.

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?

Make sure people check out my 2020 release Like It’s Supposed To Be. Also, me and my wife, Lee Majors and Regina Chavon, Beautiful Life [EP], and me and my brother, J-White and Lee Majors The Good Life.

Any “parting” words for our readers?

You got a lot of guys who call themselves “god”…but there IS A MAN NAMED “JESUS” WHO actually IS GOD….if you put your Trust IN HIM and turn from your sin…towards HIM…you will live forever!!…HE IS THE ONLY WAY…Notice when people die…they’re mourned for 2 seconds…then people go on. If you want your life to count…don’t chase money, likes or fame….run after GOD. When HE draws you to HIMSELF…you will know it. Peace!