Contrary to popular belief not all rappers have been to prison, but it is safe to say most have, and Project Pat is one of them. He served time in prison for various charges during the mid 90s, and in 2001 he was arrested for parole violation after pair of revolvers were found in his vehicle. Months later he was sentenced to four years in prison on two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm.

Despite all of his legal trouble, Project Pat has managed to continue to bless us with his hardcore street lyrics over the years.

It was in the late 90's when the Tennessee rapper born Patrick Houston, graced the Rap scene. Pat's relationship with the group Three 6 Mafia, which was co-founded by his brother Juicy J, helped pave the way in his music career. Eventually this led Pat into his solo debut Ghetty Green on Hypnotize Minds/Loud Records.

Though his debut did not garner him instant success and popularity, the southern MC did not stop there. Project Pat's next appearance on Three 6 Mafia's album When The Smoke Clears, opened the door to his smash single Chickenhead.

In 2007, after years on the majors, Pat switched to the number one independent label KOCH, and released Walkin' Bank Roll. Now at his new home, Asylum Records, Project Pat is on the brink of releasing his new album Real Recognize Real on February 24. In preparation of the new LP Pat released his first single Keep It Hood, and recently another hit Bang Smack. Pat, who also claims to dibble and dabble in real estate as a side hustle, is featured on Santagold's Shove It remix alongside Three 6 Mafia.

Yo! Raps spoke with the Memphis bred lyricist about the Obama administration, keeping it street on his new album, and the Notorious B.I.G.

Let's start off talking about January 20, the inauguration of Barack Obama. What did that day mean to you?

Let me tell you what's crazy about that, when I was young... me and my cousin used to always talk about it. We never had a Black president and I used to say white folks ain't never gonna give us one. We never thought in a hundred million years it would happen.

Are you still surprised? Does it even seem real?

Oh it's real!

You're from the South, where many Blacks endured a lot of racism in this country. How did your family feel? Most import, the elders, is this something they thought they would live to see? 

Oh yeah, my daddy he grew up in Mississippi, he grew up back in them days. He was right down there when it was going on, with my grandmother and them. You know, people down there are crying, they can't believe it.

During your life you've had run in's with the law, what if any changes would you like Obama's new administration to make to the legal system?

They need to do something about doing that time in the Fed. I mean, it's just ridiculous, it's too much time. Their giving out time for some things that aren't that serious. I can understand as far as guns if you're using the gun popping off at somebody, that's a different story. I mean man, I think they need to change the gun laws, because you can't own a weapon because you're a felon and that's crazy, I thought you were able to bear arms. I'm not trying to get a gun to do nothing to anybody. I'm just saying that if a person gets out of jail, they rehabilitate themselves, they get help, and then they can't protect themselves from criminals, thieves and killers? I don't feel that's right because what if someone comes in on me, what am I supposed to do... just die!

Lets switch gears, You've been in the rap game since the late 90's, so you've seen the changes that the rap genre has gone through, what are some things that bother you about the game today? 

The thing that I don't like is that they don't put street music on TV anymore. They want everything to be crossover and Pop. It's like people don't put there money behind it and labels don't push street music no more like they did back in the day. Back in the Master P days, the Project Pat days, Loud records they were pushing it! Now they don't do it. BET, they don't want the girls on TV, they need to bring back that late night BET Uncut [laughs]...

Tell us about the new album you are releasing, Real Recognize Real?

I took it back to the Ghetty Green days, all of my life experiences and stuff. It's going down!

Who are some artists and producers you worked with on this new album?

OJ Da Juiceman, Three 6 Mafia, Gucci Mane. I kept it simple, at the same time I kept it street and classic. You know it's more fun with them guys. I'm just trying to keep it where as, if I make a hit that's crossover cool, but I'm gonna keep it straight gutta.

Who were the producers you worked with on the album?

DJ Paul and Juicy J.

Now is there a reason why you didn't venture off with different producers?

No reason, I did venture off with some different producers, but none that I was really feeling.

This album is being released via Asylum Records, what do you think sets Asylum apart from other labels?

Asylum lets you do what you want to do. They tell you what you have the money to do and they say you can do it. That's what I like about Asylum. They're looking for some street songs, their not trying to make you do a Pop record.

If you could choose one rapper and one singer dead or alive to do collaboration with, who would it be?

Oh man, you know I'd have to do a song with Tupac. 

And a singer?

A singer, Oh man David Ruffin. Me, Pac and David Ruffin. Boy that's what's cracking! Damn that's hot... I'm not even gonna lie.

That does sound crazy, so what's the reason you chose those two?

I'm on those guys tough! There in my CD changer, oh yeah!

You've been featured on really huge hits including your single Chickenhead, and featured on Three 6 Mafia's Sippin' On Some Syrup.  What do you feel are the ingredients to a hit song? 

Well, first you got to have something that's very catchy to the ears hook wise, if it's not catchy to the ears it's not gonna work. Then you gotta have some bump, some bass. When somebody's riding down the street you got to be able to hear it. That's it, it doesn't take much... do what you do and throw it in there.

What southern artist in this new generation of rappers do you feel is really carrying the torch for the south and why?

Oh man Gucci Mane got the torch, he's the man.

What is it about his style?

He's flipping his stuff around and his swag. Gucci is a real dude, a lot of dudes are talking that, but they never walked that and you know he done walked it. He's holding it down right now, he got that. Anyone who says different is lying. As far as the streets in the south, Gucci got these streets.

The movie Notorious chronicling the life of the Late Notorious B.I.G. was recently released in theaters. What do you feel Biggie did for the rap game? 

Biggie, he brought the pain, he really showed out. He brought a Mafioso type of style, it was his look. He was the leader, he had a clique with Lil Kim and them. He was hard and was a real lyricist.

- by Isha "Ice" Cole