In the music industry, respect is not automatically given to everyone, but when you show growth and work diligently at perfecting your craft, it will come. Maino, a Brooklyn, New York bred emcee is one who fits into this category and it's well deserving. Maino has gained the respect from his fans and peers alike, because of his grind. 

As a teenager, he was sentenced to a five to 15 year prison sentence for a drug related kidnapping, in which he served ten. While incarcerated Maino found a hidden talent, rapping, and he's been riding the wave ever since. Maino adopted a Hustle Hard mentality, which is also the name of his movement and company. His buzz began to circulate as his fellow Brooklynite Lil Kim stood in his corner and he smashed the mixtape circuit. 

On June 30th, Maino released his debut album If Tomorrow Comes... via Atlantic Records. The album features appearances from B.G., T.I., and Cool & Dre. Although he sold fewer than 20 thousand copies in its first week, Maino is focused and ready to keep things moving. His second hit single All The Above featuring T-Pain was certified gold by the RIAA for digital sales in excess of 500.000. The track was also a top ten favorite on the iTunes Top Hip-Hop/Rap Songs chart.

In reality, sometimes it's not only about album sales. Maino is proving with the countless hits on his album, that he's here for the long haul! Yo! Raps spoke with the Brooklyn rapper about creating his debut album, the importance of the mixtape circuit and what keeps him smiling!

Atlantic Records wasn't your first record deal, initially you were signed to Universal Records. From what you experienced, what is the difference between the two labels?

One was better than the other! Somebody else could have made Universal work for them. For me, Atlantic was a better situation.

As you began working on your album, what was the process of choosing the artists and producers to work with?

I had to take beats from a lot of different producers and sort through them. I had to listen to them, figure out what suits me, and go from there.

So what about the artists?

I don't set out for any artist. If you listen to my album, you notice that I have very minimal features or guest appearances. I'll do the track and then when the track is done, if it needs a feature then we'll go from there. I got a track called Gangsta on there and while I was doing it my man B.G. was in the studio. So I said, "This is a good record for you to be on" and we made it happen! So I try to make features that make sense, not just a feature for a feature.

I know it's difficult to choose, but what song on the album means the most to you?

Everything means a lot to me, because it came from the heart. I wrote this from my heart, this is my pain, my life, the decisions I made, the choices that I've made and the obstacles that I've overcome. It's really hard to say. I love the song Floating on there, as well as I love Runaway Slave, Remember My Name. They all represent a part of who Maino is as a person.

I fell in love with All The Above featuring T-Pain the first time I heard it and actually my mom loves it too [laughs]! Did you think the track was going to be this big?

I hoped so! I felt that it would! Plus I had the track Hi Hater, so I needed something that was just as exciting and maybe even bigger. So I'm glad it worked!

Speaking of T-Pain, how do you feel about the usage of auto-tune?

I don't use auto-tune, so it doesn't apply to me. I don't think one person is going to stop auto-tune from being used. I don't think one person is going to stop people from making auto-tune records.

I noticed on Twitter that a lot of industry people were promoting the release of your album and said that they went out to buy it. Why do you think so many people are behind you, besides you making great music?

I'm the underdog! I've been grinding for years and people actually want to see me win!

You have commercial appeal, but yet you have respect of the streets, s how important are album sales to you?

We're living in a time when albums aren't really selling as well as they used to for everybody, so I know what I'm up against. I'm looking at building a career! We may not be able to conquer the world with just taking a step. So no matter what I sell, I'm going to keep moving. I'm going to put out another album and I'm going to keep going. People have to remember Jay-Z didn't blow up until his third album. It's a process, its growth and building a fan base. As long as I'm consistent and making great records, I'm going to be here.

How important do you believe the mixtape circuit was to your success?

It was the storyboard to my career; it was the foundation to my career, just for the simple fact that I'm now a national artist. I still have the streets to fall back on! If you took me out of the equation of being a national artist, I'm still out there in the streets. People remember me from shopping mixtapes, DVDs and being an artist that was from the underground for real.

What does your album title If Tomorrow Comes... mean to you?

If Tomorrow Comes... is a title that sounds pessimistic, but it's like, "If tomorrow comes, I want my tomorrow to be better than my today. If tomorrow comes, I hope that tomorrow I'll be happier. I hope I'll have more money tomorrow, everything will be better. If tomorrow comes, but only if tomorrow comes."

When you're performing, you smile so hard and release this great energy. What's running through your mind during these times?

I'm happy everyday, period, point blank! I'm at a time in my life when I finally get to show what I've been working for. I come from a hard background, I come from the hood, and I come from the bottom. Now that I'm here in a place where people are screaming my name and knowing me, it's like man this is great, this is what I dreamed of.

So what is up next for you?

The next thing up is that we're going to keep pushing, we're going to be moving around and your going to get used to me. I'm going to put another album out and just keep working. You're going to be used to seeing Maino!

On a totally different subject, are you single?

Yes I am!

Name one industry chick that you think is fly?

LeToya Luckett, not a lot of people talk about her!

What types of women do you like?

Beautiful with intelligence, motivated and responsible.

For people who may not know you, they look at you and see this scar across your face, they know that you were locked up and you're a rapper. Obviously these things do not define you totally as a person. Outside of music, tell us something about Maino that we don't know, what do you like to do?

I love spending as much time that I can with my son. I love to go to the movies with my son, just bond with him and be with him. I think that I'm a very good father, at the end of the day I have to sacrifice for this music thing. I'm not allowed to be there the way I want to because I have to go out there and make something happen for us.

What advice would you give to any young person who is aspiring to be an artist?

Keep grinding!

- By Isha "Ice" Cole