kia

Kia $hine’s name is buzzing on the internet right now.  Upon his accouncement that he is collecting 25% of the publishing on Drake’s #1 single, ‘Best I Ever Had’, Kia $hine has been the number one trending topic on Twitter, the topic of numerous radio shows, and on many blog posts.

Kia $hine took some time to discuss things to clear some of the rumors up and let the truth about how he really feels come out.

September has been a big month for you.  Everyone’s been talking about your situation with Drake and the credits for his single, ‘Best I Ever Had’.  When do you feel this buzz will phase out?

 I think rumors fade away.  When it’s legitimate, it stays forever. 

What has this situation brought to you?

 It’s brought a lot of hate as if I didn’t have enough already.  I hear and read about people saying I’m being desperate and people saying that I am lying.  In this business you have to have tough skin.  Do I not take credit for what’s mine?  All the talk about this situation shows people don’t know the music business.  I could have said something about [this entire situation] back in January [2009] but I didn’t.  Drake is a talented artist and I’m not going to take that from him.  This is gonna let people know don’t take from Kia Shine.  When I did ‘Krispy’ I sampled the Beastie Boys and they received a writing credit, but they were never in the studio with me.  The media will portray things the way they want to.  When you are hot like Drake, the media will try to bring you down and that’s what they are doing in this situation.  The media took a small clip of what I said [at the BMI awards] and twisted it around.  This is not beef though.  I’m not going against Drake.  I wish the media would quit looking at it that way.  I’m a producer, I’ve been selling beats since 2000.  People hear ‘Krispy’ and think of Kia Shine as a rapper.  People just wonder how Kia Shine has a writer’s credit for one of the hottest rappers in the game right now. I’m gonna use the situation to the best of my benefit.  My name is buzzing right now. #whatKiaShinewrote was a trending topic on Twitter and that’s huge. 

Since Drake blogged about you “fabricating” collecting the 25% of the publishing for ‘Best I Ever Had’, have you spoken to him to clear the air?

 I just had a “playcation” in Miami with my wife and I ran into Drake’s manager (Gee Roberson) checking out of the W. I chopped it up with him and let him know, there is no beef with this sh*t.  As far as Drake and the comment he made, I’m gonna give it a pass cause he was misinformed.  He can read Billboard Magazine and see Nakia Coleman, my real name, credited as a writer.  I just hope he realizes it and apologizes for his statement.  I wouldn’t want to make a diss track though.  I eat with that dude, I ain’t gonna go at him.  When the checks get cut, he makes his money and I make mine.

Some people say Drake not knowing the truth behind you getting the writer’s credit is Lil Wayne not being honest with him.  Do you see it that way?

I feel that Universal, Young Money, and Cash Money are doing a lot of business over there.  Anytime you do a lot of business, sometimes things slip through the cracks and I feel this situation is one of those times.

If you hadn’t handled your business the way you did, how difficult would it be for you to have gotten things worked out?

 Next to impossible.  I’ve been going through this process since January.  It would have taken about another year to get things straightened out.  Money would have been cut already and things would have been way more difficult.  It just so happened I handled things the right way and I got my piece of this #1 record.  The checks haven’t been cut for ‘Best I Ever Had’ and when they do, I’ll get mine.

Got any new projects coming up?

 I have What Kia Shine Wrote mixtape, Alarm Clock Theory mixtape, everyone sleeping on me will be working for me. I’m working with The Preps, their video, White V, is out on MTV Jamz and BET right now.  I’m also working with my younger brother Dirty Fre$h and I have a few other things coming out.

What can aspiring producers learn from this situation in order to avoid getting screwed over?

 Most important lesson is, copyright your music as soon as you do it.  Do your due diligence to make sure your business is squared away.  You never know a records potential.  CYOA – Cover Your Own Ass!

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