Go to the intersection of Olive and Centenary in Shreveport, and you’ll find activity on every corner.
Workers tinkering with cars, Shoppers going in and out of the Family Dollar store or a business owner greeting passersby in front of his clothing store.
He’s usually there, as busy as those workers, shoppers and store owners – engaging in the legitimate hustle of selling his mix tape. It's a one-man process he's almost perfected. A process that has helped him sell nearly 1,000 CDs on his own.
As I watch him interact, I notice a lot. He’s relaxed and confident, perched atop a newspaper stand. His headphones around his neck. His CD player in hand, filling his ears with the sounds of Gucci Mane. His mirrored aviator shades blocking both the glare of the sun and the probing of a stranger’s eyes.
Days after a working vacation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, BILLY pauses from his normal business of selling and listening to music to grant me an interview.
As he passes on greetings to his neighbors, friends and customers, we exchange comments about the heat (both the temperature of the day and the police cars posted on one of the corners). After the distractions subsided, it was on to business.
I’ve known BILLY for over a decade, since we ran the same halls of our high school. Back then he was charming and amusing ... slick even. A character you couldn’t help but like. And many years later, despite the musical name change, that is still the case.
But I didn’t do this interview to catch up on old times. I did it to learn more about the man known as BILLY BROADWAY, and introduce him to you.
At that corner, at the Circle K where's he's turned customers into fans, BILLY opened up to me about his past, present and future in music. And he revealed his beef with the local music scene, and the people who control it.
ME: Soooo, how was Puerto Rico?
BB: It was nice. But of course, the vacation turned into shows for me and Bulletproof.
“Vacation” really doesn’t exist to me because I’m still trying to sell CDs and promote online. But it was good because people got to know who we were and liked what we did, and we got the opportunity to perform at some clubs out there.
ME: Who did you go with?
BB: I was out there with 5 Entertainment ... it's something we do every year ... we usually go to Miami but it's so saturated right now we decided to do something different ... it turned out better
ME: How long have you been with 5 Entertainment?
BB: I’ve been with (them) for about 3 1/2 years. It's called loyalty .. Some of y'all artists need to understand that. Be loyal to who got you there ... who made you.
ME: I hear ya! So take me back to the beginning .. or more like the last time I saw you. How’d you get to this point?
BB: Well after high school, I went to Southern University (in Baton Rouge). During my first semester, I realized that I wasn't paying attention in class. While the teacher was teaching, I was writing raps. So, I called my parents and told them I didn't think I was gonna finish the semester out. So I came back home.
Then I ran into L-Jai (from the group Profyle) and we started travelling. I was with Profyle through the whole Motown deal (both albums), and even after that ... doing shows and touring. After they broke up, I went solo and started doing my own thing. So yes, I have 10 years in it, or like some say “10 toes” in it. (Laughs)
ME: Did you rap back in high school?
BB: Back in high school, I was writing raps to pass classes ... I’d write a Spanish rap, a Christmas rap ... whatever. Just to get through class.
ME: Do you remember you’re the first song you ever wrote?
BB: The very first song I wrote was in elementary school. I was in the 5th grade. I wrote a summertime rap near the end of school year. But I was young. I wasn't taking it serious then.
ME: When did you get serious?
BB: I got serious when I wrote this Looney Tunes rap on my first CD, “Put It In Their Earhole” (hosted by DJ Hot Sauce).
Then I was like I can take this serious. Being on the road with Profyle made me love the business.
Being the background, going into the studio, doing songs -- I learned a lot. But no one knew how to market me then ... But I know how to market myself!!
ME: Where did the name BILLY BROADWAY come from?
BB: A White boy gave me that name about five years ago. Dennis Etheridge. He used to be my manager at one time.
He walked in the studio one day and I don't know if he had a good happy hour or what, but he walked into the studio and he was like "You're Billy Broadway!" and I was like "Yeah! ... I'm Billy Broadway!" And it was a catchy name so I stuck with it ... got tattoos and everything.
ME: What was your stage name before that?
BB: Before that i was going by Minister ... (he says with a long pause) ... That’s when i was travelling with Profyle. Only because people told me my songs had stories to them.
ME: So what do u call those stories? How would you describe your music?
BB: I don't call what I do anything but music. I write about real life situations, relationships situations ... my situations. I just wanna reach everybody. I don't wanna be stuck in one genre.
ME: What kind of music do you listen to? Like who are your top five favorites?
BB: Right now I'm listening to Gucci Mane. Him and the OJ Juice Man have came into the game and built a concrete foundation ... not with just Southern artists but with all artists. They've done something not many artists have. Their lyrics aren't the best, but they make sure they're on tracks with the best. I look up to stuff like that.
But as far as what I listen to ... it's usually Gucci Mane, L-Jai and Navajo, The Underdogs, and KP.
Oh! and Dave Matthews! That's that other level y'all don't know about. I popped dave in when i got on the plane to Puerto Rico and I felt so free!
As far as my Top Five. It would be KP, L-Jai and Navajo, Lil' Wayne, Jay-Z and I have to put the entire Dungeon Family together (Outkast, Goodie Mob, etc.).
ME: Nice mix! So tell me, what sets you apart from other artists?
BB: I get out and do my own grind work (unlike most artists). Most artists wait for something to come to them. I’m on a “Do-My-Own-Promotions-No-Radio-Play-Tour.
ME: So where all have you performed? And with who?
BB: I have a long list. Since 5 Entertainment signed with Rap-A-Lot we've had a lot of opportunities. We’ve done shows in Cancun and Nashville ... and when the Bun B’s II Trill Album (it's actually hot!) came out, we got to go on tour and open for him. We did the album release party, the Ozone Awards show . It opened a lot of doors we wouldn't have had, being independent.
ME: What was the most memorable performance?
BB: The Bun B album release party (May ‘08), ‘cause it was after Pimp C died. There was a lot of emotion in the building. Everyone there responded well to us ..
We were also in his video for his first single, “That's Gangsta”, with Sean Kingston. But don't blink ‘cause you'll miss us!!! (laughs).
Another (memorable moment) would be opening for Lil’ Wayne in Houston last summer, when he dropped his album Tha Carter III. It was in an arena, and it was VERY Packed!
Just to open up for people like them --- it helps YOU. If you do a memorable performance, they're going to remember you. That’s how we really got our name embedded in Houston ... when we did that Wayne show.
ME: Any stories from the road you want to share?
BB: (He thinks for a minute). Okay! I got one ... During the Hot Topic promotional tour for BulletProof , we were down in South Texas -- like Corpus Christi or somewhere.
It was during the winter, and we had to go somewhere like Oklahoma to go do a show. We were following somebody ... and the further we got down the interstate, the harder it was snowing.
Well, somewhere down the road, my manager decided to stop and turn around. He turned to cross over the median to go the other way, and the cars were coming at us (full-speed) ... and I screamed like a little girl! (we both laugh).
Yes! I did it! And they will talk about me and laugh, but I did. “Cause I thought I was about to die. I don't care what you say but if you were in a car that was backing up in like 60 feet of snow and cars were coming at you, you would've screamed too! No homo.
And that’s all I got to say about that.
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