Although still relatively unknown to the nation at large, local Spanglish hip-hop sensation… Although still relatively unknown to the nation at large, local Spanglish hip-hop sensation Mano-y-Mano is poised for stardom. Comprised of brothers “J Kruz” and “Colossus,” Mano-y-Mano is prepared to put Pittsburgh on the music map for good. With a re-released mix tape currently in local circulation, Mano-y-Mano is determined as ever to secure their place in hip-hop. The Pitt News had the opportunity to talk with “J Kruz,” a rapper from Queens Astoria, New York. John Koutsakis (Kruz’s given name) discussed the trouble with Pittsburgh’s music scene, how to be self-conscious and cocky, and how Mano-y-Mano plans on evading obscurity.

Who is J Kruz?

The first Spanish cat to put the ‘Burgh on the map.

Describe the Pittsburgh hip-hop scene.

[Pittsburgh] rappers like to blame [106.7 and 107.1] WAMO radio station [Pittsburgh’s No. 1 station for hip hop and R’B] for not giving them a break. There is a lot of variety and talent in this city. There is also a lot of potential, but cats don’t understand that it’s a business. Good rappers today don’t get heard. Major [labels] won’t reach out to them. [You have to] invest in who you are. Put more time and effort into the marketing of yourself. Also, if the Pittsburgh rap community came together like they do in the South, the community would thrive. The city needs to embrace their artists more, but they don’t because no one has broken [out] yet.

Why should Mano-y-Mano be heard?

There are a lot of rappers out [that are] about the same thing. We’re not. We make music for our fans, but we won’t compromise the integrity of our music.

What does Mano-y-Mano bring to hip-hop?

Our style is different because it’s a mixture of different cities and cultures. It’s a mixture of self-consciousness, cockiness, anger and [light-hearted] music. Music should also be fun. Our sound is edgy, vibrant, poetic and bilingual, [in English and Spanish]. We wanna come into the game and make a change. It’s not, like, 50’s or Eminem’s responsibility to be role models, but hip-hop is getting out of control. We don’t wanna make a change like KRS-One who said eff this and eff that. You still need things like radio, but … like Outkast. Outkast is doing it.

Self-conscious and cocky seem contradictory. How does your style embody the two?

Well, I’m cocky because I’m hungry as hell [in the rap game] and I thrive off of doubters. They make me so much better. I’m self-conscious because I don’t want to live in a world of money, clothes, jewels and cars. I feel like everybody in the world is blind. We’re so minute if you look at the big picture. Escalades and diamonds… [But] nobody wants to think about Nigerians dying for the same diamonds you’re rockin’.

What are your favorite tracks on the mix tape?

I think that my skills are best represented on “Go Home” because it’s just me. My hardest verse though is on number 13, “Fuego.” It’s in Spanglish.

How did you get involved in the rap game?

[My brother] Elvis started rapping and recorded his first three songs by 13. We’re competitive brothers. I thought that I could rap better than him so I got into it.

How do the two of you compliment each other?

Elvis is poetic. He’s the abstract side [of Mano-y-Mano]. Sometimes you might have to [listen and] think a little more to grasp his verses. J Kruz is simply spoken with metaphors and wit.

What producers have you collaborated with?

We’ve worked with J. Lee from Ghetto Stricken Records for the past five or six years because he believes in us. We’ve also worked with J-Max. [Although] he’s 20 years old, he has off-the-hook beats. We also work with L of Concrete Elite and AO5.

Who has been most influential in your life and for your music?

My [people] on the streets and my boys that I grew up with. I look to them for support. Also, my brother Elvis ’cause he got me started. Some rappers that I hold very high are Big Pun, Jay-z, Nas in the early days, Tupac, Outkast, Eminem, Talib Kweli and Common. They all had an influence in developing the style of flow that I now have.

What have they taught you?

Jay-Z taught me that you can be commercial and still be gangsta. Nas has taught me to be abstract, Tupac has taught me how to be emotional [in rhyme], and Outkast has taught me that you don’t have to follow simple formats.

What’s next for Mano-y-Mano and J Kruz?

We’re currently working on our first [studio] album. It should be completed within the next two months, but it should drop in about three. Right now, we’re focused on promoting and passing out mix tapes, dropping the album, and then having an album release party. In the mean time, we’re selecting a single to [release]. We’re also trying to get a distribution deal for the single. We want to find one large market within a certain city and promote. Our hope is that the vibe will be hot in the city and [we’ll] sell 2,000 copies in four to five weeks. We plan to promote on BET and the radio, etc … but the streets are most important. [We plan on] flooding the streets with free music, get the street’s attention. I’m also a new on-air personality for WAMO. I like radio because I’ve always been a chatterbox, but I still have a lot of learning to do. I’m not yet impressed with what I’m doing. I just wish that the people in power would make some adjustments. They say some things just don’t work for the radio format. I say, make them work. In the end though, it’s still just a business. But you can’t deny me something that I believe in so much. I’ve seen the fans and felt the love that J Kruz and Mano-y-Mano gets. It motivates me to keep going.