DMVLIFE.com Interviews Santino Ranks

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Q: What is your artist name and how did you get it? What is the meaning behind it?

A: My name is Santino Ranks. I got that name because my mother wanted to name me "Santino" because her name is Tina and plus Sonny of the Godfather name... I always loved the name and Ranks come from Cutty, Shabba, and Nardo... all of them got Ranks in their name and that word and meaning is cool... so boom Santino Ranks.

Q: Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

A: I'm from DC (southeast) I grew up in the Wheeler Rd area.

Q: How long have you been making music?

A: Well I been doing music since 13 and professionally I been doing it since bout 15 but I was on and off and always wasn't focused on music.

Q: Who were your music influences?

A: Kingpin skinny pimp, Three 6, Wu Tang, Nirvana, G-slimm, DMX, Minnie Riperton, Master P and the whole No Limit... I could go on forever.

Q: What would be your dream collaboration with any rapper or producer?

A: OJ Da Juiceman, Waka Flocka, DC Medusa, Yung Gleesh and Skylar Grey... and to get a bunch of DJ Paul beats made just for me... but any artist that is willing to work and who is solid outside of music I'm with the collab.

Q: What is your passion? What drives you to make music?

A: Music is my passion I love it more than pussy (excuse my language) but I just love it. It helps me with my depression no matter if I'm writing a tune or just cranking a beat... I love it. The drive is to live what I vision in my mind...I don't wanna be that guy saying "damn I wish that was me" naw man I gotta do it no matter how long it takes.

Q: What visuals/music videos do you have out?

A: "Gangsta Shyt", "Rize Da K" and "Serial Killa" them the videos out now... more of visuals coming soon and will be on YouTube and DMVlife.com.



Q: Do you have any performances coming up?

A: As of now no performances coming up but the people who walk with me on the social sites would be able to know when ranks coming through.

Q: What mixtapes/projects have you released so far?

A: Plenty of them... all of em was just thrown together under the rap names "Yung Spaz", "Silas G", or "Syliz" and "Shameek", but the "South SuiSide" project I dropped on datpiff gained proper respect but "Up Tha Rank" about to be legendary and after this I feel like my life going change forever ya know?

Q: What is up next for you?

A: "Up Tha Rank" that's next then this YNWV project we working on (S&C Mally and V5) y'all going hear them on up tha rank. I'm just stacking up songs so I could have bodies of work.

Q: What is something that not many people know about you?

A: I could engineer 90% of my songs was mixed by me... putting everything where it need to be that's all me!

Q: What advice do you have for artists on the come up?

A: Do you, feel free, learn the business, stay true to ya self & craft and don't do songs with niggas just because "they're hot" at the moment.

Q: What are your social media sites and how can people get in touch with you?

A: Everything is @SantinoRanks...FB, IG and Twitter.