By starrymag | January 7, 2014

Eddie is the 8^th Eliminated Contestant in the episode that aired Wednesday,
February 9, 2005

ROAD TO STARDOM, airs Wednesdays at 8 PM ET/PT on UPN

 

 

Q) Why did you decide to apply for the show?

 

A) It was a big opportunity that fell into my lap when I was driving down the street. I saw Missy’s story on “Driven” and just seeing what she went through and how she made it, it was almost like it was destined. So, I thought I’d take advantage of the opportunity because it didn’t fall in my lap for nothing. It sounded like it was going to be a lot of fun, which it was.

 

Q) What was your audition process like for the show?

 

A) There were a lot of people standing in line really early in the morning. I saw so many different characters there, so many different looks to artists and then plain old me went up there. I came out of California like Ali and did my thing. I put my thing down and it was real comfortable. They made me feel comfortable and then I threw down.

 

Q) What was it like meeting Missy Elliott?

 

A) It was real cool! You see someone on TV and as big as she is, and I got to meet her, it was a real nice moment. She made me feel comfortable and gave me a real nice hug. It was a real good feeling. I got a chance to go bowling with her and I got a chance to ask her some questions that I had wanted to get answered. She took my lane from me because she thought I had the magic strike-bowling lane or something. She made me comfortable, answered everything and gave me some pointers and tips on how to navigate through the industry.

 

Q) What did you learn about music and the entertainment industry from being on the show?

 

A) I just pretty much learned how to deal with characteristics and personalities and not just shun away from them or brush them off. I had to learn how to get used to working with people.

 

Q) Who do you plan on keeping in touch with anyone from the show?

 

A) I talk to Nic like every day. I talk to Nilyne and Akil. I talk to those three people a lot. Nic isn’t how they portrayed him on TV. He’s really a mature man. He’s older than me; he’s been through more than I have so there is a lot to be learned from him. I give him that respect. Not too much my elder, but that is somebody who is older than me and has been through more things than I have.

 

Q) What made you originally decide to become a rapper?

 

A) Failing all of my tests in college. I wasn’t feeling those tests and I just wasn’t feeling school at the time. I was watching TV and getting caught in the hype for a minute and really wanting to be a part of music. I heard a lot of cats rapping and I’d jump in the battle and cats were telling me that I could really rap. Just out of the blue I got a refund check from school and instead of buying books I just went and bought everything I needed for a studio. I bought it and put it up in my house and started rapping in 1999 and have been rapping ever since.

 

Q) How did you feel performing in front of legendary choreographer Hi-Hat?

 

A) It was cool because I have never really been around choreographers. When I first saw her, I was like “She dances?” When she got into it, and started getting loose, I was like, “Whoa!” That stuff on TV that you see Missy doing is hard! Doing that and trying to rap was hard. She was giving us ten dance steps in a matter of ten seconds and she was on point. That’s some realness right there!

 

Q) If you had to be the one to choose in the limo between Deltrice and Jessica, who would you have picked and why?

 

A) I would have actually had to flip a coin. We were just kind of figuring out that we would all just kind of bow out. Once it got down to the end and I saw the way it went down at the wire, I didn’t quite understand it. My coin says Jessica.

 

Q) You seemed so committed to succeeding. Were you just having an off night at the performance challenge?

 

A)No, I honestly don’t think I was off. My time was just over. I did everything that was asked of me. At the beginning of the show, when we had to do a competition in the limo, I wasn’t really into that competition, but I still did give it my all. As far as the challenge goes, I really think I did my thing. I worked my butt off on that dance because I didn’t learn the dance when everybody else did. I had to learn it when I got up there. I was tagging along with every contestant I could on the side to try and show me the dance. I worked hard to learn that and I felt I did pretty good, but when you have six other people who are doing just as good, somebody had to go. She said it was a hard decision and in the end it was me. I didn’t take it bitterly, I took it like a man and thanked her for the opportunity and wished everybody else well.

 

Q) Why did you decide to choose to sing at the performance challenge?

 

A) They asked me to. I just did what they asked me to.

 

Q) Why did you decide to compliment Akil when you were standing in front of Missy?

 

A) It wasn’t about TV with me. It was really about talent. If he is talented, then he is talented. No matter how it looks, I’m not going to try and make any TV for anybody. I am not going to try and bring any drama. If he’s got it, then he’s got it. That kind of stuff right there, you have people that look at that and say, “Double E really just gave Akil credit.” They will look at me as a person and if you are feeling me as a person, then you are going to take a deeper look into my music and that gives me a better chance to get people listening to me. I know Akil would have done the same thing, because I’ve had talks with Akil, and if I would have sat there and denied that Akil is tight then I would have been doing it for TV and that wouldn’t have been real to me. I would have been fake and that’s not what I’m about. Akil is nice, bottom line.

 

Q) What advice do you have for future contestants?

 

A) My advice for anybody who is going to do something like a reality show is don’t be an actor. If you go on the show to be a performer, a rapper, an entertainer or a singer or whatever than stick to that. Don’t try and be an actor. Just because the camera light is on doesn’t mean you have to start acting. Because they come around with a pen and a pad or you see them looking at you or you feel like they are honing into your conversation and you want to start juicing your conversation up, don’t do that. That really starts to show. Every time you start acting for TV like you’re trying to get an Emmy or something than you might as well keep it true. The truth is the truth and it is fact and it sticks. Keep it true to yourself.

 

Q) Who do you think is going to win the competition?

 

A) I’m going for Akil to win. That’s just who I would like to see win.

 

Q) What are you going to do now that you are no longer on the program?

 

A) I’m in the studio now working on my music now. I have people getting at me, but I’d like to keep loyal to my contract for now. I’m going to be loyal and do what is asked of me and see where it leads me, but in the mean time I’m working on my thing. I’m getting it ready for whatever may come. I just want to be prepared. I’m a businessman; I keep it moving.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

 

A) I would just tell them thank you. I really appreciate the love and the time and the attention. I want to say that I did not get beat by parents because a lot of people think that I got beat by my parents when I was young and that is not the case. Reality TV is like nature, once man has its influences on it then it starts to get retarded. Just know that TV is TV and look beyond on it, no matter if it is me, Melissa, Frank B, Yelawolf or whoever it is and look beyond what you see on TV and give them a listen. If you don’t find what you are looking for in their music, then just pass it on. You may not like Nic on TV, but if you listen to his music than you might find something that you can relate to. So just give everybody a chance musically and keep supporting me. Double E, Double E all the way to the death.