Born in the boroughs of New York City, Hip-Hop has found a home not just all over the states but all over the world. From Compton, California to Atlanta, Georgia hip-hop has united young audiences in settings ranging from night clubs to television commercials. Over the years we have seen a shift in regional dominance in the Hip-Hop industry. It began on the East Coast then shifted to the West Coast, eventually returning to the East Coast. Slowly but surely the South is etching its place in the game.

In this transitional period artists such as Fam-Lay are playing an integral part in diversifying the sound of Hip-Hop. Haling from Norfolk, Virginia his music is the perfect representation of the evolution in the sound of the music. When we picture Virginia the East Coast definitely comes to mind yet this state does fall south of the Mason Dixon technically making it a Southern State. Much like his hometown, Fam-Lay's music is a fusing of different regions. Backed by the high power production of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo collectively known as the Neptunes, Fam is preparing for the release of his debut effort titled Traintogo.

Fam-Lay is part of the Star Trak/ Def Jam camp which is also home to artists such as the Clipse and Kelis. Getting his start rhyming in his neighborhood, he quickly developed a reputation among his friends, one of which just happened to be Pharrell's brother. After the word got about Fam's skills a chance meeting with Pharrell in a VA night club turned out to be the start of a professional rap career. His first single "Rock N Roll" featuring Lil' Flip is already generating a buzz.

BV: How and when did you first get into music?

Fam-Lay: Music was the thing in our house hold. My moms would play music all day long. That's how I first got into it and around my neighborhood we used to do it to joke each other. All of us we'd get in a circle and just joke each other but we would do it a rhyme. Folks used to always tell me I was good it at it. You know Pharrell from the Neptunes, his brother grew up in my neighborhood and I guess word got back to him. He was already out there [on the music scene]. Making it [in Hip-Hop] always seemed farfetched to us in Virginia, it was like man 'you gotta be from New York to make it.'

BV: Yeah it did seem like that for a while.

Fam-Lay: So he heard about me rapping and I saw him in a club and he was like 'I heard you rhyme man, why don't you go ahead and rhyme for me real quick.' So after that I started taking it serious. After I rapped for [Pharrell] and he was like `Man you need to start coming down to the studio. So I started to hang around while they were doing their music. He used to shop me around to different people, all along he's getting bigger and bigger. Finally he got his own label and I just rode with him.

BV: How did you get the name Fam-Lay?

Fam-Lay: When I was growing up in Norfolk and even to this day, everybody called each other family. 'What up family, yo family.So I just ran with it'

BV: What did you do before you got your deal?

Fam-Lay: Right before I got my deal, I was hustling. But you know I worked and went to school. As far as doing shows and stuff I never really did a lot of shows. The Hip-Hop scene just wasn't like that down there.

BV: With the Neptunes pumping out hit after hit. Do you ever feel pressured being part of the camp?

Fam-Lay: Not so much pressured, I feel blessed. Man you gotta see them work in the studio. When I was recording I never thought I could do so many songs in a short amount of time. B