Artist Of The Week – Vinnie Scullo

The story of the young man who goes to Hollywood to find his dream is one as old as Hollywood itself. Vinnie Scullo’s story involves a stay in the sunny California city, but he’s still waiting for a scriptwriter to come up with his Hollywood ending. After being cut off by his grandparents for using his college tuition money to buy studio equipment Vinnie moved to Hollywood to pursue his goal of being an MC. He worked as an extra for shows such as Scrubs, That 70’s Show and CSI Miami until a run in with Ashton Kutcher would lead to Vinnie’s firing from not just That 70’s Show, but also his casting company, making it necessary for him to move back to Cleveland. In 2006 he released two albums, the double CD Hollywood Menace – The Hills Have Lies, and See You At The Gap. Whether he’s sampling The White Stripes, or looping the He-Man theme, Vinnie spits lyrics that range from angry to completely hilarious, oftentimes mixing the two. Vinnie opened for Obie Trice earlier this year, and today he's opening up for everyone to tell the world what Vinnie Scullo is really all about.

Adam Bernard: Two albums in one year, one being a double CD; what inspired such a high musical output in 2006?
Vinnie Scullo: When Hip-Hop music is one's life one's life revolves around Hip-Hop music. I never thought twice about two albums in the same year. They just had to be made to keep me properly ventilated, ya know? Some people take pills to dilute the pain, I make records. I mean, if I had any medical insurance I’d take pills and make records, but I doubt too many people would want me makin’ records like that or I may turn into Outkast and make Idlewild II: Lost In New York or something. And don't think I'm about to say "when hip-hop music is one's life, one's life revolves around hip-hop music all the time,” either, like I’m Anne Heche or Ben Affleck talking about a stupid movie I just made that nobody cares about but everybody should. I'm not some pretentious star fucker ghost-appointed emcee. I just felt like saying it 'cause it's frickin’ true. And Ben Affleck is a prick.

Adam Bernard: Alright then. With the two albums in one year, what do you feel are some of the biggest differences between Hollywood Menace and See You At The Gap?
Vinnie Scullo: Menace was written and produced in a little over a year, and Gap was written and produced in a little under a month. Menace was carefully thought out, Gap was to get my current thoughts out.

Adam Bernard: What are some of those thoughts? What are the main messages you look to get across in your music?
Vinnie Scullo: I have too many messages to really pin down one in general, but what they generally add up to, and what I live by, is: The quickest route to Heaven is straight through Hell. I’d also like to play John Q. Soothsayer for a second, if I may. In a very near future, Hip-Hop is going to get real honest. What you hear from emcees will be the truth. No more bull-ish about money and ice and all that. I mean, that will still be around (’cause Lord knows it refuses to leave the airwaves and TV sets), but Hip-Hop is going to get real honest real soon, and Vinnie Scullo won’t be looked at as a big fucking unmarketable risk anymore. Columbia Records said I was too left-of-center and not mainstream enough. Ha. At least someone gets it. I’m sitting on a multi-million-person-strong untapped market here, but y’all don’t hear me though. Oh, and don’t take yourself too seriously, either.

Adam Bernard: One really cool thing about your music is your use of interesting samples, you work with some really non-traditional, in terms of Hip-Hop, stuff. What inspires your choice in samples? Do you have specific concepts you look to run with or is it more spur of the moment inspiration?
Vinnie Scullo: However I feel like doing it, I do it. If I get inspired to make a beat out of the Double Dare theme or the Charles In Charge jingle, I do it. I don’t really worry about if people will think I’m “hard” enough or “bad-ass” enough. I stay honestly me. It took a while to learn how to do that, though, I must admit. I mean, I made a damned song outta’ the Clarissa Explains It All theme. ‘Nuff said. Now I know this is a little left-field, but whatever happened to Parker Lewis Can’t Lose? Can I get a Parker Lewis Can’t Lose DVD box set in this bitch please?!

Adam Bernard: Finally, after an intense 2006, what are your goals for 2007?
Vinnie Scullo: I wanna be signed to the right label, distributed properly, and enabled to remain Vinnie Scullo. I would also like to be a distant memory to my fellow Pizza Hut drivers. Wheel Sea.

For more on Vinnie Scullo, and to check out some of his music, head on over to myspace.com/vinnyscullo