Armenian Chronicles sat down with rapper Profit for the scoop on his career and life outside the studio.
ARMENIAN CHRONICLES: What’s your real name and where does your stage name come from?
PROFIT: Well, my full name is Nazaret "Nazo" Aslanian. People ask me, why you call yourself Profit, like its not like prophet - like a messenger from God. It’s Profit - the other way just because I am in the business. I am accordable for that I can be a commercial artist and really answer to the hip-hop business at the same time there is a double meaning.
AC: Who is your producer?
P: Chris P. and Tyron. Those two are my two boys, we are called Entity.
AC: Are they Armenian?
P: They are Armenian too. We have African- Americans involved who are song writers. So, it’s not Armenians trying to know hip-hop and try to give their version of it. We really mix with the black culture that gives us a better edge in the black community with the feedback and all these kinds of things for style.
AC: Are you from here?
P: Yeah, I’m from here. I have never been to Armenia, but I will go.
AC: Do you think Armenians in Los Angeles are more influenced by non-Armenian culture than Armenian?
P: There are different types of Armenians. There are Armenians who reject their culture to a point you can’t tell they are even Armenian. And there are Armenians that are little too Armenian to mix in with the culture out here. And there are a lot of Armenians, they find the balance: they preserve their own culture, beliefs and they respect everything their family stands for, they are open-minded, they mix in with other cultures and I think I am one of those.
AC: Do you parents know that you rap?
P: They know that I rap. My mom does not like it when I curse. I only play the songs that I don’t curse in. I tried to explain to them it’s time for me to pursue it. I am young and I can support myself financially. I don’t have other commitments like a wife or family.
AC: How are you at school?
P: I went to UCI and I studied computers, then I met my homie Tyron.
AC: Describe your time at UCI?
P: I think college is great and you learn a lot about yourself. It’s good to have a degree, college is really tight. You are in you are own world. You are not in the real world yet.
AC: What is more enjoyable, making music or performing?
P: Both, I make songs for scenarios. I can make a song about when you are chilling with your girl, when u want to be intimate or you are with your girl and get into an argument or like in the club I make situational songs, that’s fun for me. Performing is fun, it’s like convincing people your song is about you feeling me and feeling me is what gets me powerful as an MC.
AC: What would you tell the Armenian students about school, life and the world?
P: I would tell kids they would have an easier life if they studied. What you know is important- especially for students to know what they want. I am the type of a person that knows what he wants and goes for it for business, music or girls. We all make mistakes. It’s okay, write your own life story. Don’t sit and think things are going to come to you.
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