Government name: Maurice Avery
Stage name: Mack Chene (after 2 historic streets on Detroit’s eastside).
What type of music do you perform?
Hip-hop and rap. Sometimes something a little softer, but I would call it R&B though. I’ve been performing for 10 years now.
What inspired you to get into music?
I have to say my upbringing, my surroundings and my experiences. I’m from the Brewster projects. If If you come up in the Brewster projects and you make it out of there and come up to be somebody it’s like you’re a flower growing out of the concrete. It’s enough to make any man wanna do somethin’ — like seeing if he can make it out. It’s a defining moment.
How else did life in the Brewsters influence your music?
Everday was something else. I know a lot about the history, like the Supremes, and the temptations and everybody else that used to hang there back in the day. It inspired me to really want to do music as my way out … and the community supported me and made me feel like [this road] was a good one. They made me feel like somebody, and once I found it I could really rap, it made me feel invincible standing in front of a crowd. It most definitely cultivated my talent and added a unique flavor.
When did the music begin to take off?
I was playing local clubs around the city and it just got bigger and bigger. Then I started doing shows at St. Andrews Hall, Plan B and The Apartment. Then I found myself performing in California, Atlanta and New York. I was with a group then, but life happened to them, just like what happened with New Edition.
What’s the music landscape like in Detroit now?
There’s a lot of talent, but there aren’t too many ways to expose it. Other than clubs, there’s nowhere for artists to really show their creativity other than the streets. Artists need to hear themselves on the radio and in interviews like this. I’m just going to be blunt — most of the avenues for exposure are for guys with money.
What makes a Detroit rapper different?
A rapper in L.A. is Hollywood, and a rapper on the East Coast or new York is competitive. But a rapper in Detroit is lyrically talented. I’ve stood on the corners and new York and seen the rap battles … but in Detroit Eminem is not riding around on the streets, but it would help.
–roz edward
