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Donny Goines: I’ll be honest with you, it’s up in the air. Let me break it down for you. As of now, as an unsigned artist, that has no budget, just in the past month or two, I’ve been featured in XXL, I just came off Hot97, I got booked for the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, I just saw a Myspace feature today, I just saw a joint on Music Choice InDemand. I mean, all of that is all-inclusive: magazine, TV, Radio, website, and that’s all as an independent artist. So I feel like I’m able to do things on a major level now. I’m able to do some things that signed artists don’t even get the chance to do. So, that’s definitely a great thing.

But, going into the future, if I can’t find somebody that understands where I’m coming from and wants to help me build on that, then I will have to stay independent. I don’t really need to go with my hand out to a label, I’m good, I’m all right, I can do things on an independent level. When I say “major” for my third album, I’m not really talking about selling 1,000,000 copies. Numbers have never really been important to me. When I say “major” I just mean I want to make a major impact culturally and musically. I believe I can do that independently too.

The bottom line is, unless I find a record label, and I’m talking to a lot of them now, that meets the right criteria for me, then I’ll just have to do it alone and do what I’ve been doing.

TSS: You mentioned being in a healthy position, and one of the things I thought about was the anecdote you shared with me awhile back about being on the bus and seeing a lady reading the XXL that you were featured in, and you thought it was funny that you were in the XXL yet riding the bus at the same time.  I think it’s healthy that you can have a sense of humor about those types of things, but do you ever get frustrated when you see another artist who doesn’t have as much talent or as positive a perspective and yet they are living lavishly?

Donny Goines: No, it doesn’t. At first, I used to feel like “what the fuck?” But, that’s just a natural reaction. I call it a false sense of entitlement. You see things and you say “I deserve that” or you immediately question why a certain person has a certain thing and you might not. But, the reality is, first, I don’t have enough time to be worrying about what anybody else is doing. I’m really in my own world. Secondly, I just think it’s all meant to be. If something isn’t happening for me, I just assume it’s not in the cards, or that I’ll get it next time. I don’t try to be hatin’ or jealous, I don’t really care about all that.

It goes back to when I said I carry myself as a man first and an artist second, and the way that I carry myself as a man translates in the music. The bottom line is, I’m not jealous of any man, I’m not hating on any man, I’ll get what’s coming to me, whether it be tomorrow or ten years from now.

TSS: That makes sense. That’s refreshing to hear, because it can be discouraging to come across artists who do have that false sense of entitlement. But it seems like you have a healthy focus on your career and where its heading. Do you foresee a moment where you can fall back and feel like you’re finally content?

Donny Goines: I honestly don’t know. I would describe living my life now like walking through a poorly lit tunnel. I don’t necessarily know where I’m going to get out or end up, but I try to plan a few steps ahead. I know that whenever I reach that goal that you spoke of though, that I’ll know I’m there. Other than that, I’m just enjoying the journey man.

TSS: That’s a great spot to end the interview, but if you got time, are you up for a little word association?

Donny Goines: Let’s do it.

TSS: Harlem.

Donny Goines: Cam.

TSS: Swine Flu

Donny Goines: Phobia.

TSS: Obama

Donny Goines: Damn. I’m actually at a loss of words for him man. Inspiration.

TSS: Recession.

Donny Goines: Phobia.

TSS: (Laughs), you think that the Swine Flu and the recession are tied together?

Donny Goines: Yeah, I think its an example of media sensationalism. I think they’re both bad, but not as bad as the media makes it out to be.

TSS: All right, hmm…cereal.

Donny Goines: Capn’ Crunch man! You already know.

TSS: (Laughs) With the Crunch Berries, right. Now, did you ever have the kind where it was like “Oops All Berries” and the commercial was the Capn’ accidentally leaving on the Crunch Berry maker overnight so they had to package and sell entire boxes of Crunch Berries?

Donny Goines: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! (Laughs) I remember that, that was the shit! I remember that well.

TSS: It turned the milk into like a magenta sludge and all that? Got the kids all wound up? That was like my mother’s nightmare cereal.

Donny Goines: (Laughs) That’s funny, yo.

TSS: All right, last one. The movie “The Breakfast Club”

Donny Goines: That’s a good one. Classic.

TSS: Thank you very much for your time, Donny. Anything else you’d like to say to the readers out there in The Smoking Section?

Donny Goines: I just want to say thank y’all very much, and believe me when I tell you, I actually read all your comments a lot and not even on my stories! I just think y’all have some of the funniest conversations on the net (Laughs). Much love to y’all out there.

TSS: (Laughs) On that note, do you have a favorite commenter?

Donny Goines: (Laughs a lot) I ain’t saying any names, but I fucks with y’all just know that.

TSS: All right, well always good talking to you, and we’ll have to sit down for some Crunch Berries sometime and chop it up again.

Donny Goines: You already know man, hit me anytime.

TSS: Take care.

To keep up with the music & many moves of Donny, bookmark www.myspace.com/donnygoines and follow him @ www.twitter.com/donnygoines.

Download — Donny Goines – The Breakfast Club