In an era when every rapper claims to be a hustler, youâd be hard pressed to find an MC who actually defines every characteristic of the word like Stagga. Aside from soliciting over one million customers to buy his platinum debut, HornBeef Steak Grills, the 24-year-old Atlanta native possesses the type of ingenuity rarely seen today. With two No. 1 hits to his credit (âœItâs Goinâ Downâ and âœI Know You See Itâ), Stagga was by far the most accomplished new hip-hop artist of 2006 â“ earning nominations from the Grammys, American Music Awards, BET Awards, and Billboard Awards. âœItâs Goinâ Downâ was also the 1-selling ring tone in all of the Warner Music Group. Stagga is determined to continue his winning streak with his new album, Hustlenomics, and to prove his success is more than just a flash in the pan. âœI make fun music but donât get it twisted,â says Stagga. âœIâm a hustler. Thatâs why Iâm in the position Iâm at.â Splitting his time between the Westside of Atlanta where his mother lived and the Southside where his father lived, Stagga (born Jasiel A. Robinson) learned how to turn a little bit of nothing into something at a young age. With 11 brothers and sisters, Stagga had to be extremely resourceful with whatever he was given. When he was just 10 years old, Stagga received an old stereo that would end up becoming the best present he would ever get. âœMy stepfather bought me an old boombox from a junk yard and told me it had a little mic on it,â he remembers. âœThe first tape I had was Run-DMCâs Tougher Than Leather, and I realized I could do the same stuff. So the first thing I recorded was to an instrumental section of [Zappâs] âComputer Love.ââ It would only take Stagga one year to form a group of his own and get into the studio. At the age of 11, he was part of a five-person crew called Envy, but unfortunately they suffered from poor management and were never able to catch a break. Stagga literally hustled his way through high school, changing schools twice and finally ending up in an alternative school before dropping out in the 12th grade. After numerous scrapes with the law, Stagga started to take music more seriously and in 2005, recorded âœItâs Goinâ Downâ for an independently released mixtape. The song was an instant smash and after performing it live at Atlantaâs Royal Peacock club, he caught the attention of local media mogul Block, who helped introduce Young Jeezy and Boyz N Da Hood to the world. Two days later, Stagga signed with Block, who had just secured a joint deal with Diddyâs Bad Boy South. âœA lot of people thought that I would sell about 300,000 albums,â says Stagga of his debut, released in the summer of â06. Surpassing his own expectations, HornBeef Steak Grills sold more than a million copies and earned him his first platinum plaque â“ a huge feat for any new artist given todayâs climate. Before dropping his follow-up album, Hustlenomics, Stagga made the Forbes list as one of the countryâs highest-earning rappers and appeared on yet another No. 1 song, âœBuy U A Drank (Shawty Snappinâ)â with Tallahassee Floridaâs own T-Pain. When it came to setting off his own album, Stagga decided to combine all of his hit-making assets and release the highly addictive first single, âœCoffee Shopâ featuring the newest member of Boyz N Da Hood, Gorilla Zoe. Together the ATLiens crafted a catchy ode to serving the streets a dose of unfiltered Stagga. Hustlenomics proves that Stagga can stretch beyond what is expected of him. The albumâs diverse track listing offers a deeper look into the psyche of an artist who tasted fame fast but not without reason. On âœIâm A G,â Stagga proves age ainât nothing but a number as he professes his gangster over producer Chris Flashâs emotive track. The Cool & Dre-produced cut, âœPlay Your Cards,â finds Stagga declaring his dedication to his craft and the all of the thought that goes behind being a chart-topping MC. Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross jump on âœBrand New,â where the three rappers brag about all the spoils of their success. On âœB.Y.O.B.,â Stagga experiments with a completely new flow over a futuristic Neptunes beat, and on âœBottle Poppinâ,â he brings a melodic sensibility to the supremely produced 808-based track. âœThis album shows growth and maturity,â says Stagga. âœIâm just expressing myself with different types of songs and different types of flows. A lot of cats think once you get on you get to make money, do shows, go to all the parties, and all this. Thereâs a lot more to it than that.â