Maino Questions Fame After Cousin's Suicide [Video Included]

Original Story Posted February 2, 2010

The pursuit of fame and success can sometimes leave people with a veil draped over their eyes where they are unable to see the bumps and bruises that one must endure in order to achieve the dream.

Maino's cousin, his close friend, recently committed suicide and last spring the rapper's best friend was shot by police.

Through all of the turmoil, Maino continues to maintain his composure, but has come to realize that

the road isn't what he initially imagined it to be.

The Brooklyn native gave more insight on his relationship with his cousin, trying to deal with his personal problems and balancing his life in and outside the music industry while speaking to MTV.

“Even right now, my closest cousin committed suicide. He's been on the road with me. You probably seen me with him. His funeral is tomorrow. This is what I'm saying. You get in the game, you think you escape all this. This is not a distant relative of mine. This is my closest cousin. We grew up together. My mother and his mother are sisters. Just thinking about that and going through that while I'm trying to attain fame and this lifestyle, it's two worlds.

One side, everything is all good. On my personal, it's really not. My cousin was just here; now he's not. The circumstances behind him doing whatever he felt he needed to do, I can't really understand. [Entertainers] take the bumps and bruises and keep moving. We grieve, we pick up, and we try to keep it moving.”

Maino also reflected on a moment in time where his music was able to create a positive environment for someone else.

“I had a conversation with a dude that told me I stopped him from committing suicide.  I said, ‘Wow'. I'm glad I was able to help him.  This was just through music.  That's what music is for.  It's the soundtrack to your life.”

Even through the hardships, the rapper keeps going.  With the EP Unstoppable on the way and his second album, The Day After Tomorrow, expected to drop this summer, Maino knows that he can dwell on the past, but must always look forward.

Check the rest of Maino's interview below.