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Red Cafe is one of a few New York rappers holding it down for the North.

EXCLUSIVE: Red Cafe On Diddy: “Puff Made All His Artists Go Platinum Or Gold”

With his club banger “Fly Together” taking over the airwaves, GlobalGrind caught up with Red Cafe to chit-chat with him about his new album, the top five rappers in the game, and of course, his celebrity crush.

Check out Red Cafe’s exclusive interview below!

Global Grind: “Fly Together” is a banger. How did you link up with Ryan Leslie and Rick Ross?

Red Café: I’ve been a fan of Ryan Leslie and his work. We got together for the “I’m Ill” remix and said we’d do an original song when the time permits. We went in the studio a year later and came out fly together in one day. That says a lot about the chemistry. Immediately when I heard the record, I heard Ross on it. He heard the record and was like “Definitely it’s done.” I always make records for the streets. I wanted to make something for the ladies. There’s a lot of single ladies who might be single parents and have their own independent boss thing going on and let them know they can fly just as high as the homies.

How did you get started? When did you start making music?

I’ve been a fan of hip-hop from the early days. Hip-hop was just putting words together and having fun. Then rappers like Nas who rapped about the neighborhood and things that we were going through. And Biggie Smalls. I got a story too. My stories are interesting. I did it for fun and then people started getting interested. Now if your music is being appreciated, people want you to continue because it helps them get through their days. You might say, “I Like “Fly Together.” It makes me feel good.”

Who are some of your musical inspirations?

I listen to Sade. I’m a big Prince fan. Their melodies triggers things that make me feel like maybe I can do something like that.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

I definitely wanna work with Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. I think me and Lauryn Hill could make a great, classic record. I’m a fan of great artists and music, so for you to stay relevant and I’ve been around for a long time so for me to still be relevant, you have to be a fan. I listen to everything and then I take things that I need to take from it to inspire me, which I think is necessary.

If you could collaborate with any pop artist, who would it be?

I like Katy Perry. I think we’d make a hot record.

What’s been the most embarrassing thing to happen to you on stage?

When your mic shuts off, it’s very embarrassing. I almost fell at my birthday party the other day. I missed a step. But the mic thing is really embarrassing.

If I sent you to a deserted island and you could only take three albums, what would you take?

Life After Death, The Best of Sade, and the album that my lady wants because it’s going to be me and her on the island. I’m definitely not going to that island by myself.

Who are the top five rappers in the game right now?

Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Drake, Fabolous, and a toss up between Andre 3000 and Kanye.

What do most people not know about you?

I don’t get on roller coasters. I got on one time … the freefall. And that confirmed why I don’t mess with roller coasters. I got on another one because my daughter and her friends were talking shit. That was it. Never again.  I would sky dive though.

Do you have any celebrity crushes?

Zoe Saldana is hot. I like clever, not slick women. I’m very easily turned off.

If I were a genie, what three wishes would you ask for?

First I’d wanna go on vacation indefinitely with everything paid for. Go to a Michael Jackson concert, front row with my Thriller jacket. I planned on going to that tour. Probably something for my mom so I  wouldn’t have to work anymore.

When can we expect an album from you?

First quarter of the year. The album is done.

Why are you holding secrets? Who’s on the album?

This is grandma’s sauce; you can’t give out the recipe. I’m not telling. It’s on the way. But we got that mixtape Hell’s Kitchen in two weeks.

What’s the most surprising thing about being famous?

People do things for you for nothing.

Like what?

Sometimes I’d be at a restaurant and somebody would pay for me and I wouldn’t know about it. When I was in Las Vegas and wanted to pay, they said somebody paid. When I asked who, they said they left. I don’t even know who it was. When I was in Ft. Lauderdale, someone paid for me. Cool stuff like that.

Anything else you wanna tell your fans?

You can always find me on GlobalGrind, they will have Hell’s Kitchen link, and catch me on Twitter @redcafe.