CD Release - Hollaback Dad

Eddie Meeks, a bespectacled rapper who stands 6 feet 7 inches tall, is a striking physical presence. On record, his voice is deep and authoritative, and when it hits you, it feels like your father chewing you out. In concert, he's lanky and wiry, bursting energetically across the stage.

But when you ask about After This ... I'll Holla (On Everythang I Love), Meeks' banging solo debut that pairs his stentorian raps with beats from Jon Doe, Willie Evans Jr. and others, he's much more modest. "I just wanted it to be hip-hop. Real, traditional hip-hop," he says during an afternoon lunch at Eats on Ponce.

Meeks issued his first single, "Larger Than Life" b/w "Gunclappin'," with former partner Thareeko, in 1997. Then Meeks linked up with Mello Melanin and DJ/producer Jon Doe to form Prophetix. Two years ago, the group issued its first album, the critically acclaimed High Risk.

"Some dudes play golf, some dudes have gambling habits, some hunt," says Meeks, whose "Ball Up" track for the Atlanta Hawks is currently featured on Turner South, and another featured on the snowboarding video game Amped 3. Rapping is his sport, but his main love is his wife and three daughters. The thirtysomething MC works in human resources at Interland, a local company that provides Internet access, to help support his family. "Hip-hop don't pay the bills right now," he says.

Still, he considers MCing to be his calling, he says, "because of the way it affects me." Unfortunately, he can't pursue his dream on a full-time basis, which makes After This ... I'll Holla (On Everythang I Love) not only his full-length solo debut, but an infrequent opportunity to present his interpretation of quality hip-hop. "I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel," he says. "I'm just trying to make good music."