On Wednesday, April 15, Elite Famed Entertainment and Cloud9TV joined forces to bring YouTube’s hottest scripted-reality series to Atlanta. The red carpet event for “Money & Violence” was hosted by cast members Rafe & Miz, and DJ Greg Street and held at Kapture nightclub.

“Money & Violence” is a popular web series on YouTube that follows the grimy and cutthroat street life of several Brooklyn natives. The series, which premiered on YouTube in August 2014, garners over 500,000 views per episode and 19 million views total.

During the event, Gang Musix Group’s own Maybaxh Hot (@maybaxh_hot) performed several songs off of his latest project. Special guests in building included DJ Self (NYC’s Power 105.1), rapper Tracy T (Maybach Music Group), Debra Atney (BE100 Radio), DJ XRated, R&B group Final Draft, and a host of others.

Rafe (Cloud9tv) & Maybaxh Hot

Rafe (Cloud9tv) & Maybaxh Hot

STACKS Magazine also caught up with “Money & Violence” creator, Moses (aka Rafe), to discuss the series.

How did the series come about?

“Money & Violence” came about, basically, one morning I just woke up and I was like, “You know what. What’s the next thing that I want to try to do.” I was like I never created a film before. So, I was like I think I want to do a film project. I spoke to my right hand man. He said let’s do it. We just jumped out the window and nine months later we’re here.

Was this your first time working in film production?

Yes. Before this, I never step foot behind a camera. The crazy thing is, I wrote the project. Act in it. I shot it. Directed it. Edited it. I did everything. But, I’d never done nothing like this before in my life. I learned how to edit after watching YouTube tutorials.

Were you surprised at the viewers reception?

Right now, total views we are about to be at 19 million. You have to understand that this is a project that, when I came up with it, I didn’t want this just to be another hood film. What makes it different is the fact that it’s very authentic. I used to tell my boys when we used to act out the scenes…first thing I used to tell them was listen, “this isn’t an opportunity to look tough.” This isn’t an opportunity to look super gangster. This is an opportunity for us to try to make the world understand the lives that we live. The news basically shows you the “what,” but not the “why” you know. Society looks at us as animals ’cause of what we do. But we go home and kiss our kids just like everybody.

Did you set out for it to have a “street” story line?

Yeh. I wanted it to be a more intimate look at a couple of characters that people only know from seeing them in the newspaper or watching them on the news. They automatically demonized them. But the truth is that some of the most ruthless dudes that I’ve known all my life, has the biggest hearts. It’s just that they’re men and they do the things that they have to. It’s survival.

Where are you now in the series?

There are actually 26 episodes in the first season. Right now, we took a break. We’re going to come back with season two. But right now I’m just taking a lot of meetings with a lot of major studios. I got like six offers. Six deals on the table to decide from. So, right now I’m just sitting back really trying to make the best move.

I’m not in a rush. Everybody so quick to run to the money. But in the process of running to the money, you overlook shit. I ain’t with that. I’m taking my time.

Other ventures?

I wrote two novels before this that I never actually published. After this “Money & Violence” project, the next thing I’ll probably be doing is putting out a book. The two books are A Mans Burden and Love Changes. I’m not sure which one I’ll put out first.

Love Changes is a story of when I was like 16 or 17. Love Changes is actually the back story to all the characters in “Money & Violence”. It takes you through my character, Rafe. It takes you through the first robbery he ever did when he was 16. It takes you through how he went from being a boy to how the streets just swallowed him and just turned him into something, totally something else.

 

To watch “Money & Violence,” subscribe to the channel at YouTube.com/Cloud9tv.

Special thanks to The Meme Agency (@memeagency) for the invite!  You can follow the cast of “Money & Violence” on Instagram @Cloud9tv_ (Rafe), @Ray_Day9 (Miz), @Dudollaz (Shane), and @Ace_General_ (Kane).