Antonio Servidio, continued from page 27
was way back in ’95 when he first got out. I
didn’t go away until ’96 These were some of
my first early on shows was him and Richie
Rich, and B-Legit and Dru Down and Too
Short and Keak Da Sneak. I was barely
just learning how to do shows. Surprisingly
they were all getting sold out and it crazy
because people seemed like they were
more excited for hip hop shows back then
and more supportive than they are now.
Because now there’s hip hop shows every
weekend. Back then it was kind of rare to
find your favorite artist and you couldn’t
find them on the internet back then because
it wasn’t like that you know. A lot of things
have changed with concerts. Nowadays
artists are too accessible. They weren’t
back then. You couldn’t just go google Mac
Dre or Celly Cel or somebody and see them
back then.
SM: Did you attend Coachella when Tupac’s
hologram was on stage?
AS: I didn’t. I am going this year but I didn’t
go that year.
SM: I heard a rumor that they might even do
an Eazy-E hologram.
AS: I wouldn’t be surprised. They put on
probably the best show in the world. I think
that would be really cool if they did.
SM: Are you familiar with any of the guys from
Tha Dogg Pound aside from Snoop Dogg?
AS: Yeah, I know Daz and Kurupt.
SM: There’s a guy that I was actually able to
meet yesterday. He’s doing a show tonight.
His name is Lil Half Dead.
AS: I have heard of him. Snoop has such a big
group and entourage like he rolls so deep.
I have heard his name and I have probably
met him in passing throughout the years.
SM: Sounds like you have had a long, crazy
career in the music and entertainment
industry. I am so happy that you are
stepping into movies now. This is the next
chapter for you.
AS: Yeah, it definitely is. The feature on
this is already done and written. We are
tightening it up with a couple of different
script edits. The feature was already written
prior to doing the short. I just didn’t have
the funding. I didn’t have the 30 or 40
million dollars to get it made. We do now,
when I was doing the short film that is why
Sarah (Downey) said let’s do a short film.
Sarah has won a lot of awards doing short
films at all of the film festivals. During that
process when I was putting everything
together Mario (Sanchez) was basically able
to round up the funding for the feature film.
We already are were in filming of the short
film so we weren’t just going to pump the
brakes so we said let’s put this out in the film
festivals. Let’s put it out on iTunes anyways
just so fans have something because the
feature film could take years to get done.
Actors availability and so forth.
SM: Exactly and you guys already have an
all-star cast for the short film so the feature
film is going to be crazy!
30 | THE POWER ISSUE
AS: Oh yeah, the feature film, I can’t really
confirm on the actors, but we have some
heavy hitters.
SM: I can imagine and I am excited! SLAM
will definitely have the latest updates as they
become available. Also, I love all of the behind
the scenes footage you guys have going on
your YouTube channel for Tunnel Vision.
AS: Thanks! You like that? It kind of gives
people an idea of what goes on.
SM: I watched most of them. I am still going
through some but love all of the interviews
you guys are doing on set. I had a blast being
an extra. I was so happy when I saw that
post for a call for extras for a scene (being
shot) in L.A. The whole thing was shot in L.A.
AS: For the feature film a lot of it will be
shot in the Bay because that’s where I am
from. We are looking at shooting it in the
Bay, Atlanta and also L.A.
SM: That will be amazing when it comes out.
Thank you very much for talking to me.
AS: Thank you and thank you for your support.
I am glad that you came to the shoot and I
am glad that I was able to meet you. I’m glad
you like the stuff that we are posting because
I was waiting to hear some feedback from
people if we are putting too much out there
at once, but a lot of people want to know the
backstory. Like how did all of this develop
and who is Johnny Russo. I don’ really like to
put my name out there like that but I know at
the end of the day people want to know that
there’s a real person behind all of this and
where this story came from.
SM: Tunnel Vision is based on your true story.
AS: G-Eazy did a great job. He was able
to bring the story to life. He hopped in, he
transformed from G-Eazy to Johnny Russo
so quick, it was crazy for the amount of time
that we spent together going over the script
and going over the story line. He’s amazing.
He’s probably just as good of an actor as he
is a musician.
SM: Just based off of the music videos
he’s done, they stand out. They are also
like mini-movies. I think that is something
th