By Travis West | Staff Editor

“Potential and Procrastination” is a hip hop album that debuts the talents of local 24-year old artist Alfredo Pulido. It was a project that took years in the making, but the journey getting there started long before the college graduate even thought about hip hop.

“I told myself that by 25 (years old), I wanted to get a newer more reliable piece of transportation,” Alfredo said.

Purchasing the new vehicle is one of the things that Alfredo has actually done ahead of schedule.

Before releasing his debut LP “Potential and Procrastination”, Fredo, as he known by his followers and closest friends, was featured on various artist tracks all over the Inland Empire.

As a result, Fredo was able to polish his presence on stage with over 40 appearances in just over a year.

Most recently, he has been booked to host a party in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood hotel.

He attributes his success to the communications degree he received at Cal State San Bernardino.

“I want to go back to take a graphic design class … time is of the essence and being in a room with graphic designers is a good network to be in.”

Fredo understands the importance of good communication.

When he was younger, his father would make him tag along while doing business with wholesalers in downtown Los Angeles.

Now, Fredo talks business with wholesalers in Los Angeles, utilizing the communication skills and familiarity taught by his father.

“Its not so much that he taught me how to talk, but talk business with those particular people,” he explained. “We’ve been going out there since I was little so I know what they are about.”

He has helped his popularity by buying hats and shirts for wholesale and selling them all over the Inland Empire marked with the word “Local” on the front.

With the help of local stores and contacts, Fredo has been able to create a large following by collaborating with an I.E. company called Local Gold.

The company highlights local talent in all areas of art.

His confidence and ability to communicate is what separates him from other hip hop artists.

“I won’t claim to be the best rapper or whatever you want to call it. You may like my music but it may not win you over as a fan,” he said.

“If I can get you to listen to my music and see my morals, etiquette, how I carry myself and conduct business then I think I have won you over as a fan.”

His humble attitude goes along way in an industry where holding your own means everything.

Its a refreshing change in a culture that has been labeled as so raw.

As he shuffled through his iPod for the next song, he began to tell me about a time that he broke up a fight. He was able to talk someone he just met out of pulling out a gun.

“I just told him to walk with me,” Fredo said. “I basically told him that it isn’t worth it.” He earns the respect of his peers, something he has been passing down to the younger generation.

While working on his degree, Fredo worked at Home Gardens Elementary, where he tutored and mentored young children.

He cherishes the time he spent with those kids and hopes to see them succeed and in time pass along the same lessons he taught them.

“I really love that stuff, the honesty, sincerity the respect you get down the road … I want to go back and get my Ph.D. and when this is all over I want to be a high school or college counselor,” he said.

His parents have been in disbelief of their son’s popularity.

In the last year, he has had to deactivate his twitter account due to hackers and spammers.

“I have about 3,000 followers and every day I was getting spammed.”

He eventually disabled his Twitter account, un-followed everyone and started from scratch.

“My dad was like, ‘3,000 people? What do 3,000 people want to do with you?’”

His dad hasn’t been the only one noticing a change in their son’s popularity. “My mom is a real estate agent.

She sold a house and formed a friendship with a client and after getting to know each other, the client’s daughter found out that I am her son and was excited to meet my mom,” he said laughing.

“I do not want to call her a fan, but she was hyped to find out that was my mom.”

After many live performances, many of his followers demanded an album from the growing artist.

“My biggest criticism was that I didn’t have a project of my own, hints the name Potential and Procrastination’.”

His thoughts on the album are critical. Although he would make changes to the album such as the amount of tracks, Fredo thinks he left the door open to what he wants his sound to be.

“I stayed in the middle, nothing too commercial or too underground conscious rap.”

Fredo has created a local following, but looks to aim higher.

He has collected names of venues all over the country with the hopes of using his education to book his own shows. “If I can travel I will keep doing this. Even if I have to go cross country.”

He mentioned that he would like to get into producing beats and putting together three track EP’s with various producers and artists.

He has built a following off of hard work and mutual respect.

Even though his mom is pushing for him to go back to school, he has the potential to translate what he has built into something big, but always keeps his goals in proper perspective.

It is likely that he will go back to school, but the next step for Fredo is securing his next big purchase.

“I am trying to put a down payment on a house. I am only 24, so if I am 26 out here grinding, putting a down payment on a house, I’m good.”

The next time you go to a local bar or club be sure to keep an eye for Fredo. He has connections all over the I.E. and there is a likely chance that you know someone who has come in contact with.

To grab a copy of Fredo’s album be sure to check out xfredo.bandcamp.com. To learn more about Fredo and his following visit beeazy.org.