You can take Big K.R.I.T. out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of Big K.R.I.T. “My apologies for not getting up,” K.R.I.T. tells me as I entered the back room of his tour bus. It’s less than 10 minutes since he finished his 45 minute set at the Congress Theater, and K.R.I.T. is understandably a little worn out. The last time K.R.I.T. was in Chicago he was a part of history when Young Jeezy used the Windy City stop of K.R.I.T.’s Return of 4eva tour to officially welcome Freddie Gibbs, who was opening for K.R.I.T., into the CTE family.

While many artists would’ve found it hard to take the stage after such a spectacle, K.R.I.T. was happy for Gibbs, and ready to rock. “I was like, ‘oh this is crazy.’ We weren't tripping, we were like, ‘oh, this is live!' These days it is K.R.I.T. who is making history, and collaborating with Hip Hop heavyweights such as T.I. and his influences like 8ball and MJG.

It's just part of a natural progression for K.R.I.T., who has released two critically acclaimed mixtapes since 2010, and is currently awaiting the 2012 release of his first official LP, Live From The Underground. The album, which was recorded in just 2 months, has been pushed back to clear much needed samples, as well as wait for a guest feature that K.R.I.T. can’t divulge, but promises is definitely worth the wait. I talked to K.R.I.T. about the LP, the meaning of remaining underground, and some advice he’s gotten from Method Man. Read the full interview below.

RubyHornet: Your first mixtape was called See Me On Top, in 2004. How does it feel to get closer and closer?

Big K.R.I.T.: It’s definitely amazing to start to be recognized for my music. And then to see people go back to where I began and see the growth, and understand that this wasn’t overnight, I think that at some point it was, ‘oh, who is this cat Big K.R.I.T.?” But you can see over the years now what’s been going on with me producing, rapping, just what’s changed in my style from being super punchliney to now it’s like real content and what’s going on. But man, just to be closer to getting on a platform where millions and millions of people can hear the music and relate to it, it’s like… it’s breath-taking brother, for real.

RubyHornet: Speaking of platforms, I read an old interview that you did right around the time that Big K.R.I.T. Wuz Here came out and really started getting the good reviews. And you said, "Even if it doesn't go any further than this, I can say I was able to put my music out there on a platform and people accepted it and listened to it."

Big K.R.I.T.: Oh, yeah, definitely. No doubt. Cause at one point, nobody listened to the music. Nobody heard it and I’d throw it out on the Internet and it wouldn’t end up nowhere, it wouldn’t go nowhere. So, to be at this point where people are at least listening and want to hear what you got to say, that’s success enough.

RubyHornet: So now your platform has grown and you have success in that respect, not only some success, but it seems you set a stage for yourself where it’s in your hands and you can take it furhter.

Big K.R.I.T: I’m glad you feel that way. I still feel like, ‘ah, man I got so much more to do.’

RubyHOrnet: If at one point success was just to be heard, what is success to you now?

Big K.R.I.T.: Now it’s about saying something important. Saying something with content, something that matters. If I get the opportunity to do an interview, or 16 bars, or whatever on a level where nationally people can see it, what I am gonna say? I should say something that is impactful, powerful. Now that you got that voice, you have to be very careful with it.