The North Carolina-based rap trio Little Brother (Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder) has been the source of much controversy over the past few weeks. The group's highly anticipated sophomore release, 'The Minstrel Show,' is expected to complete the triptych that took shape with the recent release of chart-topping records by Common ('Be') and Kanye West ('Late Registration').

BV caught up with the crew and got an explanation for the album's controversial title, why they think white crowds give them more love, and what they think about BET allegedly not playing their video because it's "too intelligent."

BV: This is your debut on a major label and your album is called 'The Minstrel Show'? Why would you use such a loaded name for an album so crucial to your future as artists?

Big Pooh For those who don't know, minstrel shows were the most popular forms of entertainment in the late 1800s, early 1900's. White actors would paint their faces black and perform very outrageous, outlandish and racist depictions of black life and black culture. And in the 1900s, when blacks wanted to perform in the minstrel shows, they too had to paint their faces black. So basically, what we're doing is comparing that to urban music today. But instead of black face paint, the paint has been replaced with chains, pimping, drug dealing and shooting, and that has become the most popular form of music right now. When blacks wanted to perform at minstrel shows, they didn't have a choice to wear the black face paint. Nowadays, people have a choice to be themselves, but many people are choosing to participate in the minstrel show. We're just trying to bring some balance back to music because black life isn't all about pimping or thugging. It's people raising kids, being husbands, people going to work everyday. It's a full-spectrum, but we're only getting one side right now.

BV: We can't go any further without discussing the controversy about the reviews this album has gotten. And that controversy includes me basically resigning from my job as editor in chief of The Source for sticking up for your original mic rating of 4.5 mics.

Phonte You don't have to go any further man. We just want to say, for the record, thank you for taking a stand. There are so many out people out here that's willing to do any and everything for a check. Hopefully, when this story gets around to the younger generation, they take note of it. And again, it's not about our group -- if it would've been for the latest 50 Cent album or whoever, just the fact that you stood for yourself and was like "nah," my hats off to you, for real. I really commend you on that brother.

BV: Thank you. But despite all that, do you feel that the press has still been slow to react to you guys?

Big Pooh I think so, because we're a new band and we're new to a lot of these people, and they may not have heard the record. So it is like a touchy-feely thing with us right now. We know our record is not going to be this big, 100 to 200,000 copies for the first week kind of record. It's going to be a slow grind, where little by little, the people and the sales are going to come. It's something we're prepared for.

BV: Would people be quicker to embrace Little Brother if they were a rock act?

Phonte Possibly, because with black audiences it's really, really hard. A lot of times when we talk about touring, we feel it would be better for us to go out with an alternative rock band and open up for them instead of a 50 or a Kanye. The reason being, white folk, they come out to have a good time. They come to party, and if you opening up for a Green Day or whoever, they'll give you that ear. They give an ear to a rap group and if you rock them, you got 'em. Black audiences on the other hand, they come to see who they want to see. N***as get dressed-up and put on their good clothes, and for you to be a new act, a lot of times you won't get that look. And particularly in our case, we don't have any hits per say. So at least if we were them guys with the one hit song, they'd be like "Oh, that's them boys that sang that song." And when you don't even have that, n***s ain't even giving you a shot.

If black folk can't see it in their faces or if they don't know it, it don't exist to us [laughs]. But we knew the road we were going to have to take when we got into this sh@t, so that's just what it is.

BV: What's the deal with BET not playing the video for your lead single, 'Lovin' It,' allegedly because it's "too intelligent?"

Phonte That's word pretty much [laughs], but we can't say for sure that that is what was said pertaining to our video. It could've been someone from BET or some Internet talk, but one thing we do know is that the video is not getting played. We're still waiting to get an official word from BET. And if that is what was said, that is a slap in the face to us a black people and our history. But we hear Reginald Hudlin, one of the guys behind the movie 'House Party,' has taken over programming and is a hip-hop head, so there might be some change for the better.