When you grow up around the music business, it becomes a part of you. That's just what makes Baton Rouge rapper Tank Jones so good. From rappers in his family to local legends like MC Nero, Baby and C-Loc, Jones started rapping by watching and learning from the best.

"I was always kind of into music," Jones said. "I had a big cousin by the name of Derty who's a rapper here, so I would hang with him and go by the studio to watch him record. Then, when he wasn't around, I would try to record myself. I had fun and played around a little bit and turned it into something that I was actually able to do. Even if I wasn't getting paid and didn't have any success with it, it's in my heart. I just have a passion for it."

Not only does Jones have a passion for his music, but he has a passion for the city of Baton Rouge. Even though he could work anywhere in the country, he chooses to stay in his hometown.

"I can operate out of anywhere, but I got a lot of family out here and I'm about uplifting the community," Jones said. "I think I can change it from within rather than from afar. I can't move to those [big cities] like Houston or Atlanta, because my heart's not there. We've just got so many underprivileged kids and underprivileged families, and I just can't help them from a thousand miles away."

Jones and Max 94.1 DJ J-Tweezy created the LA Hurricanes, a youth football team of 9- and 10-year-olds as a way to give back to the community and reach the children, because they truly believe that the children are the future.

"J-Tweezy and I had a vision about how we can help kids, because you've got to fix the problems from the beginning and the beginning is a child. We have 35 kids and not one child has to pay for anything," Jones said.

Jones and J-Tweezy bought equipment for the team and maintain a staff of coaches who are ex-NFL players. They help with homework, tutoring or whatever the children need.

"We hope we can help build some better-grade young men," Jones said. "I can't change the world, but if I can help one person, I feel like I've done my job out here."

While Jones is busy working at the radio station and helping the local kids, he is also working on his music. His first full-length album is in the works, and will be like nothing we've ever heard before, Jones said.

"The "Welcome to Jonesville" album is coming out," Jones said. "I'm going to give the world an album unlike any other. Baton Rouge is not just one type of sound, and I'm not just making one genre of music for just one person to listen too. I want a 9-year-old, a 17-year-old, a 48-year-old, and a 64-year-old to be able to pop this CD in and say it's rollin'. If I can do that, I can say I brought them to Jonesville."

The independent artist is trying to decide whether to sign with a label or continue to do it on his own. Either way, he promises we won't have to wait much longer for the new CD.

"Right now, I'm in negotiations with a lot of labels so it depends on if I want to go independent or if I want to take one of the record deals I have on the table," Jones said. "I'm gonna get out the album at the top of the year, the beginning of 2009, regardless."

Jones isn't just sitting around waiting for his album to drop. He is constantly doing shows. Although nothing is set in stone, on any given weekend, you can catch him at the clubs performing around the South.

"Before 50 Cent had to cancel his tour, I was on 10 dates opening up for 50 Cent across the country. I go do shows at clubs throughout the South, and every weekend, I'm usually booked up. Other than that, I'm just trying to finish my album so I can put it out and get it to this next level and make it happen," Jones said.

Jones' future plans are just to get his music out to the world. However, he still takes it one day at a time and appreciates everything he is able to do.

"My No. 1 thing is this music. I want to make this music to where the world likes it, and it's not only reaching the kids in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport, but in Idaho, Washington and over in Maine too," he said. "I'm like everybody, I want to get rich, but at the end of the day its truly fun for me. I wake up everyday, and I smile, and I thank God for blessing me for me to be able to get paid for doing something that I love."

Anyone who meets and talks to Jones can tell he is enthusiastic about life and really loves his music.

"I believe in me. No matter what you want to do, if you believe it can work, it's going to work. You've just got to stick with it," Jones said. "There were times where I was rapping on a stage opening up for somebody, and people were booing, but not no more. Today they're screaming and yelling. I had to practice, train, listen, and now it's something people like. I'm full-time in everything I do. I try to give it 110 percent, and hopefully I'll get that 110 back out of it."

To learn more about Jones and his 110 percent sound you can check out his myspace page or his Web site.