New up and coming rappers are taking over the Southern rap scene, and 22-year-old Webster "Webbie" Gradney Jr. is one of these talented new artists.

Breaking onto the scene in 2003, Webbie was featured with Lil' Boosie on the compilation albums "Ghetto Stories" and "Gangsta Muzik." Now, with several albums and hit singles like "Give Me That" and "Independent" under his belt, Webbie talked about how he became hooked on music at an early age.

"I've got a cousin in California, and he's about 10 years older than me, but he was rappin' when I was real young about 5 or 6. He hooked me up with Easy E, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and all that."

Just listening to the hardcore rap that's now become a part of his style wasn't enough for Webbie. He had to experiment with making it his own.

"In school, I wasn't really doing the class work, so in fourth grade I was writing raps," Webbie said. "My first rap, well there were two, one was a song to my mama, because my mama passed when I was 9, and one was a song about an armed robbery."

Webbie's talent as a writer didn't go unnoticed. When a friend brought him into Trill Entertainment's studio to rap on a track, everyone was blown away. Webbie soon became a part of the local indie label's family.

"I'm just a regular kid from Baton Rouge. I was like 15 years old when they took me in. I was just in the streets a lot, you know, but I got off it because of them. They took me into the studio and stuff got going," he said.

The music really did get going as he began recording with fellow Baton Rouge rapper Lil' Boosie. Over time, the duo gained an impressive following.

"Me and Boosie just never looked back," Webbie said. "We were both from Baton Rouge, and we were both going for the same things. It's a blessing we both were on the same page, both play good music, and it's something we're still working hard on."

As for upcoming tours and future plans, the artist said there is always something in the works.

"I do tours on the weekends, and me and Boosie got tours coming up. We're going to put together a Trill sound tour" Webbie said. "Me and Boosie are about to put out this new album called ëGangsta Muzik 2.' When we were staying local, we were putting out albums and one was ëGangsta Muzik' that was doing real good, so we came up with ëGangsta Muzik 2.' Me and Rick Ross have been talking a lot, too, and have a lot coming up together. I'm just working trying to get a lot out there."

Webbie has definitely done his job in getting his music to the people with both his solo albums, "Savage Life" in 2005 and "Savage Life 2" in 2007, breaking the Top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Webbie said his faith is largely responsible for the success he has enjoyed.

"Praying. I know that's what it was. I really didn't do nothing more than the next person, that was God comin' through for me. I know that because I prayed for twin daughters when I was like 10 and I got two twins now. That's how I know God is real. It's not the only reason I know, but that's proof."

Even with his growing star status, Webbie humbly admits he doesn't think of himself as a star quite yet. He's just happy to be able to provide for his family and give them a life that he didn't have.

"I'm proud of all my accomplishments. I'm proud to be able to have my kids and feed them and spoil them, give them toys, things that I wasn't able to get when I was younger," he said.

Life has definitely changed for Webbie, but his attitude toward life hasn't. He and Lil' Boosie continue to live their lives the way they always have and appreciate where their music has taken them.

"We still go out to the clubs and hang out, nothing has changed. We're loving it right now. We're driving our life right now. We never thought we would be to this point," he said. "Now, we're here, but we try not to look at it like we made it. We try to stay in the mind frame that we were in before we were here."

With everything he has done since his start with Trill Entertainment, Webbie hasn't forgotten his roots, and to him Baton Rouge is everything.

"Where you grew up that's who you is. I'm Baton Rouge, that's everything I am. Baton Rouge taught me everything I learned," he said.

To learn more about Baton Rouge's very own rap star, you can check out Webbie's myspace page.