For the past six years, HBO's The Wire has shed light on the city of Baltimore's crime scene, politics, drug trade and those who take part, from the distributors to the abusers. It has been arguably called "The greatest show in television." Many of the sitcom's actors have experienced the upper echelon of success. One of the most illustrious of the crew is Panama.

Most people know him by "The dude on season four that was beating up on Bubbles the entire season," but Panama is more than just your average TV street kid. He not only excels in Hollywood, but he also has expanded his repertoire to fashion, and music. He is looking to accomplish, what only the likes of Jay-Z, Diddy, and few others have accomplished. Ignite and maintain an successful and lucrative film, fashion, and music empire. As his fashion line is called Bmore Creative, that name may be true of its co-founder.

HipHopDX recently caught up with Panama while he was grabbing lunch in Baltimore. He covers everything from his TV success, who he admires in music, the future of fashion, why music is in his ancestry, and the type of females that hes interested in. Ladies please be aware, he likes pretty feet and all teeth in place.

HipHopDX: Let's kick things off with an introduction...
Panama: First and foremost, I am the kid Panama a.k.a the Spanish Kid a.k.a Mr. International, HBO's number one street bully, smack your favorite fiend. The dude on season four [of The Wire], that had the violent junky war, that was beating up on Bubbles the entire season. That's basically where my break came through off the acting tip, when HBO was airing The Wire. That's basically what I'm known for right now. On the live screen.

DX: Where did the name come from?
P: I'm 100% Hispanic, so naming me Panama is just a representation of my whole country, my family, myself and the people that represent me. Its a name that keeps me focus, keeps me humble, and it keeps me striving. Its just a representation of what I'm trying to do for my country. It's fresh, it's life, and it's international.

DX: The Wire has been called "The greatest show on television" how has being on the show affected your career?
P: The Wire, great show I definitely agree on that critical acclaim. It affected my career by making me more of an professional. Becoming a part of HBO, everybody's watching, wants to know if you can really portray and if you can really get involved into your character. I'm not from [Baltimore], but It gave me a chance to really be apart of the Baltimore City environment, the public, the city, the smell, and everything that goes down in Baltimore City. I feel like a honorary Bmore member, and a native of the city. And to watch this city, to where I come from from Baltimore to Panama, it's similar, but still quite different. It brings you back to earth when you see the everyday hustle, the everyday labor, and the everyday grind. When you come from out the city and step into the county its a clear difference from that point on, so as part of my character it makes me know that i must be real 100% and just do me. Bring what I do to the table, my character and personality to the forefront and keep it moving take what Ive learned, build character and build growth.

DX: For the record, where are you actually from?
P: [I am] originally from Panama the country, born in Brooklyn, raised in The Bronx and raised in Baltimore. I would consider myself a representative of Bmore, because Bmore is where I became a man, its where The Wire was known, it's where I graduated from college, UMBC, its where my fashion line was started and I'm still in Bmore. I would be a representative of Bmore If I was to come out and really blow and get a record deal this is where I'd be known.

DX: Who are your influences as far as acting, music and fashion?
P: As far as music, I have a wide range of influences. You can catch me one day listening to Kanye West, one day listening to Maroon 5, Christian music, R&B. I think music is very powerful and I enjoy listening to different types of music, and every type of music adds to my music. I have no one artist influence, certain artists do certain shit that I take from [them]. As far as acting, I respect actors thats sharp at they craft, and what I mean by sharp at that craft is that they show growth. They continue to take acting classes as if they were not stars. I'm talking about Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Mos Def, people that were theatrical at the beginning to the TV world and there still perfecting their craft. Will Smith, these are actors that influence me and give me the ambition and determination to do what i got to do. As far as fashion, I'm all about originality and identifying with myself. I like people that like to target to the whole world.

Right now Bmore Creative is something that were targeting to the urban Hip Hop community but we want to branch off overseas, European style. I would give my style sense something like a Diddy with Sean John, he's like the only Hip Hop mogul that kept his clothing line fashionable and live in the streets.I would give a shout out to Miskeen. Some people say my clothing is similar to Miskeen, the originality how everything is custom made. The list goes on as of different qualities of what were trying to do, but as of right now its marketed to the Hip Hop and urban world. Continued on page 2 »