While still incarcerated, The Diplomats' Freeky Zeeky spoke exclusively to SOHH.com about his time in prison, his debut album and why he's not making New York music.

After being convicted of being involved with an Ecstacy ring based out of Wilmington, NC, the emcee was sentenced to serve 36 months in a North Carolina prison. Following almost three years behind bars, Zeeky is set to be released as early as November 1 if granted time off for good behavior and at the latest November 20. Being incarcerated for such a long time in a situation that he calls "bittersweet," the Harlem-born Diplomat has had a lot of time on his hands to reflect on a number of things.

"When you're in jail, you go through all types of different emotions," explains Zeeky. " When you've been gone, you feel like nobody thinks about you. Some of your so-called friends get washed away with the tide but my whole DipSet fam has held me down though."

Zeeky also emphasized that he has gotten a tremendous amount of love from his fans and that it has helped him get through his sentence. "The letters come in by the hundreds. It may have taken me a while to get back to everybody but I appreciate every one."

Taking a positive approach to his circumstances, Zeeky says that he has come away with a few useful things from this experience. "I've been reading a lot of business books and things like that. I'm walking away with a clearer mind and more patience, which is something that I didn't have before. [Jail] broadens your drive."

Already plotting his return to the rap game, Zeeky has utilized his time by writing rhymes and is planning a new, as yet untitled mixtape and a long awaited debut album in the near future. "The mixtape will just be me lashing out," he says. "Hopefully that will be out in the middle of '07. The album is going to be called The Book of Ezekiel, which is my real name. It touches on things like kids growing up without fathers, mothers struggling and just the reality of life in the hood, not so much about my chain and what my tires are doing and all that."

And while some Rotten Apple emcees are focusing on bringing New York back, Zeeky says he's choosing to bring good music back. "I'm not trying to make New York music. I'm trying to make music that everybody likes. Period." Giving fellow artists a heads up, Zeeky also warned those in the rap game to get on their grind. " It's enough money out here for everybody and ya'll better get it, 'cause I'm coming out to get it."