Some believe the world runs on currency, or natural gases. Others say it's love, or perhaps even greed. Dunkin’ Donuts would like you to believe it's them, but we like to believe that the world truly runs on inspiration. All great art started as an idea, a thought triggered by something somewhere that led to the creation of something new, which in turn inspires something else. In this new column: RH Inspired By…,We take a look at the people, places, and things that continue to inspire some our favorite artists.

For installment number two we linked up with Brooklnynatti's Tanya Morgan, who let us in on the inspiration behind their recently released joint "We Doin' Our."  The song appears on their newly minted EP, The Bridge, which serves as the warmup for  fall release of their sophomore LP, Brooklynatti.  Here Von P. and Will talk about the DIY jam, and the events surrounding its creation.  Get inspired after the jump...

Coming into the game, Ali Vegas was being highly praised as the next big thing by many critics for his lyrical insanity. Opportunity first knocked at Ali’s door when he got on with Columbia, but that door soon closed as label issues stunted Vegas' winning hand. Vegas is now riding with his cousin, current NBA star for the Los Angeles Lakers Lamar Odom. Odom has started his own Rich Soil label, and Ali is prepping to be the label's flagship artist with the upcoming release of The Generation Gap LP. While never claiming king status, the self-proclaimed Prince of New York is here to bridge the gap between the old and new, and talks about what it takes to wear the crown in this exclusive RubyHornet interview with Q The Question.

As Rhymefest readies the release of his sophomore effort El Che, he appears dead set on producing a different outcome than what followed his Blue Collar debut, even though similar album delays and a lack a promotion continue to reappear. Rhymefest speaks with passion and feeling, and it's hard for him to hide his fatigue and disappointment when speaking about the way his first album was handled, and the toll it took on him.

"I would rather not have my album come out than have my album come out and be overlooked again," he told me via phone. "I can’t take it again, bro. Spiritually, mentally, physically, I can’t do that again. It was a lot on me. This is a lot for me to even continue rapping after Blue Collar and the way I felt. I look at Kanye and Common and Lupe and I’m like, ‘there’s no reason I’m not there.’"

Fest is very aware that getting 'there' can greatly be determined by the success of El Che, and fans' anticipation for the new record seems to grow daily. It's swelled to such a point, that one 'fan' who recently claims to have come across Fest's iPod has vowed to leak a track from the album every week until Rhymefest releases a new single, or music video. Rhymefest has obliged that request and has just released the first video for El Che in the form of the Konee Rok directed, "Stolen." The song retells a conversation Fest had with a former child soldier from Sierra Leone.

When asked whether or not he sees any similarities between child soldiers forced to fight in Africa, and children recruited by gangs through the United States, Fest's passion returns as he emphatically answers, "‘Hell naw.’ Let’s be realistic. It’s easy to say there’s a ghetto all over the world. But, some people don’t want to be in it, and some people have the opportunity not to be in it...But when you live in the ghetto and you let the ghetto determine your future, and where you can go and what you can do, ain’t nobody physically holding you back from getting educated. When you choose not to get educated, that’s an opportunity that a child in Sierra Leone did not have."

At a young age, Rhymefest made a choice to be a catalyst for change. In this RubyHornet exclusive interview, Fest talks about how he has gone from talking about that change, to being the change he wishes to see. He also speaks on his goals for "Stolen", the potential leaking of El Che, and the true meanings of being a gangster...Check out the full interview below.

In 1998 ‘Dem Nappy Boys’ were on the rise. The Louisville, Kentucky crew inked a deal with Atlantic Records after releasing the independent album Country Fried Cess, and hits such as “AwNaw” and “Po’ Folks” on their major label debut, Chicken, Watermelon & Gritz were a welcomed leg of the impending Dirty South Hip Hop takeover. Sounding more like Outkast than the Ying Yang Twins, Nappy Roots gave Hip Hop heads something to get crunk to. But as the Southern Hip Hop movement went from crunk to gangster, and artists such as Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Plies, have somewhat boxed out Nappy Roots who have not released a major label LP since 2003’s Wooden Leather.’

The Nappy Roots have continued to release under the radar projects on a yearly basis, but none have achieved the acclaim or visibility of their first two LPs. The importance of their new album, The Humdinger does not escape the crew’s Skinny DeVille who told RubyHornet, “Ummm, ahhh it’s not really a comeback album, but it is really the album that is going to make or break the careers of Nappy Roots as artists. As a brand, the brand’s always been strong, we’ve always had a fan base.”

As far as where that fan base is and whether or not they are willing to support The Nappy Roots is a wait and see situation. The Humdinger dropped August 5th and it’s first single, “Good Day”, is a soulful tune that displays the classic Nappy Roots sound that first appealed to Hip Hop fans. The group will also be hitting the road with Barack Obama, hoping to spread their own message of positive music alongside the democratic nominee’s call for change.

"We don’t have to focus on the negative side of life because there’s so much negativity in the world already, and not enough positive music or thoughts, man. I always believe when you think positive, positive things will come to you. When you think negative, negative things will come to you. As I got older in life I was able to be cool with who I am. I’m not a gangster, I’m not a drug dealer."

Skinny gives the skinny on all that and more in this exclusive RH Interview...