I was at the Power 92 studio today to interview TT Torrez for an upcoming story and she happened to have a special guest in with her – rapper Maino.

The Brooklyn native, known for his breakthrough hit “Hi Hater” and his new punchy jam with Swizz Beats, “Million Bucks,” gave a surprisingly revealing interview and happily answered phoned-in questions from fans (while frequently checking his PDA).

The rapper, wearing a black hoodie over a T-shirt and stylish jeans dropped well below the belt line, talked about how growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, he didn’t idolize rappers, but the neighborhood drug dealers and “gunmen” instead.

While serving a 10-year stint in jail for drug-related kidnapping – he was released in 2003 – Maino started writing and realized he possessed a talent for rapping. That piece of his life is also when he received the prominent scar on his lower right cheek (“Someone cut me. I cut them first and this was retaliation,” he said).

Maino’s debut album, “If Tomorrow Comes,” will be released June 30.

But along with music, the rapper is pursuing other avenues in entertainment.

“I told myself [after jail], I’m going to use music as a tool and stepping stone to open up other doors in TV and movies,” he said. “I’m blessed to say that’s starting to happen.”