Brandon Edwards

ALBUM REVIEW: Gil Scott-Heron

2010-06-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

I'm New Here
Artists like Gil Scott-Heron contradict the concepts and though he’s new here, again, it’s made clear that the revolution did not begin with his career. The man re-introduces himself as “Coming From A Broken Home”–an ode to his grandmother, momma, and the women folk that raised a griot.

Scott’s life of artistic prophecy and militant brilliance has been haunted by drugs and derailed by a stint in prison. From his sophomore release and earliest acclaimed work, Pieces of a Man (1971), Scott has endured a tumultuous journey and bears fruit with the few precious pieces he has left.

I’m New Here, Scott’s latest body of work following a sixteen-year absence, is introspective and eclectic. Emancipated from a history of jazz and soul collaborations, The Godfather of Rap experiments with Electric and Hip-Hop but doesn’t stray too far from his signatures of Blues and Spoken Word. The Chicagoan’s instrument of raw emotion sounds broken on the title cut “Me And The Devil.” His heart cries out on “I’ll Take Care of You,” an operatic love song, well paced with haunting piano chords and strings. Throughout this limited portrait, which would have sufficed as an artistic EP, Scott wails, begs, paints, and captivates with a ghostly air of gripping reflections.

Life has a habit of delivering old men to truth and Scott is visible throughout the entire album. He doesn’t hide or run from destiny, even within the brilliant poetry of “Running.” “The Crutch” will bore listeners with uninspired production from Richard Russell, XL Record’s owner/producer. But a closer listen reveals Scott’s lyrical lament of drug addiction and doom; “…the savage beast that once so soothed his brain/Has reared its ugly head and staked its claim.” The indirect honesty is vivid on “Your Soul and Mine.” Revolutionary turned sage, Scott is “Standing in the ruins of another black man’s life…” akin to the final days of the Biblical Samson.

The rhythmic moan, steady bass drum, and hand claps make “New York is Killing Me” the strongest cut from this fifteen-track opus. Scott sings of fleeing the fatal concrete of city living and returning to the familiar solitude of Jackson, Tennessee, where he was raised a country boy.

But that wouldn’t work. It may not be a bad idea, but Scott knows his past is out of reach. The country life is ancient history and he’s a survivor who’s all about the forgiving now. It’s been a long time since Gil Scott-Heron was new here. Someone, please show him around.

New Educational Center Bolsters Jacob Burns Theater

2008-12-09T06:29:00.000-08:00

By SUSAN HODARA
Published: December 5, 2008
New York Times

SINCE its opening in 2001, the Jacob Burns Film Center has screened thousands of first-run, independent and international films; hosted numerous guest speakers, including actors, filmmakers, scholars and authors; and offered hundreds of classes to schoolchildren and adults. With the Dec. 5 ribbon-cutting ceremony of its Media Arts Lab, the 27,000-square-foot state-of-the-art educational center down the block from the theater, Jacob Burns expands its programming of what Stephen Apkon, its executive director, called, “viewing and doing.”

Equipped with 16 editing suites, 5 film studios, an animation studio, a recording studio, a soundstage, a library and a 60-seat screening room, the three-floor lab will be the site of a new curriculum of classes, set to begin next month for age 3 through adult. On the “viewing” side, there are courses in cinema history and genres, presentations by faculty and filmmakers-in-residence and other special screenings. “Doing” opportunities include production workshops in animation, documentary filmmaking, digital storytelling, acting, directing, cinematography, editing and sound; and master classes with working professionals and professional development for educators.

The offerings at the Media Arts Lab parallel what the Burns has developed over the past seven years for its school-based programs, which have served nearly 60,000 students in Westchester, and in the Bronx, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“Since our inception, some of the best things we’ve done have been related to education,” said Mr. Apkon, 47. The driving principle behind the curriculum, he said, is storytelling: “Story is what makes us human. To take our experience and share it is how we connect with the rest of the world.”

Storytelling in the digital age requires a center with new media, including video and Web-based technologies. Mr. Apkon defined that center as “21st-century literacy.

“The Collaborative Art” is a series of evening presentations featuring film industry professionals speaking about their work. “This program explores the collaborative process involved in producing films,” Ms. Keating said. “It is for those who might not see themselves making a film; it bridges production and watching.”

The Burns is also starting two fellowships. The Fellowship for International Understanding Through Film brings filmmakers from other countries to live, work and teach on the Burns campus. The first fellow is expected to arrive by mid-2009.

The Emily & Harold Valentine and Evelyn Gable Clark Emerging Artist Fellowship, financed through the Westchester Community Foundation, provides young filmmakers (college graduates under age 30) the chance to use the lab and be mentored by Burns faculty members. The first Emerging Artist, announced last week, is Brandon Edwards, 25, of White Plains. Mr. Edwards, who graduated from Howard University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film, will begin his fellowship next month, working on a screenplay-in-progress and editing two documentaries. Ms. Keating said a summer fellow would be announced in January.

The Media Arts Lab, which broke ground about 18 months ago, expects to become one of the first buildings in Westchester to earn LEED Gold certification for its environmental sustainability. It was built using recycled materials, and features geothermal climate control, solar panels and a “green” roof that provides insulation and storm water absorption.

Jadakiss: Top 5, Dead or Alive

2008-10-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

Jayson Phillips is a man’s man, a rapper’s rapper, a hoodlum’s thug and a D-boy’s kingpin. More Nino Brown than John Wayne, Jadakiss speaks his soul in a raspy narrative, reminiscent of Marlon Brando’s Godfather. In the streets and on wax, the Yonkers native proves that he is cut from a different cloth…Possibly that army fatigue, clothing Generals and cadets alike. He’s never forgotten where he’s come from. Whether Vh1’s The Glamorest Life or the sidewalk of Nepperhan Avenue, from concrete he was molded and on it he forever stands.

Everyone’s list is different. Not only are we talking ingenuity and strength of catalog, we are talking talent and success. It’s your list versus mine, each with it’s own handicap and quirky criteria. We’re talking Hip Hop and it’s storied hall of fame legacy that is finally being done justice with the likes of Vh1’s annual Hip Hop Honors. If nothing less, Jadakiss can be ranked as one of the top five emcees out of New York—all time. Which is a heavy crown for any rapper repping the birth-state of Hip-Hop.

Jadakiss’ first solo effort arrived in 2001 with Kiss Tha Game Goodbye. He did just that with hit singles that topped the Billboard 200. Jadakiss’ strong reputation in the rap industry proved notable on his debut, as he commanded top tier producers (DJ Premier, Timbaland, The Neptunes) and artists (Nas, DMX, Snoop Dogg) in Hip Hop, considered heavyweights by many. Kiss The Game Goodbye became certified gold in a matter of months. The L.O.X. front man reached platinum status with his sophomore follow-up, Kiss of Death that also earned him a Grammy for his pointed political commentary on “Why” featuring Anthony Hamilton. The most memorable line, “…why did Bush knock down the towers,” sparked controversy and spoke to the hearts of everyday Americans.

He’s come a mighty long way from the shiny suit era of waving the Bad Boy flag. Jadakiss has matured as a man and taken off the fatigue, from trading scathing verses with Beanie Seigel to surviving verbal warfare on mixtapes with G-Unit. Now he just wants the world to “Kiss My Ass,” as his latest fourth quarter offering promises. Jadakiss chops it up with HipHopDX about the streets, his new Roc-A-Fella venture and reminisces on his most memorable moment with rap legend, Notorious B.I.G.

HipHopDX: What kind of influence did The Notorious B.I.G. have on your career as an up and coming rapper?
Jadakiss: I thought Big was incredible. We grew up…right about the time we was about to get in the game, is when Big was poppin’. So when we was sittin’ around writing together we'd be like “I wonder what Big would say if he heard us.” After we got the time to meet him and he was feeling us and it was mutual, that was like the greatest inspiration ever. "This nigga we been trying to meet, and he feeling us? It's no turning back now."

DX: What’s your most memorable moment of Biggie?
Jadakiss: My best moment; I had a birthday party one year, uptown, and Big came to the party. It was him and [Lil] Cease. No security, no other people, none of that. He stood on the wall, popped bottles with me and smoked all night.

DX: What do you think of the new Notorious movie, that portrays his life, soon to hit theaters?
Jadakiss: I hear it's aiight, I'm glad they made a movie. I just hope they portray him right on there.

DX: Lately you've been like Barry Bonds; hitting it out the park with freestyles, mixtapes and guest verses. Where has this recent inspiration come from?
Jadakiss: Well you know, it's a certain formula for when you gonna come out and now with this Internet shit you gotta put out even more music. That's what it is. You gotta feed the people, feed the streets and the net.

DX: The "Hi Hater remix" is dope. I was listening to Hot 97 and Maino was on the radio saying how you were one of the first people to support the record.
Jadakiss: No doubt, I heard it in the club and was like, "This is gonna be something." I let him know that I was gonna hop on there when he did the remix. I try to help the new niggas out 'cause they can't get in touch with [Jay-Z] or Nas or their favorite artist. I'm the only favorite artists that they can get in touch with, so I try to keep that love with 'em.

DX: Are you like an O.G. in the rap game to up-and-coming emcees?
Jadakiss: Yeah, I am like an O.G. I'm like niggas’ fathers in this...like a forefather that ain't too much fore. [Laughs] I’m like a young parent. You know when you see niggas with they pops, chillin’.

DX: The hottest song in the game right now is "We Run This" featuring Jay-Z.
Jadakiss: Yeah, that's something I let out for the streets.

DX: How did that come about?
Jadakiss: Well you know I'm on Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Ruff Ryders, Vivendi and a couple other shits before the money even get to me. So, I just hollered at him. I don't need him to hold my hand or walk me through this joint. I just needed some light love and I'll be alright.

DX: Explain the sit-down between bosses that led to the Roc-A-Fella deal.
Jadakiss: "Ayo, you wanna make some money? Let's make it happen." He already know where the skills is at 'cause we came in the game somewhat together. It's not like a new artist where he don't really know what it's hittin’ for. Who wouldn't be happy to have 'Kiss down with 'em?

DX: Plus, you were a free agent.
Jadakiss: Yeah. I was flirting with Star Trak and Roc-A-Fella, back and forth.

DX: Why are you going with Kiss My Ass for the album title?
Jadakiss: That's how I'm feeling right now. At the third album, this is what it is. The game is all rearranged right now, it's all digital, this and that, not selling. Not really to the fans, but whoever ain't feeling my movement; kiss my ass. It's always love with the fans, that's why I keep giving you music. That's why I do all the handshaking, picture taking and rent paying. But even you feel like telling your boss that, every couple of times a month. Everybody feels like that. Even kids feel like that without talking but with gestures and hand movements. There comes a time when you gotta tell somebody that. You get fed up and you say, “Kiss my ass.” It's almost legal. It ain't like nigger. I ain't gonna have the same problems as nigger, because even white people tell other people to kiss they ass.

DX: When can we expect the album to hit stores?
Jadakiss: Trying to get it out late November, early December. We just heatin' up right now so when we get to a full sizzle and it feel right, we gon' let it go. It's right around the corner though. I only gotta do prolly two, three more songs, finish up some hooks, do some interludes and we gon' be ready to rock.

DX: Who are some of the artists and producers you worked with for this project?
Jadakiss: I got Buckwild, Alchemist, this new kid Success. Eric Hudson, Pharrell, Baby Grande, Barrington Levy, Styles [P] and Sheek [Louch], [Lil Wayne], [Young] Jeezy, Baby Storm. I'm a have Faith [Evans] on there. You know I'm trying to give you a nice voluptuous project.

DX: What's different on this third go around?
Jadakiss: I just really did it by myself; picked all the beats and all that. I really started working and then I got my team right as I started the project. So it's not like before; people was giving me beats, telling me...I did every beat that I wanted to do. I don't care who felt they liked it or not, if I liked it I did it. I did whatever I wanted to do on all of the songs and that fits in with the whole Kiss My Ass thing. I never got to do that on my other projects. It wasn't like I was cooped up and told what to do but I had to wait my turn to get to this point and do it all by myself.

DX: Are you still top five, dead or alive? Where did that originate?
Jadakiss: It might have been a couple people coming up to me telling me that or is just how I see myself in the game. I'm up about number three now. I moved up a couple notches.

DX: Who are the other two, if you're top three?
Jadakiss: Nah, I don't know right now. Hov is alive, so he got that number one spot. The number two spot is just floatin' around and it keeps switchin'.

DX: But it always comes back to Jadakiss.
Jadakiss: Yeah, it's gon' come back. When they make that next MTV list, I'm on there.

DX: I was actually watching Vh1 and...
Jadakiss: Yeah! I was in the bed watching that and seen me come up on The Most Glamorest joint. It was on my sneaker game.

DX: What's the deal with your customized Air Force 1's?
Jadakiss: You know…I'm old-school baby. You know how we feel about sneakers. I gotta get all the exclusives. Keep my Nike game…Jordan connects. You know how we do. 914. Fly baby!

DX: Vh1 said you had an Asian artist working on your sneakers.
Jadakiss: Yeah, my man Hue. I knew Hue before he blew up. I used to order wild shit from him. I got a good stylist, Groovy Lou, he put me up on the hot stuff.

DX: You’ve spoken about how bizarre the rap game is with kids wearing tight clothes and all that.
Jadakiss: I'm not really playing when I say tight clothes people, 'cause to each is own. I even stepped my clothes down a size smaller, not too small but, you gotta touch on stuff like that. That's what people like to hear. Whatever is hot or contemporary, they wanna hear what's going on.

I was in the sneaker store the other day, this young kid told me about some sneakers that's the hottest shits that I ain't even know about. You gotta stay in touch with the young people.

DX: I have spoken with Styles and Sheek before and one thing that always impressed me about The L.O.X. is that ya'll are close to the concrete; riding through your old neighborhood and showing love. You make it a point of stopping through the local car wash just to say what's up.
Jadakiss: That's how we maintain our love. We're hands on with the people. There are people that like us that don't even like rap music. 'Cause it ain't always about the music or profession, you gotta have a good rapport with people, no matter what job or field you in.

DX: On tracks you often talk about the state of the community, specifically with kids running wild today. I remember hearing you on the "Smile remix" with Trae and Styles P...Are you referencing rap, the community or both?
Jadakiss: All of that. I'm from the hood so I gotta let it be known. And I got kids and you gotta let 'em know what's really going on out here. I can't pull the wool over my son or daughter's eyes. I gotta try to show them the best of both worlds like my mom and pops did for me. I lived in the crib but I went over to my cousin's house in the projects a couple of times a week, feel it out over here. This is what it could be like. Gotta let 'em know both sides of the fence.

DX: On your last album you had the song "Why" which was very political and earned a Grammy. In this election year, when can fans expect a Barack Obama endorsement on wax?
Jadakiss: Nah, I aint really gonna do that too much. I'll probably vote this year, but I'm a stay away from that. I might throw a little reference in here and there.

DX: Nothing too political this year...
Jadakiss: Yeah, I'm a keep it official. They didn't expect it, that's why I did it before. You gotta always come from left field.

HipHopDX.com
October 6th, 2008

Ice Cube - Raw Footage Album Review

2008-08-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ice Cube's Raw Footage is cinematically orchestrated, moody and insightful. Scored by John Murphy [All About The Benjamins] and neatly trimmed to a solid hour [16 shots], Cube's eighth wonder is a more polished collective in comparison to 2006's Laugh Now, Cry Later [click to read]. In alignment with the menacing album cover is the politically charged street single "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It." Cube refutes the notion that "prior to gangsta rap music, the world was a peaceful place." Compton was dangerous before gangsta rap! With over three million views on youtube, the controversial leadoff video from Ice Cube just might be his edgiest one to date. So accurate in its portrayal of American hypocrisy and global crisis, the video shows spliced news footage of countries at war, government scandal and racism in the media [Don Imus and Michael Richards]. Cube approaches the subject with twisted irony, and fights back by bearing the burden wholeheartedly for all of the world's ills at present time and prior to his birth. He cynically snarls "blame me."

The question "What is the definition of a pyroclastic flow?" is the underlying theme [intro] of this album asked by narrator and film thespian Keith David [First Sunday]. Cube answers with intense heat from tracks like "Tomorrow," "Cold Places" and "It Takes a Nation." The latter, produced by New York's own Emile, is an aggressively unifying track, reminiscent of the days of the Bomb Squad [click to read] and Amerikkka's Most Wanted. "Where the fuck is Afrika Bambaataa at…" Cube angrily spits. It's pure King Kong over that familiar West Coast synth and trunk-heavy 808.

Raw Footage ciphers a bevy of special guests. Most notably, heir to the West Coast rap throne The Game. "Get Used To It" is a sonic bubbler backed by a continuous chant that can only be described as West Coast crunk. The simple hook makes it too weak for radio spins and it wouldn't inspire club anarchy. But with Ice Cube, WC and The Game [click to read] all on one record…this is as G'd up as it gets! Being the youngest amongst two of his rap gods, Mr. Taylor attacks the track with a point to prove and pours gasoline on the rumor mil, ablaze of him possibly being inducted as the newest member of the super-group, Westside Connection. "I'm 'bout to join the Lench Mob, that's me squirtin' the mac, motherfuckers!"

Fortunate enough, Raw Footage is low on filler; "Get Money, Spend Money, No Money" and "Here He Come" being the exception that falls short of average. The unique addition of R&B keeps pace with Cube's maturity as he collaborates with soul singers Angie Stone and Musiq Soulchild on songs like "Hood Mentality" and "Why Me?" This unexpected turn from Cube proves fruitful, as these two gems shine brilliantly on an otherwise dark, penetrating album. With more God references than usual on a Cube disc, stop the violence messages like "A 187 don't make an O.G." can be appreciated in the hood. Especially when it's coming from an O.G. Choruses that advocate responsibility, "If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality/How the fuck we 'sposed to change our reality…" leave a powerful, lasting impression.

Only Ice Cube can tight rope this kind of subject matter in today's rap game without coming off as soft or preachy. He has always been the artist you love and "nigga you love to hate." Anyone feeling stubborn at the gate of acceptance, just better get used to it.

HIPHOPDX.COM August 18, 2008

Ice Cube: True To The Game

2008-08-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday night and the young New York working class has milled into a small venue on the Lower East Side. The crowd is a cultural mix of young and old Hip Hoppers. The scene isn’t fancy or friendly. Everyone seems like they’re in the mood for some gangsta shit. The local deejay takes a break from spinning the top 100 and introduces the man of the hour: west coast boss of all bosses, Ice Cube. Fans cheer and rush the stage as he and long-time friend and partner-in-rhyme, WC, rip through recent cuts off of Laugh Now, Cry Later and his latest album Raw Footage.

Cube aggressively commands the stage and electrifies his audience. As he surfs farther back in time through his catalog of classics, the wave of the crowd grows into a frenzied tsunami. The venue quakes as fans flow word-for-word with Cube on “Today Was a Good Day” and finally erupts with “Straight Outta Compton.” That’s where it all started. 1980s. N.W.A. Los Angeles. That’s the Cube they first loved and the primary reason they ride for him to this day.

HipHopDX catches up with the rap icon, fresh off an international promo-tour earlier that morning. He talks about flexing his independent muscle in the rap game and why the music aint to blame for the world’s ills.

HipHopDX: What was the statement you were trying to make with the music video "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" [click to view] ?
Ice Cube: I wanted to make a video that was raw and uncensored. It was strange 'cause I had done so many videos over my career and you always gotta censor yourself and you always gotta try and think about "Will they play this?" and it was cool just to do a video where I didn't have to worry about that. I used whatever footage I felt should be in there. It was the dirty version. We never did a clean version. Freedom. Man...finally I can do things the way I envisioned instead of doing them the way some programmer likes it.

DX: The video was actually straight raw footage, real life events. Was that the inspiration for this new album Raw Footage?
Ice Cube: In a way. Not really the events, but the hypocrisy. I wanted to show all the stuff that was going on in the world that didn't have nothing to do with the hood, nothing to do with rap and show that these problems in the world are bigger than gangster rap music. A lot of people want the Crips and Bloods to stop fightin' in South Central, but the Israelis and Palestinians can't stop fighting, so how the Crips and Bloods gon' stop fightin'? If you can't stop it on a big major scale, how you gon' stop it on a small scale?

DX: This is solo album number eight. That's a huge accomplishment to still be relevant today. You made a comment about being "loved by the grandmamas and the babies." How does it feel on the eighth go-round?
Ice Cube: It feels real good in a lot of ways man because it's an independent record. We had a lot of success with Laugh Now, Cry Later [click to read]. We're excited to get another crack at it and just the fact that I did the record how I wanted to do it and not how people maybe suggest [I] should do it. When you're doing records, you got a lot of people in the mix sometimes - you know from the record companies to the promotion team, to the radio team; everybody got something to say on the kind of records you make. Here at Lench Mob Records, we ain't got all that. We just got our team dedicated to push and promote whatever I do in the studio.

DX: With John Murphy (All About The Benjamins) doing the score and Keith David's (First Sunday) narration, listeners can pick up a more cinematic vibe on Raw Footage...
Ice Cube: I always want to make the record feel like a complete album and not just a bunch of songs linked together. I want the record to feel like it's telling a story in its sequence and skits in between. I wanted this record to feel big. I knew I wasn't going to do a lot of skits but when I did 'em, I wanted you to feel 'em. Keith David adds that continuity throughout the record. He was a voice that's distinct and powerful. I'm glad I'm able to use him on a record like this. John Murphy is probably one of the most versatile score guys in the business right now.

DX: Tony Draper and I recently had a conversation with respect to Nas' new album. It was originally titled Nigger [click to read]. He had to eventually change it prior to release mainly due to label pressure. The sentiment in the air is that Ice Cube can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Is that due to you presently being an independent artist or because of your history and reputation in the entertainment business?
Ice Cube: Hopefully, it's a bit of both but being independent allows me to do what I wanna do without having to bow down to any pressure from any label… I feel an artist should be able to present his art how he feel it. The record is distributed through EMI, but that's all they do is distribute it. There's nobody that has the power to tell me no. That's a big factor, and it gets political sometimes in this game and it's just a shame. An artist should be able to present his art how he feel it. But it didn't affect the record [Nas' Untitled]. It sold very well - still selling, and Nas is on tour so I think he...even naming it that and getting it snatched away it, might've showed how big Nas and that record is.

DX: Veteran rappers like yourself, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Nas are maturing as men. What is the catalyst behind the recent surge of concept albums with more meaning from our rap icons?
Ice Cube: I think really it's uh, people are sick of bubble gum pop rap to the point where...especially the older heads, we don't want that. We want something with some substance in it. I just think we're catering to our fan base. I'm pretty sure Nas got a fan base that's similar to mine and he caters to them and that's what we gon' do. We're not gonna cater to the whole Hip Hop universe, we're just gonna cater to our fans and everybody else is gon' have to come on in.

DX: Who are some of the music-men that you worked with on Raw Footage. How did a song like "Cold Places" come about?
Ice Cube: "Cold Places" is Hallway Productions. They did a few songs on Laugh Now, Cry Later, some young dudes out of Northern California and they're incredible. Emile from New York got down with us and he did "It Takes a Nation of Millions" and "Get Money, Spend Money, No Money" and Pablo Beats is a new dude who did the single "Do Your Thang" and Maestro [click to read] did "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It." We got a few people on there, new heads that's comin' up in the game. I always like using new producers 'cause it aint really about the name it's really about the music.

DX: Recently A Tribe Called Quest reunited. When can fans get an Ice Cube and Sir Jinx reunion? 2009?
Ice Cube: [Laughs] You never know. Jinx, he's always hangin' around, you know? But you know Jinx is a free-spirit kind of dude with his own personality and flavor so you know, it's hard to catch up with him and keep him under lock and key. But you never know, man.

DX: So there's nothing the way of y'all working together again? There's a history of classic material...
Ice Cube: No, not at all. Jinx is my homie first. That's Dr. Dre's cousin, and without Jinx, I wouldn't be where I am today. It's always love.

DX: How did the song "Get Used To It" with The Game come about?
Ice Cube: Well you know, me and The Game [click to read] been down since the start of his career and ya know, we always looking for ways to work together and collaborate...

DX: You're like a mentor in a sense...
Ice Cube: I hope so. I always try to give him advice on things I see or he asks about. He wanted me to do a hook on his record ["State of Emergency"] and I wanted him to do a verse on mine. "Get Used To It" was the perfect song with me, [The and WC [click to read]. So you know, I think it's hot.

DX: Is there any truth to the rumor that The Game is the newest member of Westside Connection?
Ice Cube: Maybe…

DX: He went off on "Get Used To It."
Ice Cube: Yeah. He can rhyme, no doubt.

DX: Have you seen the recent CNN special Black In America?
Ice Cube: No, I didn’t see it.

DX: The series takes a look at black people in America and focuses on the family, as well as independent black men and women. They actually ran a segment disparaging Hip Hop, criticizing the music and message, and they played one of your videos. Did the network reach out to you and give you an opportunity to speak your piece in defense of your music and culture?
Ice Cube: Not that I know of. Anything that I do goes through [my publicist], and we ain't heard nothing. They ain't contacted us to get on these shows at all.

DX: How do you feel about that? We see it all the time with CNN and other networks throwing stones at Hip Hop, but our artists and real rap leaders aren't given a fair chance at rebuttal...
Ice Cube: I don’t worry no more about people who ain't down with Hip Hop and what they gotta say. I expect them to criticize. If you ain't no B-Boy or B-Girl, you ain't down with it like that, then you ain't gonna understand it. It’s foreign to you and prolly gon’ scare you and all that stuff so, you know…their response to the music is expected. All I really care about is the response of Hip Hoppers and B-Boys and people that’s in the music, down with the music and understand the music. You don’t have to teach them what it is, but all these outsiders with something to say…let ‘em keep bumpin’ they gums. It don’t do no harm, no good. It’s just scary people talkin’ ‘bout something they don’t know nothing about.

DX: Briefly, tell us about the new movie that you've got coming out...
Ice Cube: Yeah, it's a movie called The Long Shots that comes out August 22nd. It's inspired by a true story about a girl named Jasmine Plummer; the first girl to play Quarterback in Pop Warner Football and take her team to the championship. That's kind of the backdrop of the story. I play a dude named Curtis Plummer, her uncle, who is down and out and feels like his best days are behind him. He's an ex-football player that kind of shows her the ropes and through football, they both kind of get their swagger back a little bit. It's a good movie.

DX: Is this an ode to your days of playing football back in the day?
Ice Cube: Yeah. I've always wanted to make a football movie ever since I got in the game and started producing. And this was the only one that made sense in a lot of ways. I was happy to be able to do it, get out there with the kids, see 'em hittin' and be able to coach 'em.

DX: Any Oakland Raider cameoes?
Ice Cube: [Laughs] I wish. Nah, no cameos from the Raiders. Hopefully they in training camp doing what they supposed to do.

HIPHOPDX.COM August 18th, 2008

David Banner: Train of Thought

2007-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

"This is for my Bloods, and this is for my Crips/Throw your sets up, one nation in this bitch/We so quick to kill each other in the hoods where we from/But we hide the AKs when them fuckin' feds come/When there's a pedophile that's lurkin' 'round where we stay/We turn our fuckin' cheek and let them faggots walk away/But God gave me a vision, and now a thug sees what would happen in the hood if the Vice Lords and Gs/All came together, blue and red flags/Raisin' a nation of Black men, but ain't it sad?/We got too many cowards that'll let them bullets fly/'Cause they'd rather get paid and watch the young kids die/You muthafuckin'...bitch-ass nigga."—David Banner, "B.A.N."

AREN'T YOU A LITTLE LATE WITH A STOP-SNITCHING SONG, OR DO YOU THINK THAT MESSAGE IS STILL PERTINENT?

I think it's like the Malcolm X caps [in the '90s]. What Malcolm X stood for was powwerful, something that will transcend time, as long as human beings are on the earth and we interact with each other. So I think the foundation of what "stop snitchin'" was based upon is needed, but once you put it on T-shirts... Anytime you put something on a T-shirt or hat you done fucked it up.

WAS THIS SONG INSPIRED BY T.I.'S MOST RECENT RUN-IN WITH THE LAW?

Well, I wouldn't really say it was inspired by Tip. I think Tip was just the extra fuel on the fire of shit I really been feelin'. You know, it's becoming too much, man. From Mike Vick, to Jena 6, to the young lady that was raped by all them White folks, now the oral-sex case in Georgia... It's like, man, come on, when are we gon' realize and admit that there is [a problem]? One thing that I want to say—and be sure to print this, this is very important—you know and I know that there are some things that our people can do better, right? But we don't get in front of these White folks and air it out!

IS THAT WHY YOU SAID, "WE SO QUICK TO KILL EACH OTHER IN THE HOODS WHERE WE FROM/BUT WE HIDE THE AKS WHEN THE FUCKIN' FEDS COME"?

What I'm really saying is, dawg, to be clear-cut, we gangstas only in our community. We'll shoot a muthafucka for steppin' on our shoes and not bringin' our dope back, but we won't stand up to these pedophiles. We so tough, but when the feds is coming and kickin' in our doors and doing unlawful shit... We gangsta about the wrong shit. Be gangsta about [Hurricane] Katrina!

DO YOU THINK GANGS LIKE THE BLOODS AND THE CRIPS CAN EVER REALLY UNITE?

I think the Bloods and Crips can, but it's gonna take our elders to stop being so selfish. There's money in conflict, and it's gonna get to the point where, if we don't combine, we gon' die. What helped groups in the beginning was that they were community protection groups. We ain't gotta like each other or hang out every day, but when it comes down to preservation of our people, sometimes there's a higher calling.

XXL Magazinie
JAN/FEB 2008 No. 99

Broken Equipment Productions

2007-11-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

DUO TAKES AIM AT RAPPERS WITH THEIR YOUTUBE SKITS

No rapper is above ridicule these days, especially when the Internet makes it so easy to rag on your favorite MC. Reveling in that tradition, 19-year-old twin brothers Jordan "Fatt Kidd" and Jared "Twinn" Kennedy have created an online buzz with their animated YouTube rap parodies.

Under the alias Broken Equipment Productions, the New Orleans natives have been pursuing music since 2003. Looking to gain exposure, Fatt and Twinn decided to turn their longtime recreational rap skits into Web cartoons via MySpace and YouTube. Using Photoshop to create visuals, the brothers recorded their own rapper impersonations with ProTools over thier own beats. Debuting in August 2006, their first video- the Jadakiss sketch "Jokes on Jada" -recieved more than 600,000 YouTube hits. From there, the duo released their popluar Dipset series and a spoof of the father/son relationship between Birdman and Lil Wayne ("Makeup Sex"), which earned nearly a million views.

In addition to getting props from Cam and Jeezy, Fatt and Twinn's controversial comedy has drawn interest from MTV and HBO execs. With videos released bimonthly and a cartoon series, A Bad Rap TV, in the works, the high school seniors promise to keep entertaining at rappers' expenses. "We don't pick a certain person to make fun of," insists Fatt. "Whatever topic is hot at the moment, that's who we come at." Watch out- they got fully loaded clips.

XXL Magazine
Issue 98
December 2007

Project Pat: Gangster & A Movie

2007-11-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

November 9th, 2007 Author: Brandon Edwards

HipHopDX.com

Memphis rap legend Project Pat is in a good space. He coolly chooses his words with an undertone of optimism and rightly so. 2007 has been a good year for Patrick Houston and his Hypnotized Camp as Three-6-Mafia earned an Oscar nod for penning the seductive “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp” off of the Hustle and Flow Soundtrack, struck a deal with MTV for the famed reality series Adventures in Hollyhood, and the fall release of Pat’s fourth studio album, Walkin’ Bankroll. The recent success isn’t overnight or unwarranted.

In 1999, Project Pat made his debut with Ghetty Green; a sonic introduction into the harsh urban terrain of Memphis, Tennessee. He rose to stardom with his sophomore follow-up Mista Don’t Play: Everythang’s Workin’ which featured chart topping hits like “Chickenhead” and “Don’t Save Her.” After numerous run-ins with the law, Pat was eventually booked on a parole violation for felony gun possession and had to serve a brief jail sentence at the height of his success. Post American Gangster madness, a prison-free Project Pat divulges on his particular taste for mob flicks and hood DVD classics as well as his plan to further conquer the Hollywood hills. Read on as "Mr. Googly Moogly" raps with HipHopDX about diversifying ones hustle and sets the record straight on what a real gangster is with the upcoming sequel Choices 2 and a long awaited autobiography.

HipHopDX: What are some of your favorite gangster movies?

Project Pat: I just like Scarface and Superfly.

DX: What is it about those movies that standout to you?

PP: I just like Scarface 'cause it shows how he came up and kind of showed what was going on at the time in the '80s with the Columbian drug trade and all that and you know, it kind of fascinated me a little bit. I liked it and Al Pacino is a good actor and I think he did his thing in the movie. Superfly was the '70s and talking about cocaine in the '70s you know, it just showed us back in the day and I was always fascinated by the '70s. Memphis is a city that thrives off pimpin' and all that... It was just something that I caught onto.

DX: What's the correlation between gangster movies and rap music?

PP: Well, what they're basically saying in the rap industry right now you know, people are talking about the streets and the streets is what's motivating the rap game and down south that's all we really wanna hear. We don't wanna hear nothing else, I mean you know the gangster shit, the shine, the hustlin' you know… People look up to what they know, it's all they know and grew up around and they see everyday and it's what they can relate to better.

DX: Did you ever star in a movie?

PP: Yeah, we had the movie Choices.

DX: Right. It was like a straight to DVD hood flick.

PP: It was about a guy named Bad Choices. Me, DJ Paul and Juicy J wrote the movie. It's a straight hood movie and we supposed to make a Choices 2.

DX: What influenced y'all to do that?

PP: We working on the Adventures in Hollyhood string of movies. We got the script already written for Choices [2] so we'll drop the Adventures in Hollyhood and prolly drop Choices right after it.

DX: Three Six Mafia and Project Pat have been making gangster music forever. Was it always a dream to get into movies?

PP: Well man you know, when it started coming and happening...it just started happening. God gave us the talent and ideas and we just run with it.

DX: Was in the back of your mind and just waiting on the right door to open?

PP: Yeah, we just saw the door open and we ran with it. It's all about the money and we just trying to get it.

DX: Okay. I hear that. We got hardcore classic gangster films like Menace 2 Society and Goodfellas, are you familiar with those movies?

PP: Aww man, I keep 'em in my DVD player. They're in there right now!

DX: Which do you prefer; street movies or mafia flicks?

PP: I love 'em all but I like the mob flicks. The street movies is cool and I like them too, don't get it twisted but the mob flicks be hood. It be stuff that really happens. I like all the mob flicks.

DX: I guess you can relate more to the hood flicks because it's nothing new to you…

PP: Mob flicks are interesting. You hear stuff about 'em then see what they was doing. That's all that is. Just to see what they was on back in the days and see what they was doing.

DX: Have you seen the film American Gangster yet?

PP: Nah, I haven't been to the big screen.

DX: But you've seen trailers and I guess hearing about Frank Lucas is interesting?

PP: Yeah and I've always been a Bumpy Johnson fan anyway so...with Frank Lucas, when I heard about it, I didn't know he had a dude that carried his thing on like that. I didn't know that and I wanted to see how that was and see how they rolled.

DX: Do you think gangster movies influence rap albums or the music influences the films?

PP: Well...you said the movies influence the rap?

DX: Take for example recently where the movie American Gangster influenced Jay-Z to make a new album. Often at times it seems like gangster movies influence many artists and rap albums. Do you think it will continue or the tide will change and music will start influencing movies?

PP: I don't know, I don't know what Jay-Z was doing. I think it was a good move on his behalf but that's about...I don't know, I think the streets is what's motivating the dirty south records down here man. Just the grind and how dude's is hood out here and that's what we talking about, what we seeing and what's going on. I don't think the movies...You got dudes that come out first rapping and then make street movies, they got underground movies on DVD and all that so I don't know if it's the music that motivates a lot of stuff. Like the American Gangster story is about Frank Lucas and he's like an old icon that a lot of people didn't really know about, some people did. I think it's a good story and good concept and you know, I thought it was gonna hit pretty big.

DX: You kind of proved to be a real American gangster because at the height of your success you put in work, served time in prison and you're now back to doing the music again. Would you agree?

PP: I mean, yeah I would agree. I'd accept that, yeah. It's like a lot of people, a lot of fans and we got a big fan base in Hypnotized Minds and people just glad to see me out and everywhere I go people is like, "Man, it's good to see you out. You're doing your thing; you're back on, TV and rapping, you making good music…We buying it and we loving it." "Don't Call Me No More, Don't Text Me No More" is off the album Walking Bankroll and it's in stores right now! It’s the number one ringtone in North America. Anybody else say any different they lying!

DX: How was it making the new album Walking Bankroll?

PP: Aww man it was beautiful. Real talk, I had got my vibe you know, going on these promotional shows. I had got out and people was booking me for shows left and right. I was out in Alabama, little towns in Georgia, that's where I get my vibe from mainly, them little towns. Them little clubs they be wiling and I get my vibe from up in there. I went up to LA to the studio Paul and them got and murked it. It didn't take me no time. We just signed this dude Young D, Hypnotized Minds signed him and he real hot. We just working and out here trying to get all the money we can.

DX: Can we expect a Patrick Houston version of American Gangster anytime soon…If not a movie, maybe a book?

PP: I got a book out and I'm still working on it. I finished it but I got some more stuff to add to it and I'm gonna try and drop it like once we drop this Adventures in Hollyhood [movie] and get some more things off the ground, I'ma try and drop it around that time. In the book I'm talking about the whole Fed thing and talking about these streets and how dudes...it's all falsified now. It's no honor and dudes is talking about they this and they that and it's all garbage. There are some real guys and real soldiers out here but you know, then I'm also bringing the truth to the streets. There's nothing to glamorize, this is real and if you get in this, this is what's coming with this. That's how I always try to keep it. Basically like the raps but I'm just writing a book version. It got my life in the book and it got people's lives in it who I was around. And it's real, the whole book is "fiction" but it's based on a true story. I can't put people out there and incriminate people. I'm working on a title now and it's gonna be fire!

TWISTA: Follow My Lead

2007-10-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

After scoring the first platinum plaque of his career with his 2004 LP Kamikaze, Twista’s career finally seemed to be heading in the right direction. A year later, though, the Chicago native followed-up with the underwhelming, The Day After. Even though the album garnered a gold plaque, Twista was displeased with Atlantic Records’ decision to replace various street songs for more commercial tracks. Looking to rectify Atlantic’s mistakes, Twista focused on satisfying his hardcore fan-base with his new LP, Adrenaline Rush 2007, a sequel of sorts to his 1997 album Adrenaline Rush. Once again, though, the album was met with mixed reviews and the Pharrell assisted lead single, “Give It Up,” failed to gain any mainstream attention. While on tour promoting Adrenaline Rush 2007, Twista talks to XXLMag.com about his frustrations with Atlantic Records over his first single, the album’s lack of promotion and why hip-hop needs to stand up for the Jena 6.

What was your mindset going into Adrenaline Rush 2007?

I always got a strategy and plan with each album, but to be honest, the label and me don’t always see eye to eye. They’ll hear my music and try to put out songs that they think are better to sell me as an artist than the song that I’m putting out. They’ll mess up the whole vibe. I love Pharrell to death. Last album, I wanted “Lavish” to come out first, which was one of the hottest songs on the album that he produced. But they ended up going with a different single. Now, with this album, I love “Give It Up,” but I was going in a different direction. On The Day After, all of my street stuff got stripped off the album. The A&Rs took off my song called “If Only For One Night,” where I was talking about if I could have the microphone for one night. I did “Stick ‘Em” over with an old-school flow. I had a song called “Welcome To My Home,” talking about the hood. They took all of those songs off and put all the happy and clubby songs on there. That upset me and was really one of the reasons why the new album is entitled Adrenaline Rush 2007. Some of [my fans] be like, “Man, you should’ve dropped this,” or, “We wanna hear that Adrenaline Rush sound.” So I wanted to let people know it’s the same Twista, don’t get it twisted. And this album I went into it with a certain type of plan, but “Give It Up” ended up being my first record. At first, I wanted “Whip Game Proper” to be my first record.

Why didn’t Atlantic Records like “Whip Game Proper?”

I could’ve got [“Whip Game Proper”] cleared, but I think the label was geared more towards the Pharrell look since they felt like they missed out on the last album. That’s the only problem I have as an artist: the label not really believing in me to the point where they let me pick my first singles and just ride with it.

Are you happy how the album has been received so far?

Actually, I’d be happier if it was doing better. But for the reason that I do music, I’m happy. Somebody else that’s in it for the money, trying to be the number one artist and all that type of stuff, then they’ll be a little bit more upset then me right now. But for me being a humble person and the reason that I got in the game and the type of love that I got for the music, the reaction that I got from the album makes me happy.

Still, it seems like the publicity push wasn’t what it was for past albums.

That’s the upsetting shit right there. You were the only one to ask me that and everyone else would skirt around it. But that’s the upsetting part, when you feel like your label ain’t doing enough to push you. So I feel like a lot of attention is getting spread out so thin at the label that I’m not really getting the same effect as I did when I dropped Kamikaze. We got different people at the top, [so] I gotta get familiar with new people, new faces and stuff like that. It had an effect on me, but I’m going to put out a strong album regardless.

Production wise, this album has a lot of hometown flavor to it. Was that intentional?

Yeah, that was me taking it back to my original sound. It was the simple thing of, okay, the people [at] the label picked a lot of songs to be on the last album that made it seem watered down, where if you took three or four songs that I wanted, instead of three or four they felt were more commercial, then my album would sound the way I wanted it to sound and be a proper representation by me to my fans. But my representation from my album to my fans is always tainted by some of the choices that the label makes with my music. So it forced me to go hard to make people see that I’m still Twista and the best way to do that was…it’s been 10 years, fuck it, Adrenaline Rush 2007. Twista’s back with that original sound, when, in essence, it never really went nowhere. I just had to really go hard to force what I wanted represented to my fans.

You recently headlined the Jena 6 Empowerment Concert in Birmingham, Ala., but Mos Def has been vocal in his displeasure that more rappers aren’t voicing their support. Is that a fair criticism?

Yeah, the thing that made me step up is really hearing about the story itself [and] listening to Mos Def talk about it. His words are powerful enough and it just hit me, like, “Man, I just wanna be apart of it and do what I can to contribute to the situation.” It’s bogus, man. You know it’s bogus. Everything evolves. Rappers had a chance to be wild, then we started getting conscious and now we’re at a point where we’re forced to be role models. So I think it’s just time right now. We eventually have to elevate into intelligent fucking people. [Laughs] I think it’s time for hip-hop to start representing itself on that intelligent level, man.

You’ve also been a lightening rod for controversy lately. McDonald’s canceled a tour you were supposed to headline due to your “vulgar content” and a Chicago church erected anti-hip-hop billboards stating, “Stop listening to trash.” Why are you being targeted?

It was a reverend and his congregation that decided to raise money and put up billboards that said, “Stop listening to trash.” His version of trash was Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, 50 Cent, Twista and a few others. By me living in Chicago right where he put these billboards up, it was just a coincidence that McDonalds had me involved in a tour to perform and they wanted a clean show. Usually when I have clean shows it’s me just doing a clean show for the kids. I got a bunch of songs that the kids love that I can do. But it was right up his fucking alley. He ended up on Bill O’Reilly and he got his juice out of it, which I think it what he was trying to do anyway. We’ve been taking the backlash…and would you believe that the same reverend, about a month later, I heard that him and Jesse Jackson were trying to do some things together and couldn’t hold what they were trying to hold in his church because they had failed an inspection because some of the pipes and other things in the church were considered unsafe. And I’m like, “You spend the congregation’s money on billboards to hate?” When you don’t like something, don’t go against it, just put your energy into what’s the opposite of it. Why are y’all attacking us? Attack the porn industry, attack the movie industry, something else that parents have the choice for. Why are you attacking music that parents have the choice to choose for their kids?

xxlmag.com

Next Up: JOELL ORTIZ

2007-10-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

Joell Ortiz is a Puerto Rican kid from in front of a bodega in Brooklyn that just likes rhyming.” Please allow him to introduce himself. Born in the summer of 1980, an only child to a single mother battling a drug addiction, Joell Ortiz was raised in Brooklyn’s Cooper Projects on food stamps and welfare checks. But as the young Boricua with a gift for writing rhymes grew up, he became a model student and star shooting guard at Manhattan’s Lower Eastside Prep. After graduating, though, with various scholarship offers on the table, he opted to stay home because he feared for his mother’s well-being. “If I go away to play ball at school and get this wild phone call or letter talking about, ‘Come view her…’” He shudders at the thought. “Nigga, fuck basketball! I’m not leaving my moms.”

To pay the family bills, Joell took to hustling the same stuff that had his mom stuck, honing his rhyme skills on the side. When his mom cleaned up—she’s been sober since 1999—Joell started looking at music as a serious career option. Years of days and nights at studios in and around Brooklyn and Queens yielded a 2005 mixtape, Who the F*@k Is Joell Ortiz? that showcased its author’s witty wordplay and strong sense for honest, emotive storytelling. Industry interest was piqued, and Joell started taking meetings at
record labels.

Koch Records offered a one-album deal, and papers were signed. Before the ink could dry, though, a twist of fate brought Joell’s demo CD to the place where pretty much every artist in rap music would most want their music to be: the desk of Aftermath Entertainment’s head honcho, the greatest producer in the history of hip-hop, Dr. Dre. Impressed with what he heard, Dre flew Joell out to Los Angeles. “I can’t lie, man,” says Joell, recounting his meeting. “I’m human. I’m nervous as hell. Shit! Whoa… N.W.A, nigga! Like, whoooo! I got the jitters and shit. I think I got some things to say. He comes in the room, and everything I had prepared flew right out my shit. He’s like, ‘What up,’ and I’m like, ‘What up.’ And that nigga like, ‘I love the music. It speaks for itself.’ He stopped and paused. ‘So if you want to be Aftermath, then let me know.’ I’m like, Oh shit, so this is it? He said to have my people call his and get the paperwork together. ‘Welcome to the family.’” (A deal was worked out that let Koch release Joell’s acclaimed The Brick: Bodega Chronicles this past April.)

That day in L.A., a rapper whose dreams had just come true stepped outside of the Aftermath offices and called his mom back home in New York. “‘Ma, I’m on Aftermath.’ To hear her scream with joy, ‘Get out of here!’ She’s ecstatic on the other line.” Joell Ortiz smiles. “I ain’t make the wrong decision. We wo00on!”

XXL Magazine November 2007
Issue 97

Sheek Louch: Watch Your Mouth

2007-09-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Why is former D-Block member J-Hood dissing the LOX? Sheek Louch has the answers in this xxlmag.com exclusive.

Two weeks ago, in the midst of his five-borough concert tour in New York City, 50 Cent appeared on stage in the Bronx and incited controversy by bringing out former D-Block member J-Hood. For some hip-hop fans, Hood’s appearance with a known adversary of D-Block was met with disbelief. For the past five years, the young Yonkers rapper has been signed to the LOX’s imprint, D-Block Records, acting as the group’s unofficial fourth member. But earlier this month, the self-proclaimed “baby faced gangsta” asked for his release from the label after suffering numerous delays for his debut solo LP, Tales From the Hood. At first, Hood’s departure seemed innocent enough, until a YouTube video appeared on the Internet showing the 21-year-old verbally disrespecting his former LOX brethren Sheek Louch and dragging his D-Block chain on the concrete.

In the midst of the controversy, the LOX have been relatively mute. But with J-Hood personally calling out Sheek, the Wolf has decided to fire back. XXLMag.com sat down with the LOX member to discuss the origins of J-Hood’s beef with D-Block, his upcoming solo LP and the long-awaited LOX reunion.

What prompted this beef between J-Hood and D-Block?

There was never tension. He’s tight. He’s mad, like, Damn, I been with these guys for the longest [and] my album hasn’t come out yet. So he has every right to feel that way. But he’s going about it the wrong way. He’s hanging himself right now. Like [Funkmaster] Flex said the other night on [Hot 97], “Sheek used to beg me to play your records.” I think he’s just fed up, especially with his friends in his ear.

Why did Hood want to leave D-Block in the first place?

Hood spoke to Styles and said he wanted to go his own way [and] we were like, “Okay, cool.” Styles gave me the word he spoke to him and I said, “Alright, say no more.” ’Cause I been down that road, as far as wanting to leave and get off Bad Boy [Records]. I understand wanting to spread his wings and do what he gotta do. My thing is, say me and you aren’t doing business anymore. That doesn’t mean y’all gotta be enemies. Fam, you’re doing little YouTube videos, running around, jumping on stage with 50 [Cent], looking [like a] groupie. What are you doing, fam? Don’t think them boys, Yayo and them, don’t remember every last thing you said about them. They see all that. They know what’s what. You don’t even know when you’re being a puppet. It’s sad. When 50’s album [is] done, and he’s done running around and using Remy [Martin] and you…Yo, dog, you don’t get it. Why are you acting tough? I ain’t get on that with you, so why you coming at us like that? Hood, you know how we get down, fam. I really don’t get it. These New York DJs are hanging him. Flex said, “I’ll never play another Hood record, ever in my life. It doesn’t matter what label you go to, don’t send me nothing.” That’s crazy. No artist wants to hear that. Without me calling a DJ to say, “Yo, I need you to shut down Hood,” they’re calling [me]—from Cosmic Kev to Flex—[saying], “Yo, I ain’t playing nothing from him. I don’t respect his move right now.”

So there’s going to be no diss tracks toward J-Hood?

I would never rap with [Hood] lyrically. There is no way in the world you can get with me or my two partners [Styles P and Jadakiss]. I would never go to that level. I just want to spank Hood. I just want to take my belt off and give him a beating. Then, when you’re ready, say sorry. I still gotta let you off [the label], Hood. I still gotta sign the papers to let you go wherever you need to go. So who’s telling him this and advising [him] before he’s even off? I’m really just baffled. Does your manager know that you still [have to] come to us to get off?

Are you gonna release him from the label?

I would, gladly. I been in that situation, as far as holding you, saying you can’t go nowhere and all of that. We don’t get down [like that]; we cut from a whole different cloth. I spoke to Sha Money [XL]. They called up and spoke to Super Mario [D-Block general manager] and told ’em, “Yo, fam, we ain’t talking about signing no Hood. That is all a publicity stunt. I don’t got a clue what that boy is doing.” 50 even said on the radio, “He’s running around doing all that. He’s gotta see them boys in Yonkers. That’s bigger than me.” He’s dead true.

There’s rumors you were trying to take Hood’s D-Block chain back. Is that true?

Never would I take [J-Hood’s] chain or put my hands on [him]. You know that, fam. I love you, fam. What are you doing? We the niggas that told you not to buy that fake, 800 dollar, big ass, 600 diamond chain. I said, “Hood, you gonna have us murder somebody for taking a fake chain off you. Don’t buy that jewelry, fam. You gonna walk around, your niggas are not build like that, and you gonna have us…’cause now we gotta do something, ‘cause this nigga felt he could take your chain.” It never happened, but I’m just saying, I’m not taking your little chain. Are you stupid? I remember when you bought that costume shit. You talking about I’m gonna throw it in the crowd. Hood, you’re not hurting us if you throw some fake ass chain in the crowd that you bought for fucking 600 dollars. That shit looks like it’s worth millions, [but] if you throw it in the crowd, you’re going to play yourself when the person goes and checks the chain.

Hood is only calling you out, not Jadakiss or Styles. What is that?

[Laughs] I swear to God, I go outside and my niggas say the same thing, “Yo, Louch, this nigga, he want it with you.” I didn’t even have the talk with him. Him and Styles had the talk about going their separate ways. I don’t know why he’s calling me out. Yo, Hood, when your stepfather was touching on your body, fam, I went and ran in your house and got ’em. Me and my goons ran in and got your step-pops for you. And a list of other things, but I just want to throw that one out there to sting him a little bit. That was me. Remember, Hood? That’s big homie. And I still don’t have no beef with you, until this day. But you getting out of hand. I may have to smack you on your head a little bit and [make him] stand in the corner or something. [Laughs] After I work out every day, at least four times a week, I go eat my lunch in front of [J-Hood’s] house. I sit there, beep the horn, make my calls, chill [and] wait to see who comes in. [Laughs] Yo, Hood, did you move or something? Why are you doing all this tough guy shit for? Business-wise, I get why he’s saying, “Damn, I want off and I just want to spread my wings and do my thing.” Hood, I been there and I definitely get you on that. You feel our business relationship is exhausted and you wanna try some other stuff. People are [just] not respecting that you’re trying to get with 50 and the way you’re going about talking shit about us.

Drama aside, it’s hard to believe its been seven years since the last LOX album. What’s the status of the long-awaited reunion LP, Live, Suffer and Celebrate?

The next LOX album…ain’t nothing in ink yet, but as far as the lawyers, they’re trying to deal with Def Jam as we speak. A lot of people think the deal is done, but it ain’t done yet. It’s getting closer.

How long have you been at the roundtable with Def Jam?

Like seven or eight months. Before it was all talk that they wanted us. [Jay-Z] was like, “If I get these boys over here, it would be game over.” So Hov was trying to make that whole shit happen, as far as meeting with Ruff Ryders and Jimmy Iovine [to] try [and] smooth shit out as far as us and Interscope. Then [Def Jam] came with the offers and we sent it back. Then it was to the point of like, alright, we cool with that offer, now let’s work it out.

Realistically, when is the deal going to be finalized?

The LOX album will come [out] early next year, realistically. We got 15 [to] 20 songs already done.

Have you guys been working with some big producers?

Definitely. So far we got a couple of people: Timbaland, Pharrell, Rockwilder, will.i.am.

What can fans expect from your upcoming third solo album, Silverback Gorilla?

The album is sick, fam. I just finished mixing and mastering [it]. I got my boy Avant on [the first single] “I’m So Hood.” It’s insane. I think the single is [going to be] crazy big. I got my boy Fat Joe on there and of course Styles and ’Kiss. I got my man UNK on a Southern joint with a New York edge called “Get Up Out My Way.” I got Bun B and Ice Cube on “Got A Problem.” Oh my God! That’s monstrous! I also got a song with Dipset that’s gonna shut New York City down. It’s “Dipset, D-Block” [with] me, Kiss, Jim Jones and Hell Rell.

xxlmag.com

Twista: Adrenaline Rush 2007

2007-09-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

CRITICAL BEATDOWN
XL

Living up to his old Guinness Book of World Records title of the fastest rapper in the world, Twista has been delivering rapid- fire bars since his 1991 indie disc Runnin’ Off at Da Mouth. But it was his major-label debut, 1997’s Adrenaline Rush, that catapulted the Chi-Town MC into the national spotlight. Unfortunately, his career has been plagued by numerous false starts. After a pair of projects with the Speedknot Mobstaz—1998’s Mobstability and 1999’s Legit Ballin’—Twista got tied up in a tug-of-war with Atlantic and Roc-A-Fella Records that delayed his Kamikaze LP ’til 2004. Containing Kanye West’s smash hit “Slow Jamz,” the album earned Twista his first platinum plaque. In his eagerness to keep the mainstream love going, the Windy City word-smith oversaturated his next project, The Day After, with R&B duets and pop production. Although the disc went gold, its saccharine sound rubbed die-hard fans the wrong way. So as a show of good faith, Twista dubs his latest effort Adrenaline Rush 2007.

While the new album borrows its name from Twista’s classic, these are still two separate projects a decade apart. With longtime collaborator Toxic and newcomer Cuzo handling a bulk of the production duties, AR2K7 holds true to the overall feel of its predecessor. Toxic’s choppy, ice cream truck–inspired score for “7 Day Hustle” and cinematic board work on “The Come Up” evoke the Tung Twista of old, as he fires off lyrical rounds with Megatron-like efficiency. Meanwhile, Cuzo’s bell-heavy trunk rattler “Whip Game Proper,” featuring Lil Wayne, inspires bombastic bars like, “Vocalistic cataclysms, I spit the biggest words/Fuck you and your bitch-ass crew, I spit the sickest verbs.”

The verbal onslaught continues on the oppressive “Trouble,” and again with the trombone- and bass-fueled “Wrist Stay Rocky,” produced by Basement Beats. While few MCs can keep up with Twista’s speedy spit game, it’s actually a rappa ternt sanga that winds up going flow for flow with the Chicago veteran. Mimicking the cyclic guitar lick of “Creep Fast,” T-Pain chucks his robotic vocals out the window and not only keeps pace with his host, but almost outshines him. Feeling the pressure, Twista turns up the heat with, “I’ma see ya when I see ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya/Got the Desert Eagle/And I’m rollin’ through in the Regal/Lookin’ at you from the eye of a needle.”

Unfortunately, Twista veers off course and begins to test the mainstream waters once again. Enlisting the once-guaranteed hit makers the Neptunes for “Give It Up” results in Pharrell’s rigidly stale hook being the foundation for a contrived club cut. Trying to recapture the crossover magic of Kamikaze’s “Overnight Celebrity,” Twista pens misplaced serenades like the R. Kelly collabo “Love Rehab,” which stands out amid the album’s harder material. Then, of course, there’s the inclusion of “Trappers Delight,” a throwaway cut from Cee-Lo and Jazze Pha’s unreleased collaborative project, Happy Hour.

Finding the perfect balance between commercial and creative content is difficult for any artist—even an OG like Twista. While Adrenaline Rush 2007 is a definite return to the raw, the aforementioned tracks, coupled with a bloated track listing, subtract from his fully recapturing the past glory of the original. Still, with potent material like the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony collabo "Ain’t No Hoes” and the high-octane “Pimp Like Me” loaded in the chamber, the Midwestern rhyme slinger proves that, even after more than a decade in the game, he still got that fire.

XXL Magazine 2007
October Issue #96

Pride: Miami Tattoo Artist

2007-09-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

"CAN'T GET ENOUGH"
MIAMI'S TATTOO KINGPIN HAS RAPPERS COVERED.

They say tattoos can be addictive, and based on the multiple pieces of body art on Lil Wayne, Baby, Young Jeezy and Yung Joc, there's some truth to that theory. The man responsible for easing those and many other rappers' ink obsessions is Miami-based tattoo artist Luis Bustos (a.k.a Pride), whose custom line work has made him tops in the game.

Born in Brooklyn, the 27-year-old tattooist split his youth between his parents' native Bogota, Columbia and Miami, where he developed a passion for drawing portraits at age 12. After viewing the Latin crime flick Bound By Honor, Pride was inspired to turn his artistic flair into a full-time career. "I saw Mexican dudes in jail [with] tattoos that were really good," he recalls. "That gave me an idea, like, that's what I want to do." Dropping out of high school in ninth grade, Pride spent his teen years apprenticing at local tattoo shops. In 1999, he scored his first celebrity client—fellow Dade Count resident Trick Daddy—after meeting him through a mutual friend. Having seen Pride's work around the way, Trick solicited him for four tats, including one of a smiling clown with three dice and the words "head crack" on his arm.

Pride kept perfecting his craft until 2005, when he opened his own parlor, Prides' Tattoo Gallery, in Miami's South Beach. The skilled ink man soon landed high-profile clients like Miami Heat players Udonis Haslem and James Posey and quickly became known as the area's best portrait tattooist. So when M-I-A transplant and Cash Money co-founder Baby wanted etchings of his loved ones on his skin, Pride, who has also inked Pharrell, Cee-Lo and Jacki-O, was the obvious choice. "Most of the newer stuff, from the past two or three years, between [Baby] and Wayne is all my work," says Pride. "They got something, like, every three weeks." While Birdman boasts tats of eight family members on his stomach and chest done by Pride (including the infamous portrait of Wayne on Stunna's right pec), Wayne has serveral nonportrait drawings, including a depcition of Hurrican Katrina and a Jay-Z verse, by the skin artist. "He the talk of Miami 'cause he a real dude, and it reflects through his work," says Baby of Pride. "Dude is gifted. That's why everyone comes back."

With prices ranging from $300 to $15,000, Pride can accommodate the common man's budget while still setting the benchmark for originality. "I don't want to repeat my tattoos, and I don't want my tattoos to be duplicated," he says. "Whenever [people] come in here, they're gonna get an orginal piece."
That's why he's the besssst.

XXL Magazine 2007
October Issue #96

Outkast: Men of the year 2004

2007-09-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

"TWO GREAT TASTES THAT GO GREAT TOGETHER."

OutKast had 2004 wrapped up before the year even started. Already on the short list of greatest rap groups of all time, Atlanta’s Andre “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton were in midascent to total pop culture dominance when the calendar flipped. Released late 2003, their bold, double-disc opus Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was on its way to selling over five million copies (earning just the third diamond plaque the RIAA has ever bestowed upon a hip-hop album), while their twin tower singles—“Hey Ya!” and “The Way You Move”—held the top two spots on Billboard’s pop charts for eight weeks running. When “Hey Ya!” finally dropped from No. 1, in February, “The Way You Move” replaced it. That same month, at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, they took three trophies, including the big one, Album of the Year.

It was all the result of a novel production process. Andre, bored with a rap game he’d been pushing the boundaries of for years, wanted to make another kind of music. Big Boi, always the duo’s tether to the streets, wanted to keep it hip-hop. So they recorded separate albums—Andre’s The Love Below, an eclectic collection of purple-funk love ballads and genre-melting hummables, like “Hey Ya!,” and Big Boi’s Speakerboxxx, a hood-certified juke joint full of monstrous 808s, state-of-the-art rhyming and smooth, brass-backed come-ons, like “The Way You Move”—and released them as one under the OutKast rubric. Together, they cast an awfully wide net. Pitched an awfully big tent. OutKast became that rare phenomenon in pop music—the act loved by everyone and their mothers. And everyone’s mothers’ dentists’ aunties’ plumbers. And... Anyway, XXL got the guys on the phone recently to learn what
that’s like.

XXL: What are your fondest memories from 2004?

Big Boi: The craziest was the back-to-back performances of “Hey Ya!” and “The Way You Move.” Whether it was on Leno or Letterman or the VH1 Awards, BET Awards or MTV—whatever it was—it was just back-to-back. At one point, we was running from one award show and going to the next one to perform. We were moving maybe nine to 10 pieces in each of our setups, to go change clothes and jump into your suit and go ahead and do it, man. It was a lot of fun.

How did it feel to lock down the Grammys?

Dre: Shit, man, that was amazing, to be honest with you. I mean, OutKast, we been around since ’94. But a lot of people, believe it or not, that was their first time hearing about OutKast. So a lot of people don’t even know that I rap, which is funny. To get that kind of award and have old OutKast fans be like, “Oh, y’all just now catching on?” You know, it’s kinda cool.

Big Boi: I flew like maybe 40 of my family members out there that never been out of Georgia—aunties, cousins, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandmama and everything. So to have my family and Dre’s family out there to enjoy it, and we win and celebrate after that, you can’t beat it. It was like a big-ass family reunion. I mean, the energy in the whole house, and when the music cut off and they announced “Album of the Year.” First rap group to win Album of the Year—period.

XXL: Were you surprised by how well your music was received by the mainstream?

Big Boi: Umm, yeah, I was. We didn’t know that the album was gonna be that big. Like, we put out the singles, and that shit just took off. We knew the music was good, but a double CD, two solid albums’ worth of two guys who’ve been in a group together just almost... What it did was just solidify that identity of Andre 3000 and Big Boi. Okay, cool. These niggas been in a supergroup since they was teenagers. Believe it.

Dre: I really was, because it wasn’t your everyday stuff. That sounded nothing like anything on the radio. It came at a great time, and I think people were just ready for something new. It was great timing, and it could’ve gone either way, and I’m just happy that it went this way.

XXL: Do you consider yourselves pioneers in the emergence of Southern rap music?

Dre: I feel like we’ve played a significant role in it. But it wasn’t just us. It was our whole Dungeon Family crew at the time. We were the first people to come out of the gate, but even with our first album, that was pretty much everybody involved. You had Goodie Mob on the album, you had Witchdoctor, Cool Breeze, Big Rube, Rico Wade. Even the name of the album at the time, Southernplayalisticadillacmusik, that was pretty much ushering in our Southern lifestyle at the time when L.A. and New York were reigning supreme.

Big Boi: That’s for the people to decide. We’re definitely on the fore-front, along with the Geto Boys, 2 Live Crew, UGK, 8Ball & MJG and those that came before us. But we definitely was holding the flag. How it is now is crazy to know that we was a part of that whole movement. 1996, bruh, they ain’t wanna hear our shit. But now, they can’t get it away from ’em.

XXL 10th Anniversary 2007
Septemeber Issue #95

TJ CHAPMAN

2007-08-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

iN the bizness

FORGET THE BROWN PAPER BAG—TJ CHAPMAN BREAKS RECORDS THE RIGHT WAY.

TJ Chapman is no criminal, but he's got a rep for breaking and entering. Chapman entered the recording industry as a manager for Miami Bass veteran Beatmaster Clay D, then switched his hustle to breaking records for artists like T-Pain and David Banner. The 36-year-old Florida transplant keeps his network tight as founder of TJs DJs, a global record pool started in 1994. Now, Chapman shows us how to break a record off...properly.

CAUGHT IN THE WEB
[DJ crews like the] Core DJs, Bum Squad DJs, Hitmen DJs—they have websites, [so] go to the websites. We all have message boards that all these DJs frequent. Post your music, introduce yourself and get to know these people. Hang out where they hang out—online!

PASS IT OFF
While feedback is important, the purpose [of networking] is to pass your music to the club DJs, mixtape DJs, strip club DJs, mixshow DJs, satellite radio show DJs and the Internet DJs. In Florida and a lot of these other Southern states, we have pirate radio.

PHONE TAP
Each [DJ] organization has weekly conference calls. So talk to the person in charge and see how you get on the conference call. Don't send me a link to your MySpace page talking about, get at ya.

THE BLAST
Find out what it takes for one of the DJ organizations to e-mail your song out. Get on the email list that includes their members plus other DJs. My e-mails go out to about 35, 40,000—it's nothing to spread a record like that.

LIVE AND DIRECT
All these organizations have retreats. You're nobody if you don't know anybody. You go to these events to meet people and build with these DJs also. It's hundreds of DJs at these events.

MYSPACE JUMP-OFF
MySpace is the best indicator of what kind of fan base you have. You can see that by the number of plays that the music gets and by the number of comments and friends that people have. Nowadays, [labels] are giving deals to people who are top artists on MySpace that don't even have radio play.

SCRATCH issue #19
September/October 2007

Rhymefest: Train of Thought

2007-07-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

“You don't know what death is, until your ass left breathless/I'm the bomb nigga catch this/I'm Saddam [ex]'cept I got weapons/Make like a frat get steppin’, [be]'fore your punk ass get stepped in…You can't do it like I do/I don't care if you Moes, Folks, Bloods, Crips or Piru/I'm a Pyro’, light it up and fire too/Off in a bag lady back ask Badu/Before Common or Andre or D.O.C./If they all fucked her then I want my piece/I'm a conscious rapper two fingers up bitch peace/Your revolution's so fake it's like I gotta release/See you dudes with grills is more real/I don't like what they say but at least they ain't living in bone field/Ducking and dodging, acting phony as hell/Coming home when you got a damn record to sell/You'se a bitch nigga/I'm a say it again, you'se a bitch and something in this bitch gotta give/I hope you fake niggas die so real niggas can live/Or God just forget about the fact that he can forgive and kill us all/'Cause all of us is killing the children/They sold Myspace for $500 million/Sold Youtube for $1.6 billion/You in the projects fightin' over a building/You'se a bitch nigga!” —Rhymefest, "Angry Black Man on an Elevator"

WHAT DOES THE TITLE OF THE SONG MEAN?

The whole thing is, the elevator represents the ghetto. So it's like the ghetto is a small, confined space. And it's like, when you trapped in a small, confined space, it brings out our anger and our frustration with the world.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY, "I'M SADDAM, 'CEPT I GOT WEAPONS"?

Our government is looking at people overseas in Iraq, talking about, do they got weapons of mass destruction, when there is a weapon of mass destruction growing in the ghettos of America that ain't no attention being paid to...Black people are not on the agenda. And what you do, when you leave us off the agenda, there's a weapon of mass destruction being built in our attitudes.

WHY DO YOU CALL ERYKAH BADU OUT LIKE THAT?

At the end of the day, this is hip-hop. I guess I said it in a real crass way, but I'm just saying I think she's fly and I want a chance, too. She's a desirable woman, and I don't wanna cause no offense to her, but, hey, she likes rappers.

WHAT'S A FAKE REVOLUTIONARY?

You got these guys out here rapping about something, but then you don't even come to the hood until it's time for you record to be released. Don't nobody see you until you're like, "Yeah, man, we gotta suppost each other, brother." Come on, man!

WHAT'S YOUR GRIPE WITH MYSPACE AND YOUTUBE?

This wasn't no 60-year-old man or Viacom that created MySpace—these are young, independant people that created these mediums and sold them to the bigger companies. Why, as Black and Latino people, are we not htinking on a way bigger level?... We are the ones that spawn the growth of these forums.

HOW IS THAT KILLING THE CHILDREN?

We're killing the children by giving them false illusions of what wealth, value and worth is... We've gotten into this thing where money is so important that we've made it our God. And we've taught children that money is God.

XXL Magazine/August 2007 No. 94

Hot Dollar: Show & Prove

2007-07-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Chances are, if you saw a gold-grilled, cornrowed rapper handing out autographed dollar bills to high-school kids in a New York City subway station in May, it was Jermaine Dupri's latest signee, Hot Dollar. As part of an ingenious new promotional campaign, the 27-year-old MC really went underground to promote himself.

Born Leon Gray in the rural city of Hattiesburg, Miss., Hot Dollar was raised in an environment where money was hard to come by. In 1989, his family relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of a better life. "Ain't no real jobs or opportunities down in Mississippi, so we moved," says Dollar. Unfortunately, the coastal transition wasn't exactly positive, and before long, he was running the streets as a full-fledged Crip.

Not wanting to succumb to the pitfalls of gang life, at 14, Hot Dollar started to explore his talent for rapping. His earliest inspiration came from his older brother, Compton rapper Guerilla Black. Counting bars and crafting choruses gave the youngster hope and a much needed way out of his dangerous lifestyle. "I finally realized that gangbanging wasn't for me," says Dollar. "I just had a daughter named Sierra. She influenced me to rap."

In 2006, Dollar recorded a demo he dubbed Rags 2 Riches. He pressed up thousands of copies and passed them out in L.A. to anyone who'd listen. As his buzz grew, Hot Dollar's disc found its way into Jermaine Dupri's hands, through close friend and video director Pop Gates. The song "Streets on Lock" was already spinning on West Coast radio, and lucky for the rookie MC, JD couldn't get the sinister chopped-and-screwed track out of his head. Knowing he had found the next big thing, the newly anointed president of Island Records Urban Music signed Hot Dollar this past April.

"His style is a mixture of the South meets the West," says Jermaine. "He also has the ability to write songs, and that is hard for a lot of good rappers today." Executive produced by Mr. So So Def himself, Hot Dollar's debut, My Dream: Tha Day in Tha Life, will feature additional production from DJ Toomp and Shawty Red. Hopefully, he can turn a dollar into a dream.

XXL Magazine/August 2007 No. 94

Showtime Audio: Custom Car Shop

2007-07-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

Pimps and brutal winters aside, Chi-Town is known for the Bulls' NBA reign. MJ's squad blazed through the nineties on the backs of a triangle offense and Zen master that dominated the competition. Fast forward ten years, replace rings with trophies, hoops with hydraulics and you'll find a Midwestern goliath that also scores major points in the world of custom cars. Widely known for their success at nationwide car show competitioins, Illinois powerhouse Showtime Audio Inc. owns a trophy case that'll make Jordan envious. "We would build show cars, go to the shows and do real well there and get referrals," says 32-year-old owner Jerry Villa. "Other people in the shows would see that we'd win a lot of trophies, and they would want us to build them a car."

Around the corner from downtown Chicago's manufacturing district is the shop's 10,000-square-foot base. "We do it all, basically, from day-to-day radio, speakers and iPod interfaces to high-end show cars," says Villa. "We always have at least one or two custom cars being worked on at a time."

Villa attributes his team's tireless intensity to a simple love of cars. As a Los Angeles native by way of Chicago, the 12-year vet has been customizing interiors for his friends since his days as the head of a lowrider crew he ran out of his parent's grage. A "perfectionist to a fault," Villa understands that subtle intricacies play an important role in progressive customization. "The smallest things make the biggest difference," says Villa. "That's where we try to set ourselves apart. We're always pushing the limits of what can and can't be done." This championed automotive squad knows no limits as they get set to defend the newest Chicago dynasty.

NAME — Showtime Audio Inc.
WEBSITE — Showtimeaudio.net
LOCATION — 1317 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
OWNER — Jerry Villa
YEARS IN BUSINESS — 5
SPECIALTIES — Custom Show Cars, Hummers
CELEB CLIENTELE — Twista [Rapper], Criss Angel "Mindfreak" [Magician]
STANDOUT CUSTOM JOB —2004 Blue Hummer H2, Best of Show winner at Dub Show '04, '05 and '06. The car was built in 30 days and has blue ostrich leather seats, blue suede roof, blue candy paint, matching chrome spinners with a blue background, lowered, custom exhaust and satellite TV
TURNAROUND TIME — Between one week and three months for small to large jobs

RIDES magazine July/August 2007

Aasim: Spit Yo Game

2007-06-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

It’s a rainy New York afternoon and Aasim the Dream is holed up in Daddy’s House, Bad Boy Records’ storied Manhattan studio. It’s here, in these hallowed confines, where the career’s of the Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Black Rob and the LOX all started. This is also where Aasim has written some of his best material—for Sean Combs, that is. While the average hip-hop fan may not be familiar with the Jamaica, Queens native’s name, they’ve certainly heard his work as a ghostwriter for Diddy’s most recent album, Press Play.

Aasim got his start at the age of 17, signing a production deal with Loud Records in 1996 after freestyling for A&R Schott Free. Although a solo album never came to fruition, Aasim continued to record material and honed his skills under the tutelage of label mates like the late Big Pun and dead prez. Frustrated with his standing on the label, Aasim left Loud in 2000 and decided to take his music career into his own hands. Teaming up with former Loud A&R, Sean C, and producer LV, he signed on with a new production company, Grind Music Inc., in 2001. The trio began to hit the mixtape circuit, churning out freestyles and radio drops for the likes of Fat Man Scoop, DJ Clue and Kay Slay. By 2004, Aasim’s material landed in the lap of Diddy, who was so impressed that he signed the upstart MC to Bad Boy Records. Since then, Aasim has stayed busy, ghostwriting for Mr. Combs while keeping the streets buzzing with mixtapes like 2005’s Spell My Name Right with DJ Big Mike and The Departed with DJ Green Lantern earlier this year. XXLMag.com chops it up with Aasim about his humble beginnings, ghostwriting and carrying on the tradition of success in the house that Diddy built.

Your got your first deal when you were just a teen. How did you get your foot in the door so young?

I was in the studio with Akinyele—who’s like an uncle to me—and Dr. Butcher, Kool G Rap’s DJ. [Butcher] was like, “Yo, that’s an A&R right there.” He was talking about this dude, Schott Free [from Loud Records]. I didn’t know what the hell an A&R was ’cause I’m like 16-years-old at the time. So they threw a beat on and I just said every rhyme I had, non-stop. People came runnin’ into the room like, “Who’s that?” Schott Free was like, “Yo, you the illest nigga I heard since Nas.” So I signed to Loud and stayed there for a minute under a production deal. The label didn’t want the production company, but they wanted me. So they shelved me in hopes that the production company and me would fall out. But that didn’t happen [and] we stayed together. We figured if they wouldn’t put us out together, we were gonna leave. [Plus], we noticed the label was folding, so we got out [of our deal].

After you left Loud, you did your thing independently and then signed with Bad Boy. What’s it been like working with Diddy?

It’s great! Over the years, we’ve bonded. We got a different type of relationship than most. He doesn’t really give his friendship [out] ’cause you can imagine somebody with that status—everybody always got their hand out expecting certain things. We had a certain connection when we first met. He told me, “I don’t wanna be your friend; I don’t want you to be my friend.” I was like, “I don’t need no more friends.” We just kept it funky like that. If it happens organically, then cool. I’m a likable nigga. I’ll give you the shirt off my back. I’m a nigga that’s gonna tell you the real. I’m never gonna sugar coat it or lie to you. So he saw that and I think that’s when he was like, “I can fuck with that nigga. He’s a good dude.” When you actually spend time with him, you see all the rumors you hear about him ain’t true. He’s a businessman. So there’s certain shit he does as a businessman that you can’t put on a personal [level]. I have to be a businessman, too. I can’t get caught up in being a rapper. So it’s a mutual respect.

What songs have you written for Diddy?

I wasn’t necessarily a ghostwriter because I got credit for every joint I did off Press Play and Biggie’s Duets: The Final Chapter. I did the “Nasty Girl” verse and “It Has Been Said,” the joint he had with Eminem and Obie Trice off Duets. For Press Play, I did “Testimonial (Intro),” the Christina Aguilera song [“Tell Me,”] the Brandy song [“Thought You Said,”] the joint with Nas [“Everything I Love”] and “We Gon’ Make It,” the joint that sounds like Jay-Z.

What separates you from other artists in New York City?

I don’t do the type of music [that’s] poppin’. I go on websites and get a lot of great comments. Out of the 100 comments I might get, the worse thing they say is, “He sounds like he’s stuck in the 90’s. His flow is old-school.” They don’t understand that a lot of these rappers are trying to fill that void, but I’m not following the norm. When you play my records on [New York’s] Hot 97 FM against anybody else’s, they sound totally different. We’re not using no keyboards and all of that. We’ve been using gritty samples. Whatever I do is gonna be my way and have that Aasim sound. When Dr. Dre brought you The Chronic, with live instrumentation and all that, you felt like you were in L.A. When you hear my music, you gonna feel like you’re in South Jamaica, Queens.

Is there anything Diddy says you have to improve on?

Hooks—[he’s] always preaching about hooks. You gotta write million dollar hooks. Honestly, I’m not really good with hooks. I’m just like, have somebody do it ’cause I don’t care. R&B artists get songs written for them all the time and it’s not a big deal. I don’t care; have somebody write the hooks.

You’ve been in the game for a minute now. Are you finally working on your debut album?

Definitely. The album is called, The Dream…The Answer. The Dream [portion] is where I cater to the ladies. I’m real into women. It’s the easiest for me to do. It’s just been my steez forever. I never really had a problem talking to females or getting with a female, so The Dream is real easy. And The Answer… I guess that’s whatever’s going on in hip-hop. People [who are] starving for real hip-hop, I’m the answer for that.

Being that your boss is so much of a star, do you feel overshadowed by Diddy’s fame?

Not overshadowed [because] it is what it is. We went to Miami to work on Press Play and [Diddy] said to me, “I know what you want. I never noticed it before, but I seen this look in your eyes when Cool & Dre came up in the Bentley GT.” ’Cause Missy had the Lamborghini, Scott Storch had the Ferrari, and there were all these cars [outside the studio]. So Diddy was like, “The look in your eyes was like you were about to go crazy and just start shooting shit up. But I seen it in your eyes and I know what you want. I’m gonna help you get there and you’re gonna get there because you have the drive. That’s the same determination I had, but I was never in a position where I seen what you’re seeing.” And I’m like, hell yeah— private jets, Phantoms and Ferraris. It’s a transformation for me. I wanna be fly. I don’t wanna be no bum.

xxlmag.com

The Fixxers feat. Quik & AMG: Can't Get Enough

2007-04-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

In the confines of San Bernardino County’s West Valley Detention Center, DJ Quik did some soul searching. It was the summer of 2006 and Quik was spending time in prison on a parole violation. The charges stemmed from an incident where he allegedly pulled a gun on his sister back in 2003. The production legend was ordered to serve 45 days in jail on the weekends, but after failing to report, he was thrown in the pen for five months.

Quik used his incarceration as motivation. Upon his release in October 2006, the self-proclaimed “mad scientist” went into the studio with longtime friend and collaborator AMG and formed a duo called The Fixxers. The veteran MCs soon released their first song, “Can You Werk Wit Dat,” to local radio and the record started to generate a buzz, catching the attention of Interscope Records. The monstrous label promptly signed The Fixxers making it the first time that either Quik or AMG had been signed to a major in almost 10 years.

DJ Quik and AMG helped lay the foundation for West Coast hip-hop. Quik’s influence dates back to his platinum debut in 1991, Quik is the Name. The veteran MC then went on to release six more solo albums in the next 15 years while also producing for everyone from 2Pac, to Snoop Dogg to Jay-Z.

AMG hit the scene in 1991 with his debut album, Give a Dog Bone. But 1992’s gold album, Bitch Betta Have My Money, was his coming out party. With pimped out lyrics and party anthems like “Jiggable Pie,” and the DJ Quik produced “Nu Exasize,” the album was hailed by many as a West Coast classic. AMG’s success, however, was short lived. His following two albums: Ballin’ Out Of Control (1995) and Bitch Betta Have My Money 2001 didn’t fair as well.
Now, after working together for over a decade, the Compton, CA natives are releasing their group album, The Midnight Life, this summer. XXLMag.com talks with The Fixxers to about what these veterans can bring back to the game.

How did the group form?

Quik: We always talked about it but never did it. We had obligations that wouldn’t let us together. We created these high maintenance worlds for ourselves that wouldn’t allow us to focus on it. But there’s a lull in the sound here and we realize, in a sense, that we play a part in the barometer of hip-hop on the West Coast.

How did this deal with Interscope for The Fixxers album come about?

AMG: They caught wind of what was going on. We had the radio stations smashing, “Can U Werk Wit Dat.” We actually went to Interscope first, then we were gonna do the deal at Warner Bros. It was one of those, who wants us type of thing. But the record has picked up speed. We started doing appearances and putting the songs into the shows we did. The crowd responded, the reps came out and saw it. It’s a good surprise and something that’s needed. The label [Interscope] was like, “Let’s see what these guys can do.”

What’s the vibe on Midnight Life? Is it more fun and partying?

AMG: Oh yeah, definitely. My thing has always been more of a party atmosphere. I keep it light because that’s the element [needed] to make this record work. Nobody is coming with deep messages. We’re not trying to save anybody. So I think the concept of this album is to just keep the party going. If you wanna learn something, you’ll learn it with or without a record. I don’t think records are here to teach you.

So this album isn’t going to be as heavily West Coast influenced as your previous collaborations?

Quik: Yeah, it’s not. We’ve done it before, over and over again. When the results don’t match the input — if you’re putting a lot in and getting a little out — I think it’s time to walk away from that slot machine and go gamble somewhere else.

AMG: I think we need to do something different besides the same old West Coast thing. We gotta get on some new dance shit. Niggas got a million styles. It just so happens when you get into the record business, you gotta make those certain records. A lot of Quik fans are saying, “It looks like you’re selling out. You’re making down South records.” But you gotta change. You can’t be walking around with bell-bottoms when straight legs are in.

Quik, many regard you and Dr. Dre as the best West Coast producers ever. But it seems Dre gets most of the mainstream attention.

Quik: Of course he will. Dre is a good businessman. He knows how to sell stuff. My thing is — I was always emotionally driven by the music. I think when you give so much of yourself to one thing, you become one-sided and out of balance. So I think that caused the industry to not respect me as much as other people. I’m not a ruthless guy. I’m not robbing anybody for their publishing. I guess you gotta be a shark in this game. I just wasn’t a shark. And I guess, me being dyslexic as I am, or whatever, I thought I didn’t know the business and that’s the furthest from the truth.

As veterans, how do you stay relevant in a game that changes so fast?

Quik: We’re giving people what they want, as opposed to trying to force a structure on people, like, “This is the way it’s supposed to be. This is real hip-hop.” They don’t give a fuck. If it don’t strike them for that moment, then they’re onto something else. We conformed into giving people party music — the feel good music they want.

Quik, last year you went to prison for five months. What happened there?
Quik: That was a real dark time in my life. I was fighting with my sisters. Some of the things they put me through, they probably didn’t really intend it, [but] they were trying to extort me. I always gave them everything and I told them I appreciated them for helping me buy equipment when I was younger. After we got older, I told them, “I really don’t owe you anything. You spent five or six thousand dollars on me when I was coming up. After I became successful, your money didn’t end. I was giving y’all money that I hadn’t even paid taxes on yet.”

[Then] I found out my sisters were trying kidnap my kids for money. So I was like, “Are you guys on crack now? Is that what this is? Are y’all trying to keep it from me? Do you think y’all [are] slick? You’re trying to play me. I’m not ignorant. I’m a genius.” So I could see what it was. It’s just that I’m left-handed and I’m a giver. I’m a philanthropist and I give from the heart. So I love you guys, but I’m not gonna let you hurt my kids. That’s retarded.

I had a strap on me for some dudes. I can talk about it now [because] it’s my situation. My sisters had incorporated some guys involved in the streets into the plot. I caught an assault case and I didn’t pistol whip my sister. She’s little, you don’t have to pistol whip her. But I had my pistol there to shoot them niggas in the face if I would have saw them. I would have blown their ass away. So I snapped. I was out of my mind. I went through therapy and anger management for it and did my jail time. To me, it was more like rehab [rather] than a prison sentence. It was like, go in here and find yourself. Don’t be crazy. Don’t be a victim of the system and don’t let them own your mind.

xxlmag.com

Give It To You: MYHHTV.COM

2007-04-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

ONLINE TV NETWORK OFFERS NONSTOP HIP-HOP

When it comes to hip-hop, conventional television varies in its level of coverage. But now, hip-hop junkies worldwide can get their fix 24-7 on the new Web site myhhtv.com, the first-ever Internet hip-hop television network. Launched this past February, myhhtv.com, or Hip-Hop TV, is the brainchild of 26-year-old entrepreneur Ganiu "Scrills" Ladejobi. Fed up with the lack of diverse hip-hop programming on mainstream television, the Bronx ex-rapper looked to create a Web site that would service solely hip-hop fans. "BET and MTV are not really hip-hop networks, so they're not built to cater to our culture exclusively," says Scrills.

Last year, as a senior at Queens College, Scrills self-funded the project and gathered a small team of Web-savvy friends who now help operate HHTV. The site's content includes music videos, in-depth forums, contests and hip-hop shows, like Props 2 Da DJ and the MC battle Face Off. Similar to traditional televison, programs are repeated, and each show features short commercial breaks. By diversifying the content, Scrills hopes to expose viewers to all dimensions of hip-hop. "The purpose is not to get people to switch streams," he says. "My goal is to really just reignite the excitement of hip-hop." One viewer at a time.

XXL May 2007 no. 91

Hold Down The Block: DVD Awards

2007-04-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

FIRST-EVER DVD AWARDS SALUTES THRIVING STREET CULTURE.

A sea of artists, crew members and rap fans packed NYCs Club Avalon on December 6 to celebrate the booming street DVD industry with the inaugural Urban DVD Awards. Trophies were presented to rappers, DVD producers and street-marketed videos, the status of which has risen to the level of mixtapes recently, with the popularity of DVDs like S.M.A.C.K. and All Access. Categories included Best Commercial DVD [All Access], Most Consistent Artist on a DVD [Maino] and Best Celebrity Booty DVD [Kay Slay].

Afterward, New York rap staples Saigon, Tru Life, Red Cafe, Grafh, Stack Bundles, Jae Millz and Maino—members of a new rap collective called the New Big East—took the stage, while celebs such as Remy Ma, Marley Marl, Consequence and Kay Slay watched. Although miscommunication, impromptu freestyles and a lack of security slowed the pace of the evening, the respect seemed long overdue. "It's a lot of hard work, chaos and pandemonium, but it's worth it," said Bruce "Mook Diamond" Hatcher, co-organizer of the event, with rapper Littles. "Everyone who's working hard and putting their efforts forward needs to be awarded." The streets were watching. Now the world is, too.

XXL March 2007 no. 89

Behind The Seams

2007-04-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

SWAGGER

Swagger’s high-end street wear and design would seem like the latest digs but in all actuality, Japan’s premier line of Hip-Hop apparel has been keeping it fresh since ’99 with innovative color schemes and top quality fabric. Does your aura turn from dull gray to green glow; confidence level hit the Richter scale and sexual prowess growl when you slide into a pair of crisp jeans and comfy hoodie by Swagger? Japanese designers Iggy and Big-O have a strong appreciation for Hip-Hop culture and are dually inspired by unique details, humor and the essence of ‘Wild Style.’ “We have always had a love for fashion and Hip-Hop music so we incorporate our own passions into our designs.” With the extended luxury line released in 2002, Phenomenon, the designers have asserted their brand internationally in Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Hawaii and New York. Exclusive collaborations with North Face and Levis have proven successful. “We just did a custom pair of jeans for Jay-Z. They would retail for around $1,500, but his are one of a kind.” But of course, our Hip-Hop President must roll in style.
www.swagger-co.com

SB Wear

Break beats, verbal intercourse and solar graffiti encompass the immortal Hip-Hop head rocking SB Wear. The trendsetting and ill-rocking fashion phenomenon birthed through the new soul of black culture gone global has smashed the big screen and ripped the runway. But has the B-Boy’s sense of style come from the likes of Milan and Paris, or a prizefighting Rap superstar with business savvy? Designer Stephen Barr votes nay on both ballots and ops for unique products that evolve from complete, creative control. Barr takes the hands-on approach by physically silk-screening each t-shirt, re-working a stylish hoodie in-house to blend perfect with a custom pair of dunks. “I wanted to create a product that would appeal to sneaker collectors who could recognize and respect the effort and detail that goes into the products. SB Wear is a line of clothing featuring fresh new designs to go with exclusive sneakers.” Impeccable coordination is the key. The eighties baby from South Ozone Park, Queens, is inspired by comedy to make his brand of clothes come to life. “It’s about taking things a step further. These days kids are starting with the sneakers and building the whole outfit up around that.” Satisfying a culture of kick-collectors with the right fit to perfect an untouchable stance.
www.sb-wear.com

Lemar and Dualey

Brooklyn always seems to be in the building. International competition in the arena of fashion has grown tremendously and lucky for us, they’re catering to ravenous, nude Hip-Hop heads. The official ambassador between Japanese, London and New York street-wear, Lemar and Dualey infuse their unique experiences and quest for originality into their artistic brand of urban fashion. “We’re trying to bring the element of cats who grew up all around Brooklyn, expanding the market to not only include the SOHO crowd. You can still get off the hood element and be clean and tailored.” Straight up, they’re not a skateboard clique. Longtime friends and Art majors, the designers of Lemar and Dualey have focused their love of music, sports, women and threads into a clothing line that’s been growing for two and a half years. Expertise matched with hustle makes for fine taste and seductive fashion. Self-taught tailors abide by the code of staying true to authenticity.
www.lemaranddauley.com

Trina: So Fresh

2007-04-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

Trina’s career blossomed after debuting on Trick Daddy’s 1998 breakout hit “Nann Nigga,” off his album, www.thug.com. Her sharp tongue, sassy style and voluptuous curves are, in large part, what made her an instant star. Two years later, Trina released her gold debut album, Da Baddest Bitch (Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic Records), which peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard chart thanks to the sexually explicit hit, “Pull Over.” Packing more sex appeal than a XXL Eye Candy pinup, Trina was every d-boy’s fantasy. Her follow up album, Diamond Princess (2002), was well received and reflected her artistic growth with memorable moments, such as “No Panties” featuring Tweet and “B R Right,” which offered Ludacris. Unfortunately, Trina wasn’t able to duplicate such success with 2005’s Glamorest Life. Despite guest appearances from Lil Wayne and Kelly Rowland, and production from Mannie Fresh and Jazze Pha, the album failed to achieve gold status. With redemption in mind, Trina now looks towards a fresh start in 2007. She parted ways with her label of five years, Atlantic Records, in 2006 and has now found a new home (which she intends to keep a secret, for the time being). Her new album (still untitled) will be released this July with production from Scott Storch, Cool & Dre and The Runners. Trina discusses her new album, the breakup with Atlantic Records and her controversial past with XXLMag.com

Why haven’t we had more albums from female MCs lately?

The industry is male dominated. It’s crazy because there are only a few females and everybody is so spaced out. The unity is not there. I think with females, we’re a lot more emotional and when things aren’t going great, I think it’s a little discouraging. You kind of get sheltered and don’t really know which route to take. Now, it’s a new year and there are a lot of females coming out. You got the Remy Ma, Shawnna and Jackie-O collaboration.

What do you think about their group?

I think it’s hot! It shows a form of unity for girls to reach out, let their voices be heard and [try to] make a difference. The album should be great. I’m looking forward to working with them on [it]. It’s up to us to stand strong and go hard.

You were speaking at a conference [St. Thomas University’s Second Annual Business Leadership Summit] for young girls recently. How did that come about?

It was a power summit to educate the girls about life, money, the industry and their future. It was really cool. I have a foundation called the Diamond Dolls Foundation. It’s a blessing to be able to give back and share my personal experiences with the girls.

You’ve done a lot — modeled, dropped hot albums — have you proven that you’re not just a pretty face?

That’s so important. A lot of people get it twisted when you’re a chick in the game. Your looks are cool and I’m blessed, but I just want people to respect the work. I work extremely hard, just as hard as the guys, if not more. I’m one of the hardest working females in the business.

But you can be vicious at times too. You put Khia on blast.

[Laughs] That whole situation is really so out of my element. But it is what it is. I felt like she was being disrespectful, so I addressed the situation and that’s the end of it. I just felt like it’s not fair to open a magazine and some chick is talking slick out the face. I don’t know her personally and I never did anything to make her say something about me. If you don’t like me or my music, then don’t look at me or don’t listen. That’s a choice. That’s one good thing about America. So when you come sideways out the face, it’s a problem.

You also went at Gillie Da Kid.

Personally, I don’t know him. I just feel like, as a female, to hear some of the things that come from people’s mouth is disrespectful. I don’t know you, so don’t disrespect me. I don’t have anything to say about you. Whatever you’re going through with anybody else — y’all are dudes, you can battle it out all day. That’s not my thing. But I’m not gonna allow you to disrespect me and feel like its cool, because its really not. And that [goes with] anybody. When you are disrespectful, don’t [think] I’m not gonna have nothing to say back. For the most part, I ignore it, ‘cause I don’t have the time. But I just went into this zone like, ‘Look, don’t come at me sideways.’ I’m not built like that. I’m fly and I’m not gonna let you say anything out the face to me. And that’s that.

There is currently video footage circulating on the Internet of you dancing explicitly on stage at a Trick Daddy concert while guys are groping and pouring liquor on you.

My thing is this — I saw some of that and all of that stuff is like a decade old. Find something new to dig up. We’re in the year 2007. That was like 1997. It’s not even worth the conversation. Please!

Did you feel violated when you saw the video?

This is how we got into music — we were on the road dancing with Trick. When I came into the game, I expressed that. Yes, before I was doing real estate and before I was a rapper, I used to dance at a topless nightclub. I said that and it’s nothing new. So everybody that’s overexcited, clam down. I said that already and it’s over with. People always do anything to pull you down. At the end of the day, it’s something I did when I was a child. We were on stage, wildin’ and dancing. But I was fully clothed, I wasn’t naked and I wasn’t having sex with anybody. I was acting crazy and it’s something that I did when I was a kid. I’m a grown woman. I don’t have to explain myself to anybody and I don’t have any skeletons in my closet. In life, there are people that indulge in anything to make a person look bad. You can’t stop that. But I hold no regrets in life. My past is what made me the person I am today.

What’s your relationship like with Lil Wayne now?

It’s great. He’s a great guy.

People are interested in your situation. They love celebrity couples.

There is so much pressure when you’re in one of those situations. Its my personal life and I like for it to stay that way. It can escalate into so much more. I don’t really like to talk about anything that I feel is sacred to me. I don’t want to discuss it. I feel like he’s a great person and that’s the end of that. He’s a great person.

It must be something real for you to be so protective of it.

It’s definitely a real situation. He’s an amazing person, a very special person, so therefore it’s always gonna be that way. I’m always going to be protective of my personal life, despite what anybody feels or says. Some things you just wanna keep that way.

Are you still signed to Atlantic Records?

Actually, my deal was up with Atlantic Records after [my last] project. It was a decision to either record a new project or not to. I’ve been with Atlantic my whole career. With the last project, I just felt like, at this time, I want to do something different. I had the option to move forward but I want to take the chance and see what happens. I feel like its going to be a great opportunity and a great outcome.

What label are you signed to now?

With Slip-N-Slide. I’m not able to speak on the new proceedings. It’s the labels, they bug out and don’t want it to be over hyped. So I’d rather not talk about it until its finally complete and then we’ll make a public announcement.

Are you disappointed with the sales from your last album, Glamorest Life?

I feel like a lot of things weren’t taken care of, as far as the structure of the album, how it was set up, put out and the rotation of the records. It’s just a lot of different things. Everything wasn’t going accordingly and it showed in the record sales being below expectations. But I still handled my business. Now we move onto the next chapter.

What’s next for you?

I’ve been working on my album, which will be released in July. Not really sure about the title yet, but it’s going to be great. I have the most control I’ve ever had on any project. I got features and a few tricks up my sleeve. As far as producers, I’ve worked with Cool & Dre, The Runners, Scott Storch and a few upcoming producers out of Cleveland.

xxlmag.com

Devin The Dude: All Grown Up

2007-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

Its been three years since Devin the Dude released his last album, the critically acclaimed but commercial failure, To Tha X-Treme. But a lot has changed in hip-hop since then. Houston is now the hot bed of hip-hop, propelling pioneering hometown artists, such as Devin, into legendary status. Now, with the release of his fourth solo album in nine years – Waitin’ To Inhale – the eccentric MC offers more x-rated tales, but this time, with a sense of maturity.

Devin The Dude’s humble rap beginnings started in the late 80’s when he meet Rob Quest, an MC/producer who was apart of the Houston group, the Coughee Brothaz. The two formed a bond and then enlisted Jugg Mugg and DJ Screw to create the four-man collective, the Odd Squad. DJ Styles would later replace Screw before they released their 1994 debut album, Fadanuf fa Erybody!! It was Devin, however, who garnered most of the attention in the crew. The Geto Boys’ Scarface took notice. He asked Devin to join his group, Facemob. The five MCs released their debut album, The Other Side of the Law in 1996 after which, Devin stepped out as a solo artist, releasing his self-titled debut in 1998. The album garnered a cult following of fans that were enamored with Devin’s penchant for woman, weed and silly antics. While it was a commercial flop, one of the fans he won was over Dr. Dre, who love Devin’s work and featured him on “Fuck You,” off the classic album 2001. It was Devin’s big break. Unfortunately, Devin’s new fame didn’t lead to SoundScan success. His following two albums - Just Tryin’ ta Live (2002) and To Tha X-Treme (2004) - failed to even go gold.

But a lot has changed since his last album. Now a family man, Devin has a newfound maturation. While that’s a characterization not usually associated with Devin, the Houston legend reveals a side of him hardly seen, discussing his moral conscious and artistic responsibility (say what?) with XXLMag.com. Diehard fans don’t fret; The Dude isn’t straying from his foundation, he’s just getting his grown man on. There’s still plenty of blunts, brews and woman to go around. Even if that’s not the only thing on his mind these days.

What’s going on in the world of Devin today?

I’m chillin’. We’re [Odd Squad] in the studio right now going over some old music we did back around 1992.

Are you playing songs or just reminiscing about past experiences?

We’re playing Odd Squad stuff and collaborations we did with the 5th Ward Boyz and Too Much Trouble.

What’s the mood in the studio?

Man, we’re having a ball. I got a couple of brews and a cup of coffee brewing [weed]. I brought some old cassette tapes that I had for awhile to the studio today. We’re going through them—reminiscing and trippin’.

Speaking of the past, you’ve always had a sense of musical history. When did it transcend into becoming an artist?

We was poppin’ and breakin’ in the 80’s. My brother and me formed a group and we would perform in front of a nursing home. We did a baseball [influenced] routine. I always felt sorry for the elderly people in that home, though. It made me nervous, so it was hard to concentrate. But eventually, I got my routine together and when we finished, all the people stood up and applauded. One woman, who lost a limb, was clapping her hand and nub together, enjoying herself. So I was like, Instead of feeling sorry for her, I’m gonna party with her.
But around ‘86, it [break dancing] started to become commercial and watered down. They [the police] were even stopping us from doing it on corners and in front of stores. They really [destroyed] break dancing and it left us with just the music. So, we would have our tapes with the instrumental side, which [influenced] us to pick up a mic and start freestyling. I then started battling in the park in ‘88. My brother would DJ and my crew would get on the mic. We would battle whoever stepped up to the mic. Girls loved us!

What can we expect from your new album, Waitin’ to Inhale?

Just some good feelings and tripped out times that may seem serious, but have a funny ending or meaning behind it. I’m having fun and just trying to enjoy loving the music. I usually title my albums after one of the songs that sums everything up. But I couldn’t find that song this time. So, we were trying to think outside the box and DJ Domo, one of my producers, came up with the title. It’s just something positive. I have a couple of relationship songs on there, as always.

So the formula hasn’t changed?

Not really, but I welcome a lot of producers coming out with hot tracks. When they present it to me, if there’s a track on there that can fit with what we are doing, we’ll run with it.

Speaking of relationship songs, do you get a lot of flack for your content?

Kind of, but its usually in a cool way. One time after a show, this girl walked up to me and was like, “I love that song “Fuck Faces” you have.” So, I kind of get mixed reviews. But personally, I just look at it like; I have to [tone] it down. I got girls myself now. I’m getting older and kind of realizing what’s going down. You just mature and change gradually.It’s healthy for fans to see that growth.I just like to show people respect because that’s the only way you can get it. My mom plays a big part in that. She installed a lot of that in me, as far as being respectful. I don’t even cuss in front of her. I didn’t really care about that with the Odd Squad music. I was so nervous when she got a copy of the album because she was always proud of me. She always said she was praying for me. So when she heard it, she told me what numbers she liked on the album [laughs]. She told me she didn’t like some of the stuff but to keep on going because she was proud of me. Once I heard that, I let it rip. If I can get that support from my mom, then I just gotta do my thing.
How do you feel about Houston dominating hip-hop?I feel blessed just to be apart of that cycle. It will be in another city soon, so we’ve got to enjoy it, keep pushing and do as much as we can while it’s here. It’s all love. It’s just a blessing to be apart of it and see people have their eyes and ears on us.

Even though you are an inspiration for a lot of MCs today, you’ve always remained low-key. Why is that?

I feel comfortable with it. It’s a blessing in disguise. I feel like I’m in the middle somewhere. I don’t feel low or real high, at all. It helps me balance myself in the studio and at home.
What keeps you relevant?The people around me. But also the fact that I have to be someone special. I’m me and there’s only one. Everybody should feel that way. There’s gotta be something different that I can do. I always felt different. I’m no one if it wasn’t for you, and because of you, I am who I am. Plus, I’m a people person. I like to laugh, have fun and be around good people. Color and race doesn’t matter to me. A lot of people are so upset [nowadays], but once you get a chance to communicate and talk to people, you realize everything you have in common with people. It’s really a good thing.

xxlmag.com

Freekey Zekey: So Harlem

2007-04-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

Any long-time fan of the Diplomats is familiar with Freekey Zekey, the most extreme member of the Dipset fam. Known for his outrageous video appearances and album skits, his energetic hypeman performances and legal problems, Zeke, who’s been free from prison since November, is ready to get back into Dipset mode. He’s been busy recording his solo debut Book of Ezekiel.

XXLMag.com recently caught up with the Diplomats president to talk about his rap career, the origins and future of Dipset and the recent explosive Hot 97 radio convo between Cam’ron and 50 Cent. Less than a week after we sat with Zeke, the beef between 50 and Cam elevated when 50 released “Funeral Music,” a song and video going at Killa Cam. Later that same day Cam dropped “Curtis” his own 50 diss. You can hear both tracks in XXLMag.com Bangers. We were unable to catch up with Zeke again (apparently he “lost his phone”) but what he did say, explained some things. Check it out.

A few weeks ago 50 Cent visited the Angie Martinez Show and called Koch Records, the indie label the Diplomats are signed to, “a graveyard.” Your Dipset partner Cam’ron called in to chat with 50 and defend Koch. Things got a little hectic…

So Killa’s in the crib, King Jaffe Jo, listening to Hot 97. We out here working now ’cause he’s the head, no homo, dude, and now we just get him cake. Anytime he hear anything that sounds like it’s gonna destroy Diplomats or it got some type of conflict with Diplomats… ’cause right now, Jim is the number one person on Koch. That “Ballin’” song is the hottest song in America. [Cam] heard 50 Cent say something in that factor. The first light bulb that flashed in his head was when [50] said Koch is the graveyard. Second, he said he’ll destroy the best artist on there. Jim is the best artist on there. He just reacted. This is just old school brotherly love since we was little. We knew each other for over twenty years. That’s like if we walking in the street and somebody was like, “Yo, fuck that nigga, Jim.” Bong! I’m smashing the nigga. It’s aggressive competition but at the end of the day, niggas is making money, niggas is out the street, really.

Do you think 50’s words were out of order?

I’m saying, he don’t know what he talking about, yo. He just mentioning shit ’cause at the end of the day Prodigy is on Koch, so how you gone call that the graveyard and send them there? Basically he’s just rambling because he don’t know there’s other smart people out there and he figure he could throw a couple things out there and people on different record labels don’t know too much about different artists. But we cover everything, we on every scene, that’s why we still do what we do on a high level.

Break down Dipset right now. What’s your role?

My status on Diplomat Records is, I’m the President. Being the President of Diplomat Records basically entails everything from signing the check, signing the artist to all the way down to cleaning the office. We got people to do that but we just grew up from the grind together. Everything we did was always together: me, Jim and Killa did everything together so we took all the losses. When we was on Sony we was getting raped by Untertainment. We was 16, 17 and they gave us a six, a house, $350,000 bonus and that’s not even counting the signing.

You were just happy to be on.

But we didn’t know that Untertainment took half our publishing and Sony got the other half. Next thing you know we in the whole $1.4 million. We all grew together so the roles, it went from nothing to something.

There have been rumors of tension amongst Dipset lately.

Nah, honestly, Jim does what he… right now we all individual artists. We’re always gonna be Dipset, but right now Cam got his thing as does Jim, Juelz and myself. Everybody sees us as a crew, but once you just see somebody getting higher and higher…

What do you think about Jim’s success?

I love it! I went in [to jail] when we didn’t have shit. We was fucked up! I’m in there, I’m watching Killa do his thing, everybody just blew. I’m like “cha-ching, cha-ching.” For myself, yeah, I’m about to get it. It’s just that Jim is escalating and he’s getting to the apex of his success so people is gonna start to look and see. And he’s on a demand right now so everybody’s grabbing and screaming “Jim.” So of course a rumor gonna spit out that Cam is getting jealous or whatever. Like we just went out to his house after a video shoot for “Emotionless.” That’s a dead issue. We’re always gonna be one, tight knit. Watch when I pop. The rumors gonna be about me ‘cause I’ma be in high demand. It might happen where I might wanna shoot something in London and Cam and everybody here and they see the video with just me and my niggas. They gonna be like, “What happened?” You know how people start making up their own, but that’s good though.

Tru Life has had some not so nice things to say about Dipset lately. What are your thoughts on that?

He’s some dude trying to make a name for himself. Every time you wanna be somebody or do something with your life, you always at least go for the top. He probably figured, If I touch a nerve with them, everyone will start talking about me. Honestly, I don’t even know the dude. I don’t know who he is still. Like I seen a picture of her, I mean him, and I still don’t know the nigga. But anyway, now Jim took over Tru Life. At the end of the day, nobody really wants to get physical with us. I’m not gonna sit here and poke my chest out like we the toughest people in the world ’cause there’s always somebody tougher. But I will say that we got tough and we got ghetto with us. Honestly, if it was like that, we be in studios, we be at events, stuff be shouted all over the radio so he know where to find us. Obviously he don’t really wanna be involved like that. He don’t really want no problems with Harlem like that.

How did it get to the point where Dipset had such a huge fallout with Roc-A-Fella?

The time when [Cam’s Jay-Z] diss song [“Gotta Love It”] came out, Cam’ did his thing, that was about like three to four years later. 2002 when we signed to the Roc, don’t get me wrong, we was doing cartwheels and back flips and everybody like, “We on the Roc now? What? We outta here!” At the time, if anybody was on the Roc, they was good. So that’s what we felt but for some reason [and] to this day I still don’t know why, the nigga Jay just never fucked with us. We’d ask him to come to the studio. He won’t show up. Cam called his phone—voicemail. Cam would be like, “Hello, this is Cam’ron, the rapper. I’m calling to say, what’s up.” He never responded for no reason. So now we like, “Hold on. What you dong this for?” Then it was a situation with [DJ] Lenny S, where Jim slapped Lenny S. You know when you call your mans and them to back you up, [Memphis] Bleek got out. So we like, “Oh word? So you coming to fight?” That’s what really parted the sea from there on. But, you know, [Jay’s] the type of guy that wants to be on the single and act like, “I’m the one.” I guess he got some bullheaded shit with him. But he’s not even a factor because niggas is making money. Who cares? Niggas ain’t really interested in Jay. Plus, L.A. Reid handles all our Def Jam stuff, so, he’s a lint on the shoulder.

A lot of people are surprised that you are rapping. They’re more familiar with you as the hype man and for your skits on Cam albums and Dipset mixtapes. What are you offering with your solo debut, Book of Ezekiel?

I always believed in the man, the Lord and shit. When I was in jail, once in awhile when I was stressed and needed to calm down, I learned patience. When I wanted to pop off on a nigga and slap the shit out of somebody, I went to that. I’m flippin’ through the Bible and I went to that, the book of Ezekiel and the Lord told Zeke, “Go over there. Tell them niggas to stop playing or I’ma roast ‘em!” So I’m like, Damn, let me speak to my peoples. Let me put them on onto shit that popped off in my life, that pops off period before they get roasted. The way these little niggas move out here, trust me, you gon’ get roasted! My album gonna be instructions on how to move in the hood. I’m the hood Malcolm X, damn near. Right now I got about twenty songs done. I can’t say who but I am working with some big down South rappers. I want niggas to really feel me and hear me. I ain’t work with no major producers, but these niggas that I got, that’s giving me crack, is gonna be major when I’m finished.

xxlmag.com

Yung Joc: I Made It

2007-02-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

Yung Joc lets the haters know he’s made it.

After tearing up the charts in 2006 with ubersmash hits “It’s Goin’ Down” and “I Know You See It” from his solo debut Yung Joc City, 23-year-old Yung Joc is ready to roll again in 2007, with his second effort, Hustlenomics, like his first, coming out through Block Entertainment/Bad Boy Records. So how do you top a year filled with nationwide tours, bopping with Diddy himself onstage and a certified platinum plaque? The ATL native with his very own famous dance breaks it all down for xxlmag.com and encourages the multitude of haters to keep the heat coming. Balance and success are on Joc’s mind as he prepares for a picture-perfect year.

How does it feel to go from being unknown to the hip-hop world to having one of the biggest hip-hop songs of 2006, “It’s Goin’ Down”?

It feels good, just knowing that you’re blessed every day. That was one of my unbelievable blessings. Like some people couldn’t fathom the fact that it had got so big so quick. Some people still don’t consider me as an established artist yet. “Yeah, he did it on the first one. Can he do it on the second one?” I did it on the first one. They say, “Okay, it’s a hit, but he ain’t no street nigga. Can he make some street shit jam?” Yup, I dropped “A Couple Grand.” When I dropped that record, then it’s like, “Oh shit, but can he do it again on a national level, on a mainstream level, and make a big hit?” We did “I Know You See It.” Bam! Did that shut the people up? It shut ’em up a little bit.

Do you feel like you take a lot of criticism?

Yeah I do. And I take good, too. I enjoy it all, man. But with anything, just like Katt Williams said, “Don’t get mad at the haters. It’s a job, and somebody gotta do it.” I seen a lot of niggas don’t like the police, but if somebody break into your house, who you gonna call?

How can people be mad at having fun?

I don’t know, dog. If I knew, I’d probably tell ya. I can’t answer that one for you. In this world of critics, the critics are other rappers, other upcoming people trying to do their thing. Or people who got somebody who need that position you got. If I just invested $200,000 in an artist and we feel like he supposed to be the best, hell, I want your spot. That’s just it, right? Now, I’m not gon’ hate. But on a lighter note, I’m happy. It all boils down to balance. I take ’em both in stride. The good only let’s me know that dreams can come true, and bad things people say let’s me know that all I gotta do is work a little bit harder to shut they mouth.

Everybody wants to know: Were you surprised to see Tom Cruise on TV doing the Motorcycle Dance?

No. Because in the South, we done had dances. Remember the Bankhead Bounce? Michael Jackson was doing the Bankhead Bounce. Snap music, I done seen a couple people do that. I had a dance wit’ a big record, and it fits. Check the record. I didn’t know who it was gonna be. He was that marquee entertainer, a star that did it for me.

Anybody can have a hot song, but you’re certified platinum in 2006, which was rare last year. That has to be a huge boost to your confidence—being a rookie in the game, at a time where sales are real low, for you to come out and outsell veterans.

Huge boost to the confidence? No. It was definitely one of those things that helped me solidify a mental state, knowing that there is no protocol to the shit. The way it happened, it etched this notion in my mind that if you work hard and work smart, anything can happen.

You seem like you’re in a really good place right now.

I can sleep a little better at night. That goes without saying. You ever go to sleep worried? It’s harder to go to sleep, ain’t it? You almost don’t wanna go to sleep until you get it figured out. I’m in a place in my life where God has truly blessed me. It’s a blessing every day to wake up.

What’s it like working with Diddy?

It’s cool. When I first met that man, I told him I was a God-fearing man. I let him know that no matter what people say about you, no matter what you’ve done, this is a new situation. I told him straight up, “I’m a man of God. This is gonna work with or without you.” He couldn’t do nothing but respect that. That’s why you don’t see him in the videos. That’s why you don’t see me and him doing all the public shit together. You don’t see me on Puff’s album or in none of his videos.

Did you make it a point to separate yourself from Diddy and have it as straight business?

Nah. Me and him have a very respectful relationship. He didn’t have to be in any of my videos. He said to me, “You got such a good head on. I believe you’re going to be good. We’re going to make sure that we can establish you as an artist so you can stand up and hold your face card.” Bad Boy is gonna step on it, but Block Entertainment stepped on it as well. That’s why you see Block in all the videos.

Block is the CEO of Block Entertainment, which is the label you are signed to. How does the Block Entertainment and Bad Boy deal work?

I’m signed to Block Entertainment. Block did a joint venture with Bad Boy South.

How did it go down?

Well, I’ve been doing it for a minute. Block heard about me, and I wanted to fuck with him, and it happened.

How did Block hear about you?

I did any and everything from recording demos and trying to get them played on the radio, to digging ditches, going to clubs and all that, doing whatever I could. Hopping from studio to studio, trying to get on with people.

You just finished doing some tours, such as Bow Wow’s. How did you like that experience?

It’s a good feeling, man. When you can go from city to city and thousands and thousands of people are willing to come out to see you and be a part of the experience that you and your cohorts bring to the table, whoever they may be, it’s definitely a good experience. Especially touring, because it’s a different kind of money. There are other ways to promote, a lot of spin-offs from touring. Merchandising being one. It’s a good look, because you may not be the biggest artist on the roster all the time, but guess what, you’re attached to something that a big artist is doing, which gives you a second wind.

Tour money ain’t too bad either.

Nah, it ain’t either, homie. Don’t worry about them having your paper, you gon’ get yours. It ain’t like a club date. They spending gwap!

Rarely in hip-hop do you see someone coming out clean-cut, positive and having fun. Do you think that’s helped with your success?

Definitely. I had a different sound and a different look. I wasn’t the average dope boy or thug, so it kind of helped. “He’s not wearing what everybody’s wearing. He’s hot.” It draws people in, and that’s what helps create a movement. A lot of people consider me the Southern Ma$e. But before he was Ma$e…

He was Murder Ma$e.

Exactly. So there was another element. Just because you don’t see it now doesn’t mean it don’t exist. The different elements are there, but what I reflect… I don’t wanna portray all those images, so I don’t define myself in one. I used to sell dope. I did all that shit. Don’t just think I’m a good boy. I know better now. I’m a grown man now. I got kids. This shit is for real to me. I’m really living my dream right now. All that dumb shit is in the past.

What’s good with the next project?

The next album is already in place. We’re wrapping up the album right now, getting ready to shoot the first video.

What’s the first video called?

I ain’t even gonna tell you. I can’t. The album comes out June 5.

You got a name for it?

Hustlenomics. Hustle by any means. I’m taking ’em where I’m ’bout to go, where I been and where I’m going through now. The hustle is showing people how to hustle. How do you hustle? I’m just trying to show cats how I do it. It ain’t just about selling dope or scamming anybody—by no means.

What’s going to be better about this album, instead of folks just getting part two of the first one?

The first album I wanted to go in some other directions, and [the label] didn’t want me to. The label loved it but didn’t feel it was time. And it’s crazy, because a lot of the places that I wanted to go, those ended being things that worked! It’s gonna be a fun, beautiful year.

xxlmag.com

Royce Da 5′9": Not Going Back

2007-02-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

D-Town’s independent vet catches up with xxlmag.com after doing a bid.

Royce Da 5’9” has been grinding to establish himself as one of rap’s most respected MCs since 1999, when he was featured on Eminem’s standout track “Bad Meets Evil” from The Slim Shady LP. Three years later, Royce dropped his solo debut, Rock City, and in the next six years has put out three more projects—2002’s Rock City (Version 2.0), 2004’s Death Is Certain and 2005’s Independent’s Day—and several big mixtapes. Known mostly for his monster freestyling and being a master at battle rap, Royce has struggled to earn mainstream respect, suffering mostly from the aftermath of a fallout between him, Eminem and D-12.

Things recently got dicey for the D-Town MC, in September of 2006, when the rapper was sentenced to serve one year at Oakland County Jail in Michigan for a parole violation following a DUI. After serving a three-month bid, Royce is free from the pen and ready to roll, with a new mixtape called The Bar Exam on the way from DJ Statik Selektah. He’s also working on his next album, which has yet to be titled but will come out this year on his label, M.I.C. Records.

xxlmag.com recently talked with Royce about his memorable friendship with slain rapper Proof, legal drama and being proactive in hip-hop today.

You were locked up for 90 days, and you just got home over the holidays. Your girl was pregnant while you were gone. You must’ve had a big strain on you lately.
Yeah, it was a big strain. That was the hardest part of it to deal with. I’ve never considered myself a criminal kind of dude or jail type of hard criminal or something like that. It’s just something I felt God put on me for a reason. The hardest part of being away for that amount of time was being away from my family and being creative.

So you got closer to the Lord when you were inside?
I ain’t go in there and get all religious. I always believed in a higher being, always been of Christian faith. God is either protecting me from something or he wants for me to take some time off and think. Maybe I might’ve been going too fast.

Were you plotting your career when you were locked down, in terms of songs stacked up? Where was your mind at?
I’m plottin’ all the time. I’m plottin’ right now. When I was in there, I wasn’t doing a lot of writing when I first started off. In there, I had to actually get used to doing the time, so it wasn’t a lot of phone calls home. I didn’t really respond to no letters or nothing like that. I just really had to get used to myself being in that environment. Once I was able to actually get well-adjusted and get used to the food and just get used to waking up every day and actually crack jokes and shit, I started writing. I started figuring out how to get my alone time, ’cause there was a lot of niggas around me all the time. So I had to get my alone time, ’cause that’s when I write best, when I’m alone. Solitude. When I found out how to do that, I was good.

Do you think you’ve gotten stronger with it since you’ve been out?
Yeah, ’cause I came up with a lot of ideas and concepts, and I just kept to myself, and when I got out, I just started laying them down. That’s the best thing to do. I told myself, from now on, before I do an album, I’ma actually take some time off without nothing. Maybe just the pen and the pad and just vacation, not even nothing extravagant. I can jot down thoughts, and when I come to the table, I’ll have so much ammo that I can just go ahead and knock that shit out.

It seems like your recent bid was a gift and a curse.
It is, and it’s not even really a curse. Things happen, and it didn’t set me back too far. Before I went in there, you had people that was saying I’m finished. And those same people will be jumping back on my dick as soon as I come out with something. That’s how muthafuckas is, and if you can get through that, then you can get through anything. I did a lot of things too early in my career. I think I was too ahead of the curve, like five records with the Neptunes when I was signed to Tommy Boy. People didn’t get it back then. You fast-forward two years and these muthafuckas is having Pharrell do all they shit.

What was the first thing you did when you got out?
Came to the crib. I got on work release, so I actually use my house as an office, so I can write and do interviews like I’m doing right now. First thing I did was come to the house, kissed my girl, ’cause she was very pregnant. I got ahead right on the phone and started doing interviews. I’m making up for lost time.

It’s real tough out in Detroit, where you’re from, since it’s an urban industrial city. How do you view it?
The same as always. I don’t like to talk bad about Detroit, because this is home to me. Everybody got their horror stories about their own cities, and it’s always gonna be worse for you when you go somewhere you’re not accustomed to and you see it firsthand. We suffered several losses. We lost my man Proof, my man Blade. My man Obie got shot in the head, probably for nothing. Because these are significant, somewhat famous people, it’s making people look at Detroit like, “Wow, when did this start?” It didn’t just start. It’s been here. You can’t improve on violence. The only way to improve on violence is to stop doing it.

Most fans don’t even realize how close you and Proof were. His murder must have had an immense effect on you.
Yeah, that was my nigga. The problems started with the game. Just like with Eminem. It was a bond in the beginning, and things that were political got in between and intervened. That comes with the territory of being in this business. But me and Proof were real good friends. Me going to his Grandmamma house every time I finished a song and us playing it. And I remember him pressing record on another Maxwell tape, wanting a copy as soon as I put mines in, before he even heard it. We was real cool. It was a relationship even before I met Em. It was solid with Proof. That was like ’95.

Has his death brought you and Em closer at all?
Nah, not at all. I think Em has a lot he has to deal with over there. You know, I got my separate problems.

But y’all ain’t on bad terms?
We aight. We just don’t talk. There’s nothing really to talk about at this point. I think we both made our minds up on what it is, and that’s it. Two people can agree to disagree and leave it at that. It don’t have to be a problem.

Let’s switch gears a bit. You’ve been in the game and had major-label experience and are now signed to your own independent label, M.I.C. Records. How did that work out?
We had different experiences on the different labels. Columbia, Tommy Boy and Koch. I got to know all of these systems and figured, “Why don’t I try to factor some of this shit into my own thing.” I was going through a lot at the time, because I had the powers that be against me. I was like, “You know what? I’ma just go ahead and do it myself,” and factored everything I wanted into my own project and see how it works.

Do you feel like you’re underrated as an artist?
MCs feel me, so I’m not underrated at all. I don’t think I’m as well-known as I should be for the type of material I’ve done. I think I got classic songs. You gotta be that type of hip-hop listener to know about me. I just think I’ve failed to go as mainstream as of yet. That’s where we always went wrong in the past. Being more on the business side of it now, we’re ready to capitalize on that.

You’ve been consistent, doing the independent route with respect. Is the mainstream aspect all that important?
It’s not me compromising in any way. It’s something that hip-hop needs. Don’t just talk about it, be about it. Be proactive. Hip-hop is in a state right now where it needs something else. And I think these kids now are being cheated, because they’re growing up in a new generation, where it’s just one thing year after year after year. It’s not evolving fast enough. It’s staying one way. They need to get firsthand these type of classic albums that are like movies. Every song is like a scene out of a movie. You know, these epic albums. They need that.

So now you’re out and focused. What can we expect from Royce in 2007?
I’m gon’ take a portion of the game over. It’s gonna be the type of album to make all the artists worry when they hear it. Like how the fans are gonna perceive it, ’cause of the state hip-hop is in now, I can’t say. Nobody can do what I can do. Just picture the mind frame Nas goes into making an album, the mind frame Jay goes into making an album, the mind frame Em goes into making an album, and put it all together, all elements off of all those albums. The diversity of what they’re best at doing.

What about a mixtape. Anything along those lines for the streets?
Yeah, I’m working on a mixtape right now. I kind of finished it with DJ Statik Selektah. It’s coming out in a couple of weeks, called The Bar Exam, end of January, and I’m working on some shit with my man G-Spot out of Ohio. The Internet presence is crazy!

Sounds like you’re going hard to disprove the notion that hip-hop is dead.

I don’t believe that hip-hop is dead. I think that it’s lacking the creativity. I think there’s a lot of talented people out who don’t challenge themselves to be as creative. But it’s a whole bunch of people that’s so talented you can’t ever call it dead.

xxlmag.com

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: The Inspiration

2007-01-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

With a new deal on Interscrope, these Mid-West veterans are poised to make a big comeback in 2007. XXLMAG.COM spoke with Krayzie Bone hooking up with Swizz Beatz, falling out with Bizzy and working with Biggie and ’Pac.

An event like the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors is in place to pay homage to the pillars of rap music and culture. The honorees are recognized for blazing a trail and exemplifying remarkable strengths in leadership, MC innovation and the ability to attain chart-topping success. But when Bone Thugs-N-Harmony appeared at this year’s Honors, it was to pay tribute to their late mentor Eazy-E. The innovative group has been all things to all men and women from the streets of Cleveland, Ohio to the Hollywood Hills, yet their story is far from over.

After their 1995 classic, E 1999 Eternal, made them a household name and a crossover pop success, much of their subsequent output was marred by internal dissention and sub-par production. Still, with a slew of independent albums like this year’s Koch Records release, Bone retained one of the most tenacious fan bases in hip-hop. Now, with Bizzy Bone out of the picture, the three remaining members (Krayzie, Layzie and Wish) have hooked up with Swizz Beatz for a new album on Interscope that promises to recapture the magic of their hey day. XXLMAG.COM spoke with Krayzie Bone for an inside look at Bone Thug’s new alliance with Swizz Beatz, the family strife with Bizzy and their history with The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac.

How did you first hook up with Swizz?

We were actually about to shop the Bone Thugs N Harmony album [to KOCH]. It took a while for all of us to come together and everybody coming on the same level. This was even when Bizzy was in the picture. It took us all a while to come together. Before we even started shopping it, Swizz had heard that we weren’t signed to anybody. He was like, “Man, get the fuck outta here. You’re bullshittin’! I’m a Bone’ fan, what do I have to do to work with them? What’s happening?” He expressed his interest and then when we heard it, we was like, “Hell yeah, Swizz Beatz is hotter than a motherfucker! He a monster for real like, hell yeah let’s do this.” We get on the phone with Swizz, he told us what’s happening and he was like, “I just wanna get all you in the studio and record a couple songs and see what we come up with.” So he flew us out to New York and in one week’s time we knocked out twenty songs.

Take me through the process of working with Swizz.

Basically, all we needed was the beats. He would come kick it with us for a while, play us everything he had and we would basically be like, “That right there, that right there, let’s do it.” Two or three songs a night, just banging them out. The chemistry is like, bam! And I never thought it would be like that, but Swizz is more totalitarian. He got right on it, did what he had to do and put us right where we needed to be.

Why didn’t Bizzy end up being a part of the deal?

When the paperwork came, that’s when Bizzy flipped out. He just started going crazy, doing crazy-ass interviews on the radio stations. He called us one day and told us he didn’t want to be in Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. We was like, “Man, what the fuck? These people do all this motherfuckin’ paperwork and then you gonna play us once again?” That’s why we cut ties with him right there.

So you started fresh with Interscope?

Yeah. We was like, Man, if we bring him into our situation right now, he’s gonna fuck everything up for us and ain’t nobody gonna wanna fuck with us.

So that’s it? He’s basically finished…

I mean, for right now. He ain’t never done being our nigga, our brother. He will always be our family, but you know how you got family members you gotta leave alone for a while?

I know you’re all real spiritual. Where did that come from?

All of our families. All Black people’s families, there’s somebody in their family that’s religious. Whether it be a grandma or an aunt. Myself, I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. That’s definitely where mine comes from. Layzie Bone’s grandma was a Jehovah’s Witness. Religion has been around me my whole life, so it’s just there. It’s in us. We’re not the kind of people that believe that human beings evolved. We believe in God.

What was it like performing a tribute to Eazy-E at VH1’s Hip Hop Honors?

It was cool. I feel like it was only right to have us representing. I know Eazy-E did a lot before he met Bone, and we was actually the last thing he did, but I felt like when people think of Eazy-E, they automatically think of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. That’s why I felt like we shoulda been there. It was an honor to be there.

You’re one of the only artists who worked with both Big and Pac when they were alive. What did they mean to you all as artists?

Aw, man. It meant a lot because we got into the game around the same time Biggie did and around the same time ’Pac was getting respect. So it means a lot because those was niggas of our era. Those was niggas of our era who came in the game and was successful like us. It’s definitely a blessing to even know them and to be one of the few artists that can do a song with ‘Pac today or Biggie and say I actually knew the niggas. Y’all niggas are doing songs with those niggas, y’all niggas never knew them. We knew these niggas, we met them. We kicked it with these niggas. So it’s a whole different experience. It’s good that we have that under our belt.

What was it like being in the studio with Big?

I mean, when we did the song with Biggie, shit happened in a day. I think our manager got a call from Puff. He was like, “What do I gotta do to get Bone on this Biggie record? Biggie wanna do a song with Bone.” We was like, “Shit, we’re in LA right now, what’s up? We can go into the studio today.” He set up the time and was like, “Let’s go.” So we went to the studio, Biggie had it all set up; the Hennessey, the herb, the food. We was just vibing out. We went in there and passed out after we smoked the weed. Basically, it was crazy. But we still knocked the song out.

Y’all got Biggie to switch his style up.

Man, I ain’t even gonna lie, when I heard it I was like, that’s what’s up. It showed people how versatile he was.

How’d you get up with 2Pac?

The first time we saw ’Pac was when he told us that our song had got him through his little jail time. We was checking into a hotel and he was getting ready to leave and go to the studio. So we were standing in the same hotel, I think it was Le Park Hotel out in California. We was going to check in and we bumped into him and we was like, “Oh shit, ’Pac, what’s happening?” We started hollering at him for a minute. He told us that and then we asked him, “Man, you wouldn’t happen to have any weed on you, would you?” And then he was like, “Aw, hell yeah, I got y’all.” Went to the car, got it out of the car and gave us a little herb and shit. He was like, “You know we gotta hook up and do something.” We was like, “Niggas all ready. You know that’s what everybody wanna hear.”

What do you think Bone means to hip-hop?

To me, we bring versatility and leadership. We’re innovators and originators in the game. Showing people that going against the odds and winning in this music business is definitely possible. People [will] tell you, your shit’s not hot. Believe me, a lot of people told us that shit. “That rapping and singing shit y’all doing, that shit ain’t kickin’ it.” A lot of people told us that shit, but we stuck with it because we knew what we had was different and all we had to do was get it to the right person.

xxlmag.com

Black Ice: Ice cold

2006-10-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

"Touch what I never touched before, seen what I've never seen..." Black Ice bears witness as his career blossoms on stage with Mary J. Blige. The Def Poet has had his hand on the pulse of society before HBO specials and Broadway plays. Prior to nationwide tours and debut albums, Black Ice was on point at the local cafe and corner fade spot. You see, this isn't that leather sandal, beret rocking, finger snapping poetry cat reveling in Bohemia. Nah, Philly don't raise no chumps. This lone soldier has snatched the veil off of the unconscious to reveal the "Ugly Show." Pay close attention as Black Ice righteously uses the world as his stage and America as his open mic through The Death of Willie Lynch. Don't bother calling maintanence, truth is in the building.

AllHipHop.com: What’s it been like going on a nationwide tour with Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B?

Black Ice: Crazy. It's been fun. The crew out on tour is really cool and down to earth. It's a great experience and I couldn't imagine anything better.

AllHipHop.com: How have you been received by her audience?

Black Ice: The word is what it is. People were pretty receptive and once it started coming out everyone was taking it in, digesting and appreciating it. The feedback's been good. What I have to say is relevant.

AllHipHop.com: What's the hardest part about touring?

Black Ice: Being away from kids and family. Everything else I'm built for; the hustle and bustle, being in and out of hotels, I'm in love with that relationship of it. I just miss my kids and the regularity of everyday life. That's the hardest part. But when you get off the road, it's a beautiful thing. Like any job, at certain points you get tired. But I really can't complain. It's been a blast. It keeps you on swivel; you're switching up [surroundings] daily, so it's a physical reminder to stay present.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve come a very long way. At one point you were a barber in Philly...

Black Ice: In Germantown, yeah.

AllHipHop.com: What does the city of Philadelphia mean to you?

Black Ice: Everything. For the learning it put me through and the growth it gave me… The more I'm away, the more I appreciate it. I realize that when I go and meet other cats out of state, like my man Malik Yusef from Chicago, who reps his city so eloquently. Philly is a very dynamic city; socially and politically. It really shaped and molded a lot of my philosophical views. Talent-wise, it's a zero tolerance city. You can't get up on stage and be half-assed. So it's molded me into being an above average artist. It's trying because I feel my city as a whole embraces me. The artist-world of my city is a little stand-offish. I would love to do more work with my artistic community. I'm actually in love with every artist in my city. It's a beautiful thing.

AllHipHop.com: What does Black Ice represent?

Black Ice: That surprise factor. Never let them see you coming. Because you look a certain way doesn't mean you have to think a certain way. Let's look frozen and bust 'em in they heads when they pull up! That was the description of Black Ice when I first started. You never have to be what they say you are because of the way you look. In some ways we can be better. You've just got to deny the ignorant s**t that they try to attach with it.

AllHipHop.com: From HBO to Broadway and a nationwide album release, did you ever imagine any of this?

Black Ice: I remember when I was doing poetry at the local cafes I always had the dream of being the first spoken word artist with a label deal. I felt the art form could be taken to another level where it would be marketable and still hold onto its integrity while being accepted by a mainstream audience. I put a lot of work into maintaining my passion for the art itself. It was a dream executed. When I got the Hip-Hop quotable for The Source a few years back, that was a dream. It was a dream to perform with Public Enemy. Working with DJ Jazzy Jeff now is a dream because I remember seeing him introduce the transformer [scratch] to the world back when I was 13 years old. I'm still a big fan. This is where I'm supposed to be. I've put in the work that God needs for me to put in and this is just the fruition.

AllHipHop.com: Well, congratulations! How do you feel about your debut album being out?

Black Ice: The Death of Willie Lynch. It's a lot. I feel gratified, satisfied, vindicated, hungry... It's like that perfect balance of peace and anxiety. I'm relieved. This is the end of the incubation period and the birthing of something new. I went to Best Buy and was looking at it and that was crazy. The most meaningful congratulation I received was from my children. They called me up and congratulated me on it.

AllHipHop.com: How did The Death of Willie Lynch come about?

Black Ice: I always had that in the back of my head as the title of my album. For awhile, I had been reading that the Willie Lynch theory was a fact. A couple of college professors put me on to research to find out how questionable the thesis was. The majority of English language used, quoted as verbatim in the text, was inaccurate for that period in time. So it symbolizes the death of that myth. So it's like "Hey, we're not what this bulls**t says we are. We're not genetically inferior; we're not psycho-sociopaths." That was just a myth, now let's see our shine. We don't have to be ignorant, street n***as or deadbeat dads. We don't have to concede to that lower self. We can be way bigger than that. So the album represents the death of all those beliefs.

AllHipHop.com: Looking at the songs on the album, explain the "Ugly Show”…

Black Ice: It's premised around the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. It's really a song about the fleecing of America's core by America. This government has f**ked over its own poor and this is a divine order. It's almost like you have the drug dealer around the way that can't be killed. He's too smart for the n***as and too fast for the police but God is always gonna put that Karma on you so he might go out getting hooked on his own s**t or dying in a car crash. That's the same thing with America; we're the thug of the world, no one can stop us, so God steps in and smacks us in the face for all to see. The “Ugly Show" is basically telling us not to forget.

AllHipHop.com: You're providing the insight and inspiration. It's a powerful track.

Black Ice: There is a Hollywood mindset in place because they commercialize the biggest tragedy and now it's forgotten about. A year later, Spike Lee comes out with a documentary, When the Levees Broke, in order for us to keep it in our heads. The song is the same reminder that all is not forgotten and we still are very concerned about the state of being for people in this country. There is a miracle in every truth. And last year was a very ugly truth. But the miracle is that the world sees that we're not divine, we got our own bullsh*t. The government keeps in place a certain percentage of people in America that are not meant to succeed, dream or prosper. You need that underclass in order to keep this capitalist society from water. We are that underclass, we want better and we've had enough.

DJ Whoo Kid: Follow the Leader

2006-10-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

It reads like a rags-to-riches adventure loaded with hilarious rap beef, custom Lamborghinis, and international “pizzle.” G-Unit is all about the global and financial elevation of Hip-Hop culture. And DJ Whoo kid knows the key to success.

The Queens-bred entrepreneur with Haitian roots has traveled the world with one of the most successful rap crews in history, in the streets and in the private jets. Oh yes! Mr. Sadapop is an original stalwart of the Guerrilla dynasty. With a nonchalant demeanor and personality parallel to Dave Chappelle, Whoo Kid dishes on Hollywood, the early days of G-Unit and his relationship with The Game. Follow the leader, as he takes you back and shows you how to move from a disc-jockey to the gettin’ celebrities on your jock.

AllHipHop.com: Where was Whoo Kid before G-Unit?

Whoo Kid: I was in the streets doing my thing. I always had hot CDs out because I was getting music very early. A lot of rappers hated me. So I had to get out of that. We were DJs on the come up. I found ways of getting to the labels, A&Rs, and magazines. Any writer can get an album in advance, so we would go pay them to get the albums early. We were great at maneuvering. I'd pay one industry cat like $1,000 a month and he would rob the whole industry. Dude is in the studio with rappers, recording everything. That's why I'd have a lot of songs that never came out.

AllHipHop.com: Everyone knows you as a successful mixtape DJ. How'd you link up with 50 Cent?

Whoo Kid: During the early stages, I never knew that my cousin, Sha Money XL [president of G-Unit], was managing 50 at the time until I met them in the studio. I was playing 50 before I met him and he had heard of me. That was when he was Boo Boo. When I met him it was cool. Even after he got shot, I still promoted him. That time was the lowest of the low. He got cock-blocked and a lot of s**t was going on. The thing that's crazy is after he got shot, he came back with another diss record. I never saw anything like that before, so I just made the decision to create my own circle like, "If the whole industry hates one person, then this person must be a problem."

We all stick together. That's why if you see us; there are usually just six of us always together, nobody else. If it's anybody else, it's probably a childhood friend. Me, Fif', Banks, Yayo; we were all together in that one basement doing the first G-Unit CD [Beg For Mercy]. We did like 400 baby clubs, shoot outs, beat downs, arrests, 100 n***as on one tour bus, 50 people on the floor, we did it all. I learned from Fif' how to hustle. Working hard don't mean nothing. All I need is five hours of sleep. He told me, "Keep working hard everyday, keep promoting yourself, keep hustling and you can't go wrong." Right now I got over six, seven situations making me money. I always think about plan A, B, C and D. You can't be on top forever. I just wanna keep flowing.

AllHipHop.com: Supposedly, DJ Jazzy Jeff is a huge inspiration for you…

Whoo Kid: Hell yeah! As far as skills and the way he'd perform in front of a crowd… I actually had the opportunity to DJ with him in front of 25,000 people — MTV Spain; me, Shaggy, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Black Eyed Peas. I rocked it from the center like it was a club. Jazzy Jeff gave me mad love, that's one of my highlights. I used to be cool with Jam Master Jay. Our last show before he was murdered was in Ohio with Run-DMC. I DJ’d on stage with him. Those are the dudes that I looked up to.

As far as mixtapes, Clue of course was the influence for me. He always had the ill cars from just talking s**t on a mic. I told myself that I could do the same s**t. But I didn't want to be the same, so back in the day, I had Hype Williams host my CDs, I would go for important political cats in the industry. Busta hosted my first CD. I'm so fortunate for these relationships that I don't need a drop machine. We’re in the studio, I go to their crib, hang with their kids — I get unlimited records.

AllHipHop.com: Your success is an inspiration.

Whoo Kid: To me, it's more than Hip-Hop. I get training from Russell Simmons, I know Donald Trump. I ask questions. When you meet someone, you’re either a fan or a customer. I want to learn, so I try to get as much information as possible. With 50 Cent, we’re touring all over the world. I didn't just chase hoes and take it back to the hotel; I would meet DJs in every country. Now I have a worldwide coalition of the best international DJs: Shadyville DJs. This has been going on for the last four or five years. I have a network to where I send out any exclusive material or original records that I get, as a favor, everyone gets paid and now they're up-to-date quicker. You can rock a club with a freestyle in Germany, it's a wrap! I've done more than the average rapper. I've hung out with Michael Jackson, DJ’d for mad Arabian Kings, the Prince of Monaco, I'm in Hong Kong chilling with Jackie Chan's son copping Red Monkey jeans. This is my everyday life. It's crazy.

AllHipHop.com: You're supposed to be the star... The DJ is like the drummer in a Rock band.

Whoo Kid: Not really, a lot of DJs are not famous when it comes to the artist. I'm an all around famous dude; I'm on TV, people know my CDs, I'm a comedian, and in magazines. It took me awhile to get here. Every time 50 had press, I would piggy back off of the Interscope press. "You gotta interview Whoo Kid, that's my DJ." It's cool, ‘cause when I do the concerts, I structure it like the mixtapes, so watching a G-Unit show is like listening to the CD. The day that I was most happy was when we had Ma$e, Mobb Deep, MOP, Banks, Buck, Olivia... It was back to back hits with the gunshots, skits and intermissions, and I'm all the way on top controlling everything, looking at 30,000 people and I can press one button and the whole s**t can stop.

AllHipHop.com: Was your show on HOT97 something you aspired to do?

Whoo Kid: It just happened. We're acting normal. I don't like hearing regular radio where people have radio voices. I'm on some real s**t. If I don't like the record, the station is not going to make me say it's hot. I hate [DJ Webstar and Young B’s] “Chicken Noodle Soup,” but my kids like it. That's how I would say it, I'm a f***ing adult.

AllHipHop.com: Let's break down some of your most recent projects. What's behind the Young Buck mixtape “Chronic 2006”?

Whoo Kid: It's like an album, B. Buck has original cuts and the freestyles are crazy. I promise you will not be disappointed. Young Buck O.D’d on this one. He MP3'd me like 20-30 joints and I just put it together. I know he smokes incredible weed, so I called it “The Chronic 2006.” I know he had a good time at the VIBE Awards with Dr. Dre, so we connected that with the skits. He's improved a lot lyrically and he's starting to do beats as well. Buck did a lot of joints off this album. He freestyles about the reality of where he comes from and what n***as are going through. Violence, drugs, and how society is dealing with it. It's not like he's teaching n***as... He's just telling the reality. It's a story from beginning to end.

The CD with Samuel L. Jackson, “Mixtapes on a Plane” is a parody of the Snakes on a Plane movie. He did skits for me. Sam was really involved in the creative process. He's also a fan of mixtapes and gets them from his manager, who's a fan, and would blast it from his hotel room. One day he happened to walk by and heard his manager blasting one of the Snoop Dogg CDs and just went crazy. A lot of the older actors, their kids all have my CDs. So they don't only come on my show to holler at Fif', it makes them look cool to their kids. Dan Aykroyd came on my show with his whole family.

AllHipHop.com: On a side note, I'm aware that you're involved in every aspect of your projects. Are you responsible for morphing Game's head onto a male stripper's body for the “Hate it or Love it” mixtape?

Whoo Kid: Nah, that was already online. Game's a funny guy. They tried to play us on that Village People s**t. They had all of us dressed up. I think I had leather on with a shag. Everybody knows I blew Game up, I'm the reason he got signed to G-Unit. I brought him into the mixtape circuit on the East Coast. They didn't know who he was on the West Coast. He was more known here.

AllHipHop.com: How did you find him?

Whoo Kid: Dr. Dre's assistant had me come to the studio to hear three artists. I didn't like any of them. I happened to go into the next room where Game was and nobody's working with him. He's already signed and his album's on the wall collecting dust. He hollered at me, said he was a fan. I heard him spit and was like "Yo, let me work with you." In those days, N.W.A. was the s**t that everyone wanted to come back. Snoop was doing the pimp thing. There really wasn't a hardcore rapper that could be respected. It was easy for me because he had the Dr. Dre background, he sounded hardcore like he was an East Coast cat. I started playing him as a hidden artist on G-Unit CDs. Pretty soon, everyone started wondering who he was. Then I started spazzing and did the Game and Eazy-E record. He said he was down and I had a verse no one had ever heard before. I put it together, put it out and it was huge. I combined him with everyone; Snoop, Prodigy, Fif', Banks and made it easier for him to fast-forward into the mixtape market.

The problem came up where he thought he was too big. In the beginning, I understood, because we aren't all the same, he didn't grow up with us. We came up as a family and lived together for the past five years. We lived outta hotels, on the road, shopped with each other, ate and made music; Game was never there. He never understood or would want to come with us anywhere. We would do tours and he'd always have an excuse not to come which 50 never understood; "Oh, my passport's f**ked up." But he'd make sure he was at an MTV show or Summer Jam. He didn't even have a record out, he was just a hype n***a running around. He wouldn't grind, but would make sure to be at a big star-studded event. 50 started seeing that Game wouldn't do the hard work. Who wouldn't want to tour 40 cities? So when he actually first started touring, he'd perform horribly because he didn't have the proper training. He had no experience. And in the beginning, everybody saw that. Even then I understood he wanted to do his own thing. He's a West Coast n***a and he didn't always want to be there… but come on, there's gotta be some form of loyalty. 50 gave him five joints for his album that helped him sell five million records, so where's the loyalty? Even if you hate this n***a, you have to have some form of loyalty because without him, you wouldn't be here. That's the only thing I couldn't understand. He wanted his own sneaker, telephone s**t [Boost Mobile], modeling... It's like, 50 blew you up, but you're not telling him what you're doing? You open a magazine and he's modeling for Sean John. The problems escalated so bad, especially with the HOT97 s**t, to now it's like no turning back because Fif' really hates that kid.

AllHipHop.com: There has to be some form of respect to this game.

Whoo Kid: Just like how he has respect for Dr. Dre, it's 50 that really blew him up, not Dre. Dr. Dre didn't do anything for Game. Maybe a couple of beats, but without our energy and movement, he wouldn't be who he is today. Those joints were supposed to be on The Massacre and he gave those joints to Game. "This is How We Do" was three verses. That was a hit record, off the bat. Even I was bugging out. But 50 respected him so much and wanted him to succeed. That's crazy, that's like one of those ill stories that you read in the Bible. You got an ill n***a that comes in your camp and ends up betraying you, trying to do his own sh*t. Fifty was really pissed off; it was foul. And the f***ed up thing off that was Interscope was still trying to push it. The money aint worth it. It's not like dude is dissing other artists... something has to happen. I mean, we sold like 30 million records with all of G-Unit, and this dude's main goal in his campaign is dissing G-Unit in order to put his album out. You can only imagine how furious 50 was.

AllHipHop.com: How has beef on wax hurt or helped G-Unit?

Whoo Kid: It helps G-Unit keep in tone. Banks loves that s**t. He's the punch line king, he'd love to cremate Nas. Fifty will drop one line and cremate someone's career. Hip-Hop needs beef on wax, not shooting beef. It always proves who's the illest and keeps everyone on their toes, shows who's the best. Back in the day it was corny raps. Now you see how it's developing, and we need that. Where's it going? As long as n***as ain’t getting killed, ‘cause that's just stupid. Someone getting killed means that there's a pussy n***a on the other side, he can't rap, and a gun is the only way he can get any kind of respect.

Real Talk: The Don Bishop Agallah [August 2006]

2006-08-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

Eddie Propane hasn't always been. The mysterious looking cat rocking dark shades on underground album and mixtape covers with hair draped passed his shoulders wasn't always engulfed in a purple mist of haze and glory. Agallah is what New York Hip-Hop is all about: concrete struggle. Life has chewed up and spit him out on many occasions. Fighting for his own breath and moving forward through the pain of lost loved ones, abject poverty and betrayal, Agallah always remained true to his craft, motivated by his love of hip-hop. In the 90's, the artist formerly known as 8-off the Assassin gained notoriety for songs like "Ghetto Girl" and "Crookie Monster." Unfortunately, record label turmoil began early in his fifteen-year journey. Bouncing around from Tommy Boy to Elektra, the Brooklyn native's chance at stardom seemed bleak. But faith in a higher power and an incessant will to succeed surged through his blood as he ripped open mics, decimated rap battles and went on to trail blaze the Dipset affiliate, Purple City. Get familiar, homey. You should already know. This is real talk from The Don Bishop, yao ming?!

What’s the feedback been like for Propane Piff?

Ag: God has arrived. It's a long awaited breath of fresh air. I share this with all the homies that watched me grind and come up. Propane Piff was indication to the streets that I'm here. Real talk, this is my life.

When did you come to that vital realization?

Ag: After helping so many artists become stars and as a veteran, making Purple City what it is today. I would define Purple City as a needed sacrifice because we didn't have any opportunities. It was about making a name for ourselves, working together and moving up. Before I came, Shiest didn't know anything about independent until I showed him the key players. Chuck Wilson gave us our first shot and helped us to independently sell 40,000 units. Purple City was still doing numbers in the streets with the mixtapes, being affiliated with Dipset and consecutively putting out fifteen mixtapes in one year. We built this from the ground up, on our own. Now, it's only right for the majors to come see me on my terms. I just bumped into Lyor Cohen the other day. I haven't seen him in ten years. He was like "you're doing good, come see me." It's a lot of politics involved. Purple City and the Dips are eating at the same table, them being with Koch and us over here at Babygrande.

Knowing your history and rough upbringing, how does it feel to finally drop your first solo album?

Ag: I feel vindicated. After the trials and tribulations that I went through in my life, it’s a true testimony that you can make it. Even if you've been dealt the worst hand, with faith in the Most High and faith in yourself you can overcome any obstacle. I watched my moms get murdered over cocaine; all my friends I grew up with are locked away in jail. I almost got murdered twice...This is my journey as I'm trying to do music. Coming out of all that is a true testimony. I am the truth. Plenty of times I was left for dead. How can I not survive this industry when I survived all of that?

Real talk. How do you convey your personal journey to listeners with this new project?

Ag: You Already Know is a timeless work of music. It's addressing real shit going on right now; the fraudulent level that the industry has come to and the culture gone wild. The importance of Hip-Hop and where it comes from is embedded in the LP. It's a personal album. I'm not on a major label but I multi-tasked and put in a lot of work to make this record possible. I brought in my homies: Kool G. Rap, DJ Premier, dead prez, The Alchemist, Nappy Roots and Ike Eyes. These are dudes that I not only knew I could make hits with but also have genuine love for. I wanted to show diversity by working with legends, up-and-comers, and revolutionaries.

Give us some background on the song “Cry For Help.”

Ag: There was a time in my life when I was in need of help, left for dead. I was homeless and living on the streets...Just thinking about life, you feel all hope is lost. I was talking about my relationships, street life, living in the hood, disloyalty...A lot of things made me realize that I was alone and at the end of the day, I'm going in the casket by myself. It's the Most High and me. That record, all that shit building up, that was my cry for help. And there are a lot of us crying for help and we don't want to let out that inner pain. It might not be manly to shed a tear, but when you’re alone in deep thought, you reflect on it. A lot of rappers overlook that.

the source

Styles P: Built To Last - Part 1 [July 2006]

2006-08-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

David Styles is a self-proclaimed problem. He's adamant about you knowing it, absorbing it, and passing the declaration on to the next man. More often than not, listeners are overrun with gangster tales and tough talk that varies from phony album rhetoric, fabricated industry imagery, and true-to-life hood legends and trap stars that fall way short of below average lyricism and quality effort. Fortunate enough for rap fans and authentic Hip-Hop heads alike, today is a Holiday.

Styles P not only knows "The Key" to life, but also, the foundation of what makes a man. Being raised in the ghetto, trapped in the revolving door of prison and the block, there's no where to go but up. While only one person is sure of what Styles has witnessed, his vivid storytelling and relentless verbal savagery can make you feel like life is the biggest horror flick of all. But there's the gangster, and then there is the gentleman. The anthem “I’m Black” resurrects a Panther's spirit and a King's dream. How often does the community receive positive inspiration from Hip-Hop music without it being deemed as corny or too far left?

Sitting in Harlem’s Juice Bar, Styles P finds comfort in his surroundings and the conversation. The often quiet MC revisits the records, roles, and group’s that hooked him into Hip-Hop before hooks were required. The artist isn’t afraid to admit emotional connection to his lyrics or spiritual connection to the triumphant life he’s led. But the man who calls himself “The Ghost” aspires to use 2006 and Time is Money to make his “hardest out” title more visible, and his presence much more problematic.

AllHipHop.com: We're in the health food spot. Are you a health conscious dude?

Styles: Definitely.

AllHipHop.com: Have you always been that way?

Styles: A good five, maybe six years now.

AllHipHop.com: Vegetarian?

Styles: Yeah, but I eat fish. I don't do the dairy products, chicken, or beef.

AllHipHop.com: You feel a difference?

Styles: Definitely so. Plus, I got into it because I have kids. Nowadays, all the s**t that's going on with the food, you've got to feed your kids right. You gotta lead by example. You can tell your kids to do the right thing, but if they don't see you doing it. Basically, it's just me being conscious of raising my kids.

AllHipHop.com: What makes you such a spiritual person?

Styles: I can say I've always been spiritual my whole life. My moms is a spiritual person. I grew up in a Christian household. When I was 12, I grew interested in Islam on my own and started reading books, pamphlets and going to the mosque. Religion's not for everyone. I don't knock people who are into religion no matter what they believe. That's for them. Personally, I'm more so spiritual, and I keep my relationship with the Higher Power. He knows what I'm gonna do. I'm just living out the physical. Sometimes religion is real judgmental of one's character. And only God can judge me. Other people can judge you, but it doesn't count. But it counts when the judge in the court judges that ass and you going in.

AllHipHop.com: Does being a spiritual dude distinguish you more from the other L.OX. members?

Styles: Yes and no. You don't know how spiritual they are; I just vocalize it the most. Everyone is spiritual, whether they know it or not.

AllHipHop.com: What was your upbringing like in Yonkers, New York?

Styles: That's a difficult question. As far as family, my mother's from South Africa and my pops is from Brooklyn. They separated probably when I was eight years old, and I stayed with my moms. To be real with you, I come from a trials and tribulations family; street backgrounds, alcoholic backgrounds, I'm a kid that was in a group home, so I come from a lot and had to maintain and be strong. I also come from not listening to my moms, running the street and doing what I want to do. I learned the game at an early age, knowing older hustlers and the street life. You got a foreign mom going to school... I wanted [to be like] Delta Force in sixth grade. I also worked mad jobs, different stock jobs, I did all kinds of s**t just trying to stay right. I moved out at 17.

AllHipHop.com: That work ethic was instilled early.

Styles: That was always in me. That comes from my moms, a family of hard workers. Being foreign, getting a green card and your own place isn’t easy. If you want to get something, you keep going and working hard, pray to God and be thankful that you're alive.

AllHipHop.com: You've seen New York go through significant changes. What's the biggest difference from the '80s to '90s and now?

Styles: The MCs ain't nice. That's the biggest difference; there aren't as many nice MCs. When I was coming up, I was listening to Afrika [and] Mike B [in the] Jungle Brothers, EPMD, KRS, Kool G, Rakim, Kane, Craig G, Stetsasonic, Ultramagnetic, Chill Rob G.. that was crazy! From the ‘90s era, it was Nas, B.I.G., Hova, Wu, the Lox, early Mase, Big L, the list goes on and on. Nowadays, if you don't got no radio s**t or no hooky songs, you f**ked up. They don't really care if you're a nice lyricist.

AllHipHop.com: Is it that way because Hip-Hop has become more popular or because of an increase in competition?

Styles: To me, you got Hip-Hop and you got the Industry. Where I'm from, Hip-Hop is you getting the underground s**t first. That's Hip-Hop. You ask someone else, it's the latest song that's on TV and radio 20 times a day. It's different to everyone, but it's all intertwined. Hip-Hop is knowing the earliest, hottest n***a before he's even out.

AllHipHop.com: What were some of the early trials and tribulations that the L.O.X. had to face before getting into the game?

Styles: Like everyone else, the streets. Getting out of high school, dealing with coming up as black youth. Just being a teenager trying to make it. With me, I had gun charges at like 19... just being caught up in the streets.

AllHipHop.com: So even before the deal, the L.O.X.’ music was felt?

Styles: Before we were the L.O.X., we were the Warlocks and before that, the Bomb Squad. It used to be ‘Kiss and Sheek. They were The Jungle Brothers and I was Q-Tip, or they were EPMD and I was K-Solo. They've been real professional since we were young. I was always good in the streets, but they were good in the booth early. They were from one side of town and I was from the other side of town. I got up with them around Junior High/High School and they were polished.

In school we were always flowing. A bunch of young MCs just going hard in ciphers. We would go hard, make tapes and give them s**ts out. We'd be in the studio... we were on the indie route in high school. We started selling our tapes ten dollars a whop. You get you a good eight songs and we were hard, we were hot. I was on songs here and there and hooks.

AllHipHop.com: Those early tapes are probably worth a lot of money now.

Styles: That's classic material.

AllHipHop.com: Your tenure in the game has been a minute and you get a lot of respect from the streets. How important is commercial appeal at this time?

Styles: Honestly, right now in my life it's more important than ever. Without that, you don't really get no money and you can fall in the dust. I could say my hardest verses, but people always acknowledge my simpler verses. "Get High" was simple to me. It was that s**t, but it was simple. "Locked Up" was simple "My Life" was simple. All that radio s**t is simple, not to knock it, but I didn't go in my core for that.

I try to balance it out. Before, I used to block out the commercial s**t. I don't really know how I got a little commercial success, to tell you the truth. I've just been honest, them joints hit home because it's the truth. "Get High" is my life. Being "Locked Up," I know about, so it was the truth but it was easy for me. I gotta be thankful and grateful because they're still getting to know me. On the real tip, a couple of white kids came up to me the other day and said "They f**king jerked you on 'I'm Black.'" I'm like, Wow, that s**t was crazy to me!” They felt it was a real song. SP isn't prejudice, but SP is pro-Black. There are plenty of white people in my life that have helped me out. SP is prejudice against those who are prejudice. I feel sorry for them. Before I was like, "F**k you." Most people that are prejudiced against you are going to be your own people. That's the double-edged sword. With "I'm Black," there were plenty of black DJs who could have played it. But I know they couldn't play it because they may have felt that they were stepping on their own dinner plate. I can't expect that. I've been through the most s**t, and I've got the most street credibility in New York. I'm going to take my time out to say something to the youth because I'm concerned. I've been in jail, sat and stared at those four walls, saw thousands of homies that got jerked and to say, "Damn I feel sorry for that n***a, that's my homey and he got 20." I still got to say something.

AllHipHop.com: We're in Harlem, 125th street. In a recent article, Hell Rell proclaimed to be the hardest in the streets, which is known to be your rep. He said he "respects SP, but as far as the hardest in the streets, he's not f***ing with me." I wanted your thoughts regarding that comment.

Styles: I like what he's doing and what he's saying. I like that hunger. It's going to take him awhile to do what I'm doing. Jim Jones is my man, and I'm cool with Cam. Dude pays me my respect and I can't knock him, that's the attitude I came in the game with. I'ma earn my s**t and be the hardest in the street. Y'all n***as gotta earn it. You gotta go a long way to take that SP title. You got a long way to go, bro. You working on it, but you got a long way to go and I'm nowhere near rusty. I'm just warming up. I'm a problem. I do this off blunts. Anybody who's ever been in the studio with me knows no pen and paper ever. I'm a problem! I got six albums right now. I like the boy's ambition. But you gotta wake up early to f**k with me. Everybody, the best. Only n***a nicer than me is B.I.G. point blank, period! You might be slicker, more punch lines, but you better check my repertoire, everybody. It'll take every rapper on the East Coast to start to break my exterior. That's motivation for me. When he says he going for that title, who he says got the title? The Ghost.

AllHipHop.com: You said you have six albums. When can we expect Time is Money to drop?

Styles: It's coming in August. They can't stop me. Get the next “Ghost” mixtape, if you saying a n***a f**king with me. Tell him he gotta wake up early. I want AllHipHop to know what the kid's about. The kid's about making songs like "Favorite Drug," "Can You Believe It," [and] "I'm Black." Then the kid's about putting out five hard mixtapes a year. Hard! Beginning to end, you can't deny it. Everybody's beats rip! I been here, been with the best of 'em.

Styles P: Built To Last - Part 2

2006-08-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

AllHipHop.com: Many consider A Gangster and a Gentleman a classic. Would you agree?

Styles: If the streets say it, I'm riding with it. That album was a challenge for me. They were like "He's good with the Lox, he's hot on mixtapes, but can he make an album?" I know they didn't expect me to do as good as I did. And I felt stupid because I went to jail and I could have done better. Everybody loves me because I'm underrated; "You that n***a and you don't know it. You that n***a but you underrated." I'm good with that, because somebody realizes it. If I'm the hardest on the streets then I'm good. I did what I came to do. Now I'm going to the next level. I wanna make songs that pop in other categories and go in other n***as lanes. Get 'em scared.

AllHipHop.com: I hear you. You speak about not using a pen or pad when you freestyle or make songs. What's the process like? Briefly take us into the studio...

Styles: The process is blunts. Being in the zone and reading. I read often, think a lot, watch good movies not just gangster s**t, and just life. Regular day-to-day basis, I got a lot of s**t on my mind. I got a lot to say.

Really the no pen and pad s**t, I'm not going to front like it's a special thing. But since a youth, I've always had an off-beat/on-beat flow. So it's kind of difficult for me to read off the paper and catch my flow. I'd always have a problem since I was smaller reading off the paper. I've been doing this since I was seven - rhyming. I had difficulty getting my bounce off, so I said f**k paper. Anybody can do it. It's like an actor remembering his lines, who keeps saying the lines in his head until he gets it. Sometimes I come with verses; I don't know where it came from. To tell you the truth, I just be zoning out in the studio, going in.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of your music hits home. Have you ever shed a tear in the studio?

Styles: S**t yeah. Hell yeah. Making "My Brother" [and] "I'm Black" was kind of difficult. It was emotional because I knew it was a big risk. It made me cry way after the song was out 'cause of how they wasn't playing it. One day, I sat and just broke down. It's crazy. The most gangster n***a they always criticize, Hip-Hop [fans and] the critics... And here you have the hardest n***a doing it, and they won't play it. Sometimes you can't win.

AllHipHop.com: Let's talk about tracks for a minute. What was behind "The Key" off of “Ghost In The Machine”?

Styles: Sometimes, I just say what I wanna say. A lot of times, I won't say a verse, because I'll feel that they won't know what I'm talking about or understand where I'm coming from. My man Vinny made the beat. I was just saying what I thought was the key. I was breaking down how I survive and how I stay strong and what the key is for me. I be in another realm sometimes. Sometimes life is good. But most of the times it's f**ked up out here. Life is deep.

AllHipHop.com: It seems like you and Jada be having fun with the whole G-Unit parody. The "Ms. Jackson" joint being a good example…

Styles: As far as business, I respect 50. On the real tip, he did something n***as haven't done in years. He capitalized and I think he's a very intelligent businessman. But I'm outside. You see where I'm at. I'm here by myself, Harlem, The Juice Bar; this is what I do on a daily. I'm all over in the streets... For any one of these n***as to get one up on me, you gotta do this. Not to say that you didn't do it before, but if you want to talk about it you gotta do it now. You can't s**t on me when I do this, and you made it and you don't do this. You might have done it, but you don't do this. I put my s**t on the line everyday out the door. And it's not because I'm ignorant... If I had made if off bricks, acting, construction or whatever, I would have still had to know them n***as where I'm from. These n***as ain’t making me run and hide 'cause I got on a Jacob watch. I came in a nice car. I got whatever in my ear, my ring, or my chain. If it's in my hand, it's in my hand. But I carry myself as a man and I do what I gotta do when I gotta do it. So don't start disrespecting a n***a who does that, especially in the game.

AllHipHop.com: Unfortunately, we've seen hyped up drama play out in a very negative way. As a man, how do you keep everything in check so it doesn't get out of hand?

Styles: If we felt it was dangerous or worth dying for we wouldn't have been rapping. If I'ma beef with a n***a and I feel like it's gonna pop off or go down, then we ain’t even gonna rap if it's that serious. You know where n***as is from, so no conversing' and all that.

With the Beanie s**t, after awhile that had to stop ‘cause that's a n***a who be in the streets, we some n***as who be in the streets, so sooner or later these bullets is gonna fly, and is it really worth it? ‘Cause we knew him, and we was cool with him, we knew their repertoire and they knew ours. Fortunately, we didn't see each other for dumb long. That must have been Allah's will. He's one of the n***as we gotta respect in the game and show love for, ‘cause he's hard and he spits that s**t. But at the time when it was beef, do you think if we would have seen each other somewhere at a party, mishaps.... That was a rap beef but it wasn't no rap beef.

AllHipHop.com: Why did you perform at the I Declare War concert?

Styles: Why not? It wasn't for the paper, it was for the love. Me personally, as an MC, I respect Nas' and Jay's work. Regardless of what we went through with the Roc before, we're grown men. I come from a place where we go through disputes over many things much deeper than that. I've been through a lot and I've seen people that I've done things to and that have done things to me. I see them on the streets and I can let it go. Small s**t like rap s**t, I can let go. It was a beautiful concert to me because those were two of the best of our time. To know that you could possibly hear a song from them, that's strong and positive. To be able to say "I can put this to the side," that's being a man. I respect men. Some people don't understand it, knock it and say that it's corny, but I respect it.

AllHipHop.com: Should they still name a mixtape award after you?

Styles: S**t yeah. Hell yeah. God bless Justo, rest in peace. But they don't do it like I do it though. I hate to say it, but when I do it, it's a problem. They're still talking about “Ghost In The Machine” and that came out a lot of months ago. Wait 'til you hear the new one. Wait 'til you get a load of me. It'll probably be out in a couple of weeks. And I got my young boys on it this time, some new D-Block soldiers: Team Arliss, Carolina, T Juan and Don D, Snyp Life, Bully from 354 and Buckie from Philly.

AllHipHop.com: Is it still safe to say that you're everybody's favorite rapper's favorite rapper? Styles: Definitely.

AllHipHop.com: Why wouldn't you want to just be everyone's favorite rapper?

Styles: I'm good. I argue with n***as in my hood sometimes. They come to me like "Yo this n***a’s coming for your head." Them n***as either love me or they scared of me. N***as can't f**k with me. Maybe in four or five years, but right now you know who got the most street credibility in New York. No one but The Ghost. You can say what you want, but they don't do it like I do it. I don't come with a bunch of n***as, no security, I don't need nobody. I'll go anywhere, do anything, I'm well respected and my rap sheet is ridiculous. Y’all bullsh*ttin', reliving your older brother and cousin's story. I live this. I'm the artist out in Cali looking for chronic, that crippy and kush. I'm not the n***a without his homies in the hotel room with security. I'm built everywhere I go.

Louie Rankin: The Last Don [June 2006]

2006-08-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

An original Jamaican Dondatta. The exotic island of black green and gold add raw beauty and rhythm to Hype Williams’ cult classic, Belly. The badass migrant from Kingston with the fly mansion in Queens, Ox, gave the film enormous credibility with a fuck-the-world image and run away final scene to rival that of Pacino’s Scarface. Audience members jumped out of their seats and roared with reverence as Lord Lennox went in, “Come on! Me’ murder pussyhole people fi’ fun… Who wan’ test me? Come on!”

Louie Rankin is easy… busy, yet relaxed. After a long night in the recording studio and return from briefly touring, he’s ready to pause for reflection and a good home cooked meal. A senior with experience, he casually educates about the tumultuous beasts that infatuate and entertain many. The music and movie industry have both been kind to the man most admire as Ox. He’s been deemed a leader and hero in both worlds. Popularity and critical acclaim of the underground smash, Shottas, has done nothing to slow Rankin’s progress and mass appeal. Listen close as he breaks down the difference between New York and Jamaica. With the everyday struggles of the common man close to heart, Louie Rankin shares his motivation for working hard and spares no expense at returning sincere love to the people.

Swagg News: You’re definitely an O.G. in the game. Coming from the West Indies, how did you get started?

Louie Rankin: I’ve been doing reggae music for 25 years. I’m one of the dance hall center of attractions, you know what I’m saying? People like me, Super Cat, Shabba Ranks… I started out a few years before them. When Shabba came out is when I came to America with one of the biggest hit records out in Jamaica. When I signed a deal with Warner Brothers, a Hip-Hop production company by the name of Trackmasters reproduced the single “Typewriter.”

Swagg News: Yeah, I remember the Showdown and Lethal Weapon albums. Are you still doing music or putting out anything new?

Louie Rankin: Right now I got one of the hottest albums, not too long finished, with Roscoe, production by Solji, a group called Danger, we’re putting together this album called The Resurrection. We’ve got a lot of good songs on it. I worked with a lot of Hip-Hop artists and the album is real hot. When it drops it’s going to be something…

Swagg News: When can we expect that?

Louie Rankin: Right now we’re working with Universal to get deals straight and situations cleared up as far as distribution, that’s just what we’re going through now but we’re ready to drop. The album is done.

As far as Hip-Hop I got John Doe, another rapper signed to Timbaland, some R&B singers on the album. I worked with a lot of unknown artists with talent that are ready to come up. The album is hot! I didn’t try to work with any big name artists. I’m already a star. I wanted to work with someone that has talent and wants to be successful. That’s how the collaborations came about for this album because there are a lot of good young artists out there and I wanted to work with the best ones.

Swagg News: That’s what’s up, definitely something to look forward to. To transition a bit, how did you make your way into acting?

Louie Rankin: Acting is a gift to me. I know Hype Williams from him doing the “Typewriter” video back in the day. He knows me a long time and saw how I was a hardcore gangsta DJ of the dancehall; he put all that together and said, “Alright, we wrote a movie called Belly.” That scene that you see me in, he wrote that with me in mind.

Swagg News: The role of Ox was specifically for you?

Louie Rankin: When I got the call I hadn’t even read the script. I was in Arizona. Hype said “You gotta come to New York, I’m shootin’ a movie tomorrow.” They had everything set up; budget, location, everything. When I got there they gave me a script. I just wanted the treatment that shows the outline of the movie. I said it was cool but I gotta do it Gangsta-Jamaica way. I had to do it my way. Hype gave me the green light.

Swagg News: There was a lot of authenticity with Belly. The realness of Jamaica was brought to the viewers.

Louie Rankin: A lot of these movies come with fake people, non-Jamaicans with phony accents and it’s not real. I was the first to bring that original street element to the American motion picture screen. I came really hard and it made a huge difference.

Swagg News: The chemistry was there on set, especially between yourself and DMX.

Louie Rankin: That’s my boy. I’ve known him for a minute, way before the movie. It was like a family affair when we were making the movie. That made it powerful. We get along everyday. We hangout after the shoot, drink some Hennessey, smoke some shit, talk a lot of shit, females going crazy hanging around the trailer.

Swagg News: One of my favorite movies is Shottas.

Louie Rankin: Did you know that Shottas is one of the highest grossing bootleg movies in the streets ever? I had fun shooting that. I was out in Miami for three months shooting that movie in South Beach. That’s the movie right there. Sony pictures is trying to get the rights to it for DVD clearance and I think they’re going to also limit it to certain theaters cuz they’re planning the sequels.

Swagg News: What’s the difference between the movie business and the recording industry?

Louie Rankin: Different levels. Movies are top of the line. It’s good cuz you can sell a few million albums, they put it all together right and you’re recouping a lot of money right there. With movies, you get your millions up front depending on the budget. If it’s a hit, you’re going to keep collecting and the movie business lasts forever. You can be a movie star at age 80. The music business caps off at a certain age where you can’t even fuck wit’ it. It’s a lot of aggravation. Movies, you work and chill.

Swagg News: What artists get burn in your stereo system?

Louie Rankin: I like Sizzla, listen to him all the time. One of my favorite songs right now, I even got it on my phone, an Atlanta artist… “Meet me in the club/It’s going down…”

Swagg News: Young Joc.

Louie Rankin: Yeah! That’s my song. I like that shit.

Swagg News: How would you compare New York to Jamaica?

Louie Rankin: Jamaica is a different vibe. New York is “Big Jamaica.” There are a lot of us in New York. There’s a lot of different energy, food and cultures here. Jamaica is harder, especially when you’re from the ghetto. You got to get up and live from day to day, working to put food on the table. In New York, you can run out there, hustle and get something going. You can get over. Jamaica is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it’s hard.

Swagg News: After Belly came out; you were a hero, definitely the standout star. The audience loved you. What was the reaction in the streets?

Louie Rankin: Whenever I leave the house, even if it’s just going to the store, people come up to me and show me a lot of love and respect. Wherever I go, especially if I’m in the mall. It’s all good. It encourages me to keep working hard so I can give my best to the people.

Music Review - Screwed Up Movement [June 2006]

2006-08-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Artist: E.S.G.
Title: Screwed Up Movement
Rating: ***

It seems like a long time coming for Texas' "Everyday Street Gangsta" E.S.G., a living legend to many and stranger to most. It doesn't get any thicker as far as hood credibility goes; the g'd up dboy stacked paper after being birthed in the trap, got hit with a murder rap and served a jail sentence. As time went on, the Texas underground was fed by one of the original members of legendary DJ Screw's Screwed Up Clique. His now succesful proteges (Lil' Flip and Slim Thug, along with many others) were molded by immortal material like "Swangin' and Bangin" and "Crooked Streets" from the classic album Sailin' Da South (1995). Amidst the solid rep and successful independant stretch, everyone lusts after that corporate paper and mainstream notoriety. While Houston may not be in the NBA playoffs, the city holds court here in the rap game today. This Hip-Hop pioneer from Texas that originally helped to make chopped and screwed music an everday thing in Houston, wants in.

Let E.S.G. briefly bring you up to date with the no holds barred introduction to Screwed Up Movement (Sure Shot). Over a soundwave that would appropriately announce the entrance of King Jaffe Joffer (Coming to America), E.S.G. serves up the three act story of his personal life and rap career; trials, tribulations and triumphs included. The lyrical dosage is potent enough as it vibes through the veins of this seventeen track disc. E.S.G. is most impressive when he taps into his incessant hunger and experience. His fast flow is his best flow, especially on songs like "Gorilla Music" and "Gotta Shine." A myriad of subjects touched upon and creative consistency from Screwed Up Movement represent for the Lone Star State in a major way. Brilliantly throwing children on the chorus of "Keep Getting It" runs neck in neck with Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life" and "Revelation" is an inspirational testament to the vivid reality of today and tomorrow; "Medicaid and Healthcare, aint helping my granny/They bangin' in the South, better watch your family/Calculatin' my steps, through this gritty war zone, what the President gon' do when they bring the war home revelations..."

Slowing the speed of the project is the bitter taste in E.S.G.'s mouth, chip on his shoulder and contradictory bars. The Alphabet Murderer is superb on "Watch Yo Back" as he roasts Slim Thug for five minutes using every letter in the alphabet (except X,Y,Z). But is the interlude that comes before it necessary? He's explaining the fall out between himself and Slim, but comes off as a hater here and elsewhere throughout the album. As a veteran, the role of disciplinarian is often necessary, but can make the individual with more experience appear dated. A large focus should have been placed on tighter production, which would have brought more polish and luster to Screwed Up Movement.

A lot has changed since the Underground Bully bogarted his way into the game. Criticism of popular competition won't bring you success, but hot tracks void of contradiction will. The streets respect E.S.G.'s familiar rap sheet, but eyebrows raise as he boasts about his jail time and murder rap in one stanza, then downgrades and discards the experience in the next. Screwed Up Movement is rider music with a message and, along with standout guests like Chamillionare, Bun B and Jae Millz, is worthy offering.

allhiphop.com

Devo Springsteen: Whip It! [June 2006]

2006-08-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

A brother with strong business acumen is extremely important in today’s America, especially when you’re dealing with the pythons and cobras of the recording industry. Devo Harris is in a real G.O.O.D spot. He proudly encourages, “Naysayer, please show me one example why Kanye’s crew ain’t the s**t and I could refute you with five,” proving that he has some of the swagger that the label’s known for.

The one-time college roommate of John Legend in Philadelphia now locks himself in a downtown New York studio. On the verge of going to Pop and Rock music, this Grammy-nominated producer and DJ showed he was all about “Diamonds” without flossing a single baguette.

AllHipHop.com: Can you give us a brief introduction?

Devo Springsteen: People may know me from producing [Kanye West’s] “Diamonds,” and producing songs for John Legend’s first album, Get Lifted. I’m also John’s DJ and a producer for G.O.O.D Music. My name is Devo Harris, but my stage name is Devo Springsteen. Consequence started that, and it just circulated throughout our music family because I’m the boss. I really think it’s because I live in downtown Manhattan, I party like a rock star and know a lot of white people.

AllHipHop.com: What were your adolescent years like?

Devo Springsteen: I moved around a lot, did a lot of sports. I was real active between sports and singing in different choirs. I was more into sports than music. I played football and wrestled in college.

AllHipHop.com: Does having a Grammy skyrocket you to a whole new stratosphere?

Devo Springsteen: I don’t think so. Jermaine Dupri didn’t win a Grammy this year and people are most likely going to holla at him before me. The Grammy recognizes what you’ve done, but I feel that in Hip-Hop it doesn’t create any new opportunities. “Diamonds” wasn’t necessarily the hottest song of the year, but it’s depth made a difference. Depth sells records and that’s what you’ll get from me.

AllHipHop.com: Do you play any instruments?

Devo Springsteen: Nah, but what I do is real musical. If I don’t sample, I get musicians to come through and play everyday. So, I don’t know what a C or a G is…

AllHipHop.com: You’ve got a strong ear for music.

Devo Springsteen: Yeah I started DJing in the ‘90s out in Philly. John Legend was my roommate at [University of Pennsylvania]. Naturally, like so many DJ’s, I started making beats. And through working with Kanye and John things just evolved. They’re crazy musical and I learned a lot from the both of them. I try to implement all that into what I do.

I feel like I’m more of an executive producer. I don’t just make beats… I signed John Legend to G.O.O.D Music. There’s years of defining John’s sound. Even artists that John and I are working with now, we’re really working to define what they do. We also find other outlets and press opportunities for these artists to get exposure before their albums come out.

AllHipHop.com: Who are some of the DJ’s you look up to?

Devo Springsteen: Kid Capri is my favorite. I’m not too much into the technicalities of DJ’ing. I used to be into the scratching aspect, but now I’m more interested in making sure people have a good time. I do a lot of special events. This summer, I went to Africa and DJ’ed out there for MTV. It’s definitely all about the music, but on a grander scale, I’m trying to make some things happen outside of just making beats.

AllHipHop.com: What are some of the recent songs that set the club on fire?

Devo Springsteen: It depends on where you are. It’s mainly Down South records that are hot nationwide. It’s usually harder for me to play New York/East Coast records.

AllHipHop.com: Are there any genres outside of rap that you listen to?

Devo Springsteen: I like all types of music. I like alternative Rock and Pop music. I try to incorporate it in my sound and work on that type of music. When you hear John Legend’s new album, you’ll hear those influences. It’s not like the Beatles, but it is leaning left. I’m getting calls for Britney Spears’ label and I love it. I’m a Hip-Hop DJ, but I’m a fan of music. This past year I was up for Grammys in the R&B and Hip-Hop field. This year I hope to be up for Grammys in the Pop or Rock field. I’m very active about it, but Hip-Hop isn’t the only thing that defines me.

AllHipHop.com: What was it about John’s sound that made you sign him?

Devo Springsteen: Well, his voice is very soulful. That’s why they call him John Legend. And Kanye’s music is soulful, but they are both slightly different. So hearing them for years, I was imagining them working together and combining their unique sounds and what they could add to each other’s music. And working for Kanye, he was at the point where it was time to start his own company and sign artists and I felt John was the perfect guy. It was a no-brainer.

AllHipHop.com: How is G.O.O.D Music separate from the other sounds out today?

Devo Springsteen: It’s just exciting to even be involved. Tell me a flyer label, a more talented label. Kanye West, John Legend, and Common? Nine out of ten songs or artists you hear nowadays are reactive. “What’s hot, let’s react to it, the 2006 version, the girls version;” there’s a lot of formulas. With G.O.O.D Music, nothing is reactive everything is progressive. Kanye is the spokesperson for a whole genre.

AllHipHop.com: As a producer, what’s unique about what you bring to the table?

Devo Springsteen: I’ve lived overseas and all across the country. I have a perspective that a lot of producers can’t offer. I play in a live band and have DJ’ed around the world for years. I was an assistant to Kanye for five years and I have a commercial businessman mind. I offer musicality and I write. I want joints that bang in the club. It’s important to make records that are exclusively relevant to the artist.

AllHipHop.com: What’s 2006 looking like for G.O.O.D Music?

Devo Springsteen: It’s going to be a really exciting year. Kanye’s focused on blowing up G.O.O.D Music. He already started work on his new album; John Legend’s album is going to be coming out, Fonsworth Bentley… I feel like people know that if Kanye’s involved, the music is going to be decent at worst, if not classic. Common’s going to be coming out [in September]. GLC and Consequence’s buzz is gaining momentum. I’m doing a lot of different things; several major pop artists are in the works. Sa-Ra is crazy. There’s going to be a lot of exposure for G.O.O.D Music. We’re taking it real seriously and throwing a lot of events. Our branding is innovative and wholesome.

AllHipHop.com: What’s it like working with Kanye?

Devo Springsteen: It’s cool. Kanye is a genius.

AllHipHop.com: Genius?

Devo Springsteen: Have you heard anything wack from him? I know a lot of smart people. Music-wise and marketing-wise he’s a genius. For a Rap album, on Roc-A-Fella records, to have a stuffed bear on your album cover is crazy. “Through The Wire” he paid for. There were no labels supporting it, and without that you can’t get on the radio or TV. He’s able to talk things into existence. But musically, he’s on top of it and it’s spoiled me to work with other artists. John is talented the same way and they both put in a lot of work. It’s a pleasure and I know that whatever we’re working on is the next s**t. I’ve already worked with some of the best so I try to keep the bar high.

AllHipHop.com: What are some of the hardships that you’ve had to face?

Devo Springsteen: A lot of fake people. Promise-breakers, the dynamics of people and how cutthroat the business can be plays out as hardship. People are very reactive and it’s difficult going into a meeting with a banging record and hearing “Well, we really wanted a record like the one last year.” At times I would give in but I don’t think that’s going to get me any further in life. I saw Kanye go through the same thing. It’s hard trying to eat while not making the same stuff as everyone else. People are beginning to appreciate it and I feel like I’m turning a corner. I just produced and wrote a song for Aretha Franklin.

Kevin Epps: On Point [June 2006]

2006-08-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's bigger than rap. It's much larger than any brand of clothing, record label of the moment, or 16-bar quotable. If Hip-Hop is life, are we living correctly? What is the voice of this generation of music-makers saying? More importantly, does what we see on screen accurately reflect our surroundings? And are we motivated to move forward in ways other than sexual and financial gratification? These are the questions that Bay area filmmaker, Kevin Epps tackles through the lens of his digital camera, sparking an educational and hood phenomenon.

With a sincere passion and artistic eye for social advancement, Epps has put local issues in global contexts, on screens across the nation. The measure of a man or woman can represent the circumference of an entire community. Epps' first film, Straight Outta Hunters Point uncovered the Bay's hunger five years before the mainstream. This film, like Epps' later work, shows the values and consequences in unaltered lights. A black man with a story is behind the camera, read on as his vision unfolds for bridging the digital divide.

AllHipHop.com: You're from San Francisco, California?

Kevin Epps: Yeah, I'm from Hunters Point, man: Southeast San Fran.

AllHipHop.com: Is it a diverse area?

Kevin Epps: It's a mixture. Low income public housing with lower middle class blacks. It's a grind.

AllHipHop.com: You came up in the '70s era, single-parent home...

Kevin Epps: I was born in New Orleans, and came through here in the '70s. Moms was the one that raised us.

AllHipHop.com: Is there a moment in music or film history that really influenced you?

Kevin Epps: Back in the day, Spike Lee was directing these Michael Jordan [Nike] commercials. There was this part when he was sitting in a director's chair. I was like "Who is this young black dude sitting in the director's chair, and why does he look so important?" That was an image that had a strong impression on me at an early age.

AllHipHop.com: When did you know that making movies was what you wanted to do?

Kevin Epps: I always had it in me. It's something I always had the passion for. After a few trials and tribulations growing up, I was fortunate to get involved with the Film Arts Foundation. That's where I learned more in-depth the process of taking a project from A to Z. I had to get involved, and I used the skills that I learned there, along with working with various directors on small projects to launch the film I wanted to make. That's basically how Straight Outta Hunters Point came forth. It's a flick about a black community dealing with social, economic, financial, racial, gang-violence issues and how Hip-Hop plays it's part in the whole thing. That film blew up, got some recognition and here we are now.

AllHipHop.com: What was the process like shooting Straight Outta Hunters Point?

Kevin Epps: Being a part of FAF, I was already taking out cameras periodically, going to the hood and doing little skits and music videos. I was working before the film, experimenting with equipment and shooting. I decided I wanted to tell a real story about this black community: the good, bad, and ugly. I asked myself the question "What is Hunters Point?" That's what set my thoughts and ideas in motion. I wanted a history of it to see where we came from. I started by getting information from the old folks, then I went to the streets where all the young homeys were at, and just got gutter wit' it, trying to make some sense out of this s**t.

AllHipHop.com: As far as Hip-Hop, who are you listening to now?

Kevin Epps: I've been listening to Mistah Fab, Hectic, Keak da Sneak, Mac Dre - rest in peace, basically the whole Hyphy movement. It's good to see their music and hard work finally paying off and getting the recognition it deserves.

AllHipHop.com: I think the game's been missing that energy. What's the up and coming project, Rap Dreams about?

Kevin Epps: Rap Dreams is about three young up-and-coming rappers Mistah Fab, Kev Kelly, and Hectic. We follow their lives over the course of a few years as they journey through the underground rap scene trying to make it. During the course of that, they run into Shock G and some other influential individuals in the industry who give 'em some direction. It's also about who they are and where they're from. I want to show the landscape that the music comes from.

We just released that project in independent theaters. It's also having a good run on podcasts. Anyone interested in seeing part one of Rap Dreams can go to www.rap-dreams.com and through the video podcast, see the first 30 minutes. We're trying to get this work out there to the people that really want it. It's true Hip-Hop, and we're taking it to the next level.

AllHipHop.com: You definitely seem like a brother who is involved in his community, trying to spark some positivity and shed light on a condition that's not always seen. Can you explain your philanthropic side?

Kevin Epps: I co-founded a Hip-Hop Film Festival that travels to 50 different cities and universities. We brought together various underground artists, filmmakers and activist that had the same passion and desire. We formed the festival in 2002. I'm also involved in various digital media programs because a lot of the young homeys see a black man with a digital camera, they see the level I've taken it to, and it inspires them to strive for something. So I'm trying to give the community access by bringing technology to the hood. I'm an advocate for trying to bridge the digital divide between urban communities and technological advances. Hunters Point is one of the first hoods to get wireless access to the Internet. So we're trying to move ahead with giving our people the best opportunities possible. The sky's the limit for the young brothers and sisters that embrace it.

That's what Hip-Hop should be about with this next generation. Not so much rap music, but the ability to empower ourselves with the resources to take our destiny and community into our own hands. We're trying to do that with digital media. Our focus is on the battle that's ahead. Cats is beefing over this rap s**t, but it's way bigger than that. The rap battles are cool, but why don't you redirect that energy into the hoods where we need help? It's gutter everywhere! Whether North Philly, Brooklyn, South Side Chicago, we got a big task at hand.

AllHipHop.com: Do you feel like the rappers of today are losing their focus?

Kevin Epps: They ain't talking about nothing political, nothing the masses are dealing with. It's cool, but it's not meaningful. It's time to step your game up. As someone in the media, I'd like to push the envelope more. That's the next move. The digital revolution is feeding the minds of the people.

This Hip-Hop means so much beyond the music. It's been my way of life. Finally, as black people, we have something that we [should] own. I feel like we could do more. To make something out of nothing is amazing. We're being passed the torch so we gotta do something with it to where it can benefit our community.

Music Review - It's Not a Rumor [May 2006]

2006-08-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Artist: A-Pinks/DJ Whoo Kid
Title: It's Not A Rumor (Mixtape)
Rating: ***1/2

The Empire State breeds envy. New York MC’s are in a weird situation at the moment, and with the Southern hemisphere enjoying much deserved success and mainstream airplay, up-and-coming east coast MC’s find it hard to fit into the rotation. There’s no need to bring New York rap back, it never left. The Apple is a place that breeds superstars and legends [Jay-Z, Nas, 50 Cent, LL Cool J, B.I.G etc.]. We’d all agree that those are Hitchcock shadows to step out of and Shaq Diesel sneakers to fill.

Competition is fierce and unpromising for amateurs. Queens has a reputation for birthing some of the best rap talent to date. This native has a sharp wit and limber flow that will distance him from Tuesday and Thursday’s trash. Highly capable of rubbing elbows with NY’s premier fire starters, Ravenswood Projects’ own A-Pinks is confident in his ability to outshine anyone bar for bar on a higher level. Long scratch goes far in business, especially in the music industry. With his DeadArm team assembled, moves are being made and ground is being conquered through dedicated promotion and a tireless work ethic. Hosted by DJ Whoo Kid, It’s Not A Rumor is A-Pinks’ fifth solo mixtape.

The opener, "All On Your Own" produced by Grand Larceny is the heavyweight of It's Not a Rumor. Relentless keys with dark undertones and overbearing gun blasts set the stage as A-Pinks delivers a heavily G-Unit influenced introduction. Descriptively crafting the reality of strength and loneliness in independence and success, A-Pinks fiercely growls about doing whatever it takes to get to the top by his damn self; “One man militia wit’ a viscous hunger pain/I refuse to be another what’s his name.”

It’s Not a Rumor briefly falls short with below average filler, glimpses of gangster rhetoric and a few lackluster bars sprinkled throughout. After missed lay-ups with his unnecessary renditions of “Mind Playin Tricks On Me” and “10 Rap Commandments,” A-Pinks quickly rebounds with the well-scripted “If My Hood Could Talk” and sincere ceremony “Everybody’s a Gangsta”. It’s this kind of distinctive thinking, song making maturity and social awareness that allow A-Pinks to shine. Hopefully the masses will catch on to this versatile young talent as he gains popularity and elevates his network, proving that gossip takes a back seat to quality effort.

allhiphop.com

Obie Trice: Pour Out A Lil' Liquor [May 2006]

2006-08-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Things should be good for Obie Trice. The artist’s debut album, Cheers, managed to sell over 500,000 copies. He’s a part of the reigning Shady/Aftermath machine and he’s about to release his sophomore album after a three-year sabbatical. But, Obie Trice has a bullet lodged in his head from an attempt on his life in December, 2005. The artist has a lot more than sales on his mind, with the recent loss of comrade Proof still fresh. As Obie prepares Second Round’s On Me, he finds himself pouring out a little liquor.

AllHipHop.com: How was the Anger Management Tour?

Obie Trice: We went all over the U.S., it was crazy. It was real fun to have everybody on the same tour. Me and my n***a, Marshall was just getting it in working.

AllHipHop.com: Any cities that stood out?

Obie Trice: The South was real dope. Atlanta, Houston, Dallas… everywhere was dope.

AllHipHop.com: How’d you know that you were in your element?

Obie Trice: Crowd participation. You spittin’ your s**t, and the crowd is right there wit’ you, looking at you, spittin’ your s**t verbatim, word for word. It’s like scoring a touchdown, man.

AllHipHop.com: How important is stage presence?

Obie Trice: It all depends on the song. If I got a song that’s crazy, a wil’ out song, I’ma rhyme and move accordingly.

AllHipHop.com: Since the last project, how have you grown as an MC?

Obie Trice: Cheers is a classic. It’s been almost three years since my last album, which is a long time. Second Round’s On Me shows a different Obie. I’m going deeper. I’m not the same dude. I think this album is more lyrical, more spontaneous. Second Round… Shows growth as an individual. I got 18, 19 songs on my album. Most albums come with 14 songs, and that’s a complete album. You don’t want people to get drowned in the music and not listen, but I give it all to you.

AllHipHop.com: Dr. Dre versus Eminem. Who takes the title of best producer?

Obie Trice: I’m going with Marshall. That’s my homey. Dre’s the man, but Em’ is sick. He got some s**t. He gives away beats! He don’t charge Nas or Jay-Z. Dre want a $150,000 to a million [dollars]. Eminem is a motherf**king artist. He’s a talented dude and you gotta respect him. He’s never been fake.

AllHipHop.com: No doubt. The world’s been giving it up for him. At this point, what separates Shady Records from the other labels out there?

Obie Trice: Marshall let’s you be the individual that you are. He listens to my music, gives his opinion, then mixes and masters it.

AllHipHop.com: The first song that I heard off of Next Round’s On Me was “Ghetto” featuring Trey Songz and producer JR Rotem. When I heard that, I was like… “Damn!” What went into that?

Obie Trice: I felt Trey Songz’ hook, and JR is a beast. I was right at home. “I’m from the motherf**king slums where the cops don’t come/ turn the lights on and the bugs don’t run/ you aint s**t without no gun in the ghetto.” That’s not just Detroit, it’s the whole world, especially us as black people.

AllHipHop.com: I agree completely. What do you miss most about Hip-Hop from ten years ago?

Obie Trice: N***as wasn’t killin’ each other like they are today. Hip-Hop was fun when I was young. You were speaking where you came from, and n***as respected it. Nowadays man… I don’t know if the crack babies are growing up or what, but it’s crazy. I got a bullet in my head right now as we speak.

Hip-Hop was fun for me; I had fun with the music back then. That was my passion. I was born to do Hip-Hop music. It goes way beyond another hustle. You can’t just jump into the culture; it’s a relationship that needs to be appreciated. Really, really appreciated. It’s a bond, more than just rap; it’s the significant other. It’s more than just saying that I can rap. That’s where a lot of n***as got it twisted. You can’t just be rapping just to rap. As a rapper you’ve got to have an objective. And you’ve got to have somebody in your corner with a good ear to give constructive criticism, not just a bunch of yes-men. It’s just like getting drafted to the NBA or NFL, it ain’t for everybody. There are a lot of dudes in the NBA that got drafted and sat on that bench. They were a part of the team but they never played. Rapping aint for everybody. We all aren’t stars.

AllHipHop.com: Would you consider yourself a star?

Obie Trice: I consider myself as a star, and as a dude that does it for Hip-Hop. I’m not trying to get over on you motherf***ers. I love the music. I don’t do it just to shine. I do it because I love Hip-Hop culture. I try to make music that people can appreciate. I love the music and the culture, always have and always will. But I’m a star.

AllHipHop.com: As a star, and as far as your career goes, where do you see yourself in ten years?

Obie Trice: I see myself making movies. I also see myself established as one of the greatest MC’s that ever did it.

AllHipHop.com: Our prayers and condolences go out to Proof’s family and the Shady Aftermath staff. What would you have fans of Hip-Hop and members of our community take away from this unfortunate situation?

Obie Trice: Us as Black men… there’s a lot of dudes that just take your life for no reason. I think it’s some bulls**t, truthfully. Not just from what happened to Proof… I mean, I saw my n***a on a gurney. I went to the hospital when they brought his body in, cold, one eye open… it’s just senseless dog. We kill each other ‘cause, “I don’t like you. You bump me walking through the crowd, and I’ll kill you.” And I’ll kill any n***a trying to take me away from my loved ones! And it’s sad that it has to be that way, but that’s how it is. N***as will kill you and not think nothing of it. I almost died New Year’s Eve…

AllHipHop.com: I don’t know your history of violence or of being shot, but you were shot in the head and survived. What’s your outlook on life like nowadays?

Obie: Trice: It’s still surreal to me. It’s funny that I didn’t get shot a long time ago. I’m from the hood and been in a lot of bulls**t; shoot-outs, n***as shot at me… it’s just a blessing that I can talk to you right now about my situation. It ain’t no hype - getting shot ain’t cool. I’m surprised that it took this long for me, and I get shot in the dome at that? I got a bullet in my head; it cracked my skull so the doctors ain’t want to pull it out. The nurses were like; “You had three angels in the car with you that night.” And four months later, my man gets killed. He wasn’t meant for that.

AllHipHop.com: You got any advice for all the gun-happy kids and rappers with assault rifles in all their rhymes?

Obie Trice: If you murder a person, that’s a track record. If you murder someone one time, you feel like it aint s**t. Keep laying n***as down, you gotta answer to the Man upstairs in the end. The niggas that shot me, all of that s**t comes back around. I’ll give it to this summer, they gon’ be talking, n***as want to express themselves. I don’t care who the f**k you is. If it was a real killing type of n***a, he would have killed me. The person that shot me was just a hatin’ ass n***a. I don’t owe anybody s**t. I ain’t took no work from nobody. I might have f**ked somebody’s b*tch. If that’s why you want to kill a n***a, then you’se a fag. I aint never snitched on nobody and I gets it in Detroit. I f**k with trife life. I f**k with real people. It’s just a sad situation.

Detroit is a small working-class city. Word gets around. It’s so small, certain niggas talk like bitches sometimes, even though Detroit is made up of real motherf***ers. I love my city and that’s why I can’t move. All we got is downtown where everybody pulls up at the same spot; all the killers, hustlers, everybody. It’s not like New York City; it’s only a few spots.

AllHipHop.com: What’s the economy like in Detroit right now?

Obie Trice: We’re $130 million dollars in debt. If we don’t have the money by June, the state is taking over. That’s called receivership. That’s crazy, laws is going to change… the s**t is crazy. N***as is broke for real. So when they see Obie Trice, Eminem or D12, they like “f**k y’all n***as!” And all we doing is chilling and embracing you. We from “the D,” so we trying to indulge in the things we’ve always been doing. It ain’t like you going to see Nas or Jay-Z walk past, it’s no stars like that. But, if you don’t like me, who gives a f**k? N***as die over that. That’s when it gets real hectic.

Music Review - DevelopMental1 [April 2006]

2006-08-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Develop[Mental]1
Rating: ***1/2

Just because you play the role, it don’t mean you get the part. Mixtape newbies and comfortable vets take heed, Norcal DJ Icewater is exceptional at mixing posse cuts. The shouting echo of mixtape DJ’s was tired the day the trend began. Smooth blends and precise cuts make for easy listening. NatAural High Records give their artists a bona-fide chance to shine on the Develop[Mental]1 (NatAural High) compilation. The balancing of tables in the rap game has made the masses open-minded for an appropriate change in sonic logic. In other words, the Bay has something significant to offer: a vacation from bullet-riddled, doped up, club soundtracks.

Take a breath of fresh air and peep the choice sounds of NH’s flagship act. Holding strong in 3rd place on this compilation, Lunar Heights welcomes listeners with witty punch lines and playful skill from a backpacker’s notebook on “Da Music,” produced by DJ Vinroc. LH’s potential opportunities as underground emcees goes unscathed even with thumbs down for doing too much on “Shake” and failing to omit the lazy chorus.

Spank Pops has star personality. With his easy-going demeanor, eclectic hooks and straight out the Yay energy, you can feel the funk in the air, on your collar and under your shoes. “Like Me Now” is an official low-key club joint. Pops gets the ladies and gents involved while Jem Eye tosses a dime with light keys and a mellow bass. “Populate” is that s**t for the trunk, windows down, car parked, dancing on the hood, “From the Golden Gate, this is everyday.” A versatile-chopped up two bar flow and introspective mind surprises listeners on “Small World,” produced by and featuring Trackademicks. With a serious flow and pastoral approach, Spank Pops goes in, “Every rapper got a drink coming out/Trying to turn our kids into drinkers/What we need is some thinkers/ better schools and more teachers.”

The standout appeal on Develop[Mental]1 comes from Texas wordsmith Bavu Blakes. Rap pioneer, the D.O.C., deems Bavu as “one of Texas’ brightest new stars,” that sounds nothing like any rapper from Texas on your radio today. With classic material like “Play The Role,” produced by Symbolyc One, fans will undoubtedly look to this confident MC with jazzy vocals for future songs. Bavu gets at the pseudo-thug, wannabee starMC, white Rasta and permed out sistah on this cut. Dropping gems with an in-depth view of each particular circumstance, Bavu disassembles the loudmouth gangsta, “Are they punks trying to cover it up perhaps/So shrunk they can’t penetrate the naps/Now you know some kind of insecurities can be traced cuz folks be popping off at the mouth to save face.”

A solid compilation and meaningful contribution with minimal duds, Develop[Mental]1 manages to showcase star product and thoughtful commentary.

allhiphop.com

Music Review - Bang For The Buck [April 2006]

2006-08-25T11:58:00.002-07:00

Artist: Ugly Duckling
Title: Bang For The Buck
Rating: **1/2

Relentlessly determined and optimistic, ugly ducklings are the ones that no one wants: the hideously unloved and underappreciated. As the tale goes, the ill regarded fowl eventually transforms into the beautiful swan, adored by all. This isn't the case for the Long Beach rap trio Ugly Duckling amidst the valiant effort they put forth on their latest full length Bang for the Buck (Fat Beats).

Diving in you feel instant Juice era, late eighties, early nineties rap music. Production sizzles and skates forward as the up-tempo opener and title track infuses bells with a hype snare and focused bass. The fingers behind the boards, Young Einstein, get busy on the majority of Ugly Duckling’s tracks employing everything from horns, high-hats and fancy key work to get the job done. The nostalgic experience and steady groove put you in a goofy party-boy mode, but the songs are still dressed to party by an average old-school tailor.

Andy and Dizzy know how to have fun with Hip-Hop. Life is definitely about not taking yourself too seriously and this pair of confident lyricists flash a friendly smile at the mic and let go a mockingly pathetic laugh at the entire industry. But their independence and unique sound is hard to grasp and even harder to listen to. Yeah, they got an old-school flavor but it’s the type of ingredient that makes jerk chicken inedible and gets a gin and tonic sent back for having 90% tonic. These guys definitely have a cool love for the music that sets the stage for a positive bond with the listener, but only if you're a wannabe skater and hippie backpacker. Lame hooks straight up ruin songs like “Yudee!,” “Smack,” and “Lower The Boom.” “Shoot Your Shot” says it all and fails to body anything, “There’s no competition, so I don't listen/ you think you're dope here’s a penny, go wishing.”

The rap scene today is in dire need of balance. Between the overbearing corporate shuffling of murderers, drug dealers and Trump imitations, California’s revolution is gearing up for round three in the rap game [NWA, Death Row would be one and two]. It feels like a breath of fresh air is on the horizon, unfortunately Young Einstein, Dizzy and Andy aren't sonically prepared to factor into that equation.

allhiphop.com

Music Review - All Aboard [March 2006]

2006-08-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Artist: Code Red
Title: All Aboard
Rating: ***

The members of Code Red all have tall tales and personal demons, each focusing a unique talent to make a healthy contribution to All Aboard (Madacy). The refreshing challenge is that they don’t sound like any other act on the scene which will make them hard to accept, and difficult for competition to outpace. Purchase a ticket and grab a window seat.

Watz lays the instrumental groundwork for All Aboard. An average beat-smith with C+ production makes it difficult to get excited about the trip ahead. Catering to the specifications of each artist can make it difficult to formulate a standout sound. The Jamaican Reggae artist JR. Dread adds the island vibe, pseudo Dylan of Da Band. Like his contemporary, he adds a different flavor to the mix that does not help to make the ride any more enjoyable. The lyricists of the group balance tracks sabotaged by corny catch phrases and metaphors, with superior wordplay, heartfelt content and enthusiasm. El One is a close second to Manfred’s confident consistency.

“Give me a Reason” is an amazing effort that captures the relevant and often forgotten topic about war through the first hand experience of a soldier: “They send him overseas to fight for their democracy but all he thinks about is that daughter he never got to see/And all he wanted was money for college, now he’s fighting wars for a government hungry for dollars.” Preach! “Long Time Coming” and “Brother Louis,” a song about interracial dating complete with visual detail and abashed racism come off brilliant. Watz delivers, valiantly assisted by Todd Smith on soulful strings and impressive key work.

After “Atomic,” “Pimp it out” and “The Sky is Falling”, passengers will signal the drive to let them off. “She’s a chicken, there a chicken one mi ‘fraid a pluck pluck/ Here a cluck, there a cluck, everywhere a cluck cluck.” It gets no wacker. An executive producer, with an honest opinion and Ginsu blade to cut the fat, was left out of All Aboard. However, the group’s versatility, unique chemistry and talent prove for a positive sound with potential.

allhiphop.com

Scarface & The Product: Training Day [February 2006]

2006-08-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief and media advertisement, many individuals aren’t the least bit happy with the way the world of Hip-Hop music has played out in the 21st century. Whether shady business deals or watered down, carbon copy songs are the illness, hopeful rap heads are fortunate to have hungry artists in the booth working to cook up a remedy.

Three of those individuals are in The Product. Led by who many would claim, is the undisputed "King of the South" – Scarface, the trio has a legend at the core. Then, the troupe is given some flavor from Bay Area veteran, Will Hen. Lastly, the youthful charge comes from Mississippi bred, Young Malice. This trio linked up with veteran producer Tone Capone to thread the needle, that’s likely to be jabbed in the industry’s veins.

Young Malice remains relatively quiet as Scarface and Will Hen reveal their plan to AllHipHop.com. ‘Face’s Underground Railroad Records may not be what Harriet Tubman had in mind, but the liberation of Black Music, as the Houston icon describes it, will begin this Black History Month. One Hunnid Percent independent.

AllHipHop.com: What’s up with the Underground Railroad movement?

Scarface: I’m just trying to free the slaves.

AllHipHop.com: Are you talking about underground artists?

Scarface: These big corporate slave-driving motherf**kers… I’ve gotten so many slave offers in the past five months from these major labels; they still aint trying to give a n***a a fair f**king run. I mean, they want that and want this, but ain’t trying to give a n***a shit. I’ve got to own my s**t.

AllHipHop.com: So you’re just going to continue putting your life on wax…

Scarface: I’m an artist, man. I’ll always have ideas. 20 years down the line, if somebody wants to use one of my songs, and the person who owns the publishing and masters of it is getting paid, that ain’t right. I did all the work. I think every artist in the music industry should boycott that s**t, and demand some of the ownership back. We’re in a position to start owning our music.

AllHipHop.com: The industry doesn’t get a chance to really feast on Bay Area music. I know it’s a land of independent hustle; can you fill us in?

Will Hen: It’s moving. The Bay is doing things themselves. We’ll let the industry catch on later. Back in the day when Bay area artists were selling 100,000 plus records themselves, Atlantic, Priority and everybody else came out here trying to get a piece; ‘We’ll take 20 and you can keep 80.’ They were giving out real deals back then, beyond joint ventures. It’s getting back there. It’s a buzzing music scene. Everyone’s doing something different: street s**t, crunk, spittin’ game and stepping up their craft.

AllHipHop.com: I know you released an album in 2002, Filmoism. But for fans who may be discovering you by way of ‘Face, can you give us some background on yourself, as far as taking the pimp game and transcending into rapping?

Will Hen: I’m a real Fillmore n***a. I’m from San Francisco, California. The pimp game to me is like the crack game, an alternative, nothing out of the ordinary. I’ve done anything anyone in the street had to do to survive. Anyone with any sense is going to elevate his or herself. A smart n***a’s not going to work hard, but work smart. We all can probably be gangster; grab a gun and hustle rocks, but the key is to find an easier way to get to the top.

AllHipHop.com: Everybody wants to pimp in rap today. What are your thoughts?

Will Hen: I don’t like it. I feel like, when I went outside and put my hard shoes on and played the part, it was real. I had to really study the game and deal with the ups and downs and everything that came with it. It ain’t all sweet out here in the city. I gotta ride like I’m supposed to and be holding what I’m supposed to… even though I was in the Mack game. You gotta stay gangsta on these n***as and pimpish on these hoes. A sucker or a n***a on that bulls**t is gone see a whole ‘nother side.

AllHipHop.com: People may remember Tone Capone for doing, “I Got 5 On It” ten years ago. As a producer for The Product, what element does Tone Capone bring to your music?

Will Hen: He’s very influential. When a producer and MC have good chemistry, the possibilities are endless. The first time we met, we cranked out a joint. He’s an experienced professional. Tone and ‘Face both have that ear for music… they [both] old school heads for real, digging in the crates. That impressed me. Tone played a joint we did for ‘Face, and he felt like it was time for me to get down.

AllHipHop.com: What went into the process of making One Hunnid?

Scarface: We just sat down and said, ‘Let’s try and make our s**t rock harder than anything else out there.’ I’m a fan of the game. I love music. I feel like the game needs every song we’ve made, ‘cause right now, we f***d. When you got n***as that don’t appreciate it, and just want to get a payday out of it, then we f***d.

AllHipHop.com: The South is dominant in the rap game today. How do you set yourself apart from the other acts?

Young Malice: I feel like what we’re saying has a bit more relevance.

Will Hen: That n***a’s dope man. He dope for real. He’s finna change what everybody think about a Mississippi n***a.

AllHipHop.com: What was it like working with Scarface?

Young Malice: It was a family environment. It was us doing what we had to do to get to where we wanted to be. When you’re working with professionals, it’s easier. I’ve been in the studio with cats that didn’t know what the f**k they were doing. Next thing you know, you’ve been in the studio for hours without a completed project. It takes no time for us to put a classic song together when we’re in the studio. That’s what made it so good working with Brad and Hen.

AllHipHop.com: As a spotlighted new artist, what do you want fans to take from the upcoming album One Hunnid?

Young Malice: I want you to gain our experience from the album. We’re voicing our lives and current events. Take knowledge from the album. Don’t try to be like one of us. Listen to the positive and negative parts, learn from the negative and try to take the positive with you to better yourself.

Scarface: When you listening to it, just think in your head: ‘This is what we need, what the world’s been missing.’

B.G.: Hero [January 2006]

2006-08-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Call him O.G., legend, thug or entrepreneur. Call him recovering junkie, traitor, married to street life. How about survivor? This is a man whose world was completely turned upside down by one of the biggest societal tragedies and natural disasters in the history of the United States of America. We now have something to add to the list of hardships and hurdles encountered along the road of life walked by Christopher Dorsey.

Could you fill his shoes, dealing with lost family members at an early age? Could you, not only survive the harsh ghetto reality of New Orleans' wards, let alone make a name for yourself akin to 'Heart of the Streets?' Do you have the talent, energy and drive to drop 15 albums by the age of 25, help to build from the ground up a multi-million dollar empire then, despite your loyalty but in light of your honor, walk away? And as your independent arms reach out and you begin to grasp for new ground and reclaim your name, carving a place for your new company, could you lose your heart, your home and your way of life? I don't mean to pull your G-card but… I truly doubt it.

Amazingly, of all things B.G. is positive and realistic, hurt by various sources but not emotional, and definitely optimistic for the future. It's grind time baby! Let the 504 native show you how it's done, the right way. Call him what you will but know this: many will forever call him hero.

HHG: B.G. what's the deal man?

Everything's good on my end, just chilling like a real nigga's supposed to you know?

HHG: I hear you homey. For all the fools that don't know, fill us in on who you are and why you are a legend?

My rap sheet speaks for itself. C'mon man, you wouldn't think I was one with all the work I've put in, credibility I got in the game, and the ups and downs I've had to overcome?

HHG: Definitely. In this New Year, what are some of the personal goals you have for 2006?

My personal goal for 2006… is to stay out of jail. That's the main one, cuz if I'm in jail I can't get no money. And if I can't get no money then fuck… you heard me? My goals are just to turn Chopper City into what I helped turn Cash Money into and just do me and make a way for my niggas and help rebuild my city. My plans, goals and dreams get bigger everyday.

HHG: How's your family doing?

They're good, everything's good.

HHG: Our prayers consistently go out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We know the government didn't act accordingly and appropriately with preventing and assisting in the situation.
From your standpoint, can you give us an update on what's being done in the rebuilding process of New Orleans?

They're rebuilding the rich part of town. The hood still looks the same way it looked the day after the hurricane hit. Fuck, it is what it is. I get disgusted when I speak on it.

HHG: Is there a way for the readers to contribute to helping the situation?

Yeah, Yeah it is. There's a million and one ways. I'm trying to put something together where the proceeds go straight to the hood. When I do something it gotta be right, it gotta be big I can't half-step with it. It's all I know.

HHG: The Heart of the Streets Volume 2, I Am What I Am to be released early 2006. What's going on with that?

Man, that's the continuation of Volume 1. I'm giving the streets what they want and expect from me. The "Heart of the streets" title, people come up to me and say 'I know what that means.' People embrace me with that and tell me I got the right to call myself that. Anybody who has 10 of my previous albums, or any Hot Boys albums, they already know how I'm coming, aint nothing changed.

HHG: So you have 15 albums and how old are you?

I'm 25.

HHG: You're a bona fide legend on the strength of that. I also wanted to ask what's going on with Chopper City Records?

Chopper City Records is good. I'm in a nice position right now, a very good position and I've been doing my independent thing now for the past 2-3 years and I've been building, grinding and stackin'. I've been climbing the stairs and now I'm on the porch and I got the keys to like five doors and all of 'em are six-figure doors. Really I'm content right now and I haven't decided what door I'ma go in and I'm playing it how I wanna play it. At the end of the day I'ma make the right decision of what's best for me and my label as a whole, so I'm not in a rush. I'm situated so they gotta dance to my music.

HHG: What does an individual have to be prepared for when getting their independent hustle on as opposed to signing with a major?

He gotta be ready to grind, be ready to work. Really and truly to me, independence is the key. I've been on top. I been there. So I know what it's like. Both worlds are cool, but the independent goal is to set yourself up for the majors and make 'em dance to your music. I made my mark in the game with Cash Money and made the whole world respect my music, respect what I do and respect me as B.G. When you do the independent thing, people respect you even more.

HHG: Do you consider yourself a pioneer in the game of rap?

If people wanna say that then I aint gonna correct 'em. I aint the type a nigga to be big-headed, I just do what I do. When Scarface took his hat off to me, it couldn't get no better than that. Scarface, Bun B, I consider them pioneers. I come behind them. I been in the game just as long, but I never looked at it like that. When people like that have as much respect for me as they do, then I'm cool wit' it.

HHG: Cash Money Records will always be in the background of your career because it's an empire that you helped build from the block to the billboard. How do you feel about that?

Really and truly, I would have never thought in a million years it would have ended up like that. We were the most family oriented, but that just let me know how powerful money is for real. Money fucked Baby up, and I'm more hurt than anything. I was 12 years old when my daddy got killed and that nigga took me under his wing and raised me. I was loyal. I got his name tattooed on me, my name tatted on him, I christened his son and he christened mine. But it is what it is, I gotta deal with it.

HHG: Are you still cool with Mannie Fresh and Juvenile?

Oh yeah, cuz, they aint got my money. They got them too.

HHG: Do you have plans on making any more music with them?

Oh yeah, Mannie Fresh produced my 1st single off of Heart of the Streets Volume 2., called 'Move Around.'

HHG: That's what's up, we're looking forward to that. Now at some point was there supposed to be reconciliation with Cash Money? Were you planning on doing a Hot Boys album?

I wouldn't mind. I'd love to do it as long as Baby ain't have no parts of it.

HHG: I think everybody in the world has heard 'Triggaman' by now and it's self-explanatory. I need to hear it from you, what was the motivation behind you making that song?

Last year, it was 'I Miss My Dogs' and when I first heard that song, that motherfucker brought tears to my eyes, cuz shawty came from the heart wit' that one. I was surprised it made his album because of how real and true it was, especially with what we were going through. But a couple of months ago, I picked up a magazine and he was on the cover. I'm reading the article and they're asking him about the Hot Boys and he made a statement in the magazine like 'Fuck everybody who left Cash Money I don't respect none of 'em.' I was like whoa, cuz that's a strong statement. I'm one of the ones who left. So you saying fuck me? Really and truly, fuck me, fuck you back. You basically said fuck everybody who left, fuck all of us. I don't know how they gonna take it but me being the type of nigga I am, no- uh uh.

We done had concerts together, I went on stage with him, he came on stage with me. Me and shawty had a cool relationship until I read that article.

HHG: You were always like the older brother.

Exactly. Man, that was my lil'… he wanted to be like… basically, no disrespect but… Baby raised me and I raised him. It is what it is.

HHG: Young Black Entrepreneurs is one of my favorite songs. Is there a message that you and Mobb Deep were trying to send when you made that track?

HHG: Really, Prodigy reached out and we was in New York, he was like 'I got this song that I want B.G. to get on.' I was like, 'damn Mobb Deep wan' fuck wit' me? C'mon let's go.' So once we got in the studio, we connected and vibed and was kickin' it, he already had the concept down, and once I heard it I did what I do on it…

HHG: Killed it.

That motherfucker was hot.

HHG: Got plans on working with Mobb Deep anytime soon?

Most definitely.

HHG: Are the rumors true of you forming an alliance and becoming apart of the G-Unit fold?

We talk. You know, it's most definitely an option. If everything works out and we can get the paper work right, you know I aint trippin'. If he reaches out, makes the situation right and let's me do me. It aint no secret as to what I'm doing. I'd love to link with them. Buck's my dog, if it happen or doesn't happen that's gonna be my nigga for life.

HHG: Is Young Buck on the new album?

We got a lotta tracks together but I'm not going to use 'em on this upcoming album, they'll be on the next album. My next three albums are lined up already.

HHG: You been in the studio grindin'?

I'm telling you… after this Heart of the Streets Vol.2, then I'ma drop The Comeback Kid, then after that I got a real good feeling that all the hard times and struggling will be over so after that, I might name it Let the Good Times Roll. I got it all mapped out.

HHG: You always had a real strong swagger about you, and your flow is type bluesy. What would you attribute that to?

At the end of the day I'm just B.G. It just come out, it's all real with me. I do it the only way I know how and the voice speaks for itself. Some niggas, you hear 'em on a record, then you hear 'em in person and it's two different people. Anytime you hear me, it's the same. Cuz I'ma be my fucking self.

HHG: Would you consider yourself someone who freestyles, a battle rapper or someone who makes songs?

I can do all that, I can freestyle, I can smash a nigga if I want to and I can do songs. People be using the terms crossover and mainstream, I don't believe in none of that. I just be myself and make the game crossover to me. Whatever song I did that hit the other side, I aint do it for them, I did it cuz that's what I was feeling. I just do me, you either respect it or check it.

HHG: What are some of the necessities that you gotta have with you when in the recording studio?

A pack of Newports and my closest niggas and the vibe. I go in there and let the track talk to me.

What's the mood like in the studio when you're making a hit song?

HHG: It's something about that beat. It all starts with the beat, the drum pad. Once you got that down, then the bassline. You can make anything a hit, you just gotta ride that motherfucker right. Anybody can get on a song and rap, but you gotta ride that bitch a certain way.

HHG: Are there any new artists that you're riding to right now?

I listen to a little bit of everything. Right now in my changer I got Lil' Kim, one of the hottest albums out this year to me, Young Jeezy, believe it or not Lil' Wayne, Get Rich or Die Tryin' soundtrack, Juelz Santana, that Urban Legend, my shit and that Bun B.

HHG: What about producers?

Really and truly, you know how you got the $50,000, $100,000 producers? I respect 'em and get beats from 'em, fucks wit' 'em, but they got some hungry niggas in the basement that's just as hot as them niggas. I be tryin' to give them a shot. I got a lot of different producers on the album, Mannie Fresh, Paul Wall, but I worked with some producers you aint ever heard of and you gonna hear the track and be like 'damn who that?' If I didn't put any credits on the album you wouldn't know who was who.

I might hear a beat going for twenty stacks, then hear a beat that hit harder than that going for two stacks. I'ma give two-stack homey a shot and maybe in a minute, he'll be getting' his twenty.

HHG: Is there anything other than rap that you listen to?

I got Jamie Foxx in my CD changer, Mary J. Blige; I'm a R. Kelly fan. I get jazzy when it's time to get jazzy.

HHG: With Volume 2, what can fans expect from the new album?

They can expect B.G. to be B.G. I got a little older and wiser; I'm picking up where I left off on the last album, which was supposed to be a double album. I decided to break it down and bless the streets twice with this one. I'ma make a statement with this one. That heart of the streets shit means a lot to me. Once I'm certified with this one, I'ma go into the next stage of my life. I'm just sticking to my roots. If I get outside of myself and go start living like a star and letting money get to me then I'm not going to be grounded. I keep myself grounded. I can't see it any other way. A lot of niggas in the game can't handle the fame and the money. I see niggas who wasn't shit a few years ago, and now they don't want motherfuckers even touching 'em. They be on some hoe shit and I don't respect that.

hiphopgame.com

Needlz: Cue Burn [December 2005]

2006-08-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

"A new producer's on the rise? and you don't want a problem with this guy." No, really. The only thing slightly problematic nowadays is the overbearing corporate machine in the world of Hip-Hop music. One guy's story combats this errie tradition.

Needlz has a new sound and an old soul to break his own brand of Funk down. The Michigan native and former Bad Boy intern has supplied heat for gangstas like 50 Cent and Young Buck while also juicing Talib Kweli's latest banger, "Drugs Basketball & Rap". Needlz brings a humble demeanor and focused work ethic to the game. The New Musician is here with AllHipHop.com to give a tutorial to young producers and bring Hip-Hop's sound back to its essence.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of the veteran producers are criticizing your generation as "beat-makers", not "producers." To you, what is the difference between a producer and a beat-maker, and where do you fit?

Needlz: Well, a producer is more hands-on in the studio, guiding the artist through the song-making process, while a beat-maker submits beats or instrumentals and waits on a phone call. I'm a combination of both; sometimes I submit beats while other times I work with cats and I'd love to be able to do more of the hands on producer work?

AllHipHop.com: You get a better vibe in the studio when the producer is working with the artist?

Needlz: It would be, but that hasn't been the case. With the exception of established cats getting a lot of work like Dre and the Neptunes, who can take time to work with the artists, most cats on the come-up, like in my situation, have to balance between both. And nowadays with Protools and things like that, people can just make the track on their own.

AllHipHop.com: In your opinion, do you think there's a difference in the skill level between producers sampling as opposed to playing instruments?

Needlz: Skill level, nah. I don't know how to play any instruments, but I know how to put stuff together. I've been around musicians who can kill it on a keyboard, but when they try to make a beat, it's trash. Of course I want to learn how to play the keys, it would help overall, but if you have the gift to make people's head move, then you're good. The skills of knowing how to play an instrument are equal to that of making a beat.

AllHipHop.com: 2005 has been a big year for you. For all those new to Needlz, can you give readers a summary of your entrance into the industry?

Needlz: I started out as an intern at Bad Boy. While I was going to grad-school at NYU, some dudes were shopping my tracks on the low and it ended up on the desk of an A&R at Def Jam who worked with DMX, Redman and Method Man. She happened to be an NYU alum, liked my work, we met up, and hit it off. She's responsible for 95% of my music getting out there, from work with Ruff Ryders to BET. It also led to me working with G-Unit, Young Buck's " Let Me In" and 50 Cent's "Piggy Bank" and "God Gave Me Style."

AllHipHop.com: Yeah that "God Gave Me Style" joint is one of my favorites, the other side of 50?

Needlz: Yeah, I wish that would have really come out.

AllHipHop.com: Can you go into detail about your experience as an intern at Bad Boy and the value if any you got from it?

Needlz: It was valuable because while I was in school interning, my major was music business. I wanted to be an A&R and work on the business side of the music industry. When I started interning at Bad Boy, I found out that I didn't want to work for anyone. I'm a cat with a degree getting coffee and french-fries for dudes, and that was wack. But at the same time, I was steady grinding and making beats.

AllHipHop.com: You've recently produced a really big controversial track on one of the best selling albums in 2005. What was it like working with 50 cent and G-Unit?

Needlz: I haven't had any problems at all. It's a situation where they picked unknown beats off of a CD, which is cool because it shows that my stuff stands out.

AllHipHop.com: With them being the big dogs in the game, it's a huge compliment to you that they would choose your music as the soundtrack to their story.

Needlz: Definitely. It's been a good look working with them, I can't complain. They kind of put me on the map.

AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about beef on wax in rap music?

Needlz: It is what it is. I'm a laid back person, I don't really get into any of that. It's just another part of Hip-Hop.

AllHipHop.com: Right, been around since the beginning. What are your feelings on the state of Hip-Hop music today?

Needlz: I find myself not really listening to that much rap anymore. No one's really doing anything different. It's pretty much the same song. If I buy a CD, I'm checking for the other producers because I know what the rappers are going to say.

AllHipHop.com: Producers are coming up in a real way.

Needlz: That's the reason. The majority of rappers are talking about pushing drugs, "I got this much money, I f**k this many girls." That's basically what it is and to me there's more to life than that, more to Hip-Hop than that. It's cool if folks talk about that, just do it in a different way. I aint trying to sound like the mad producer though?

AllHipHop.com: I'm sure there are good amounts of people that share the same sentiments. What does Needlz bring to the table?

Needlz: On the low, I'm getting ready to introduce artists that aren't on the same tip, bringing something different to the table. New York's been rocking with the same cats for so long, we really need something fresh.

AllHipHop.com: How would you describe your sound?

Needlz: It's like an oxymoron: clean and dirty at the same time. I'm really picky with the sounds I choose, from the high-hat to the snare. As I start to make a beat, I try to stay away from what sounds regular. That's how I've developed.

AllHipHop.com: Interesting. Are you a family man?

Needlz: If I could, I would be at home chillin' with my fiancé and daughter. I'm not too big on clubs or parties, I rather be at home making beats and chillin'. At the end of the day, I gotta put food on the table and bring money in.

AllHipHop.com: You've got your priorities together. Does having a family impact or influence your music?

Needlz: When my daughter was born, my career took off. It was a blessing. My girl isn't really into it as much, and that provides the balance.

AllHipHop.com: What was the Hip-Hop scene like growing up in Michigan?

Needlz: Hot! We listened to everything, East Coast, West Coast, Booty music and House. We really respected it and I was a big East Coast fan. DJ'ing in high school, and having the new music first was a cool experience. To have the Nas album, [Raekwon's] Purple Tape?

AllHipHop.com: Do you still get the DJ itch from time to time?

Needlz: Yeah no doubt! I haven't bought records in a minute. I spin MP3s. I'm really looking for a spot where I can spin early 90's Hip-Hop records.

AllHipHop.com: Which MC's and or producers inspired you coming up, and why?

Needlz: The RZA is definitely underrated; he's one of the illest! He created the whole Wu sound and movement. Back then producers didn't have as much shine and he never got the recognition he deserved. Man, cats like Just Blaze, Premier, Dilla, Nottz, Havoc. I'm a fan and I listen to all of these cats. When I first started, I used to sit down and study Premier. He brought a lot to the game.

AllHipHop.com: DJ Premier is certainly a pioneer and veteran in Rap music. How did "Drugs Basketball & Rap" come about?

Needlz: 88 keys brought me down to the studio and put me onto Talib Kweli. I gave him a beat CD and got called back. I really like that beat, and a lot of artists passed up on it. A lot of beats people pick aren't my best beats, but at the end of the day it's not about me, it's what they like. It was something that happened real quick and I'm glad he picked that beat cuz the track came out cool.

AllHipHop.com: Anymore Kweli or G-Unit collabos in the future?

Needlz: Yeah I talked to Talib last week, and he picked out some joints. I got a joint with Lloyd Banks featuring Prodigy.

AllHipHop.com: So are you officially in the G-Unit system?

Needlz: I guess you can say that, but I'm not signed to them. I got a lot of love for them cats. Props to Sha Money and D Prosper!

AllHipHop.com: That's a good look. Who else are you working with at the moment?

Needlz: Corey Gunz, Rich Boyz, and Sharifa. I'm really hoping people embrace Lupe Fiasco; he's one of the dopest MC's out there. I'm trying to put together this super-group from New Jersey. Its kind of hard bringing three different solo artists into one group, but it's something I've always wanted to do. There are not a lot of hot groups out there and I think it's ill when artists bring different energy and a unique voice to the booth. It's like having three different songs on one track.

AllHipHop.com:You're rumored to have a band in the works? Is it Rock?

Needlz: It's not really a Rock band. It's an R&B singer and myself and we're doing some next level, soulful R&B s**t. The Gutta Fam is the name of the [New Jersey] conglomerate. It's an old school vibe with some Hip-Hop flavor.

AllHipHop.com: Definitely keep us posted. You got a lot of new music that we're going to be checking for. That's what's up. Scanning the history of Hip-Hop, what artist would you most like to work with, dead or alive and why?

Needlz: I don't really deal with a lot of what if's. I mean, if Biggie and Pac were alive today, things would be a lot different. A lot of artists might not be as hot. I might not even be here. My favorite rapper has always been Nas. I'm a big Nas fan.

AllHipHop.com: What do you think about the new alliance between Nas and Jay?

Needlz: I think it's dope. That's the best s**t to happen this year. I heard that they might do an album and I hope it happens. The South is really bubbling right now and I love it, but there needs to be some balance. We need some more East coast influence in the game. It's weird listening to the radio in New York nowadays. I don't know where I am sometimes. I love that s**t, got no problems, I've done stuff for Ludacris and a lot of other Southern cats. I just think the game needs some more balance.