AllHipHop.com: None of you guys are hard up for cash, so was you doing this a testament to fans? Otherwise, I don’t see much point.
Willie D: Well, it’s like this: I’m not hard up for cash. I understand that making an album could take me to a whole different level. What is the least complicated way for me to let people know that, s**t, Willie D still got it? The path of least resistance is do a Geto Boy album. When you mention Geto Boy album, people pay attention. Do a Geto Boy album and start taking care of my business on a solo tip, this time, and be ready, this time. I’m cocked and loaded – GB drop, I’mma sell a lot of Willie D. This thing is orchestrated, it ain’t by chance.
AllHipHop.com: How much do you as individuals need this project to happen, and Rap-A-Lot, how much did they need it?
Bushwick Bill: Personally, I say s**t go hand in hand. They didn’t need Geto Boys to re-establish the label. What we were doing was just reminding this generation where the majority of inspired talents of today got their inspiration from. Because we got ours from those before us, like Just-Ice, Kool G. Rap, Mantronix, Krs-ONE, EPMD, Rakim. You know something about the streets, but on a level where everyone can understand it. It’s not just your block or your neighborhood. It’s also showing your neighborhood to the world. That’s what the Geto Boys did.
AllHipHop.com: I’d go as far to say that if Rap-A-Lot had the muscle, Geto Boys might get the same treatment on shows that N.W.A. gets. Kids know Dre, Eazy, and Cube. But kids aren’t exposed Willie D and Bushwick Bill. The Foundation will go under-marketed.
Willie D: Hopefully, it won’t come to that. Hopefully, the people who get paid the big checks and get the majority of the money off this project will do what they signed on to do and they’ll market this s**t right.
AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about music these days?
Willie D: A lot of music is very good. A lot of music is very much garbage. But because it has the machine it, somehow it manages to sell records. I think if you promote a sack of s**t long enough, people will start buying it. They’ll think, ‘Man, this is come good s**t.’ Literally, some manure! If you plug that s**t long enough, these people’ll wrap it up and give it away to friends and family for Christmas.
Bushwick Bill: [I like] Ludacris’ music, I like Juvenile. When I look at Rap, I’m not really into people who cross the spiritual boundary, callin’ themselves Gods. I wouldn’t consider the Black man God, the White man God, or any race of people. I believe there is a force higher than us. When people get in videos and get crucified on the cross and not notice that that’s sacrilegious. When you look at songs like "Ten Crack Commandments," "Blasphemy," "Hate Me Now" and the videos, I’m not gonna cross that line.
AllHipHop.com: How’d you feel about Rick Rubin coming back with Jay-Z and Lil’ Jon after his hiatus since Geto Boys?
Bushwick Bill: Rick Rubin never left. The same way you asked me about Geto Boys, that’s how I feel about Rick Rubin. If you’re good at something and you’re always good at feeling what the people feeling, and displaying it – how you gonna lose that? To me, it’s like what LL said, don’t call it a comeback. Rick Rubin and Geto Boys been here for years.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve mentioned your own careers. What are you up to solo-wise?
Willie D: I’m looking at putting out a new album in ’06. I’m looking at least two, in fact. I’m in talks with a few major record labels. I’ve done the independent thing. It’s a beautiful thing to learn the business and all its ramifications. But man, I’m gettin’ me some f**kin’ help. It’s hard, it’s way too hard.
Bushwick Bill: I got Bushwick’s Gutta Mix coming out on Dollars and Sense Records. I just wanted to reestablish myself to this generation, appreciate the fans that already know of me, and letting them see my growth and directions I’m headed in, musically. Musically, I’m growing.
AllHipHop.com: The first time I ever heard Bushwick Bill was on The Chronic. You were the only non-Death Row personnel on that album, besides Kokane at the time. How’d that come about?
Bushwick Bill: It’s weird. I walked in the studio when they were mixing that song Rage did where she [mentioned me in her rhyme]. I asked Dre if I could talk on the album. He said he didn’t time for that ‘cause he was mixing the album. So I went in the booth and said, "Dre, turn the mic on!" Warren G and Snoop had brought me up there.
AllHipHop.com: T.I. calls himself ‘The King of the South’. He thinks it’s okay because Scarface hasn’t said nothing yet. I wanna ask you, a true veteran from Houston, what’s your spin on that?
Willie D: First off, I actually like T.I. as an artist for what he say, aside from callin’ himself "The King of the South." You gotta think about how Rap was born. Being bragadocious. That’s what it’s about, sayin’ ‘I’m the best.’ A guy who just jumped on the scene is gonna say somethin’ like that. ‘Cause you gotta remember, mothaf**kas out there is stupid enough to believe it. To me, the statement itself don’t carry enough weight. I heard mothaf**kas get on records and say they God. I ain’t seen ‘em move no mountains, part no seas. Those are just words. I don’t think you take it so serious, I really don’t think T.I. believe that statement.
AllHipHop.com: You are known as a Hip-Hop force. People know not to mess with Willie D, with the boxing career and all. When was the last time somebody got the best of Willie D?
Willie D: That would be in the fifth grade. [laughs] That’s a damn good question. Nobody ever asked me that. Yeah, I was in fifth grade and tryin’ to stick up for this f**kin’ girl. [laughs] There was a girl in my neighborhood and these guys who went to the Middle School, I was in Elementary, these guys came out as bullies and s**t. I took up for her. So while I took up for her, I knew I was gonna get caught in a fight, so I took off my shirt. While I was takin’ off my shirt, he stole on my ass. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: Always the cheap shot.
Willie D: It was a cheap shot. When he stole on me, I redeemed myself a little bit. ‘Cause when he did, I started pouncing on his ass. But I caught some licks across the head for that s**t. In fact, turns out, same guy, a few years later when I’m 17, which would’ve been like seven year later, I knock on this door. I met this girl at the skate-rink, a cheerleader at the High School, and I go to her house to knock on the door – this mothaf**ka answers the door. It ended up being her brother. [laughs] He didn’t remember me ‘cause I guess he had f**ked so many people up, it was no big thang. I remembered that s**t! He wouldn’t try no s**t like that today. [laughs]