Status Quo is like the average, which is the bar that most common folk live by. But new Shady/ Aftermath signee Stat Quo is set to change the bar that hip-hop is judged by. “Like I’m real cocky with that. Like that’s some cocky s**t right there,” he says, “but we going to go ahead and deal with it.” There is good cause to be cocky after going to college, graduating but defecting from a 9-5 for the grind in music. All of his grassroots grind culminated with a deal with the good Dr. Dr and his protégée Eminem. AllHipHop.com talked to the Atlanta resident and he explains how he got to where he is and where he is going. AllHipHop.com: Tell me about yourself. Stat Quo: Born in Atlanta Georgia Grady hot villa. Me, my mom stay in Thomasville Heights Projects which is off of by Marlin Ave. in Atlanta. Move from there to the southwest side of Atlanta to South Carolina Stone Tree apartments. Then move to a far west towards an industrial area, that’s pretty much the areas I stayed. I moved around a lot cause my mom tried to keep me up out of s**t. Ni**as was a little trouble. My daddy wasn’t f**kin there he ain’t never do s**t, wasn’t bout s**t. Rapping wasn’t really my thing. I did it for fun, but I really thought I was going to be a hoop star. I was going to play basketball. AllHipHop.com: Your people say you got a degree in International Business. Stat Quo: When I graduated high school, I went off to college at University of Florida, beause I wanted to play basketball. So I was also trying to get on and do the basketball thing just end up really.. I got the school thing. I just really got into it, and when I graduated I had planned to go to Law school, but I did a demo.. And I had heard Ludacris on the radio talking about ‘I just sign to Def Jam South.’ So I was like ‘F**k this s**t’ I’m a do this music thing. AllHipHop.com: So you graduated? Stat Quo: Yeah I graduated, but I was like ‘s### I need to get some money’ and the hustle ain’t going to do it forever. Cause I had hustle my way through school and I still was hustling. Sometimes them degrees man, getting them jobs it ain’t really that it ain’t as easy as they say. I started rapping full time man. AllHipHop.com: Why didn’t your roll with Scarface? Stat Quo: Man, like he had a lot going on and his s**t was just starting up. And at the time, like I thought I could just do a demo and turn it in and that’d be it. I just thought a motherf**ker was going to give it to me. So, I wasn’t willing at the time to put my s### in the street and to put my own money behind that and put my s### in the street. So I didn’t deserve to have no record deal. AllHipHop.com: So talk about your mix tape credibility and the grind behind that. Stat Quo: Man I did… so like I said I had done all these demos and I had turn them in all these motherf**kers, everybody knew me the industry. Me and my homeboy Zeek used to sit up at Def Jam South just at the office man just really just sit back and watch the game. And this m########### 50 Cent got this s### on lock. “What the f**k? Why the f**k? What’d he do?” Yeah this ni**a got a mix tape. And then I was like damn I’m from Atlanta motherf**kers really don’t be mix tapes down here. So I was like listen and Zeek was like man let’s do a mix tape. I was like you motherf**king real let’s do a mix tape. So I did the “Underground Atlanta Volume 1” and man we got out here in the street and we was sending them out, mailing them out all kind of s###. In the street, all around every time handling them to people. That’s really how that s### got started. It was the mix tape. AllHipHop.com: So talk about your difference from you and artists like Lil’ Jon and Outkast and other Atlanta rappers. Stat Quo: Its just another facet of the game. Its just like 50 is a different New York artist. He don’t rap like Jay-Z. People try to stereotype that area as being everybody out that area is like that person. Lil Jon and Outkast is way different. Outkast and Youngbloodz is way different. Ludacris is way different. So me and all them m############ is way different. It’s all represent of A- town. It’s all one big happy family. AllHipHop.com: What you working on now? Stat Quo: I’m working on my album. I’m on Shady Aftermath and I’m working on my album right now. I got probably five or six songs dont. And you know trying to get it out sometime September. AllHipHop.com: What artists will you have featured? Stat Quo: Scarface is going to be on there for sure. Young Marshall – Eminem going to do some beats. He’s going to rap, Dre going to do some beats. AllHipHop.com: You did a mix tape with Dre first? Stat Quo: I did this freestyle s### on my Underground Atlanta Volume 2. I did a freestyle with a Dre. That’s the s**t I put out. AllHipHop.com: You doing something with Eminem? Stat Quo: Yeah I’m doing a mix tape Eminem cause he’s going to host the mix tape. It’s “Underground Atlanta Volume 3” that’s going to be the next s### to come out. And then after I put that out I’m a come out with my album. AllHipHop.com: How you met up with Dre? Stat Quo: When I put that Underground Atlanta Volume 1 out, and [Mel Man] handed it out to him in the street. He got […]

While many people may be unaware of the strong Native American Hip Hop scene that thrives independently in Native communities across the United States and Canada, one of it’s pioneers, Litefoot is calling on Outkast and the broader Hip Hop community to take notice and check the way they view Native culture. We spoke to Litefoot about his view of the Outkast Grammy performance and why he’s issued a call to Andre 3000 and the group to meet with himself and Rev. Jesse Jackson and publicly apologize. AllHipHop.com: Give the people a little background on you and your role in the Native Hip Hop scene. In more than 14 years you’ve put out 10 Albums, a clothing line, and appeared in major motion pictures. Despite all that, the Native American Hip Hop scene has been invisible to a majority of the hip hop audience, how do you explain this? Litefoot: First, I am and enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and I am also Chichimecca(Aka Aztec). My name is Tecpatl meaning "Sacrificial Knife" also translated "Obsidian Tongue". I say all of these things I say here in a humble way. I have been involved with Hip Hop since 1989 and I am honored to have this opportunity to speak. I hope that my words are received with the humility in which they are given. I have seen Hip Hop change and become the powerhouse that it is now. For many years, I have been steadily speaking through my music to try and get the word out about our peoples struggle and to the world and to also provide our people with songs and albums so that they can relate to a form of Hip Hop that comes from our perspectives. It has been an uphill battle as I have found myself at different times breaking down stereotypes not only about American Indian people but also about Hip Hop itself. I know that I have pioneered Hip Hop to the reservation and performed my version of it unashamed before it was ever as accepted as it is today. It has been a strong tool to reach out to the people and I know that I have always attempted to express my traditions within this contemporary art form. It has been a very strong way for me to express the need for us to always maintain our traditions and to remember our ancestors no matter what we do in today’s world. Mostly I have used my words as tools to help better the people and effect our children. As my career has grown it has taken my music around the world and is now spread to an ever growing audience via the internet. I have been very blessed to have accomplished larger things and have been able to travel the world and ultimately have a career as an actor in many successful feature films (The Indian In the Cupboard, Mortal Kombat II, Kull, The Conqueror, Adaptation etc…). Litefoot: I have always remained intent in my pursuit of empowering Indian Country and empowering the people. We as a people have been struggling for recognition within society for literally centuries. It is an overwhelming battle as we are limited to very few avenues to express ourselves worldwide and on a daily basis the media, the film industry, the recording industry, cartoons, sports teams, the government through it’s history books and the list goes on and on… reinforces misconceptions and stereotypes regarding our people while promoting and reinforcing inaccurate information and ignorance about American Indians. Litefoot: Our relationship with the United States is one of the biggest cover ups in the history of the world. We all know what was generally was done to the indigenous people here in this country. But, does the average United States citizen know that Adolph Hitler gave credit to President Andrew Jackson for his extermination policies regarding the original people of this land? I am not making this up. Hitler in his autobiography "Mein Kampf", gave this country credit for all of his evil policies that caused the persecution of how many ten’s of thousands of Jewish people. We had Indian Boarding schools, the Nazis had Kindertransport. The Nazis had Kristallnacht and we had Wounded Knee. Many will then say that I am drawing comparisons to Nazis and The United States and I will be very clear that I am only stating what Hitler said. These are the ideas HE credited the United States with. I don’t at all support or condone Hitler or his actions in the least… But obviously he felt that he found a common denominator when he studied American Indian history. We know about the plight and Holocaust of the Jewish people but do we know about the American Indian Holocaust and the continuing plight of our people? If I would have dressed up like a Zulu and stuck a bone in my nose and held a watermelon and sang one of my songs that had nothing to do with Zulu’s… Do you think that I would have even made it out of that auditorium? We all know the answer. But what we have here with Outkast is unintentional ignorance. I don’t believe that Andre 3000 did this out of spite. I do believe that ignorance is ignorance and regardless of what caused it-the end result is the same. AllHipHop.com: By now everybody is well aware of the negative response from Native American organizations to Outkast’s Grammy performance. Among rap fans and the broader Hip Hop community, the response has varied from offense to apologist defenses for the performance. What do you have to say to those that don’t understand why many were offended? Litefoot: First I would like to talk about what is wrong with our own house before I talk about the homes of others. I will be asking the question of our "leadership" as to why they are solely going after CBS and the Grammy’s. Although they are in part […]

Do you think you know Hip-Hop? Meet Bonz Malone, who is possibly the greatest unknown Hip-Hop mind to come down the pike in quite a long time. He is an accomplished literary artist with work that has been seen across the globe. Although he has many movie credits to his resume, his role in the movie “Slam” has brought him the most notoriety to his ever-growing career. By Bonz’s own admission, the movie was given critical acclaim by Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings from various parts of the country. His latest production work, “We Got Your Kids,” has gained national attention and is sure to be a staple in the Hip-Hop community. The movie’s goal is to make fans realize the importance of the Hip-Hop culture and why it stands apart from the rap industry. If you believe that there is no difference between Hip-Hop culture and the rap industry, Bonz Malone and Allhiphop.com took time to uncover those differences. Go do your homework! Allhiphop.com: The word I’m getting around various Hip-Hop circles and publications is that Bonz Malone is Hip-Hop. Can we speak on some real Hip-Hop topics right now or what? Bonz Malone: You got alot of drug dealers, n##### who was hustlin’ out there. They made their money and they turned around and laundered that s### in the music industry. That ain’t no Hip-Hopper, man. You didn’t bomb trains, kid. You wasn’t out there in the linoleum, man. You need to get your knees scraped up and all of that s**t. You ain’t no Hip-Hopper, man! You a rapper, you are down with a gang, trying to boost sales through your gang. Don’t talk to me, man. I know the hustle already. You are dealing with a Hip-Hopper, and other brothers and sisters who are like-minded are Hip-Hoppers. They come up in the art form. They weren’t capitalists; they were idealists, man. I’m enjoying the good life and I know you are, too. I can walk down the street and I don’t have to look over my shoulder. I can pass a whole bunch of Bloods and a whole bunch of Crips and I don’t have to look over my shoulder. I recognize who you are by the flags that you’re burning and s**t, but you recognize me, though. Not because of the flags that I’m burning, but because of the flags that we’re clappin’, man. We are swinging that s**t back and forth, man; it’s a universal flag, man. We don’t need no f#####’ skullies and all of that s**t. You know who we are, man. Allhiphop.com: Real Hip-hop does not need a logo or an emblem to be seen. Hip-Hop is too global for that. BM: When I did that movie “Slam,” I got all of those letters back from CO’s and high ranking members of Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings, like “Whatever you want to do, man.” S###, we can call up some right now and get a coalition, man. Allhiphop.com: I honestly believe that we need to bring back the debate into Hip-Hop. Too many publications and characters are too afraid to ruffle a couple of feathers and bring the truth to the forefront. People are getting too soft on that level. BM: I’m going to give you an exclusive, man. Hot 97 is looking at me. If that happens, man…they asked me, “Yo, what would you do?” I told them I would start a war the first day. I would give you some consciousness, too. Anybody on the left of this dial or anybody on the right of this dial, if all you want to do is make people laugh, if I see you in the club, I’m shutting it off for you! (laughs) Allhiphop.com: Let’s get into this “We Got Your Kids” movie that’s attracting so much acclaim and attention. BM: There’s four things right now that unites the whole world. Any race, face, or place, I don’t care where you live, who you are, or what religion you are, man. Those four things are fast cars, good food, better sex, and alot of fu**kin’ money. All the kids want that. They want that cheese, that pure sweetenin’. That’s what Hip-Hop is…shameless self-promotion. We get paid to be 17 for the rest of our f#####’ life, man. Allhiphop.com: Who is responsible for dreaming up the concept behind the movie? BM: This was a shock bandage, man. Some wild Jewish cats, man. We all collaborated on a book and they wanted to upgrade. They said, “yo, we interviewed 160 people, so we are going to put out a joint called “We Got Your Kids.” I was like, “F**k it, I’m down.” There has never been a corporate alliance; there has never been a timeline that shows the corporate alliance between Hip-Hop and rap. Allhiphop.com: It still surprises me that people have no clue that Hip-Hop and rap are two separate things. BM: It is two different things. One is an industry, and the other one is a culture. But, here’s corporate America who deals with both. Of course, they deal with the industry one way, and they deal with the culture in another way. There is still no definitive DVD or book that talks about that history and the politics and the kind of money that is shared and exchanging hands like this. The community has definitely affected the market. Let’s get people to sit down that’s in the industry that got Sprite endorsements, sneakers, cars for free, jewelry for free, did Cognac ads and stuff like that. Let’s talk to them and find out what they like about Hip-Hop, what they don’t like about the industry, what they like about the industry, and what they don’t like about Hip-Hop. Being in Hip-Hop is like having a child, man. You are going to spend $100,000, $200,000 by the time the kid turns 21. You are going to have 30-something pairs of sneakers if you are a Hip-Hopper and you ain’t got no […]

AllHipHop: You been talking all this stuff about Priority Records, how they can’t market and promote hip-hop records, but Chingy’s platinum my man. RK: I can say two things: first of all, Priority Record’s has enormous luck, and basically, I know DTP Records, I knew everybody before they even signed when they were telling me that Priority wanted to sign Chingy, now, I’m not gonna put no s### on nobody’s name, but first of all that’s Ludacris’ artist that for the most part Ludacris and them took on the role and broke themselves, that has very little to do with Priority promoting the record, all they can do is suck d*ck and ride off of somebody else’s fame, they have yet to break an artist still. Congratulations to Chingy, I wish him the best, but to my understanding – I don’t want to put nobody else’s business out there – they not all that happy. So once again it goes back to, what about Bad Azz, what about Roscoe, when you’re not attached to a quadruple-platinum artist what about you? AllHipHop: Now, going back here a little bit, this has been reported, is it true that they’re holding you to the time left in your contract, which is now less than 20 days, until after you’re released from prison? RK: Nope, I have no knowledge of that because they would have to serve me legally with something and they have… AllHipHop: So basically, when you step out of jail are you still technically under contract to them? RK: Like I said, we setting a court date. First of all, there’s some legal things that I don’t wanna talk about and give them no heads-up, so I just can’t discuss it, but all I would say is we’ll have a day in court to decide all that. AllHipHop: So let’s say hypothetically that you do win in the court proceeding, what then happens to the Goldyn Chyld album? Would you work out an arrangement with them to put it out? RK: No, I don’t want anything to do with Priority Records. I’m pretty sure it would find itself to the bootleggers. It will probably get out in some way, shape or form. I’m not really concerned about Goldyn Chyld, I went out and I did this other album which was initially called Catch Me If U Can, and I’m probably gonna call it Splinter Cell now. I want people to hear (Goldyn Chyld), if it’s on raskass-central.com at some point, that’s fine. AllHipHop: Let’s get some status updates on some of your side projects, first what’s the current state of Golden State? RK: I love them cats. I talk to Xzibit on a regular basis. There’s always gonna be a Golden State in some way, shape or form, I don’t know if the original members will always be there, who knows, life take you where it takes you. I mean even Xzibit, he has his a different group now, Strong Arm Steady, which is all the homies too, so it’s dope. Personally I think Ras Kass should form a new trio with Eminem and Jay-Z.Well, Jay-Z’s retired. AllHipHop: That was my segue into the next question, according to the Jan./Feb. ’04 issue of XXL you’re not even in their league. You were awarded one of the top 5 "Negro Please" quotes for the year for the following quote… RK: I know the quote. I have a lot of respect for XXL, it’s kind of like David and Goliath, pick on the little n*gga. I ain’t sold the records of (Eminem and Jay-Z) so it’s really hard to have a pissing contest when I’m pissing against a fire hose. I was unhappy with my article (June ’03), and Kay Slay got on the radio for hours and completely sh*tted on XXL. When I called in, I talked to Slay and I said, ‘I think it was kinda foul, they kinda snitched me out,’ the sh*t I was unhappy about for all of three minutes at the most. I never said you’re a fake Source, you’re this that and the third, but it was kiss Kay Slay’ a**, and let’s sh*t on Ras Kass. In that same issue is their most hated moments, ‘Kay Slay b*tching about his review.’ So you kiss his a** and then sh*t on Ras Kass ’cause he really can’t fight back. Now I’m a "Negro Please," but you printed five letters out of six (August ’03) saying the exact same thing I said. AllHipHop: Do you think folks in this industry respect your actions with regard to fighting your label even though it would mean your incarceration? RK: I appreciate XXL, allhiphop.com, anybody that gave a f*ck, because I didn’t run out and say, ‘hey, guess what, I’m not gonna turn myself in, and I’ma have a CD and I want all y’all to come,’ like when Nas got to burn the books. Nas sold lots of records so people give a f*ck if he wanna go burn some magazines. I didn’t expect nobody to give a f*ck that I’m not gonna turn myself in, I did that for my family and for my kids. I appreciate the fact that XXL gave me a platform to speak, I wish they would have been a little more concise about what I said, and I had a grievance about that. I wanna thank XXL, they still press they can hate on me, they just mad at me now, we gonna make friends later anyway. AllHipHop: Ok, enough of that, let’s move on to something else here, what’s the word on the Horsemen, there’s a 9 track album floating out there now, but it’s not the real album, it’s been listed as a pre-quel to a full album according to Killah Priest. Do you know when or if a commercially available Horsemen album will manifest itself? RK: I think Kurupt’s negotiating a deal right now, so I don’t wanna step on […]

AllHipHop: What’s the name of your label? Lil Flip: Clover G Records AllHipHop: Do you have any artists yet? Lil Flip: I got one dude, his name is Willing. He’s coming out. Basically it’s just me. I’ve been helping a lot of people over the years putting them on my album, trying to start peoples careers, everybody doesn’t have the work ethic. If you come around and I meet you and we are working, we are grinding in the studio when I meet you and you get a little fame, you are going to have to still grind in the studio like you did because that’s what I’m doing. I don’t want to see people sitting around. I’m a star now, know you got to stay doing what you did, because you don’t know how long it’s going to last. You got to milk it. Milk it until you can’t milk it anymore. AllHipHop: Do you feel like maybe some of the people you may have worked with in the past took for granted the success? Lil Flip: That’s what it was. I’m feeding a whole family and you got to feed yourself but what’s going to happen when I’m not at the table? I want everybody to think like that. Everybody was getting caught up in the women and the clothes and all that. Clothes and women, that’s going to change,. New styles, new woman all that. You got to get with what’s real. That’s money, paying bills and making sure your business is straight. That’s what I’m about. Everybody knows that. AllHipHop: I heard your dad recently got out of jail and he’s working with you in the business? Lil Flip: Yeah my dad, he works with me. AllHipHop: What does he do? Lil Flip: He’s standing as the manager. Making sure the business is straight and I know he isn’t finna mess up with me. AllHipHop: Before you got into rapping, what was life like for Lil Flip? A lot of people know you as a rapper, but don’t know a whole about you as a person. Lil Flip: I use to play ball. I played basketball. I played sports all that in high school. Basically the way I am now that’s how I was. It would be the person with the Jordan’s three months before they come out. I’m the same person. I played sports though. Basketball, baseball, football. AllHipHop: One thing I noticed about you and David Banner, y’all always got the illest jerseys. I know he’s doing jerseys as a business. Do you just get them custom made somewhere? Lil Flip: He has his he’s coming out with. I have mines I’m coming out with. We get all our stuff custom made though. We don’t go to the stores and shop and all that. AllHipHop: Tell me about your line of jerseys Lil Flip: Its going to be called 713, Different area codes, whatever town it is, everybody got different area codes. I’ma have something like 703. His is like 601 pimps. Mines going to be like 703 pimps. We just using our brains to make it happen. AllHipHop: You’ve been doing this thing for a while. Go into a little of your history for people that might not be up on it yet. Lil Flip: I did mixtapes with DJ Screw, rest in peace. I did the "Like a Pimp" with David Banner, "Riding Spinners," "Rock and Roll" with Fam-lay. I’m on Ludacris’ album. Me and Cam did a mixtape for the Superbowl. I got like twenty mixtapes out. So I’ve been grinding a minute, and my first independent album was the Leprechaun. It did a 150,000, so that’s how I got my deal with Sony. The Way We Ball came out and went platinum. March 30th, Game Over. AllHipHop: A lot of cats from up here at least see y’all sipping syrup (liquor and cough medicine). What’s that all about? Do you still sip? Lil Flip: Nah, that’s something we use to do. After Screw passed (from sippin) people kind of chilled on that. We aren’t with that taking pills and all that sh*t down there. Actually the old folks started it, they drink it straight. Cats in Philly do that now. AllHipHop: Yeah cats say Beanie, not to call him out. Lil Flip: Actually him and me was going to do a track together called ‘Purple Rain’ on his album, but some kind of way I didn’t get to go to New York and do it. AllHipHop: Last Year you had got shot coming out of the studio. How has your life changed since then? Have you adjusted? Lil Flip: I realized how big I am. At that point I was just still going everywhere. You make the transition to knowing that you cant do all the stuff that you use to do. That’s why I surround myself around people that have the same vision as me. I had to change all that. Now I surround myself around positive people and I got rid of the negative vibes and all that. AllHipHop: Where are you headed generally with your career and what do you hope to do with this new album? Lil Flip: I have more visions of taking it. When you travel you get to take your music different places and different people and different cultures. I just see me doing bigger and better things and directing videos in the future because people tired of videos that just take them to the club with women. Basically everything is going to get better.

AllHipHop: What’s the deal with your new album, Game Over? what can people expect? Lil Flip: It’s more energy in this album. I did some more stuff. I got A list producers on this album. The first album went platinum and I did set out to do that. I did that without A list producers. I got Cam’ron on the album on a track called "All I Know," I got Ludacris on the first track called "I Came to Bring the Pain." Pharell did a track and he did a hook for me. I got two Red Spyda joints. AllHipHop: What made you take it that direction? Lil Flip: I just wanted to switch it up. I like to experiment. I never want to do the same stuff. AllHipHop: What brought you to Sony’s attention? Lil Flip: I been doing these mix tapes for a while with DJ Screw so we were doing mix tapes, we got like 30 mix tapes out now. We just be doing mixtapes and that’s how I got hot around Houston. We hooked up with a couple of them promoters. They had us like in the Midwest. On the first album I was doing shows in Cleveland and Arkansas. I wasn’t just doing shows in Texas. That’s how I built up my name and I sold 150,000. AllHipHop: Do you feel you haven’t quite reached some markets with the style that you had before? Lil Flip: Yeah, its always room for more market but I also feel that every year gets better. I feel like I got some more markets I need to reach until I go around the whole world. I feel like I’m making good progress. AllHipHop: As far as the situation with Columbia, is that on good terms, because there are rumors maybe you were thinking bout breaking out or anything like that? Lil Flip: Actually the label I was with Sucka Free, I’m not with them, and I got my own label now because now I want to be more involved. I’m still with Sony though. I just got the middleman out of the way. AllHipHop: It’s funny you should mention that because we had talked to Hump from Sucka Free about that and he said that you kind of broke away because you didn’t really want to help promote anybody else involved in the label and they had other artist they wanted to put out. Lil Flip: That’s not what happened. I was helping everybody, even putting them on stuff. Basically I want to be involved in everything. If you tell you spent a million dollars on something I want to see that it’s spent. When you take people’s word for so long, you can get caught up in traveling and your business is not being handled. If you cool and you my homie then show me everything. Let me see everything. Basically I’m not just going to stand for anything and as far as helping people, that’s what I do. That’s why my business wasn’t handled because I’m trying to handle everybody else’s. Now I’m finna to make sure my stuff straight. AllHipHop: So you started the label so you can monitor your business a little bit closer? Lil Flip: Yeah, Actually I owned part of that label and I wasn’t getting treated the way a CEO should be treated. Now I’m over everything and I’m making sure. I’m co-directing my video with Benny Boom. I got my own liquor coming out. AllHipHop: What’s that all about? The liquor. Lil Flip: It’s called Lucky Nights. It tastes like pineapple. I was going to do cognac or something like that. It taste like pineapple, strong. I didn’t want to do liquor where people be like ‘oh he has his own name but it taste like Alize or it taste like…..’ So it has its own flavor.

AllHipHop: What’s the personal highlight of your career if you can pin down one? A.G.: First seeing yourself on television in videos and seeing the people that you grew up with in your neighborhood lookin’ at you differently. The parents is lookin’ at you like a positive person. And just traveling around the world. AllHipHop: And you still feel that to this day, in the hood? A.G.: Yeah. The percentage of the individuals that didn’t do anything in the hood is high. So when you’re doing something positive and you had a dream and went ahead and ironed that out. And some times things aren’t as good as they used to be, but they see that you still fightin’ and swingin’ it out, that’s where the biggest respect comes from. It’s easy to stand proud and floss and things like that when things are doing good, but sometimes when it ain’t so good, and you that same individual standing there with your chest out, and swingin’, acting like you don’t got the quit in me, that creates a different type of respect. AllHipHop: What about you, Ness? Lord Finesse: A couple. Workin’ with Big. Getting a chance to work with Dr. Dre. Workin’ with Roy Ayers. Workin’ with a crew like Diggin’ in the Crates. Discovering Big L. Getting a chance to be the artist I wanted to be regardless of whether I got to reach the level of success I wanted to. AllHipHop: You mentioned Roy Ayers. Which leads me to ask you, you’re favorite break ever? Lord Finesse: Aw man! Too many. Wow. I’m somebody that got ten thousand records, you askin’ me to pick one. AllHipHop: You still out diggin’ often? Lord Finesse: Yeah, sure. It’s never too much to keep digging for knowledge. That’s what you’re doing when you dig for these records. ‘Cuz you still digging for the musical knowledge that you know is out there. To stumble upon something that you never got to listen to or experience, as a producer, to listen to the sound, that’s what motivates as a producer, to try to understand what a lot of these soul groups was trying to do. Diamond: That’s hard! I tell you what made me the happiest, when I found two original "Funky Drummer" 45’s on the King label. That probably made me the happiest. AllHipHop: It’s scary to think what would-have happened to Hip-Hop without you guys individually and collectively. Do you feel properly appreciated from the industry or outside? Lord Finesse: Definitely. I mean, not on a hater point-of-view. I don’t feel under appreciated with my fans, I feel under appreciated with the industry. The industry is supposed to educate the upcoming culture what’s going on right now, and what went down already. They suppose to educate people on who was what, but they so quick to forget and move on. You got cats that invented the pancake as far as Sugar Hill [Gang] and Run-DMC and certain artists because they paved the way. Now if you add blueberries or something to the pancake, yeah, it’s a better flavor, you thought of something unique to do with the pancake, but don’t take the credit away from the person who originated the pancake. AllHipHop: A.G., KRS-One was on VH-1 claiming that "Runaway Slave" was his favorite LP ever. How does that feel because your records aren’t still in stores, like early Gang Starr or BDP records? A.G.: I used to watch and follow the Run-DMC, the Rakim. I followed them. I learned all their music, I learned every song on the album. I just wanted to be appreciated on the same level as them. So when you finally reached that level, that’s the glory of it. Everything else is extra. We did a show with Rakim at Pace University. KRS-One said "Runaway Slave" was the best album in Hip-Hop. That’s all you can really ask for. AllHipHop: Diamond, I’ve read that you’ve been DJ-ing since 1979. So, what correlation, if any, do you see with Hip-Hop then and Hip-Hop now? Diamond: I started DJing at ten [years old] in like like ’79. I didn’t meet Jazzy Jay until like ’85. But the way they worded it, you would of thought I was outside in the parks with ’em at ten years old. That’s not the case. I’m thirty-four years old right now. To a certain extent it still matters if you’re rhyming over a beat or a loop that hasn’t been used yet. MC’s are still battling each other. If anything, those two are the most significant. AllHipHop: 2004 and 2005 are gonna be huge years for you specifically, O.C.. Because you got this, but you also are doing a solo, as well as your new record with [Organized] Konfusion. How do you bring different sides of yourself to all these tables? O.C.: It’s hard to explain. With Diggin’, there’s no set rules as far as, "This is how we gonna do the concept." As far as having the experience with [Organized Konfusion], it was never really like, "Yo, we gonna do it like this." It’s more like, one person sets it off and just sets the tone. It’s not really hard for me, man. I tell young cats, I got the easiest job in the world. But you gotta stay on top of your game. AllHipHop: One thing that you did that just shook the Hip-Hop world was produce Biggie’s "Suicidal Thoughts." That track is pure shivers. What was the conception of that like, and the whole vibe during recording? Lord Finesse: That was what Big was thinking about, man. When he heard the beat it just hit him like a light bulb. He just said, "I need this beat." So I sent him the beat, and I played some other s### for him. But he was just stuck on that. I gotta have that. I couldn’t see where he was gonna go with it. Never in a million years. I […]

Every sports fan sits around and talks about those super teams. Once in a great while, the right group of players, create the right chemistry, and make history. They play a certain way, carry a certain reputation and attitude, all for the better. If Hip-Hop has a super-team of today, it’s Diggin’ in the Crates hands down. The name is synonymous with great producers. The classic formula for making a hissing and popping vinyl artifact come alive in your headphones, the whip, and even the good old boom-box on the porch. Beyond that, Diggin’ in the Crates stands for great MC’s. The MC’s who rhymed like they had something to prove everybody, but didn’t owe nobody a g####### thing. D.I.T.C. as they’re known to many, is as legendary as it gets. But anybody whose seen them in action knows that this clique rolls thick. On a momentously rare occasion, AllHipHop caught up with the Diggin’ in the Crates crew at their first official gathering in several years. While not all members were present, we were blessed with a treasure chest of jewels from Lord Finesse, O.C., A.G., and Diamond. A new album is in the works, and an event on February 19, that’s will surely be a must see. Plus get some classic look backs on these icons in their individual careers and personal techniques. Those great sports dynasties have mostly all died off and been dismantled. This dynasty is still playing, undefeated. Peep Game. AllHipHop: It was ’97 – ’98 when you guys recorded the last LP. This time, you in particular (O.C.), are at a whole new level with your game. It’s full cycle back to the debut hunger, I’m wondering what kind of contribution you’re offering to this LP. O.C.: Well I mean, I’m basically back to havin’ fun with it. That’s the discussions right now about the record. The money and everything, I mean – it’s cool. But if we ain’t having fun with it, it’s not gonna be a great record. It’s not gonna pull the best out of me, Ness, A, and Diamond. I’m not even looking forward to anything else but having fun with it. AllHipHop: Any changes to your style? A.G.: Not really. Of course, since the last time, I’ve grown and evolved. But I wouldn’t say that I’m thinkin’ different. I wanna give it the best I got. AllHipHop: How does Diggin’ in the Crates divvy up the production duties? Lord Finesse: When we doing production, it’s basically everybody just brings loops of beats to the table. And we try to decide from that aspect. AllHipHop: So on the back of the LP, when it says "produced by Lord Finesse" or whatever, that’s really everybody collaborating? Lord Finesse: Yeah, but the last couple of projects have just been straight beats. So this time around, we’re trying to start from scratch. What can we do to change the game? So this time, it’ll be more of a joint discussion. I mean, they always joint discussions. But we going from ingredients now. Flour, and sugar, and milk, and whatever. We making a strong, incredible, foundation from the beginning to the end. AllHipHop: Diamond, will you be taking more of a role in the production process on this album? Diamond: It’s too early to say. We haven’t even started recorded yet. Probably, I will. AllHipHop: Is Fat Joe, Showbiz and Buckwild part of this? O.C.: Everybody – Joe, Buck, Show is gonna be involved with it. But at this moment, it’s in the early stages, it’s more like discussions right now. So right now it’s me, Diamond, A, and Ness, ‘cuz we basically the MC’s. We basically discussin’ how we gonna put it together without it soundin’ like it’s forced. We ain’t tryin’ to fit into a genre of music that everybody else doin’, we do what we do. AllHipHop: On a night like tonight, where three or four of you guys are vibin’, what exactly goes on in a discussion or meeting? How do you organize that? How do you build? O.C.: On some real s###, it’s simple man. Right now A and Ness is playing NBA 2004. I’m sitting here reading a magazine. This is how we build. Ain’t no special formula or nothing like that, we just get together and talk like grown men supposed to talk. AllHipHop: Finesse, you jumped this reunion off. What was it inside yourself that told you that you needed to do this? Lord Finesse: Well, I hear from the fans. [They always asking] about Diggin’ in the Crates. We had a great thing, but it happened so quick. That’s what the whole thing is about is the motivation from the fans makes you do what you do. Catch the entire D.I.T.C crew celebrating Lord Finesse’s birthday. Hosted by The Wake Up Show/MTV Host Sway! At S#####s in Manhattan, February 19. Part of AllHipHop.com and Sob’s Plain Rap series. For more, sobs.com

"The Danger Zone," 1999. The world of Hip-Hop and all of its adoring fans were seemingly still reeling from the aftershocks of the tragic and untimely deaths of two of its finest, 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. Senseless acts of violence had run its course and the music world had suffered a mighty blow. Little did we know that more tragedy lurked around the corner. On February 15, 1999, Hip-Hop would suffer another loss of one of their great messengers. Lamont Coleman, better known to the industry as "Big L.," was gunned down after a dispute in the same Harlem neighborhood that he was raised and would gain his notoriety. Raised on 139th St. and Lennox Ave., in the Uptown section known as "The Danger Zone," life was anything but blissful for Lamont. As most youths in that section of New York City, he was surrounded by the many temptations and negative vibes that the streets were bound to offer. Known then as "Little Lamont," he often dreamed of what life was like on the other side of the fence. He would soon come to realize his knack for music, and with that came a brainstorm as to how he would take that knack and make it work for him. Inside Lamont brewed a talent unlike anything Hip-Hop was ready for, and soon after, the "Little" was dropped from his street moniker. He would come to call himself "Big L.," and for reasons soon to be revealed. He had developed a taste for lyrical warfare, and he could not wait to begin feasting upon the weak that lay in his wake. L did not have to wait very long for his opportunity to show his vast talents to the world. In 1992, the legendary Lord Finesse gave him his first shot at lyrical immortality on the track, "Yes You May (Remix)." With lines such as "I only roll with originators/chicks stick to my d**k like magnets on refrigerators," L would make more of an impact than Finesse himself. His concise, rough, and sharp delivery captivated the minds and conscience of Hip-Hop lovers everywhere, and soon to follow was a deal with Columbia Records. L seemed to be ahead of the game in many ways. His Uptown-based crew, Children of the Corn, was leaving behind a legacy of their own. The group consisted of Harlem World heavy hitters such as Cam’Ron, McGruff, and Ma$e. Alongside the company he kept came one of the greatest tracks he made, the promo-only "Devil’s Son." The track was a masterpiece, and with murderous lines such as "catch more bodies than abortion clinics," L was primed and ready for the success that Hip-Hop could give. His debut album, "Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous," hit the scene in 1995, featuring his crew on tracks such as "8 Iz Enuff," "All Black," and "No Endz, No Skinz." The most prized track of the album, "MVP," ripped across the airways and media circles with the precision of a lighting bolt, and L became the poster child for hardcore Hip-Hop. Another well-publicized track was "Da Graveyard," featuring an up and coming Brooklyn colleague named Jay-Z. The Source Magazine would subsequently give the album four mics, calling the album "pure nineties B-boy music" in March 1995. At the tender age of 21, L was rapidly becoming the hottest ticket in Hip-Hop, and thoughts of stopping were nonexistent. L also ran with another group of renowned Hip-Hop artists, collectively known as D.I.T.C. The group consisted of Hip-Hop icons Fat Joe, Diamond D, O.C., Lord Finesse, Showbiz & A.G., Buckwild and a number of affiliates. Together, they would independently release two tracks, "Day One," and "The Enemy." These would set the stage for another Big L. release, "Ebonics." Many believe this track is the coronation of L’s many talents, as this brilliantly broke down the art of street slang in classic Big L. fashion. It was declared one of the top five "independent records of the year," as it was released on his own record imprint, Flamboyant Entertainment, distributed through Fat Beats, and was only available on vinyl. "Ebonics" also dissected the "criminal slang" of New York’s underworld with an unabashed preciseness and unique flavor that was also radio-friendly. He was unparalleled amongst his peers, and his life was seemingly heading down the road of greatness with rumors that he was set to sign with Roc-A-Fella Records. As fate and tragedy would have it, Big L. would perish amongst a fury of gunshots on the same streets that had made him into the man he was. Although he is gone out of our eyes, his music still lives on in all of our hearts. He would die before he could enjoy the success of his new album, The Big Picture. Released on Rawkus Records, the posthumous album featured production from DJ Premier, Roc Raida, Lord Finesse, Buckwild, Show, Ghetto Professionals, Pete Rock and more. His D.I.T.C. crew and friends also made their presence felt on this album, as Fat Joe, O.C. and Remy Martin would be featured on the track "The Triboro," Sadat X and Guru were featured on "Games," and Kool G. Rap would throw darts on the track "Fall Back." Other tracks included the heavily rotated "Flamboyant," "Holdin It Down," featuring Stan Spit, AG, and Miss Jones, and the legendary 2Pac alongside L on the track "Deadly Combination." Commercial success is not the mark of a great MC in Hip-Hop. Big L. was the personification of what Hip-Hop was always intended to be, and his rhymes shifted the underground with the force of an earthquake. Exhilarating as much as he was energetic with a microphone in his hand, L’s voice can still be heard as fans enjoy his timeless music. Listen closely and tell us what you hear. Join others in a discussion about Big L.

In 2002 Little Brother Producer 9th Wonder created a cottage industry with his remix of Nas’s Godson CD, God’s Stepson. After winning a spot on Jay-Z’s Black Album it was widely considered as an easy way to get heard. As a result, a rainbow-assortment of Jay-Z remix albums has sprung up. Here is a break down of a few noteworthy projects. Title: The Grey Album. Producer: Danger Mouse Synopsis: Jigga drives his Bentley down Abby Road as Danger Mouse nabs drums, guitars and other elements exclusively from the Beatles White Album. Pros: This ambitious project wins points for originality. The grungy guitar and dirty drum samples are a great complement for the aggression of "99 Problems." Precise drum chops and cymbal clashes turn "What More Can I Say" and "Encore" into break beat collages. Backwards vocals on "Lucifer" are an inspired touch. Cons: Limited by its exclusive use of one the Beatles most unconventional albums. Pervasive static makes it sound like it was mastered in a sardine can and the frantic drum programming of "Dirt Off Your Shoulders" sounds like Timbaland OD’d on Red Bull and Jolt Cola. Conclusion: Danger Mouse has a great ear for finding breaks but halfway through this you’re begging for Ronnie Foster, Bob James or Cal Tjader to come and give the Beatles a breather. Title: The White Album Producer: Kno of Cunninglynguists. Synopsis: One of the southern underground’s best-kept secrets injects a new level of soul by giving The Black Album some blue notes. Pros: Staying true to the Blueprint formula Kno puts a more appropriate melancholy to tracks like "Moment of Clarity" and "My First Song" with clever uses of lilting piano and haunting vocal samples. His ethereal "December 4th" is a better pairing for Jay-Z’s autobiography than the overdramatic crescendos of the original. He makes the originally putrid " Justify My Thug" a pleasant listening experience by allowing Jay-Z’s introspective verses to breathe and redoing the hook. Plus Kno re-sequences the project to give it a more seamless song order. Cons: Bouncy violins of "PSA" and the conga percussion of his "99 Problems" rob both tracks of their aggressive appeal. Conclusion: When Jay-Z inevitably comes out of retirement he should definitely give Kno a call. Title: The Brown Album Producer: Kev Brown Synopsis: Touch of Jazz producer Kevin Brown allows Jay-Z to explore his latent native tongue tendencies Pros: Kev’s mostly live, subdued instrumentation is an ideal backdrop for Jay’s lyricism. On "Threats" he chops Al Green’s "Still In Love With You" and slings it like hot grits across a brooding bass line. "Moment of Clarity" weaves a saxophone jacked from Smif N Wessun’s "Bucktown" with sparse guitar that gives the song an angelic resonance. His jazzy "Encore" reminds you why Jay and The Roots band are such a good match. Cons: He shied away from revamping the songs that could have benefited from his touch like "Change Clothes," "What More Can I Say" and "Justify My Thug." Conclusion: Not a bad beat in the bunch and only makes you wish that Jay were a more dedicated student of the low end theory. Title: The Black Jays Album Producers: Kardinal Offishall and Solitair (The Black Jays) Synopsis: Jigga gets a rude bwoy makeover courtesy of two of Canada’s finest. Pros: "Encore" is transformed by a driving bassline that is vaguely reminiscent of the Mission Impossible riddim. "Public Service Announcement" is the highlight on the set preserving the original’s Beat Minerz fingerprints with murky bass, sleigh bells and chopped horns. As expected "Lucifer" is dominated by the raga melodies that were only a reference in the original. You can almost see Jay hanging from a tree in a Hawaiian shirt. Cons: "Dirt Off Your Shoulders" doesn’t match up to his vocals at times, and the overall feel is decidedly electronic giving Jay-Z’s words a sterile, dead-pan feel. Conclusion: If that red, gold and green wristband is more than a fashion statement Jay should take a trip to the T-Dot. Winner: The White Album. Kno took on the whole project and made it his own and actually improved on the original where it needed it.

Queens, New York has bred some of the finest rap artists, but at the same time, the borough has produced some of the biggest beefs in hip-hop. Former G-Unit member Bang’em Smurf came to national recognition when he went on record and had some unfavorable things to say about one of hip-hop’s biggest stars, 50 Cent. But the beef is quite deeper than simple talk – a fact revealed after talking to Smurf. The infighting is something that Bang ‘Em Smurf says won’t interfere with his latest aspiration, GF Records and The Silverback Guerrillaz [with Fredro Starr and Domination]. Smurf and his new clique appear to be climbing the exact ladder that 50 Cent used to rise to prominence in 2002 and 2003. Recently, Smurf charges that 50 showed up at a GF Records video shoot and allegedly hurled violent threats. With the rap juggernaut an he too reach the top? AllHipHop.com: There are rumors that 50 waved a hand gun or made some kind of threat. What happened at the video shoot that day? Bang ‘Em Smurf: He did not wave no handgun. His hands were outside his pockets, beside his waist the whole time. He had police with him. He had two vans of police with him. All he did was jump out. I had my dudes over there. I was in the trailer [when he came] and somebody told me ‘I think 50 rode by but I wasn’t sure. I think because he had tint [on his windows].’” I got hype like, ‘What? Son is coming through my sh*t?’ I though he was trying to shut my sh*t down. So, I went outside and me and [50] made eye contact as he was turning the corner. I guess that’s what made him jump out. So I started going crazy. I’m like, ‘Son, how you gonna come through here with police.’ When he jumped out the police jumped out with him. So, I’m thinking, ‘What does this dude think he is – George Bush or something?’ I’m like, ‘Son, you not the president. Why are you coming through here with police?’ All he said was, ‘What are you thinking about?’ I’m like, ‘What? B#### ass n####.’It was like 500 people out there for my video shoot. Everybody out there shouting ‘Guerilla Gang.’ [50] took his loss like a man. He turned around, jumped in his van and left. Police left with him, jumped in their van and left. AllHipHop.com: Were these plainclothes cops or uniformed ones? BES: There were plainclothes cops and men in black. AllHipHop.com: So tell me about the label situation you have going on. BES: We just got our label off the ground. Me, Domination, and Fredro Starr – it’s called GF Records. We did a 2-for-1 video for my hood n*ggas and for the females. AllHipHop.com: What’s the “GF” stand for? BES: That’s for Gangsta Flip Records. AllHipHop.com: Is this the Silverback Guerillas or something else? BES: Bang ‘Em Smurf and Domination is Silverback Guerillas. That’s the name of our group. The name of the company is GF Records, Bang ‘Em Smurf, Domination and Fredro Starr. AllHipHop.com: Speak on Domination. His buzz is crazy right now. BES: That’s my boy right now. That’s Freaky Tah’s little cousin, God bless the dead. Domination’s been rappin’ for a long time. He’s been rappin’ since he waslike 14. Everybody raps, but they didn’t have songs. They can kick a freestyle, write 16 bars. Domination is so talented, he can do all that. He’s in school as well, John Jay College. He works as well. He’s very intelligent. He ain’t a regular street dude. His vocabulary is crazy. Domo hard working, that’s all I can say about him. He rhymes hard. AllHipHop.com: Do you have a release date for Domination? BES: We pushed it back and I’m going to just keep the promotion going. We definitely coming this summer. AllHipHop.com: What was the video that you shot? BES: “You’ll Lose” and “Fool For You.” It’s a 2-for-1 video. “Fool For You” is the original single but that’s for the shorties. We got an image to uphold so you know we couldn’t just come out on some shorty junk. We did the hard joint first [“You’ll Lose”] and then we calmed it down. I think everybody going to enjoy this.AllHipHop.com: Do you rhyme? BES: I don’t rhyme at all. I take care of the business.AllHipHop.com: Everybody thinks that you rhyme too.BES: I just do the ad libs. You know what Freaky Tah did for the Lost Boyz. Everybody thought he rapped too. AllHipHop.com: Do you have any other artists?BES: I have two other artists. Young Dice, he’s 14. He’s in school as well. This boy is incredible. He writes his own rhymes and everything.AllHipHop.com: Who else you got?BES: I got Big Swing. We call him the beast of the game. We gonna be here for a minute.AllHipHop.com: How did you link of with Fredro Starr?BES: We were in the streets grinding, droppin’ our mixtapes. When me and 50 had our fallout, I always had Domination as one of my artists in the cut. I felt it was time that I started working on my artist. So, we went in the studio and we dropped our mixtapes a month and a half later and the streets embraced it. By that time, we dropped a second mixtape and that’s when the industry started to embrace us. Fredro Starr reached out because we were on every mixtape that was on the street. DJ Sickamore gave him my number. I think two days later, we linked up and went out to eat and the next thing you know – we here.AllHipHop.com: You used to be down with 50 heavily, right?BES: Yeah, that was my right hand. G-Unit. I grew up with son. We all from the same neighborhood. AllHipHop.com: Where did things go wrong with you and 50?BES: I had a company with 50 called Hollowpoint Entertainment. We had a little business together […]

Producer Danger Mouse has been around for a couple years making a name for himself in the underground by ignoring industry trends and concocting unorthodox medleys. His debut album Ghetto Pop Life starring Danger Mouse and Gemini was lauded by UK publications The Face and The Guardian as the best Hip-Hop album of the year alongside Outkast’s Speakerboxx/Love Below. With props in the UK intact Danger Mouse recently moved back to the States and after making a remix album for Jay-Z’s Black Album with beats exclusively crafted from pieces of the Beatles classic White Album, he is starting to get his due in America as well. Americans celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles American splashdown and Hip-Hop rejoice in Jay-Z’s illustrious AllHipHop.com opted to check out what the next creative force has to say about melding the two into one. AllHipHop.com: What inspired you to marry two classic albums into your own creation? DM: I’m a real big Beatles fan and obviously a real big Jay-Z fan too. So I was just sitting here and saw that they had acapella’s for it and people were doing remix albums and I thought that’s cool but I really didn’t want to give any of my original beats for a remix album, I’d rather use them for some of the other projects I was working on. I didn’t really thing too much of it. A few days later I was sitting here listening to the Beatles and it just hit me all of a sudden, I was listening to the White Album and I realized it just kind of hit me all at once. So I just took the next few weeks and just cancelled everything I was doing and just stripped down the record, kept all the drums spread them all out. Took little guitar parts, everything I could find that I could use and started pasting together tracks based on that. AllHipHop.com: That sounds like a difficult process Danger Mouse: It was very tempting at times to use other drums and stuff like that but it was really hard. The hardest part was the last 25%. Some of the best stuff came right at the beginning but as I was finishing it was just really stressful because there’s no point in doing six songs. I did leave one Jay-Z song off of there (Threats) because I just felt like it was done, what I had was complete. Near the end I couldn’t stop doing it because I was so afraid that somebody else might come up with the idea. AllHipHop.com: How long did the entire process take? DM: You know I’m a video game fan so I started clocking it like in Grand Theft Auto, see how long it takes you to beat the game kind of thing and then one day I forgot to start the clock.. At that point I was at 200 hours; I was doing 10 and 15 hour days for a few weeks. AllHipHop.com: What made you sequence the Grey Album differently from the Black Album? DM: Just the feel of the songs, I was going to try to stick strictly to the original track listing but I decided against it because this thing itself is not supposed to be compared really with the Black Album. I didn’t make it to be compared to the Black Album; originally it was made to be its own little project, its own experiment. So once I decided that it wasn’t going to be exactly like the exact order then the order of the grey album really didn’t matter at all. I really like the order of the original; I just changed it up a little bit to fit the original feel of what I was trying to do. AllHipHop.com: Did the success of the remix albums by 9th Wonder and Kev Brown influence you to bring this project out commercially? DM: I admire 9th Wonder for actually getting that stuff out there. I had been doing a lot old mix CD’s and blending all kinds of stuff together and blending the whole hip-hop thing with the rock. So blending those concepts together is just always something that I’d always wanted to do but actually the putting it out kind of thing that was really cool that he did that. I put out about three other 12” of things I did where I was mixing like Suzanne Vega with 50 Cent, Nas and Portishead and stuff like that and I did the first one maybe 2 years ago. I was always down to put my own stuff out in that kind of way but doing a full album like that I feel like that was the only way I could’ve done what I was trying to do. One song here or there would never have worked it would’ve never had that impact. But I thing what he did has got to open those doors for people trying to do these kind of things. AllHipHop.com: For 9th, God’s Stepson really helped his career, do you see this remix thing being a successful marketing tool for producers, like mix tapes have become for rappers. DM: I think it always should’ve been like this. Just like how rappers ask for beats, it’s like why don’t you just rap over some hot s###, if you don’t sound good over that then you’re not going to sound good over anything. I hope it does I know that there’s probably gonna be a whole lot more remix albums for the Jay-Z thing. I didn’t use these as original beats this was definitely like a melding kind of thing I was not trying to do a remix album where I took my own beats and did them with Jay-Z, that wasn’t what I was trying to do even though I know that’s the way it’s going to be perceived. I was trying to meld two completely different records together and show what could be done from […]

p>AllHipHop.com: So, for the dummies – who is D-Block?  Jadakiss: D-Block is Sheek, Jada and Styles P’s label. Supa Mario is the president of it. He runs everything. Sheek was the first artist off it. J hood is coming. We got the D-Block compilation coming out. Jada album’s coming. Styles is coming. It’s the who movement.  AllHipHop.com: You learning a lot about being bosses?  Sheek: As day by day goes on, I’m learning that I pretty much know a lot about this business, but it’s a lot more to learn. Us three together as one is kind of crazy towards these old heads out here. The switch [to CEO] was easy. I could see if we wasn’t in the industry doing day-to-day things. A lot of people read about [the music busisness] and they try to go and do it. Nah we actually lived it and done a lot of this stuff so the switch was kind of easy.  AllHipHop.com: How can a young buck get down with D-Block?  Sheek: Kiss and Styles will take [prospects] in the studio heavy. They bring them in they make them rap against each other. J-Hood – before ya’ll started hearing about him – he was battling, he was out there just getting it on. You gotta have some talent, man.  AllHipHop.com: What if you get three demos thrown at you? Do you actually listen to them?  Jadakiss: Yeah we listen to them joints. I ain’t gonna lie It depends on the mood I’m in. If I’m looking for beats or I’m looking for an artist. We never just throw them to the side or step on them and crunch them for the most part. We give them to Mario if nothing else.  AllHipHop.com: Do you feel like survivors for being around so long in hiphop?  Sheek: The guy they praising now? B.I.G.? I go back as far as him on to this day. And we reinvented ourselves to D-Block. N**as don’t even call us The Lox.  Jadakiss: You know what’s good though? Say we ain’t go multi-platinum and multi multi-platinum and all that and when we walk through the same place as that multi-platinum artists they run up on us and that’s the love we get today. From back then to today.  AllHipHop.com: Do you feel underrated?  Jadakiss: I think its because we just went through a lot of situations before they knew us. We dealt with Diddy at a young age. They know we know the business side now. We underrated but we overrated, because everybody know we the best. At the end of the day, with the verses. We started mixtapes making mixtapes the thing to do. We started al ot of s**t so at the end of the day. You gonna always remember when it comes to history time.  AllHipHop.com: What’s the key to staying together as a group?  Sheek: We read “The Art of War” heavy like it’s the Bible. We read that s###, highlight it. It pertains to everything. There can’t be one ni**a eating. There can’t be two n#### eating. You gotta cut n##### in so they don’t feel they are working for you…we are working together.  AllHipHop.com: Styles is the first one of you that told me that, years ago. Why are you the deep thinker of the group?  Styles: That’s just how I am. A lot of people view me and get me fu**ed up. I like it like that sometimes. But life is a thinking man’s game. It’s a lot of s### to think about, even the smallest s### when you think about it. Like, who the f**k made the alphabet up. I want  to get to the root of sh*t. Before somebody tell me something, I am going to get to the bottom of it. I be thinking about why were f**kin’ black people the slaves of the world?  AllHipHop.com: So why were [Black people] the enslaved people?  Styles:  I came with my own reasoning about what’s going to happen later on. I guess if you read, it says the poor and meek shall inherit the world later on. So, I figured that was it. He who laughs last, laughs hardest. So, maybe we got an extra solidified spot in heaven.  Black people might have the biggest mansion in heaven and all that.  AllHipHop.com: How long have the Lox known each other?  Jadakiss: Seems like forever. Since high school, junior high, 9th grade. Me and Sheek was a group already. Styles was the soloist. We had a big crew. Most of the ni**as  you see, go way back with us.  AllHipHop.com: You got a name for your next album the album yet, P?   Styles: Nah. I got a bunch of them, but I haven’t decided though. I like The Ghost.       AllHipHop.com: I was told you don’t write your rhymes down anymore?  Styles:  Not no more. I haven’t written rhymes since I got here. I wrote some when I was younger. I got an offbeat/onbeat  [style] so as I was reading it off paper it wouldn’t  be working for me or I wouldn’t remember. It’s harder for me with paper than it would be without it. I’m a feeling kind of dude. I get the beat, I feel it. So when I was in, I was kind of stagnated.  I’m real pick with beats, I’m a hands on kind of dude. When I was in there, I was like f### it. I knew I wasn’t going to be writing so I was just reading a lot, just getting my mind right. When I cam out, I was just thirsty to work. I ain’t really been on the scene too much until Sheek’s s### came out. I really just wanted to fall back until I finished my [album].   AllHipHop.com: So, you vibe off the feelings.  Styles: Yeah, I’m kind of emotional, I guess you would say. A spur-of-the-moment  type.  AllHipHop.com: What can people expect from this album? The last one was a runaway success.  Styles:  […]

Ok, it’s 2:56 in the am and I’m up watching “Paula Abdul: Driven.” I never knew she had bulimia Girls, don’t throw up. That’s neither here nor there. This week has been crazy, due to the responses from the last column I typed to you all. I started out trying to respond to everyone who wrote back, either via message boards or personal email, but it got to be a lot. A LOT. Really, I didn’t know how emotional the response would be. I got love, I got hate thrown my way, suggestions, advice. It ran the gamut from both extremes. I appreciate it all. Mostly I appreciate the fact that words could spark so much discussion and lead to debates between varying insights and perspectives about the music industry, frustration and life in general. The general consensus was the same though. It was the simple fact that words, coupled with emblazoned emotion, could make a difference and make people think and talk to each other. I didn’t write anything with the intention of proving anything. Honestly, I was angry as hell, frustrated and out of ideas. Anger can blind you to seeing the good in anything, or realizing that the anger will pass in time. I go through the feeling of being at the end of my rope with this career path much more than I would have publicly admitted before. My usual way out, being the music, just wasn’t cutting it that day. So I vented. Not for sympathy, not for the sake of b#######, just for me to get it out. It was like suppressing a scream for years and finally allowing myself to be loud. A couple of times since it’s been up and reading responses, I started questioning whether or not this was a reeeeaaally bad choice. Really bad. I couldn’t go to bed tonight without it on my head, so I’m doing what I usually do, write about it. It still has two sides to it for me, but ultimately I’m glad I got it out. If it wasn’t in a column, it would have been in a song. So either way I would have made it a public vulnerability I couldn’t avoid. Funny that, the responses were what made me realize how lucky I am to have this job. To have the luxury of being able to say what I’m feeling to a public audience and have it open for criticism is an incredible opportunity. Yeah, sometimes it’s crazy to just have an opinion of your day, or your experiences and have strangers either relate or be adverse to your words. In either case it is still an extremely powerful media that is unparallel in freedom. The importance of language and technology being used as a means to spark thought is especially becoming more apparent to me with every day I spend pursuing this game. I was thinking no one was listening, or no one really cared to even try and step out of his or her train of thought to hear something else for a second. But y’all proved me wrong. There wasn’t music behind it, there was no packaging on it, but it made a little ripple. That really shook me. No, no, not “shook ones” shook me…”I will still stab your brain with your nose bone…” Naw, not that. It made me snap out of the anger and keep sh*t moving. If words can have that kind of effect, then it’s worth talking. It’s worth fighting for, it’s worth getting bruised up and falling down and getting back on again. I’m not afraid to say when I’m f##### up, or fed up, or at the same time, when things are beautiful and everything falls into place. I’m glad that everyone isn’t afraid to do that either. Even the hate, hey we need some balance, it can’t all be good s###. Coming from the chick who has, “f**k you, f**k you…” as a hook, I’m right there with you on that. All the music that I love and feel is something that takes me with it and brings out an emotion. Whether it’s Stevie singing “All Is Fair In Love,” or MOP doing “World Famous”, damn…there’s always a factor that takes you into it and brings you out on the other side. Double the same for incredible lyricists like Big Pun (R.I.P) on the entire Capital Punishment album, Jay Z’s conversationalist ways, or G Rap’s verbal dexterity, that can just make you wonder how the hell he did that, sucking you into his every breath. It’s all emotion, it’s all an art and it touches everyone that it comes in contact with. That is the incredulous power of music, more so, the absolute beauty of rap music. So, just to let everyone know that I learned a ginormous (I know it’s not a word) amount from this experience. I definitely will fight the good fight and yes, fall down and pick myself back up again and keep going. I can thrash this business and talk s### about it til I’m blue in the face. I can hate it, divorce it and kick the dream until I think it’s dead and try to walk away. But just like that damn serial killer you should never turn your back on at the end of the movie, it gets back up and drags me back into it’s world. Then I make out with it and we cuddle and… You get the idea… Thank you AllHipHop, thank you okayplayer, thank you readers, hate and love alike. All the musicians, frustrated artists, male and female and just lovers of music and hip hop in general. Don’t let the f**ked up politics of the industry destroy your fight, or your dream. It gets you to the point of hell, but you gotta kick it back. If need be, let it out. Punch the s### out of it, let it know you mean business. Sometimes you have to […]

Tony Touch’s 2000 album The Piece Maker is arguably the best album a DJ ever dropped. Underground and mainstream tracks, freestyles, skits, and every element that we love about Hip-Hop was seamlessly woven together in Toca’s deft mix. Touch scored two hit singles, a slew of fan favorites, and a true moment in time for that dynamic period in Hip-Hop. We’ve waited long enough for the second installment. Touch has a follow-up ready that’s sure to walk alongside the success of the debut. But there’s so much more to this Brooklyn legend than two albums. Tony has created some of the best mixtapes ever. He’s been a staple in the underground backlash on the mainstream. Touch isn’t just a turntable icon, but a respected MC, and budding producer. It’s no wonder why, he’s the greatest DJ. Enjoy as AllHipHop talks shop with a keystone in the bridge of changing times, styles, and trends. As Tony prepares his new album, he also reflects on Big Pun, Hip-Hop diversity, bootleggers, and a few of his favorite things. Don’t sleep. AllHipHop.com: How is The Piece Maker 2 a progression from the last two official releases? Tony Touch: Well I consider The Piece Maker the real official piece. If you’re considering The Last of the Pro-Ricans, that was just like a commercial mixtape. I don’t consider that because none of the material was new except a few songs that were mine, but it was old stuff, ya know. So I consider this to be my second full-length official release. As far as progression, I’ve developed more as a producer and more as an artist, feeling more comfortable, and confident with what I’m delivering now as far as when it comes to beats and rhymes. AllHipHop.com: Besides The 60 Minutes of Funk series and The Professional, The Piece Maker was one of the first commercial mixtapes. But you had rising mainstreams groups like D-12 as well as legends like Gang Starr and Wu-Tang on there too. This trait holds true on the second? TT: Oh, definitely. Same formula, different lineup. This time I was able to get Redman, Erick Sermon, Def Squad this time. I got more Wu-Tang heads and switched that up a little with Method Man, Raekwon, and U-God now. RZA produced on this. I got the Bad Boy fam which is Black Rob, G-Dep, and P Diddy. I got another song with Sean Paul. We’ve got material with Large Professor, Pete Rock, and Masta Ace. That’s a joint that’s kinda hot. AllHipHop.com: And you still rhymed on a lot of these? TT: Yeah, I actually probably rhymed a little more on this one, connecting a little more with the artists lyrically. As far as the variety, we’ve got traditional Hip-Hop, mainstream, and underground. We’ve got Dead Prez, P Diddy, it’s all over the place. AllHipHop.com: How does the sense of pressure affect you on a commercial release compared to your regular street series? TT: Ordinary mixtapes, the work is already done for me. AllHipHop.com: But you challenge yourself with original beats. TT: That’s true. I try to get creative with it. I don’t feel that matters often because I don’t feel that I get enough creative material in one shot like I used to. AllHipHop.com: Why do you think that is? TT: I don’t feel that a lot of people are really stepping up their game. And also the industry, where it’s at right now, it’s all over the place, the direction has gotten a little crazy with labels and stuff like that, and people trying to sound like whatever’s hot right now. We don’t have enough leaders. Everything’s boring right now. AllHipHop.com: Does that bring out the B-Boy in Touch more than the guy trying to hit us with the next exclusive? TT: I like to keep it balanced. Right now I’m working for Power 105, a new Hip-Hop station in New York. So I’m in the mix up there on the weekends. So I gotta be balanced: playing the hits, commercial, and balance it out with stuff that I enjoy playing. AllHipHop.com: Premier and Evil Dee have been really stickin’ it to the DJ’s who let the playlist control them, so to speak. You don’t allow your program to be decided for you, do you? TT: I gotta cater to my audience, you know. Sometimes I gotta play stuff that I’m not crazy about, you know, or maybe I’m just tired of hearing. My ear is much quicker and so are the people that are involved like Preemo and lots of DJ’s, we get tired of songs quick that we play things out. Also, there’s not enough records coming out that are timeless, we’re so tired. But we gotta keep in mind that we’re catering to an audience that we gotta school them, and to do that, you gotta play what their familiar with, and in between, I always sneak in a heater. Every three songs, I throw in a heater. That’s my formula. AllHipHop.com: You were the first real DJ I ever had growing up outside of New York. Being tied to Puerto Rico and other places, how often do you think that your tapes are really reaching the kids that treasure your ear and choices so much more? TT: I just try to represent the culture man, and keep it thorough and not compromise myself. It’s some authentic s### when you listen to me at a party or on the air, or cop the album, it’s usually something that’s authentic and pure. And my affiliation with Rocksteady Crew and the history I have with those guys, people expect me to keep it true school. I feel that there’s a market I haven’t put all my energy into, and that’s the Latin market. I got a few songs on the album that are catering to that. AllHipHop.com: The mixtape game done changed. People are remixing Jay and Nas. Every crew now has a tape DJ to leak exclusives, there’s […]

[Editor’s note: This piece contains language of a frank, honest nature. For mature individuals only.] I’m most probably going to get a phone call both from my label and publicist about writing this, but honestly, I’m just tired of mincing my words and being nice about s###. I haven’t really written a lot on allhiphop in a second, mostly because I’m too damn frustrated with everything to write as a hobby. I’m angry, I’m tired and close to spazing out about a lot of s###. I hate this industry. I hate the music business because it has s### to do with music. I grew up in a family of independent struggling musicians and I’m sick of being a part of that cycle. I’m tired of fighting harder than everyone else to even just get a little bit. I don’t even know why I f###### put my heart into doing this when it’s obvious that so many people who don’t, get what they want out of it. The financial unstability of this is driving me crazy. Why do I have to keep turning out entire albums or releases full of music when some cat can spit on a mixtape once, or give someone a pound and then get on immediately? Why try to do something that’s apparently so f###### different and impossible, that I have to defend it to myself everyday? I hate myself for dumping my all into this. If I was smarter I wouldn’t have pursued this career. I’m older than most people already established in this business and I’m not thinking of the money coming out of it for balling out purposes. I want to be a mom soon, I want to have some sort of steadiness in my life, but with this job that is close to a damn impossibility right now. F### everyone at all these labels who even know me and won’t even give me a damn chance to step in the door. ‘Oh, I love your s###,’ but they can’t do s### for me. F### the boys club mentality that they have and the vision they lack. Years of rejection make you really second think yourself. Maybe it’s not them, maybe it’s me. Maybe my s### isn’t good enough to compete with all the stuff out there. Then I hate everything, then I read “her delivery is trash”, or “her beats are wack” and that solidifies all of that in my head. As much as I can try to fight it and try to like my own material it becomes a chore to listen to it. It’s a cycle. I get like that, then snap out of it after a pep talk and think, no, I am talented. I have something. Don’t pay attention to all that s###, I’m stronger than that. I’m not a quitter, I’m a fighter. My fighter outlook is getting really weak. Less and less I really put myself into this s### with a gung ho attitude and now I do it almost because I’m stuck here and I don’t like to start things and not finish them. I can have press out the ass, it doesn’t seem to matter. No one really outside of the industry or underground heads know who the f### I am. Doing shows that are difficult to get in the first place and then only having like 20 people there for crap money doesn’t lift your spirits. Promoters won’t even understand that we don’t have the kind of money it takes to get to these damn places unless they’re paying for them. If there are maybe 2 black women in the audience that night it’s a good night for me. I understand that fans are fans and I respect that. But it’s a p############ job when you can’t even see yourself reflected in the audience. I can’t get on any big mixtapes, labels are scared to f### with something without a great soundscan history and people that have the power to help treat me like the invisible rapper. What am I supposed to do ? I’m tired of writing because everything is coming out angry and I don’t want to be that person. I’m mad that I’m broke, I’m mad that I’m living in the same situation…and you know what XXL??? I’m f###### mad that I can’t make my wedding plans happen again this year. Yeah. You guys put me in your “Negro Please” section a few months ago with the quote “I’m broke and I couldn’t go through with the plans for my wedding I had on Valentine’s day.’ So, what the f###? That was funny? You know, you forgot to mention the fact that the quote you took came from a Fader magazine article in which the next line I spoke was “my dad has cancer”. Perhaps you should have included that too, since you thought that the beginning was so hilarious. You don’t know s### about me or my life and with the amount of ignorant speakers around you chose to include something that you thought somehow was chuckle worthy. F### off. I’m taking back the nice and putting on the angry face because I’m tired. I’m tired of being overlooked and underpaid. I’m tired of trying to come up with new f###### ingenious plans of how to let people know that I exist and then scrapping them because we don’t have the money to do s###. It’s a luxury to me to watch people sit in a studio and take time with their s###. It’s a tragedy to see them wasting their time and not realizing how lucky they are to have the opportunity to do that. There’s tons of people I would love to work with, but money doesn’t allow that, so in the interims between albums and shows I gotta come up with all these crazy hustles to keep my name out there and introduce myself to a new audience. Most of them never come to pass because of […]

With a name like Pumpkinhead, first-time listeners who are up on their horror flicks might expect the Brooklyn-bred emcee to be on some other-type hip-hop. But the 28-year-old isn’t some lyrical demon out for revenge, just an underrated rapper ready to set the underground on fire. “Ain’t no hardcore sh*t going on,” he says. “I’m just a regular-ass person with a weird ass name.” His moniker doesn’t come from the movie of the same name, but from his mother calling him a “punkinhead” as a kid for his hardheadedness. The Park Slope representer’s critically acclaimed EP, last year’s A Beautiful Mind, gave the fiend’s another taste of his creativity, versatility and potent flow. However, the release of his U.S.A. (Underground Starving Artists) mixtapes with his DJ, Dp-One, hasn’t been enough to satisfy the appetites of hungry fans. That’s all set to change in 2004, with his forthcoming full-length album, Hip-Hop: The Revival of ’95, his second LP. “I’m trying to make this album top-notch,” says the rapper. “I’m trying to bring back that feeling when you heard Tribe and that (Midnight) Marauders album.” While those in the know already recognize the wordsmith’s abilities, newcomers will be attracted to the record because of the presence of lyricists like longtime associate Jean Grae, J-Live, Steel (of Smif’n’Wessun fame) and his crew, The Plague, and production from the likes of Da Beatminerz, Toronto native Marco Polo and Pumpkinhead’s own Brooklyn Academy fam, which includes Will Tell, Block and DJ Black Panther, among others. Further assistance on beats is expected to come from Geology, 88 Keys, and West Coast producers E-Swift from Tha Liks and Domino of Hiero. He also wants to work with Virginia heatmaker Nottz—“He is sick with the beats”–, singer Vinia Mojica—“She’s got a voice on her—and his man from their elementary school days in Brooklyn, Talib Kweli. “Hopefully that all comes to fruition,” says Pumpkinhead optimistically. For the uninitiated, Pumpkinhead’s flow doesn’t really fit in any one category. “My style is every style. I’m a multi-faceted rapper,” comments the Brooklynite. “I touch on all topics.” He continues, “I can talk about the street because I’ve been stabbed, I’ve been shot up.” “People in the underground say, ‘He’s trying to be a gangsta.’ No stupid, I’ve been through it.” However, the confident emcee says his lyricism causes the fans who respect street credibility more than a flow to label him a backpacker. “Okay, I’m a backpacker–but f**k around and find out what’s in my backpack,” he cautions them. And while he doesn’t call himself “necessarily a conscious rapper, I do speak about what’s going on.” Influenced by artists ranging from Redman—“He’s one of the most consistent emcees to have that major label status”–to Stevie Wonder and Minnie Ripperton, Pumpkinhead got into hip-hop around the age of 12 as a b-boy. “My first taste of hip-hop was breakdancing,” recalls the rapper. After being inspired by a Dana Dane song, “Nightmares,” he “started making the transition from b-boy to emcee.” “I already wrote poetry in school, so I just put two and two together.” His addition was on point, as he eventually landed a deal with Makin’ Records, who released his first LP, “The Old Testament,” highlighted by his lead single, “Dynamic.” The Puerto Rican lyricist has also hit the road, as his touring experiences include opening for rock group The Goo Goo Dolls in San Diego, on 2000’s Technology Tour. “It was bugged out. They do things a lot different than we do,” he recollects. “While we’re puffin’ herb, they’re doing a bunch of other sh*t.” “But the crowd was good…very receptive.” Concertgoers’ appreciation for Pumpkinhead isn’t just a U.S. phenomenon, either. “I was the first underground emcee to tour Australia,” he says. “I was the only one on the flyer. People were coming to see me only.” “I was packing a house of like 2,000 people,” he says about the overseas love. “People were asking me for my shirt, to sign it.” He’s also been on two Lyricist Lounge tours, the latter of which he formed a relationship with the Boot Camp Click that led to Da Beatminerz’ and Steele’s involvement on his album and him returning the favor with two joints on the Da Beatminerz’ next record. Unfortunately, like most underground rappers, Pumpkinhead’s been caught up in a bit of label drama. Makin’ Records didn’t get any distribution for The Old Testament, and he’s yet to see any change from Third Earth Music for A Beautiful Mind, although he claims “Third Earth is still cool…they did help me to get more of a name.” As for the upcoming Revival of ’95, Pumpkinhead says, “I’m gonna shop this album and get a good deal.” In the meantime, he’s been making appearances accompanying his buddy Jean Grae on her tour to keep his buzz alive. “If Jean Grae is in town, you’ll probably see me,” he says. Outside of that, the rapper spends a lot of time putting in work in the studio and at his home in Milltown, N.J., which is about halfway between Philly and New York. Why the relocation from New York for the tranquility of Jersey? “My hood was getting real crazy. People sleep on Park Slope (his original stomping grounds), but I lived next door to a crackhouse,” he says. “We’d have festivals on the ave, and people were getting cut from ear to ear right in front of my little sister.” After his father’s death, he used the money his pops had given him for college to relocate his family to their current home, where he lives with his wife, mother, sister and newborn son. With everything he has in the works—in addition to the album, he’s working on other projects, doing production for the likes of Immortal Technique—the man stays busy. But he remains focused on making The Revival of ‘95 a project that turns heads. “Prepare for the illest album you ever heard from me,” he says. “Definitely my defining moment.” He adds, “If […]

After garnering critical acclaim as an amateur, Royce Da 5’9” was the favorite to win Rookie Of The Year honors once his debut album officially dropped. Rock City was supposed to catapult him to the ranks of hip-hop’s elite. But it didn’t. Fans couldn’t keep their hands off the unreleased album, like Kobe Bryant couldn’t keep his hands off a certain hotel staffer in Colorado. Now, after a war of the words with Eminem and D-12, Royce returns with his sophomore effort, Death Is Certain. And just like Bryant is trying to revive his squeaky clean image, the Detroit rapper is trying to revive his underground appeal. Let’s hope he can shoulder the load better than Kobe. AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about the word underdog or the tag potential always being attached to your name? Royce Da 5’9”: Well, it comes from being independent from somebody else-You know I had to do a little growing and I parted ways with some people. The underdog is just like the next step. Plus, it was so visible how many people were against me for various reasons, so it was me against the world, really. Me against everybody. Cause I really wasn’t backing down from anybody. That’s what the underdog means. AllHipHop.com: Do you still feel like you need to fulfill your potential? How would you view yourself in the rap game? Royce Da 5’9”: I think theirs always room for improvement, because I’m never satisfied. Even in the lines where I come across like real arrogant and real confident. Really, it’s like I’m my own worst critic. I’m always trying to please and really just humble myself, so theirs always room for improvement and fulfilling that potential. AllHipHop.com: So I’ve heard you’re saying you feel like Nas before he dropped “Ether?” Can you explain that? Royce Da 5’9”: [Laughs] I really respect Nas as an artist. And I respect his struggle and what he went through. He’s standing for his own beliefs and he stood his ground. I’m sure the phone calls were slow to him, too. That’s what I said on the song. Cause that’s how I was feeling. I quit carrying the 2-way. And I quit carrying the phone-just no communication. AllHipHop.com: How many people approached you about that “Malcolm X” track? Royce Da 5’9”: It was a song that just had to happen, man. I didn’t want to do that song. We refrained from doing the song, but people was just saying so much. Y’all didn’t really get it here [New York]. But if you was living in Detroit, then you would’ve have seen how many people decided to get together to go against me. It was just what the hell I was thinking at that time. That’s why it came out so angry. AllHipHop.com: In that situation, there was a group of people against you, and you were by yourself fighting back. Nas didn’t nearly make as many tracks going at the Roc as they made against him. Was that on your mind? Royce Da 5’9”: I kind of did it like Nas. It looked like he was starting to get picked on. After “Ether,” it was different; you knew the battle was over. When I did “Malcolm X,” I didn’t feel like I needed to do anything else. Cause it was like that ended everything. It’s like “Ether.” I think like they felt like they got to a pint in their careers where they got their weight up, and I didn’t. AllHipHop.com: Can you give us an updated status on how your relationship is with Eminem and Proof, or anybody from D-12? Royce Da 5’9”: Well, My relationship with Em, it isn’t really a relationship. I respect him as an artist. I respect him as a businessman. I want to say we didn’t see eye to eye, but we never got the chance to talk about it. So really, whenever someone asks me, I just that it’s not a relationship, because we don’t speak. As far as Proof, we didn’t see eye to eye on the situation and we resolved it. And that’s where it stops. AllHipHop.com: Do you think the relationships can be mended? Or you can work together again? Royce Da 5’9”: I think it’s mended. I wouldn’t close the door on working with anybody. AllHipHop.com: And what about Dr. Dre? Royce Da 5’9”: I think there is a mutual respect between us. I’ve never had a problem with Dre. AllHipHop.com: On your new album, you have the one song like “Bomb First,” where your quoting 2Pac, but you also dismiss rappers who ride on ‘Pac’s coattails. Royce Da 5’9”: It’s wasn’t really dismissing them. I didn’t even have anybody in particular in mind time. It was just a certain time when rap just felt “‘Pac-ish” to me. And I felt like people started doing it because it was the “in” thing to do. It’s one thing to do it out of admiration, and another to do it just to sell records. I just don’t really agree with it. AllHipHop.com: Is that what you try to address in your single “Hip-Hop? Royce Da 5’9”: I’m a strong believer that Royce 5’9’’ has a real good chemistry with Primo. And I think that song was what the underground in hip-hop needs. That type of song, it’s just somebody that doesn’t really care about radio play or nothing. It’s somebody who’s doing it just for the love of doing it. That’s pretty much how my whole album is. AllHipHop.com: It seems you have a lot of underground love, yet the pedigree of your skills is on par with superstars. You mentioned that you see yourself right behind rappers like Jay-Z, Em and Nas. What do you think about that balance that you strike? Royce Da 5’9”: I really compare myself to those people you that just named, because, number one, I feel like I’ve already achieved the type of success that you guys know that I’m […]

Baby D’s been bubbling just under the surface for over nine years, but now emerges as Big Oomp Records get down with a major. The indie game was sweet but the joining the league has been tastier as the whole Big Oomp crew is on the verge of extreme success. Baby D is right there on the front line with alliances with Pastor Troy, Bone Crusher and Lil’ Flip. Get to know him before the rest of the nation catches on. AllHipHop.com: Talk about yourself a little bit what’s up with you? B: I’m born and raised in the ATL. Well right now, “The Shining” that’s like my third album I did two independent albums. The off the chain and the lil chopper joint, the lil chopper joint album got nominated for the best independent album of the year at the source awards. That was a blessing and we just got the big deal with Sony, and the first single is “it’s going down” featuring bone crusher and another guy that’s signed to our independent label called DRU. AllHipHop.com: You down with What’s up with Big Oomp, your lable CEO? He’s looked like the Down South Suge Knight? B: Yeah he still doing it he still got the same look, but we’ve been doing it independently for a long time and just got blessed with this major deal we was in the little league now we in the big leagues just hoping to make a mark on the industry and do this thing. AllHipHop.com: How long have you been in the game? B: I’ve been in the game for about 9 years, but I’ve been in the game all my life because I’ve always been into music. I played the band in school, the drums in church. I’ve always been into music since day 1 but physically doing it it’s been like 9 years even though I was just a little guy. AllHipHop.com: When did your first album come out? B: My first album dropped in 2000. AllHipHop.com: What label were you under at that point? B: Big Oomp. AllHipHop.com: So you always been with big Oomp? Doesn’t he own like a stream of record stores down there? B: Yeah we got seven Soundscan stores. We got the biggest mom and pop chain stores in Atlanta. I host a TV show its called “Live with the Oomp Camp” and its like a video show but it’s a little more in the crowd like if Nelly performs somewhere we actually go in the club to let people know that rappers are entertainers but we real people too we like to go chill and drink. So we go behind backstage and stuff, you don’t have the everyday video show where you’re just sitting on the couch. We’ve had everybody from Busta Rhymes, Outkast everybody been on the TV show. That’s a big thing we doing but other than that I’m on number three on the young bloods album me and this guy named loco. They went gold so we seeing if we get a gold plaque for that one. AllHipHop.com: Now I’m looking at a quote from you and its saying” I’m not trying to knock southern artists but I feel they haven’t really brought the people into the south and show them what we do, everybody’s talking about rims and partying.” What did you mean when you said that? B: It’s more to it. Everybody talk about rims but there are certain things that we do that I feel nobody else does. Like I gotta song on my album called “Shawty” and shawty is a word that we say down here like it’s a noun, like look at shawty, shawty tripping’. So I gotta song on my album that’s using the word in everyway we use it, and nobody else do it. Shawty’s a big word down here like in new York they’ll say “What up son” or “kid.” In California they’ll say, “What’s up Cuz.” AllHipHop.com: Atlanta is doing it real big right now, you have T.I. on one level, Luda on another level, Outkast and Lil Jon what is up with so many different sounds and styles out of one area. You can’t put a sound on it? B: Well the south is not just Atlanta; it is a lot of different sounds, Texas, Florida, and Alabama. When you go to these different states they listen to different kinds of music like in Florida they listen to bass music its southern music its just bass music. If you go to Houston they like the screwed up music its still southern music its just what they like, its just so many different parts of the south you get so many different varieties of music that come from the music. So many backgrounds and different types of ways of expressing yourself. That’s why you get that different sound it also depends on what side of town you come from. T.I. is from the Westside and that’s like considered the hardest side of Georgia so it consists of a lot of drugs and stuff and I come from the eastside and it has that it just doesn’t have that much drugs and stuff we considered the rich side we get a lot of money. We’re all individuals and we try to make our own point. We together but we not, we’re together when it comes to shows but we’re not because of our different sounds and we like to portray our music in different ways. A lot of stuff that your seeing the Southern artists coming out with right now it started off the Big Oomp record label. AllHipHop.com: I remember your album Off Da Chain. B: Independently it was doing real well but then the bootleggers came and they messed up the whole situation. That was when the bootlegging first got popular. I got a big song on there called the ATL with me Pastor Troy and Archie. We been putting […]