Stagga Lee knows he is getting a raw deal, but he can’t seem to convince minions of rap fans of this. Nevertheless the Bronx-born, Yonkers-reared rapper assures himself and his detractors that his time is now, like it or not. A fan of the greats [Kool G Rap, Rakim, KRS-One], Stagga could, quite possibly be one of the most misunderstood rappers out today. Seriously AllHipHop.com: What can people expect from you? Stagga: Just, you know, something new. Cuz I know there isn’t a lot of new s### out right now. They’re play the same nine songs on the radio and everybody’s basically sayin’ the same thing. If Ja Rule does a love song and its successful, Everyone wants to come out and do a love song. 50’s out so now everyone wants to be thug. So I just wanted to totally go left from where everyone was and come out this new mood. AllHipHop.com: So how did you get into actually doing albums? What drew you to hip-hop? Stagga: I had an older brother, he’s about thirty-four, and basically we grew up in what I call the ‘Subway Car Era.’ You know, graffiti, break-dancin, stuff like that. I tried the dancin’ thing. It didn’t work out. I just was so much in the culture from a young age and I wanted to be more apart of it. So I looked for those creative outlets. I couldn’t dance, I couldn’t DJ, I couldn’t write graffiti and so I just started gettin’ into rhymes. Talent develops over time the next thing I know; I’m just one of the nastiest kids out! AllHipHop.com: What do you think about the comparisons to Eminem? Stagga: There are none. I’m white. He’s white. That’s it but its two different things. AllHipHop.com: Do get tried of hearing that? Stagga: You know, its an honor to be compared to someone like him. I strive for the day when they’ll be asking him about me. So right now, I’m doin’ my thing, not worried about nothin’. AllHipHop.com: What about the color issue? That seems to be poppin’ up a lot lately as far as you’re concerned. Stagga: What? Should I be wearing something else other than gray [referring to gray jumpsuit]? AllHipHop.com: Yeah, because there is a significant amount of hate on the internet message boards on you. Stagga: I’m not sweatin’ yo, even though there is a significant amount of hate. In fact, there’s no love if you search on the internet. Except for once in a while you’ll find me in there trying to defend myself. But now I find myself at the point where is like ‘Yo, eat a d**k. Buy my album. I know you’re girl loves my sh*t.’ But they say the stupidest fu**ing sh*t on those things about me. They be like ‘Oh, he’s a one hit wonder. I guarantee we’ll never hear from him again.’ How are you gonna make that assumption? Such a follower that you can’t even have your own mind to be like wait let me just hear what this kid’s got. He’s got an album, he’s got the video out, maybe he’s doing something right. I mean I ain’t got a deal and I’m still here talking about this muthafucker on a website. It just gets me aggravated that nobody takes the time to listen. I think its just this video that gives a different perception of me. You see these cats or these kids, whatever color they may be, they live on the block and they’re ryhmin’ and they feel like they’re nice and they think they know about sh*t. ‘Oh, I should have a deal. Why does this f###### white kid have a deal?’ But they go on those fu**ing websites and that’s their life. AllHipHop.com: But also the website culture is different than off the net. Stagga: Oh, I think website culture is backpackers all the way. The thing is, it is mostly white kids with names like ‘BlackSuperman’ or ‘50CentGangsta.” It’s like come on man, you don’t know nothin’ about making records but they’re dissing me. But I guess as long as they are talking about me, that’s cool. Cuz they could sweep me under the rug and not say anything. Right now I’m like the only white kid on BET and that’s causing a lot of mixed emotions. AllHipHop.com: Yeah, I can imagine. I’m not saying its like a reverse racism situation but then again you do have to look at it from some kids’ point of view. If you’re a black kid you might be like, ‘Yo, this white dude is on BET but I’m here and I can spit…’ Stagga: I was there. That’s the thing. They don’t know I was that kid. And I was a white kid thinking I’m never gonna get in. I am at the back of the bus right now and people don’t realize. Tiger Woods and Serena Williams, nobody really had anything to say when they came in and took over white sports. A white kid comes in and wants to get a little bit of action from hip-hop and everybody wants to f##** flip out. Come on man, call me Tiger Woods and buy my album. I’m really not concerned with all of that. Anyone who is going to hate isn’t really listening anyway. So I just make music for people that are going to listen. AllHipHop.com: You said you did a little battle rap, right? Do you still do that? Stagga: Nah, man. What could I gain from that? That cats who respect you for that ain’t gonna buy my sh*t anyway. If someone comes up and battles me and then they bash me, they get to walk away and be all, ‘hey, I just killed Stagga Lee.’ But if I scrap them and walk away, I’m supposed to scrap them. Everybody wants to challenge me now. Its only gonna be so much more time before people realize ‘lets just leave that kid […]

April 10, 2003, 7:04 pm The Day. A shady ass Thursday to some, but for me it was the ultimate jump off. It was the day KRS One and I would meet and greet. sh*t. I didn’t plan for the episode, its just that I attended his lecture “Hip-hop Declaration of Peace” at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass and figured since he was in the building, what could I lose if I asked for an interview? Nada! Fast Forward>> The Setting. Sweet and sour. Actually that’s what I dipped my six-piece chicken nuggets in as I prepped for the ‘view. KRS and I were situated in the ethnically diverse city of Cambridge, a bridge over from the small and gritty city of Boston, yes THAT city, big city cats are finally getting hip to. Let’s Rewind<<. After hearing KRS breakdown the 9 concrete elements of the Hip-Hop culture, including, but not limited to; emceeing, breakin’, fashion trendin’, and graffin’. I wondered how his petty beef with Nelly could actually be the focus of other medias? I mean this stout man linked to locks and stuffed with wisdom, is a f*cking capo in the original rap game. Even still I wondered after his breakdown of Hip-Hop’s dynamic culture in the university’s auditorium, how funky ass politicians could think Hip-Hop’s presence is only attributed to gangster rap, cats tapping at hoes, and ho’s shouted by crowds at concerts. Really, how could these corny conservatives think thirty plus years of branding our culture worldwide could be simplified to patchy Akademic denims hanging, big hat’s dripping, and ice the clarity of fresh waters in international seas? How could they do that, and how we could we let them? I guess they never sat at the roundtable with the Teacher, KRS One. Pay attention to the lesson. KRS gave me a couple doses on how I could make a significant contribution to my community. And I would be dead wrong to take our hot connection to this culture out of context. My statements are based on recorded facts and if you doubt that, I’ll push you the CD, like a pusher pushes dope to your doorstep. Get high off that. You Suckerssss! So here we are, or better yet, there we were in BK. Oh, if all along you were picturing BK, aka Brooklyn, the moment was Burger King, between Hi-Fi sub shop and the Phoenix Bar on Massachusetts Avenue. Initially we were gonna chat in the Middle East nightclub, an underground setting, where he was scheduled to perform, but the scrambling of his clan doing sound check was too disturbing. “Check one, two, check.” KRS agreed without debate or bodyguards that the King was it. And really could the scene have been more fit for the King of the educated Hip-Hop culture? Nope. Sure Burger King wasn’t as luxurious as restaurants at the Ritz, but I didn’t care, nor did the peeping toms by the fountain machine pressing for autographs. As a matter of fact, the setting was rather comfy, considering a legendary rapper was lurking in the set. Significance AllHip-Hop.com: Do you feel the Hip-Hop culture will ever have a significant presence in the classroom? Do you ever feel academia will just say you know what, this is it? This is the direction of where our students are going. And this is what we need to embrace honestly and not because we are trying to be, so called linking in the system and acting like we really embrace this? KRS ONE: Yes, Yes, Yes, I honestly feel, matter of fact, it’s…it’s mathematics that it will. Those who are in power today will not be tomorrow. That is a fact. AllHip-Hop.com: A fact, I agree. KRS ONE: That is a fact. Really we have to be prepared to take their place. Will Hip-Hop as a curriculum be taught in an academic environment? I mean take it as far as junior high, high school, and college or middle school. Can it be taught? Yeah? Will it be taught? Yeah. Because you and I are growing up and we’re becoming the teachers. We are the teachers. We are the faculty. We are the board. We are the board of education. Do you know that in another five years, the President of the United States would have had a Public Enemy tape? There’s going to be a President after Bush. And that next four-year term, say eight years from now, that President is gonna have grown up with KRS, PE, and Queen Latifah. If Hip-Hop stopped today…we would still go down in world history.They’ll have a picture of you. Here’s an average Hip-Hoppa. They’ve flourished for the last thirty years. It’s inevitable. Teaching Hip-Hop AllHip-Hop.com: Since Hip-Hop is such an expressive culture do you feel the academic environment stunts the culture’s growth? Overall, do you think that even from lower education, as far as fourth or third grade, are they trying there hardest to deter us from expressing ourselves creatively? KRS ONE: That leans to another question… Which means what is it to teach? What is the curriculum to teach? What is it to teach Hip-Hop? I would say in answering your question. To teach Hip-Hop in today’s academic environment transforms the academic environment of today. It’s impossible to teach Hip-Hop in the standards of today’s educational curriculum.The idea of ‘I tell you something, you memorize it, and tell it back to me’ is not how you teach Hip-Hop. That whole concept would have to breakdown. The testing system and the grading system all of that would have to be out the window. In my opinion, Hip-Hop is not about learning it’s about unlearning. It’s about not getting new information, but questioning the information you already got. Who am I? Why am I? Where am I? Who are you? Why are you? When are you? Is this table a table? What use is this to me? What is my self worth, what do I mean? Like people […]

The Detroit Hip Hop Summit is over. Like every 24-hour day, April 26, 2003 had to end at midnight. But the feelings can last a lifetime. The dialogue sparked at the historic event can create sweeping change to echo around the world. It is obvious the enormous power that hip-hop holds, economically, musically, politically, and on. Hip-Hop has power, we know it, and now it is okay to say that we have it and we will use it. But what are we going to do with it? That was one of many questions Detroit Hip Hop Summit panelists attempted to answer during NAACP Freedom Weekend. The Summit was just a part of a weekend full of exciting activities. On Friday, Detroit’s Mayor, 32-year old Kwame Kilpatrick, kicked off the weekend with a black tie reception. Tickets sold for $500 per person with all of the proceeds being donated to charity. Shady Records sponsored the reception. Numerous rap artists were in attendance; including Shady artists D12, and Obie Trice and a late evening appearance by Eminem himself. During the Mayor’s reception, another hot party was taking place just blocks away. The Phat Farm Footwear Launch party attracted hundreds of partygoers, who sipped Hypnotiq all evening. Guests danced to the sounds of one of Detroit’s most popular DJ’s, DJ Fingers, who played a lot of old-school, and of course a lot of Run-DMC. Russell and Rev. Run arrived at the party just prior to midnight. The entrance of the legendary Simmons Brothers excited the crowd; neither confined themselves to the VIP area, preferring to mingle on the main floor. At midnight, every single person in attendance received a pair of Phat Farm shoes, a Detroit Hip Hop Summit T-shirt, and a Baby Phat baby tee. On Saturday, the Detroit Hip Hop Summit began with the first session panel comprised of industry heavyweights, locally, nationally, and internationally. Paul Rosenberg (Eminem’s manager), KJ Holliday (Program Director, WJLB), Toya Hankins (Manager of Motown Recording Artist, Kem), Khary Turner (Acclaimed Detroit writer and poet), Mark & Jeff Bass (WEB Entertainment), Joe Buddens (Artist, Def Jam) Rob Love (Def Jam), and Doug E. Fresh (Crowd Rocker Extraordinaire), T3 of Slum Village, Obie Trice, Proof, Kuniva, and Bizarre of D12, represented Detroit hip-hop on the panel along with Russell Simmons, moderated by the legendary, MC Serch, and Hip Hop Summit Action Network President, Dr. Ben (Chavis) Muhammad. The first session, "IT’S NOT A GAME!" Discussed Hip-Hop’s Economic Impact. Panelists stressed the importance of education. "How can you claim to love something, and want to do it as your career for the rest of your life, but not study it," Russell Simmons asked the crowd. Various empowerment tools were displayed as keys to African-Americans, "working poor" and have to pay exorbitant fees for check-cashing service. Alternative services similar to the "Rush Card", which only costs the user $1, were displayed. On the topic of the rap industry itself, panelists answered a lot of questions on their own experiences, and their stories on how they got into the music industry. Doug E. Fresh spoke about being rejected by record companies for his now classic, often-imitated, never-duplicated "beat box" skill on songs with Slick Rick, like "The Show." To most Detroit hip-hop artists, the Summit itself was a dream come true, an amazing experience that further validates the city as a new "hub for hip hop music & culture." With the presence of over 200 camera crews, the message resounds around the world. For many it seemed that after Motown Records left the city 30 years ago, that music in the city stopped. The Detroit Hip Hop Summit celebrated the remix of the Motown Sound in hip-hop music and culture. On the subject of Detroit radio, Obie Trice asked the question of why Detroit underground artists "don’t get the same love on Detroit radio" as other cities show their artists. The crowd erupted with applause. Detroit radio, especially Clear Channel’s WJLB, the official sponsors of the event, in the past have been accused of ignoring Detroit independent artists, even being picketed at one point in 2001. In fact, the station did not play Trice’s most recent buzz single, "Rap Name". Although, they will no doubt add his next single directly into their play list. The response from KJ Holliday, Program Director, is that WJLB does have a feature called the "New Music Report" which plays a song from an independent Detroit artist, hip-hop or R&B, three times a week during Serch in The Am with CoCo and Foolish, and that the song is repeated on Bushman’s show later the same evening. "The power is (again) in the numbers, if people call and request that song after it airs, it will make rotation." The "New Music Report" has only been in effect for the six months that MC Serch has been in Detroit. Panelists also answered questions from the audience. The most popular question was, "How do I get on?" "Patience and perseverance," were the most common answers. "Everything I ever really wanted to do took a lot longer than I planned." Russell Simmons told the crowd. "Stick to your dreams and have patience." The second session, Hip-Hop’s Political Impact, discussed political impact with panelists who included, Eminem, Min. Dawud Muhammad, who’s brief motivational messages play at the end of every Serch in the AM show, Play of Kid N Play, D.O.C., MC Breed, Nas, N.O.R.E. and Rev. Run. Run talked about the importance of faith, "Realizing that God is inside of all us, and is empowering." Eminem and Nas both received recognition awards from the Detroit Hip Hop Summit and The City of Detroit presented by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, the youngest mayor in America. He presides over the United States’ tenth largest city. Following the Summit was a large Poetry Slam/Rap Battle, featuring some of the area’s hottest talents, and then it was on to the Def Jam Vendetta Tour at The State Theater. Redman and Method Man headlined the show […]

While it is an accepted fact that Hip Hop culture was produced by both African Americans and Latinos, the historical record hasn’t always reflected this. Inside the stories of Hip Hop’s pioneers are the visible ways that Blacks and Latinos influenced each other and developed artistic expressions that spoke to their environments. After years of research, author and scholar Raquel Z. Rivera, Ph.D. has dug deep into the Hip Hop soul and pulled out the experience of Puerto Ricans, providing the first truly accurate look at the Boricua impact on Hip Hop. While "New York Ricans from the Hip Hop Zone" is published as an academic text, it reads like an emotional and vividly detailed account of Latinos within Hip Hop culture. Challenging the accepted roles of Puerto Ricans and Latinos, Rivera deconstructs the "Butta Pecan Mami" trends, concepts of Blackness, and overall acceptance of Latino Hip Hop artists. Featuring interviews with Angie Martinez, Fat Joe, La Bruja, in addition to the wealth of historical information presented, this book is an essential jewel in the quest for Hip Hop understanding. We spoke to Rivera about her book and her views on the role of Puerto Ricans and Latinos in hip hop. AllHipHop.com: To start off, what motivated you to write this book? Was this a personal thing for you? It all started while I was living in Puerto Rico. It frustrated me that, even though rap music was very popular in the island, it wasn’t being taken seriously: not by the media and not in academia. So I started documenting the youth cultural scene over there and also exploring the prejudices that surrounded rap music (which accounted for it not being taken seriously). This was in 1992 to 1994. I was writing for newspapers and at the same time writing academic papers and my masters thesis on the subject. In the process, I realized just how much New York Puerto Ricans had been involved in the development of hip hop artforms. One of the reasons why rap music was criticized in Puerto Rico was because it was supposedly a "foreign" music genre that had nothing to do with Puerto Rican culture. So when I realized that Puerto Ricans in New York had been instrumental in making hip hop artforms what they are, I wanted to counter those critics arguments by explaining how rap music and breaking, especially, had been shaped by Puerto Ricans from the beginning. I moved to New York in 1994 and I did pretty much what I had done in Puerto Rico: write for magazines and newspapers, and at the same time write academic papers and my doctoral dissertation on the subject. Those writings eventually became the book. This book is very personal. It’s about documenting a fragment of Puerto Rican history, which is my history. Plus, since I’m the one documenting it, it’s a history filtered through me, so my thoughts and feelings inevitably become involved… especially because I feel passionately about the subject. Dance and music are central to my life. There is such potential for joy, self-knowledge, community building and activism in them. And it upset me so much that hip hop kept being denied its place within the history of Puerto Rican culture. The book also came from a frustration of Puerto Rican experiences not being properly explored in historical accounts of hip hop. AllHipHop.com: Aside from your book, there isn’t much written documentation of the Puerto Rican contribution to Hip Hop. How did you go about building research for this project? First I looked at what had been written: Juan Flores, Mandalit del Barco, Nancy Guevara, Steve Hager, David Toop, Tricia Rose, Robert Farris Thompson, Nelson George. Some of these writers don’t focus specifically on Puerto Ricans, but still made important observations about them. But the most important source of information was the artists and fans who lived it and live it. So I did a whole lot of observing and listening: interviews, informal conversations, going to clubs, parties, panel discussions, reading magazines, watching TV. It was so much fun. Everything I did was part of my research. Even talking to my friends was part of the research. AllHipHop.com: Why do you feel that this core element of Hip Hop history has been surpressed? What does that say about Black America’s racial politics? For many reasons. One of them is that hip hop’s early history is a very New York-based, regional history. So when hip hop culture went beyond New York borders, the experiences and participation of Puerto Ricans were almost impossible to understand in other contexts. The African American dimension of hip hop could be understood throughout the United States. But Puerto Ricans were concentrated in New York. Back then, outside New York, few people understood or cared what a Puerto Rican was. That’s why by the late 1980s, many people were saying that hip hop (reduced to just rap music) was a "Black thing, you wouldn’t understand". Another reason, related to the first, is that the blackness of Puerto Ricans has not been properly understood. Puerto Rican culture is as "African" as that of African Americans, but it’s the Spanish dimension of our heritage that gets emphasized. Part of the problem is a lack of understanding on the part of African Americans. But Puerto Rican internalized racism is the other part of the problem. Often hip hop history has been written with a commercial bias. The assumption is that because few Puerto Ricans have become top-selling rap artists, then they must not be that important in hip hop. AllHipHop.com: Given the visible presence of Latinos in Graf art and B-boy/B-girl culture, why does it seem that Latinos haven’t been as accepted as MC’s? MCing became so associated with African Americans in people’s minds during the 1980s, that Latinos seemed like wannabees. But it was and still is a matter of perception. Its not the best artist who sells the most; its most often the one that is packaged the best […]

Before anybody knew Obie Trice they knew his name. Eminem set it up perfectly on the intro to his smash single, "Without Me," allowing the Detroit rapper to open the song proclaiming "Obie Trice, real name, no gimmicks." Obie Trice has patiently waited for the limelight, putting in work and building a name for himself without the help of a major label album. Now Trice is ready to steal some radiance for himself and hold hip-hop’s collective attention the same way Eminem and 50 Cent have captivated the masses. AllHipHop.com: Were you born and raised in Detroit? Obie Trice: Yeah I grew up on the Westside of Detroit. AllHipHop.com: When did you start getting into the rap game? O: I was about 11 when my mother brought me this karaoke machine and I was really into it back then, but about 4 or 5 years ago is when I started printing up my own music, going to the studio and doing my own thing. AllHipHop.com: How old are you now? O: I’m 25 AllHipHop.com: Were you involved in the battle scene back then? O: Not really, I used to go to the Hip Hop shop and spit my sh*t but I wasn’t battling. AllHipHop.com: What was your rap based upon? O: I can be tough. I don’t limit myself to one particular topic, b*tches, the streets, homies, family and all that. AllHipHop.com: I heard a kid from 7 Mile and then there’s 8 Mile, what’s all that about I didn’t know they had a 7 Mile until I heard him? O: 7 Mile is like an Ave. Back in the days it was poppin’ in the summer time. We are the motor city so you would jump in your car, ride down 7 Mile and f*ck with the b*tches. Ride down and when you get to one end turn around and come back. A lot of motherf*ckers got killed on 7 Mile, a lot of sh*t go on, on 7 Mile It’s like an Ave. where everybody be at. AllHipHop.com: What’s Detroit all about, I was only there for a day and that was my first time so I really didn’t get to catch the full vibe of it? O: Detroit is small as hell. It’s a lot of talent as far as emcees, a lot of beautiful women here and it’s the car capitol. AllHipHop.com: Was the video of yours a single or did y’all just put it out there to get it poppin’ a little bit, I only seen it once? O: Yeah that was just a little buzz video. It wasn’t a single or nothing to my album it was just a little buzz video. AllHipHop.com: Your name have been poppin’ since the video with Eminem where you did the intro. How have you been able to handle that ’cause that was a real big introduction to the game before you had a song or video out? O: I just handled it. It wasn’t really anything that was hard for me to do; I just do it I don’t think about it. I just do what I’m here for and that’s to make that music. AllHipHop.com: Do people recognize you and approach you in the streets? O: Yeah they approach me in the streets and it’s all good, it’s love the D holds me down. AllHipHop.com: How did you first meet up with Eminem? Obie Trice: I had put out a single independently through No Air Play (NAP) Ent. Bizarre from D12 heard the sh*t and hooked up with me. I did a song with Bizarre. I sat down and kicked it with them and Bizarre called me one day like I’m with Em come spit for Em. I got in the Regal and shot up there and spit for him. He was in a rush, so I spit from the passenger window. He took my CD and was like I got to go. Next thing I know they was in a truck in London and they was playing Em’s song,. This was when the Marshall Mathers LP was out and after they played the song my man played my sh*t. They came home, I had dinner with Paul Rosenberg (Manager and President of Shady Records) and we just hooked up with Em and it was smiles and handshakes from then on. AllHipHop.com: Have you guys become friends? O: Yeah that’s my man, we got a real good relationship. At the time I wasn’t really familiar with Caucasians and he got me up out of that ’cause they regular people just like everybody else. That’s my n*gga now. AllHipHop.com: You kind of have an instant fan base somewhat because of your association with him. Do you have any plans to alter your flavor or how you come out to please those people? O: I’m just going to do me; I’m not trying to do the Eminem thing, the D12 thing or the 50 thing. I’m going to give Obie Trice and that’s all I can do, I can’t be another motherf*cker, they just going to love it or hate it that’s how it is. AllHipHop.com: So there’s no pressure on you? O: No pressure at all. The pressure to me is waiting to get out there. I seen 4 albums get made. Devil’s Knight, the Eminem Show, 8 Mile and 50’s sh*t. I’m ready. That’s the most part of it; I’m ready to go. AllHipHop.com: Is that Obie Trice your real name? O: Yeah. AllHipHop.com: Is there a meaning behind it? O: Nah, no meaning or nothing, that’s just my name. AllHipHop.com: Who are some of the people that influence your style? O: I would say old school cats like Redman and Wu-tang. My style is my style, those are just cats that I liked. Red definitely, he really got me to want to be an emcee. Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie. I like some of those dudes over at Roc-A-Fella, I like a lot of sh*t. […]

Much like his Queen’s bred counterpart 50 Cent, Brooklyn born and Rockland County representative Saigon has seen a lot in his 20 some odd years on earth. From spending a good portion of his life in the streets, to spending time in the penile system only to take that aggression to the streets and pour it into hip-hop, Saigon’s name is a fitting moniker. In contrast to the once war torn streets of the city which bears the same name, Saigon wants to take his war to the music industry. Lyrically, fans will be pleased. Suckers better vest up and hope his verbal ammunition isn’t aimed at your head. AllHipHop.com: Tell everybody your name and where your from? Siagon: My name is Saigon the yard father 9680549 I’m from Moose knuckle. I’m originally from Brooklyn but I grew up upstate in Rockland County. AllHipHop.com: Why do they call you the Yard Father? S: That’s a nickname I got in prison. I got it actually from this old man who used to play chess all the time, he used to be in the yard playing chess all day and I used to play chess with him all the time. They always used to be like why you hanging with the Yard Father and they used to make jokes about it but I just took it upon myself to use it when I came home. AllHipHop.com: What does it mean, running the yard or something? S: Yeah fo’ sho running the yard. A lot of people think it’s some Jamaican sh*t but nah, it’s the prison yard. AllHipHop.com: Talk about your current label situation? S: I just signed with DJ Mark Ronson he just started a label named Allido Records, it’s all I do in one word. It’s about to jump off real big ‘cause I got super support. Sylvia Rhone had me hemmed up the other day like “I love you” so it’s going to jump off real big. AllHipHop.com: So what made you go with them? S: I chose Mark because when I was on the grind doing the mixtape thing, when I first came out actually this kid introduced me to Mark. He was busy doing his thing producing records so I started hitting the street with my sh*t, the whole 50 cent route. So he got his self situated and at first it was moving slow and I caught another case. This is one of the real reasons I signed with Mark, I was out on parole and I caught an Assault in the 2nd and that’s like a felony so I was supposed to be out of here and he dropped like 10 grand on a lawyer for me out of the kindness of his heart. He got me a high priced lawyer and you know money talks, bullsh*t float on water in America. I didn’t beat the case yet ‘cause I’m going to court for it but that kept me out on the street. I hadn’t even seen him in 6 months. I just called him on some desperate sh*t like I’m in a jam and he just mailed my lawyer a check. He didn’t have to do that, we was planning on f*cking around on a music level but we became personal friends. AllHipHop.com: Is the album done yet? S: Nah, the albums not done yet. I got about 50 new songs I did. I think when the album comes out I’m going to have so much material that I could drop a triple or double if I wanted to. I can’t really say I got what I know is my album right now. AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about how you got to where you are right now, I know you did the mixtape grind can you speak on that a little bit? S: I came home on some ‘I’m going to strong arm my way through this sh*t’ ‘cause I felt it was either this or go back to the ‘ville or upstate and be on the street grindin’. So I figured If I’m going to strong arm ‘cause that was my thing since I was a stick up kid- I used to shoot motherf*ckers and all that- I’m going to try my hand at this music sh*t and try to strong arm these dudes ‘cause I know they got a lot to live for. Don’t nobody want to be watching they back like that so I came home on that tip. It got me places but it aint get me nowhere that fast, like with Kay Slay who did my first tape. I was doing mix tapes here and there but it seemed like I was under the radar. I came to Kay humble and the next thing you know me and Kay got drama. Like when I see this n*gga it’s on and he saying the same thing about me. I’m calling him ‘like you b*tch and he calling me like n*gga bring it.’ Eventually we squashed it and we start working together. He was like I like your energy, your style so let’s do this tape. We did the tape and he looked out extremely. Whoo Kid looked out and it was the same with Whoo Kid. He was like who the f*ck you think you talking to? I’m like n*gga look I will chase you down in the street, you going to play my record. I feel like you don’t have nothing to lose ‘cause you can make or break me but you playing my record is not going to break you but you can help me out a lot. By you telling me that you aint going to play my record I don’t care if you like it or not, that’s like saying f*ck you I don’t care about your sh*t. AllHipHop.com: Your not worried about pissing anybody off? S: I look at it as this is my hustle. When n*ggas be out in the street selling drugs you have […]

Twista’s dreams of hip-hop superstardom have been deferred more times than a little bit. Twista is widely accepted as one of the rap word’s most talented wordsmiths. His rhythmic, staccato delivery has endeared him to legions of fans while mainstream notoriety, of the MTV and endorsement deal variety, has continually eluded his grasp. Lacking any ego, almost to a fault, he speaks frankly about suspect career choices, a rarity among the tendency of most emcee’s to think they know it all. Though has he has remained on the radar with notable guest verses (check Lil Kim’s "Thug Love") and independent projects, it’s been six long years since his platinum major label debut Adrenaline Rush. He’s back in grind mode readying his latest album, Kamikaze, which is loaded with appearances by Ludacris, 8 Ball, Too Short, Freeway and Cee Lo along with production from Toxic, Kanye West and Timbaland. Twista’s long awaited album is slated for a firm July 29th release date. AllHipHop.com: Why did you name you new album Kamikaze? Twista: I wanted to pick a title that I felt was a good follow up to Adrenaline Rush. I was like "what’s the ultimate adrenaline rush?" And it’s going in kamikaze in any situation. It ain’t necessarily like a war situation or nothing. But it can be like the game of life or in this industry or whatever. Going in, taking care of your business, getting what you trying to do accomplished, even though you know you gonna get scuffed up in the process. AllHipHop: Kamikazes were the Japanese suicide pilots in World War 2, how do you feel about the current state of affairs in Iraq? Twista: Man, I feel like there’s two sides to the whole thing and you gotta respect both sides. On one hand I feel like even though the ones that want peace want peace, it doesn’t mean that they necessarily…some of them are totally against George Bush or whatever, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them against, it’s just that they want peace. They don’t feel people should kill people and some people feel like that’s so wrong that whoever’s doing it, they just against it. They protest. Then you got other ones on the other side or people that’s for what George Bush is doing and you got people that got families and fathers and uncles and cousins over there that’s fighting. And when these people out there you supporting what’s going on because you want your people to come home. So you’re hoping for the mission to be successful. You love your momma, you love your daddy, you want them to come home. Me I respect both side of what’s going on. AllHipHop: Your album was originally supposed to come out early this year, what’s been the hold up? Twista: Yeah, it kept getting pushed back. I guess Atlantic (Records) wanted me to come back with more heat or whatever, I don’t know what was going on. But we was really pushing it back so we could have the right right set up before we just put it out there. I respected them for pushing it back. Now we at the point where this the last day, it can’t get pushed back no more. We’re just going to put it out there. AllHipHop: How do you feel this new album compares to your past work? Twista: I feel like it’s just as good if not better. I got stuff on there that I slowed down a little bit. Not just to do it but just to show you, "n*gga I got the slow flow too." Just giving them extra styles and stuff like that. That’s all I really be on man, styles and metaphors and lyrics. Show that I can do my thing in the game. I felt I’ve put it in a way where people can accept it better. AllHipHop: How have you grown specifically as an artist? Twista: (I’m) More experienced in the game, especially (because of) traveling. When you do tours and stuff like that you see heads bounce a different way. You might be in New York and everybody rocking one way or doing the Harlem Shake, you may go down South and they’re Bankhead Bouncing and they got the double time beat. You just learn a lot about what different people like as far as when you’re on the road and just seeing different cults and what different places rock to different stuff. When you sit back down you got more things added in your arsenal when at first you wasn’t thinking about that when you was writing. You was regional with your thing. Everybody who liked it, liked it because they like that vibe, but then you get a chance to make some music that they might like and it can widen your whole thing. AllHipHop: In all your travels what’s been your favorite city? Twista: Really Chicago because I can get crunk in Chicago. St. Louis, Mississippi and Memphis…I like Atlanta a lot. Small spots too. It might be something like Iowa or Kentucky where we might go to do shows. Cincinnati, Ohio; places you would never expect but you go there and they be vibing. AllHipHop: You come off as a real humble person. What has been one of your greatest faults as far as your career? Twista: My communication skills. Communication and solving and doing away with problems that’s stretched out where if I would have stepped up and put a fist into it on the communication level it would have never stretched as long as it stretched. I say that with my label situation and stuff like that where as like I went against the independent [Creator’s Way] and we was fighting. And I do feel like they were stubborn to the point where we was never reaching a conclusion. "It’s me, It’s T," we all love each other. We could have got it resolved and got through a lot […]

"What has four eyes, but can’t see?" Gene Hackman queries his co-star Willem Defoe in the landmark 1988 film, "Mississippi Burning." Defoe replies, "I don’t know. What has four eyes, but can’t see?" Hackman answers, "Mississippi." Playing two FBI agents who’ve been sent to Mississippi in 1964 to investigate the disappearance and eventual murder of three civil-rights workers (two white, and one black), Hackman and Defoe jokingly surmise the view most people, both inside and outside the ‘Sipp, have about the slow to progress state. Even with now boasting the most black elected representatives of any state in the country, Mississippi still seems stuck in a time warp. The rampant poverty, poor education, and racism that plagued civil-rights era Mississippi still exist today. So when David Banner (and no he’s not the same dude who turns big and green when you p### him off) becomes the most prominent hip-hop representative for a state that time seemingly forgot, a lot of responsibility falls on the shoulders of the mild mannered Banner to morph into a stronger than human figure, and not only improve his own circumstances, but also help to improve those of his entire home state. Unfortunately, creating opportunities for Mississippi artists on the national hip-hop scene has been a daunting task for the Jacktown native. Beginning his career as a member of the politically charged group, Crooked Lettaz, David Banner and his crew made little headway with their ’99 debut, Grey Skies, on the now hip-hop deficient Tommy Boy Records. Shaken, but not deterred after his first major-label outing, Banner decided to go solo from his group, and independent from the major labels, and in 2000 released David Banner Presents: Them Firewater Boyz Vol. 1, which actually outsold his major-label backed project. And in addition to his work as an artist, David Banner rapidly became the most in-demand producer in the South, producing for almost every notable artist below the Mason-Dixon, including Trick Daddy, Lil’ Flip, Fiend, Devin the Dude, and Pastor Troy, just to name a few. Banner’s diligence and hard work has finally paid off, because as the acronym that is the name of his record label b.i.G. f.a.c.e. Entertainment asserts: believe in God for all comes eventually. David Banner is finally reaping what he sowed. And now after inking a historic $10 million deal with SRC/Universal Records, Banner is ready to make history with his debut solo offering, titled what else, Mississippi. Allhiphop.com: So David Banner, how good does it feel to finally see people up on it? David Banner: I look at it like this, God works on his own time, and now that I’m a lot older and a grown man, I realize that I wasn’t ready before. So I don’t look at it as people finally up on me now, I just feel like it’s time now. Allhiphop: The way I understand the deal, it’s for five albums at $2 million a pop, but can you tell us any other details about the deal; do you own your own publishing, are you gonna be bringing out other artists through this deal? C’mon man give me the scoop. David Banner: Well the gravy thing about my deal is I retain the opportunity to work with other artists. I’m still able to do independent projects, and that to me is the most important part of it. The thing I like about it is me and Steve (Rifkind) are partners. It’s not like an artist and CEO type of thing. It’s more like on a one on one basis. The thing he asked me was, ‘just give me the opportunity if you bringin’ a group out to look at ’em first.’ And then the thing that I told him was, ‘yo, if you treat me good, why would I not want my artists to come to you, if you treat me good, I know you gonna treat them good.’ So it’s more of a situation like that. Allhiphop: Wendy Day brokered the deal, but I’ve always heard conflicting things about her business acumen. Baby and Twista have both voiced their disdain for her, but yet she keeps orchestrating these historic deals. David Banner: I can’t speak for any of them, but all I know is that when I was homeless she let me stay in her house. I can’t expect anymore than that, when I had nothing she helped me. And in actuality, when nobody wanted to deal with me, she used her own money to help me. Allhiphop: You’re now in business with someone else who has a lot of haters out there. Steve Rifkind had some problems with Loud, and a lot of his former artists aren’t exactly in his fan club. Dead Prez have openly referred to him as "M#### Steve." Do you feel confident with calling SRC home? David Banner: I’m confident. I honestly don’t get down with what other people say. I really don’t give a f*ck. Because you really don’t know what their situation was, and you don’t know the full story. I believe in his ability to do what he gotta do, and apparently he believes in me because I’m his first act out. Allhiphop: There were rumors you were gonna sign with ‘Face to Def Jam South. Were they true, was this gonna happen? David Banner: Oh yeah. The thing about it was ‘Face had been trying to sign me for the longest, ’cause I had gotten over 500 spins myself from radio, without an independent promoter and that’s like unheard of. ‘Face had been telling (Def Jam), ‘sign this boy, you need to sign this boy, you need to sign this boy, you need to sign this boy!’ And their interest really didn’t heighten until after everybody else had come to the table. But the positive thing about is that me and Kevin Liles have formed a relationship now that transcends music. And I have a personal friendship with ‘Face now, so there’s no music that can […]

When you think of musical Mecca’s, Cincinnati, Ohio may not be the first place that comes to mind. However, for the better part of three decades, from the nineteen-sixties up through the late nineteen-eighties, the ‘Nati was the birthplace of some of the most important R&B, funk, and soul records to ever be produced. Legendary artists such as James Brown, Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, Zapp & Roger, and Babyface & The Deele, all called Cincy their recording home. Cincinnati, along with sister cities in southwest Ohio, Hamilton, and Dayton, all collectively produced prominent groups, from The Ohio Players to Midnight Star. Unfortunately, as the ‘80’s progressed, Cincinnati’s more conservative policy makers began a campaign to “cleanse” the city of “immoral” influences, beginning with Cincinnati’s one-time Mayor, Jerry Springer, the ‘Nati’s original hustler, Larry Flynt, and eventually any semblance of a thriving artist community, were all forced into permanent exile from the Queen City. And by the time hip-hop appeared on the local scene, it was immediately suppressed. National hip-hop acts such as N.W.A. were banned from the city. By the early ‘90’s, a new generation of ‘Nati artists, including the hip-hop group Mood, began the arduous work or rebuilding Cincy’s once renowned artist community. Unfortunately they’ve been unable to reach the prominence of their funk forefathers, having to attempt to establish themselves in a musical ghost town. So when a musician like Hi-Tek manages to emerge from such a stifling environment, the entire city views his success as our success. However, with assistance given to out-of-towners such as Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli, and Kool G. Rap, many in the ‘Nati wondered if Tek would be the next Cincy artist to abandon his hometown’s restrictive musical climate. But never fear, Hi-Tek has returned to the city of his birth to find new talent, record a new album, and hopefully begin a new era in the already historic legacy of Cincinnati music. ALLHIPHOP.COM: I remember seeing MCA Records print ads advertising your new album, along with all of their other hip-hop releases, over a year ago. So why is the album just now gettin’ set to drop, what was the delay? HI-TEK: Just tryin’ to come up with the right songs, and I was workin’ on Jonell’s project, my R&B act I got on Def Jam. I was tryin’ to do two albums at the same time. Creatively, one producer doin’ two albums in a four month span, it ain’t gonna happen. If you want it to be dope, it ain’t gonna work. ALLHIPHOP: Give me some details on the new album, like who’s featured on it? HI-TEK: The new album, I got a couple of hometown acts, Piakhan, Big D, Jonell, and then as far as West Coast, I got Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, and my man Joe Beast, he’s from Pittsburgh, he’s on Aftermath, I got Mos Def, Common, Kweli. I’m just workin’ on different joints, tryin’ to spread it out. ALLHIPHOP: Do you have a tentative title for the album? HI-TEK: It’s called Hi-Teknology Vol. 2. ALLHIPHOP: Since it’s got the similar title, is the new album cut in the same mold as Hi-Teknology, how is this album similar or different to your first joint? HI-TEK: It’s different. I don’t think it’s what people expected from me, ‘cause it’s more me. That’s why it took longer too, ‘cause I wanna make sure I give it what I really wanna do this time, not the typical, Common’s, Mos Def’s, and regular stuff, kinda spread it out on this one, ‘cause I’m from Cincinnati, I ain’t from New York. I just happen to produce for a lot of New York rappers. ALLHIPHOP: So are we gonna hear you on the mic some more on this joint? I think you could be one of the better rapper/producers in the game. Your verse on “The Blast” was pretty thorough. HI-TEK: Appreciate that bro. Yeah, definitely spittin’ on here. I had to do somethin’. I just had to get my confidence up. I used to rhyme a long time ago when I first started workin’ on my beats. Most producers know how to rhyme to the track, if they do know how to rhyme, they rhyme to it better than the person they give it to, or whoever they produce it for, because you feel the beat. That’s basically what I do. I don’t consider myself no MC. ALLHIPHOP: Yeah, production is still your bread and butter, and you just seem to keep expanding your resume. Didn’t you just do some stuff for the new Rakim album? HI-TEK: Yeah, we worked on a joint about six months ago. Ra, he’s a slow worker like me, but it’s a good thing, ‘cause you wanna make sure it’s right. If you get caught up in the whole political part of makin’ music, I think you limit yourself. Unless you’re like the Neptunes who’re fluent with it. I wouldn’t really consider myself at that point yet. Like, I experimented with the album I’m doin’ now, as far as the R&B, it was experimental. Well, the first song I did for Jonell, the “Round and Round” song became a hit. That was experimental, so from there I got into an R&B album. And you gotta know a lot more about R&B to create an R&B album. So I was tryin’ to do somethin’ different. ALLHIPHOP: So you’re tryin’ to branch out into other genres? HI-TEK: Yeah, whatever kind of music, ‘cause hip-hop is the same as rock was back in the day, it’s in every part of music in a certain way. Everybody want those bangin’ hip-hop drums. ALLHIPHOP: You’re definitely branching out, but a lot of people wanna know why you recently haven’t been working with some of the folks you came in the game with, most notably Talib Kweli? HI-TEK: I just kinda branched off to do my own thing, not really just to do my own thing, just kinda strayed away from that, not […]

ALLHIPHOP: So what’s your current situation with MCA, is it a label deal, production deal, artist deal? HI-TEK: It’s an artist deal, Hi-Tek as an artist. I just do whatever kinda album I wanna do. That’s what MCA is really about. ALLHIPHOP: So are you gonna have the option of introducing new artists, bringing new artists out? HI-TEK: Yeah, fo’ sho. With this whole album, that’s usually how I do it, like the first Hi-Teknology I got a deal for Jonell off of just one song. You just gotta do somethin’ different, that’s all it takes, it don’t really take a whole demo. It takes the right producer and the right person to bring it in right. It takes a verse to get a record deal. For all the people tryin’ to make demos and get all these big packages and stuff together, I ain’t sayin’ stop doin’ that, but it really don’t even take that much to get on. ALLHIPHOP: Well you’re already scouting for new talent through your talent search taking place here in the ‘Nati on April 12th. Can you give us some details on the event? HI-TEK: It’s taking place April 12th at the Cincinnati Convention Center. And basically, I miss talent shows man. Back in the day there used to be a spot called The Regal, and every Friday there used to be a show. We used to breakdance and sh*t. It used to be just like The Apollo. And I just wanted to see what Cincinnati really got. Because I get tired of people comin’ up to me givin’ me demos, wack demos, but can you perform, can you do a song? That’s what it’s about, when you get in the studio with Hi-Tek I’ma put you to work, and then you gonna be runnin’ away from me, like ‘I thought it was easier than this.’ So that was really my purpose, make some money, have fun, and see what’s really goin’ on with this region. ALLHIPHOP: So do you plan to make this a regular event? HI-TEK: Yeah, I’ma do it quarterly. ALLHIPHOP: Just in the ‘Nati or throughout the Midwest? HI-TEK: I might spread it out. I might do one in Louisville or Chicago, or somewhere like that. ALLHIPHOP: I know you rescheduled the show, which was originally supposed to take place on March 1st, due to the shootings of two kids that week. I mean obviously I understand the motivation behind that, but… HI-TEK: That was part of the reason. I’m starting my own foundation, like a Stop the Violence foundation. There’s just been a lot of nonsense goin’ on in the ‘Nati. Ain’t nobody makin’ no money, ain’t no rappers, ain’t no R&B. Truthfully, when I had those auditions for the talent search, it was mostly the out-of-towners that were better than my hometown people, and that kinda hurt me. It just let me know, my hometown we gotta step it up. Help Hi-Tek out, stop reachin’, lookin’ for Hi-Tek to help you out. But it’s all love. Louisville, Columbus, Indianapolis, they came through organized, and they sh*t was dope, they had they sh*t together. I liked a lot of the R&B acts from Cincinnati. ALLHIPHOP: What about Jonell’s album for Def Soul? I still can’t believe a ‘Nati dude had a #1 single, with that “Round and Round” joint. HI-TEK: Just tryin’ to hit ‘em with somethin’ different. I love music, and I think God just works in mysterious ways. Like, she came out of nowhere, I knew her from awhile back, but I seen her in a club, and she was like, ‘I got some new stuff.’ And I just so-happened to have a beat to go exactly with the same verse she sung to me. So it was a work of art. ALLHIPHOP: And you said that was an adjustment, tryin’ to switch over to R&B from hip-hop? HI-TEK: Yeah, I learned a lot, just workin’ with different R&B writers, people who play real music. ‘Cause I don’t really play, I just play by ear, so I pick at it ‘till I come up with somethin’. I enjoy workin’ with people who can really play, and be funky with it at the same time. And then, I ain’t know nothin’ about b sections. I know about a chorus and a bridge, but you know you got b sections, you got the vamp, and the end of the song. I just learned a lot about that, expanding my musical capabilities. ALLHIPHOP: Are there any other artists that you’ve laid down tracks for that we should keep an ear out for? HI-TEK: I just did some stuff for Jon B. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Jon B. ALLHIPHOP: Word. He’s still around? HI-TEK: Yeah, he’s still around, he’s comin’ back. I worked with this cat, Joe Beast, he’s on Aftermath, he got his album, I’m doin’ some stuff for him. ALLHIPHOP: So you lookin’ to become that Dre co-producer? He always gets one dude, that’s like second in command. HI-TEK: Oh yeah, fo’ sho. ALLHIPHOP: And finally, this is just some ‘Nati sh*t, but can you holla at ya boy Griffey Jr., and tell him to get off his a** so we can win a pennant? HI-TEK: Yeah man, you gotta be a team player. I don’t care how much money you got, you just gotta be a team player.

Before Mr. Cheeks was a household name in hip-hop, the dreded rapper gained critical acclaim as a member of the Lost Boys. When Lost Boyz member Freaky Tah was gunned down, the group soon disbanded. In 2001 Cheeks broke the silence with his solo debut, John P. Kelly, which spawned the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action." Now that his silence has been broken, it appears Cheeks has no intention of remaining silent. For his second solo album, I’m Back, Cheeks has tapped Pete Rock & CL Smooth, M.O.P., Floetry and even 80’s legend Alexander O’Neal. Cheek’s is back. AllHipHop.com: So you say your growing up a little bit now? Mister Cheeks: Yeah, I been growing up through the game. I been doing a lot of things, rockin’ and I got the Back Again jumping off. AllHipHop: Do you think it’s hard for artist to grow up? MC: Yeah because it’s a lot of things that happen in the industry with record labels and everything. That’s before we did it, why you don’t see some n*ggas that aint in the game now? Where’s Nice & Smooth at right now? It’s really hard to maintain a career in music. AllHipHop: The Rolling Stones have had a 30-year career but a Run DMC can’t full a coliseum, it seems like Hip Hop is definitely a young man’s arena. MC: Just like the NBA you got the nice young talent coming in and you got the old school n*ggas doing it, but they not producing for the team like there are supposed to so you got to go with the new. AllHipHop: Have you balanced that? MC: I go hard; I make sure I’m on top of my game. When I lost my man Freaky Tah I always said we are going to have to step it up forever now. AllHipHop: I noticed some interesting collaborations on the album, can you speak on Alexander O’ Neil on Brighter? MC: I grew up listening to him. My man brought this track to me it was Alexander O’ Neil “Sunshine”. I was like hold up how a n*gga flip this track? So I had to immediately come with something to rock with that track and it had to make since. So that’s the story behind I’m always on the road and I’m trying to get home to see my lady, I can’t go a day without my sunshine. I called Charles and said you got to get Alexander O’ Neil to come through, I couldn’t do it without him. AllHipHop: How did y’all find that guy, he’s definitely a legend but he hasn’t been in the limelight too much lately? MC: I know we had to work. AllHipHop: I didn’t feel that that the M.O.P collaboration was a natural collaboration, but when I listened to it they was dope and it was on a smooth track too. How did you guys hook up? MC: We friends from a long time ago. Me and Billy Danze always be kicking it, he comes to queens to see his grand pops and I was at my grandmother house and we just bumped heads. When I got the track from my man Mr. Sex I had to bring these cats on it. I got my little brother on the chorus with his man so it all worked out beautiful. A lot of people probably like Cheeks don’t go hard on no street sh*t and won’t think I would do something like that or they think that M.O.P. is just mad riot, they flow. Me and the god’s got the comfortable slowdown smooth street sh*t too. AllHipHop: What made you remake T.R.O.Y.? MC: The cat that rhymes on it, my man journalist gave me that idea. He got a hold of Pete Rock and C.L smooth and sh*t just fell into place. Mr. Sex did that track too. Anything that Mr. Sex do he call me up and make history. AllHipHop: What’s Poppin’ with the Lost Boyz, I would’ve thought that y’all would’ve had an album by now or something that we could get a little reunion? MC: At the time Tah passed away, n*ggas went their separate ways and did things. But, as far as LB we still here, we got this album we trying to work on dropping in June on my label and we looking for someone to distribute it, but that’s how it’s been since Tah passed. I do this solo sh*t to make sure I keep the LB name known. AllHipHop: Being a successful solo artist what have you experienced, it seems almost that your solo success has gone beyond the group even though one can’t be without the other but it seems like you have really blown up on the solo tip even more than when you were with the group. MC: I’m just moving around more; I don’t have to wait around no more. It’s like I’m not solo ‘cause I be with my boys still with the crew. We just had to get our sh*t back in order. AllHipHop: I know you had a collaboration with the kid from the Marley’s are you still working on that? MC: Steve Marley that’s my man, that’s family. AllHipHop: How is that going on with that? MC: We got the studio setup in Miami right now, right now we are dropping Julian Marley’s album so we just chillin’ right now. AllHipHop: is that through y’all label together? MC: It’s through Ghetto youth. AllHipHop: Is that the label y’all have together? MC: One Fam is what we got together. Ghetto Youth is my label and Ghetto youth and then you got One Fam music. It’s all coming through the One Fam music. AllHipHop: Did you still live in Miami? MC: Yeah, I love it down there. AllHipHop: Is it different? MC: It’s another world, it’s like gangsta paradise out there. I go down there hit the beaches up at night and the clubs don’t close until like […]

In Hip-Hop, wack freestyles are like teenagers trying to purchase alcohol before they turn 21. They aren’t going to get very far, and they can be guaranteed a gas-face or two along the way. The art of "off the top of the head rhymes" is a lost, but precious skill, tried by many but mastered by a choice few. Craig G. is the blueprint of what a freestyle specialist is, and quite possibly the greatest the Hip-Hop world has ever seen. Or will see. A legend whose roots can be traced back to the days of the Juice Crew and underground classics such as "Symphony," Craig G. has been a major player in Hip-Hop’s underworld for some 17 years. He has lent his venomous lyrics to many an MC, most recently penning the freestyle battle lyrics in Eminem’s "8-Mile," which is by far one of Hip-Hop’s greatest tributes to battle rap. Craig recently went back to the lab to record tracks for his latest bangers, his official bootleg mixtape and his D&D Records debut, "This Is Now," which is due to hit stores on May 20th. The legendary mic controller gives Allhiphop.com a lesson on what it takes to move the crowd with no pencil to be found in the building. Allhiphop.com: Talk about the new mixtape that’s floating around in the streets right now. Craig G: I put out a mixtape because it was like a loan. I finished the album early, and we was a few months in between, so we figured we’d do something right now. It’s a bunch of exclusive freestyles and a couple of joints from the album. That’s how it came about. It’s just something for the streets, you know. AllHipHop: Has it hit the streets yet or when is it supposed to hit the streets? Craig: It’s all over New York right now. AllHipHop: Is NY the only place you can find the mixtape? Craig: It’s in Boston, Atlanta, and it’s on its way to Tennessee, but if you need something wherever you at, just call the label and we’ll send a box out to you. AllHipHop: No doubt. How did the situation with D&D come about? Craig: I used to do a lot of joints up there with them. I always hung out at the studio with other producers and artists, and it came about when I got off the set of this movie I was working on. AllHipHop: Just for those who don’t know, let them know what movie that was. Craig: 8-Mile. AllHipHop: We’re going to discuss the movie deal at length in a second. D&D is a historical label, and anybody who’s anybody in Hip-Hop has done some work for those guys. How do you feel about being affiliated with such a renowned label? Craig: It’s good because of the type of music I do. It matches up real well. AllHipHop: How long have you been a part of the label? Craig: For like a year now. We just finished the album; it’s just tight, man. We knocked it out real quick. AllHipHop: Word. Let’s get into some Juice Crew updates for a minute. Are you still in contact with any of those cats these days? Craig: Actually yeah. Marley (Marl) did one of the singles on the album, and I see (Masta) Ace and Kane all the time. AllHipHop: Did any of them make an appearance on the mixtape? Craig: No, because we did the mixtape so fast. But whatever we talk about gets done immediately. AllHipHop: That’s history all in itself right there. Let’s get into the 8-Mile situation, man. What was your capacity in that movie? Craig: I wrote a lot of the lyrics for the dudes that was going against Eminem in the movie. It started out when Eminem was in the Rap Olympics out in Cali. Before all the stuff jumped off with him, I judged that battle. We kind of forged a little relationship then. So, when it was time to do the movie, there were a few actors, and they was like, "how do we coach these people to do this?" and he just picked me. We jumped it off and got it rocking. AllHipHop: This is how y’all initially hooked up? Craig: Yeah. My lawyers worked with his, so it pretty much worked into its own, you know? AllHipHop: You are a world-class freestyle specialist. Can you tell me about how many battles you’ve been in over the course of your career? Craig: A ton of them, man. You get pigeonholed almost, you know what I mean? AllHipHop: It almost turns into a typecast situation, right? That’s all you become known for. Craig: Yeah, and that’s why I did this album right here. That’s why the album is called "This Is Now." I mean, I’ve been in a ton of them. I’ve been in countless states, just everywhere, you know? AllHipHop: Beside yourself, who do you think is the top MC when it comes to off the top lyrics? Craig: Proof (D-12) is real nice. He’s not the top guy, but Big Tigger is pretty nice actually. I’ll give it to him. AllHipHop: Tigger gets in the basement and does the damn thing, right? Craig: He freestyles better than a lot of signed artists sometimes on there. There’s a lot of dudes, man. But now, I went head first into this album because I proved that already. I did everything with that already, you know? AllHipHop: When you used to engage in those battles, what goes through your mind when you look across the stage and see your next victim? Craig: It’s like sports to me. You feed off of the energy the guy is giving you, and you just play your best out there. You got to stay one up on him. It’s hard when you are thinking about the next line before you even say it. AllHipHop: Was there any nervousness involved, or do you even have room to […]

His debut disc I’m Serious sported production credits from the omnipresent Neptunes and Jazze Pha, yet the combination of stellar beats with his laid-back but intense southern tinged delivery failed to garner widespread recognition (read: sales). Nevertheless it was a regional success with T.I. being a household name in states below the Mason Dixon line. His local fame culminated in a bidding war which included major labels like Universal, Bad Boy and Def Jam actively vying for his services. With a business savvy well beyond his 22 years, T.I. Is poised to make another attempt at cracking the rap game’s glass ceiling. Instead of being courted by the big dogs, he would rather be one of them. AllHipHop.com: What does the name "T.I." stand for? T.I.: Everyone from the streets knows me as Tip. When I would call people they would think I said "Chip" so I would spell it out for them, "T.I.P". That kind of stuck with me. When I signed to LaFace Records I was using T.I.P. When LaFace merged with Arista, that put me on the same label with Q-Tip and they felt having two artists with names that similar would be hard to market. A n*gga had been there longer and I was the new artist so it would make more sense to ask me to change my name than it would to ask him to change his. AllHipHop: Who made that decision? T.I: L.A. (Reid) asked KP to ask me about it. At first I bucked for a little while but it became a situation where it was like do you wanna move forward or stand still? AllHipHop: So you were with LaFace then when LA Reid left to assume his CEO/President position at Arista Records? T.I.:Yeah, some people got dropped some people went to Arista. I went to Arista. AllHipHop: Did that effect your situation with your "I’m Serious" album? T.I.: Honestly it had a lot to do with LA (Reid)’s positioning and what he was focusing on at the time. Taking that big job he was focusing on Pop, Rock, R&B. If it wasn’t Pop, Rock or R&B, he didn’t give a f*ck about it I don’t think, to be perfectly honest with you. Unless it had already made him a substantial amount of money and already had a no-brainer effect to it. A lot of people got caught up in that. I think LA wanted to prove himself in another genre of music. I think he kind of let the urban music alone for a little while and I think I got caught up in that. But it’s all good though, I ain’t got no hard feelings. AllHipHop: Did you have any trouble getting out of your contract with Arista? T.I.: Oddly enough naw, I didn’t. They pretty much just kept it pimpin’ with me. We had a few meetings. LA was like "Yo, I don’t want to let you go, I don’t want you to dip." I’m like "I understand that man but I don’t believe that you know that much about my genre of music. If you want me to stay it’s going to require this, and if you ain’t willing to do this, then let me go." I think he understood that and he let me go, for a small price. But it ain’t nothing to cry over, it could have been a lot worse. AllHipHop: What did you do since you album came out? T.I.: Sheeit man, grindin’. Acting as an independent company. Spending my own money, shooting my own video, promoting the product…spending my own money on posters, pictures, t-shirts, vinyl, promo cds, putting out independent records, getting records added to radio stations on our own. sh*t man what haven’t I been doing?! We been doing everything that they [the label] didn’t do within our means. We ain’t have millions to spend, I think we spent like a hundred thousand in getting "I’m Serious" to where it is right now. AllHipHop: Killer Mike spoke highly…how do you go about choosing who you work with? T.I.: I gotta respect your craft, I gotta respect your work. I’m not the kind of person that’s just gonna do a record with somebody just because they selling a certain amount of records or got a certain buzz right now. I’m a rapper, but I’m a fan first. I was a fan before I was a rapper. If I like the sh*t I feel then 9 times out of 10, other m’f*ckers are gonna like it too. And if I feel like what you do goes with what I do then we can work. And then again, in addition to that our genres’ of music have to be the same. Even if I do respect you craft and I do respect your art, it still gotta go with what I’m doing. The n*ggas who buy my records, they gotta in some way coincide with the m’f*ckas who buy your records. AllHipHop: So you wouldn’t do any records with Britney Spears? T.I.: Nah, I wouldn’t. Not because I don’t think she a good artist. I don’t think n*ggas who f*ck with dope boys and the trap n*ggas is going wanna hear me with Britney Spears. That can be bent to a certain degree but you gotta be real careful in that. I might not do one with Britney Spears, but maybe I would do one with Usher, you know what I’m sayin’? AllHipHop: You signed with Atlantic, but who else was in the running? T.I.: A lot of people thought that I had finalized a deal with Puff and Bad Boy. Me and Puff got together, we kicked it a few different places, a few different times and people were seeing us together. The biggest thing with that was when he did the Bad boy Weekend down here and had a show at The Bounce. I’m from Bankhead and The Bounce is Bankhead and his people said you need to f*ck with […]

AHH: In the past week, all Hell has broken loose in the media and the Internet, just tell me what your reaction is to the way everyone responded to you specifically (not d-12) and Royce? Proof: I ain’t checkin’ the site. AHH: Well, is it out of hand? Proof: What are you hearing, so I can tell you? AHH: The biggest thing I heard was Royce released a statement mentioning you cocking your pistol on his voicemail. Proof: (hysterically laughing) That’s what he said? I ain’t never, I would never do no sh*t like that. AHH: He mentioned you two have gone back a ways and this whole things blown out of proportion, he mentioned you taking your sons to Chuck E. Cheez together. It seems like he’s looking for a verdict in this, and I’m not trying to be an olive branch here. I’m just telling you what I’ve read. Proof: Alright. The truth of the matter without all the glitz and glamour that he needs for attention. The truth of the matter is that Royce has opened his mouth and get his self into trouble with people he ain’t got nothing to do with. He went on the radio here (Detroit) and dissed some people he had no business dissing. The truth of the matter is we do go back. I’ve always been in these streets and been thorough with it, he ain’t for real with these streets. He playin’ a game, which he should stop doing. He try to act harder than all that sh*t, and then dissing some of our crew, and dissing what Em built and opportunities he’s had. So he’s just a bitter man, you know what I’m saying. AHH: Do you attribute that to envy? Proof: Gotta be. Because, think of this. How is it that you’re retaliating to a diss we made, when you put on a site, in audio, that we put at the beginning of our diss, then even, come on radio and play a diss that you did three years ago. Who has the envy? AHH: As a friend though, do you see an end to this thing, or is more like an end of a period in your life? Proof: I see it like this, I know Royce through rapping. And that’s where it can stop. Soon as he start talking all this street sh*t on air, I think he took it to a whole new level. He didn’t have to do nothing like that. He got on air talking about “meet him at a club, he’ll beat our a####” and all this. He taking it so far it’s ridiculous. He try to reverse it like we taking it to the streets, like we doing diss records, man YOU DOING THIS! Maybe it’s the drugs though, I don’t know. AHH: Over the years, a few times D-12 has been attacked. The first time I can think of was Everlast. Does this bring your crew closer together when you have people talking on it? Proof: Kinda do. When we lose our grasp of reality of who we are, we are the dudes at the top of chain whether people like it or not, we ain’t had an album out in two years. He mad cuz he put out a record that sold 4500 copies his first week. Don’t try to gain attention that way, that’s wack. You know you dissed the sh*t outta us. And that was that reply from the members of mine, that’s what they wanted to do because he always doing some snaky sh*t. And then to say that we thought he dissed us on Anger Management or whatever like that, well how is it if that’s the thing, that he already had a diss three years ago? Anger Management 2 was not three years ago. You see how contradictary that is? AHH: So you didn’t initiate this, you’re just watching it conquer himself? Proof: Right, ‘cuz all he gotta do is shut the f*ck up. You don’t understand how it is out here in these streets, they got hip-hop clubs breaking his records and sh*t. His whole life’s a contraction. He the king of Detroit, but he not even from Detroit. I loved the diss song he did, I thought it was great! Em didn’t want us to retaliate ‘cuz Em feel like he stickin’ a knife in his back going this far and talking bout the Elton John thing. That’s a part of Em life that he feels is about to be cut off. ‘Cuz he like what else could I do for the man. I got him three deals, I mean damn! I’m his best friend. He didn’t get me a deal nowhere. I went out and got it on my own. Some man sh*t. Proof: Put this though as a quote for Royce, and tell him this. This is straight from the horse’s mouth. “Only a fool chooses war over peace. Because in war, fathers bury sons. And in peace, sons bury fathers.”

AHH: In the past week, all Hell has broken loose in the media and the Internet, just tell me what your reaction is to the way everyone responded to you specifically? Royce: It was bound to happen. Those brothers obviously doing what they gotta do to get they attention. It’s just a situation where I’m defending myself. What the people expect? From the way people responded, from what I hear, the overall opinion is just…I smashed them. It don’t surprise me. AHH: “Malcolm X” is getting crazy airplay in the streets. It’s kind of a shame that you’re record gets overlooked to the hype of a diss track. Royce: Know what? The diss is fresh and new. My album, what people don’t understand is that my album is years old. It got pushed back so much and it was already old material. The diss is like catch up to everybody. It’s like something I just did. If you hear the new stuff I’m doing, you’ll be like, oh it’s crazy. I came along so far. I been developing. Let me clarify, “Malcolm X” is a response. It’s not just a record thrown at them, it’s a response to a record that they did. It just so happens that the record they did, nobody cares about. I didn’t start this sh*t. AHH: When I spoke with Proof, he acted like it was all you who initiated it. Royce: He gonna make it look like that. The reality of it was, I look up and I was getting phone calls on this record about me. I heard it, and actually they made a whole CD about me, Ja Rule and Benzino. So it was a whole CD that they was passing out a 50’s release party. I didn’t even know where it was from. I just responded. This is whatever. All kinds of death threats and all kinds of stupid sh*t. AHH: From your letter, I gathered that this was from a journalist, the comment of “D-12 is the worst Rap group out there” or whatever, and that got out. That probably didn’t need to get out there. Royce: Exactly. Well, I’m a man, I’m human. Even I get emotional and say sh*t that I don’t necessarily mean or that I shouldn’t say. I’m a man. I can admit when I say something. But it’s a two way street. I said things, D-12 said things, when it boils down to it, if I got personal relationships with certain people in that camp, and it’s just like mixed signals when I’m saying sh*t and they’re saying sh*t. It ain’t nothing we can’t get on the phone and talk about or meet up and talk about, squash. I didn’t know I was being recorded. It just came off as some sh*t as when Bizzarre was trying to play me. It really boils down to me and Bizarre. AHH: So it’s more-so Bizarre than Proof? Royce: Hell nah! Cuz [Proof] the one runnin’ his mouth. Proof won’t shut up. If he’d shut up, I’d leave him alone. He figure he gotta be the one to say everything, and he supposed to be my man. And it just make more angry because I feel like n#### done turned his back on me. It’s like whatever. I feel like I’m in a world of my own. I’m gonna ride for myself. Everything I do is in defense. I’m not just gonna pick on them dudes. AHH: You mentioned in your letter that you and Proof go back… Royce: Proof was my man. I’m loyal. Once I decide I’ll ride for you, I’ll ride for you. All of this sh*t just popped up out of nowhere. Back in the day, when I wrote that record about Bizarre, I called Proof at the studio like I said in the letter. Because that’s my man. I had been 2-waying him while they was making the CD. And he didn’t say nothing. He could’ve called me and been like, “These n*ggas are writing a record about you”, like I did him. Send me the same courtesy. He didn’t do that. I was 2-waying him and I was getting dry responses from him. Next thing you know, a CD is out. He [was] at every studio session, because some of the n*ggas talking on the CD like, “I send some more gangsta sh*t but Proof sent me back in the booth to change it.” He was in the studio while they was doing it, and just ain’t say nothing. I get 2-ways from him sayin’, “Be careful out here, it’s trying times,” sh*t like that. What the f*ck you thinking of n####! Now that the sh*t is hitting the fan, he writes records talking bout, “Royce wanna ride on me and kill me.” I don’t wanna kill Proof. I don’t even feel like Proof is a threat. This sh*t is stupid to me. The respect that I showed him back in the day, I’m not getting that in return. AHH: He made several comments, and I’ll pass them on to you….comment if you like. He said the original diss record was three years old…you talking about D-12 or whatever. Royce: Yeah. I wrote a record about Bizarre. I called Proof at the studio. He heard the whole record. He said, “Royce man, I love you dog. I appreciate you showing enough respect to call me at the studio. Slim need to hear this.” He didn’t sh*t about Bizarre. He was like, “Slim need to hear this.” He didn’t care if it came out. Slim was like, “Nah man, you can’t beef with Bizarre. That’s my man. That’s my crew. You gotta ride with him.” So we squashed it. And I’m a man of my word so nobody ever heard the record for three years to show how real I am. So when they did this record, they sayin’ I’m trying to gain attention or whatever. But they did a whole CD, passed […]

Of all the records released in the past year, only a few will still have us studying them in say, another five years. Little Brother’s The Listening deserves to hold one of those honored ranks. The North Carolina trio has supplied the masses with a record that pays homage to records with themes, ideas, and distinct styles. The lyrics tell stories and convey messages and ideas. 9th Wonder’s production echoes of a Pete Rock or Premier blueprint, but dares to dive into uncharted waters of sound. Perhaps the best element concerning Little Brother is their grace. Just a few months ago, these three friends were merely hobbyists. Since then, they’ve gained weighty endorsements from Questlove, Pete Rock, and a host of others. The trio is most humble, and every word they speak translates beautifully into an undying love for one thing: hip hop music. AllHipHop.com: You really stressed the complete package, the sequence of making a good record. You’ve described how the acclaimed hip hop records had a constant theme…what would you call the theme of “The Listening”? Phonte: If I had to sum The Listening up in one word, love is the message. Everything from family love – like love for our children. Love for family, and love for hip-hop in general. This was an album we made because we just love hip-hop sop much and it plays such a big part in our lives. It kinda hurts us to see the way that it’s going now. Summing up The Listening, love. Love for our ancestors, paying homage to the cats that came before us. AHH: Until a few months ago, I never heard of you. I think a lot of people haven’t. One organization which I’ll leave unnamed reviewed the record, not really in a respectful manner. And fans went after them hard. What about you can make you guys earn fresh fans that care about your music so much that it gets political? Phonte: I guess people just hear the record, and it just makes a strong emotional connection. A lot of people feel like, “Damn, this is what I’ve been waiting for.” So when a reviewer comes out and reviews the record in a negative way and not just a bad review, ‘cuz I don’t sweat bad reviews, to me – any press is press. Pete Rock called my crib and told me the album was dope. That’s all I need. For me personally, Rolling Stone can’t give me any number of stars to validate that. So for me, the review thing is like whatever. For they fans, they listen to record, they hear the record, and they like the record. So then they see a critic give it a bad review, they’re like, “Damn, that’s f*cked up.” Then they go back and look at that reviewer and look at the stuff that they DO like. And it’s like, “Oh my God, y’all got it confused.” Y’all are bigging up so and so artists and not giving bigging up them. So that whole thing with that certain website (laughs), that we won’t [endorse], I think the big reaction…I had never been on that website up until a couple months ago. I’m not familiar with it at all, but from I’ve been hearing and what people been telling me, the majority of that website is run by white cats. I know just from what I been reading, a lot of [other] people been really mad like, “How these white people gonna tell us what hip-hop supposed to sound like, it’s a racist review!” I was like, “God, it ain’t that deep.” I just really think that was it. If Chuck D or KRS would’ve came out and been like, “Yo, this Little Brother record is not dope,” then it’s kinda like we gotta look at it. but I think the credibility of the source that’s dissing the record, I think that has a lot to do with it. but that’s just how it goes. Good reviews, bad reviews, whatever. We know we made a good record, and we touched some of the people we wanted to touch, so I’m happy. AHH: Phonte and Pooh, you have an incredible chemistry. Was this natural, or what steps did you have to take to really play off so well? Pooh: From the beginning of Little Brother, it’s always been there. That’s actually how Little Brother came into play. We been in the same circles since late ’98, early ’99. So we knew each other, we did some joints together, whatever. It wasn’t until we did the song “Speed”, that the chemistry really was [noticeable]. It’s not something [we tried for], it was there. AHH: 9th Wonder…you’re the hottest producer in the underground right now. I liked the interlude on your record about heads asking for beats. Your sound is so relevant…but so original. Describe your progression as a producer, and where you plan to go with it? 9th Wonder: When I first started out, I really didn’t know that much. I had a history with music already. I play like seven [instruments]. I really didn’t understand beat-making, it’s different from any type of production in the music realm. It’s a different type of thing with a different type of ear. So with that, I had to go back. I knew about hip-hop, and I understood what hip-hop was, but I had to go back and really study the art form more: making your beats sound fat, instead of sounding real thin, bass and treble. Phonte was really instrumental in pushing me as far as producing was concerned. He would tell me little pointers, like “turn your drums up”, and stuff like that. You’re not gonna make it if you don’t listen to advice. Pete Rock, Premier, Jay Dee, and The RZA: those are my four biggest teachers as far as beatmaking is concerned. That’s where you get 9th Wonder for. Whatever they’re best for, I took a piece of that […]

Crooked I took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions from AllHipHop’s Ill Community. Peep it… Allhiphop: SweetCheeba asked; do you get tired of people asking you about your relationship with Suge? CI: Not really ‘cause I know people want to know what’s up with that and I’m always happy to let them know that I got a great deal, I’m getting paid in my contract. That kind of balances out some but not all, it kind of sheds some light on a situation that was always looked down upon. Like people over hear getting slapped and sh*t, I’m not getting slapped homie. I like to speak on that, him and me have a good relationship, and I think people should understand that Suge has great relationships with his artists. Allhiphop: Lefty wanted to know if you feel the relationship with Murder Inc. is a good thing considering Murder Inc. does more pop oriented Hip Hop? CI: I do, people ask me why Murder Inc. I think that’s a great relationship, you got two black men on independent labels. Anytime you can connect that anyway I’m going to have all love for it. I’m not trippin’ off what kind of music they make or we make. I’m trippin’ off the big picture, two young black men that’s successful that are not beefing, that’s good enough for me. Allhiphop: MonkeyBlood said he saw you and Chino free styling on Rap City, any chance on you two doing a collaboration in the future? CI: I would like that ‘cause they had the little Chino and Pac beef, I think that beef wasn’t really what it was supposed to be. Dude said something that Pac didn’t like but I don’t think he meant no harm so that would be a cool collaboration. Dealing with Sway and Tech we’ve crossed paths a lot so I know the cat and that’s a very possible thing that could happen. Allhiphop: A-1M_C wanted to know if you did any tracks with Left Eye before she died? CI: Yeah, I did a couple with her and I even wrote for her. She is definitely missed, that’s what I can say about that. Allhiphop: Indiana812 wants to know who’s on the Row right now? CI: We got Eastwood, Spider, Danny Boy, Kurupt, Virginia Slim, Gail Gotti, and we got producers Jim Gettum, Darron Vegas and Monster O and you know we got the bad guy. Allhiphop: If you were stuck on an island and you had to pick one CD, what would it be? CI: Wow, I would have to go with probably “Americas Most Wanted” that’s a tough one, ‘cause I would love to go with Marly Marl “ In Control Vol.1” Allhiphop: When was the last time you battled an MC? CI: A couple of months ago, I really don’t battle like that no more. A couple months ago a cat came down from New York, He was Suge’s people. He was like I want to test your boy out so we did our thing live in the studio. I did eat that cat up, just to put it out there. Na, I’m joking.

I don’t typically release statements, but I have heard about all of the sh*t Proof has been talking on his website and I felt I needed to respond. First, I did not start of all this bullsh*t (diss tracks). I’ve said sh*t about them out of anger and vice versa. If Eminem and I are supposed to be cool, then there’s nothing we can’t talk about and squash. This whole beef started when I gave Eminem a freestyle for the "Anger Management" Mixtape. At the beginning of my rhyme I said "f*ck Anger Management, I need to hire somebody to manage my anger." For some strange reason, Eminem and D-12 took that as a diss. Why? Why would I diss Eminem the illest lyricist on the f*cking planet? I heard that Em was upset, so I started putting in phone calls too his camp too set the record straight and too let them know I would never do something like that. Paul (Em’s manager) told me that "Em is not talking to you period." Its crazy how we are supposed to be cool, but they accuse me of something and do not even attempt to get to the bottom of it. But I turned my back on him right? I was heartbroken and mad at the same time because I felt like D-12 was in his ear, because this just did not seem like the Em that I know, or at least thought I knew, because from day one I was there for that motherf*cker. I remember Em and Proof was beefed out and Em was not even talking to D-12, I was the only n*gga he had. I was the one who told Em he should put those n*gga’s (D-12) on. Em got back in touch with them as soon as they came back around and all they did was ask who I was and why was Em helping me, so the envy was there from the jump! Bizarre 2-wayed me after that "Anger Management" sh*t talking about what’s up my n*gga? I felt like he was trying too f*ck with me by doing that, because if there are some harsh feelings in the air why are you hitting me up? So, I told Bizarre to stop calling me cause his sh*t is fake. In so many words, we ended up exchanging words via 2-Way and he went and showed the whole crew (trying to instigate sh*t as usual). The next day, I did an online interview and when the writer asked me "who did I think was ruining rap, who was wack and who would I like to start a beef with" I said D-12, which I can admit was wrong on my part. The only reason I said this, was because at that time, I was heated from the sh*t Bizarre did! I did not mean to start a beef with them and I did not know the writer was going to record the interview and post it online. So, I understand why they would be upset. However, my manager talked to Proof after this happened and Proof said D-12 did not care and that he (Proof) ain’t really f*cking with Em like that because Em was all on 50 Cent’s d*ck. Proof also told me that he did not think there would even be another D-12 LP (but you guys are family huh?). After speaking with my manager, Proof said everything was cool! Further, Denaun hit me and said he thought everything was stupid because everything was subliminal, we both agreed and said it was respect as long as we kept communicating and his name was left out of it. Next thing you know, D-12 are at 50’s release party passing out CD’s dissing me, Ja-Rule and Benzino? So, if you wanna know why I bigged up Murder Inc. and Benzino that’s why! And these were not just disses, but motherf*cking death threats!! The disses I made ("Malcom X" & "What We Do" ) were in direct response to this! They added that Internet clip of me on one of their disses (the same one they supposedly did not care about) and made it look like I started all of this and that I was doing it to sell records, or because Em did not sign me. In reality, D-12 did this to get Em’s attention because it’s all 50 Cent right now! So, the reason I put 50 in my diss, is not because I’m on his d*ck—if it wasn’t for him, ya’ll b*tches wouldn’t be trying to use me to regain his attention from Em! To add insult to injury, these hoe ass n*ggas world premiered there diss on the radio the very next day! So, who’s really looking for attention? I went up to the radio-station the next day and played a Bizarre diss I wrote three-years ago. I wrote that record because I thought Bizarre dissed me on some local Mixtape around the time they were really mad at me. They had diss raps for Em because of me! I did the Bizarre diss and called Proof to the studio, because he was my n*gga and I’m a real n*gga. I told Proof, I know he’s in your camp, but he dissed me and I gotta spank him! Proof came up to the studio, heard the record (the whole record, including the line about Bugz), laughed and said it was crazy and told me he loved me for being real and calling him! Proof told me he wanted me and Em to talk, so he got us on the phone and we squashed everything! Ya’ll n*ggas are the first ones to say ya’ll got families and you just want to rap and get money and now your starting this sh*t like I’m not supposed to defend myself, f*ck ya’ll! I’m a man of my word, so when I agreed everything was squashed nobody heard that diss until now—three-years later. In regard to […]

Allhiphop: Can you speak about your background a little bit, a lot of people know your name, but not too many know about your background? Crooked I: I was born in L.A. and I spent the majority of my life in Long Beach but I have lived other places. I lived in Okalahoma for a couple of years, I lived on the East Coast in Philly for a couple of years, Washington, my moms moved around a lot. That gave me a versatile style as far as picking up the different kind of vibes from the different locations. Basically, Just like every other Ghetto kid I was raised on welfare, in the projects, section 8, out there acting bad at a young age. Allhiphop: As far as you as a young cat, when did you start getting into hip-hop? CI: when I first heard Rappers Delight as a little kid, it had already been out for a while but when I first heard it. I was like this is what I want to do. I think I was in Kindergarten and I learned every word to the song. I hit the talent show, I got up there and did everybody’s part and I was like 5 years old. Everybody was like this little dude is crazy ‘cause I’m up there talking about busting them out with my super sperm, I didn’t know what the hell I was talking about. I’m just spitting it and then after that the energy from the crowd, I was like I’m going to do this. I got serious about it, I went and brought notebooks, and I was MCing. That really helped me ‘cause I dropped out of school at a young age, but I would always be on the street hanging out with older cats because wasn’t nobody at my age dropped out. Rap music kept me so knowledgeable about things because back then we had the Public Enemy’s, Rakim’s, KRS One’s and they was speaking on more than having a good time, they was speaking on real political issues. They had me into books trying to figure things out. When I got 17 I was tired of being in shootouts with dudes and the whole street life, I wanted to get my GED and go to college and all that other stuff. I walked in a GED place with a Junior High education ‘cause I dropped out of Junior High. I was early because poverty was kicking my ass and I couldn’t spend any time in the classroom, I had to get my paper to help moms pay the bills. What good is me being in this classroom if I come home and there’s no lights on. The Education that Hip Hop gave me and the push that it gave me, because I wanted to have ultimate writing skills I read shakespeare and things like that. Allhiphop: Where were you in this period of you being educated by rap? CI: I was all over the place. I was in L.A. and out here we had Ice- T he was doing his thing with “6 In The Morning” WC was in “Low Profile” Eazy E was just breaking into it. When I went out toward the Mid-West they was big on The Geto Boys ‘cause Scarface and them was doing they thing out there and when I was out East they had the forefathers. I used to hate traveling; I used to hate leaving Cali. But, when I look back on it I’m happy I did ‘cause it gave me a different perspective. Allhiphop: Can you speak on paying your dues as a MC, I first noticed you on the wake up show, you used to go back and forth, I remember this one legendary thing when you and Chino XL was on there. I thought that was incredible considering Chino is so ill as a battle MC. CI: I was so hungry out there and I wanted to get my name to spread quick, I didn’t really want to waste no time, now was the time to hit the streets and make my name spread. The Wake Up Show extended a hand like come up and holla. When I went up there I smashed on some MC’s, I didn’t know who they was. Sway and Tech was like you got to come back. I developed a relationship with them where we was just hanging out, not just on the show we could just go kick it with each other. Chino came up and they was like look we got a vote over here on who we would like to see go back and forth with each other for an opportunity on BET and the listeners voted you and Chino. I never been an underdog to myself, but I think I was the underdog coming into that. I paid a lot of dues ‘cause I used rap as a hustle at first before I got the deal. I used to go down south and write for people with independent labels, go up north and hit up a few independent labels and it was making me good money. I was leaving town and coming back like I was hitting licks. I come back with money like the homeboys on the block slinging D and I’m doing this and it’s legal they can’t touch me. Allhiphop: What kind of rapper do you consider yourself? CI: I just consider myself a ghetto MC. Gangsta rap is a term but to me there’s only two types of rappers, Dope and whack. I’m not going to label you a gangsta rapper because of your lyrical content because to me listen to "9MM" by Kros or Kool G Rap “Road to Riches.” Those are gangsta. Cats been rapping about the streets and the ghetto, it’s just that I think that term is kind of negative because it puts all these so called people into one group and most of the […]

Crooked I: Leader of the New School By Jigsaw It’s often been clichéd that a rolling stone gathers no moss, but the same principle hardly pertains to hip-hop rhyme styles. Tha Row’s (Death Row) hungry, battle-tested upstart Crooked I has laid his hat in many cities, and its apparent after hearing him spit, that he has adopted techniques from a variety of spots. Although he was transplanted to several cities like Las Vegas, Portland and Philadelphia, the Los Angeles-born, Long Beach-bred emcee promises a fresh era for the West Coast. While decidedly gangsta, Crooked honed his chops side-by-side with the likes of Daz and Chino XL through venues like the legendary “Wake Up Show.” Now, with Suge Knight backing him and Tha Row beside him, the underground legend surfaces to escort the Westside into a brave, new renaissance – by all means necessary. Not one to restrain his tongue, he airs is out about Snoop, Suge, Murder Inc and his trek to legend status. Allhiphop: How did you first hook up with Death Row? Crooked I: Being in Long Beach. Long Beach is not that big as far as the Hip Hop community, everybody knows everybody. So we was doing our little thing on the East Side of Long Beach and I ran into Snoop, Daz and all them when they were just trying to blow it up. To make a long story short, one day Daz and my homeboy Big C-Style who started the Dogg Pound knocked on my door and said "yo, we going to do a label called Dogg Pound Records we’ll make you 20% owner and we’ll make you the first act". I was like who’s going to distribute it, he said "Death Row." I was like "okay." So that’s how it all happened. Allhiphop: Was that after Dre, Snoop and them left? CI: Yeah that was after they left. Allhiphop: So when Daz left it went straight to Suge? CI: Yeah, Daz bounced out. There’s no hard feelings homie, but I’m about to take this label to the next level if possible. Allhiphop: Were you ever intimidated with hooking up with Suge considering the rumors or the talk? CI: I wanted to figure out what it was about. I would here crazy things like everybody else. I grew up in the ghetto, kind of f*cked up to be honest and if I can survive that then the industry should be a walk in the park. Of course the industry is getting a little rougher but it’s not going to show me nothing I haven’t already seen. I’m like let’s do this and get this paper so when I met him it was all good. Allhiphop: Did you have to impress Suge by rhyming, there’s a lot of talk about people having to rhyme for not just Suge just to impress him. CI: My name was getting out there and everybody that visited him was like you have to meet this dude. When I went up there and met him, he was like "man." Allhiphop: You must have a lot of faith in the label considering you’ve been waiting for a while to come out with your album, right? CI: Yeah, I told him like this; as long as I’m straight financially, I can wait. What I’m going to do while waiting is take the time out to try to perfect my craft even more, and when you touch down we make history. He was like when I get out I’m doing you first. He stuck to his word. Allhiphop: The Feds seem to be messing with a lot of people these days, ironically Irv and J Prince, but specifically Death Row. Has that affected anybody over there? CI: You know they raided the office and that was ridiculous, 175 police on the corner of a Beverly Hills building and they went up there and tore that motherf*cker up too. I’m hearing they got special task force, they trying to organize to investigate independent black owned labels. They going to try to shut it down ‘cause it’s a lot of millionaires in the game and it’s a lot of millionaires that they don’t want to be millionaires. It’s sad that you got these people in high places worrying about what we doing when it’s a lot of other problems in the country they could be trying to fix. It’s all good ‘cause to me it’s just like being on the block walking to the liquor store and two cops harassing you because you’re black. So it’s just on a bigger scale, now you got money and you’re doing something legal and they’re still going to harass you to let you know that you’re still a n#####. Allhiphop: What happened at the BET Awards? In your eyes what happened ‘cause I talked to Snoop and he had his view. I wanted to get your view on what happened. CI: I’m going to tell you just how it went. We arrived at the awards, they wouldn’t allow us all in at once. They told Suge "look Snoop is down here is there going to be any problems?" I was standing right there and he said “I don’t know him, I’m here to enjoy the show” so they let him in, but they wouldn’t let none of us in. He went down there and sat down in there for 20 to 30 minutes by himself and nobody said nothing to him. Then they was like; I guess it’s going to be cool ‘cause he been in there for like 30 minutes and he aint said nothing and nobody said nothing to him so we could let the other guys in." When they let us in we were looking for Suge. When we found him we started walking toward him. To tell you the truth I didn’t even know Snoop was sitting that close to Suge. Nobody that was walking toward Suge even knew that Snoop was over there. We’re […]