Juelz Santana has revealed
that he will continue recording for Island Def Jam, even though Dip-Set leader
Cam’ron took his Diplomat Records to Asylum/Warner Music Group.
The lone Diplomat is focusing
in on career longevity and taking a more front seat approach to the business.
“This time, I’m
hands on. I’m like ‘Whats good? Let’s do it,’”
Santana told AllHipHop.com. "I’m trying to take this album to the
next level.”
Efforts include a new mixtape
on the way, titled “Fiend’d Out,” he’s financially backed
and directed the video for the single “Mic Check,” from his upcoming
new album “What The Game’s Been Missing” and has built his
own studio.
By staying on at Def Jam,
the youngest member of the Dip Set crew is looking to keep the force to help
drive his momentum.
“I just felt like
I wanted that [Def Jam] machine behind me. It’s nothing more than that
– nothing,” he said. “As long as I do what I have to do to
make it hot, from the videos to the street buzz, it shouldn’t be too hard.”
With members Cam’Ron
and Jim Jones spread out across record label lines at Asylum and Warner Music
Group, he said there’s no bad blood and all previous group projects are
still in the works.
“[There is] No beef
with the rest of the crew and the IDJ deal is still a joint venture with Diplomat
Records,” he said.
While business decisions
affected the placement of the group as a whole, ultimately Santana admits
he would’ve chosen group solidarity to his former label mates if prompted.
“If Cam had said we
are leaving Def Jam, I would have left Def Jam,” he said. “Its just
that simple. No questions asked.”