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cpLUs

Kelly Rowland: Ms. Kelly

By Alex Thornton

Stop feeling sorry for Kelly Rowland; she doesn’t need your pity. Since the effectual break-up of Destiny’s Child, Kelly’s stalled solo career has often been attributed to Beyoncé’s supposed “lead singer syndrome” or a nonsensical plot by Matthew Knowles to keep his biological daughter in the spotlight (as if he wouldn’t want them both to succeed). True, Kelly hasn’t reached the same level of stardom as B, but is anyone holding Kelly back more than Kelly herself? People will believe what they choose to believe, but with the release of Rowland’s latest, Ms. Kelly (Sony), Rowland seems to be her own worst enemy.

Musically, Ms. Kelly comes across like a lost Destiny’s Child group album, which here in 2007, isn’t meant to be a compliment. By now, nearly every aspect of DC’s act has been lifted over and over again by every forgettable, one-hit-wonder R&B chick under the sun. Because Rowland hasn’t modified her sound to stay ahead of the pack, Ms. Kelly doesn’t show enough individual personality to prove that she’s more than just a lucky back-up singer.

Polow Da Don’s amateurish production backs the false-start opener “Like This,” which apparently isn’t about anything. Scott Storch doesn’t follow-up with much more on “Comeback” which could’ve been a remix to “Bills Bills Bills.” Either track may have worked a few years ago but are unimpressive today. Things pick up a bit when the album moves towards the slower love songs, where Rowland is able to lean on her strength as a vocalist rather than trying to force herself into the mold of a pop star. Storch redeems himself with “Flashback,” which at least feels like a legitimate attempt at a departure. The same goes for “Love” which, despite the plain title and obvious Neptunes “influence” (read: jack), finds Kelly conveying a range of believable emotions for one of the few times in the whole experience.

While getting out from under the ever-expanding shadow of Beyoncé won’t be easy by any means, Kelly probably could do so if she were willing to experiment more. In reality, her true competitors are the Keyshia Coles and Fantasias of the world anyway, but she doesn’t quite measure up to them either due to a lack of conviction in her performance. Right now, Ms. Rowland is merely okay and as a result, Ms. Kelly is the same.


WWW.ALLHIPHOP.COM

Cassidy: Friend vs. Foe

By Aqua

The beauty of life is the multiple chances it offers. Philadelphia rapper Cassidy has had plenty, and he’s not taking any of them for granted. Over the last couple of years the 25 year old, who first gained notoriety after an infamous freestyle showdown with Freeway, has seen his career go through more drama than the DJ. In the Spring of 2005 he was riding high thanks to his Swizz Beatz produced, smash single “I’m A Hustla,” the perfect set up cut for his sophomore re-up I’m A Hustla. But two weeks before the album’s release in June, 2005 all momentum abruptly ceased when Cassidy turned himself in to authorities amidst an incident that left a man dead and charges that initially included first degree murder. Bail was denied and though Cassidy would beat the murder rap, he wouldn’t be released from prison until March 2006.

Back on the town and recording, hard luck hit again when on the way to a recording session in October 2006, Cassidy received injuries including a cracked skull after the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by a truck. Fortunately, his wounds have healed and citing a newfound spiritual drive—no, he’s not pulling a Mase—and maturity thanks to the trials of his past two years, Cassidy is readying his next album, B.A.R.S., for a fall release. But before doing so the at least twice blessed MC is releasing a mixtape on July 7, 2007 to satiate fans wondering where he’s been. AllHipHop caught up with the Full Surface/J Records artists to check in on the odds that his new album will get his career back on track.


AllHipHop.com: The album was originally called It Is What It Is, why the switch to B.A.R.S.?

Cassidy: That was one of the names I was thinking about calling it, but I don’t like that name. I've always been the person that was known for spittin’ bars. I always been famous for coming with hot punchlines and a lot of bars. And I just did time behind bars when I was in for the murder case. That was a pretty good title to use. Plus, it’s short for Barry Adrian Reese Story—my name is Barry Adrian Reese.

AllHipHop.com: On previous projects, you’ve given glimpses of your past, but is the B.A.R.S. album more personal than the last two?

Cassidy: Exactly, and that’s why I named it after my biological name. Because it don’t got nothing to do with Cassidy, the Hustla, the Problem, ya know, all that’s like characters that were developed after I got in the business. But Barry Reese is the person that I really am even when I’m not doing music. When you go to jail, that’s what they call me, Barry Reese. My first album was called Split Personality to let you know that I had multiple personalities—The Problem, Cassidy and Barry Reese. “The Problem” was supposed to get a chance to do the album [but on] my second album “The Hustla” buried “The Problem” in the beginning of the album and "The Hustla" won, so "The Hustla" got a chance to do that album instead of "The Problem." That’s why the album was called I’m A Hustla. So this album is reflecting another side of my personality, the more serious side. So that’s why I’m calling it B.A.R.S. My fourth album, Lord willing, will probably be called Cassidy, self-titled.

I feel as though everybody got many personalities. You're not mad all the time, you're not sad all the time, you're not happy all the time. Everybody switches and get in different moods, so that’s what I wanted to bring to the table. I’ma bring different songs to the table but one personality might got [sic] the majority of the album.

AllHipHop.com: You were able to beat the murder charge against you, but before that happened, were you prepared for the worst?

Cassidy: I was sitting in jail, so I was getting prepared even if I ain’t want to get prepared. I got faith in the Lord, and I felt as though he was going to pull me through the situation. But, you always going to have your [doubts], you don’t know how it’s going, it’s not looking good. I thought I was going to get bail and get out after a week or two. The trial, they kept it first degree murder, they was denying my bail, it was a lot more people coming up and making statements—it wasn’t looking as good as it was looking in the beginning. Even though it wasn’t looking good from the beginning. At the end of the day I just kept my faith, just stayed in my Bible, stayed prayed up and just humbled myself a little bit and tried to learn from it. I was trying to learn from it and realize the reasons why I was going through it. At the end of the day, I definitely felt as though it might have been a chance I could not get out. That’s with anybody, whether you was guilty or innocent, it’s a chance you can go home or stay. That was always in the back of my mind, but through the grace of God, I’m here now.

AllHipHop.com: Then, you start working on the third album and the accident happens, were you thinking, “Maybe my luck has ran out...”

Cassidy: I don’t believe in luck, I believe in God. I don’t believe God blesses you with things for nothing, you're blessed with those things for a reason. I believe that to the outside world, it might seem like it was my lowest point but I feel as though it was my highest point. In a short period of time, in less than two years, I was able to mature more than a person that done spent 30, 40 years in the street. While I was going through it, it was seeming like it was a negative situation, but now that I came out of it, it was beneficial. Not saying that I would want to go through anything like that again, but I learned so much from it, and it made me into the person that I am now and I wouldn’t want to go back to the person that I used to be, 'cause I love the person that I am now.

AllHipHop.com: Were you this spiritual before the incidents?

Cassidy: I always believed in God my whole life but when I went to jail, I read The Bible from cover to cover. I used to sit down with a lot of my Muslim brothers and have a lot of good, deep conversations. I realized first hand that the money, the stardom, the fame, no matter what you did none of that could get you out those situations but God. I was able to better my relationship with Him, understand Him a little bit more from being in a serious situation like that. I almost lost my life twice. I almost gave my life up to the system and then I almost lost my life in the car accident.

AlllHipHop.com: Due to the nature of the charges your were facing and convicted of, is that going to alter your lyrical content?

Cassidy: There’s no reason for me to really alter my content. I don’t feel as though I’m guilty of anything or have a reason to switch my pitch or change the things that I talk about. The gun talk and the things that I was talking about in my music is things that I actually live. People will say I used to go to a range two or three times a week to bust my guns off. N***as around me, whether they legally carried guns or whether they was illegally carrying guns just 'cause they was getting it in in the streets, that’s what I grew up around.

When I was 10, 11 years old riding around in the car with my god brother, he was carrying around Tech-nines and ounces of work bagged up, back when they used bag it up in vials. I just grew up around it, so that’s all I know, so that’s why I’m able to talk it. But at the same time, I bring positive things to the table too 'cause it’s like that in the world. It’s not all positive. If you come all positive then the people living the negative life gon’ block you out because they don’t feel as though you can relate to them. Then if you come all negative, the people that living the positive lifestyle is going to block you out because they feel as though you don’t understand them. So that’s why you gotta try to blend and get the best of both worlds, similar to what Tupac did. He’d come on like, “First off, f**k your bitch and the click you claim.” [opening line to "Hit ‘Em Up"], but then go “Dear Mama” or “Keep Your Head Up.”

My story, and the reason why n***as respect me, is 'cause I admit my s**t is based on a true story - just like a movie is based on a true story. Sometimes they add things and take things away that make it more interesting. Because if they put it exactly like it happened, it would be boring. That’s the same thing I do with my lyrics, some things I take away because I can’t say it, some things I add because it’ll make it sound crazier. But n***as know that it’s based on a true story and I’m talking about things that I actually experienced, I actually seen, so that’s why it’s so real to n***as.

AllHipHop.com: How much of B.A.R.S. is material from before the car accident?

Cassidy: I recorded a lot of the album before I got in the accident. I actually was mixing some of the records and working on features and things like that. Once I went through the accident, I had to take a break for a long period of time so I didn’t want to come with the same songs that I had from before because I had so much more to talk about. I pretty much went in and did a whole ‘nother album.

AllHipHop.com: Is Swizz handling the majority of the album’s production?

Cassidy: Nah, I love Swizz, Swizz is the best that ever did it, but he working on his album [One Man Band] right now and he working on everybody else. I wanted to mature and put [my] project together on my own. I had Swizz writing a lot of my hooks and making a lot of my beats on past albums, but I wanted to do a lot of that on my own because I got the talent to do it and I got the ability. Plus, Swizz was wild busy and I wanted to take the responsibility in my own hands. Swizz did do a lot of stuff. On the album you’ll probably hear three or four songs from Swizz.

I got over 50 songs, so I’m still gonna narrow it down and figure out which songs is going to make the album so I can’t really tell you which [other] producers is going to make the album cause I’m not sure yet. But you know I got Neo Da Matrix, he’s my right hand man. I got Bink!, I got Hi-Tek, I worked with Cool & Dre, I worked with Scott Storch, I worked with Timbaland, I worked with Dre & Vidal, I worked with Rockwilder, I worked with pretty much everybody.

Before I would just work with Swizz and Neo, and everybody else would just give their beats to Swizz and Swizz would bring the beat to me. I would never have a real personal relationship with too many producers. But now I’m trying to develop my relationships and grow because I’m putting my situation together for my artists and things like that in the future. It takes a lot of pressure off of Swizz, so Swizz can just focus on giving me the hits like he always do and then focus on the other things he gotta do. It’s better for both of us.

AllHipHop.com: Why did you decided to drop the mixtape on 7-7-07, besides it being your birthday?

Cassidy: [Laughs] I mean look, it’s O-7, O-7, O-7. That’s like, classical right there. It’s definitely a special birthday so I wanted to just celebrate, but instead of getting a gift and being selfish, I’d rather give a gift. So I’m giving out seven exclusive songs because the streets need it. I’m not making you buy it, I’m not making you go through a bunch of trials and tribulations to get it, I’m just giving it to you. Take this and listen to it and the street’s dying for it, they need something to listen to. Not only that, it’ll also get me back in the game, get my voice heard, and let people know that I’m back doing my things so they can get prepared for this brilliant album I’m about to drop.


WWW.ALLHIPHOP.COM

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

bein' djbfreezy is a hard job...so hard i forgot to pay the internet bill lmao...newho...back in effect look for some freshness in a bit...

The Heatmakerz: More than the Movement

By Dynasty Williams

The Heatmakerz are no strangers to change. After developing a form of music described as “crack,” that amassed an almost cult-like following for Dipset, The Rsonist and Thrilla were forced to change courses. The addiction to that “crack” spread far beyond a young, innocent fan base, and into the ears of rabid producers trying to obtain a foot in the door by way of imitation. After compiling a string of album credits for Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, and The Diplomats, the production duo pumped the brakes on production work for the rising crew, and began to provide their services to other artists.

With a progressive sound now described as “aggressive soul music,” Heatmakerz are aiming their proven track record at much larger targets. In an industry where artists often hit a glass ceiling, they are on a new path to surpass their status as platinum producer and enter into the ever competitive executive arena. With a solo rap career from Rsonist on the horizon, and hopes of a solid in-house production deal, The Heatmakerz are eager to prove that their worth to the industry goes beyond a hot track.


AllHipHop.com: What’s up man? Tell me about the mixtape album you have out now...

Rsonist: Basically what it is, it’s just a lot of the Heatmakerz’ artists on one album, and we got some unsigned people. We got Peedi Crack, J.R. Writer, Papoose, Jim Jones. The majority of it is like the Heatmakerz artists like G and B, myself, Dox, Carma.

AllHipHop.com: Why did you decide to do an album?

Rsonist: It was kinda just to get our name poppin’ again. Like, we did a lot of tracks for other artists, but people might forget that we actually produce. Like not just make a beat, but really produce a record. So on this album we really got a chance to showcase that we could make songs as opposed to just making a track for somebody.

AllHipHop.com: Is it safe to also say that this is the Heatmakerz’ attempt at getting into the executive side of the industry as well?

Rsonist : Exactly. This is like a mixtape album. I don’t want people to think that this is like an album. We put this together, honestly, in about two and a half months. What we want to show is that we can actually put out a product that people will like and respect at the same time. But with the right amount of money behind us we can turn our artists into stars.

AllHipHop.com: Are you finding it difficult as a producer to move up to that level of the game?

Rsonist: Of course. It’s just a little harder because anytime you try to step outside of your lane it’s gonna be a little harder. But you know, the more we do it the more it’s gonna become like second nature.

AllHipHop.com: Okay, well you also stepped into a new realm by rapping on this mixtape. What made you decide to go there?

Rsonist: It definitely is stepping outside of my lane. I’m not going to make it seem like I’ve rapped forever. You know Charlemagne, another producer from The Bronx? He came to me and he was like “You know, you should rap.” And I was like “You know that ain’t me. That really ain’t my tone.” He was like, “Nah, you got to think about it, every producer that ever came in the game kinda got stagnated after a certain point. No matter how big your music is, no matter how good you are doing what you’re doing, you still gotta take it to that next level or else you just gonna be stuck in the same position.” He made a lot of sense and I made some songs and the songs were coming out good. Every song I made was coming out better and better.

AllHipHop.com: Do you think that you trying to rap might hinder the Heatmakerz as a production team?

Rsonist: Nah, I think it will hinder me until people hear the music. Once they hear the music, they’ll understand what it is. Like I said, I’m my own worst critic. So if I didn’t sound good on any of the music, I wouldn’t do it.

To me, a lot of producers make the best rappers because they know how they want to sound on top of music; they know how their voice should sound, how they should flow on a certain beat, how the beat should break, and how they should attack it. So you know, if anything, a lot of producers give advice to artists so it only makes sense that you take some of that advice yourself and put it to music and you know, just be true. Like, I’m not coming out on these records talking about shooting people, killing people, things [that are] out of my lane. Anything you hear on the records I talk about is me, so you know it’s authentic. I think people will appreciate it.

AllHipHop.com: How do you feel, personally, about rappers that move into production?

Rsonist: I think some people are made for it and some aren’t. It goes both ways. It’s like a basketball player that tries to rap or the rapper that tries to be a ball player. Some people can do it, some people can’t. Or the rapper that tries to turn actor, or vice versa. It just depends on who’s doing it. You got somebody like Eminem who’s a rapper that, as far as in his movie, did a good job. Ludacris is a good actor, DMX is a good actor. Certain people can do it, and other people can’t. It just depends on who does it. I don’t really want to pinpoint anybody and say, “You know this person, they can't do it,” but like I said, it depends on the individual. Some people got the talent to do both.

AllHipHop.com: As a production team, you guys worked very closely with Dipset. Recently, it appears as if that has fallen off a little. Why is that?

Rsonist: I just think that we both got bigger, company wise. Dipset branched out where they had another six or seven new artists, and Heatmakerz started getting more outside work. I mean, we still work with each other, but as far as the way we used to, like 10 tracks on this album, 11 tracks on this album, it just changed a little because the bigger Dipset got, the more producers started attacking them. When Dipset was brand new a lot of producers didn’t know how big they were gonna be so they just went for the bigger artist. Now that Dipset is bigger, everybody wants a track on the album.

With us, it’s sort of like people know what we can do, and we can always get tracks on a Dipset album. That’s not really a problem. We want to show people that we can do more than just produce for Dipset.

AllHipHop.com: What do you think of their sound now?

Rsonist: I think a lot of their production derived from us, but a lot of people producing for them now, I think, I don’t want to say, have a one dimensional sound. They think Dipset can only rock one way so that’s the sound they give them. I look at the stuff from Diplomatic Immunity, production wise, and I just think that the producers aren’t where they need to be at. That’s just my personal opinion.

AllHipHop: Was sample clearances an issue with you guys moving apart?

Rsonist: We did have problems clearing samples sometime, but that wasn’t really why we didn’t do as much work with them. It’s just that we became more in demand and they became more in demand. We got pulled in different directions. I wouldn’t say the samples had anything do to with it because we did original songs before. “Killa Cam” was an original song. “Juelz Santana the Great” was an original joint. We had original songs when need be. That was just our sound. If need be, we didn’t have to sample.

AllHipHop.com: Do you feel underrated in the industry in light of the amount of hit records you’ve produced.

Rsonist: Of course. I just feel like we deserve our chance like the Cool and Dre and the Track Boyz, and the people who got production deals or label situations. They passed us up for all of that. We never got a label deal or a production deal. To be honest with you, we never even got a song deal. The industry kind of acts like we didn’t put out the amount of records that we put out. To date, we’ve put out 68 records [that have] been in stores. A lot of people think we just did Dipset records.

AllHipHop.com: Why do you think the money doesn’t flow to the Heatmakerz despite creating an entire sound?

Rsonist: A successful sound. I mean it’s one thing to make up a sound, but a successful sound… It’s only a few producers that have created a sound for an artist. You look at the Timbalands, you look at the [Dr.] Dres, you look at the Neptunes. A lot of producers don’t create sounds, they make beats. Think about a lot of the big producers, they haven’t molded a sound, they just made successful beats. It’s one thing to come up with a sound that people know, it’s you when they hear it, that’s something that you can’t duplicate. The problem is the industry looks at producers the way they’re supposed to look at artists. They look at “I’ve never seen him before. I don’t know his face, so I can’t give him this label deal because I don’t know what he looks like.” If I was to jump in every video I did production for, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’d have a label deal already.

AllHipHop.com: So are you relating it to just an exposure issue?

Rsonist: Yeah, it’s a popularity contest. It’s not about who makes the better music, it’s about who’s more recognizable. You see Dre, from Cool and Dre, and you know his face. You see Pharrell. A lot of them producers that got production deals, I think it was the Track Boyz that did J-Kwon, you see them in the video and a couple months later they pop up with a label deal. That’s just the way it happens. I’m not hatin’ on anybody, I respect all of them for doing what they did because they had to hustle to get there. But I just blame the industry for not doing their homework.

AllHipHop.com: Is talent enough anymore?

Rsonist: Nah. People don’t buy your CD because the music is good anymore. Years ago they did. People buy your music now because they feel like they know you. Now people will buy an artist’s [CD] because he had a reality show and they know something about him. Like, his mother lives here, and he chills with his brother and sister and he likes to eat this and he does this or does that. Nowadays, having a hit single doesn’t mean nothin’. You could have a hit single and still sell 80,000 your first week. The climate of the game changed. It’s so different the way everything is, the way the industry is, the way TV is.

AllHipHop.com: What do the Heatmakerz have on tap for the rest of this year?

Rsonist: We did three songs on Papoose’s album coming out. We did a couple of tracks on Juelz [Santana] and Lil’ Wayne’s album coming out. I’m going in with Lil’ Wayne on his solo project. I got my project that I’m working on, my solo project. I got Juelz on there, Lil' Wayne on there, I got Jim [Jones] on there, I got Mario Winans on there. We’re just working man. The official Heatmakerz album should be out in the summer or the beginning of fall. Look out for the Heatmakerz in ’07 and ’08, we gonna have a label deal in a minute.


WWW.ALLHIPHOP.COM

young buck...

By Houston Williams

It's been over three months since Buck the World was released to the masses. Young Buck's second album may lack the surging singles of his debut, but his 2007 effort remains a pillar in "album of the year" discussions, with or without strong radio play. While programmers might be duck the Buck, media headlines and rumor mills haven't. Starting with 50 Cent's backing down a peace treaty with The Game in March, now to alleged crew-dissent on stage at recent shows, it appears as if the media is chipping away at Buck vs. 50 to parallel what appears to be Cam'ron vs. Jim Jones.

Buck promises it's not happening.

Instead, the Nashville star clears up the rumors bluntly. While doing so, Buck reveals that he may be following Scarface and Snoop into production duties this year, and he's got the 808's handy. Lastly, the G-Unit superstar discusses why there is an industry-wide sales slump, and how through releasing non-fiction records like "Slow Ya Roll," Buck hopes to bring back good music, and slowly approach his second platinum plaque. Unlike the streets, in an interview, it's never hard to get Buck.

AllHipHop.com: Can you clarify the rumors about what you said in regards to 50 Cent and Vitamin Water recently?

Young Buck: Yeah man, I ain’t said s**t, bro. At the end of the day, it is what it is. But nah, I ain’t said, “F**k G-Unit” at all. I don’t know really where the rumor came from, [or] how it came about; because I ain’t said no parts of "f**k" nothing. Wherever the rumor came from, I’ma clear it up and say, I ain’t say s**t about f**k G-Unit…Vitamin Water neither. I ain't made no money off of Vitamin Water, that’s 50's thing.

AllHipHop.com: Is that where it started? Did you make a comment about that?

Young Buck: I think that maybe where the rumor came from [is] on stage, I said, “50 ain’t gave me none of that four million that he made from Vitamin Water, so don’t ask me for s**t.” But as far as saying, “F**k G-Unit,” nah man, not at all.

AllHipHop.com: Just to clear the rumors up, everything is good?

Young Buck: Yeah, everything 100%, man. I got Cashville Records, I signed the Outlawz, C-Bo, my group 615; that’s the movement for me, you know what I’m saying? My album doing real good, at this point. My s**t is almost ready to go gold.

AllHipHop.com: Where is Lloyd Banks?

Young Buck: That n***a in the gym like a motherf**ker. That n***a like, “Yo bro, I’m coming back; I’m tryna be bigger than 50.” This n***a been working out and in the f**king studio. Banks is good. Banks tryna fall back. He making people miss him so much that when he do come back and the people see the things that they ‘bout to see, they gon really love him and enjoy it.

The Unit - we good, bro. Every good crew has its ups and downs. But the power in the crew is the strength in numbers, and we stick together, through the thick and thin. If you get a gang of false n***as together, you might not have no problems. But you get a gang of real n***as together, you gon' have time for motherf**kers to bump heads, don’t agree on the same thing and all kind of s**t. But like I said, bro, we remain the same n***as that we came in the game as. Throughout all the hate, and all the beef s**t, we still stand in this motherf**ker strong like a motherf**ker. It’s just about getting back into and making good music, and making that [work].

AllHipHop.com: A lot of people want your next single to be “Slow Ya Roll.” What made you write that record?

Young Buck: You know what? The [album is] real life. All those things that I’m saying on that record is actually true, as far as my auntie just finding out she got AIDS; she's locked up, she dying in the pen. S**t like that, I’m speaking the truth. When I say, "They found my nephew, there was no flesh, it was just bone," that s**t is real. So just going through day to day life-real life experiences is what created the record. And just knowing that a lot of times motherf**kers move so fast, that be the cause of they death. So it’s always cool to slow ya roll sometimes. And I worked with Chester Bennington, from Linkin Park, in a sense because, I done noticed that there’s a lot of people from outside of my environment that I come from, which is the ghetto-the hood, that’s in touch with Young Buck, you know what I mean. I like to cater to those that cater to me. Linkin Park’s [audience] is big; it surprised me he was even up to do the record, but he did it. It came out a hit. I actually wanted that to be this single. Straight up and down, I wanted it to be my second single. I fought and I’m still fighting, you know what I’m saying. Hopefully we’ll be able to wrap my record up with that being my third single…everybody's pushing for it, I’m pushing for it. I think it’s a problem clearing the record with they label, but I think the people really, really want to see that record brought to life.

AllHipHop.com: What’s your take on the people criticizing Hip-Hop right now?

Young Buck: Well I think some of our political people are some of the biggest hypocrites that we have in America, like their s**t don’t stink; when everybody’s s**t stink. So they've got to be able to accept an opinion. An opinion is like an a**hole, everybody got one. They can’t judge that life that they lived, to today’s times. ‘Cause times have changed so much. So if you actually don’t have not even no knowledge of really what’s going on in that neighborhood, or where that artist background has really come from, or what that artist has been through in life, it's kinda hard to put a judgment, not on just that artist, but anybody, period. And a lot of politicians that direct their negativity towards that Hip-Hop artist is just mainly all for they opinion.

I think a lot of these political people are bigger groupies also, because they chase that light, chase that camera, and they want to kinda keep themselves seen in the light for always pushing some type of line. Some of the people who said something about Akon probably got his damn CD in they damn car when they leave, see what I’m saying? It’s hard not to. We get outside of the fact of feeling that those people are human beings too. And even if they're not fans of our music; they have nieces, they have nephews, they have young adults that are part of they family that I’m sure don’t agree with some of the things that they say about such artists. I’m here to just put in on they brain to let them know, I represent the political prisoners. I don’t represent the political side of what today represents. Our political people that we have right now, to me, I don’t consider all of them as true leaders. Because some of them is committing adultery on they wives and things of that nature, and then push a line that say you know, tell us what not to do. So until you clean your own s**t all the way up 100%, keep your finger to where it need to be.

AllHipHop.com: What made you sign Tha Outlawz?

Young Buck: I mean, honestly man, it’s always been a whole little connections amongst my whole life with whole Tupac Shakur…I caught that area of music, I’m 26 years old. Me and C-Bo, honestly, had always been good in the streets before I actually got behind a microphone. Once I got into position to start my own thing, he was one of the first ones I stretched out to. C-Bo was 'Pac’s favorite rapper. He always kept that connection with Tha Outlawz after 'Pac’s death, and he was like, “Yo man, Tha Outlaws really want to be a part of what we got going.” It was a no-brainer for me, and we just started to hang, bro, and run with each other. S**t, bro, the connection got real crazy. They be scaring me a little, they be telling me I do certain things like [Tupac].

At the end of the day, it's all about keeping it real. And that’s what 'Pac did when he was here - same thing I want to follow. It just makes my s**t perfect. It’s an honor to f**k with Tha Outlawz….because they was here before me. So I don’t feel like a CEO, man, I just feel like a n***a that got a team.

AllHipHop.com: As far as musically you have a lot of diversity on there. What are you looking for when you pick beats?

Young Buck: I let the music take me. I’m listening for something that can match the feeling of whatever I’m feeling when I go in that studio; because I don’t have raps ready. I’m just going in there listening to the music. It’s like the right music provides the title of the [song], the concept of the record, you know what I’m saying. It’s not nothing particularly that I’m looking for. I just know, if I’m looking for a party record, I’m tryna find something with some 808 [drum] in it. You can’t come to the South without no f**king 808. That’s just a lil' piece of game for all these other artists. You want to get out here and make the s**t shake through the South, get you some 808 in your music.

Actually on the low, bro, I been producing, that’s been my secret game. I’m coming out with it. I produced three, four tracks on my first project that I’m a release, a [Cashville] compilation; it's pretty much all of us. I been selling a lot of tracks for a lot of different artists. I want to kinda of keep it low so I can shock a lot of people when they find out some of the s**t that made.

AllHiopHop.com: What kind of equipment do you use?

Young Buck: I was f**king with a lil' bit of everything. I f**k with MPC 3000, 4000, lot of different sound modules and s**t, Motif. It’s a lot of different things, bro. I’ve been getting a lot of these different drum kits from Sha Money and Dre, too. I been asking a lot of these n***as for they drum kit, know what I mean.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of people are talking about the sales slump that Hip-Hop is going through, why do you feel there is a slump in sales?

Young Buck: I think, honestly, man, that a lot of artists fool the fans, but the fans is not actually fooled. A lot of artists fool the fans by basically putting together these albums that only got one or two records on it, and making these fan go spend that $15, $20 on that album, and it’s basically not worth it. Fans just got back to getting back smart, and that’s when they start resorting to the Internet and downloading s**t, you know what I’m saying?

I think a lot of artists have f**ked it up by putting out bulls**t. And I think, for me, those same fans that go and buy my bootleg, it’s out of anticipation, and then they go right back and buy my album - being that I deliver an album from top to bottom. I really ain’t thinking about sales when I go in there and make an album, I’m just tryna make a strong classical album that’s gonna play here and pretty much forever. I’m consistently going 20-30,000 [units sold] per week, and I ain’t even got to my second single, which is just 'bout to hit.


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as you will notice i have start'd postin' interviews/articles about various rappers...those are courtesy of allhiphop.com (shoutout so i don't get sue'd :) )



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...im gonna start puttin' some youtube clipz on here too ...by fall this site will be crunker than a liquid ton of CRUNK JUICE!