DID YOU CHECK OUT LUPE FIASCO’S ALBUM?
I admire the dude’s rhyme style. Man, with Lupe, I thought he could’ve been the next Nas-I gravitated away from his music when he stepped on the skateboard. When I saw him on the video with Pharrell and they were doing the whole ice cream truck shit I had to turn the channel. I thought, ‘goddamn, another lost emcee’. We need to go back to the basics of what REALLY matters. And that’s making good music, man.
I try to stray away from what these other rappers are doing. I’m about hip-hop; that’s what I think has kept me afloat in the streets as long as I have so far. I think that’s why what happened to Ja Rule didn’t happen to me when I went head-to-head with 50 in that beef.
SO PART TWO TO THE QUESTION ABOUT PROGRESSION IS IF WERE MAKING IT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WATCHING THE VIDEOS AND BUYING THE MUSIC, WHEN DO WE GO BEYOND THE MUSIC & THE MAKING OF SNEAKERS, SHIRTS, ETC.? WHEN DO WE GET MORE INVOLVED SOCIALLY?
It starts with you asking that question, and me doing my part to try and put some things in motion. And then it goes on with everybody here today in this room touching someone else and sharing information with someone not in this room, and so on. I think it starts with a core group of peers and people get together and converse- sharing information, letting people know what’s going and interacting, the same way we do with rumors and jokes and bullshit, we can do that about trying to uplift to something better, whether it’s music or whatever. Basically, my answer is everybody touch somebody. That’s been said time and time again by all of our (community) leaders. Each one teach one- and until we see that happen the wheels won’t start turning. That’s just what it is.
IF YOU WEREN’T RAPPING, IF THE INITIAL DEAL WITH DR. DRE DIDN’T HAPPEN, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING RIGHT NOW?
I don’t really have the skill of patience. Whenever something doesn’t work for me, I try something else. That’s pretty much how I eventually went into rapping, and that just happened. I was a one-time petty drug dealer. I wasn’t no Kaiser Sosa- I wasn’t moving crazy bricks. Every time I tried (dealing) I got shot, or shot at or some shit. It didn’t work. It just doesn’t work.
I think if I wasn’t rapping my ultimate goal would�ve been in the league. I went to high school and college playing basketball. And was better than most of my teammates then that are now in the NBA. I got kicked outta college for trying to be the resident dopeman on campus. I think if I didn’t get sidetracked with (drug dealing) I probably would’ve tried harder at that because I’ve always had the natural skill. Anybody wanna argue that we can go outside. I got my Jordans on now, let’s do it!
SO YOU’RE BETTER THAN BARON DAVIS?
I used to kill B.D. man! I went to school with Tyson Chandler and Tayshaun Prince. On the team I played on I was the number two guard, Tay played number three, Tyson was the center- we was rollin’ (on the same team) in Compton. Even though B.D. stood out his team used to get their asses waxed!
WHATS THE BEST AND THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU THIS YEAR?
The worst thing would have to be 50 Cent’s influence on Dr. Dre not being on this album. When (50) said it I didn’t see it happening.when it eventually did happen, at first, I fell into a corner, like, damn. It kinda felt like I had no friends. I kinda look at it like how Kobe probably felt when Shaq left- except Kobe wasn’t speaking the real- that nigga knows goddamn well when Shaq left that hurt him a little. He got left with Kwame Brown and them garbage niggas. Meanwhile Shaq is doing the damn thing with (Dwayne) Wade and winning.
For me it was a big disappointment. But I wouldn’t take it back now, because at the end of the day I am confident that I have a better album this time than I did last time. Instead of 50 Cent and Dr. Dre being executive producers, you’ll see my name alone on the back of that CD this time. I’m trying to stand alone on this one. And after I sell my records this time, if you see me sell one record more this time than the last time, you’re gonna see me turn into a fuckin’ animal- after what I’ve been through I’m gonna talk so much shit!. I’m never gonna shut up.
AND THE BEST THING?
The best thing was FINALLY getting a release date for this damn record! I was fighting with those white-collar criminals, man. Last year, I could pick up the phone and call any executive at Interscope and get them on the phone- anybody in the building. As soon as they saw that 310 (area code) they’d pick up the phone and say “Hey Game, you’re doing great”. Once my back was against the wall- when 50 was kinda edging me down before I started figuring out I should swing back- I wasn’t getting those calls. All I got was voicemail, mostly (pretends to dial a phone), “You have reached Interscope Records. To leave a message”. As soon as I recorded ‘One Blood’, took it to the office and played, my damn phone started ringing off the hook again.
I learned hip-hop is a business. Hip-hop is like McDonald’s. I had to look at it like Dre was working the burgers, 50 was working the fries, and the (value) meals gotta get out to the kids in that drive-thru. At the end of the day, the job gets done, I could do what I do, Dre can do what he do & 50 can go do what he do- I’ll see them niggas tomorrow. These records gotta get packaged and shipped for these people to buy. If it ain’t made the way they know it need to be made, then they’ll stop coming there. They’ll go to Burger King.
The first album I was a rookie. Dre had to show me how to make a classic album. And much respect to Dr Dre, but he had to show me how certain things were done. Now I’m stronger, my muscles are bigger, so to speak. I can let the pen go and it be writin’ by itself and shit I’m still a student in this hip-hop thing, man. In no way, shape, form or fashion am I the king of shit, or the best rapper, I’m still trying to get there. I am fighting for my individual existence. In the long run I want for my jersey to be respected and hung in the raptors just like B.I.G., ‘Pac, Nas, Outkast, UGK, other legends like that. Awards and plaques and shit are nice, but I don’t really give a fuck about all that. I’m not really at those (award) shows. I don’t really care about that. For me, it’s about my individual triumph. I feel like hip-hop is a school. I feel like I’m still studying the craft- I think we all should. I don’t think I would’ve reached my fullest potential until I record my third album, which I think will be my best album. I already got the title, format & concept all ready. I’m ready to branch off that tree and keep the roots watered.
SPEAKING OF TRIUMPHS, LET’S GO BACK TO THE ALBUM. WITH DR. DRE NOTICEABLY ABSENT ON THIS ALBUM, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO CALL IT THE DOCTOR’S ADVOCATE?
I studied under Dr. Dre- Dr. Dre is responsible for my existence in hip-hop, so I’ll always pay homage to Dre. He created that and gave me everything that I got right now. Some call it name-dropping, but I am paying homage to the man who mentored me, fresh outta my coma only four months and with a record deal. I studied under him. So that’s first part of the definition – the doctor. The second half of it is advocate. If you look up advocate in the dictionary, it will say to speak on behalf of someone or someplace. So I’m advocating- speaking on behalf of- Dr. Dre. I’m talking about all the things you might’ve wanted to hear from him the last five or so years because he puts out records himself only so often. I’m also advocating for the things you wanna hear from the West Coast that you haven’t heard because the other rappers aren’t lyrically as committed. And I’m advocating for all the things you wanna hear about Compton- and you will hear more on my album. I’m advocating for all that and more. It goes deeper. And I’m coming out swinging. *
*Special Thanks to Tai Saint-Louis, Calvin Thorbourne, & Lisette Torres
