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10/29/2006 What’s up?  I’m good. I’m blessed.  The Solution is dropping in December. What was your state of mind recording The Solution?    Well, when I was recording it, I just wanted to make an album that was well-rounded and just make good music. I wanted to have an album that had all the music that I enjoy. You got some rock and roll on there. You got jazz. I did a song that I don’t know if it’s going to make it, but I have a country or western song called “Shoot ‘Em Up Bang Bang.” I just wanted to come with all areas of music because I think nowadays, especially with hip-hop, there’s not a lot of good music out there. I think everybody is searching for that beat and that hook and they’re not giving you nothing in the verses. It’s all about having the right hook and having you dance to the song. That’s not giving the people their money’s worth when they go to buy the album. I think a lot of artists should just be getting single deals.  In the past you talked about how much money you spent in legal fees and in “All of the Above,” you say you’re “caught up with the paper.” How much did those legal fees affect your life?    It affected it enough. I still, after all was said and done, I still was able to purchase a Maserati. I grabbed a little Bentley. I wouldn’t say I went broke, but I spent enough money to where I’m not comfortable like how I was comfortable. You’re talking $3 million. That’s not peanuts.  You also say, “I’m a bully with the bucks, ain’t a damn thing changed.”    Even though I had to kick out all that money, I’m still secure financially. I think at that time, that might have been the best thing for me because I only had to do a year. Just me sitting up there for that year and a couple of months, it just gave me time to see a lot of things and just get on top of my business and see a lot of mistakes and a lot of things that I did and a lot of things that I should have done differently if I could have. It was a reminder to stay grounded. Financially, legally or anything, my health can be gone tomorrow. I have to do it while I can so that I can be secure in the future.  You also talk about the hip-hop police in “All of the Above.” A lot of rappers have had negative experiences with the hip-hop police. What kind of experiences have you had with them?  None that I know of. I haven’t had no experience with them.  Is “All of the Above” the big single you’ve wanted your whole career?    I wouldn’t say it’s that. I had a monster with “Feel It in the Air” and that was nothing like “All of the Above.” That was a huge song but it was nothing you could dance to. I think that was a real powerful song. That record was getting a lot of attention and the record company backed it and pushed it, as they should have. The record I did with R. Kelly was to broaden my audience. R. Kelly, he has a broader audience than me. It’s the visual more than anything. When they see the visual, they’re going to notice R. Kelly. There are people out here who don’t even know about a Beanie Sigel or they haven’t paid attention to Beanie Sigel. They might pay attention to me now to where every time I come out, I’m selling more. I topped off at 850,000. If I can pull another 250,000 fans from working with R. Kelly, that’s that platinum mark that I’m trying to reach.  Are you happy so far with the response to “All of the Above”?   Yeah, I feel good. Once we put this video out, it’ll be good because it’s all about the visual. Once this video goes in rotation and people get more into it, it will be bigger. I love the response to it.  What inspired the reggae-influenced “Go Low”?    I heard the beat. It really isn’t nothing in particular. I can’t explain the music that I make when I make it because it just happens. I don’t go in the studio expecting to do a certain type of song. I try to build the music around the beat and the lyrics just come how they come. Whatever comes out, I just let it flow.  You talked about how many different vibes you have on The Solution. How important is that versatility and diversity to you?  It’s simple. I like all genres of music. I listen to all kinds of music. When I hear the music and I can vibe to it, it’s just good music. I think as an MC, you should be able to do any kind of record and make it a good record. That’s what comes with being true to yourself. If you have that conviction in your heart, you should be able to do anything. I like listening to jazz. I listen to rock and roll. If it’s good music, I’m going to listen to it. Just me having that broad of a view just on music, period, that gives me the ability to make the songs and be able to flow on those different tracks.  What’s your favorite song on The Solution?    Man, the whole album from front to back. I’m about to go to the studio right now and put together the sequence of the album. This is where the fun part comes in. There isn’t a song that I recorded that I don’t like. This is going to be fun. I don’t have a favorite pick on the album. I love all my songs the same. It’s like picking a favorite child. You don’t have a favorite son or a favorite daughter. Music is like my baby. I love all my songs the same.   What do you want your fans to take away from The Solution?    Just good music, man. I want them to be able to put that CD in and not have to skip through the album. I want them to listen to the lyrical content of the album and be able to learn something. I talk about life and what’s going on. I want you to be able to appreciate this album and know that I have good, quality music. I want the fans to feel like they haven’t been cheated and they got their money’s worth with their purchase.  Where does The Solution stand in your catalogue of music?    For me, right now, I think this is my best body of work to date. This is the first album that I had a chance to sit down and record the album at my own pace and on my own time and be comfortable completing the album. This is the first album I was able to complete where I felt good about it. I think this might be my best body of work to date.  Philadelphia has the highest murder rate in the country. Have you noticed a change in crime lately?  It is what it is, man.  How do you feel when you hear other artists in Philly talking about being the king of Philly?    (laughs) I don’t want to be the self-proclaimed king of nothing. I think my impact on music is bigger than just Philadelphia. Fighting for the king of Philly spot, they can have that. The people know what the real deal is. I’m not going to let that occupy space in my mind, thinking about ‘who’s the king of Philly?’  In your “Can’t Tell Me Nothin’” freestyle, you say, “People claim king but can’t govern their households.” Did you mean that at anyone in particular?    No, I’m not talking about T.I. That’s the next question though, right?    A lot of people say they’re the king of something.   I’m not even worried about that. They want to be the king of things. Govern your household, man. If you’re the king of something, you have to govern things and you have to make sure things are all right. I’m the king of my household. That’s what I’m worried about being. I’m cool with that.  Kanye West’s first big look as a producer came from producing “The Truth” for you. What does that mean to you today?    It’s cool. I think whether he gave me that track or not, Kanye was going to be Kanye regardless. Just to have that recognition, that’s cool. I’m with that. But there was no stopping him. He was destined to be who he was going to be regardless. I don’t make his beats and I don’t write his rhymes. He has that in him. It is what it is and I enjoy his music. Good morning!  Kanye’s style has really evolved from “The Truth” to now. Could he still lace you with street bangers today?    I think Kanye can make anything, man. He’s just that good. He can make anything. With me, it don’t matter what kind of track it is. I’m going to make it do what it do. Kanye can give me a calypso track and I’m going to still make that thing sound good. With his style and whatever, I wouldn’t particularly label it a “style,” his beats are just hard, period, no matter what it is. It’s all about me doing what I’m going to do on the track. Kanye has heat. Kanye has beats on his album that I wish I had.  There’s rumors that you’re putting a new squad together. Can you tell us about that?    I’m in the workings of that right now. I’m putting together my new movement, my new team. I got cats from Philly. A kid named Kyle Green, Bogart and Joey Jihad. I’m looking for, like, three more artists.  What are you looking for from those artists?  Nowadays it’s kind of hard to find that originality, so I just need the best at whatever they do. I need the best person, whether it be hard or commercial. I’m just looking for uniqueness and delivery. I’m looking for them to be able to write those songs and make those songs. I’m looking for anybody can rap and freestyle. I need songwriters.  Is State Property on hold right now?    It ain’t on hold. Everybody is just doing their individual projects. They have to finish that and then hopefully we’ll get back in the studio and work on the State Property album.  You worked with The Roots awhile ago on “Adrenaline.” Will you work with them again?    Yeah, definitely.  You auditioned for the role of Biggie in the upcoming movie about his life. What would you have to change about yourself to get that role?  Just doing my homework. I could definitely pull it off. I practice that every day. Hopefully I’ll get the role, man. I’m shooting for it. I could drop the voice and I got the “uhh.” I got all that.  Are you still working on the Playpen cartoon?   Yeah, I’m still working on the Playpen cartoon. When I had the legal issues and I had to go away, the people that I was working with on the cartoon made a couple of critical decisions in my absence that I wasn’t comfortable with. I’m in the process of ironing those differences out now so we can move forward with that.  Are you still in touch with Dame Dash today?    I don’t have no problems with Dame Dash.  The Solution is coming out December 11, which is the same date as Wu-Tang. Would it be silly for fans to look at it as “Beanie Sigel versus the Wu-Tang Clan” since you guys make different music?  It was a good marketing scheme between 50 and Kanye. I think that was good and it improved both of their sales, but I don’t look that deeply into it.  Are you thinking at all about first-week sales?    Nah. I mean, I want the first-week sales to be good. Who doesn’t want them to be good? I’m trying to make money. Yeah, I want them to be good, but you have to look at Akon. When he dropped his first album, his first-week sales weren’t good at all. He dropped another single and he wound up doing 2 million. It’s about the label just pushing it.   What are your goals for The Solution?    I think I accomplished my goals when I was making the best album that I could make at the time. Like I said, this is one of my best bodies of work to date. I accomplished that. Now I have to help push this album and get those numbers up.  What advice would you offer to up-and-coming artists?  Just stay on top of your business and wear a condom.   What do you want to say to everybody?  Go cop that Solution album on December 11. It’s a good look. You need that.

By Brian Kayser

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