Game

I noticed you and Pharrell were recently shooting the video for “It’s Must Be Me”. How’s the video looking? 

Ah man that video is going to be a classic. Man we had so much fun shooting that video. We was in Compton, and I had Pharrell all on the block man. It was crazy man. For those niggas that haven’t been to Compton, one thing you need to know is that niggas don’t even get to go to Compton. That’s number 1.

Two, you gotta get your hood passes and shit, you know what I’m saying? (Laughs) So we was on the block and shit. We had P {Pharrell} on the block. Then we took him to Crenshaw, and had him chilling with Nipsey {Hustle}. It was crazy man. 

Pharrell was getting love in Compton? 

Yeah man. Compton, LA, South Central, we had it locked.  

Oh ok. Now let’s get to your mixtape The Red Room which just dropped last week. What’s the overall reception you’ve been getting for the mixtape? 

Man that mixtape is killing the streets. I can’t even understand it man. We on right now man. You know it’s crazy because you know motherfuckers love to say some sideways shit about me man. But, I got no hate. No nothing this time around. On this album, everything I’m doing has been strategically done. I ain’t see no negative shit. I think the most negative might have been “this shit is too long, this 400 bars and shit”. But it’s good, it’s quality music. We shot a video for 400 bars the other day, and put that shit out. That shit got like 3 million hits on Worldstar. We locked and loaded man.  

I gotta admit,  you were pretty bold for hopping on Jay Electronica’s Exhibit C for  400 Bars after what he did to it. What was your thought process for not only writing the record, but jumping on that beat? 

Ah man. With going through that beat, we were just going through instrumentals, and we got to the Exhibit C beat. I was like it’s a lock. I always wanted to hop on that ever since I heard Jay {Electronica} on it. I called Jay, and I asked him if it was ok if I rock the 400 on it. He was like yeah he be honored. So I jumped on it.  

As for the content, on Twitter, I know Jay Rock felt a certain way as far as a couple of your lines being directed towards him on 400 Bars. Were any shots directed at him on that record? 

Nah man. I don’t direct shots at no new cats. If I’m going at somebody, it’s going to be going at the top of the crop dog. BUT, anyway, if anyone feels a certain way about anything I do, then go ahead and drop something. Then, I’m gonna have to do what I have to do. But, anytime you decide to come at me, you gotta think about the livelihood of your career. You gotta think about ff you still love it, or if you still want it, because I’m going to do everything to detonate the bomb that’s going to end up terrorizing your whole rap career. So, that goes for every rapper in the world. Nigga you come at me, I’m coming, and it’s not going to be like a battle or war. Nigga I’m going to destroy nigga’s shit.  

Just drop 500 bars? 

Man I might. Shit you never know fucking with me.  

Besides the 400 Bars, another highlight on the tape was “Gangs of New York” featuring Jadakiss & Jim Jones. Being a West Coast rapper, how important is it for you to maintain that relationship with the East coast rappers, more importantly NY rappers in general? 

Man it’s because every time I come to New York, New York shows me so much love like I’m a New York nigga. So I appreciate them. And whenever Jada or Capo {Jim Jones} come out here, they already know it’s one love. Even from all the way back with the “Certified Gangstas” – when Jim came out here in the early days, before my album was even out – we were showing the nigga love. And when I went to New York, my nigga Billboard – rest in peace – Jim Jones picked us up from the airport, and the nigga took us all the way to Harlem. He had us on 145th buying leather coats and shit. Those are my niggas man. Kiss used to get me from the hotel and took me to Y.O. We hopped out the liquor store, and was sipping 40’s. So those my niggas man. So New York has always showed me love, and I always show New York love. Everybody knows where I’m from. I’m from Compton, representing Los Angeles. That’s what’s it’s going to be until I die. That’ll never change. But I’m gonna show everybody love. New York, Atlanta, down south, the Midwest. It don’t matter to me. I fucks with everybody.  

Ok. Now as for the RED album, I know you’re dropping June 15th, same time as Drake. Do you think the media will try to conjure up a competition for sales like they did with the whole 50 & Kanye battle? 

Man they could do whatever they want, but I’m not going to participate in it because this time in my life I’m sort of phasing beef out. I’m just trying to have a good time, put my squad on, and let them do their thang and shit. I got a couple of new artists that I’m working with. I’m just worried more about the business side of things. I’m not really worried about trying to beef with somebody. But you know, if you pop the right shot, then nigga you know what it is man.  

I know you got that Justin Timberlake track under your sleeve. How do you think people will respond to a track like that.  

Oh nah nigga we dropped that. They loving that shit man. I’ve been hearing the dope responses from that everywhere man. We gonna shoot the video for that in the end of May, and in Miami with Pharrell and JT on the boats and shit. That shit is going to be wild. I can’t wait to do that. I’m going to be Dapper Dan for that. I’m gonna have to leave my Bandana home that day man. (Laughs)  

Come through in the tuxedo? 

Come through in the tux man, and keep it all the way gully. (Laughs) 

Let's take a trip back to your last album. It was criticized by critics for having too many guest appearances. Do you ever feel maybe having too many appearances could actually serve as a negative since fans are looking to see what you personally could bring to the table? 

Man I don’t give a fuck about that man. I don’t give a fuck about the critics. Nigga I do records. I do 100’s of records for my album right? And at the end, I pick the 12-17 records that I think are most reminiscent of each other and gel the best. And if every one of them shits got somebody on it, then I don’t give a fuck about that. It’s a good song. And I don’t make albums or even music for the critics. Man I make music for Hip-Hop. I make music for Hip-Hop fans, and I make music for myself. I ain’t worried about what anybody is thinking. Man I came in with a Cadillac and two pit bulls nigga. Now I got Bentleys, and my pit bulls got houses the size of elementary bunkers, and nigga we good. So shit, I’m gonna do what I want to man. My fucking team is up. Everybody is rocking chains, and got cash in their pockets. Everybody is getting on, and got girls doing their thing man. Me, I’m just sitting back, and I’ve been did all that. I don’t wear jewelry no more. I’m just with my kids, my girl, my homies, and I’m just chilling man. Fuck the critics@gmail.com. (Laughs) 

Now in terms of production, I know you and Dre have history, but recently you Pharrell have been going hard on your album. Who do you think have a stronger chemistry with overall? 

That’s a crazy question. Man, I don’t know. I probably say with Pharrell man because with Pharrell, you could kind of like get in there, and do you, while Pharrell is in there doing him, and that could bring us together. With Dre, it ain’t really a chemistry. With Dre, I know exactly what the fuck I gotta do. I gotta fucking go in there, bring my notepad, and learn something cuz’ Dre gon’ teach me. It ain’t about chemistry. It’s about sitting the fuck down, listening to what he say do, and you better listen to what he say do or else you’re gonna fall short.  

Speaking of Dre, what’s up with Detox?  Better yet that single? 

Man don’t ask me that question. I’m the wrong cat man. I don’t know nothing about Detox. (Laughs) 

I know you’re lying man (Laughs) 

Nah nah I don’t know man. When you holla at Dre, which is never man, (laughs), you could ask Dre man. I don’t even speak on Detox no more man. Until I hear a single on the radio man, then you could ask me all about it. I’ll tell you all about everything I know. But right now, I’m not selling nobody no dreams man. I don’t know when Detox is coming, or if it’s ever coming. All I know is I’ve been in there, and I’ve heard some crazy shit.  

You’re killing me man.  

Nah man. That ain’t my album man. My album comes out in a month and a half man. You good, I ain’t killing you. I’m about to give you something. (Laughs) 

As a matter offact, what track in particular do you think is going to blow everybody away? That one track that’s going to give everybody something to talk about.  

On my album? 

Yeah. 

The Intro. 

You went in? 

I went in. I went in so crazy on the intro that the label wanna shoot a video for it this week. So, we on man. When this album drop, we on. You, me, everybody, and the world. We on.  

Switching gears, I know you have a tendency of working with 50’s enemies. What’s the possibility of you doing a record with Shyne since he’s out of jail? 

I was supposed to go out to Belize and really get it in with him, but it never really manifested because he over there, and he can’t come here. And I’ve been grinding with my team, and my album. So I wasn’t able to get it in. Shyne is like my brother from another mother man. So we’re going to definitely do a track when time permits.  

A lot of fans have been real critical of Shyne as far as his freestyles are concerned. If you were in Irv Gotti’s position, and played the manager role, what advice would you give to Shyne on his verge to a comeback? 

Man I’m not even going to judge the tracks cuz that’s my nigga. But shit, I would say just stay low until he perfects whatever the gameplan is, and bust out.  

Understandable. I know you have a tendency of changing your feelings regarding 50 Cent & G-Unit. Like last week you said, 50 was cool, but Banks and Yayo were pussies. I gotta know, as of today, April 29th 2010, how do you feel about 50 Cent?  

Ah today, I ain’t really tripping off 50 man. Man whatever he doing man, I wish him the best. Tomorrow I might be like fuck him, and after that we might be cool. But that, that’s like even with my whole family and friends man. One day I might be fucking with my family, and the next day is different depending on life’s situation and whatever hurdles, and obstacles it brings. But, I’m just a real nigga. I just say how I feel. I don’t gotta like you every fucking day. You like everybody every fucking day?  

Nah man. 

Hell nah. Some niggas might piss you off, and you change your opinion everyday. I was just in the fucking limelight in the media, so my shit looked like it was contradictory. But my opinion changes everyday. When we wake up and get dressed, how many times do you put on that sweater, take it off, throw on that hoodie, take that off, and throw on that tee, and be like “Ok. We can rock?” That’s how people are. We’re very opinionated, and opinions change man. That’s what it is man. I ain’t really tripping off 50 and them today. They should just stay out of my way. I’m like kryptonite for them. 

Let's talk hypothetically. Let’s say Vince McMahon called you and said for Wrestlemania I want you to take on G-Unit in a six-man tag team match. Who are you going to have as your partners?

You already know I’m coming with Raekwon and Beanie Sigel man. If it’s a WWE 6 man tag with G-Unit, me, Raekwon, and motherfucking Sigel nigga. We suplexing niggas for the top turnbuckle. That shit would be crazy. (Laughs) 

Beans would be probably throwing dudes through tables. (Laughs) 

Oh nah man. Beans going to definitely be bouncing niggas off the turnbuckle. Me, I’m going go at 50, and put him in the headlock. And after that, I’m going make that nigga tap out. (Laughs) 

Besides wrestling though, are you still going to take challenges for when Madden 11 drops?  

When Madden 11 drops, if anybody wants it in Madden 11, they can get destroyed man. Matter fact, you know what I wanna say while we’re doing this interview? Anybody that ever beat me on Madden online, that’s different circumstances. Like my record on this last year, was like 780-90, with like 45 drops. So for anybody that beat me online, don’t think you sweet nigga because if we get up close and personal, and on some real life shit, or I gotta do it for TV, I’ll beat the dog shit out of a nigga in Madden. So whoever claimed they beat me or whatever, I’m slashing.  

Before I let you go, I remember listening to some tracks with you and Nas, and said to myself, these two have some great chemistry together. Would you consider doing an album with Nas before you call it quits? 

Nigga, I’m ready. Like Nas is my nigga. If he’s ready, then I’m ready. If we stayed in the studios for 7 days, didn’t go home, and it had like a shower, and a kitchen in that motherfucker, 7 days we would have an album. And that might see the light of day, because I talked to Nas about it before. I mean maybe. Maybe that will happen.  

And if that does that happen, who do you want executive producing the album? 

Executive producing that album? DJ Premier.

 
Damn. 

You like that. Yeaaah! Let’s get that moving. (Laughs)