West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Classics => Topic started by: Lunatic on November 26, 2008, 12:36:59 PM
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www.illuminati2g.webs.com/youngdeinterview.htm
Illuminati 2G had the honor to interview one of the best doing it right now in hip hop in my opinion, Young De from Tangled Thoughts. We discuss his Homeland Security album with Cashis, his solo projects and his work with Muggs and Cypress Hill and so much more so sit back and enjoy the interview.
For audio of the interview click on the link below.
Young De Interview (Audio)
Illuminati 2G is here with Young De how's it going?
What's poppin!
Tell me a little bit about how you got your start in hip hop and some of your musical influences out there.
I've been rapping for a minute, on some freestyle shit. Just coming up and just loving the music in general and just being a creative type dude. When I was young, those were my influences was always good music. Everything niggas grew up on in the early 90's. I mean I don't go too far back into the music, but I would listen to old school shit that was popping at my Mom's barbeque. When Snoop and everything else starting hitting and getting all crazy, I just fell in love with the shit. I was like I could do that too. Because I have always been that kind of guy ya know what I mean?
Right
Little short nigga like myself n shit, see people playing basketball and I would say oh I can do that too. But I just started doing rapping and I just add a knack to stick with it. It just grew from there man.
You helped form Tangled Thoughts and you guys put out the incredible Philly 2 Cali album about a year and a half ago. What some good memories from that album, the creative process, that you can share with everybody.
Just even that timeframe, you got to understand, I have known Caz for 10 years. In high school I was bouncing all around, I was not even living at home. Him and his mom let me stay with them, made sure that I graduated. So just me, Caz and Tek as just even a unit, that's family right there. I have known Tek for like 8 years, and Tangled Thoughts the album was that, Philly 2 Cali which was a great project. Our legacy is so much. I went through all my coming up on my rap shit like we were trained. We had the same management team and everything we were doing as a group. Hitting up open mic together, when I think about that album, I think about all the years that we put into this music shit. That is what I think about when I think about that album.
Is there any plans for Tek or Caz to be on any of your upcoming solo projects?
Well yeah that is always a possibility. That's my family right there. It's all love with me, anytime they want to come and get down with me the door is always open and will always be open. I talked to Caz the other day, me and Tek have not talked as of lately, but he back in Philly grinding, doing this thing. I'm proud of him.
Let's get into your street album you dropped earlier this year, Audio Hustlaz. First off how did that project come together?
That project was crazy, because you know anybody who knows anything about Tangled Thoughts knows the reason why we even came to California was because of Kurupt. We fucked with him back in Philly, we came out here and I remember us riding around in the car and he is like turn the volume down. Kurupt said so what are yall trying to do out here? I said shit, we trying to make it happen with this music. He was like well yall need to move to Cali then. We said we trying, that is what we are trying to do. He was like you serious? We said yeah, so he said well if you serious, we will see you out here. So me and Tek flew back, got Caz, packed it up, came cross the United States and it has been a wrap since then. So my connection with Kurupt was there and from that Philly 2 Cali shit, I met Mellow Man Ace, who introduced me to Sen Dog, who then introduced me to B-Real and it has been a wrap ever since. I knew Skee through some mutual friends and it was just putting it all together. Damizza, in fact I knew all these different entities and everybody was names. I brought them all together and they all fuck with me, because the thing about me that is crazy is that alot of the legends and niggas that have been doing it in the game fuck with me. It's alot of respect on that level. Just hollering at Skee and saying yo I got some records with Kurupt. I got some records with B-Real, because B-Real has been producing my solo stuff and he grabbed me and said I really want to work on your shit. At that time I was just doing my group thing. He told me come give this a shot, and he let me work in the studio, put me in position you know what I mean. So I was just was just hollering at Skee, and he was like shit let's ram it all up and put a tape out. Put a mix cd out. That is really how that shit came together.
That still to this day since it dropped is one of my favorite albums that has dropped this year. Lyrically it was on point, the beats were crazy. Is there a chance or are you working on Volume 2 or anything else in the future?
Yeah well I did something crazy with it already where I put some different songs on it along with what I had and dropped it in Japan in stores. Me and Damizza went out and toured Japan, tore up the city, went to the MYI's and the Tower Records, they still got those out there, and seeing the shit all big up on the wall. But yeah there is going to be a Audio Hustlaz Volume 2. For sure, I just had to knock out this shit I had already on my plate because I had started working with Cashis when I was doing Volume 1, and then that shit just took on a life of its own. When the ball just starts rolling downhill you just have to go with the momentum.
That leads right into my next question. How is the Homeland Security album with you and Cashis coming along and is there a release date set for it yet?
It's done, if you look around on the internet today and yesterday you see Whoo Kid dropped a cover and the official tracklisting. We got 2 skits from Eminem, we got just all pure fire, 24 tracks, we got skits, crazy shit. That should be dropping by the end of this week. Whoo Kid said he wants to drop it on This Is 50 first, right now it is available and you can buy it right now at www.shadyville.biz. We just dropped that In God's Hands record, which was produced by my man Los, that is Damizza's understudy and we just smashing the streets with Whoo Kid. Name somebody who did that. I came into this thang and really since I have started my solo shit, it's like I came with Skee, and now I am back with me, Cashis and Whoo Kid. Right after the Skee, Kurupt, B-Real and Damizza. So real for it this week and it will be out.
Definitely. You have been working heavy with B-Real and the Soul Assassins camp lately. First off how is the Cypress Hill album coming along and are there any talks of you and DJ Muggs hooking up later in the future as far as production on future albums or anything.
Yeah me and Muggs are already working on finishing up his...., shout out to Muggs man, number one. For fucking with me like he is. Me, B-Real and Mr. Chop just hosted his Mash Up radio show. That is my second time being up on there, doing the hosting stuff. I ripped up a freestyle like 3 weeks ago. Check that shit out on Youtube, Young De. Freestyle you see me spazzing on the mic! He had this project called Creased Khakis that is about halfway finished or 3 quarters of the way finished, he approached me and was like yo I like the way you grind. I told him I am a big fan of his music, and he said let's lock up and let's finish that Creased Khakis shit. I've done 3 records with him so far for that project, just expect alot more to come from Young De and Muggs and on the Cypress album talking about that, that is a whole entity. That shit is crazy, we just had..., I can't even give up nothing on that shit. All I can tell you is that there is alot of tracks done, lot of big features, not alot as far as collaborations so much, because it ain't even like that with these niggas. This is some ionic shit. So for me to be able to play my position on this process on whatever level I will be involved in it, is a beautiful thing. Just even being able to ride shotgun in the passengers seat while it is going down it is amazing.
A little off subject, but man what kind of shit was you on when you busted that freestyle? That freestyle was ill!!! You was going off for like 5 minutes!
The ill shit about that freestyle is that is the first time Muggs heard me spit in person. He had only heard me on records before. I'm all serious because I am on Muggs' radio show. When Tangled Thoughts came across the country, Mash Up Radio, we was listening to Sirius on the way down. I remember listening to that show in the car as we were driving from Philly out here to Cali. So it was crazy to be on that show and now it is my time and Muggs is saying what the fuck can I do. So I just put it all on the table bro and did my thang on there.
Yeah you definitely did your thing, that is one of the illest freestyles I have ever heard. That shit was crazy man.
Well thank you man I appreciate it.
What would you say is the best word of advice Kurupt or B-Real has given to you since you have been in the game? Working with 2 legends like that. Just something that really sticks out in your mind.
Ain't nobody going to do it for you man.
It's like on you. Obviously I have the studio tips that I have learned from people and just maintaining being humble is one big thing that you always need to do. Never feel yourself, because it ain't really on till it is on. When it is on, it can be off at any moment. That is number one and number two ain't nobody going to do shit for you. It's on you. The big homies can only help you with so much, the rest of the weight you got to carry.
You linked up with Eddie for the highly successful West Coast Grind Radio Show with Damizza and DJ Ill Will. What do you guys have in the works coming up as far as the radio show?
Oh the radio show is going to continue to be crazy, just expanding the brand. We got it up on Dubcnn, we got it up on www.hotnewhiphop.com, one of the biggest audio download sites there is on the web right now. Just keep bringing you good music. One of those podcasts that you can just put into your ipod and go running or pop it on at the barbeque. Just kicking it with your homies, so just listen to it because we are bringing you shit and exclusive interviews with people like that you read alot of these interviews. Alot of people ain't going to hear me and you just talking. They just going to read the text. This is actually you get to hear the artists and from their perspective when you listen to the West Coast Grind radio show. That is one of my favorite things. Shouts out to Eddie G, Damizza, Ill Will and that whole new Chronic Vacation website that we got popping right now. Everything is beautiful man as far as that is concerned man, that is something that when we sat out to do it, we always had it our minds that the shit was going to grow and bubble up and people were going to really be wanting it. It really just took a life of it's own.
I check it out every week or every other week when it is on so. I am a big fan of the show congrats on all of the success with that. What is your thoughts right now on the state of hip hop. You happy with the music that is coming out, you think it is alot of bullshit, what is just your personal thoughts on the music?
I guess since I keep my ear to what is going on, but I try not to be too much into it. I sometimes am like damn this artist is dope or this shit is kinda corny. There is enough space in this game for everything. I ain't really mad at shit, I just really think that it was never easy. I can't really say that it was harder than it ever was because Tangled Thoughts we was doing this for a minute. 10 years, 8 years, these are timeframes. The internet was not popping 8 years ago like this. We was out there trying to get a deal, trying to get it popping and it still was not popping. Music it has always been a hard game, and if you want to talk about actual people and the type of songs they are making, I mean I can't really hate. There are so many different kinds of people in this world you can't expect everybody to like everything. There is alot of music out there that I do like, alot that I don't like. That is the way the game has always been. I can tell you a funny story, back in the day we used to be managed by a shorty who worked at Def Jam. She came and she played us Nelly. I remember Tek sitting there and saying this shit going to blow up, it is going to be big as hell. I remember sitting there saying nigga this shit is the wackest shit in the world! This ain't going Down Down Baby Your Street In A Range Rover it's never gonna happen. This shit is corny and next thing you know it was the biggest thing on the planet. 2 albums later I am in the club at O City in Philly and buying bottles with the homies, kicking it in VIP and saying It's Getting Hot In Here. So at the end of the day I can't really judge the music like that. I can say that because the nigga might come out with some shit that may change my whole perspective on music.
Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates you wanna let the people know about?
B-Real is dropping his solo album, February 24th. I am on 5 records on that album. I do all the spot dates and I do all the touring with B-Real for this album. Just got back from Texas, probably will be going to Brazil in January, so we will probably be doing some stuff next month. But you can always hit me on myspace. www.myspace.com/youngdetho and just you can always just see what I will be doing and what is going on. And look for that Don't You Dare Laugh video that just dropped. B-Real featuring myself, killing the web, it is going to be destroying the web and it is some cracking shit. Produced by my man Scoop DeVille that is off of B-Real's album, Smoke & Mirrors. Am I going to be doing shows? Yeah actually I have a show this weekend. I am doing something with Accomplice Clothing Line. My boy is introducing a new clothing store out here and Accomplice is one of these new street wear brands. Look for some big news to come once we meet with them. But me and Raekwon is doing a show this Saturday (22nd). I'm staying busy, I am grinding, I am doing all kinds of shit. Ya can't stop because if you do, nobodys going to get you going again but yourself.
Ok we will have to get that Don't You Dare Laugh video on the website (on the front page now). I am a big fan of that single as well.
Shouts out to Power 106 and people supporting that. I was sitting at the barber shop, getting my hair cut and hearing my song on the radio is crazy. Ain't nothing like that, that is some movie type shit, when you sitting up in there man and people going crazy like oh my god that is really you? Because people hear all kinds of shit at the barber shop. People is everything at the barber shop, because that is where people get together and talk shit. So when I be like yeah when I tell them I am doing my rap thing and I am touring Japan that is one thing, but when it is right in they face like that, it is a good feeling.
Well that is all the questions that I have for you, appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?
Yeah man check your boy out man. Or just check me out, Young De. Check out my whole legacy and everything that I have been doing. All the stuff with B-Real, Kurupt, Tangled Thoughts, everything with me and Cashis which is smashing them right now. Keep ya ears open man and just get ready man because I am coming it's going down.
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Nice read. Young De has a lot of things going on right now.