The future is now...NON PHIXION part 2

[Tito]

ThaFormula.com - So after shit got all fucked up for you guys, what did you guys do from there?
Ill Bill - We started recording because we had a little studio, area 51, so we just started recording mad shit. We recorded "I Shot Reagan," "Refuse to Lose," and a whole bunch of shit. Shit that we just felt we needed to get out of our system because we were angry, and at that point we thought we were gonna come out and blow the fuck up. We were gassed when we got singed to Geffen. We were on the same level as GZA, The Roots, Killah Priest, you know Large Professor was on the label. At that point, that was the hottest label around. Plus Nirvana was on there. We were like wow this is the big time. So really we was just recuperating and healing our wounds, and kind of like trying to get back on the right path and you know, get our heads together because really after that deal with Geffen fell through we were fucked up in the head.

ThaFormula.com - So let's see, you been rockin’ since ‘84. That's 20 years almost. 20 years to come out with an album.

Ill Bill - Yo man, that shit is real and that's Non-Phixion. This is a lifetime in the making.

ThaFormula.com - I just stare at the production line-up and it just looks incredible.

Ill Bill - If you peep our album, you got to think about it like "yo, these cats been doing it since the 80's," and that's why the album is what it is. If you don't like the album, you’re a faggot. Really anybody that listens to our shit and ain't feelin’ it, straight up should kill themselves. Jump off the top of your building.

ThaFormula.com - Do you think that this album will also help Necro blow up to where he finally gets the recognition he deserves?

Ill Bill - Anything that Non-Phixion does, and anything Necro does it kind of bounces off of each other because if you listen to the "Gory Days" album you hear me and Gortex on it. If you read the liner notes, you'll see that Sabac and Necro mixed the whole album together. Any success that Necro has is gonna benefit Non-Phixion and any success that Non-Phixion has is gonna benefit Necro.

ThaFormula.com - With this album, was each track mixed down by each individual producer?

Ill Bill - Well, Primo always mixes his own shit and Pete Rock does to. I mean it just depends.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah, I was just wondering if all the producers handed you the beat and you took it from there?

Ill Bill - Nah, it wasn't like that with any of them. It wasn't like that with none of them. I mean your gonna get the beat and write to it and all but when we were in the studio it was definitely a collaborative effort. Primo will not let you spit on his track if he ain't feelin’ it. Primo don't need Non-Phixion's money. That muthafucka is a millionaire 10 times over.

Gortex - Yeah Primo is real picky about that shit because he is in there with you, and if he ain't feelin’ it while your spittin’ it, he's gonna let you know to just do it over, or that you can drop that line better because he wants to be satisfied with the product. I know there is other producers out there that do be doing that. They will drop off a beat or will send you some shit in the mail type shit, and that's not what we wanted. Because of the relationships that we had with these cats, they definitely wanted to be involved every step of the way.

ThaFormula.com - How about the Beatnuts, how was it working with them?

Ill Bill - Beatnuts is like a second family to us. Those are our peoples.

ThaFormula.com - How did you guys end up hooking up with Landspeed?

Ill Bill - I mean when it came time to put out the album, we had a finished album but no distributor. So we sat down with a few different distributors and Landspeed came up with the best deal, and you know shit is going well.

ThaFormula.com - So what are your expectations for this album?

Ill Bill - I mean to be honest with you, our attitude is whatever. We know the album is hot and were happy with it, and that's the most important thing.

Gortex - I think were kind of past the point in our career of worrying about stuff after it's done. I mean yeah, obviously we want to take over the world. We would like the album to do well, but I mean we know that it's a solid album. We can't speak for the rest of the world, but we know it's solid, so at this point were not really interested in a way.

Ill Bill - Really we want the album to do as good as it's going to do and were gonna work a million percent to make the album do what it's supposed to do, and that's all we can really do, but we’re at the point where its like there is so many bullshit opinions and so many cornballs out there, and hip-hop experts and critics that its like dodging an obstacle course dealing with these muthafuckaz because we don't even deal with them, we faze them out and keep it moving. Right now, I'm almost done with my solo album and Gortex is working on his solo album. Were throwing out ideas for the second Non-Phixion album already. So while you might be vibing off of this album right now, we been living with those songs for a minute. So we’re already on to our next shit.

ThaFormula.com - So after Rock stars, what are you looking to drop as the second single?

Ill Bill - We haven't decided yet.

ThaFormula.com - Do you ever plan on putting something together or doing something with the over 30 tracks you guys have already dropped as singles?

Ill Bill - I don't know if you ever peeped that green cassette that we gave away when we were on Matador. It was like a promo cassette that we gave out. It was basically a Non-Phixion mix tape and it had 21 joints on it. What were gonna do, is were gonna re-master that, put it on CD and sell that shit. That way heads can get all the old shit.

[Tito]

ThaFormula.com - Did the 12" you guys put out help you survive during that long waiting period?

Ill Bill - I mean that kept our name alive. If Non-Phixion was doing hip-hop for money, we would have broke up a week after we started. We eating off of the streets, we’re not eating of off Non-Phixion the way we should. Shit is only starting to come together now after all these years. Shit is finally poppin’ off the way it should be and it's funny because the reason it's poppin’ off the way it should be is because we finally took all our business into our own hands.

ThaFormula.com - Was taking it into your own hands harder then what you expected?

Ill Bill - Nah, it's easy. It's easy because ain't nobody gonna care about your shit the way your gonna care about it, so it's like I have come to the conclusion that the only way to get something done right is to do it yourself. So yeah, it might be some work and it could be difficult at times but overall it's easy because a lot of times when you dealing with other people they fuck shit up. It might be some work, and it might be difficult at times, but overall it's easy because a lot of times when you dealing with other people they fuck shit up and it's double the work. You got to go back and redo it from scratch anyway. So if we’re doing this from the jump off then it's gonna get done.

ThaFormula.com - Your album was reviewed in XXL magazine. How did you feel about the review you received?

Ill Bill - The kid that reviewed that shit is a fuckin’ idiot. That review is horrible. The dude was talkin’ about because I mentioned something about the record industry in the song "CIA is Trying to Kill Me" that I went off topic. I’m like how the fuck are you gonna tell me what the fuckin’ topic of the song is. I'm the artist, I tell you what the topic of the song is. That's like saying that Ghostface and Raekwon, because they call the song "fish," the whole song has got to be about Trout? That's some stupid shit. "The CIA is Trying to Kill" me isn't specifically about the fuckin’ CIA is coming to the projects to come kill me, it's about paranoia. It's a metaphor for paranoia, so it's like we talkin’ about a lot of different things relating to paranoia in that song. To say we went off topic or that or blah, blah, blah is fucking stupid. It just means that your not on the same level as us mentally. You’re on some fucking spoon fed shit and you need to have everything fed to you like a baby. But the bottom line is as long as they spell our name right, it's fine. Write whatever the fuck you want because a lot of people out there don't get the chance to get reviewed or have an article. So were not gonna be dicks about it and say that we don't appreciate the light, but at the same time it's like get it correct. We don't have a personal relationship with nobody at XXL so any love you see Non-Phixion get is because they really love us. We don't suck nobody’s dick in no magazine, we don't suck nobodies dick at no label. If you like us, you like us. If you love us, you love us because you really love us. We ain't on that political fucking faggot shit. Fuck all that. We’re gutter. Print that shit, Non-Phixion is gutter. You either love us or you hate us. You hate us, suck my dick. I'll punch you dead in the fucking mouth and I'll fuck your mother.

ThaFormula.com - How did you guys come up with the title of the album?

Ill Bill - "The Future is Now" has a lot of different meanings to it. It's open to interpretation, but I mean to break it down quickly, enjoy life. Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today. Get that shit done because you can walk out your house and get struck by lightning or get shot in the head and then what? Live your life today. Enjoy today because the future is right now. Take the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it's been activated. That means we have no constitutional rights. That means they can run up in your crib without a search warrant. They can strip search you without paper work. They don't need it. I remember reading about shit like this in the 80's. That shit ain't the future anymore. People were predicting this shit to happen, this shit is now, but I can go on forever. That's why we chose it because it has 20 different meanings. It means something different to each person and every song that you listen to on the album you can pull out a different meaning that's interchangeable and interlocks with the title.

ThaFormula.com - What do you think happened to the times when artists used to drop 12" singles with remixes and an extra track or two for the DJ?

Ill Bill - Muthafuckas are lazy (laughs). We did a “5 boroughs remix.” It was like very limited addition but we did it. I remember when they used to put songs on the twelve that never came out like A Tribe Called Quest "When the papes come."

Gortex - I just think muthafuckas just don't wanna give shit away.

Ill Bill - Back then, not to much money was being made off of hip-hop. Nowadays hip-hop is corporate so it's like if they put 2 joints on the 12” or 3 joints, your still gonna buy the twelve inch.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah, but that was one of the great parts about being a DJ. Getting that piece of vinyl with that extra track or that remix with different lyrics. Do you guys have any plans on doing something like that?

Ill Bill - I mean it depends. Right now we’re working on a lot of different shit and we do have extra shit so we might do that. That's something that we have always been into. I mean you bring that up, but we talk about the same shit. I mean that aspect and just a lot of different aspects, but really nothing is gonna be the same now that the corporations have stepped in.

ThaFormula.com - But what about the independent scene? You don't think that's helping out a lot?

Ill Bill - I mean what does independent mean. It's a catch phrase man. Independent to me shouldn't mean a style of music. Lil’ Keke from down south, he's independent. Are you talkin’ about him when you say independent or do you mean underground?

ThaFormula.com - Nah, I'm talkin’ about artists like yourselves with your own label, like Uncle Howie records and keeping control of your product.

Ill Bill - Well everything that Non-Phixion or Uncle Howie records is associated with is raw uncut, so creative control isn't an issue. That's automatic. As far as all the other aspects of the label like marketing, promotions and all that shit. Or just saying were gonna take it back. We are definitely not dwellin’ on the past, that's for sure. We’re moving forward. But we’re definitely gonna take the best of the past because we’re influenced by it, and you can't move forward if you don't know your past.

[Tito]

ThaFormula.com - So can you stop it? I mean can the big corporation be stopped?

Ill Bill - No the corporation can't be stopped, but let me tell you something, the corporation don't need to be stopped. All it has to be is for the true heads or the heads that really like good music. They have to support the good music and that's it. The corporation is gonna do their thing regardless. Hip-hop ain't hardcore anymore. Hip-hop ain't gangsta. You hear all these kids screamin’ gangsta in their hooks, but none of them are gangstas. Hip-hop ain't gangsta. The gutter shit or the shit that's comin’ out on some "put the shit out yourself and sell it out the trunk, make your own T-Shirts and sell them at shows." That's gangsta! As so long as the people that know about Non-Phixion get with that and embrace it, that's the only way shit is gonna change. But really things can stay exactly how they are right know and we’re still gonna keep giving you that gutter grimy shit. That real shit. Not that crystal light, diluted, water in your beer, non-alcoholic beverage bullshit. Some real shit.

ThaFormula.com - Now you said when you guys were rockin’ back in the day it was nothing but black kids up in there. Now in 2002 all the shows is nothin’ but white kids. What are your thoughts on that?

Ill Bill - My thing is, come one come all. I don't care about race, but what I do wanna get across is, muthafuckas that think that Non-Phixion came out 2 or 3 years ago or some shit, erase that from your microchip. Erase that shit. Because number one, we ain't new. We’re goons and we been around for years. So don't get it twisted. Shit is much, much easier for you because of us. We might not be platinum and all that, but that's even worst. That makes it even worst and makes me even madder and more angry. I'll be the mad rapper. Fuck it, I don't give a fuck because I got a reason to be mad. But on the flipside, the more the merrier. I want everybody that loves Non-Phixion to come through and definitely show your face when we perform. I don't give a fuck what race you are because the truth of the matter is it ain't just white kids. There is always black heads in the audience. There is always Latinos in the audience. It's all love, but my original point was that when we used to do open mic’s back in the day, there was never any white kids.

ThaFormula.com - What about the vibe? How is the underground vibe now compared to the vibe back then?

Ill Bill - The vibe is safe now. Whatever you wanna call underground ten years ago was grimy. I remember when Biggie and Nas were underground before they even had albums out. They were at the open mic’s. Now it's like the whole scene is happy rap. Our shit ain't from whatever you see out there right now in the underground scene at all, these MC battles and all this shit that's going on right now. We’re from the same era as Nas, Wu-Tang, Biggie, and all them heads. So whatever is going on right now is a later day. I know a lot of these kids that are coming up right now that started rhymin’ 3 or 4 years ago. I got love for them, but at the same time you better view me with respect because your my son. Bottom line. I'm a grown muthafuckin’ man. I been there and done that.

ThaFormula.com - Now what are your thoughts on this new type of hip-hop in the underground scene. All these MC's out there who are spittin’ absolutely nothing but big words?

Ill Bill - You talkin’ about the kids that when you hear them speak you just want to take all their money and make them go home naked.

ThaFormula.com - The nerd rap that is coming out right now basically...

Ill Bill - Yeah, I hate that shit. I hate all them kids. Those are sons of my boy ElPee. They are all ELPee's sons. ELPee is the originator, and don't take this the wrong way. ElPee, he is the originator of his own style and that shit turned into some whole other shit. It mutated into this whole fuckin’ disgusting monstrosity of retardedness. That's all it is. It's these kids getting ElPee’s style fucked up. They are trying to copy him and fucking it up. That's what it is. That's that whole style. Because ElPee is dope!

Gortex - Nerd rap is gay.

ThaFormula.com - So what's next for Non-Phixion?

Ill Bill - Well as far as touring goes, were about to do a world tour. We’re just finalizing the shit right now. We’re doing a record release party the day our album comes out, then a week later we start the "High Times Tour," which is us, Afu, Smif and Wessum, and Buck Shot. Release wise, Gortex has got his debut 12" coming out next month. I got like 2 or 3 twelve inches that are coming out. Gortex also has another 12 inch coming out on "Psycho Logical." You got a bunch of shit coming out. Sabac is working on his solo shit and were just trying to get as much solo shit and Non-Phixion done within the next 12 months as possible. We know that the true Non-Phixion heads have been waiting a long time for the album. We’re not gonna let the same amount of time go by between our next one, and that's really what's going on. We just really wanna make our mark with this album. Like, "yo here it is, this is the debut album for Non-Phixion." All those that have been waiting for it, this is what you been waiting for and for all those that don't know, here it is yo, ground zero because we about to blow you up!