"Answers From the Book of Knoc" - New West-Old West Relationship, Eminem, More!

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/1388/56/

Raptalk.Net is back this Monday afternoon with a very well done edition in our infamous "Answers From the Book of Knoc" series with west coast rap star, Knoc-Turn'Al himself!

Knoc-Turn'Al discusses the current relationship between the new west and old west, and even gives his thoughts on the upcoming "No Country for Old Men" mixtape which is being worked on by Crooked I, Bishop Lamont and G. Malone.

Knoc-Turn'Al came up on the west coast in the late 90s/early 2000s, a time when the west coast was doing well for itself and Knoc had the doors open for him through Dr. Dre. It has been nearly a decade since then, and the situation on the west coast has changed drastically. Knoc-Turn'Al gives his thoughts on how the west coast artists are currently suffering to get record deals, and his comments are extremely interesting!

Shouts out to ChronicVacation.Com, Illuminati2G.Net and SoPrupRadio.Com for supporting this series!

Enjoy...

Raptalk.Net: Dubsmith-NZ asks, “Have you ever done any songs with Eminem?”

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: Yes I have made some tracks with Eminem but they are unreleased due to some little stuff that was going on. He had another direction that he wanted to go for with his album and he was focusing it on one vibe and one complete thing and I had a certain direction for my album and different things. It wasn’t a bad song but he had one he was going and I had another way I was going.

 

Raptalk.Net: This is a bit of a longer question but is really dope and needs to be addressed by you. Episcop Swerving says, “How would you described and compare the situation on the West Coast in the late 90s and early 2000 when he had the doors opened for you through Dre and were one of the biggest "westcoast hopes" and the situation on the West Coast today when there are so many artists that are labeled as "westcoast hopes" like Crooked, G Malone, Bishop Lamont, Eastwood, struggling to get a deal?”

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: Wow that is a good one. I would say that when I had my run, I was out there by myself. I was running as the new west coast artist by myself. I had Hittman for a little bit but it was just for a little bit and then I didn’t have him anymore. After I was up there by myself, I stayed out there for 2-3 years and helped The Game and Westside Connection came back. I helped Guerilla Black be able to come. I did one of the first songs that hit the air for Kanye West which was on the Transporter Soundtrack (“Muzik.”).

 

I did a lot of work to keep us alive by myself before a lot of people came along like Crooked I; he was here but was signed to a situation where he came in the fourth quarter of it. Now he has a new situation and its better. The way I can describe it is it might not seem like its ok but it is what you make it. This is not a hobby, it’s a career. As much as you put into it, that’s how much you’re gonna’ get out of it. I used to stay in the studio for days at a time. All I could do was shit; I couldn’t shower and I couldn’t shave. I could shit, eat and stay in the studio a couple days, go home, shower and get a little bit of rest, go right back to the studio.

 

People don’t do that anymore. They think you can just go to the studio and be a star. You have to take your time. Back then, it was analogs – it was step by step. People are getting stuff done now digitally slower than what we got done with analog tapes. Work ethic has a lot to do with it. People think you’re supposed to instantly be a star because you’re making music and that’s not how it works. It’s a long process.

 

Before I had Dr. Dre, I was in a group with Ahmad the guy who did (raps) “back in the day when I was young” and then I had another management corporation. Then I had these other guys that wanted to deal with me. It wasn’t an easy process. Then I went to the pen and got out of the penitentiary. I did some more stuff with some more people and Heartless Records and some Jamaicans. All of a sudden Dre fell in my lap through a guy named Mark Sparks. There’s a whole process to this. People just say “oh it’s easier for them” but it’s not easy – I went through a long process to get to where I am.

 

Raptalk.Net: “What do you think about the new west-old west situation and the OG’s not working with the new cats? Why haven’t you done tracks with G. Malone, Jay Rock, etc?” This question comes from Kurupt4Life & Episcop Swerving.

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: Why haven’t they tried to find me?

 

Raptalk.Net: No doubt. There does seem to be a bit of tension regarding some new(er) artists believing the OG’s aren’t show enough support to the new cats,. Crooked I, G Malone and Bishop Lamont are recording a mixtape titled “No Country for Old Men.”

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: I have nothing to do with that because I would never disrespect my elders. If the new cats want to deal and support from the old cats, why would they disrespect them? That doesn’t make sense to me.

 

Raptalk.Net: D-Nice wants to know, “What is your favorite song released or not that you did with Dr. Dre?”

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: My favorite song that I’ve ever done with Dr. Dre would have to be… I would say “Bad Intentions.” That song helped me solidify my career. It may not necessarily be the best song I ever did with Dr. Dre, but it’s the song that actually got people to pay attention to my career.

 

Raptalk.Net: Booz wants to know, “What producers have you had the best connection with inside the studio?”

 

Knoc-Turn’Al: Probably Dr. Dre. He took the most time with me and showed me what the game was really about as far as it not just being all fun, fucking with bitches, have some fancy clothes or whatever and all that. He just basically told me “when I met you, it was a part about you Knoc-Turn’Al that you stayed the same; when we go out to eat, you would buy your own food; you wouldn’t wait for me to give you a hand out – you would buy your own food. You ordered what you could afford and you would buy it. Everybody else sits there and waits on me to pay for them; you would sit there with eight dollars in your pocket and had your tab. I appreciated that about you and you always stayed that same way.”

 

 

There you have it! Stay tuned next week for yet another edition of "The Answers From the Book of Knoc" and it will be a "Book Of Knoc" heavy edition, with Knoc-Turn'Al finally discussing very specific details regarding his upcoming album...

[soopadoopaflykid]

dope stuff man!

[kuruptDPG]

whoa thats great. hope we get to hear the eminem trak. thanks for asking my question but rather than them holla at him, why dont he holla at them too? true about what he said about how they shouldnt disrespect og's.

cheers

[Jaydc555]

Dope shit hundred times better then last week ha ha keep it going!

[Lunatic]

Dope shit hundred times better then last week ha ha keep it going!

As I promised 

[Dre-Day]

thanks, it was a good read 

[Paul]

Dope shit hundred times better then last week ha ha keep it going!

[gav09]

Nice read! Thnx!

[Booz]

Yeah it was better than last week, props.
Kinda interesting when Bishop and others holla/bash at Snoop & Cube but not at Knoc or Mc Ren..you really doubt what are they intensions, "I want to get you on my track because of your fame, now I bitch to get my voice heard"...

[dubsmith_nz]

Props for asking my question bro, hopefully we get to hear that track some day! Looking forward to next week

[Dome]

Nice read! Thnx!

[Lunatic]

keep it coming!

[~Lucien~]

I like this series... Props

[Okka]

Great, will be waitin' on that "heavy edition" of "Answers From The Book Of Knoc".

[Lunatic]

^it's gonna be called that because all questions will be geared towards info on the album