BlackOwned C-Bone: Dungeon Family 2nd Generation (Interview)

[Lunatic]

http://www.wordofsouth.com/online/?p=1984

WordofSouth.com: We’re here with 1/3rd of KonKrete, BlackOwned C-Bone. How are you doing at this time?

C-Bone: What’s up brother? I just got off the plane home in Atlanta coming from New York. We just had a Rock the Bells show out there with me and Big Boi. I’m just really tired. We went from Boston to New York and now I’m back home in Atlanta. I’m trying to get it together and get home to work on my new mixtape I’m about to put out called “The Strong Pack.” We’re gonna’ put the pack on the streets so you know I gotta’ come with it. We got some big things going and I’m trying to keep it going. How you doing Lunatic?

WordofSouth.com: Shit, I’m doing real well. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us.

C-Bone: It’s all love.


WordofSouth.com: We’re gonna’ get into the mixtape. You mentioned being on the Rock the Bells tour with Big Boi, how’s that treating you so far?

C-Bone: They’ve been showing us love. We’re the only southern representers out there on the tour so the crowd is really responding well to us. We’ve been rocking the house every night. Everybody is showing us love on the road. We’ve been in a lot of up North cities like Boston and New York. We went to Toronto, Canada and we saw you out there. They love the dirty south so we’re showing them what the dirty south is really about out on that road.

WordofSouth.com: Hell yeah. In case our readers don’t know, break down some of the big records that they’ve heard you on.

C-Bone: For those of y’all who don’t know me, I was on the “Stankonia” album by OutKast on a track called “Gangsta Shit.” I was also on a song called “Tomb of the Boom” from Big Boi’s “Speakerboxxx” album, that’s the ten million records sold, diamonds plaque. I was on the first Yung Joc album on a track called “Dope Boy Magic.” I’ve been on a lot of street records y‘all may not know. BlackOwned C-Bone, do your homework and you’ll feel it out. I was on a lot of little projects like the Lil Jon “Crunk & Disorderly” CD. I was on Back Bone’s album; he’s in the Dungeon Family. I did a lot of features and cameos on some little CD’s, here and there.

WordofSouth.com: Well I’m obviously well aware of everything, so now what we’re gonna’ do is, I’m gonna’ name some of those popular tracks and you’re gonna’ talk about them. First off, “DF 2nd Generation” off the Dungeon Family album, “Even in Darkness.”

C-Bone: Boy, I love that track. That was a record where we had something to prove to the first generation. The second generation is more street focused than the first generation. The second generation is more on some hood shit, more rowdy music, like were some adolescents who wanted to be in the first generation. That song really came out well; Killer Mike started it off right. We also had Supa Nate, ChamDon and KonKrete was on there with Lil Brotha James and BlackOwned C-Bone. Slimm Calhoun was also on that. We had a lot of people. That was a fun song. The beat was jamming. I love that song. I wish we could have done more with the song but you know how that shit goes.

WordofSouth.com: “Gangsta Shit” off “Stankonia.”

C-Bone: That’s my shit. Actually if people don’t know me, that’s the first time I got on a major album. That’s when I was really converting to being a rapper and really learning how to rap with technique and style. Big Boi kept me in the studio damn near 24 hours. He treated me like a coach would a Football player. Instead of doing push ups, we were doing verses this way and that way. Big Boi really helped me out when I first got on. I wasn’t nervous, but I was like “damn I’m really about to get on this “Gangsta Shit” with OutKast.” I did my thing on that record. Shouts out to my dog [Big Boi] for staying down with me through the process. it came out pretty well. “Dope boys on the track”, I’ve been doing that type of rap for years. You can check my record, “dope boys on the track like to stack the dough”, I was talking about that shit back in 97 or 98. That’s a street record. Shouts out to Carl Mo, he did the track “Gangsta Shit.” One time for Carl Mo, he was my first producer too.

WordofSouth.com: I feel you. “Dope Boy Magic” off Yung Joc’s first album.

C-Bone: I fuck with “Dope Boy Magic.” There was this guy in my neighborhood; we did a business venture together. His name was Chino Dolla. Shouts out to Chino Dolla, he’s incarcerated right now. Chino Dolla, we grew up together and I and he used to do things together. That’s how I met Yung Joc, Joc used to live with him in his basement down there. He was basically living with him when I came over there once. Joc asked me to get on a record with him. I got on the record and they put me on the album. I knew him but I didn’t really know him as a cat. He wasn’t even popping then. I just did the record on some hood love and it ended up selling a million copies. That was a blessing too.

WordofSouth.com: No doubt. “Tomb of the Boom” on Big Boi’s “Speakerboxxx” album with Ludacris, Big Gipp and the rest of KonKrete.

C-Bone: I like that record. I started that one off. I came first on this record. I was the lead off hitter. That was a really Hip-Hop track. That was a track that you really won’t hear from me, I wasn’t used to the track. I wouldn’t miss out on the opportunity though so I had to get versatile with this one. I had to switch up the flow but it worked out well. I appreciate the opportunity and it sold ten million, diamond. This album is apart of history. Whenever I think of “Tomb of the Boom”, I think about diamond so that’s a lot of love.

WordofSouth.com: “I’m On It (Kryptonite)” off Purple Ribbon “Got Purp Vol.2?”

C-Bone: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that one. “Kryptonite” is my shit. We’re still eating off “Kryptonite.” That was a big hit. I don’t think we properly worked it right through the streets and touring or whatever, but that was a big hit. It’s still a big hit as you know; you were out with us at the show in Toronto. We’ve been doing that, it’s the grand finale for our set at Rock the Bells.  We tear the arena down every night with that shit. “Kryptonite” is the shit, I love it. I wish we could come up with another one but you can’t come up with the same song twice. We’re still eating off “Kryptonite” and that’s my shit. People still love that song.

WordofSouth.com: It was a big record and I want to talk about that. It had been a while since a record got that big; it was playing all over TV and radio and was truly such a hardcore street record. When you guys made “Kryptonite”, did you realize how big of a hit it was gonna’ be?

C-Bone: Actually Bubba Sparxxx was originally on “Kryptonite.” He had put a verse on it. The producer of the song, The Beat Bullies, they didn’t think his verse fit. I was in College Park at some place called Gumpy’s eating some lobster tails. My home boy who was running Purple Ribbon at the time called me and told me that Bubba Sparxxx was mad. He was pissed that they wanted him to re-do his verse. He was like fuck it, I ain’t re-doing my verse. He called me and told me to shoot down there and put a verse on it. I wasn’t even planning on getting on “Kryptonite.” That was an accident song. I just went down there and rolled the dice and won.
It was an opportunity at the right place and time. I got the phone call. I hopped down there and wrote my verse. Big Boi actually walked in, and Big Boi wasn’t even gonna’ be on the song. He walked in and saw me writing he was like “Oh shit, C-Bone getting on the song? I got something for you.” He started writing his verse and put me on the song. It’s really it was my song but it’s not my song, it’s a Purple Ribbon song but they give me a lot of credit for it.

WordofSouth.com: That’s big. I’m bringing you way back, but how did you become friends with Big Boi and the Dungeon Family camp?

C-Bone: Actually I met Big Boi through Mr. DJ. Mr. DJ and I went to high school together. We grew up in College Park. That was their first DJ, Rico Wave. I met Big Boi like that. We all started hanging out and me and Big Boi just ended up being the coolest out of everybody. We just kick it and that’s my dog, I ride or die for him.

WordofSouth.com: Talk to us about the record we premiered for you called “Star Wars.”

C-Bone: “Star Wars” is getting a lot of love in the streets in Atlanta. “Star Wars” is produced by a local producer out of College Park named M.A.J. he’s an up and coming producer who is about to blow up. That track features Nite S.O.B. from zone three. Me and him actually sat down and wrote the song together after I came up with the concept. I was sitting there saying “she never knew what a star was” and I was at his house and seen the Star Wars movie on his table. We put it all together like that. It’s really fire hot right now with a lot of love in the clubs and the underground. WordofSouth.com showed a lot of love. A lot of people called me about that. It’s out there buzzing now. I’m still trying to crank it up and push it harder. I’m gonna’ push it until I can’t no more. “Star Wars”, y’all go check that out.

WordofSouth.com: You know we had to show you that love. You mentioned “The Strong Pack” mixtape earlier, is that the project that “Star Wars” is set to appear on?

C-Bone: Yes sir. It is the lead the single off “The Strong Pack.” The follow up single is “When the Beat Drop.” All my music is street. I got caught up in the OutKast. People look at me different sometimes. That’s really what took me so long to come out. People want me to sound like OutKast or Big Boi or Andre 3000, but I do me. I’m the street commander. I do my records how I do my records. My records are tuned different. Back in the day when were trying to get deals, everybody was trying to flip the group KonKrete sound. They wanted us to sound like OutKast. We’re really not OutKast, we’re a street group. We’re called KonKrete because we’re a street group. Concrete runs the streets all around the world. The sound is different than OutKast. That’s where I think we went wrong. Now I’m letting the world know my style, this is what I do. You can check all my verses and my track record.

WordofSouth.com: When can we expect “The Strong Pack” mixtape to come out?

C-Bone: My birthday is August 1st so I’m trying to get it done by then. Will be in Vancouver by then. I think no later than August 15h I should have it ready.

WordofSouth.com: And how will the fans be able to get their hands on it?

C-Bone: I don’t know yet. We’re gonna’ work on that. Will get it out there with the help of WordofSouth.com I’m sure. Everybody will get a hold of it and see what’s popping with it. I don’t wanna’ tell any lies right now. It’ll be in the local mom and pop stores near you somewhere.

WordofSouth.com: You know we got you on that. It’s not your first mixtape; you dropped the “Cut the Cheque” mixtape a while ago.

C-Bone: “Cut the Cheque” wasn’t the first mixtape either. The first one was a KonKrete mixtape called “Live for the Streets.” That was a KonKrete mixtape. My second mixtape was called “BlackOwned C-Bone presents: Cut the Cheque.” I was aggravated at the time. I felt like I had put work in and deserved a cheque. I was asking people to cut the cheque. I got Big Boi to start it off. I had some local celebrities out the neighborhood I did tracks with. “Cut the Cheque” got a good response too. We also have another KonKrete mixtape I did with DJ Aries, a local DJ out here in Atlanta. I never released it yet because I wanted the KonKrete deal. I wanted somebody to get a buzz before we keep putting stuff out. If someone catches a buzz, we have all the ammo loaded up. It’s locked and loaded so will keep hitting the people with the ammo.

WordofSouth.com: You’re a member of KonKrete with Lil Brotha and Supa Nate. What’s the status of KonKrete right now?

C-Bone: KonKrete is still a group. That’s my group. I’m KonKrete for life with it. I just feel like everyone is getting older and a lot of doors are closing on us. Somebody has to do something. We have to try something. I don’t wanna’ go out the game saying I wish I did or tried something differently. That’s why I’m doing “The Strong Pack” and see what kind of buzz I can get. KonKrete is still a group and we’re still doing what we do. We have like a million songs locked and loaded. Whenever it jumps, it’s gonna’ jump because we have album after album. The title of our album is “Mixed and Ready.” When we get the buzz, we have plenty of ammo.

WordofSouth.com: Are you just waiting for a label to come in and work out a deal? As a solo artist or as KonKrete.

C-Bone: I’m not actually even worried about that. Big Boi is my partner so people ask me why my record isn’t out. He’s a friend before business. He’s gonna’ be my friend regardless. I’m just gonna’ put it out there and see what happens. If he signs me or not, or if somebody else signs me, I just need to get it out there. I need to put the work in the streets.

WordofSouth.com: Big Boi just announced he left Jive for Def Jam. How does that effect your situation?

C-Bone: I hope it opens more doors. If he’s on fire then I’m on fire. It’s better for me. Maybe we can get with Def Jam because Def Jam would definitely understand my music and his music. Def Jam just might be the move. We’re getting ready to get locked and loaded. Def Jam knows how to push a record out there, especially the ones I make and the ones Big Boi makes. That would be a good idea.

WordofSouth.com: And that relationship has been in place for a long time. L.A. Reid was the first one to sign OutKast.

C-Bone: L.A. Reid has special love for us. L.A. is gonna’ look out. As a matter of fact when we were on the plane we were on the phone with L.A. talking about the deal. There closing that up. There getting that done, pushing the papers back and forth. They’ll get it done in a minute.

WordofSouth.com: Beautiful. And are you scheduled to appear on the “Sir Luscious Left Foot” Big Boi upcoming solo album?

C-Bone: Oh yeah, I got a song on there produced by DJ Toomp called “Chicken & Birds.” It’s me, Big Boi and Lil Brotha James. Toomp is the original producer. It’s definitely a street banger. Look out for that “Chicken & Birds”, BlackOwned C-Bone, Big Boi and Lil Brotha James.

WordofSouth.com: So that’s with you and Lil Brotha, the two of you from KonKrete?

C-Bone: Right.

WordofSouth.com: Amazing. And what’s next up for C-Bone?

C-Bone: Next up for me man, I’m gonna’ put this “Strong Pack” mixtape out. We’re gonna’ work the streets a little flavor. We’re gonna’ keep coming back and hitting them in the head. After I finish this one, I’ll put another one out. I’ll be putting a lot out until I find me a group or somebody gives me a couple of million. Will keep moving and doing things bigger than ever before.

WordofSouth.com: That’s what’s up right there. You’re on WordofSouth.com C-Bone. Thanks a lot for your time. Do you have any last words before I let you go?

C-Bone: I wanna’ say I appreciate all the love you give me Lunatic. Shout out to WordofSouth.com Thanks to everybody who downloaded my song. Check me out. This is for real, not for fake. BlackOwned C-Bone is the number one pick on your dope boy team. College Park, Georgia. “The Strong Pack” is on the way – let’s get it.


– INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo