BOO YA TRIBE  (2003) | Interview By: Nima

       Dubcnn.com got the chance to talk in person with Boo Yaa Tribe at the Los Angeles release party for their latest project West Koastra Nostra.: yash@dubcnn.com




 

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Dubcnn: For anybody that doesn’t know you guys, introduce yourselves, tell them a little about yourself, and what you do for the group.

Godfather: Godfather, Shot-Caller.

Kobra: O.G. Kobra, Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. Westside!

Monsta O: Big Monsta O! Bass Player and Producer.

Dubcnn: Aight, so, tell everyone where you’re from, Carson, tell ‘em what’s up with that. For whoever, you guys just jump in.

Godfather: We’re from Carson, California, the Harbor Area, better known as the 8-Ball City, that’s where we from. Right smack in the middle of Los Angeles. That’s where we from. Westside Piru Gang.

Dubcnn: So, you’re all from the same gang right?

Kobra: You know, we brothers. You know what I’m sayin’? We just keep it, together.

Dubcnn: Aight, go ahead and tell me about the new album. One of you guys can just jump in, doesn’t matter.

Kobra: The new album is that, West Koastra Nostra. It’s being family, are way, all day. We chose that name, West Koastra Nostra, because Booyaa’s known to roll as family, It’s that Mafia Lifestyle., coming out 2004. Bangin’ on everybody out there, that’s grabbin’ a mic. You know, go out there and cop that album. It’s that classic shit, that new classic gangsta shit.

Dubcnn: When’s that dropping?

Kobra: It’s dropping in October.

Godfather: October 7th in stores, believe that.

Kobra: We got the first video with Mack 10, called “Bang On,” so that’ll be the first single. And, you know we got a couple other projects coming up.

Godfather: We bringin’ the earthquake to the world, and lettin’ muthafuckas know, Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. back up in this muthafucka. You know what I’m sayin’? Panic button, and we bringin’ it to ‘em, get out there and buy that muthafucka.

Dubcnn: Aight, so what can we expect from the album?


Kobra: It’s our true identity, you know what I’m sayin’? It’s that ghetto, gangsta status. A lot of people, always wonder about Booyaa, you know what I’m sayin’, about back in the days. We got that mythic status. Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. we don’t say “O.G.,” we don’t gotta be O.G., just that essence, you know? We the renaissance of that Urban. So, you know, Booyaa, that’s how we bring it. We comin’ with that real hardcore, that 80’s era, you know what I’m sayin’? Drug money, gang bangin’, you know?

Dubcnn: Just not givin’ a fuck?

Kobra: Everything, just not givin’ a fuck.

Godfather: It’s like this. Muthafuckas done ate off the gangsta plate for too long. You know, now we got the O.G.s that need to start puttin’ it down, lettin’ em know, “you ain’t eatin’ off our plate no mo’. You ain’t gettin’ no damn passes. Of course we gon’ bring it together, West Koastra Nostra. Bring it all together, and bring the West back.

Dubcnn: What about you, Monsta, what do you think about it?

Monsta O: Divide and conquer. Fuckin’ conquer everybody, you know what I’m sayin’? Put it real, we comin’ at ya, like Booyaa, with a shotgun. That’s comin’ from Monsta, you know? We the realest, untouchable.

Kobra: O.G. shit! Straight from the gutter.

Dubcnn: What everybody wants to know is, how’d you get Eminem to get down on the album?

Kobra: Well you know, it’s happenin’ for a reason, you know what I’m sayin’? And, uh, just thank God it happened that way. Cuz, we respect him as a man, he respects. You know, fuck it, let’s do this, let’s tangle. You know what I’m sayin’? And with him comin’ from 8 Mile, Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. from Carson, you know what I’m sayin’, right off the 110(Freeway). We just said, “fuck it, let’s merge.” You know what I’m sayin’? Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. known as shakers and movers, know what I’m sayin’. We don’t give a fuck, who, what, Booyaa, we gonna come wit’ it. Like I said, buy that muthafuckin’ album, that West Koastra Nostra.

Dubcnn: So, what was the purpose of getting Battlecat, instead of Monsta, to do the beats?

Godfather: Well, it’s like this. It ain’t about getting’ Battlecat to do it, or getting’ Monsta to do the beats. We experiment with everything that we know. Try different things. We wanna put out eggs in the same basket. I’m not sayin’ Monsta isn’t the best one to do it, he is the best one to do it. But, we wanted to keep it West Coast. It wasn’t gonna be Dre, or whatever, it had to be Battlecat.

Monsta O: Battlecat, B.C. Powda!

Godfather: We wanted to bring that O.G. flava. That’s the whole key, the whole idea we want to be tight with.

Dubcnn: Well, this question was for Ridd, but since he’s not here, I heard you guys wanted to unify Bloods and Crips(on wax) and everything, and since you’re down with Eminem and Aftermath, what’s up with Snoop?

Godfather: It’s like this, it’s not about unifying nothin’! In the streets we make our own laws, you’re respected as a man. It’s like this, you run the streets the way you want to run the streets. It’s not bringin’ Crips and Bloods together, it’s about a family, we’re a family, that’s the way we run, that’s what we bring to the table. That’s the whole thing we wanna bring. It’s not about unifying Crips and Bloods or the eses, or nothing like that, it’s about unifying and bein’ a family thang.

Dubcnn: So, is there gonna be any Snoop Dogg/Dogg Pound/Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. collabos anytime soon?

Kobra: Who knows? Whatever happens, happens. But, like I said, buy that album West Koastra Nostra!

Dubcnn: What about yourself, comin’ up in the game?

Godfather: Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. baby! That’s me! Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. that’s what’s happening. It’s all Booyaa T.R.I.B.E. I got respect for different kinds of types of music, but at the same time, I listen to a lot of Booyaa T.R.I.B.E.

Dubcnn: What was you’re influences comin’ up?

Kobra: Straight, I like that P-Funk! I like that Roger, I like that Zapp, the old school!

Dubcnn: Like King Tee?

Kobra: Yea, all that real shit. That gangsta shit.

Dubcnn: What can we expect from Booyaa in the future?

Godfather: You lookin’ at a lot of stuff, that’s comin’ out, from The Booyaa T.R.I.B.E We got out clothing line. We got the Gawtti line goin’ on. That’s G.A.W.T.T.I., gangstas always wear the tightest issues.

Kobra: Go buy the album!

Dubcnn: So, what’s up on some tours, got any tours comin’ up soon?

Monsta O: Uh, yea, we got the Sprite Tour coming up.

Dubcnn: Who’s gonna be on that?

Kobra: That’s coming up, we got a major tour coming up. Just keep yea heads up out there.

Dubcnn: So, how big is your following in the Samoan Community, is it pretty big?

Kobra: Yea, it’s pretty big, we got a big following. You know, it’s like people show a lot of moral support. That’s our family.

Godfather: They can identify with me. They can identify with us. We made the original gangstas. The long hair, goatee, that’s how we’re identified, when we’re on the streets. We do it like this. We’re the Samoan point of view, growing up in Los Angeles. That’s as real as it gets. We ain’t tryin’ to be something else.

Kobra: It’s been like that for years, this is us, and we ain’t never gonna change. Booyaa has been Booyaa for years. You’re experiencing something that is really coming from the streets. We’re from the streets. This generation has been bug on the street shit.

Godfather: Music, rap music, is part of being gangster. It is all part of our culture and our lifestyle. There is other people telling it from other angles and they ate off this shit. Were talking bout where were comin from.

Dubcnn: What are you bumpin’ in your stereo right now beside Booyaa?

Godfather: Oldies.

Kobra: Gangsta shit, that old school 70’s style.

Monsta O: P-funk , Funkadelic, Lakeside.

Dubcnn: Aight, thanks a lot. Respect.

Kobra: No problem. Peace.