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interview Candyman 187 (August 2011) | Interview By: Javon Adams

   Candyman 187 stands on his talent and his ability to tap into the emotions that we all go through: hope, hopelessness, happiness and pain. Dubcnn.com sat down with the up and coming West Coast rhyme spitter to talk about the impact he hopes to make on all that listen to his music, enjoying the process as he works towards his goal and the redundant questions that he has to answer in each interview. Yes, we talk about his connection to the legendary 2Pac but Candyman 187 sets the record straight once and for all.

One thing is for certain, Candyman 187 is not here because of who he was fortunate enough to have met. He is here as a result of his love of music, hard work and dedication. Period.

Take a few minutes to learn about this gentleman and for those would be emcees pay careful attention to the end of the interview as there is an opportunity to win $3,000 in conjunction with Dubcnn!


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Interview was done August 2011

Questions Asked By: Javon Adams

Listen To The Interview Audio Below or Download Here

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Related Media

Candyman 187 - High off The Fame (Feat. Snoop Dogg & Ariano) (Audio)
Candyman 187 - High off The Fame (Feat. Snoop Dogg & Ariano) (Video)
Candyman 187 - Show Em All (Audio)

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Candyman 187 Interview
A Dubcnn Exclusive
By: Javon Adams



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Interview Audio


Dubcnn: Dubcnn: Javon, with Dubcnn.com. I have the pleasure of hooking up with a gentleman…having a conversation with Candyman 187. What’s going on with you man?

Chilling my brotha. How are y’all doing?


Dubcnn: Man, I’m doing cool. I was looking forward to chopping it up with you a little bit because its always cool to catch up with somebody that is really starting to build some momentum and more awareness being raised about them. One of the things that I came across when I was doing my little research on you man is that you said you want your music to make an impact. What does having an impact really mean to you? Can you talk about that?

Man, basically its music that everybody can feel…make an impact as far as going through something good or bad or negative, you know good days or bad days it doesn’t matter. Let them feel like they are a part of something and like things will be ok for a second. Or just let them disappear in their own head with the music and kinda just vibe to it and figure out whatever it is that they are going through whether it is heartbreak, emotional problems or problems with your parents or problems in life…you know, or if it’s just some street sh*t. Whatever it is, I just want to make music that connects to people and makes people want to get up and do something.

As far as making an impact, just better themselves and better those around them. Just better their situation in general no matter what it is. No matter where you’re at in your life you can always do better and that is what I hope to get across with the music is to stop settling for what you got. Strive for something better. Strive for more. And no matter how much people think that you can’t do it there is always a way to do it. There is always a possibility and I’m hoping that people, through my music can see the possibility of the possibility of them doing something to better themselves.


Dubcnn: Ok. Now, I want you to think back a little bit…back in the day or just when you listen to an album and you would wonder, ‘Wow, what is the concept of this album? Why did they come up with those things?’ (When you would ask yourself) what is the sound and what makes an album something that you would play over and over again. So, as you are thinking about that I want you to think what is your sound. The reason I ask that is because when I was sampling a couple of your songs when I was going to youtube and some other things I heard some songs that had a harder edge to it and some songs, like the one that has Snoop Dogg that has more of a techno/electro type of feel to it. So what is Candyman’s sound?

Man, well it’s very versatile. To be honest with you when I approached this album I felt it was a lot different then what a lot of artists approach their albums as. And it is one of the reasons it took me so long to be in this position to put the music out and get the buzz I’m getting and get the label supporting things like that. The reason being is because I kind of approached it from a ‘This is Me’ perspective.

I don’t wake up everyday thinking that it’s a beautiful day but on the same hand I don’t wake up thinking that it’s a bad day. I’ve always said this, when people talk about the hood you always hear one extreme or the other. You either hear about the thugism or the gangster sh*t and you know killing people or you hear about the gangbanging…or you’ll hear that in the hood we’re so close. But it’s a little bit of everything because growing up in the hood there was some good to it and some bad to it. I was talking to my homeboy about this earlier and I said, ‘Man, you remember them sugar syrup sandwiches?’ Because we would put sugar in sandwiches and put syrup in them…but it’s those little things, like your neighbors and the whole family environment and all those things. For me, all of that is a part of me and I wanted the album to express that to you. So, like you said you’ll see songs that have a harder edge to them and other songs that are very laid back and very smooth. There are songs that are about change, songs about trying to better myself and those around me and then there are songs that I say ‘f*%k everybody’ and that…and I always said I wanted to be one of the most vulnerable artists out there as far as with my audience.

I want my audience to feel that they can relate to me and not say, ‘Oh my god that’s Candyman, I want to take a flick.’ I’d rather them say, ‘Let’s smoke a square and talk about life and what’s going on.’ And that’s how I’ve always felt. Even at my shows…when I do a show I jump off stage and hang with the audience afterwards. I don’t go back to the green room. I hang out and drink and kick it with everyone that is there because I feel that these are my people so how can I be scared to kick it with my people. And that is really how I put the album out…I’m a very bi-polar individual to a certain extent. I have a few sides to me and I’m almost schizo and you see all sides of me on the album. You deal with the good and the bad, the ups and the downs of my whole life. The past 15+ years are put into this album and you are in for a roller coaster ride with a whole lot of turns but its fun.

One of the songs I even start off with, ‘Come follow me through the mind of a madman…’ and that is kinda what it is. I feel like it’s a journey through my mind’s eye. It’s very honest and its very real and at times I have people look at me and ask if I really want to put that on a track and I say, ‘Why not?’ I’d rather people see the real me instead of all this media faked out about who I could be type of image.


Dubcnn: I hear you. When you were answering that question it made me think…I’m re-reading a book called ‘Do You’ by Russell Simmons and one of the things he talks about is focusing on the process and enjoying the process instead of just looking at the goal. So as your starting to get more notoriety are you enjoying the process? Are you taking time to enjoy what you’re doing like the interviews and the shows and all of these things as your getting closer to your end goal?

You know, I was taught at a very young age to make the best of what you got and enjoy it. I was told to live the best life you could and that is what I’m trying to do. I may not always be happy and I may not always be ecstatic about what’s going on and at times I may be real happy but I try to live life for the moment and live it as best I can. I try to do what I can for the moment…I mean, I’m making music and that is what I wanted to do with my whole life. I mean I can’t complain too much because it’s better than hustlin’. I kinda had A and B and I’m going with B now and I’m happy about it.


Dubcnn: I hear you. Now, we were kind of off the record earlier and having a conversation about some of the things and questions that you have to endure as you continue to raise awareness and spread the word about yourself. Now, do you ever feel that because of some of your connections that unrealistic expectations are placed upon you? Or how do you feel about that? How do you handle it? How do you refrain from yelling and saying, ‘Stop asking me those damn questions!’ Talk about that.

Well, basically it’s no secret that Pac was family to me. He and Khadafi raised me. It gets to a point where every interview I do comes down to, ‘You and 2Pac! You and 2Pac this, you and 2Pac that’.


Dubcnn: Right

And what I feel like when I do these interviews…and even the interviewers, you gotta do your job so you have to take what you feel is the most entertaining or relevant part of the interview. At this part of my career it seems to be the Pac story. And what happens is you keep doing these interviews and it’s just, ‘Pac, Pac, Pac’ and then fans start saying that I’m trying to ride off of Pac’s name. They think I’m trying to make a living off of Pac. And people who really know me will tell you the exact opposite. Me and 2Pac and Khadafi had our relationship and that’s what it is. That was our relationship. Those are like brothers to me and I would die for them just as they would have for me. Not a moment goes by that I don’t miss that. Not a moment goes by where I don’t wish that I could bring him back. I’d give all of this up in a heartbeat if I could but I can’t.

I feel like sitting there and talking about it constantly doesn’t help the situation. So it puts me in a situation where (they ask questions like) ‘How did you meet him? What did y’all do?’ And I’m thinking, ‘Didn’t you read the past 15 interviews?’ because they all ask the same questions

*laughs*

I’ll even tell the journalist sometimes…I’ll say, ‘Man, do you really want to be another one of the 20 interviews that’s out that ask the same questions?’


Dubcnn: Exactly

But media is the media and they are going to run with what they like. But to answer your question about how I deal with it…I just let it be. As you said, usually off the record I will have a conversation with the person interviewing me and let them know that I would like to avoid those questions and how that would be awesome and to avoid the typical interview. Sometimes they will (respect my request) like you are and some say they’ll avoid them and then the whole interview will be about Pac.

And I’m going to clarify with you and probably the last time I will do so in an interview…it’s not that I don’t want to take pride in who Pac was to me. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about my connection to them. I want people to know who Candyman 187 is. I want people to know who I am and what I stand for. Like, until they get to know that (I feel) that all that extra sh*t doesn’t matter. Because once they get to know me and the person I am they are going to know that.

The way I feel, I would rather somebody pick up my record and they really felt what I was doing and then (realize later) that I happened to be around Pac. Not the other way around. I don’t want to be that dude and I don’t feel that he (Pac) would want me to be that dude.


Dubcnn: I hear you. And I didn’t even expect you to go into that great of detail because I was trying to respect your wishes. *laughs* So speaking of that, let’s put the spotlight back on you man…let folks know when they can expect the album, what’s going on and how they can stay in touch with Candyman 187 so you can continue to build your fanbase. The floor is yours.

I appreciate it. Well, the album…we’re looking at a September drop. As of now, we are in the studio as we speak. I actually just took a break from that to do the interview. I have Meech Wells, SoulMechanix, Skip Taylor, Shock G and a couple of big people producing on the album. It’s a really dope album…I’m doing a double album. And the reason for that…everybody is asking me why I would do a double album as my first album because it is risky. But I tell people that I’m not meant to be here. (Given all the stuff I went through) I wasn’t supposed to be here. All of the stupid things I did in my life…God blessed me to be standing here today. My whole life has been a risk so why stop now? Let’s make the best of it. Like you said earlier, am I having fun and really living it up? To me, this is living it up. Going out and putting out a double album of beautiful music that they can relate to and still go to the club and dance then come home a listen and really feel and be in tune with is what I want to do.

The album is looking like a first or second week of September drop. We are basically locking ourselves in the studio for the next 2 ½ to 3 weeks and knocking out 24 songs. Then get it mixed and mastered and out there. The title, as of now is ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’. I came up with that after talking to my mom and she told me that all of us boys lived a life like there was no tomorrow and I told her that tomorrow was never promised to us so we have to do the best for today. So if tomorrow never comes…that’s what I feel like our youth is going through. We are all so busy chasing the pain but we are all dealing with it whether its through drugs, drinking, music or whatever your outlet may be. Everybody is trying to get away or get to the pain. That’s an underlying concept of my album: hope, hopelessness, happiness and pain. I feel like those are four concepts like love and heartbreak that everybody deals with.

As far as staying in touch with me you can YouTube me, Facebook & Twitter.





 

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