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interview CA$HIS  (May 2007) | Interview By: Eddie Gurrola

      
Dubcnn recently sat down with hot young star Ca$his for an new interview. In this exclusive feature, we cover the making of his "County Hound" EP, which is in stores now (from May 22) as well as the recording process for his upcoming solo album. Ca$his also speaks about his role in the New West movement, his relationship with Eminem, and he even gives us few words about the highly anticipated Detox release from Dr. Dre.
 


As always we have both the transcript and the video for you to check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: eddiegurolla@dubcnn.com

 
Interview was done in May 2007.

Questions Asked By :
Eddie Gurrola

Ca$his Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here (Video: WMV)

Full Interview In Video For Download : Here (Video: WMV)

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Dubcnn: We’re here with Ca$his. What’s up Ca$his, how you doin’?

What up Dubcnn, you know how it is, I’m chillin’, I’m doin’ good. How y’all doin’ out there?


Dubcnn: Pretty good. Alright, so, we’re gonna go back a little bit in time. You’re from Orange County, well you’re originally from Chicago, right?

Yeah, I’m from the South Side of Chicago, you know what I’m sayin’, 79th Street, I’m an 079 boy, East Sider damn right, and I moved to Orange County.


Dubcnn: Alright, so once you were in Orange County, was it hard, do you think it was especially difficult for you to break out in an area that wasn’t a real big local rap scene?

Yeah, I mean, it was more like underground, like, it was like, people were rapping like lyrical, and doing their little thing like that, so it’s cool. But I didn’t care about rappin’ when I came out here, I cared about hustlin’. And my boy Riknatti got me up on rappin’, just ‘cause I could talk a lot of shit, so, you know, I could just freestyle, and run around talkin’ shit, all that, you know what I’m sayin? He was like “you should write, we should just put it down,” and I just put it to the paper, and then it worked for me.


Dubcnn: That’s great. Alright, so now, what’s your opinion on the West Coast coming back as a dominant commercial force? What do you think it’s gonna take for the West Coast to get back into a national spotlight? Because, it hasn’t really been that dominant in the last couple of years…of course, yourself, you’re gonna be a part of that…

Oh yeah, I’m definitely, I think I’m a spearhead of that movement, I think I’m gonna be what Snoop was when he first came out, he had the West Coast looking back, because I got the back of Eminem. Eminem said that I’m his Roy Jones. I’m what Roy Jones was in his prime. And Em has heard all my records, so he would know. So, over 100 million people done bought his albums, so I think, you know what I’m sayin’, I respect that.

I think we finna take it back, and make it to where the West Coast is respected, we sellin’ our records, as long as other artists put out quality music, because I’m gonna put out quality music, and if your music isn’t quality, you’re not gonna sell, and I’m gonna make sure of it, because I’m gonna keep putting out quality music, and I’m gonna force everybody to step up their bars. Big up to the Midwest too, you know I represent for y’all. You know.


Dubcnn: Sounds great. Alright, so you’ve got your EP coming out in May.

May 22nd! “The County Hound” EP, limited edition, you know what I’m sayin? We printin’ up, you know, enough to give me some little plaque, you know what I’m sayin’, give me a little gold plaque, so we ain’t even trippin’ off the record sales, it took $50,000 to make this, 10,000 sales, I’m out the hole. It’s only gonna be on sale for 6 bucks, it’s to build anticipation for the album, but we takin’ songs and we movin’ the release for the LP, and just took those off and put those on the EP, because I said I do batches of new songs all the time.

So, the whole LP has changed, so we’re giving out quality music for six dollars. And also, the new, we’re showing you the new Shady, it’s a new Shady logo, which is a pitchfork, you know what I’m sayin’, with a devil tail, you know what I’m sayin’, and we just letting y’all know that we have revamped, and we back in order. I told y’all on “The Re-Up,” everything is Shady, and everything was changing, and Em pronounced me the Cowboy Shady. ** I’m here to do my damn thing, and I’m here to make sure that they gonna respect us out here.


Dubcnn: How do you say Shady has been revamped? Like, I know you’re thinking that’s gonna be a big thing…

Man, we’ve been revamped, like it’s a whole different structure of order. Rest in peace to Big Proof, you know what I’m sayin’, first off, but it’s a whole different structure like, its either put up or shut up now. I’m bringing that street influence into it, you know what I’m sayin’, and people don’t know that Em is a hood dude, like Em is a really, real hood dude, you know what I’m sayin’, and everybody, D12 is hood, niggaz, everybody. And, I’m finna stir up a whole lot of shit, you know what I’m sayin’, to make people realize what Shady [is], like you’re not gonna be able to say Ca$his without sayin’ Shady, you know what I’m sayin’, which does nothing but bring up the West Coast, you know what I’m sayin’, and it builds a bridge for other artists on the West Coast also.

Like, we revamped, like, ain’t nobody taking breaks, everybody in the studio right now. Everybody in the studio, going hard, you know what I’m sayin’, it’s friendly competition. Evrybody’s going hard, you know what I’m sayin’, I’m coming out twice this year, we’ve got D12 [coming] out, “King Mathers” is coming out, 50 finna smash them in July, Bobby Creekwater, peace to Creek, and peace to Stat, he just walked past me right there, you know what I’m sayin? Everybody coming out! This is my chance to knock the door down and let everybody know that it’s someone just starting it from the ground up.

So while Em can kick his feet up and do his producing, he’s killin ‘em lyrically, I’ve heard some songs, he’s freestyling this song, and it’s ridiculous, you’ll see what I’m talking about, but Em is up here, and there’s never been a separation between Em and Shady, you feel what I’m sayin’, like, and it’s my job to make Shady be known for the nucleus of artists, like all of us artists are assigned to Shady, it’s my job to let someone like me, we are coming, and we are killin’ it. And, we putting it down, we got that force, and Em is Michael Jordan, you know what I’m sayin’, Em run that, he the one, you know what I’m sayin’, I’m Kobe then, you know what I’m sayin’, I ain’t quite Mike yet, you know what I’m sayin’, but I’m doin’ my thing. I’m definitely doing my thing.


Dubcnn: When this EP comes out May 22nd, what do expect fans to get from it?

I think they will learn that from Ramone and Ca$his, there are two different sides. And, I think that you gonna love me or hate me. But, you gonna love me though, you know what I’m sayin’, I’m gonna make you love me, because you can’t hate nobody that’s being real, you know what I’m sayin’? I’m not being fake beneath it, you can listen to the songs, you can feel my pain, you can know what I go through, and you can know my struggles.

I’m still struggling, I mean, G, do you see me blinged out? We can get a close up. *Shows new Jordan shoes* We need a close up of the Mikes. But, I mean, I ain’t blinged out, G, you know what I’m sayin’, I’m still real. I’m still in these streets just like the next man, trust me, I’m still out there, so if I run into y’all a lot and you see me in these spots and y’all know how I get down. So, just respect me, man.


Dubcnn: Alright, so what made you decide to do an EP instead of a traditional mixtape. Because most people just throw out mixtapes…

Because you just said it right there. Most people just throwing out mixtapes, and they ain’t doing shit. I mean, I got a release, G, of a mixtape, this is basically an 8 song mixtape. I got a release, the first release of Shady for the year, like we wanted to put something out, quality music that’s been mixed and mastered, and it sounds insane, so when people get it, they’ll be like, “Damn!” Like, we care about the fans, so we wanted to bring that back, so we care about y’all, when people hear it, and they really listen to the lyrics, we care about y’all, so we wanted to put that EP out as a buzz builder.

I’m doing mixtapes, I’m on a whole bunch of other mixtapes, I’m doin’ that on the side. But, to put an EP out, something in stores where people can go get that for six dollars, and you can pre-order it for 3.98, I’m just seeing the pre-orders coming in, so thank y’all, I appreciate it baby! I appreciate it!


Dubcnn: I think that’s a really good idea, because, yeah, mixtapes, you can’t really hear everything all the time.

Yeah, and I mean, its a million people trying to pass you a mixtape. You’re like “okay, okay, yeah.” But, an EP is something like, they put their money into this, so, you know, the fans can go and check it. And, it’s a limited edition release, so, if you went and buy it, you can dub it and burn it for your friends, go ahead, you know what I’m sayin? Keep my buzz building strong, because I’m gonna keep going. You know, and when the LP come out, it’s gonna make you buy it, it’s gonna be well worth it. So, this is a teaser.


Dubcnn: Is your LP gonna come out this year too?

Yessir. It’s called “Loose Cannon.” Em titled me that actually, he said I’m a loose cannon because you can’t tell what the fuck I’m gonna do or say.


Dubcnn: When do you think it will come out probably? Do you have a release date at all?

We’re working on that right now. I think, I believe it’s some time like maybe October, around that time.


Dubcnn: October? Cool. So are you pretty far deep into the recording of the album?

Super deep. Em is mixing his joint and my joint at the same time. He’s like going back and forth, mixing song for song.


Dubcnn: Oh, he’s got a new one coming out too?

Oh yeah, it’s called “King Mathers.” Em’s the man. So, we ready like, you know, like we already got my singles, we’ve already got crossover songs, we’ve already got, like the meat of the album is done. It’s just every time I do some new songs and shit, I just be like “Damn, I like this right here.” So he be like, “Alright we gotta sit down on it.”


Dubcnn: It’s hard to choose?

Hell yeah, it’s really hard to choose. Yeah. We were trying to pick this EP for like 3 months.


Dubcnn: Damn! It must be hard to decide what you’re gonna do. Alright, so, what’s it like working with Eminem in the studio, obviously he’s a real cool guy, but how is the chemistry between you guys in the studio?

It’s excellent. Like, he don’t make a beat that I don’t like, and I haven’t said any raps that he doesn’t like, you can ask him that, and that’s on my kids, you know what I’m sayin’, like I love you Em, you know what I’m sayin’, everything I do, anything that come out of my mouth is definitely sponsored by none other than King Mathers, you know what I’m sayin’, he’ll tell you he love me too, that’s my homeboy, you know what I’m sayin’?

But, it’s cool working with him because it inspires me to do my best and to see the emotion that he gets off what I’m doin’, you know what I’m sayin’, it’s like “Hell yeah!” He see what I’m doin’, he like, “Man, you what I was when I came into this game, you got that hunger, you know what I’m sayin’?” He said I don’t eat food, I eat beats, because I’m all skinny and all that, but I still knock niggas out though, believe that.


Dubcnn: Alright. So, how do you go about writing your songs? What do you do when you get in the studio to write? Do you have to listen to the beat first?

Yeah, I smoke a lot of weed, a lot, lot. I guarantee I smoke more than all of y’all rappers, trust me. Trust me. And I smoke a higher quality [grade]. Trust me. And I get all my shit for free, because that’s what it is. If you a real star, see that’s what happened when you on Shady/Interscope, if you a real rap star, you get your weed for free, you get all your shit for free. Like, my whole process in the studio is, I get high as hell, you know what I’m sayin’, if I’m in there with Em, he makin’ the beat, he got three sounds in it, and I’m already coming up with the melody, how I wanna do it, like my pattern in the verse, and I just sit there, I fidget, and I go like this, you know what I’m sayin’, I move around, and I stand up with a pen, and I write, and then like 10 minutes later I’m like, “Hey Em, I’m finna go lay this,” and he’s like “Huh? You done?”

Like, it surprise him every time, you know what I’m sayin’, I go drop it, he’s like “Fuck!” It’s been some beats that was gonna be on Em’s album, that accidentally got to me, and I ripped ‘em, and he’s like “Shit dogg, you can have ‘em, you did your thing!” You know, and if I’m in the studio with like Alchemist or Rikanatti, or Block Boys, or Rick Rock, or anybody like that, you know, I just get high, listen to the beat, and just let whatever the part of my life to be that inspires me to do, I just do.


Dubcnn: So, you mentioned earlier that everyone’s kind of having friendly competition over there at Interscope and Aftermath. Are you guys all in the studio together a lot, or do you kind of go off on your own?

We be, sometimes we in the studio together, I was in the studio with Fif and Dre and them, that song, and you know, like it’s fun, it’s like we just love to see each other succeed, because 50 is gonna come with some shit. I gave him a big ass hug, I was like dancing like a little kid, I was like “My nigga, you killin’ it!” You know what I’m sayin’, like I’m proud, because him sellin’ records is gonna make muthafuckas more open for me, because they’re gonna be like, “Damn, what else is coming?” you know what I’m sayin’? And then, he hear what I’m sayin’, and for him to walk up to me like “Dude!,” you know what I’m sayin’, that means something to me, for him to walk up to me like “Dude!,” for Dr. Dre to say he had chills listening to some of my songs, that’s fuckin’ crazy! And Jimmy Iovine to rewind my shit, listen to it again, that means something to me.

You know what I’m sayin’, like I’m very excited, very excited, very humble, and whether I sell 2 million, 5 million, 10 million, however many records I sell, this year, two years from now, I’m still gonna be the same nigga, like I’m not gonna change. I’m still the same nigga, like I’m humble, and I always know that, you know, who put me on, and my loyalty is in tact. That’s why I ride so much for whoever on Shady, you know what I’m sayin’, because my loyalty is definitely in tact.


Dubcnn: That’s the way to do it. Let’s see, you and Bishop Lamont are both on Aftermath, and you’re both from California…

Well, he on Aftermath, I’m on Shady/Interscope. He on Aftermath, but it’s the same family tree. What up to Bishop!


Dubcnn: Have you guys been collaborating a lot?

Nah, nah. Bishop doing his thing, I’m doing my thing, and I’m sure we reach out and do some things, we were in contact previously, he know my boy Rikanatti, and things like that, you know what I’m sayin’, but I’m like a workaholic, and so is he, so it’s like, I’m not even in county most of the time recording, you know what I’m sayin’, I do a lot of recording with Em, you know what I’m sayin’, and I come back and I record, and we like...I like being a solo artist, you know what I’m sayin’, I love it, you know what I’m sayin’, because I love to express my whole life.

So, I may go to the Bay, and go fuck with Rick Rock, you know what I’m sayin’, what up to the Fed Gang, you know what I’m sayin’, everything like that, so...But I’m sure we will collab, you know what I’m sayin’, me and everybody from the West, that’s really trying to do it, you know what I’m sayin’, y’all come fuck with me man, and include me in all the New West shit.

I be seeing all that New West shit, and its cool, you know, I haven’t been included in it yet, but I have the big’s back, and I have the machine behind me, I have Eminem’s stamp of approval, so the leader of the New West probably should be me, because I’m killin’ it right now, you know what I’m sayin’, I’m trying to bring it for everybody, and I’m representin’ the whole coast, representing from LA to the Bay, and my nigga San Quinn, peace to San Quinn, I love you boy, you know what I’m sayin’, like from LA to the Bay, from San Diego to the Bay, what up to Jayo Felony, I know hood niggas, what up to all my niggas, Posey from 60’s, what up to my niggas in the jungles, what up to everybody, like niggas know who the fuck I am, you know what I’m sayin, like, niggas know me out here. What up to Spider Loc too, what up G!


Dubcnn: Alright man! Have to been to the studio for Detox recording sessions, Dr. Dre’s new album? Is that what you were working on?

Man, I definitely been in there, in the studio, I’ll put it like that. Dre’s shit is gonna be stupid! Dre ain’t lost a step! Dre has not lost a step! He’s gained like 8, it’s scary!


Dubcnn: Oh damn!

The same thing like Em. Em has gained like 20! From like, you know what I’m sayin’, I can even take it back to “The Marshall Mathers LP.” His new shit is like Jesus, you know what I’m sayin’. And your boy is all over that! Thank you Em, I love you man! Hey, “The Re-Up” baby, platinum, y’all keep buying that, we got overseas, we platinum in the US, and that’s helping me support these kids of mine, especially in these times of need like this when I’m in these streets, so I love y’all.


Dubcnn: Alright, we’re definitely looking forward to hearing from Shady, Aftermath, and the Interscope camp. Is there anything you want to say to everyone on Dubcnn?

I wanna say, Ggggg-G-Unit! What up 50, what up Buck! “Buck The World,” go get that “Buck The World,” everybody go get that.


Dubcnn: It’s a great album...

It is. Everybody go get that Obie Trice, “2nd Round On Me” you know what I’m sayin’, that was a classic. Everybody go get that “Re-Up,” go re-cop it again, you know what I’m sayin’. And, definitely, on May 22nd, get that Cashis EP, its only 6 bucks. Go get that, its 8 bangers, its bananas, and we taking it back to the roots of hip hop baby, real music, real lyrics, the single is “Lac Motion” produced by Em, we shooting that video real soon, you know what I’m sayin’, big up to Paul, big up to Tracy, you know what I’m sayin’, everybody over at Shady, everybody over at Interscope.

G-Unit, what up Sha Money, Sha Money on my LP too, we got some heat, we got some heat, and to the West Coast, I love y’all, I am y’all, you know what I’m sayin’, respect me, respect me as I respect y’all. When I go other places, niggas look at me funny like “Oh this west coast ass nigga” and I eat they ass alive off the dome. I let ‘em know what we bringing back to the West Coast. To Chicago, you know I love you, I got 773 right here baby, you know what I’m sayin’, I love y’all to death, I am y’all, I talk like y’all, I walk like y’all, I still tip through the spots, what, you know I got both sides in me, and also, everybody that hatin’ on me, you know what I’m sayin’, that’s for you!

*Lifts shirt up to show a tattoo with an image of a hand giving the middle finger with the word “you” next to it* That’s how I feel. On the real, Shady Records, everything is Shady, I told y’all, I told y’all, track 5 on “The Re-Up,” I told y’all, and now I got two release dates this year. Its like some DMX shit when he first came out. How niggas feelin’ now? You feel me?

What up to Dubcnn! G’s up! Peace to the 5, we don’t collide, we combine. Peace to the blue and the red, peace to all my Latino homeboys, especially my man Sudel, man I fuck with all y’all out in the OC. OC what up? Tustin, what up? Anaheim, what up? Santa Ana, what up? Garden Grove, what up? The whole 60619, what up? 79th Street, y’all know what’s up. G’s up boy!

 

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Ca$his Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here (Video)

Full Interview In Video For Download : Here
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