CLINTON WAYNE (October 2006) | Interview By: Nima

       Dubcnn spoke to Clinton Wayne, a name dubcnn readers will be familiar with and a name that the mainstream audience is soon to hear. Since we first introduced Clinton Wayne on dubcnn he has gathered a strong fan base, received acclaim for his material and showcased his talent to the world. We took time to talk about what Clinton Wayne is all about, his material so far, his upcoming mixtape, how he was introduced to the game and has matured as well as discussing how he found dubcnn and how the internet has enabled him to portray his music and much more in this interview.
 

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



Interview was done by phone in October 2006


Questions Asked By : Nima


Clinton Wayne Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here (Audio)

Full Clinton Wayne Interview : Here

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Dubcnn: We're with Clinton Wayne right now on dubcnn, go ahead and introduce yourself to everybody who isn't up to who Clinton Wayne is yet.

Shaman man! It's the youngsta of the clique, Clinton Wayne, I'm the king of the desert. It's Barstow, CA's finest man. I've been putting it down since I was like eight years old, but it's like I gotta be true to myself, I'm from the desert, so I'm representing for where I'm from. Cause it seems like a lot of niggas don't know where they're from nowadays, you fold me Nima? It's Barstow, that's what I'ma be repping dude, till the day I die dogg! I don't cuss in my rhymes or none of that dogg, it's just something new man.


Dubcnn: Barstow is kind of a new city to Hip-Hop, how was it coming up in Barstow and how do you plan on representing the city?

Man let me tell you like this. A lot of people see Barstow as just a little rest stop between Vegas and L.A., but it ain't even like that! We got a gang of hardcore niggas out there, population wise it's one of the murder capitals, it's 24,000 population and you got four housing projects homie, niggas is banging hard out there. To me, it's like the only city in Cali right now that ain't ran by no Ese's! It's a bunch low lifes out there and we trying to build up the city man because it ain't really nothing out there for us to do, so niggas just do the life of crime! It's hard in Barstow man, people don't understand that, the desert is hard, homie!


Dubcnn: So Clinton Wayne... Is that 'real name no gimmicks' or is that a nickname?

Nah that's my real name, no gimmicks homie, Clinton Wayne!


Dubcnn: Tell us a little bit about you coming up, how did you start rapping?

I started rapping when I was young, my momma always used to listen to soulful music, Anita Baker all the time, and she used to write poetry. I was like seven years old, and I started reading her poetry and memorizing it, back in the days, "I'm That Typa Guy" by LL Cool J, Boogie Down Production, N.W.A., Ice T and them, Jazzy D and them. I started memorizing my moms poetry, and going out in the streets and telling people I wrote it! So people was like "Damn! You flow pretty tight!"

And I got a different type of voice because I was write in the West, and I was raised in the South so my slang is a little bit different from people. Plus I was up north a little bit, so it's a real different style, and it really started off by my mom. I used to write hardcore lyrics like gangsta type shit dogg, as far as cussing and banging on niggas, but my momma told me I shouldn't be cussing in my rhymes cause I'm too smart, and then that's what really led to what you got today. It's Clinton Wayne!


Dubcnn: Listen to your "Tsoul Ghetto" mixtape, you can really hear the soul influence. And you're just talking about everyday shit, you're not really trying to make yourself look like super-gangsta and all that, you're coming off like a regular dude putting it down.

Yeah man, the thing is, you ain't going to see Clinton Wayne sporting no jewellery, first of all. I'm not a materialistic person. I cherish everything that I have in this lifetime. I'm not the hardest cat in the world, but I'll never run from the hardest cat. People out here, they don't really understand. How I look at life is like this: I can't sit there and say I'm the realest rapper alive when I'm rapping under an alias name, cause you're already fake right there, you know what I'm saying! I'm not entertaining
man, I'm trying to speak.

My new album, I'ma call it "The Voice Of The Penitentiary". Basically I feel like I'm here to put sense back into the game. "Voice Of The Penitentiary" is representing all the men who are incarcerated, who have kids out here, and they can't speak to them, so I'm speaking through them. I feel like I'm
a street preacher man, and I just got to keep it real, not only to the streets but just to life in general. I cherish every moment that I'm here. A lot of people sit there and rhyme about being the hardest people alive, and none of them niggas ain't never been locked up man. I just got off parole, I was in the feds man, I done did state time. Everyday that I'm here is a blessing.


Dubcnn: You told me that you were kind of mentored by Haha Loc (Pomona City Ridaz) and Kokane?

Yeah man, that was just a blessing right there in general. How I met Haha man, I was playing ball in Junior College, playing football. My roommate was chopping it up with Haha, and they told him man, this kid out here in Barstow, Clinton Wayne, this nigga is dope, dogg! Haha was like "I ain't never really met no one from the desert that was just tight on that level!" But they called me, I flew from Barstow to Victorville, I came up there and Haha told me to spit something man, and I spit! So Haha was like "If you're serious about this music, be at my house at 7 o'clock in the morning." I drove there at 7 o'clock in the morning and I rolled with him!

I remember about the time that Kokane had dropped that "Wrong Idea" with Bad Azz and them, we went and pick them up, and I was looking at the Source Magazine like "Damn! That's really him!" So I used to roll with Haha everyday since that day, and he used to just mentor me. It wasn't even on no "Yo rap like this, rap like that." I was with Haha about a year or something before I even really got to spit. It was more like "Clinton Wayne, you can't do stupid shit like this." I learned the game, understood that it's more to the game than just rapping. Dude was teaching me life lessons man, on some real shit. It wasn't on some "Oh you the best rapper, this and that", but "Clinton Wayne, you need to say certain things different."

Because at the time I was using real sophisticated words that your average person wouldn't understand, and Haha was teaching me how to break it down, he just taught me a lot. And Kokane, I used to just be in the studio and watch how professional he was, how he would just go in there and one-take everything, and I learned so much from them dudes man. That helped me create my sound as far as... I always sounded Clinton Wayne-ish, but the professional and just how fluid I sound, I wasn't that amateur no more once I was finished with those dudes, and I knew how to handle my business.


Dubcnn: That's one of the things I noticed when I was listening to you, you're a new cat just coming up, but your raps just sound real polished.

A lot of that is also F Major man, my producer! Dudes a super-producer, he don't let me just go in there and be lazy about it! Certain words that I do, I might just be like "Man I don't feel like doing it" and he'll be like "Come on man! You gotta do it over!" Dude is real professional, if anything dude is one of the most professional people I've ever worked with and one of the most talented persons I've ever worked with in my life. A lot of that is thanks to F Major too.


Dubcnn: There's two things I gotta ask you man. What's "Fa Shux" and what's "Shaman".

Man! Shaman! I'm Clinton Wayne the shaman man! The shaman is basically a prince among people, a person that can feed people, it's more of an eastern Indian religion, so I always call myself the shaman. So when I say 'shaman man" I'm basically saying shaman! And 'Fa Shux" is just one of my slang words, like "for sure"... Fa Shux! Fa Shix! Fa Rix! And if everything is all good I say it's 'grimace'. You know what I mean? For you understand me, I say "you fold me". So those are just a couple of Clinton Wayne lingos right there.


Dubcnn: We had that "Tsoul Ghetto Mixtape" on dubcnn for download, and it got some real good feedback. How do you look at that project?

Man honestly, that "Tsoul Ghetto" project was something I was never gonna put out. I had finished a lot of the songs back in '03 and '04 and I was just sitting on it like it was just personal to me. But a couple of people I would let them hear it and they were like "You gotta let people hear it!" I
was like "Alright" so I hollered at you! You were the first person that I ever really hollered at because... I would holler at different people but you took to it! You enabled that to be heard by the masses. So that's how we ended up putting it out!

But yeah "Tsoul Ghetto" was just like a diary man, it was a lot of things that was on my heart and I had to get them out! Going through that fed case, going through that love life being... I mean I used to have females and play them and stuff but then I grew up and I was in love, dogg! I can't sit up
here and front like no other nigga is. It's just everything that every person that's in this rap game is scared to address; I did that in "Tsoul Ghetto." And in "Tsoul", the T stands for the cross, that's all it is, it's representing the cross. Then the soul, and it's real ghetto, it's hood. So that's what it all stood for right there. The soulful part really comes from my mom, because she used to listen to the soul music, and it influenced me a lot.


Dubcnn: One thing that striked me was that... a lot of artists in their raps never talk about their weaknesses, that's one thing that you did.

Yeah man, I had to! Because I had to distinguish myself from every other person. I got my own style, I got my own sound, and I'm not afraid to be myself. If I'ma be my mentor to anything man, then I have to be myself, so people understand that this is a real cat right here, you fold me? That's
all I was trying to be, just real as I could get. But I was still holding back on that album, but then this "Regal Muzik" album is like... I brought it back to the West Coast for that! Then "Voice Of The Penitentiary", you're going to get the full fledged Clinton Wayne.


Dubcnn: You sound like a real student of the game, on tracks like "Kali's Official" you gave it up for all the people that came before you.

My life is damn near like music man. There's a lot of times, if it wasn't for that music, I wouldn't be here! I see a lot of cats getting deals that... they don't even know who Rodney O and Joe Cooley is! Or Compton Cartel, let alone a South Central Cartel. It's just a lot of people who influences me back in the day, Penthouse Players Clique and everything! I used to buy every single tape that came out, and if I didn't buy them I used to steal them man. But I had everything! So on that one ("Kali'z Official") I'm just repping hard, because music is my everything! I don't even listen to all this brand new shit, cause they're not speaking about nothing! I like real shit man.


Dubcnn: You're about to release that "Regal Muzik" mixtape, where did that name come from?

Man, "Regal Muzik", West Coast, Cali! Cause I hear a lot of people now they wanna talk about wood grain like they from the South.. But I'm from the West Coast, I'm from Southern Cali you know? I love Northern Cali, but I'm from Southern Cali. I don't get Hyphy homie, I feel like I'm one of the last of a dying breed right now, cause every nigga that I see from So. Cal trying to do something different. So I was like "I gotta bring the regal back homie!" Cause that's all we mash in the hood! Muthafuckin' regals and shit! Sittin' on Low lows and all that other stuff! That's where "Regal Muzik" came from, it's basically saying this is Southern Cali music right here. For all you youngstas out here that don't know what it is, that wanna sit there and get crunk or what not, which influenced my song "Can't Get Krunk In The Club".. "Regal Muzik" is just Southern Cali music man, with a Clinton Wayne & F Major twist, you know?


Dubcnn: On "Tsoul Ghetto", it was pretty much all solo. On "Regal Muzik", did you hook up with any other artists? I know you did something with XL Middleton.

Yeah I did a song with XL Middleton. Actually XL produced one and we did a collaboration. Also I got another song F Major produced called "Lean With It" basically making a mockery of that "Lean With It" by Dem Franchise Boys. It's making a mockery of them on the chorus, but it's straight West Coast
fire, and that's me, XL Middleton, and Bo$$! I got a fire ass song with me and Dr. Stank.. I got a legend coming out of retirement, Jazzy D did a verse on my album! He got a song on there! I got my homeboy MP singing, my homegirl Shanda singing on there... My homeboy Beathoven, he just produced songs on the "Flavor Of Love Theory", he's on there. F Major produced 17 of the 19 tracks, and then I got a lot of drops by Damani, Shade Sheist, T-Mac Young Hoggs, Binky Mack from AllFrumThaI, Scipio, Noni Spitz... It's a dope ass album man. I don't really have too many features because I can handle my own. I'm one of the few artists who don't really need nobody.


Dubcnn: You mentioned Jazzy D. I know he's managing, tell us a little bit about you hooking up with Jazzy D.

Man, before I had a manager, and he was a good manager, he was a good hearted manager, but he didn't really know the business. I didn't have no one guiding me, and I was trying to write to a gang of people man, and one day I seen they had a content where everyone would submit their stuff for
Jazzy D's Unsigned Hype, and I sent my music to Jazzy D. Right when I sent my music, he just embraced me man, hit me up, told me I could hit him up at any time, and they ended up signing me to his management company. Dude is like my big brother, and it's like, he ain't one of the managers that wanna be out like "Oh yeah, I'm the manager, this and that" Dude really be teaching us about a mechanical royalty, teaching us the business, but at the same time hearing our personal problems and understanding. He's teaching us that there is more to life than just music. Jazzy, I just met him on the internet and ever since then it was just something that was destined to be. I appreciate him for that.


Dubcnn: On one of the new songs I think it was, you were talking about the internet, and how you used to write people and they wouldn't hit you back and all that. How have your experiences on the internet been?

Man, I used to write the people and be like "What's cracking man? I'm Clinton Wayne, I got these songs." And people would just be like "Whatever, nigga, Clinton Wayne, you're from Barstow!" Cause I always say where I'm from. And muthafuckas wasn't accepting me, you know what I mean? So then I was like "Aight, cool." And it was weird because I mean... I don't wanna call out names, but a certain artist that got his buzz out, the muthafucka hit me up on MySpace to collaborate, and stuff blew up for him, and now all of a sudden he forgot about me. I ain't bitter in no way, but I'm just
like.. "Damn dogg, you came at me, wanting to collaborate, and now you think you're too good?" Ya'll got your breaks, and everybody’s so West Coast this, West Coast that, but then it's like... where is the unity at? Why is everyone getting big heads? Yeah I speak on the internet because it's bullshit sometimes how people do me, and it's sad that a lot of people that have embraced me came from the South, but the West Coast people wasn't trying to show me love. SO yeah I got a bad taste in my mouth from that shit, you fold me?


Dubcnn: How did you stumble across dubcnn the first time?

Dubcnn, the first time... Actually F Major told me about dubcnn! So when he told me about it, I got up on the site and I've been hooked ever since! Cause I love West Coast music, I only listen to like Southern Cal music, I don't really listen to radio music. Right now I listen to muthafuckin' Kokane's "Painkillerz", I bump "Regal Muzik" of course, I got that Jazzy D's "Unsigned Hype", that's what I listen to! And a lot of the stuff, I wouldn't have known about if it wasn't for dubcnn! It was an outlet for me to have some music that I wanted to listen to, instead of having to listen to "Shoulder Lean " and stuff like that.


Dubcnn: That's how it's supposed to be! I think the dubcnn visitors embraced you because when I put up your music, you already had your own style and it didn't sound like nothing else coming out.

Yeah homie, dubcnn has got me a lot of this buzz that I have. Because once ya'll put me up on there, October of 2005, people started knowing who Clinton Wayne was! All that started from dubcnn, I remember I looked at the contact information, and I hit you up! You just showed me love right away,
and right when I gave it to you, you put me right on the site! I was like "Damn!" People started knowing who Clinton Wayne was from there, and I appreciate that!


Dubcnn: So this "Tsoul Ghetto", and the "Regal Muzik" are mixtapes right?

Yeah they're both mixtapes.


Dubcnn: They sound like albums though!

Let me tell you, the snippets that I put up for "Regal Muzik" are banging, but there is so many more songs on there... Honestly dude, "Regal Muzik" is about to be the hardest album... It's a mixtape but it's going to be the hardest mixtape that ya'll have heard. I can guarantee you that. I done had
a lot of people co-sign that, even Stank gave up the love, he was like "Yeah that's the one." XL and them giving me love, Jazzy giving me love, Ms. BattleCry giving me love, so I'm thinking about... I might as well master it and I'm just going to put it up for free download for all my West Coast
people dude! That's what I'm thinking about doing for "Regal Muzik" too! Cause we still got sleepers, and maybe it was because of the soulful, so I'm give them how West Coast people do it, I'ma just give it to them for free download too.


Dubcnn: What's going to be the difference between the mixtape and the album coming out?

Well, the lyrics first of all. Pound for pound, I can go with anyone lyrically, off the head or writing down. I can spit like a Ras Kass, a Crooked I, I can spit like none other dogg, cause I started off underground. So I'ma give you Clinton Wayne lyrics, but I'm going to give you more lyrical content, I'ma go deep, and I'ma challenge different situations that no one has ever went before. I have a lot of ideas in my head and situations that I'm going to put on my real album, plus we're going to have a budget. You're going to hear music man, you're going to have a beautiful album. Because F Major is a genius, and we've already been plotting what we're going to do for my first album, "Voice Of The Penitentiary". So it's just going to be a perfect album I can guarantee you that.


Dubcnn: Where are you trying to go with it? Are you trying to go major or stay independent?

Well I mean right now, I don't wanna say any names, but I do have a couple of labels, a good three or four labels that's interested already in signing me man. I'm trying to go major with it because in my head, when it comes to writing music and riding a beat, I know there are people that can just come and flow and flow and flow better than Clinton Wayne. But there is no one in the world that can ride a beat better than I can, who can put a song together better than I can. I got a special gift, it's a gift from God, I got that voice that's not only appealing to West Coast, but to Northern people and Southern people. I'm trying to go major with it and put my coast back on man!


Dubcnn: I think we've pretty much went through everything, is there anything else that you would like to let everybody know?

Yeah man, the homeboy F Major is my producer, he's putting it down, quit sleeping on him! All you artists hit him up, cop the beats, cause the prices about to go up pretty soon! Jazzy management man, we're coming through, I appreciate everything Jazzy has done for me. Dubcnn, that's my site right there, I appreciate all the love ya'll have given to me, and expect this "Regal Muzik" album to come soon, and it's going to be for free download. I'm going to still sell it but I'ma drop it for free first. Everyone showing me love on the webpages, hit my MySpace, hit me up on the chatboards, show me love cause we're about to take over the game homie!


Dubcnn: Alright man. To end it off... I feel like dubcnn was the first site to be up on one of the hottest new cats coming out, and hopefully we won't be the only site putting you on. Hopefully man, soon, I'ma have to call your manager or your lawyer or something to get at you cause you're going to be so hard to reach! I'ma be like "Damn! I can't even get at Clinton Wayne no more!"

Ah nah! *laughs* You already got the numbers man! *laughs*


Dubcnn: I appreciate you taking the time to do the interview with us.

Yeah fa shux homie! Anytime! Barstow Cal! I gotta give it up, I'm the king of the desert, let everybody know that! King of the desert, Clinton Wayne! I appreciate you doing this interview, and in a couple of weeks "Regal Muzik" is going to drop, I'ma change the game homie!



 

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