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interview CROOKED I (April 2003) | Interview By: Nima

      
Dubcnn.com got the chance to chat with "Death Row Inmate," Crooked I. In this indepth interview he spoke to us about his past work, future plans, the deal with DPG, Snoop, Death Row, Murder Inc, his opinion on the westcoast and much, much more! As always we have both the transcript and the audio for you to check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: nima@dubcnn.com

 

Huge thanks to Crooked I for taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview was done by phone on April 10th 2003)

Questions Asked By : Nima

Crooked I Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Interview In Audio : Here

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dubcnn.com : If you could start your whole career again, would you make the same moves?

If I could... uhh, yeah, I probably would man, because you know I took the long way around man, alotta times you can get on quicker by riding certain peoples nuts that got a position, but I never was down to do no shit like that so I picked the long way around, and you know, that's the kinda dude I am. I'd do the same thing I did right now man.


dubcnn.com : On Big C-Styles compilations, you spit some of the tightest verses I've heard..Do you think you still got that hunger in you?

Aw man! Fo sho, you know what I'm sayin!! It don't stop! We starvin man and you gotta keep that hunger up, you gotta keep your sores sharp, gotta keep the love for the game, you know what I mean? And just work on your skills.


dubcnn.com : Will we see you working with any of the artists from 19th Street Compilation again?

I mean, you know there's still artists I still talk to from those compilations and stuff that we did, so I'm pretty sure we will in the future. My homeboy J Money and McGruff, they was on a few songs from that compilation, and we plannin' on doin' some things in the future, so yeah, most definitely, we gone doin' some stuff.


dubcnn.com : You should hook up with the Low Lifes again.

*laughs* The Low Lifes!

I mean I know shit isn't cool with Bad Azz right now, but the others..

dubcnn.com : Yeah the other ones, yeah I mean I know some cats, and anythings possible, you know what I mean? I'm still the same young crooked, no matter what!


dubcnn.com : What about the Wake Up Show? Will we see you on the show again?

Ah yeah, fo sho! I was recently on their show, couple weeks back. I'm always gone keep close ties with them, they my peoples man, we just do it like that man, so you know I'ma go back on there when my album drops man. I'ma come with about 20 freestyles, cause you know they don't let you get away with just a interview or something. *laughs*


dubcnn.com : Did you have 2nd thoughts about hooking up with Tha Row after hearing how other artists have departed from the label?

Nah, you know what I mean, because I'm the type of person that, I wanna experience shit myself, I'm not gone go of what I hear, cause I know alotta things are.. you know alotta fake stories are fabricated, man you never knows what's real, you know what I mean? There's always two sides of every story. So you know, I was excited! I mean you know, Death Row, dynasty, West Coast Dynasty who wouldn't wanna be a part of that?


dubcnn.com : Are you scared of havin' the same destiny as the other artists and leaving Death Row soon?

I mean, nah, alotta these artists they wouldn't be who they are today if it wasn't for Death Row, you understand? I mean if it wasn't for Death Row, you don't know what these artists would be. I got alotta homeboys who are just as tight or tighter than people who were on Death Row, and they can't get a record deal like that, you know what I mean? They should be thanking' their lucky stars that they got on at the Row.


dubcnn.com : If Tha Row wouldn't exist, what label would you be on?

If Death Row didn't exist? What label would I be on... I'd be on Bad Guy Records! I'd have my own label! *laughs*


dubcnn.com : Did Dr. Dre really offer you a contract with Aftermath?

Well you know, me and him discussed some things, you know what I'm sayin', me and my homeboy Big C-Style, we rolled up in there one time, you know we holla'd at him, and he expressed interest in me bein' over there, or him executive producin' my project you know. That was then you know what I mean, and uhh..

dubcnn.com : So you weren't really interested...

Well you know at the time, I was tryin' to get up there to see Suge, you know what I mean, cause he was incarcerated at the time, which would have been my first choice of course, because there's a pattern over there man.. I did some things on the King Tee project when he was on Aftermath, and I saw that project gettin shelved, and I didn't think that Aftermath was really ready to get behind a West Coast artist. If he was serious about his offers, cause it never came to paperwork, but if he was serious about working with me, I don't know what they was gonna do with a WestCoast artist, because I felt King Tee had a bangin' album, and they just put it on the shelf, you know?


dubcnn.com : I heard Tha Row changed the name back to Death Row.. how come?

Well you know, Death Row, Tha Row, you know what I'm sayin, it's all the same man! It's Death Row at first, it's always been Tha Row which was abbreviated, now it's Death Row again, I feel it's all the same, I know that Suge was a little frustrated that he took the name to put a more positive light on the label, and you still got 175 police kickin' in our doors, and be at our houses and record labels. So it's like ok, you wanna do it like that, back to the raw shit again!


dubcnn.com : Who else is signed to Death Row Records right now?

Uhm you got Eastwood, you got Spider, Gail Gotti and Virginya Slim who make up the Red Bones, you got Danny Boy, you got Kurupt, we got some cats over there.. We got producers Jim Gettum, you got Darren Vegas, Monster O, we got Ambassador Kash, you know what I'm sayin, we just gotten new people and we tryna focus on the new faces in the industry to blow up so the West Coast can keep drivin' in the same direction as it's been goin'. We sick of all these old niggas tryna hold it down, it's time for somebody to move out the way!


dubcnn.com : Do you believe Tha Row can return to its former greatness?

I do! But it all depends on what you call former greatness.. If it's album sales, or is it material, you know what I mean?

dubcnn.com : Both of it, the whole era from '92 to '96..

I mean, I think so, I look at it just like the Lakers.. When Magic and Kareem held it down, they went for five years, now Kobe and Shack on their third one, you know? So I think anything is possibe, and I think we puttin' in the typa work that it takes to make a label a dynasty again, so we gone see what's up!


dubcnn.com : What was your reaction when you heard Kurupt is coming back?

Oh that was cool, you know what I mean, I was kinda happy man, because you know, he been out there, he looked out there, he went out he had deals here and there, and he came back home, you know? And I was cool with that, no doubt, plus that's pretty cool for the artists around, so they get a chance to work in a studio with somebody who's seen it all happen before you know what I mean? And that's a big inspiration for the new roster.


dubcnn.com : Don't you wish the beef between Death Row and the DPG Clique wouldn't exist so ya'll could hook up on some music?

I mean you know, that's the problem with the whole West Coast, it ain't really just the beef between that, it's so many different beefs goin' on that we don't what typa music could possible be made! If I'm beefin' wit Nate Dogg, and DJ Quik is beefin' wit Death Row, then it's like you'll never know what a Crooked I featuring Nate Dogg is gone sound like produced by DJ Quik you feel me? And that's where we miss out on alotta shit, that's where we miss out. But you know, that's been the West Coast way of life forever homie, you know Gang Bangin', separation, independence, you know? We don't have a problem with not liking somebody *laughs* That ain't nuthin'!


dubcnn.com : What was your first thought after hearin' Pimp Slapp'd?

Aw man I was pissed off, you know what I'm sayin', I didn't appreciate it because first I recorded a whole album and didn't really say nothin' about that dude at all, on my whole album! I said absolutely nothin' about him, you know what I'm sayin'. And then hear him refer to all the artists on the label as crumbs off his table and to say "tell your artists to shut up i'll fuck 'em up" you know, it really pissed me off! Cause it's like I already know what you doin', you a coward, so you gone try to involve others, so others will be involved in your beef, so that way you can get your cavalry, and then you can stay behind all your people while they on the frontline gettin' fucked up for you, and then try to get some other people to get fucked up, while you sit back in your mansion and shit, and don't go out in the war yourself, you know what I'm sayin'? Cause if he had directed it directly at Suge, who he had a problem with, and then handle it like a man between him and Suge, he woulda get his ass kicked! So, say they do sign wavers, and go on Howard Stern or Pay Per View and box it out! He gone get his ass beat! He don't want that, so what he gone do is, throw rocks at the whole label, get the whole label to bust back so then his homies will be like "well we can't let them do that" and step up for him! You know it's a tactic, you know what I mean? It was a tactic, but it was a cowardly tactic. You know who you got beef wit, go handle it, be a man! You ain't no man? You wanna pimp slap us? We got the Slap Back on my album, and that's all I'ma say about that cause he can't handle me on the microphone..

dubcnn.com : Who produced the Slap Back?

Darren Vegas..

dubcnn.com : What exactly is the content of the song?

The content of the song is simple, why you talkin' about Crooked when Crooked ain't said shit to you, now Crooked ready to smash you! That's the whole content.. The whole content is, you shouldn't have never ever picked on Young Crooked, you shoulda let a sleepin' dogg lie, you know? Because I was bein' a man about it, I be recordin' a whole album without even talkin' about the dude cause I ain't have nuttin' to do wit what happened in the past, I'm tryna be the future of Death Row! So I ain't have nuttin' to do wit what was goin' on in the past, so I hang, I'm steppin' outta that.. Of course I ride with Suge 100%, but Suge was like "yeah man, that ain't yo beef, that's my beef" you know what I mean? So when the dude try to include me and the rest of the label mates, all right hold on! And he kept talkin' in interviews, and in the media, he kept viewing negative words, he was on BET he went as far as to say his job is to sink our whole label. Hold on you sink my label you takin' food off my table! I know what he's tryna do he's tryna sell his lil album, you know? But the thing is, that's the wrong campaign you know? But we'll see what happens, that was just round 1, Pimp Slapp'd, we gone see bout round 2, I don't think there will be a round 3.


dubcnn.com : Have you heard about Tha Row Killa album that Daz Dillinger is supposed to put out?

Yeah I heard about it, but that's all I keep doin' is hearin' about it, you know what I'm sayin'.. So.. we'll see!


dubcnn.com : Will we ever hear your album that was supposed to come out way back called Untouchable?

Yup! Remember how Nas released The Lost Tapes? I finna do that, right after we drop the Say Hi To The Bad Guy!

dubcnn.com : That's tight! And can you tell us some of the songs on there?

Yeah, some cats.. I may leave the vocals from some dudes, who we ain't even gettin' along with.. Like Daz, he's on the album, you know what I'm sayin? Few other things man.. It's gone be a treat! *laughs*


dubcnn.com : What is gonna be on that WestCoastanostra Vol. 1 mixtape you're putting out?


Oh yeah, we just came together man, it's a combination of freestyles, of songs, unreleased you know what I'm sayin', brand new shit.. I wanted to put something together for the people that have been waitin' on my album patiently, and you know just give 'em something, so I'ma throw it on the Internet, and let them download it crazy, you know what I mean? And I'ma make about 10, 20 thousand copies and just spread them in High Schools, College Campuses, and you know, Hip Hop Spots and let it hit the streets like that!

dubcnn.com : And is the whole Death Row roster gonna be on it?

Nah!! I took it to the head man! I wanted to do it with everybody, but we went inside the studio, and man we just knocked it out so quick, nobody got a chance to get down! *laughs* So you know, we gonna do Volume 2, Volume 3, so you know Tha Row, and that's gonna be with Tha Row on it, I probably won't even be on it, but I'll be hostin' it and let the others get down..


dubcnn.com : Yeah it seems like the West Coast artists are majorly gettin' into the mixtape business, do you think mixtapes are a good way to promote?

Yeah I think they are! They been doin' it out in the East of course, and I think they are a good way, the East Coast system is kinda cool, because if you get hot on a mixtape out there, it's possible that a record company will have a bidding war over you, and you can get a record deal that way. Out here we don't have that system, so it's just mixtape shit that blows up cats that are unsigned, to get a opportunity to get major record companies lookin' at them, and considerin' signin' them, you know what I mean? So I'm diggin' that!


dubcnn.com : Do you think the Dysfunkional Family soundtrack could've been any better?

The Dysfunktional Family? I mean the soundtrack is bangin' man! There's something for everybody you know, once you have a compilation like that, it's gonna be pretty tough to please everybody, because for one, there is so many different music styles on one piece of work, and so cats that don't like RnB will not wanna hear that Ashanti joint, and the cats that loves RnB and don't like Hard core hiphop, might not wanna hear that Crooked I joint you know what I mean? So it's gone be hard to please everybody, but all in all, I think the soundtrack is good man, I think it's dope and it's worth checkin' out!


dubcnn.com : Why did you remix Still Tha Row, considering that the original mix is much better?

*laughs* I'ma tell you! We still got the original mix too, so that's the gutter mix.. We got vinyl, DJ's got it, we just gave 'em two looks on that, like "hear we gone put two versions out man, cause we have made both versions" and we like both of them! Fuck it put both of them out!

dubcnn.com : And which one is on the retail of Dysfunktional Family?

On the soundtrack? Yeah the remix version I believe will be it, I'm not sure. It may be, not sure.. I ain't even got the full soundtrack yet, I'm waitin for tuesday to go buy it!


dubcnn.com : After watchin' the Still Tha Row video, I cannot see why BET would not want to play the video... What were the exact reasons?

Well, we from Death Row.. *laughs* So they like, if we throw up West Coast as a sign, like a W, it don't mean West Coast no more, it means some typa Gangbangin, you know what I mean? Cause we from Tha Row.. If I squeeze the trigger, you know make a gesture like I'm squeezing a trigger at the camera, that means I'm re-acting what I actually did just a minute ago or something, you know what I mean.. So it's like they look at our shit under a magnifying' glass.. And it's like "hmm let me see.. oh hold on, I see somethin'!" like whatever man, uncut to me, then we shoulda just had alotta bitches with thongs on there and shit.. And that's gone be on uncut, you feel me? But you know how they do man, if somebody fall on they face, they think Death Row stuck their foot out.. *laughs*


dubcnn.com : Will we see a second single from the soundtrack?

I believe it's gone be Dysfunktional Family.. That song wit me Danny Boy and Eastwood.. We gone shoot that one man and then we gone do that one like you know, just for the ghetto man, you know cause a lot of us grew up in Dysfunctional Families, a lot of us grew up in broken homes, so a lot of people can relate to that shit.. We gone throw that out there, and then we gone serve it to the radio, with Death Row's Back, that song.


dubcnn.com : Most of the fans don't like the Murder Inc/Death Row connection, since Murder Inc is considered a Pop label by most... What do you have to say about that?

Well you know, my thing is, whenever two different people from two different coasts are able to unify in any kind of way, it's positive. You may not agree with what kinda music Murder Inc make, you may not agree with what kinda music Death Row make, you know what I'm sayin? But there you have a East Coast label, and a West Coast label united, instead of goin' at each other, so it's always positive to me, you know what I mean?


dubcnn.com : What do you think of the people who say Death Row is only using Murder Inc for exposure?

I mean, you know those are people that don't know that much about the business.. Cause if you know about the business, then you might say Murder Inc is usin' Death Row for exposure *laughs* If you knew about the business, in the industry, it don't matter if we don't put out one thing. The legacy is so well respected, that we don't have to use nobody for nuthin' man! We go to New York, we walk straight in the clubs, when people that's from there gotta wait outside. When we hit the radio, the program director comes and greets us with Cristal, you know what I'm sayin'? I mean, what they put down in the '90's, in the early '90's is so humongous that us usin' somebody right now doesn't seem logic.


dubcnn.com : Oh and by the way, how many people's bitches have you fucked in the hot shower for a hot hour? Cause you been sayin' that in quite a lot of freestyles...

*laughs*.. What... Yeah, man.. You said I say it on alotta freestyles..

dubcnn.com : Yeah you used the same lines in all kinda freestyles on TV Shows and all..

Oh yeah, well you know, that ain't a freestyle, that's just a rap.

dubcnn.com : Why do they call it a freestyle then?

Well you know, in New York, there's a difference term for freestyle.. Freestyle don't mean off the head.. Freestyle mean a rap, that is talking about no particular subject.. And then there's other places like on the West, where it means off the head flowed, that you're makin up, you're improvisin'.. So freestyle has many different meanings dependin' on who and what region you from! Because I lived on the East Coast for a little while, as a youngster.. And when they used to say freestyle, I would always think that they was talkin' off the head, but they weren't! They were just talking about a rap, that didn't have no particular subject matter.. You could be talking about fucking a bitch in one line, and talkin' about hittin' the corner in another line. It isn't a story, you feel me? Hip Hop one on one, a little education *laughs*

dubcnn.com : But can you freestyle? Like the West Coast way of freestyle?

Of course! Of course I can! This is what I do man.. I started this when I was six years old! And I'm still doin' it to this day, you know what I mean? This is what I do, this is what I love, so I'ma be able to do everything.. Crooked I can scratch, Crooked I can beatbox, Crooked I can freestyle, Crooked I can write songs, Crooked I can do Graffiti, Crooked I can do anything that has to do with Hip Hop! That's why we puttin' together this mixtape.. Because we wanna show all the people who are out there how a real west coast MC is supposed to be! Cause right now, you don't hear alotta cats, that's doin' nuthin' but the same shit on the West Coast.. The West Coast is sleepin'.. to me! In years I've been seein' the same dudes, you know?


dubcnn.com : Alotta people consider you the future of the West Coast.. is it hard to meet those expectations?

It ain't hard for me, because that's on them! If people like my shit, then I'm lovin' that, like me, walkin' through the hood, and somebody sayin' I really dug what you did, that to me is like winnin' a grammy, you feel me? If they love it, then I love it, you know! I understand I can't please everybody in this world, no way, so you know you're gone have the people lovin' it and you gone have the haters! As far as bein' the future of the West Coast man, I don't think no other MC on the coast is worthy to be up for that challenge as I am, considerin' my track record. I mean everything I touched down on, I put my heart and soul into, I still stay up till 5 or 6 in the mornin' perfectin' my style and writin', and perfectin' my track, you know what I'm sayin'? I still lose sleep in the studio, tryna make the hottest shit that I can, to put the whole coast on my back! I'm ready, and I could go anywhere, texas, I could go anywhere, to the East Coast, Down South, it really don't matter, and I can rep this W to the fullest, probably better than anybody else can!


dubcnn.com : What makes you "every artist Suge signed in one rapper"?

Well you know, that's just some braggin' shit.. *laughs* But at the same time, when you really think about it, that statement was just tryna say that Crooked I is a little bit of everythang, you know what I mean? Don't fix and hold me into like "he's a storyteller", "he's a player, pimp a ho type rapper", "ok he's a lyrical battler", don't do that I'm all that!! I'm all that, I'm not in the game to do nuthin' but lead the league in as many departments as I can. I mean I work hard dude, and when I grab the microphone I want that to show!


dubcnn.com : Now on to your own solo album... why has it been delayed so many times?

Well you know, alotta things been goin' on, I was signed to Death Row while he [Suge] was still incarcerated, you know what I'm sayin? And we had done a whole album, then when he got out, it's like "let's make some new shit!" cause you know we were happy you got out! Let's do some shit, let's live the whole experience over again, you know what I mean? So we went into the studio and did that, but then it was kinda good that it did get pushed back, because alotta things had gone down since the time that it was supposed to come out, as far as, alotta love lost between me and former Long Beach MCs that I used to consider my cool peers, you know what I mean? Alotta other things goin' on as far as the war, as far as L.A. bein' the murder capital of the world in 2002, as far as the new police chief in L.A. that's tryin to use profiling, racial profilin', you know, incarcerate all the youngsters, and the terrorist acts where they tryna label people as terrorists so they can go and take their rights from 'em, and you know, lock you up with no lawyer, no nothin', don't even tell you why you locked up, you know what I mean? So many things have happened that I had to touch on that shit. I'ma be in the club, I'ma be havin' some shit that the strippers can make their ass clap to and all that, but at the same time I have to touch on them kinda things, I feel like its my duty since I know that alotta young people pickin' up these albums, and somebody need to spit a lil game at them, show some concern for what's goin' on, you know what I mean? So I'm not mad it got pushed back, cause it allowed me to touch on alotta things that may have not been touched on, had it not been.


dubcnn.com : How have you kept patience during this waiting period?

Nah man, because the thing about it is, I wanna succeed, you know what I mean? I'm on a mission dude, I mean you know it ain't just tryna bring home a platinum plaque and bein' a star and gettin' my dick sucked by a groupie you know what I mean? That ain't what it's all about with me. I wanna be mentioned in the Top 5 who ever did it period! When it's all said and done and I'm on my third album, whatever album, I wanna be mentioned in the Top 5 of the best who ever did it period, you know what I'm sayin'? When you on a serious mission like that to get respect in tha game and to provide quality music, when you on that kinda mission, you understand that timin' is everything! So you know, I ain't mad, I'm still here, I'm still hungry, I'm still spittin', you know what I'm sayin', I still do my thing, I had the patience, and it don't hurt to have a big cheque in your pocket neither *laughs*


dubcnn.com : How did you come up with the name "Say Hi To The Bad Guy"?


Well you know basically man, everything I do kinda got a little political edge on it, cause you know I grew up in the gutter, I'm from the real ghetto, and everything I do has like a political edge to it, Say Hi To The Bad Guy is me. Over the past ten years I've fed myself off the rap game, hustlin', compilations, writin' for people, all that. I ain't had a album or a video out but I've always been in BMW's Navigators 24's, 20's you know what I'm sayin, always! So if I was seventeen, you pull up next to somebody in Beverly Hills, and you're in a 500, and you're Rims is still spinnin' at the light, people don't like that! They look at you like a piece of trash and you don't deserve to be in it! So I'm makin' all the motherfuckers Say Hi To The Bad Guy when they see me next door to them in Bel Air, with a house in Beverly Hills, wave at me! Cause I'm here, and I'm representin' the ghetto.


dubcnn.com : Can you describe us Say Hi To The Bad Guy?

The album man, it's gone be a rollercoaster man, I want it to be an experience, I want it to be an exprerience man and the album is like back to back to back to back to back quality music man, it's still dudes that gotta drop french fries in a hot grease for a week to go and get my album, you know what I mean? And I'm not tryna rob them, like I'm not tryna walk in the studio, blaze up a blunt drink some muthafuckin gin, and then go freestyle of the head onto a CD and there's a song, go to the next one. Cause that's robbery man, that's like Picasso goin' up to his picture and just throwin' paint on it, you know and then go "that's a work of art". That ain't no work of art man, so I wanna just on this album, raise the bar lyrically for the West Coast too, cause I love the Coast you know what I'm sayin', if you cut me I'ma bleed L.A. county, you feel me? But I gotta raise the bar out here man, dudes ain't sayin' shit, dudes is sayin' the same things you know what I mean? I buy all West Coast music cause I gotta support my people, and then I can't even ride to the shit, you know what I'm sayin? Sayin' the same ass shit and the same fashion, on the same beats, it's like man if we don't make this music progress, the West is gone be through!


dubcnn.com : Are we gonna see lyrical stuff like on the 19th Street compilation, or more baller and player type of stuff that was on the soundtrack.

Well you gone see a mixture of all of it, you know what I'm sayin. Like I mean, the baller and player stuff, I'ma have to disagree on Still Tha Row, because I haven't heard anybody mention Marcus Garvey in a rap song, you feel me? In ten years. So I'm tryna make a little young dude say "who the hell is Marcus Garvey?" and then go find out and learn something.


dubcnn.com : Nah what I meant was, the vibe was different on the soundtrack than it was back then with Big C-Style.

Well, the vibe on the Say Hi To The Bad Guy is gone be raw! Wait till you hear the mixtape! When you hear the mixtape, then you gone say "ohhh okay" *laughs* We not gone play on the mixtape man, so you know, the vibe is definitely goin' to be raw, but it's gone be a good song for everybody, I just try to create something because you know, alotta times you heard Crooked I, you heard 16 bars and that was it, I was featured on peoples songs. I'm tryin' to make full, entire songs man, I'm tryna take people somewhere and let you know who I am, you know what I'm sayin'? That people know how I grew up, what type of opinions and views I have, I'm tryna let the people know me on the album.


dubcnn.com : Will the 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted remix be on there?

Yeah, we gone put that on there man, cause that's a banger, you know what I'm sayin', and it's always a privilege, to get down with a legend. And I wouldn't have felt right if I had not met his mother, and chopped it with her, talked to her about it and all that kinda stuff so, it's all good man!


dubcnn.com : Do you think that you ripped it better than Snoop Dogg?

Nah, see my thing is man, I let people judge shit. Cause me as a consumer, I'ma judge shit when I hear it, so I'ma let the consumers judge it. If they say man you ripped that dude, you overshined him, then hey that's what it is to that particular person. I don't go in the booth like "I finna rip this dude", tryna outshine him. I go in booth tryna be better than the last time I stepped in the booth. I'm only tryna be better than my former self, I ain't tryna be better than this dude, that dude, that dude, it's a little different. But that's a reason why alotta these young cats ain't come up in the game right now, because they go in the booth, then the dude outside of the booth say "damn you ripped Snoop!" And then Snoop say "aw shit I gotta take him off that song because he's outshinin' me" you feel me? And now a young cat that got a whole lotta talent get X'd off a song, and don't get the opportunity man, that's how it go!


dubcnn.com : Who will we see on there as far as production and guest appearances go?

Ok production is gone be a lot in-house, you know Darren Vegas, Jim Gettum, Monster-O and Ambassador Kash. We got some dudes from Atlanta that's called the Track Team, they gone touch down on there, you know what I'm sayin', a couple times, they got hot shit! And then, as far as guest appearances go, I'm not at liberty to say all of them, so I'ma just say it like this. You gone have East Coast presence, you gone have Down South presence, and the West Coast presence is gone be myself and everybody on Death Row, cause we feel like we the West Coast.

dubcnn.com : And who is gone be on it as far as East Coast and Down South go?

I don't have the liberty to say it right now, but just now that when the time comes, I think we dropping this summer, so before then we'll do another interview and I'll tell you everybody on there.

dubcnn.com : I guess we'll see Murder Inc on there right?

Uhm, it's possible, it's possible, you know what I mean? Not as of now, but it's possible.


dubcnn.com : Do you think Death Row will be able to give you the right promotion to blow up?

Well you know, that's the good thing about it, cause if I don't, I can always blame it on the promotion *laughs* You know I ain't tripping man, I ain't trippin.. Just gimme a couple albums, I'll sell enough to come back again, by the way, next album called Mommas Boy the whole story, you know. I mean, just give me the opportunity to come back again and spit some more shit for the people who do like Crooked I shit you know what I mean? I ain't even trippin' on all that other shit, cause I'ma tell you somethin, man I've always been a hustler man! If I thought that rap was my only hustle and I had to blow up off of it, I'd be done and ready to cut my throat, cause most rappers go platinum and still live in a one bedroom appartement you feel me? So I can't be in it for all that, I think Death Row can do anything though, you know what I mean. We obviously movin' something, since you interviewin' me right now *laughs* You know what I mean, we did something in the game! *laughs*


dubcnn.com : Do you think Daz will be able to release an album by you like he said he would?

No. Cause I didn't record that much shit with him.. Now if he go back and try and buy songs from some guy I did something in the garage with, go and buy some other song off some dude over here, thats another story.. If he try and make a complete thing, that's too much work, he not finna do all that.. I think he's a little upset about whatever he's upset about, so you know, I been to his website, it's all wild things on that website! *laughs* And I don't think any of it is seriously though..


dubcnn.com : But does Daz have your Untouchable album?

No. No ones got it, you know what I'm sayin. That's in the vault, and anything he put out that is remotely close to it, it's gone be so distorted, it's like he musta held a tape recorder in the air while it was playin' in the studio.


dubcnn.com : I'd like to break in that Death Row vault!

*laughs* Oh that Death Row vault is vicious, you know what I'm sayin'? That Death Row vault is vicious!!


dubcnn.com : How do you fell about Daz sayin' he was thinkin' of rushin' you when you were pickin' up your kid?

Well you know, he say alotta things, you know what I'm sayin'.. But I understand that, once you smoke something that's other than Weed, you might say any damn thang! *laughs* You know what I'm sayin? You might say any damn thang in this whole word, you know. All I say is what I keep sayin', keep talkin homie!


dubcnn.com : Will we see you collaboratin' with any non deathrow artists such as Yukmouth or Tech9ne?

Man everybody been talkin' to me about Yukmouth lately! *laughs* I wonder what's up wit that, they must wanna see me and Yuk get down on something.

dubcnn.com : I wanna see you with Tech9ne, I think you and him would spit some fire together!

Man dig this, I did a song with Tech9ne where Tech9ne did the hook, I did the raps, and Snoop Dogg did a rap! Tech9ne did the hook! Produced by King Tech from Sway & Tech.

dubcnn.com : When are we gonna hear that?

Man, on the Lost Tapes *laughs* So, yeah we got shit man. Alotta people mentioned Yukmouth, and it's funny because I was on Virgin when I was 17 or 18.

dubcnn.com : I think they mentionin' Yukmouth because of that song you had with the Luniz called "Girl"

Ohh yeah! Yeah yeah! That's funny too man. Alotta people been sayin' Ras Kass also. I got down with him too, I got a song with him in the Vault.


dubcnn.com : Is it true that Death Row, Rap A Lot and Murder Inc are going to start a label together?

I don't know man, you know what I'm sayin, that's between the three of those CEO's, I understand that they got a relationship and everything's in the works, but I don't know to what. Everything is goin' down, so I really can't answer that.


dubcnn.com : What do you think of the comments DJ Quik made on 100.3 the beat?

I mean, sometimes it gets frustratin' over here though you know, because we're a different kind over here. It gets frustratin man, when.. first of all there's a beef on the West Coast. And those cats who are beefin' are in the club. There might be gunshots in a couple seconds, you feel me? On a different coast, different places, you might see cats in the club together in the club that got beef, one dude over here one dude over there and then that's it. When you're ridin' around in your own city and you can't hear own shit on the radio, it get's frustratin! From what I hear that was his main beef. I ain't hear the interview, but one of his main beefs was that West Coast artists don't receive heavy rotation on the West Coast, and that's true!

dubcnn.com : It's sad, cause DJ Quik is probably the most complete rap artist.

Well you know, the thing is, he's producin', rappin', he's doin' alot. And all that gets overlooked, you know what I'm sayin', they not even playin' him, you could get a couple spins every now and then, you know? That can frustrate a person. But uhh, that's wassup with that man.


dubcnn.com : Where do you stand as far as the Shady/After vs Murder Inc beef goes? Will be takin' sides?

Well you know, I'm a spectator. I'm just spectatin', that's basically it you know what I mean? They goin' at it man, I'm just sittin' back spectatin'.

dubcnn.com : And do you think Ja Rules diss was better or Eminem and them.

First I was leanin' towards 50 Cent, I was like damn 50 man, he gettin' in this dude! And that thing Ja Rule just dropped, he took a shit on them! So then when they came back on the Hail Mary beat, I didn't really appreciate it too much, because it was almost all 2Pac's lyrics, it wasn't original.

dubcnn.com : But that was the thing they wanted to do, they wanted to clown Ja Rule by doin' what he does..

They tryna clown Ja Rule for usin' 2pac? Well see the thing is, I understand that, right? But 50's whole verse was just Pac's lyrics. He coulda flipped it. I understand you tryna clown and all that, but to use the entire thing.. Now I'm wonderin' who's tryna be like Pac!

dubcnn.com : They had a whole mixtape though, DJ Green Lantern Vol.2.

Well I haven't heard the whole mixtape. Judgin' from the Hail Mary song, and Ja Rules last one, I'm leanin' towards Ja Rule.


Have you ever met Pac? And what do you think of him?


dubcnn.com : Did you hear Busta Rhymes verse?

Yeah I heard Busta Rhymes verse, but to me, Busta dissin' people.. I dunno.. But you know, right now those dudes are movin' a lot more than Ja is, they're hotter right now, and the public opinion is to lean towards who's hot and who's not. I'm not like that though, I'm still a consumer, I got everything in my CD changer from MOP to E-40 right now! I got every magazines and all, I'm not like that! So I just listen to the records for what they are, and me personally, I think he shit on them on that! And I'm not sayin' that for bein' on Tha Row, cause I told you, at first I was leanin' towards 50, I was like damn, 50 kinda gettin' in this dude, you know what I mean? But after hearin' that song right there, and then they played the other one back to back, them dudes wasn't sayin' nuttin, they wasn't really sayin' nothing. They were like a little more melancholy, they weren't as aggressive, it sounded like Ja was pissed off! So I really felt that, I felt the energy, and all that. Like I said I'm justa spectator. Right now I'm speakin' for Crooked I the consumer, and not Crooked I on Death Row.


dubcnn.com : Speakin' of E-40, you need to hook up with him!

Hey I'm with that, I mean 40 Water is that man, I been bangin' his shit since him and The Click dropped, you know what I'm sayin'? Way, way back, since he was on Spice 1's album! So you know, I'm definetly with that, if he ever holla'd at me, it'd go down, no problem!


dubcnn.com : Did you ever meet 2Pac?

Yeah.

dubcnn.com : What did you think of him as a person?

Yea man, cool dude man, real cool. The first time I actually met him, he was doin' a St Ides commercial wit Snoop. And that's the first time I met him and he was cool man, he was cool as fuck.


dubcnn.com : Does Suge really have J-Lo on tape having sex and if so has he seen it?

Uhh, I really don't know man.. All I can say is baby got back! *laughs*

dubcnn.com : But you haven't seen it.

Nah I haven't seen it, all I can say is baby got back. *laughs*


dubcnn.com : How much do you charge for 16 bars?

Depends on what they workin' with.

dubcnn.com : Independent artists.

Independent, major, it depends on what they workin' with. I'm they typa dude that could go and stop and the liquor store in Watts, and the dude come up to me like "man, I got a demo package, if you could get on it, it would help the record companies give me a look, I ain't got no money, but I got a studio in my lil bedroom, and I got a microphone booth in my closet". And I'm like let's go. So that's just how I am. Now if somebody come with a fat ass Universal distribution deal, and they push up on me and they say we need a verse, then I'ma be like "ok cut the check!"


dubcnn.com : What have you planned for future?

Ah man, I'm plannin' on just gettin' involved in alotta things man, as far as doin' someting for HipHop, West Coast HipHop in particular, expand it, even further than it is, I mean to me, after Suge Knight, it's Ice Cube, dudes like that that have put West Coast HipHop into the movie screens, you know what I'm sayin', they done so much! And I have that in me to try to leave my mark in the betterment of West Coast HipHop, so you'll see doin' everything man, anything that HipHop influence is close, cinema, shoes, movies, I'ma be doin' it all. I may not be sayin' that it's me, you may watchin' a movie not knowin' that's my joint. *laughs*


dubcnn.com : As a last question, how do you feel about the war in Iraq?

Uh man, I just want the troops to be able to return safely, because they're doin' their job, you know what I'm sayin', they only doin' they job. They don't have nothin' to do with the politics, if President Bush says then they gotta go, so I just want all of them to return home safely, you know what I mean? I don't agree with the politics of it, from what I see, it's a business war, over oil. And it's vendetta against the dude that didn't like yo pops! So that's what I see it as. but I'll always support the troops and I wish them all a safe return man, cause I got family members that have died, not in that wars, but in street wars and it's the same things, when the bad news come home, it hit you like a ton of bricks man, and it ain't no good for the mothers, sons and daughters, people that they're attached to, so that's how I stand on that.

dubcnn.com : Aight man, that's it for the questions..

Good lookin on havin' me though!

dubcnn.com : Thank you for takin' the time!

Aight man, that's gangsta man!

dubcnn.com : Peace




 

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