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JELLY ROLL (February
2005) | Interview By: Nima
Dubcnn had the great opportunity to do
a second interview with producer extraordinaire Jelly Roll. We spoke to him
back in December 2004, and now we have a follow up interview with the visuals
behind it. During this twenty minute video interview we spoke about his J-day
compilation, Gain Green and the movement, upcoming mixtape with DJ Warrior,
singing aspirations, future production, and much more. Jelly Roll also blessed
my ears with numerous tracks from his J-day compilation. Dubcnn also has a
gallery of photographs courtesy of Siri Khalsa and MIA Digital Photography.
Feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to
Justin@dubcnn.com
Huge thanks to Jelly Roll for taking time out to answer the questions fans
wanted to know!
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Dubcnn: We're here with west coast
producer Jelly Roll, and he's speaking with DUBCNN today. Why don't you give a
brief introduction of yourself before we start off.
Hey, this is big Jelly Roll. This is how we doing it. Producer extraordinaire.
Get in and get ran over. Get on, get with it or get bulldozed over, you know
that's how we doing it. West coast, midwest keeping it rolling.
Dubcnn: The last that we spoke to you, you were still looking for a label. Are
there any updates on that situation?
Well right now as far as that, yeah, well actually yeah.... No I really can't
speak on it, but you know its Gain Green. It's a lot of good things going on
for us right now. We just going to leave it like that, but GG! Big up Gain
Green.
Dubcnn: Why don't you tell us a little about Gain Green.
Well you know Gain Green. It's a movement. It's everything. Gain Green
Supreme. It's the label. It's the mission. All the fellas. We got Young
Stress, one of the first off the label. Holla, big ups, that's how we doing
it.
Dubcnn: You're producing the new single for Olivia called "Twist It" . In the
previous interview you were really anxious to work with the G-Unit camp, so
how does it feel to be able to work with them now?
Well actually man, that was a cool situation, but it was like they let me deal
with that on the outside, but I had a chance to get on the inside to mix the
record. So that was big, to be able to get with Sha Money and D Prosper. Big
up G-Unit.
Dubcnn: You're also producing for Sam Scarfo, Jay-Z's newest signing on Def
Jam. What was it like working with him, and what can people expect from that
work together?
That nigga tight. That nigga said something, that nigga said a rhyme, I don't
know if they going to keep the song, but that nigga said something about
"Riding with my hood lolo." That's just the hood pretty girl, so I've been
using that every time, so that niggas dope. He going to be putting a good
damper in the game. A footstep. He hard.
Dubcnn: When can we expect that to come out ?
I do believe this summer some time, if I'm not mistaken. If not this summer,
this fall, I do believe. That niggas dope.
Dubcnn: What's going on with your "J-Day" compilation? What can the listeners
expect from that album?
J-day. I ain't never stop working on that. I guess I be doing myself too hard,
but not really because the time is now. I didn't want to just get that and put
it out without the name. My name being hot at least, and all my artists being
hot, as well as people knowing to expect them fuckin with me. So that way it
makes the pot a whole lot bigger. We looking at it, we just say coming soon to
a theater near you.
Dubcnn: You have a mixtape coming out this summer hosted by DJ Warrior. Why
don't you let the fans know about that too.
Well actually man, that's pretty dope man because that's something that them
guys wanted to do, as far as DJ Warrior, and one of my managers, 'Double R',
Russell Reddeaux. So it's like I big up that situation. It's good when you got
people in your corner that can see the other side of the game for you, so that
way it makes it easier. That way when its time for you to do your thing, all
you got to do is just, shit, take notes sometimes, and just do what other
niggaz bring to you. I'm looking at it like that's something that they
bringing to me. I'm ready to do it, so we just going roll out. We just going
to do it.
Dubcnn: Are there any updates on your work with Mami Gun?
Well right now, I do believe, she's in the middle of a deal right now at this
moment. That's always open and always up in the air. We're going to big up
that situation too. We're just working out the little kinks in it. Once them
kinks get worked out, it's back to normal.
Dubcnn: What other sort of future production can we look forward to seeing?
The Heat Chambers, you got... because we a team. It's basically a team of my
brothers and my cousins, it's a family thing. We got Blaqtoven. which he had
been in the game, I always speak on my brother. So Blaqtoven, we got my other
brother Jovy Lynn aka Swoll Vell, we got my cousin Loose. so its like The
production team is hot. Then I got a couple of cats that I'm interested in
like Chords, he's a young cat coming up. He's comes from up under that... I
guess you can say Focus from over there, like the nigga dope. So I got my eye
on that kid too. You can expect a lot of good things coming as far as Heat
Chambers is concerned
Dubcnn: You've produced for a wide range of artists like Jadakiss, DJ Quik,
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Olivia. How would you explain your ability to work
with different regions and different sounds of hip hop ?
I used to make myself stay in the studio and didn't come out. It was just
like... I try to learn how to practice to be different, so I guess, shit...
it's a blessing honestly because you know it's a producers dream to be able to
work with everybody that he gets a chance to work with but be different. It's
okay to have a sound and something that signifies you and who you are, but
it's also good to work with emotion and feeling, and whatever that feeling is,
just bring it out. If you're working with feeling, it's going to be different
every time.
Dubcnn: How was it growing up in Oklahoma in the Midwest? How was the move to
California after that?
It was big. Actually we were nomadic, we lived all over. So it's like going
back and finishing growing up there, that was like a blessing because I guess
That's where the biggest part of my life began, so big up to Tulsa, Oklahoma,
North side, Denver Block. I really appreciate that grind, because without that
grind, I guess I would have never even knew who I was from the beginning, so I
big up Tulsa.
Dubcnn: When you moved to California, Did the change in environment affect you
in any way?
No, because I did the same shit. No, because I really came out here doing the
same crap. I came out here off the same bullshit I was on back home. Different
place, same thing, just stick to yourself, I was alright.
Dubcnn: What are your thoughts on the current unity that is happening on the
west coast right now, with many artists putting aside all their conflicts, and
starting to work together once again.
Man that motherfuckers do that shit for real ... Them niggaz is faking. I'm
going to keep it real man. It's like certain niggaz you know, certain niggaz
is down with it, and you know there's other niggaz that ain't down with it .
But it's from hood, its from a hood stand of view. It's like damn, it's like
shit, nigga cant leave the hood out of it my nig. A lot of niggas weed
themselves out of shit anyways, so fuck it, the one that's doing it, it's up
to them to really do it and open it up for the rest of us. I don't mind them
cats doing it, but don't just clog up the drain. But I don't really see things
getting along. Life is life. People don't get along all the time. I really
don't see that. I don't see it because a lot of people didn't come. It was a
few people.. I mean a lot of people came..a few heads that was important that
should been there, that wasn't there, so it's like come on. Where is it? I
don't see it. As far as they take it, I hope it works out. If not, I'm blessed
I still get to maneuver.
Dubcnn: You showcased your singing on the "Saturday Night Live" and "Criminal
Set" video. In a recent interview, you said you wanted to become an artist and
start singing. Do you feel that producers often do not get enough recognition
as artists?
I'm in and out with that. I want to be one, but I don't want to be one, but I
do, but I don't, but I don't, but I do. It's like I don't know, that was a
blessing because it's like everybody want to for sure express everything that
they got within themselves. Whatever they know how to do, everybody really
want to get it out. I look at that as a beginning sometimes, a lot of the
times. I've been producing for so long, and there's so much I haven't
conquered doing this yet. It's like damn, if I just be an artist, who knows
would I still get the chance to sit down the way I like sitting down and
producing. I'm like in and out with that situation, but I'm going to give it
all I got on "J-Day". We'll go from there. "J-Day" going to set it up.
Dubcnn: You come from a family with a lot of musical influence, like your
brother Blaqtoven. You started singing in your youth during church. Why don't
you tell us a little about that, just like your youth experience with music.
I guess a lot of people start from a church background because religion that's
something, that's something in the urban culture that we practice heavily,
whether Christianity or Muslim or whatever, that's something that we strive on
to practice heavy. You have church background for sure, my uncle is in Gap
Band. I grew up with that around me, all my life so far and they still doing
it. You got band, you got mom, my pops. My mom, my pops. My moms and pops
teaching us how to get down early. For sure the background is very musical.
Dubcnn: You've described your musical style as a gumbo like mixture. What sort
of musical styles do you draw from, and how do you put it all together ?
I don't know man, but you know, I added a second part to my name. I'm now
Jelly Roll aka Ape Man. I'm going Ape Man on niggaz. I guess.. I don't know,
it's still a gumbo. I like everything. I like everything, but the music with
feeling and emotions, and the artists that know how to get in with themselves
to express and give us what we want to hear about them. That's the shit that I
like. You got niggaz like Game, I love that record. You got niggaz like
Anthony Hamilton. You got producers like Just Blaze that make other artists
get on their music and feel they shit to where you going to openly feel the
artists anyways. There's a lot of shit out there that make me go in the zone.
Music is beautiful right now '05, so shit everybody keep it up, because you
all got me working.
Dubcnn: You've worked with some of the best in the industry. What are some of
the most fondest memories just working with the people?
Fondest memories? Wow I say doing "Hard on the Boulevard" and that never got
to come out, with D R and Snoop Dogg. That was real big, that's like I guess
"The Wash", "Hard on the Boulevard", "The Wash". Doing that video and doing
the making of the video with MTV. I mean it was big, they blocked off
Hollywood Boulevard, two day video shoot. It was hot shit so I guess that's
one of the biggest moments, besides shit, X, X to the Z. Being on the road
with X, because that opened up a lot of shit for me. I've been all over,
Australia, Hawaii, Guam, Manila, like a lot of places with Xzibit. Xzibit man,
Xzibit. He's a monster too, X to the Z. Big up X to the Z, Strong Arm Steady
Gang, Krondon, Phil Da Agony, Mitchy Slick, you all niggaz already know, Will
Blast, Reese Cup, Big Al. What's crackin?
Dubcnn: Where do you hope to take the direction of west coast hip hop music &
how do you hope to make an impact?
Wherever they let me. Wherever they let me take it, I'm going to take it
because I've been working hard and I'm ready. Whatever direction they allow me
to let them stir they ass up with, I'm going to give it to them and stir their
ass up. Period.
Dubcnn: As an artist and producer, you have to encounter many trials and
tribulations to realize success. What are some of the sacrifices that you have
made to keep your career moving?
Number one like everybody, let your woman go. That's bad, but let your woman
go my nig, Relationships at the beginning of your career is very very hard to
do. Big ups to cats that know how to keep that going. I wasn't that strong. I
only knew how to do music good, and be in the studio and do that well. I
didn't know how to have a relationship even though I was in one for five years
but i still didn't know how to do that good as I know how to do this music my
nig. So well it's like shit, relationship which is love which is the biggest
thing we need the most. I guess the love is the biggest thing I gave up my
nig. My woman, everything else is what it is.
Dubcnn: What are some of the most important lessons that life has taught you
so far?
Just be focused. Be focused at whatever you set your mind to do. Whatever your
heart is set on to do, as long as your mind is working with it, like a
machine, you going to be alright. You'll be able to do whatever you got to do.
Just stay focused. If you work hard, play hard because it makes sense. If you
work hard and you don't play hard, you're going to make yourself miserable. So
work hard and play hard, it makes a lot of sense. That's why you work hard, so
you can play hard. Work hard, play hard.
Dubcnn: Putting music and your profession aside, and speaking candidly, what
do you hope to accomplish in life?
To be one of the man amongst the men. One of the greatest man amongst the
greatest of men. I want to be one of the best. One of the best amongst the
best of the best. I don't really look at it like no man is better than nobody
but I look at it like it is a group of individuals that know how to stand out
and be who they need to be. That's what Jelly Roll want to be. J. Roll aka Ape
Man. I'm going to stand up and be one of the man next to the man next to the
man next to the best next to the best. That's where I'm going.
Dubcnn: Do you have anything else you want to share with the fans before we
end this interview?
Yup. Big up to everybody in my corner. I wasn't going to say nothing at first.
but I'm like you know what, it's all good because a lot of good things have
been happening for me these days. It's very important that you have the right
people in your corner to play ball with. Big up to my staff, to everybody that
I got right now. Hopefully it all stay crisp and we keep it rolling, up in the
club, and we doing it, we keep it cracking. Peace to my brothers, everybody,
all the homeboys, GG, Gain Green, Heat Chambers, the Movement, Crimees. It's
so much, you can ask me so many questions, but its just like, I could have
just talked about so much because you know J-day is going to open up doors for
a lot. That's like one of the biggest things right now that I feel I got to
get off my plate especially from my artists here. Big up to Crimees, A-B,
Super V, Joe Vell, Swoll Vell, You know I'm making him rap too, he feeling it.
My little brother is dope as a motherfucker. Big up to Jelly Roll aka Ape Man.
Let's do it.
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Video: Jelly
Roll Video Interview
Dubcnn Shoutout:
Video:
Jelly Roll Video Shoutout
Jelly Roll Photo Gallery (Courtesy of Siri Khalsa and MIA Digital
Photography):
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