KRUSHADELIC (November 2007) | Interview By: Noncentz

      

Please note that this interview was conducted by a Dubcnn Community (Dubcc.com) forum member. He and a team of members have been heavily discussing and promoting the work of the Dangerous Crew as a whole. Thanks go out to; Lamont, Raiders, Akcranker, SJ, GP and EazyE for their help and support in bringing the Dangerous Crew back into relevance. There will be more from the Dangerous Crew on dubcnn over the coming weeks.

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Interview was done by phone in November 2007

Questions Asked By: Noncentz (Guest Contributor)

Krushadelic Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here
 

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www.myspace.com/krushadelic

www.myspace.com/thedangerouscrew
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Dubcnn: What’s up Krush?

What’s happening, playboy?


Dubcnn: Before we get off into this new album you got coming out, let’s rehash a bit and let everybody know where you’re from?

West Oakland, California! Killafornia! (laughs)


Dubcnn: How long have been in the game?

I been actually rapping for about 20+ years, but I been putting out records for about 17 years, going on 18 years now. The first record came out in 1990. I started out with the group Underground Rebellion, and we still putting out records under that, but I’m doing my solo thing too. We was the first group up out of West Oakland, and we opened the doors for a lot of people like The Whoridas, Saafir, Billy Bavgate, Steady Mobbin’, etc.


Dubcnn: What have you been up to since the last time we talked? [Part 1 | Part 2]

I been up to a whole lot of different things. I actually wrote 2 books that I’m about ready to release. They’re going to come out in 2008, after the album. I’ve also been putting the final touches on the album and things like that, besides trying to get my life together on some personal stuff. During the mist of all this, I had lost my momma and my grandmomma, so it’s been real, real tough on me. That’s why it’s taken a while for this album to come out, cuz I had been just reeling from that situation. I had to kind of step back from the music for a minute to try to get my personal life together. It was hard, and it’s still hard everyday. But I know that this is what I need to be doing.


Dubcnn: My condolences definitely go out to you about your losses. I know that’s hard.

No doubt, man. I lost them both within 2 weeks of each other.


Dubcnn: Damn.

Yeah.


Dubcnn: Well, tell me about these books that you’re coming out with.

The first book that I’m coming out with is like a “How-to” book, as far as the business and everything. There’s so many young people getting into the music business right now, but they don’t have the education on the game. They don’t understand that it’s really a business, and that’s why it’s called the music “business”. It’s a lot more than talent that’s going to get you where you want to go, and keep you in the game. There’s a lot of knowledge and experience that goes with it. So I’m calling that book “Edu-game-ment”.

The other book that I wrote is more based on my career. It’s not a biography, but it’s based on my career, on like how I got started, how I survived in the business, the people I met, relationships that I built that turned into more of friendships that just business. I talk about my trials and tribulations like losing my momma and my son. It also tells the story about the whole Dangerous Crew situation, like how I got up in there, the behind the scenes type of stuff that we did out on tours, and what we did in the studio, as far as me working with people and being a young producer in that position. It also goes into me working with people in New York, like Cam’ron. It’s a little personal, but it’s also about a lot of fun and it’ll be interesting for people. It’ll have a lot of photos and things like that too.


Dubcnn: Both of those sound hella interesting! When can we expect those books to be available?

You can expect them in the 2nd quarter.


Dubcnn: And what was the title of the second book?

I’ve been flip-flopping between titles, so as of now, it’s still untitled. It’s already done, it just needs to get pressed and then it’ll be out there.


Dubcnn: Ok, cool. Now, being a rapper, producer, CEO, and now author, how do you find the time to accomplish all of these things?

It’s real hard, man, I’ll tell you that! But I guess that since I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s just kind of like a natural thing to me. The easiest thing about me rapping, is that I am a producer, so I’m always making beats. I don’t have to really go out and search for other producers and go try to feel their vibe and all of that. I’m able to get my own thing done and get songs together. Both of those things are difficult, but when I create a beat, I’m always thinking of rhymes in my head. On the CEO end, I was kind of forced into that situation like most of the independent brothers are, in just trying to get your music heard. You just become the CEO eventually, in trying to do that. You can have people invest in you and this and that, but if they don't have no real drive to go through the lumps and bumps that this industry gives you, then it falls on you as the artist, if you want to fulfill your dream. I mean, my first record I put together was with my lunch money.


Dubcnn: Talking about your very first project, when did you put that out, and how many projects have you been a part of over the course of your career?

My first project was called “Let’s Get Funky”, and that came out around October/November, 1990. Since then, I’ve put out about 25 projects. Actually this record I got coming out will be my 25th project. As far projects I’ve been involved in, it’s somewhere around 60-70 projects probably.


Dubcnn: Damn!

And that’s just going off the top of my head. If I really sat down and started counting them, I’m pretty sure it’d be a few more than that. Like with Andre Nickatina, I’ve worked with him on 10 of his projects right there. Then you got artists like the Too $hort’s, Goldy’s, Cam’ron’s, Junior Mafia, Conscious Daughters, Saafir, Whoridas, E-40, and the list goes on and on. And through working with them while we was all trying to come up, I was able to have relationships with them that preceded the “Big Success”.


Dubcnn: And what is that relationship that you have with all of these artists?

It’s relationship that was born out the humbleness of all of us trying to get on. We helped each other get to where we are. A lot of people are trying to get in now and build a relationship with them, and they’re not sure what you want from them. They don’t know if you’re a genuine friend, or if just trying to use them for a situation. When we first came in, we was all real humble, and so we all still real humble to each other when we see each other and deal with each other.


Dubcnn: Who are some of your favorite artists you’ve worked with or produced for?

That’s a hard question! (laughs) I value all the artists I’ve worked with across the board, and I’m not really a star-struck person like that. I really value the people like Too $hort. He’s a living legend right now in music. And it’s certain things like that, when you can get credit for working with someone like that, or a E-40, or Chaka Khan even. I can find things in different people that made it fun or special.


Dubcnn: Ok. What’s the name of your label?

Armada Entertainment.


Dubcnn: Who are the artists on your label and what can you tell us about them?

Myself, and I have Jullie-D, who I dropped a project out on him late last year, and we’re working on another one for him. He’s also the other member of my group, Underground Rebellion, which we’ve done 10 projects with that together through the years, and we about to come with our new one called “Blood Cousins”. And then I have my other artist, who is 16, called Young Bari, and his album is out right now called “Here I Come”. I’ve had him since he was 12, just kind of developing him and grooming him, and he’s just ridiculous on the rhymes and concepts.


Dubcnn: What’s the name of your upcoming project?

Ghost Rider.


Dubcnn: What can we expect with this album?

I had come up with the concept and idea for this album back when I did the “Hyphadel” album, off the Marvel Comics character, and not from what they be saying on the street. It just so happened that they coincide together, so it’s kind of working good with that. But I think this album is one of my better pieces of work production-wise and lyrical-wise. I touched on a lot of topics on this one. Through losing my momma and grandmomma, it’s given me another outlook on life, like on the song “Point After Touch”. That’s my “Dear Mama”-type song. But it’s still also a party album.

I got some Hyphy songs and I got some club songs. I got a ridiculous club song with Too $hort called “Look At Me”. I got Chaka Khan, Keak Da Sneak on there, Mistah F.A.B. Nickatina, I got a few songs for the ladies, like where I flipped the “Tender Love” song and gave it a little T-Pain flavor. I think it’s a real solid album! It’s more than what you would think would come from a Bay album.


Dubcnn: Any last words for the fans out there?

Yeah, go buy that album because you won’t be disappointed at all! Just because it’s independent, don’t let it fool you. It’s running with the best of them out there. And keep supporting the Bay Area music!


Dubcnn: Alright, Krush! I appreciate you reaching back out to us and letting us in on the many projects you have coming out for us.

Yeah, no doubt!