LAROO THA HARD HITTA  (October 2008) | Interview By: Javon Adams

Tha Hard Hitta even tells us about the biggest mistake he’s made in the music industry. Soak up some game from this Bay Area rhyme spitter and maybe you too can expand your hustle


As ever, you can read this exclusive interview below and we urge you to leave feedback on our forums or email them to Javon Adams.

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Interview was done in September 2008

Questions Asked By: Javon Adams

Laroo Tha Hard Hitta Interview Audio: Listen Here

Laroo Tha Hard Hitta Gave Dubcnn A Shoutout: Listen Here

 

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Dubcnn: Laroo what’s good with you man? Welcome to Dubcnn.com

Dubcnn, what that is? Your boy Laroo tha Hard Hitta


Dubcnn: Before I get started…your name Laroo tha Hard Hitta. Where did you get that from?

That comes from the streets before this rap sh*t even started. It’s kinda close to my real name so I just ran with it.


Dubcnn: Gotcha. Now the Bay Area is known for it’s independent hustle but it hasn’t really stepped into the main stream spotlight lately like some other regions. Artists always seem to be doing ok for themselves coming out of the Bay. What type of mindset does it take to be a successful independent artist?

Well, first of all you have to believe in yourself and invest in yourself too. Just push that line and not be scared to put in your own footwork if you have to.


Dubcnn: I know that you have been in the game for a minute. You had a stint with AWOL records where you worked with C-Bo, Killa Tay and Marvaless and whatnot. You’re currently on Sic Wid It, right?

Yeah


Dubcnn: Is 40 hands on with the artists that come through Sic Wid It? How does that go?

He’s very hands on. He’s been doing this thing for a minute. He’s an entrepreneur and he’s really the ambassador. Real business man and well rounded. He just rubs that off on everybody else.


Dubcnn: He just celebrated 20 years in the game, right?

Ya dig? Big business.


Dubcnn: You have your own thing going on with Timeless Music, right?

Yup, Timeless Music Inc fa sho. Under that we have a film division and a recording studio and the whole nine. Just keeping it moving.


Dubcnn: So let’s touch on that since you touched on being multi-faceted in the game. Did that come from an interest in doing different things in the music industry or was it out of necessity?

It comes from just being interested in general but also from having a lack of resources in some things. It’s like people out in the country…people like David Banner. If you don’t have the resources available to you sometimes you have to create them for yourself, you know what I mean?


Dubcnn: Yeah. So the music video, I believe you sent me a link to one of your most recent music videos and it is very well done and looks very professional. Was that something that you did? Did you go about securing that and doing everything for it?

No doubt. I teamed up with my boy Ben Griffin and we formed a production company. We come together and we put the scripts in and we lay it down. We own all of our equipment and have our own team. We make it official with the look we’re bringing.


Dubcnn: Sounds good to me. I know that when you left AWOL in 2001 you went independent and started Timeless Music you put out your “Hood Journal” project and also the “Bay Area Muscle Compilation”. You also did a project with Doonie of The Federation. Along those lines and having been in a couple of situations and still having Timeless Music what’s the biggest thing that you have learned along the way?

That it’s 90% business. Artists have to be well rounded. It’s hard to just be a rapper out here because you have to know your sh*t.


Dubcnn: What’s one of the bigger mistakes you made in the beginning?

I would say when I first went fully independent I think one the first projects that I ever did I made the mistake of over pressing. I over estimated when you gotta just test the waters first to see what it will do. The first time I was just anxious thinking if you do this and do that then it will just bounce right back to you. I was kind of looking at it like a quick flip like something you see in the streets. That’s not really how it works. You have to deal with it like a real business. There are real turnaround times and cut off dates and invoices. There’s a real business aspect to this.


Dubcnn: It seems like, even if you believe in your project you have to be more modest with how many you press up in the beginning.

Exactly. Test the water first. Even if you feel that you are the dopest rapper you still want to keep it modest. Put it out there first. Just because you think you’re dope doesn’t mean that everybody else thinks you’re dope.


Dubcnn: True indeed. Speaking of being dope, I wanted to round back to Sic Wid It. Is it a pretty competitive environment over there?

Nah, it’s all family man. There really isn’t any competition. Everybody communicates and it’s more of a ‘together thing’. Everybody is focused on trying to make good music. And that’s what I like about it.


Dubcnn: Cool, cool. Now is it Timeless Music and Sic Wid It? Are you really have a lot of input on your next project? I think it is called “The Corporation”, right?

Right


Dubcnn: So are you having a lot of input into the marketing of it and the whole presentation of the project.

Definitely. I’m very hands on with everything I do. You can’t forget about 30/30 Records with Mugzilla too. It’s all a joint venture. But I’m very hands on with this “Corporation” project. It’s real official.


Dubcnn: So go into a little bit about that “Corporation” project. What can we expect from it and what is the thought process behind it?

Well it’s really showing the business side of it. This album is going to be real visual because it’s a new day and age. The visual is so important now…everybody hearing it and especially from The Bay I’m trying to let people see it. So with this album I’m really showing a visual of being a businessman, an artist and a well rounded person. It’s like a corporation…it’s a whole unit. It has to move as one.


Dubcnn: With all the music that’s coming out in the market today what makes Laroo somebody that people should check out and become a devoted fan to?

I’m well rounded. I cover all boards. I’m trying to…of course I keep it street but at the same time…I want my album to be like one big song when you listen to it. Each song is just a different verse but it all comes together at the end of the day.


Dubcnn: From talking to you it seems that you have a lot of business savvy. Is it hard to switch from being an artist and then go to wearing the different hat that you have to wear when you are taking care of business? Is that difficult for you or do you pretty much have it down pat by now?

I’m down pat right now but I had to bang my head quite a few times though but I’m good. The bruises have healed and I’m comfortable with it. I love it. *laughs*


Dubcnn: I hear you.

It’s a good look and a good thing.


Dubcnn: You shot a video for a song called ’20 Bricks’, right?

’20 Bricks’ with your boy Tha Jacka.


Dubcnn: And you just did one with Keak Da Sneak, right?

Me and Keak did a nice little powerhouse video. It’s called ‘Money and the Power’.


Dubcnn: I’m sure once people see the videos they don’t have an idea of what goes into it in terms of putting it all together to make it flow but are you hands on with the treatment of the video and transferring it from a song to something more visual?

Yeah. Like I said it’s a new era so now the visual thing is bringing it to life. We’ve been bringing songs to life. Like a song that you hear and say, ‘That’s cool. That’s slappin’. But when you see it you say, ‘That’s Dope!’.

So for the most part I listen to the songs and I say to myself that’s the visual. Then I pick out…when I do the treatment to it I usually pick the locations and get real hands on with the locations and the treatment. I always try to be real honest with the look, you know what I mean? I don’t want it to look all animated and crazy. I want it to look honest and realistic so people say, ‘That’s some real situations.’


Dubcnn: Sounds good. Two or three years down the road when we have another conversation what will you have accomplished in that time?

Of course the music thing will be on lock in addition to the visual game. There’s more than just videos because we are going into the movies and into the whole visual side of things. Of course conquering the online world because it’s the newest thing with the itunes and downloads. It’s a digital game right now. Record sales are kind of slow in certain areas depending on who you are. Of course you have Lil’ Wayne going platinum in a week. But I see big things man.


Dubcnn: Any last words for Dubcnn?

Shout out to Dubcnn because y’all always keep it 100 and let the people know what’s happening. Contact your boy! You can always google me. Just type in Laroo. I’m the best thang smokin’ and the first thang smokin’. Or you can go to the MySpace or youtube.com and enter Laroo.