MC Ren Interview(July 2009) | Interview By:
Nima Etminan
Dubcnn connected with the legendary MC Ren for an interview to get the scoop on the villain's upcoming album "Renincarnated", which is dropping later this year. Ren tells us about his upcoming single, what we can expect from the album, why it was so long in the making and what his mindstate was when recording it. He talks about why he chose to make this a true solo record and have no features on it, and who he chose to produce for him. We then talk about the state of Hip-Hop, new artists, his relationship with Dr. Dre, and his take on the digital world.
As ever, you can read this exclusive interview below and we urge you to leave
feedback on our forums or email them to
nima@dubcnn.com.
Download The Full Interview Audio:
Here
Download The MC Ren Dubcnn Drop:
Here
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Dubcnn: We're right here with the legendary MC Ren to talk about his new album
"Renincarnated". To start it off, let us know what's going on with you right now, man!
Right now, I'm working on my album "Renincarnated", that's what
I'm doing right now, trying to finish that shit up. I'ma release a
single on that shit too, "Renincarnated" (listen here) the single.
So hopefully muthafuckas will vibe off that shit.
Dubcnn:
It seems like it's been so long since "Renincarnated" was supposed to drop,
that I think people don't really believe that it's still coming. Can we really
expect it to drop this time around?
Dogg, it's dropping, trust me! I'm like 70% done, that shit is gonna drop this
year. They'll know as soon as they hear the single, that's gonna let them know.
I know muthafuckas probably got doubts, like "it's been a long time since he
did an album". But when they hear the single, they're gonna know where I'm
coming from with my shit. They'll be like "Okay, he still got it."
Dubcnn:
Is the album gonna be material that you recorded in the last couple
of years, or is it all newer shit.
This shit is all new, all new shit. It's only one song on there that I probably
did in 2008, but I wanna put it on there. Other than that, everything else is new shit.
Dubcnn:
Who did you link up with production wise on the album?
I fucked with Tha Chill from Comptons Most Wanted. He got heat, he did the
single, my nigga Chill did. He did some more shit on the album too. Then I
got my homie, his name is Apocalypse. He got some shit on there. Shit is
fire man, that nigga Chill got heat, my homie got heat, that's all I need.
A lot of muthafuckas they go to niggas cause niggas got names and did this
and that, but they shit be wack! This shit is about music, it ain't about
the name, it's about how tight the track is. A lot of niggas that got names
do wack ass tracks. You feel me? It's about the quality. When muthafuckas
hear the single, they'll know, they'll say "Okay, we see what this nigga is doing."
Dubcnn:
I believe you recently put all of your catalogue on iTunes and all the
digital retailers right?
Hell yeah. So everybody out there can get my shit off iTunes and all the
digital retailers. They can get all my shit, "Shock Of The Hour", "Kiss
My Black Ass", "Ruthless For Life", "Villain In Black", all of it. And I
did a low budget movie me and my homies put together in like a week,
called "Lost In The Game". We got the soundtrack on there, cause
muthafuckas wanted to get the music off their. The music on there is old
music, but muthafuckas didn't get a chance to get it, so it's on there so
you can get the soundtrack. In a minute, they'll also be able to get that
single on iTunes. The single got me pumped right now.
Dubcnn:
Can we expect any collaborations on "Renincarnated"?
Nah, it's just me. All me, dogg. I thought about it and I was like "if I
was a fan of me, I'd just wanna hear me!" Everybody's shit be like
compilation records. Niggas have their solo albums but it's 100 muthafuckas
on the record with them. It's like muthafuckas use it as a crutch! You're a
solo artist, do a whole album by yourself, like back in the day when you
bought albums of muthafuckas, it was just them on that muthafucka. The whole
album, from beginning to end. That's what made muthafuckas great, cause you
got a chance to feel muthafuckas for albums, by themselves! It's like niggas
is too scared, every record a muthafucka do now, he gotta have 20-30 people
jumping on it. Using another niggas name cause they scared they shit can't
hold no weight by themselves. So every record you buy is compilation records,
they ain't even solo albums. I'ma give muthafuckas that's true Ren fans, a
true solo album. Just me. I don't need none of these niggas.
Dubcnn:
Throughout all these years, what's been keeping you motivated to put
out a new record? I mean, you see all the old N.W.A. people venturing out, Dre
started putting out artists, Ice Cube doing his movie thing, Yella doing porn.
You never ventured out like that.
Man, at one time, I wasn't even trying to fuck with music! I was done. But the
game is so wack, the shit is so garbage right now, that I'm like "let me do this
shit." I looked at like Dre still doing music, Cube doing music, so I'm like "Shit,
let me put an album together and put it out." I ain't put out an album in 11 years,
I was fed up with everything, I was like "Fuck all that shit, fuck everything." But
recently dogg, I wanted to get back into it, cause muthafuckas is wack.
Dubcnn:
I think the only one that got you back on the mic was DJ Crazy Toones
on his mixtape he did a while back.
Yeah, that. Well I jumped on a few things, I did some shit with Paris, I did
some shit with Crazy Toones, my homie Big Rocc. I just did shit like that. But
I was never like "I'm finna do an album" and focusing on it. I would go do songs
sometimes, but I never put shit out, I was just bullshitting around. But I couldn't
stay away from the shit, I tried doing beats too, getting programs, couldn't stay away!
Dubcnn:
Subject matter wise, you seemed to have always stayed on the same tip that you
were on in the N.W.A. days. You never changed your formula, as opposed to a lot
of your old partners. Is that what we can expect from the new album? Raw & uncut?
It's just me. I don't know how to explain it, it's just me. I ain't changed. To me, I
got tighter. When you hear the whole album, you'll be like "the nigga got tighter!"
Back when we did a lot of them records, niggas was hella young, voice wasn't even
really matured and shit. I'm tighter now. I'm not saying that on no cocky shit, but
I'm just saying, to me, I feel tighter.
Dubcnn:
Have you been keeping up with the West Coast scene at all? New artists coming up and all?
Nah, not really, nah. Like buying they shit and listening to it?
Dubcnn:
Not necessarily buying it, cause ain't too many West Coast artists
even dropping albums for you to listen to them, but I'm saying..
Oh yeah, online and shit. I got love for Daz, Kurupt, niggas like that, I got
love for them. I've never met The Game personally, but he's still my nigga. He
came out and represented for us, when he came out he was putting it out, he's
tight. Niggas like that. Crazy Toones, Cube, all them niggas. But as far as new
artists, it's a billion muthafuckas coming out every day trying to be rappers! I
ain't even gonna say MC's, cause it's only a few MC's. I'm saying just rappers.
Everybody and their mama trying to be rappers! So it's like, we can't even keep
up with all that shit! It's like a plague spreading and shit, everyday new artists.
A lot of these muthafuckas be wack. Everybody ain't gotta get into Hip-Hop and do
music! Nigga go play a violin, play bass, play a guitar, play jazz. They might have
more luck in that shit! Cause these niggas just be garbage, niggas is garbage. A lot
of these muthafuckas don't have no directions! Shit ain't evolving with these niggas.
Niggas is wack out here.
Dubcnn:
Have you checked out Young Maylay's shit since you around Crazy Toones?
Yeah! I've never met him but he's tight to me. He's tight. After I finish my shit,
then I might start doing shit with other niggas. But as far as my album I ain't
having nobody. But that nigga Maylay tight.
Dubcnn:
I know you get this question asked everytime you do an interview, but
I'm guessing you haven't talked to Dr. Dre since the Up In Smoke Tour?
Nah, I ain't talked to that nigga since then.
Dubcnn:
Wow.
He's still cool, he's still my nigga and all. It's just niggas get older and
do their thang. I know it's crazy that you don't talk to niggas that long,
but shit, that's life! Muthafuckin' brothers and sisters don't talk to each
other for longer than that and it still be all good. Muthafuckas is doing their thang.
Dubcnn:
When can we expect "Renincarnated" to come out?
This year, before this year is up, it's gonna be out. Trust me. I ain't bullshitting,
I'm dead serious! *laughs*
Dubcnn:
I seen MC Ren on Twitter!
Yeah that's me, twitter.com/mcrencpt, follow me! You gotta be up on that internet
shit! At first, I ain't gonna lie, I ain't know shit about all that computer shit.
I was like fuck all that shit. But then I realized you gotta get into that shit!
If you're not into that shit, you're just gonna be lost! Everything is done on a
muthafuckin' computer, and if you're just gonna sit back and think you're gonna do
shit the old way, your ass is living in a dream world. Everything is done on that
muthafucka and it's so big! Muthafucka that don't even know, they be like "I ain't
fuckin' with that shit" They don't realize how big that shit is.
Dubcnn:
That's what it is. Before we go, is there anything else you wanna let everybody know?
Man, don't forget to go to iTunes and get all my shit. Be on the look out for the
new album "Renincarnated" before the year is up. Go to my MySpace.com/mcrenofficialmyspace. We're gonna keep it pushing like that!
Dubcnn:
We appreciate your time Ren!
Fa sho dogg, I'ma follow you on Twitter.
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Download The Full Interview Audio:
Here
Download The MC Ren Dubcnn Drop:
Here
.........................................................................................