YOUNG BUCK (June 2004) | Interview By:  Nima

      Dubcnn.com had the opportunity to sit down with G-Unit member Young Buck to chop it up about his new album, his love for the West Coast, him working with Daz, the recent rise of Southern Rap, his past aswell as his future and much more. Please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: nima@dubcnn.com


 

Huge thanks to Young Buck for taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview was done by phone on June 22nd 2004)

Questions Asked By : Nima

Young Buck Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Interview Audio: Here

..........................................................................................
 

dubcnn.com: Wassup Buck, you've mentioned alot of times before that you were really influenced by West Coast HipHop. Who were your favorite artists growing up?

Number 1 it has to be Tupac Shakur. And then you know what? I listened to SO much West Coast, from the roots man, I mean Spice 1, Brotha Lynch Hung, E-40, C-Bo, Yukmouth, NWA, everybody you heard? It's always been like that, like I can compare the South quicker with them than I can with the East, comin' up.


dubcnn.com: You appeared on B-Legits album Hard 2 B-Legit, who else have you worked with?

I've worked with B-Legit, Snoop, Daz, you understand, and at some point of time, I even had to get a song with Suge Knight! So I done been through that coast out there, I got a presence out there! I really feel their music, like I said I can compare them quicker with the way of life that we live in the South than I did with the East Coast.


dubcnn.com: Did you ever feel overshadowed by acts like Playa Fly, 8-Ball & MJG, 3-6 Mafia, etc. as they were coming out of Tennesse?

Nah, not never man! I always felt like I could get in and play my part, and that I could stand out just like them cats! They always did they thang around Tennesse, and they always stood out. I just wanted to do what I had to do to get in the game and make it to that point.


dubcnn.com: Do you still work with Juvenile?

Yeah well we never really did no work together. I wouldn't say WORK. But as far as seeing each other and speaking and keeping it moving, yeah I done ran into him.


dubcnn.com: The video to your new single Let Me In hit the airwaves a while ago... Who produced that song?

A cat by the name of Needlez. He's from the Eastcoast, he produced Walk Wit Me, on the G-Unit record, and he's a producer to look out for! He's bringing it to the table!!


dubcnn.com: Cause there were alot of rumours going around about the production on that track. And we saw Daz in the back of the video, did you work with him on the new record?

Yes! I got Daz on my album!


dubcnn.com: Producing or rapping?

No rapping, I didn't get no production from Daz, he's rapping on there.


dubcnn.com: JT The Bigga Figga was in the video too, did you work with him?

Definitely that's my homeboy! See, all these cats that you naming, I've had a relationship with them before I got to where I'm at now. So now that I'm at where I'm at now, I kinda try to include them around me when I'm doing thangs, bring them and let them bring what they got to the table. Cause you know man, them my homies, so you always gonna hear me working with them. That's how I am!


dubcnn.com: What exactly is The Game's part in G-Unit, is he an official group member or is he just signed to the label?

He's signed to the label. G-Unit as a group is Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent, Young Buck and Tony Yayo. Game is Aftermath/G-unit, and his situation is slated with Dr. Dre, and with him being from Compton and all that, Dre really wanted to play a big part in his situation, so you know, he's G-unit/Aftermath, but he's always G-Unit man, we all as one. We a family, together.


dubcnn.com: Now that the album is finished, would you change anything to it if you could or do you feel it's perfect now?

Oh man I'm in a good space right now. I really wanted to make my album a down south slash everything else. You know what I'm saying? I feel like I'm familiar with the Eastcoast with 50 and Banks and Yayo and them, and now we got the West Coast with Dre & Game and all of them, and at the same time, representing the diry is real important to me. You will get more southern features on my record than on any other G-Unit record. I got Lil Flip, David Banner, Stat Quo, T.I., Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & the whole D.P.G. family, you understand? So it's alot of features on my record.


dubcnn.com: The first single, is not as mainstream sounding as 50's and Banks was, you kept it gutter. Do you think you will still have the same success as 50 had with his very radio friendly single?

You know what, I think that a good record is a good record, regardless. And the people gone respond to a good record, period. If a good record is what the people want, then it can be mainstream, street or whatever, if you ask me.


dubcnn.com: But it was good that you kep the same style as you had, and I think that's gonna be a plus for you in the end, cause it's blowing up right now.

Yeah thanks man, I hope everybody feels that way *laughs* It's all good my man.


dubcnn.com: Who handled the production on your album?

Like I said I really wanted to make my album down south. I got Lil Jon, I got DJ Paul from 3-6 Mafia. And also be on the lookout to hear me with a cat by the name of Midnight Black and a lot of up and coming producers. You know I don't pick songs judging by the name of the producers, I pick them judging by the music that I hear, regardless what your name is.


dubcnn.com: If you hadn't clicked with 50 Cent, who would you be rolling with? Still UTP?

I think I would be by myself, I don't think I'd be with UTP.


dubcnn.com: But you would still be rapping?

Yeah, definitely man! I know I'd be rapping, cause my heart was set to it from the beginning. That's how I got where I'm at. I done been through alot in the streets homie, so at the same time what it would take for me to get to where I had to go. It's about dedication, so you know, 50 was just what God allowd me, to meet somebody who would be blessing for me.


dubcnn.com: We've been hearing about the DPG-Unit Project. Can you tell us abit about that, and when we will see a record?

You know what, it ain't really a project that done got started like we sat down and recorded songs. But it's something that may go down in the future.


dubcnn.com: Cause we heard one track from it called Gun Up In Your Mouth...

That's a bonus record that was on one of my CDs.


dubcnn.com: But it's not an album in the making, it's just something that came together like that?

Yup!


dubcnn.com: A record with you and D-Tay was advertised in the new XXL magazine, is that the same one ya'll had years ago or new material?

That's old material, I was 16 years old!! That was the first material I ever had! I had did it involved with a dude by the name of Jeff Fringle (???). Now I'm 23, that record was out when I was 16 going on 17 years old. And what we did was, put a new cover on the record and try to release my old material so, it's somethign I couldn't stop in time due to the contract agreements that I had. But I been looking at it is it is what it is, and I mean it was a record that I did a long time ago, it's cool!


dubcnn.com: What do you think of the way the South exploded into the mainstream in the last 2 years? Were you surprised?

It was definitely a surprise! Cause I remember times where it was kinda hard for the South to be accepted as far as the East Coast, you know what I'm saying? But for me to just watch us all around the globe, like our artists are all around now, Lil Jon, Petey Pablo, and all these cats comin out doin' their thang. T.I.! Ludacris! And for them to stand out and do their thing, it made me feel proud of them! Like, I ain't here by myself!


dubcnn.com: Yeah I gotta say I was surprised myself, I didn't think the radio would accept the whole crunk theme like they did. But they dug it!

Hell yeah, they definitely did man!


dubcnn.com: What do you think of all these people claiming to be King of The South? T.I., Flip, Wayne etc.

Honestly man, I think that's a big statement for somebody to make. To me, if we were gonna have to name a King, he would have to be all around the board, meaning in the game. Have albums, longevity, and a movement of the individual. The way he is. That's a king to me. And I would expect somebody like Scarface to be king of the south before any of them. But it is what it is, and everybody got a right to feel the way they wanna feel.


dubcnn.com: Yeah and T.I. just dissed Lil Flip on stage for calling himself King Of The South and, I just hope that this shit gets resolved and we don't see the South falling into beefs and splitting the way it happened with the Westcoast!

Yeah! Yeah! True, that's true! And see, tha'ts crazy, because it's something brand new for me to watch and see, and you know I just heard about that particular incident, but I'm cool with both of them, T.I. and Flip, so I hope they work out their situation however they work it out man.


dubcnn.com: Who is your personal favorite artist, from all over?

Tupac Shakur.


dubcnn.com: And what's your take on Dr. Dre deciding not to record Detox?

Oh man, I think that the world is going to hear Dre, regardless of whenever he does decide to record Detox or whatever he decides to do. They gonna hear him regardless.


dubcnn.com: With you and Banks both dropping solos, and Game following soon, is there a new tour planned already?

Well we ain't even toured of the G-Unit record yet! We basically lookin' right now to bring the solo success, and then go out as a whole. That way the impact will be stronger!


dubcnn.com: Have you already picked a 2nd single for your album?

Nah, I'ma let the streets do that!!


dubcnn.com: What do you think of Paul Wall & Chamilionaire?

Paul Wall & Chamilionaire.. who's that?


dubcnn.com: They two tight artists from the south too, dropped a collaboration album together, you should defintely check them out, and if the chance is given, hook up!

Ok fo sho my man, I'll be on the lookout for those cats then!


dubcnn.com: Who are we gonna see you working with in the coming times except G-Unit/Shady Records?

Oh man, I got a cat I'm bringing to the table by the name of D-Tay, from my city, Cashville! He's doing his thang, aswell as you can expect to hear G-Unit South, that's a label that's 50 Cent/Young Buck, it's gonna be in the making pretty soon. Man you can expect anything, really, with Young Buck! I'm making money right now man! *laughs*


dubcnn.com: I don't know if you're aware of this, but there's another Young Buc out right now too, from the IV Life Records Family out of Cali. Have you heard of him?

I've never even heard of him!


dubcnn.com: That's basically the label around DJ Slip from Comptons Most Wanted, and they got a cat called Young Buc. Do you think that could create any kind of problems?

Oh naw man! That's probably just the name dude came up with, just like this is the name that I came up with! It's not like I woke up to give myself the name Young Buck. The streets named me that, from coming up around my way. I don't know how nobody else recieved they name, but it is what it is, and people know who I am, and people probably know who he is!


dubcnn.com: Have you ever worked with Battlecat?

Nah I haven't, I would really like to though, I like his shit!


dubcnn.com: Yeah definitely, we could arrange that, he said he would like to hook up too!

Ok fo sho tell him I wanna work with him too, so there it is! I'm feeling him, I've been rocking his shit for a minute too, and all the shit he done bring, from the Eastside and all that! Homie I'm bout to rock that West hard! So let's chop it up later and see if we can hook this up my man.


dubcnn.com: Ok definitely, it would be cool to have ya'll in the studio.

Fo sho!


dubcnn.com: Have you already planned on working on a 2nd solo or what do you think will the next project we'll hear Buck on?

Well it'll probably be another G-Unit album again first, before I get to another solo record. Right now I'm just trying to make sure that this record is all the way ready to go July 27th! And outside of that, really just focus on grinding myself and preparing myself for what's to come!


dubcnn.com: And where would you like to see youself in 5 or 10 years?

Homie I'd like to see me have success as a solo artist, aswell as havin my own label, and bringing artists up into the game. And to be able to establish myself. I wanna get up in the movies, I wanna do that, so makin' that jumpoff into that. Cause you know I'm a all around hustler I come from that. I like cars, I wanna put my own rims out! Just being a entrepreneur in the game man!


dubcnn.com: Ok thats about it for the questions, thanks alot for taking to the time to talk to us! I wish you best of luck for the new album!

Oh it's nothin' my man, thank you!