YOUNG BUCK  (January 2008) | Interview By: Nima

We also talk about his relationship with G-Unit, his upcoming solo album, the G-Unit album, his past problems with Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled and The Game, his ventures outside of music, Bucks predictions for 2008 and much more.


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.

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Interview was done in January 2008.

Questions Asked By: Nima

Young Buck Gave Dubcnn A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Audio Interview Here

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Dubcnn: We're right here with Young Buck. What's going on with you Buck?

Shit man, getting to the money, Cashville muthafuckin' records! I've really just been stretching out, doing shows for my last project "Buck The World", you know a nigga don't stop touring as far as doing shows. And I'm just getting focused with my own label, being that I'm about to drop my first project April 1st, it's titled "Product Of The South". I took my label to Sony Red, so you can look forward to a muthafuckin' album that's about to be crazy!


Dubcnn: The "Product Of The South" is that "Cashville Compilation" you had announced, right? Same thing?

You damn right! That's what it is. It's a compilation but it's more like an album to me, because it's all pretty much my artists, my Cashville Records family which is the Outlawz, C-Bo from the West Coast, 615 and the Lil Wayne of my crew, his name is Sosa, he's my little silent weapon that I'm about to unleash to the game. So at the end of the day, I'm preparing myself, dealing with the executive meetings and shit, my clothing line is about to launch off, as well as my watch the Ten-A-Key Timepiece, so my hands have been full. I've been getting to the money!


Dubcnn: You released the first single "Ridin' Down The Freeway" with the Outlawz a while ago, can we expect to see a video for that?

Yeah you sure can! I actually just licensed that record to Greg Street for his first single, his album is coming out in '08 also. I'm dropping another single from the compilation in the next two weeks from the "Product Of The South". "Ridin' Down The Freeway" was the first single, which like you said was produced by Hi-Tek, me and the Outlawz, and it's doing damn good! I wanted to put a different flavor of music out, and they did too. You got a lot of different flavors right now, you got your Soulja Boy's with him doing his thang, you got T.I. and Jeezy, and we wanted to be totally different, authentic, and get the streets something that they can ride to, you know?


Dubcnn: What can fans expect from the "Product Of The South" musically?

Shit man, we speak that ghetto gospel! The Outlawz and 'Pac said it best, that's pretty much what type of artist my label is surrounded with. You're going to get the record for the clubs and things of that nature, but the focus of our music is reality rap, speaking to the people that's still dealing with the struggle or those that's in the struggle.

Being a muthafucka that's as successful as I am and still being in the projects - I'm in the fuckin' projects as we speak - being that I'm a person that feels that environment, dealing with people that's not as fortunate as me, it just makes my music more, I'd say, up to date than those that are at a different level and don't associate themselves with that environment. That's the environment I come from, I disassociated myself from it as far as the illegal activity goes, but I'm still here with my people, you understand? With the music, we push more of that ghetto gospel, reality rap lane, that gangsta shit I should say.


Dubcnn: Is it all in-house features and production or can we expect outside people?

You can definitely look forward to my own in-house production, I produce myself, as well as my other producer, he goes by the name of Bar None, but it's production on this album from Drama Boy, Zaytoven, a lot of producers that just come through. If you're a fan of Young Buck then you know that my albums have always had that worldwide feel, you can feel it through the production, and you can expect that same feel from the albums that drop on Cashville Records. I'm always going to mix up the music with different producers I believe in, it ain't the name that I look for, I just look for the good music.


Dubcnn: What about guest appearances?

You can expect to hear C-Bo of course, Outlawz, myself, my group 615, Sosa, Plies, Young Jeezy's on the album, Devin The Dude, Brotha Lynch Hung is on the album..


Dubcnn: How did you hook up with Brotha Lynch?

He's connected with C-Bo, and I've been a fan of Brotha Lynch from day one, so I reached out to him, cause I got a lot of other individuals around me that be on the line with him, and we just made it happen, you understand what I'm saying? Real niggas do real thangs, and we connected. I just really respect them types of dudes, the Brotha Lynch's and the C-Bo's, who I feel like ain't getting their just due out here in the game, and they've actually been making better music than half of the industry that you see, and they're making a lot of money independently with it.

So I had to bring their gangsta to more of a worldwide feel and let the world know that they've been doing this shit, and that's where you see my association with Brotha Lynch. He's been doing this shit, his shit is still right, so it's only right for me to fuck with him.


Dubcnn: Any other artists that you missed?

For those who I may have missed, cause it's a lot of muthafuckas on the album, no disrespect to ya'll, that was just to name a few.


Dubcnn: When will the CD drop in stores?

April 1st is the official release date for the album. You can expect to hear another single within the next two weeks, and I'm not decided fully on which one it's going to be. Actually, I'm deciding today! *Laughs* So just stay tuned, it's coming to a hood near you, you know what I mean?


Dubcnn: You signed C-Bo to your label, I believe Bo is somebody you looked up to when you were coming up?

You damn right! Hell yeah! Bo was a dude that actually had dealings with my city as I was a young buck, a true young buck, coming up. So he actually knows the network of Nashville, or Cashville Ten-A-Key, so he used to dip around my way in the streets back then, and as I came up in the music, I've always listened to C-Bo and I've always been a true fan of C-Bo's music, so it was almost like an honor, as well as it is with the Outlawz, to work and have them a part of my label, because I look at them as the muthafuckas that pioneered me to do what I do. Those was the cats that stayed in my tape deck as I came up, so for me to actually have them amongst what I'm doing is blessing.


Dubcnn: You know, a lot of people say "Oh nothing is gonna come out on all these G-Unit sub labels anyway..." What do you think of that?

Well, my label is not a G-Unit sub-label, my label is my label. It's totally different from the whole G-Unit entity, period. G-Unit, I'm a part of it, it's what I'm signed to, but my label Cashville Records is totally Young Buck, so that's the way it goes. I'm the Vice President at this point and Sha Money XL is the president at this point, so it's a totally different entity from anything G-Unit. The connection between G-Unit and my label is Young Buck.


Dubcnn: You've always been repping for 'Pac, and the raw emotion in your voice always reminded me a bit of 2Pac, is having the Outlawz on your label a way of showing respect?

Nah, not by far, cause at the end of the day my respect for 'Pac was there before I actually was on line with the Outlawz. Honestly, me dealing with the Outlawz is a way of getting some real good music, some real truthful ghetto gospel music out here back to the world in '08. I think that feeling kind of left us, honestly, in the late 90's, when we was really respecting music for the music and the authenticity of the music.

Now, no disrespect, but a lot of the shit is everywhere, but I like music that has meaning, meaning that marks time. You can put a muthafuckin' CD in and say "I remember what I was doing when I first heard that fuckin' song!" So why not remember it by having some real individuals give you the story of that music? I've always remembered and marked my times through the Outlawz and through 2Pac Shakur, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, honestly. I would call myself a Down South/West Coast artist if you was to put a mark on me.

My swagger's West Coast, I'm breathing around them, my family's West Coast. I feel like the most love I got is on the West Coast! I'm born in the South, but honestly when I'm on the West Coast, whether it's Bloods, Crips, Mexicans, whatever gang, them niggas almost give me that honor as if I was 'Pac, you know? So I see that feeling and I've always respected the West Coast to the utmost. The West Coast is going to let you know, this is what it is. At the end of the day, I fuck with those that fuck with me, and just being around that whole music camp, as a youngster, I've been through Death Row at a point in time in life. I never got a chance to breathe around 'Pac or none of that, but dealing with some of the same individuals, it's been there before I actually got to the point of signing the Outlawz.

So it's just about giving the world something fresh and new, as far as Cashville Records goes. It's a new brand, the name has been branded Cashville through me, it's a new feel, and the artists we've heard from before like C-Bo and the Outlawz, we know what they're capable of doing. So expect the unexpected, cause we really work hard over this way to accomplish the goal that we've set ourselves.


Dubcnn: Have you also had a chance to work with 40 Glocc who's also with Infamous/G-Unit?

Yeah man, 40 Glocc is my homeboy, you can expect to hear music with me and 40 Glocc, he's been putting shit down for a long time. My label is a way to provide lanes for a lot of these artists out here that got that level of music, that gangsta rap. You can't be speaking on this gangsta shit if you never lived this shit or come from this environment. The shit gotta match for you to be a part of Cashville Records, that's a rule for us. I feel like as long as the person is real with themselves and real as far as the music goes, that's what gets you somewhere. That's what I look for in an artist.


Dubcnn: You appeared with them on "God's Plan" from Hi-Tek's album, that was a great song, how did that get created?

Man, Hi-Tek is pretty much considered a brother from another mother to me. When we get around each other, we just fire. We actually made the "Driving Down The Freeway" record and the "God's Plan" record at the same time, in the studio with Hi-Tek. He was playing us music, and every beat it was like "I gotta have this one!" I find myself doing 4 or 5 records with Hi-Tek cause he allows me to have that freedom with his music, much respect to Hi-Tek, ya'll make sure to go pick up his album, he produced one of the hottest singles that's out right now, "Driving Down The Freeway", featuring me and the Outlawz!


Dubcnn: You're also a part of Sha Money XL's One Stop Shop company, what does that represent?

That represents every producer in America. I mean for those that made it and for trying to make it. Sha Money is actually my manager, he's the president of my company and he's a good individual all around the board. His experience with this music business is something that money couldn't pay for, and at the end of the day I think the One Stop Shop is a way that Sha Money created and it started off last year where a lot of producers from all over the world was able to come to a convention for a weekend and shop their music, meet different producers for a weekend.

We also sit and judge and have a beat competition and the winner pretty much wins a management contract with Sha Money and a lot of different things. At the end of the day it's just a way to connect with a lot of different producers around the world and give them an opportunity and let other producers connect with each other. Sha Money being a producer himself, it's a way for him to stay active and keep the business rolling and keep other producers being able to shop their music.


Dubcnn: I think you had a few tracks to beats from German producer Phrequincy who's signed to Sha Money's company, what happened to those?

Definitely! Phrequincy is a homeboy of mine, you can expect to hear from him on my "Product Of The South" compilation, he produced a couple tracks on there. Phrequincy is my dude, he's from Germany, overseas, and what always amazes me about Phrequincy is that for him being overseas, his music is more up to date than some American beats.

So that lets me know he stays on his game, and outside of that, he got some good ass weed! *laughs* Good looking bro, I was out there in Germany and Phrequincy got me some good ass shit! Holla! I fucks with Phrequincy man he's produced a lot of shit, mixtape wise for me and everything, bro. Honestly man, I toss a lot of producers tracks out on mixtapes without even having a real business part in the music, but Phrequincy is one of the dudes like "Nah, my dude, it's cool!"

A lot of producers be tripping, I don't blame them, because it's their work, but when I do make a move I always try to come back to those producers and work with them or work for them in some kind of way, being that sometimes these producers make shit that's undeniable. Sometimes that shit be biting you in the ass, so shouts out to all the producers that don't trip when I do play that roll, you know?


Dubcnn: Let's get to your solo music, you recently leaked a new song called "NY City", tell us about that.

New York City man! Honestly man, I'm so crazy about that Phil Collins record "I Can Feel It In The Air", the sample that's playing in that record, once I heard it was like "I gotta do this shit." I'm a Southern based artist, that's surrounded by New York artists, so New York has a feel for Young Buck I think that's deeper than any other Southern artist that's out there.

New York knows that I'm a part of them, and that record is to respond to New York and let them know thank you for respecting me, because that's a hard market to get any kind of love in, from any kind of way! They showed me respect to the fullest and I'm just giving it back to them, you know? Same way, I need to make one for L.A. and the same way for the Ville and shit, but that's just me showing New York some love back, cause I know that's a hard fuckin' market to tap into. They fucks with Young Buck!


Dubcnn: So when can we expect your upcoming solo album?

It will definitely be out before October, that's what Jimmy Iovine said! Jimmy Iovine gave me a big ol' bankroll and said "You GOT to make sure you put an album out before October!" So I said "Aight man!" So I'm doing something right!


Dubcnn: This will be your third album, what are you trying to achieve with this?

I feel like first of all, my second album didn't get its just due as far as the promotion from Interscope. The economy itself was down, and everything else, so I feel like with that record, it was a record that was put out in the midst of turmoil throughout the world. So I just continue to do like I do now, hustling and getting as much as I can get out of the record, but prepare for this third record with which I'm pretty much trying to establish Young Buck as an individual solo artist.

I think that's been pretty hard for Interscope to market me as a solo artist when I'm amongst a crew that's as big as G-Unit. At the end of the day, you gotta separate me when it comes to my solo projects and market me in a different way than you would market a G-Unit album or anything of that nature. So it's just about growing and with my third album I wanna show the world my growth musically and just pretty much deliver another one of the reality fuckin' albums that you can listen to from top to bottom.


Dubcnn: There were reports on the internet a few days ago, that Mobb Deep & Lloyd Banks won't be releasing new albums on G-Unit? Is there any truth to that?

I have no fuckin' idea about that shit!


Dubcnn: You know how shit keeps popping up on the internet about G-Unit, every other week it's like "Young Buck left G-Unit!"

Yeah. I mean at the end of the day I'm still a part of what G-Unit got going, I'm a part of the group and everything. I don't know exactly when the G-Unit album is dropping, I have a boss which is 50 Cent when it comes to G-Unit. When he decides to make whatever moves dealing with G-Unit, you will see me present. Other than that, I gotta stay focused on Cashville Records, I got a album that's dropping April 1st, "Product Of The South", so it ain't no time for me play at all.


Dubcnn: How far into the album are you right now?

Man, if I was to drop an album tomorrow, I would be comfortable. I work that much, I got that many records, but I never stop working. I'm ready, I can tell you that much.


Dubcnn: So you said the album is dropping before October?

Yup!


Dubcnn: Which up and coming artists are you feeling right now, is there anybody specific you're routing for in '08?

Yeah I'm riding for my own artists, in particular one of them is Sosa man, he's like the newest breed from my label, he's the youngest artist on my label. He's almost considered my Lil Wayne of the label. He's probably one of the most talented on the label, so I'm definitely interested in seeing how the world responds to him.


Dubcnn: You've never been one to hold your tongue, you recently had situations with DJ Khaled and Lil Wayne, what's the status on those.

At the end of the day it is what it is I don't hold grudges, I speak my mind and say what I gotta say and I move on. I don't really hold it in and I don't really consider DJ Khaled as beef at all, or Lil Wayne! I just considered it at the time as a way of me having to let them know that I'm aware of the things that they was doing wrong, as far as dealing with me. It's done from my end, you ain't gonna hear me breathing on a dead issue. It's more wars to fight out here, so I pretty much speak on something and that's it. Trust me, I wouldn't speak on it if it was that serious, you wouldn't hear about shit. But I've never looked at any of that shit as a beef, honestly. I've always looked at it like some bullshit, and I'ma adress the bullshit. But other than that more power to DJ Khaled.


Dubcnn: Did Khaled finally play your shit?

At the end of the day I hope he chooses to play my shit. And Lil Wayne, whatever I said about him, I've had a chance to speak with Lil Wayne since then verbally, and he had the chance to speak his mind, and we've moved on! I've even spoken to Baby since then, I had a conversation with him that was real good, so my whole thing is, let's get to the money!

At this point, it's about riding with those that's riding with you, and the bullshit don't get to the money no quicker on my way, and if I can't get to the money, then it's some bullshit. That's the same thing that me and Baby was having a conversation about, like "Look my nigga, let's get to the money!" So that's what we gonna do. Same thing with Khaled, I have no issues. I hear Fat Joe saying his thangs, but until it comes further than just a mouth thing, I don't even have a problem with dude, because it's like "You do what you do, cause I'm doing me!"


Dubcnn: I know the Game situation is a dead issue, but a few months ago it was like ya'll had a conversation...

Man I ain't tripping man! We had a conversation, we deaded that shit, tell Game I said "Whatup!"


Dubcnn: Aight. What's the status on the G-Unit album "Shoot To Kill"? When can we expect that?

Whenever the fuck 50 decides to make that shit crack, we're gonna make that shit happen. Outside of that, you definitely can expect from me to do my goddamn thang on that bitch. Expect for another classic G-unit album like it's always been. The first one was a classic, so expect this one to be a fuckin' classic!


Dubcnn: Where would you like to see yourself at this time next year?

I definitely would like to see myself with a successful company, Cashville Records, hopefully a Platinum record or at least a Gold record on the shelves, and I would like to have a real successful solo album!


Dubcnn: Record sales are struggling right now, are there any outside ventures that you're considering right now besides selling CD's?

Right! You can definitely expect my clothing line, which I just had a big meeting with dealers for, I'm gonna be in all the Macy's and all the big stores around the world next month with my clothing line. It's titled David Brown, Tenakey clothing, and my watch will be out next month also, it's titled the Ten-A-Key timepiece. You can also go on my site www.tenakeytimepiece.com and check it out, as well as the clothes man. I'm definitely getting to the money outside of rap, I got to!


Dubcnn: What are your predictions for the rap game in 2008?

I think it will definitely be better. The world will be better as soon as hurry up and get Bush's ass up outta there and get Barack in, in the place where he needs to be. I think it will be interested to watch, you can definitely expect the unexpected from Young Buck though!


Dubcnn: Before we go is there anything else you'd like to let everybody know?

April 1st, the hardest fuckin' album that you've heard from Young Buck yet, it's coming, "Product Of The South", straight up and down!