YUKMOUTH(July 2010) | Interview By:
Javon Adams
Yukmouth is a motivated dude. Period. He embodies the independent spirit and
has been dropping street anthems since his days with his platinum selling
group, The Luniz. Dubcnn.com hooked up with Yuk to talk about his upcoming
opus, Free At Last. You’ll want to read on to find out what the album title
refers to and why the West Coast spitter is adamant that this is his best
album to date.
Yuk shines some light on the advantages of being an independent artist and
how Hip Hop has taken this self proclaimed kid from the projects to
destinations around the world.
Take a few minutes to listen and read and
you’ll feel the excitement that Yuk does for great things to come. Yukmouth
is Free At Last and freedom never felt so good.
Read on and enjoy. As always feel free to hit up
javon@dubcnn.com with questions or comments.
Yukmouth Interview Audio - July 2010: Download
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Dubcnn: Alright, Javon sitting here with the one and only Yukmouth. He’s
a legend in the game. How are you doing man?
Ah, I can’t complain my ni**a. Just getting to the money. What’s poppin’?
Dubcnn: Just wanting to catch up with you and try to
chop it up a little bit about what’s going on in the world of Yukmouth.
But tell the dubcnn.com readers something about Yuk that they might be
surprised to know. They know you can spit and about your business but
what’s something they might not know about man?
Sh*t, I can draw. I created the Luniz logo, the Condom Man…the Luniz sh*t.
I can draw. I’m a cartoonist. A lot of people don’t know that. That’s my
2nd talent.
Dubcnn: You said you have the talent to draw, have you ever tried to get
into doing some type of comic book or a short series?
No, I haven’t gotten to it yet. That’s like my back up career. When I
stop this music I’m just going to go full into it. Doing artwork and sh*t…cartoons
and probably comic books, comic strips or whatever. I’ll probably go
back to art school too and finish up and get some other skills that I’ll
need too. But other than that, sh*t…
Dubcnn: I got you. Now you just mentioned school and I follow you on
Twitter a little bit…every once and a while you go and talk to the youth
right?
Oh yeah. I just came from Sweden and Denmark. And Copenhagen overseas
and talking to the kids…giving them the ins and the outs of the record
music industry. We went to these Hip Hop schools. They have Hip Hop
schools out there that teach people how to produce, engineer and also do
graffiti and break dancing and everything that has to do with the
culture of Hip Hop. Not just rapping and making beats…so we go to these
schools and give kids the influence and the game that they need to be
sharp when they come into any part of this music industry, period. We
talked to a few kids out there and it was poppin’ in Sweden.
Dubcnn: Now I have to ask you because I was in the Bay Area for quite a
few years. When I moved out there you guys had already started up your
thing, in terms of the Luney Toonz and what not. So think about where
you came from there and where you are now…Being able to talk to people
in Sweden about Hip Hop. Isn’t it an amazing journey where Hip Hop has
taken you?
I mean, definitely, I’m from the projects so before Hip Hop I’d never
been on an airplane. So the sh*t took me around the whole world and
back. I haven’t been to Japan yet or Africa but I’ve been everywhere
else. And it’s a blessing to get paid off of a talent or a hobby that
you love to do. So thank God. I thank God for my talents everyday and
the position he put me in.
I may not be super platinum right now but I was platinum and I’ve road
that train. And I’ve ridden that rollercoaster of being platinum and on
tour with Biggie Smalls and Puffy and Mary J. Blige and Jodeci. I’ve
done the big sh*t. And I’ve gone gold solo. So ni**as talking that one
hit wonder sh*t (can) get outta here. I went gold by myself. Without Num
(former partner with the Luniz) and without a hit.
Just straight up hard grindin’, raw ass music. So at the end of the day
I’m here. I’m a veteran. I come from where a muhfuc*ah had to rap. I
mean back in the day you really had to rap to get a deal. So I’m still
on that and that’s probably why I’m still here. I really know how to rap
and a lot of muhfuc*ahs don’t know how to rap. Period. These muhfuc*ahs
are just saying words and trendy sh*t and making a dance step to go with
it or whatever. It’s more than that. I’m a real lyrical dude and that’s
why I’m still around. I thank the Lord for that…taking me around the
world and back and still being able to give my life experiences as far
as with the music…and give seminars and give them the inspiration that
they need to follow their dreams. So it’s a blessing, definitely.
Dubcnn: I wanted to talk to you a little bit about that. Obviously you
are a vet and have experience and a lot of successes and whatnot. Being
independent, as you are now, what are some of the challenges that you
face with how people purchase music now? It’s more digital as opposed to
the physical CD. There’s a lot of piracy now going on…so how do you
define success when you put out a project? How does that change your
view?
Well, I’ve always been independent besides when I was signed to
(unintelligible). We’ve always been independent. Rap-A-Lot was basically
independent and we’re used to just selling units by word of mouth
and…good independent units. We’re not doing millions (of units) or
nothing but we do 100,000 or 200,000 or whatever, here and there. So
that might chop down a little but we get all of our money. Now if you’re
an artist signed to a label and you’re only getting the points…and you
sell 30,000 or 50,000 then that label is dropping you. Period, you’re
outta here. But me being independent at 30,000 or 50,000 then we did
great. So that the difference between being on a major label and doing
50,000 or 30,000 and being independent and getting 50,000 or 30,000. You
know what I mean?
Because right now muhfuc*ahs are only getting $5 or $4 per unit. That $8
sh*t is out the window. So that is out the window. And knowing that you
are only making that much money right now. I mean all those units count.
30,000 or 50,000 times $4 or $5 a piece…I mean an independent ni**a done
came up. If it’s a major label artist that sells that then you ain’t
getting’ no money off that. (Because) the label ain’t recoup what they
put into the album, the videos, the marketing and all that sh*t. They
are going to drop you and move onto the next. So it’s good to be
independent right now because you can sell those low units and still
survive. Compared to the big labels that do 360 deals and all that extra
sh*t to make extra money because those little units can’t keep them
functioning or keep the labels afloat. So they (labels) have to do extra
sh*t.
An independent ni**a ain’t gotta do nothing but keep hustling and doing
the sh*t we been doin’. So I’m cool. I’m straight. Even though it’s a
lot of piracy and a lot of free music. I mean, there’s just a lot of
record stores closing, period, because of bootlegging. Everybody on the
internet being able to download and pirate and take this and take that.
And beyond that, it has to do with the fuc*in’ recession. People are
broke. Ni**a’s is watching how they spend their money and when they
spend their money. They’re being hella careful. Cars ain’t sellin’. All
types of sh*t ain’t selling right now. Hella people are going out of
business. I mean big corporations, you know what I mean? Malls and sh*t
are closing down so it’s more than just Hip Hop because everything ain’t
selling. Except for food. Everybody eats food but other than that
nothing is selling how it used to sell. Period. That’s why everything is
getting cheaper and people are just giving sh*t damn near away just to
get sh*t off. So it ain’t just Hip Hop, it’s the whole world going
through a recession. So I just appreciated anybody that took money out
of their pocket and purchased anything. Whether it’s iTunes or physical,
I appreciate them supportin’ a ni**a in times like this.
But during times like this you need theme music. You need music that
gets you through. Music that can get you through hard times and good
times. Music is the theme music for life. Everybody needs music. It
makes you happy or sad or whatever. It’s emotional. We all need music. I
just appreciate everybody who still buys music. Straight up.
Dubcnn: Sounds good. Speaking of music, I know you’re upcoming project
is going to be called Free At Last, right?
Right, right.
Dubcnn: So talk about how that and these economic times
and how people going through things…how does that fit in? And talk about
what they can expect when that album does drop and what they can expect
to hear from Yuk.
Basically the whole Free At Last concept comes from me being basically
off of Rap-A-Lot Records. Being free to do my own thing. Also being out
of jail. You know, I did 3 months in L.A. County for driving with no
license and that sh*t…My last album, West Coast Don was written in jail.
I wrote the whole album in jail. So this album is different. Being in
the studio, being able to write to beats instead of being in jail and
having to beat on the table or beat on your chest…(laughs). You get a
different emotion and different material. On West Coast Don you got a
straight jail record. I was in jail and wrote that whole album in 3
months. So at the end of the day you didn’t get the real full potential
of Yuk. You probably didn’t even get 50% because I didn’t have the tools
that I needed.
You need music and the studio environment. You need good weed. (laughs)
You need all that sh*t to create the music and I didn’t have any of
that. So I was just going off of instincts and beatboxing and on the
table. So this album Free At Last you will see the big change in music
and you’ll say, ‘Ok, this is the real 100% Yuk.’ It’s a difference
because I’m out of jail. I’m able to do features. I’m able to see what’s
going down in Hip Hop and in life. I’m able to use my metaphors and do
what the fu*k I gotta do. I’m able to see what’s really rocking right
now. Compared to when I was locked up I couldn’t do that. I had to get
letters or have somebody tell me about something over the phone. And by
that time sh*t is already done. At the end of the day it’s a difference.
I’m real hands on. I can wake up in the studio and record at six o’clock
in the morning or whatever the fu*k I want to do. I couldn’t do that in
jail. So this whole concept is just being Free At Last. Free off of
Rap-A-Lot Records.
When I was on Rap-A-Lot Records, shout out to J. Prince, I have much
love for J. Prince for giving me the deal. But when you sign on a major
label you can’t do the sh*t you wanna do. So I had a lot of side deals.
I had a deal for the Regime on the table, a deal for The Luniz on the
table and a deal for the Thug Lordz on the table, and so on. But by me
being signed to Rap-A-Lot I wasn’t able to do those deals. Now with Free
At Last I can do those type of deals where I can make the money I want
to make and the side money I want to make. I couldn’t make side money on
Rap-A-Lot…and any big artist can’t make side money. That’s why ni**as is
out there throwing out free mixtapes, period. Because that’s all they
(are allowed) can do. They try to throw a “I’ve got me and whoop-whoop
project!”. Nah man, the label is going to come and say Cease and Desist
and take that project down. And at the end of the day, I’m free at last.
I’m independent and I can do what the fu*k I wanna do.
Now on to the album…the album is hard as fu*k. We’re kicking it off with
the single with me and Gutta Gutta from Young Money and my ni**a Titty
Boi from Playaz Circle. And my ni**a Goldie is on the hook. It’s called
Smell it on Me and it’s damn near a 5 on It for 2010. It’s going to be
the ultimate fuc*in’ weed anthem. Mark my fuc*in’ words, we’re about to
do a video and that’s going to be the kick off.
The next single we have is with ya boy JayRock from L.A. and my ni**a
London called, The Life. That motherfuc*er is slammin’. And then we’ll
probably come with the 3rd single with me, Messy Marv and Young Choppa
City from Da Band. Or there are a couple of other things up my sleeve.
But this album I have at least four singles on that motherfuc*er. This
album is outrageous.
I have a lot of people on it. I got ya boy 211 from CTE. I got Rocket
from CTE on there. I got everybody on The Town (Remix). It has Richie
Rich, I brought him out. I got Ager-Man on there. I got Beeda Weeda and
all the new young ni**as coming up in the Bay. I got them all on the
album. Mistah Fab and everybody. I also got people like my ni**a
Currensy. He’s from Down South and signed to Lil’ Wayne. I got him on
the album. I got my ni**a, who else I got….the album is just banging
man. The motherfuc*er is off the hook man. It’s outrageous. And of
course I got the Regime on there. They on there killin’ sh*t. I got my
homegirl Janine V, doing it big. The motherfuc*er is just banging man.
Oh, Dru Down is on there. Free Dru Down. He’s on there. The sh*t is just
heavy. Oh, I got my ni**a’s from Chicago on there LEP Bogus Boys. I have
a single out for that called 211 . It’s just basically me doing my
thing. I’m going the fu*k in. I mean, fu*k a feature, it’s all about me.
Free At Last is one of my best albums. I gotta say that I took it back
to the Godzilla era. I’m really smashing on that thing and y’all are
gonna see that difference from West Coast Don to Free At Last. You’re
gonna say, ‘Yeah, that ni**a is really free at last.’ Feel me?
Dubcnn: I know we can expect that in the Spring, right?
Nah, top of the Summer. June 1st. And that’s the release date, June 1st.
Smoke-A-Lot Records/RBC/E1. We on.
Dubcnn: That’s what’s up. So any last words for dubcnn.com? Let the
folks know because they can definitely catch you on Twitter. I know you
always keep people abreast of things. Let ‘em know how to stay in touch
with Yukmouth so they can keep supporting you.
You can hit me on Twitter, like Mistah Fab would say.
Twitter, MySpace or on my
website and keep updated on the lasted tours
and music. The latest mixtapes and clothing and merchandise. Everything
is on that website. June 1st is the big day man. Free At Last.
Also look for Thug Lordz which is me and C-Bo. It’s called Thug Money.
Also look for The Regime and the Dragongang Album. We’re coming out with
that this year too. It’s about to be a busy, busy year for Smoke-A-Lot
Records. We call it the Year of the Dragon. Straight up. You got Dru
Down’s album, Chop Black’s album, my album dropping, Thug Lordz dropping
and the Regime dropping. I got a Tonight Show with DJ Fresh dropping. I
got the movie out, 5K1 with me and Clifton Powell, Melvin Jackson Jr.
and the boy AJ Johnson from Friday on that thing. So that movie is out
right now, killing the streets. I’m just doing it. Doing my muhfuc*in’
thing. I’m about to put out the United Ghettos 3 and the United Ghettos
Overseas edition. I’m about to…ah sh*t, it’s just busy man. Everybody
just stay tuned and go to the website. Ya boy Yukmouth, holla.