Freddie Foxx plans a Rakim diss track

[Meho]

Freddie Foxx plans a Rakim diss track

Freddie Foxx plans a Rakim diss track

Someone is getting ready to do the absolutely unthinkable: call Rakim out on a record by name. It's not going to be anything like the subliminal sparring that was rumored to be going on between Rakim and Big Daddy Kane in the '80s. This person is going to dis the God, one of the greatest MCs ever. Who has enough courage to do so? None other than Mr. Fearless himself, Freddie Foxxx a.k.a. Bumpy Knuckles. The song is called "The King Is Down" and appears on his new LP, Amerikkkan Black Man.

"I will eat Rakim's ass alive on any record, any stage," Bumpy Knuckles asserted recently. "When I finish with him, every bit of legendary status he had is gonna go out the window. I swear on everything I stand on, I will eat that n---a alive, bar by bar. I'll tell him to his muthaf---in' face."

So now you're gasping for air, and wondering why Freddie — a legendary hip-hop figure in his own right, who's earned respect for street pedigree as well as rap skills — is going at Ra. Well according to Foxxx, it goes back to the '80s in Wyandanch, New York, where Foxxx's rap team Supreme Force used to be competitive with Ra's team the Love Brothers. This was pre-Eric B. and Rakim.

"We got a history, you know. We got a real long history," Foxxx explained. "We from the same part of town. Ra has always had an attitude towards me that he was better than me — on the mic and more successful. How dare he think he can out-rhyme me. He has one style, that's all he's ever had."

What really got Foxxx upset, he said, was a Q&A with Rakim he read on hip-hop Web site Halftime Online. Rakim was asked about a battle that supposedly took place back in the day between the Love Brothers and Supreme Force squad.

"I never f---ing turned down a battle with that muthaf---er!" Rakim is quoted as saying. "Foxxx wasn't ferocious like that. Foxxx had two other cats that used to rhyme with him. They were a good group, but Foxxx wasn't ferocious like that baby pa."

"I read the article and it set me off," Foxxx said. "He said I'm 'not ferocious.' How dare he? His ego kicked in. I said I'm gonna let the world who he really is. People are only calling him a legend because of what he did with Eric B. Everything after that was wack. Nobody will say it to his face."

Foxxx said he's not sure when the dis record will be coming out, but his LP is slated for sometime in February. WWE champion John Cena and Talib Kweli rap on a record called "Give it to the A&R," while the Alchemist, Pete Rock, DJ Scratch and DJ Premier produced a myriad of the records.

"I'm too old to be chasing publicity," Foxxx said when asked if he really has a legitimate gripe with Rakim or if he's just doing it for hype for his album. "I don't need the publicity. I ain't no hater. But when I see he's so quick to always shoot me in the foot, enough is enough. Why would I want to get recognition on Rakim? He's nothing to me. Y'all see him differently than I do. On the song, I never called his name. We used to call him 'Pop' back in the day. I don't call him 'Rakim' on the record, I call him 'Pop.' "

Bumpy Knuckles also said he dares Rakim to come back at him on wax. "Turn your mic on, B," he said defiantly. "I want him to put me in my place."

Rakim is on tour and could not be reached for comment

http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/092506/

[Meho]

In 1986, Eric B. (Eric Barrier) arrived in Long Island from Queens, looking for the standout MC that the peninsula had to offer. As legend has it, Rakim and the legendary DJ made the historic link only after Barrier had his eyes on another young rapper named Freddie Foxxx. With the end of the decade, Eric B. made albums with both MCs – one collaboration much more storied than the other - who took very different approaches to their lyrics and deliveries.

Twenty years later, a sweltering conflict has finally bubbled to the surface. Both Rakim and Foxxx have evolved into their own legends, respectively, just in vastly different ways. Rakim's status has reached mythic levels, as a self-proclaimed Hip-Hop deity. Meanwhile, Freddie Foxxx's star has risen through an intimidating "Bumpy Knuckles" character, who proclaimed himself, “the king of the underground sound.” It may not be the '80s, but these titans still clash as if it were.

In a recent online interview, Rakim explicitly stated that Foxxx was "not ferocious" as an MC. Upon hearing this, Freddie Foxxx recorded "The King is Down", a scathing diss of Ra to be included on Amerikkkan Black Man, Foxxx's forthcoming studio album. The album, featuring production from DJ Scratch, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier, overtly criticizes rappers as well, but it's this one challenge, perhaps 20 years overdue, that has fans raising eyebrows. AllHipHop.com met Freddie Foxxx in the studio, and spoke about Rakim, guns, and the glory of an American Black man.

AllHipHop.com: The problem with Rakim stems from an interview with HalfTimeOnline.com, where Rakim said, that “Foxxx ain’t ferocious.” What was your initial reaction upon reading that?

Freddie Foxxx: [Laughs] At first, I was mad, because I was like, “Here he go again.” Like, the thing about Rakim and me is, every time somebody ever said something to him about me, he always took it as what it was – even when he found out it wasn’t true, he never came back to me and said, “Oh, I found out that the s**t the n***a said about Foxxx in reference to me wasn’t true.” I said, “How could Rakim let this f**kin’ guy [J. Butters] who’s interviewin’ him, bait him into sayin’ this bulls**t, when he know [that] I know he ain’t built like that! I’m tellin’ you what I know: Rakim know I will eat his ass alive on any record, any stage, anywhere, anytime. He’s not built like that. Rakim ain’t never had no battles. In the interviews, he’s talkin’ ‘bout all these battles he had, he ducked [Big Daddy] Kane for years. Van Silk had a battle set up with him and Kane [for $70,000], he ain’t show up. How the f**k you gonna write six bars about Big Daddy Kane? F**k is that about? How dare this n***a say [that] I ain’t ferocious. Did the n***a hear “The Militia”? Did he hear “R.N.S.”? Did he hear “Stock in the Game”? Did he hear “P.A.I.N.E.”? Did he listen to the record? Did he read the interviews? This n***a know me. He know me! So I’m like, “Yo, this ain’t the first time that ever happened. Why this mothaf**ka talkin’ all that s**t like he believin’ his own press clippings and s**t?” That s**t is not real to me. I’m like, “Yo, f**k it, it’s on.” He drew first blood, now, let’s see if he can handle the aftermath of what it is – no pun intended.

AllHipHop.com: There is a history here. We have previously spoken about the studio session for “Eric B. For President” that Ego Trip wrote about – you not being there, Rakim being there, history was made. Does this difference between two people stem back to that?

Freddie Foxxx: You know, everybody got the story f**kin’ wrong, man. The real story [is] I didn’t have a session. Eric B. didn’t even have a rapper. The true story, the way it goes is that Eric B. came out to Long Island with a cat named Alvin Toney – you hear Rakim [now mentioning] Alvin Toney, and he ain’t never mentioned Alvin before. Alvin Toney brought Eric B. out to Long Island. Eric asked him, “Who’s the dopest rapper out here?” Alvin Toney, verbatim, told him, “My man Taheem’s brother. That kid Freddie is the dopest rapper out here in this part right here.” I was drivin’, and I had a big-ass Cadillac at the time, and I see Eric in the street with a fur coat on with a leather hat turned backwards with this jewelry all over the f**kin’ place, and Alvin flags me down. He was like, “Yo, this Eric B. He lookin’ for somebody to do this record for him.” I took it as “Okay, what’s up?” He was like, “Meet me at your house at five o’clock,” – I remember like it was yesterday, I was like, “Aiight, I’ll be there.” But as I was driving, I was like, this is just another cat comin’ out here, and he don’t want my guys. I was in [a group called] The Supreme Force, he didn’t want [members] Eric and Kirk, he wanted me. I had a plan with them. I wasn’t gonna abandon them to work with Eric. The second person he took him to, when I didn’t show up for the meeting, was Rakim. Rakim was in a group too – but he ain’t see it like I seen it. He looked at is as an opportunity to get his self in position to do what he do. I respected that. He did it, and I’m glad it happened that way. ‘Cause I don’t know if that would’ve been the same history, who knows?

I think Eric B. & Rakim as a group, made history together. Look at everything Rakim said in the interview about me. [Quoting] “I was dope in the group, but individually, I wasn’t ferocious.” But he made hit records with Eric B. and dropped all this bulls**t afterwards. The Master and all that f**kin’ garbage he dropped, that s**t was all trash! But nobody ever said that to his face! All that s**t was garbage. No classic s**t on them albums – even the stuff he got from Pete Rock and [DJ] Premier, without them beats bein’ what they was, it just another Rakim bulls**t, tiring, sleepy-ass flow doin’ that same ole’ bulls**t. But he tell you I ain’t ferocious – as an individual, throughout the years, without a major figure behind me, still kept my name poppin’ in the street. Now he’s in my position, and he ain’t poppin’. He doin’ old school s**t that he did with Eric, ‘cause that’s where his legacy lies. But his new s**t is bulls**t – all bulls**t, everybody know that s**t is garbage. And anybody who say otherwise is f**kin’ d*ck-riding.

He don’t go to the studio. He don’t show up to his f**kin’ sessions. I made the f**kin’ Freddie Foxxx is Here album ‘cause that n***a didn’t come to the f**kin’ studio. Eric said, “Foxxx, just work ‘til Rakim get here,” – 30 f**kin’ days, he ain’t show up, a whole month. [That’s your] f**kin’ job! That’s his M.O. But his ego is so f**kin’ big that he gonna get in a magazine – I’m f**kin’ fed up with that n***a, f**k him! It’s always the same f**kin’ s**t with this guy. If you’re really that nice, man, and you a legend, then put me in my place. Where you at? Put me in my mothaf**kin’ place, Rakim Allah, put me in my place then. F**k him, man! I’m pissed off because he ain’t gonna get on the mic and say nothin’, know why, ‘cause he think he helpin’ me. [MTV News] asked me recently, “You may just want publicity because your album comin’ out.” If I wanted publicity, I would’ve dissed somebody like 50 Cent or somebody big. I don’t have a problem with them, my issues with mothaf**kas is real issues. I’m tired of this n***a. Every time Rakim hear my name, he got some slick s**t to say, bring it!

AllHipHop.com: “The King is Down” is the record you’ve got that addresses this. Eric B.’s on the intro. Did he play any other role in this? Why’d you get him?

Freddie Foxxx: Eric didn’t have anything to do with this record other than, “Yo E, I need you to come intro this record.” And he came. Eric has been my man. Me and Eric have had our ups and downs, and there’s been times where me and Eric have disagreed on things, and I thought that Eric didn’t do some things right by me, and he thought I overreacted, but the one thing about Eric I respect is, he know how to come back to the table as a man and whatever his issue is with me, we talk about it face to face. I asked him to intro the record. I said, “If I’m lyin’[on the record] B, don’t do it. If I wasn’t the one that you wanted to rock with in the beginning – like Rakim says I’m makin’ that up – then don’t do it.”

Rakim told the dude in the article that I wanted to battle him. I never said that. I never tried to big myself up over Rakim, ever. But had he picked up the phone and said, “Yo Foxxx, blahzay blah,” he would’ve known that. But this is the third or forth time. This was the last straw, man. I’m tellin’ you right now, if he go into the studio, I don’t care who do the beat, Rakim is over! People’ll respect him because of who he is, but he ain’t nice. He’s a wrap. It’s over! Over!

AllHipHop.com: On “The Militia”, you said you’re one of the livest MCs, ever. If we grabbed ten people on the street, I believe at least four would say Rakim is Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricist. Does this battle or call out allow listeners to compare those two qualities?

Freddie Foxxx: In the past, when he was doing stuff like “My Melody”, to me, they classic songs. I can’t knock them records. I’m sayin’, I know for a fact that Rakim wasn’t the best rapper out of the clique of rappers he came from. There were times I know when Rakim was supposed to be on stage, doin’ shows, and he wasn’t there, they put Snake Bliss on stage and pulled the hat down on his head, and you’d think it was Rakim – wasn’t Rakim. He’s lackadaisical. He get in situations where he move like a turtle. Everything is slow with him. Rakim knows how to pen certain things in, but where does all this “dope lyrical” s**t comin’ from? I think the dopest line I ever heard him say was, “I take seven MCs, put ‘em in a line / Take seven more brothers who think they can rhyme / And take seven more, before I go for mine / And 21 MCs…” What the f**k, he can add? Big f**kin’ deal. He ain’t nicer than Kane, Kane’s career was bigger. He ain’t nicer than LL, LL’s career was bigger. He ain’t nicer than KRS-One, KRS-One’s career was bigger.

He opened up a can of worms now, because I’m tired of his mouth. If Rakim is so nice, than hopefully Oh My God or whateva his album is gonna be called will represent. I’m dyin’ to see it. Hopefully, I can boost his heat up. But I don’t see it, dog, I’m sorry.

AllHipHop.com: To walk around New York City on the fifth anniversary of 9/11 was a bizarre feeling. In my head all day, I had “When the Angels Sing.” Three years after you wrote it, how do you approach that song?

Freddie Foxxx: When I made “When the Angels Sing”, I was trying to paint a picture for people in Hip-Hop that this was bigger than Hip-Hop [or] rap. I knew that record would stand the test of time because that situation will stand the test of time. It always will be an import record to me, that’s why I did the song. But everybody in Hip-Hop is so caught up on who got the hottest 16 bars and all that type of s**t. This was different for me. For me, I thought about the janitor and the CEO of a company who got in the elevator together, that both went up to the top floor, that both became equal men.

I listen to that song sometimes, man, and I get caught up in it because it was a pure record from my heart. I got a few emails from some fans about the record, how much it meant to them and how much they loved it. But you know, then you got those people who got to go to work, and sit back on the computer and type all this stupid s**t about [what they don’t like on the album]. Nobody liked Industry Shakedown until Konexion came out. I mean, people bought it – but they didn’t get it. [They said], “Oh, I was disappointed ‘cause [Foxxx] wasn’t talkin’ about mothaf**kas.” What I was doing on Konexion was showing people I can make records in other ways as well – it meant a lil’ more.

AllHipHop.com: You rhymed, “I’m a five borough, thorough MC / Where I go, New York goes.” You’ve also spent a great deal of time in the South over the years, and even had a Southern-themed record on the Black Gangster soundtrack a few years back. How you feel about the Southern reign in Hip-Hop?

Freddie Foxxx: When I did the Black Gangster soundtrack, they asked me to do a song about pimpin’. I had uncles that was in that game; that was a part of my family history – dudes being players and hustlers and pimps. I reflected back on that, and what I got from the track is what I spit on the track. I felt that I’d give you the real history the same way I learned it – and I learned it from Alabama, [where] my family’s from. In my heart, I’m a country boy. I spent summers in Alabama. I can’t be mad at the Dirty South, know why, ‘cause that’s their reign – everybody gets it. California had it, New York had it, Chicago has been up and down with it – but they had their run. Everybody had their run. It don’t mean that [New York artists] have to come outside our element to do what we do. At the end of the day, when I go to other cities and other states, I do Bumpy Knuckles, I do Freddie Foxxx – I never had no huge hit records and all that, I just make music, and I still have a fanbase.

I love Rick Ross! I think Rick Ross is bomb. I listen to Rick Ross, and I hear the New York influence in his work. That’s dope to me. I think Ludacris is mad lyrical. There’s others things about him I ain’t really feelin’, but I think he’s mad lyrical; he’s one of the most lyrical MCs in the South. But that don’t mean I’ma go jump on all these dudes’ jocks ‘cause they hot. That’s dope that they hot, ‘cause they have they run. New York cats disappoint me when they start d*ck-hoppin’ like that, ‘cause that’s wack! And any n***a that don’t see that is frontin’. I understand business - I do understand business. But where do your principles come in at? What would be the best show you can see? You know what would be the best show you could see: a New York artist doing New York s**t, a Dirty South artist doing Dirty South s**t, a West Coast artist doing West Coast thing – like Daz and Kurupt and them cats, and then you see a Chi-town artist and all these other people from different places – everybody with a different platform on stage. That way, the crowd gets the best of every world. The f**k you wanna go to a show for and see e’ybody doin’ the same thing? That’s biting, that’s the biggest “don’t do” in Hip-Hop, and everybody’s on it. It’s wack to me.

AllHipHop.com: From the days of “Reverend Glock” to now “The .45 Don”, you’ve been rhyming about guns. To many, that’s a symbol that’s as American as apple pie. Some thing of “the right to bare arms” as a White man’s symbol. Going along with Amerikkkan Black Man, what does a gun mean to you?

Freddie Foxxx: The gun, to me, represents a symbol of power. The reason I say that is ‘cause a lot of times, when you look at the cover of Amerikkkan Black Man, you’ll see a picture of me hangin’ with a bunch of dead Black people from the trees – the strange fruit concept. In the back, you’ll see pictures of Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King – and the gun was used to hurt and harm these guys. The gun was used as a weapon against Black people at one point. Then, when Black people got a hold of they own guns, ie Malcolm X, and people like that – it became a different thing [where] White America was so afraid of Blacks when they became armed themselves. So anytime you see a picture of a gun in any instance, who’s ever holding it, is a figure of some sort of power. Whatever you think about ‘em – whether you think they bad people or good people, it don’t matter, that person has a symbol in his hand that represents power. If you see two people with guns, there’s some sort of equal power – but now you gotta think: who’s the quicker draw? The bottom line is, you can have a gun in your hand all day long, you can be smart or be stupid, it’s not the gun itself – it’s the trigger-finger that’s the cause of the situation. No matter how big the gun, if you ain’t got the heart to pop it, it don’t matter.

I was part of the reason Hip-Hop became [associated with guns]. I brought them twin glocks to the table; I told people about that in ’94. Now everybody follows suit. It don’t make you a badder guy, it’s a symbol of power though.

AllHipHop.com: What about the motorcycle?

Freddie Foxxx: The motorcycle is somethin’ I did after my brother passed away. I rode bikes back in the days, but the motorcycle represents, to me, a symbol of freedom. You’ve got to have balls to get on one. It ain’t no doors to protect you on that joker. It’s a mixture of coordination. You gotta know how to maneuver your bike in a situation – you got a split second while you on that bike. I ride a high-booster 1300, and believe me, every time I get on it, I’m more aware than driving. To me, I get to think when I put a helmet on, I get to really reflect on a lot of my thoughts. I thought of a lot of my hooks and verses when I was ridin’ my motorcyle.

AllHipHop.com: What is the Krupt Mob?

Freddie Foxxx: Krupt Mob is originally a crew that was put together by my brother, Taheem. What I did was I gave them the insight on how to make it noticeable by turning the K around backwards [in the logo]. People will say, “What the f**k is a backwards K for?” It made them look. It represents my brother’s whole idea. When he passed away, I decided that instead of me going through all these changes to keep his memory alive, the best way for me to do it was to do it with somethin’ I knew was dear to him, and would carry over into somethin’ that could go on forever. Krupt Mob, I hand-picked everybody that’s in the club. I know my brother was personally involved in the Krupt Mob’s design, and when he passed, I took that, and I made it to what I thought would be helpful to me. So when I started ridin’, I said to my man Lil’ Rocky, “Krupt Mob is a dope name, let’s make it into a club.”

AllHipHop.com: Being in the studio, seeing the first album [Freddie Foxxx is Here] on the wall, it got me to thinking. Your stage show is highly talked about by fans and artists alike. If people were to ask you to perform something from that 1989 album, could you?

Freddie Foxxx: Yeah, once I hear the music, it kicks in. I got a lot of records. I made a lot of songs that came out and that didn’t come out. I never stopped recording, I’m always recording. I’m one of those guys that if I wake up in the morning and I’m dealin’ with an issue, I come to the studio, and I spit it on a record. I got 21,000 songs in my catalog. People look at me and go, “21,000? Word?” I got piles of DATs that I can just dump out on the floor, and you’ll see. [Moments later, he pours over 100 DAT tapes on the floor – including unreleased full albums with Pete Rock.]

When I do a set, I’m always ready for anything – whether it’s somebody heckling in the crowd, or whateva. That’s the way I was trained, along with De La Soul, and other guys that come from Long Island. I was trained for these things. Back in the days, we was gettin’ into battles and stuff like that – you had to be ready. I got a buddy who’s like a hype-man and a rapper for me, his name is Cap. He’s a human computer of all my songs. He knows every word. If I say, “Cap, I can’t remember how the second verse starts,” he’ll know it off the bat. It ain’t because of my lack of [memory] or anything, it’s ‘cause I got so many songs. I may be focused on my newer start, but I can go back. I can go as far back as “The Master” which is my first single.

AllHipHop.com: On “Give it to the A&R” you said, “If a man got a dream, and his goal is to follow it, leave him alone.” How would you apply that to your life?

Freddie Foxxx: A lot of times, when I try to do things, the preconceived notion is that I’m a hard guy to deal with, I’m a tough guy, I’m a bad guy, I’m very hot-tempered. Most of the people that say that, never met me before. My dream has always been, like anybody else’s, is to succeed at what I do. You get bumps in the road. I apply that statement to my life. [Quotes verse] The reason I say that is ‘cause I’m sick of people always behind my back, makin’ secret phone calls either, “Don’t play this record,” or “Don’t sign Foxxx, ‘cause if you f**k up his record, he’ll shoot up your office,” – all that s**t is bulls**t. I also said in “Real n****”, “To the major labels, please don’t fear me / I just want them to know that I ain’t no b*tch that slaves to be popular while y’all get rich.” I’m a real n***a, don’t cut my balls behind my back and then give me the story. I’d rather you say to me, “Foxxx, right now, this is what it is,” and I can deal with that. But don’t let me find out later that you doin’ it ‘cause some coward-ass mothaf**ka told you not to f**k with me, that’s b*tch s**t! That’s what I meant when I said that statement. If I got a dream, why you wanna cut my dream?

[$do11a biLL$]

Haha this is going to be entertainment. I love both rappers so i don't really care who wins. But the thing is noone is going to care about this beef because its not the 90's anymore.

[Kool G Funk]

Aren't they too old ? Maybe Busy Bee will diss Kool Moe Dee or KRS will diss MC Shan
But... I love disses and Rakim is one of my favorite MC so maybe it'll be interesting

[Tha_Blaq_Sinattra]

Foxx is pretty dope, but he just cant get his career going. These cats should work together, this beef shit is getting old. Beefs were interesting until everybody jumped on the trend.

[Diabolical]

It's a bit sad bringing up beef from the 80s.

[Crack Tastic]

^they brought back star wars anythings possible.

[::Mr. Hahn::]

back in the 80's?

Talk about bitterness. Far out get over it mate!

[big mat]

i have a lot of respect for rakim, but nobody can fuck with foxxx, he's the most feared rapper in the rap game, he got ballz

[QuietTruth]

Major propz for that interview!! That was so great. There was alot to learn right there, for real! I haven't read something like that in a hot minute. Nice .

[jeromechickenbone]

I hate beefin as a general rule, mostly cuz these days it just feels synthetic and only used to garner buzz.  I mean how many Freddie Foxxx threads have been in Outbound lately?

But damn, I say let these dudes go at it.  I love both these guys as MC's, and it's guaranteed that they will come with some mad lyrical shit.  And also, if they're really disrespecting one another it should lead to some good motiviation to drop even iller rhymes.  Hopefully they go at each other left and right and then come together and drop a collab album exclusively produced by Primo.  *slaps myself back to reality*

Really though, two legends that still got it.  Fuck it, I'm ready to hear this shit.

[BuddenzNasir]

freddie still sounds like a simplistic ass nigga. that wuz cool back in the day....but i could see this being a weak battle. i really hope im wrong. i'd luv to hear Rakim win it...but they both nice, but now a days...its like why the fuck is freddie still makin music lol...has rakim made new music? im afraid it will come out simplistic too....but i been out the loop of this music shit for a while now. its sad

[The "Untouchable" DJR]

Freddie Foxx vs Rakim = 

[Minkaveli]

Lame.  I think no one can mess with Ra. 

[Peacock]

It's gonna be funny if Ra doesn't respond haha