Sway: "Something has changed in my friend Crooked I."

[Episcop Cruel Cvrle]

Something has changed in my friend Crooked I.

I’ve known him since the ’90s, for over 10 years. I met him as an up-and-coming artist around the same time I met Eminem, Xzibit and the Roots. He was then, as he is now, one of the most skillful lyricists I’ve ever heard, and he’s been a regular visitor on “The Wake Up Show.”

Crooked I has had a very roller-coaster career. He’s been through many independent labels and was also signed to one of the most controversial labels of all time, Death Row Records; he never released an album while signed to Death Row. He was once regarded as the guy who would resurrect the West Coast. Since then, he’s become an Internet giant and has yet to drop the milestone that would revive his career.

I consider him a friend. Our relationship has gone beyond DJ/ TV personality and rapper. We communicate for advice and insight. Without revealing too much, I know that Crooked I has always been heavily involved in the streets, and you always worry about people who live in those circles, because nothing’s guaranteed. I felt like he was making it out of that — until he was shot at.

I think something has changed in him since the incident, and I can hear sincerely that he really is contemplating his next move as an artist and what he wants to say to the world. He said he pretty much has cheated four or five brushes with death, and now he wants to leave a bigger legacy, in case he doesn’t cheat the next one. He wants to reach people in a whole new, positive way. I, for one, am very supportive of that and interested to see what that means at the end of the day.

Interviewing him about the shooting incident was kind of complicated, because on one hand, I’m talking to my friend. On the other hand, I have to do my job and I really have to push certain questions regarding the incident. When talking to him, I saw his lips quiver, and that to me is an indication as to how nervous he was. There’s a code of ethics on the streets where you’re not really supposed to give up too much information. Ironically, a lot of artists who claim to be from those same kinds of streets do the exact opposite — brandishing their wounds and discussing their street conflicts publicly. So I had to be aware of that, because he was cautious about what he was revealing.

It was hard to get him to open up, because he didn’t intend to talk about it. I think I might have leveraged our friendship to get this “scoop.” I don’t feel too great for doing it, in retrospect. He is very revered as an MC. But as a person, I felt the conflicting energy coming out of him about how much he was going to say. The room was so quiet and tense that I decided that what we had was enough. At the end of the interview, he told me he wasn’t planning on doing any more interviews.

Source: http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/03/04/sway-talks-about-how-shooting-incident-has-affected-mc-and-friend-crooked-i/


props to DOC Pete

[Jangalang]

publicity stunt

[YoungCrookedI]

publicity stunt

FUCK OFF

[Jimmy H.]

I can't see how hinting at the percpetion of a rapper possibly suffering some kind of trauma makes for a solid publicity stunt. If anything, they'd go for the "Superman Killer" I don't give a fuck kind of story where he's invincible and will still walk the streets. To me, this is a human being dealing with some real shit that happened to him and it's a fucked-up situation.

[sniperuk]

anyone catch sway's sly response to 50 talking shit? LOL


Ironically, a lot of artists who claim to be from those same kinds of streets do the exact opposite — brandishing their wounds and discussing their street conflicts publicly.

[Jaydc555]

Interesting read

[MILFSTA]

i think crooked i was tryin to commit suicide, so now they make up the story that he got shot.

[Hazzard]

i think crooked i was tryin to commit suicide, so now they make up the story that he got shot.

i think you're full of shit.

[Slikk_J]

What legacy...dude hasn't dropped nothing but mixtapes, freestyles and unreleased music....

We all know how talented he is.

This should be the wake up call he needs, and stop wasting time.

[PsychoToons5150]

All bullshit aside how in the fuck can you can somebody getting shot a publicity stunt.

[BIGWORM]

publicity stunt

STR8 UP....

[sofdark]

na this ain't publicity stunt.
He mentioned that he was hurt but he keeps secret about whether he got shot or not.
I see bunch braggin if they got shot but crooked made 1 interview and shut his mouth about it.

[Mr. VIP]

publicity stunt

crooked = soulja boy waiting for a new crooked i video on worldstarhiphop....

 

[yeapp]

publicity stunt

STR8 UP....

bet you have never been in the hood a second in your life...

[BIGWORM]

^lol. don't catch feelings.

I'm a boss. Not on tracks like these rappers but in my hood. These rappers are rapping about my lifestyle in there fake ass rhymes when most of them never seen a plate,  held a hammer OR BUCKED IT AT SOMEONE.

crooked is one of the best MC's on the west and I will defiantly grab his album when it comes out. But come on wtf is that shit not saying if he got hit or not, why say anything at all.

I commend him if it opens up his eyes and he plans on changing his life for the better publicity stunt or not. Dude seems like a cool humble type guy and I wish him the best.