Author Topic: Young Malice Interview Discussion Thread - (The Product): Scarface Business (Read 438 times)

Lunatic · « **on:** November 02, 2009, 11:50:25 PM »

Young Malice (The Product): Scarface Business
Monday, November 2, 2009

http://www.wordofsouth.com/online/2009/11/02/young-malice-the-product-scarface-business/

WordofSouth.com: We're in the house with Young Malice, best known for being 1/3rd of The Product alongside Willie Hen and legendary artist Scarface. How you doing?

Young Malice: Oh man, I'm doing amazing right now.

WordofSouth.com: Ok, no doubt. What have you been up to Malice?

Young Malice: Right now, perfection takes time. But it's almost time for the takeover. I've been just lying back, letting everybody do what they do. I'm seeing the weaknesses and strong points. The industry is hurting right now. I got something for everybody though.

WordofSouth.com: There are a lot of politics in terms of getting a record out.

Young Malice: Oh man, once you're in the game, getting a record out isn't really the problem; it's just the people surrounding it (laughs). You can get a record out, but will it be the record that you approve of?

WordofSouth.com: A lot of A&R's try to come in and put their stamp on the project.

Young Malice: Right! You know about that. It's like if you write a book...or it's like the director's cut of a movie I should say. The director knows where he intended to go with the movie from the jump. They know where it's going when they wrote it. But by the time it's been chopped up by everybody who put their two cents in, it's nothing like it was originally was. That's why you get the director's cut.

WordofSouth.com: I really like that answer if I can go off on that for a second. I understand what you're saying by comparing yourself to a director or an author. You know where the music is supposed to go and you are not about to allow the quality of music suffer over these people coming in and putting their two cents in.

Young Malice: That's exactly what I'm saying (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: I'm just making sure the readers understand because I feel that's an important point to get across.

Young Malice: Exactly man. The game is so saturated with bullshit right now. Sometimes, you have to cover your ears up to make sure you don't infect with that bullshit. You have to wait on legendary artists because of these bullshit rappers that have a couple of dollars in their pocket. It's disgusting though. I hate when I see a legendary artist that I used to look up to running with these bullshit...I can't even call them rappers. I don't even consider myself a rapper, I consider myself to be an artist. There are a lot of people disappointed in me right now. That's why I'm hurrying up and finishing this project.

WordofSouth.com: Ok. Whatever it takes to get the project ready, I'm sure the readers can't wait.

Young Malice: (Laughs) it's on the way man.

WordofSouth.com: You've said that "One Hunid" was a major stepping stone to allow The Product into the game. What's the next step The Product plans on taking?

Young Malice: I and Willie Hen have been really just trying to sit down. We feel like we're on two different sides of the planet. Hen is in Frisco and I'm in Houston. The distance is sometimes uncomfortable. As far as The Product goes, we're definitely gonna' get to it and put that album together. It's been a lot of outside forces trying to stick their hand in. it's just been a lot of outside interference.

WordofSouth.com: We're also going to get into the solo stuff. You mentioned that the music was ready but the business had to be ironed out. You weren't happy with the promotion for "One Hunid." Has that business been ironed out? What's the label situation like?

Young Malice: When we did the "One Hunid" album, we did that through Scarface's little imprint that he had put together called Underground Railroad. As I said before, that went through KOCH. We're no longer signed to KOCH. We're free agents right now. As far as the new stuff and album goes, we have a few deals on the table, but it's kind of sketchy right now. Creatively, I'm somewhere else right now (laughs). I'm on some takeover shit right now. We're all grown men. Everybody has their own creative project that they want to see come to life should I say. That's where I'm at right now.

WordofSouth.com: I imagine that getting into any sort of label situation that it would be extremely vital to you that the creative control is there.

Young Malice: Most definitely. I'm not a kid. I'm a grown man and have paid my dues. I've been all over the country with this shit. Right now, it's time for me to give the world me. I love the group shit and I think it's cool and amazing, but right now, I'm about to give the world me, give the world the young. I've had a lot of requests for the young, so that's what I'm about to give them.

WordofSouth.com: It seems to me a solo album will come before a 2nd Product group album?

Young Malice: The way it's looking right now, I feel I can get the business handled more efficiently and at a better rate. When you're moving with a group, as far as Scarface, as far as Brad [Jordan] goes, we just came to the table recently and we tried to make it happen. Sometimes people don't respect what they have until it's not available anymore. People want something for nothing. I'll just put it out like that. People want something for nothing nowadays. When you're a proven artist...not an artist who is new, but an artist who has sold records because we've sold records. It shouldn't be a problem to come to the table and negotiate and put a cool number on the table. We couldn't really come to an agreement with the numbers. Dude is doing his shit and I'm gonna' do my shit. It is what it is. We're grown men. There are no hard feelings. It is what it is when you're a grown man. When you're a grown man, you take shit and move on (laughs). That's what it is.

WordofSouth.com: I'm a little confused. Are you referencing to somebody in particular or just businessman in general?

Young Malice: I'm referencing Scarface (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) My bad, I didn't know who you were talking about.

Young Malice: I'm not biting my tongue on that shit (laughs). It is what it is. That's my brother and I love him. But its business and everything they do over there is fucked up. That's just what it is. That's the raw, the real word. Ain't nobody gonna' approach me on it; I promise you. Ain't nobody gonna' approach me on that shit. It's just the truth. I'm a truthful motherfucker. I just speak the truth.

WordofSouth.com: And we appreciate the truth. It seems to me that everything is all good, but you two are not doing business together in terms of label stuff. But you guys are still friends and making music?

Young Malice: That's my brother. For as well as the albums did, for us not to be rocking 100,000 shows or doing a large tour with this shit, that's just bad business, terrible business. If I put a group on, then I'm gonna' have my group with me at every show. That's just me and how my mind works. Some people have been done wrong for so long, that they don't even realize when there keeping that tradition going. If a child has been abused all his life and when it grows up to be an adult and they abuse their children, it's not really voluntarily; it's because they don't know a better way. That's kind of how I feel about that dude [Scarface]. I guess he was done wrong and didn't get half of what he was supposed to get. You see people taking it to the top right now. Nas, Jay-Z and a lot of artists that came in under dude, but they took it further. I don't know if I can say their resources were better, or they had a better team, or what the fuck it was. But there are a lot of artists that looked up to dude and came in; even Ludacris. I think dude [Scarface] is afraid of people taking off past him. That's the same case with The Product. I feel a lot more could have been done with that shit. For the albums that we sold and what we could have sold and could have done with that movement, it was disgusting. I've been quiet about that shit but I think it's disgusting to see such a powerful movement not really coming to fruition the way that it should; that's terrible to me. That's life man.

WordofSouth.com: I like the example you give of is somebody is abused and grow up to then do the abusing themselves, it's almost like a pattern. If we're referencing to Scarface, it's been pretty well publicized that he's had his business ups and downs with Rap-A-Lot.

Young Malice: Yeah. Look at it like this bro. "Minds Playing Tricks on me" and huge records man. A lot of money was made; a lot of money. Dude [Scarface] should have been at least a $50-100 million dollar motherfucker right now, right?

WordofSouth.com: Yep.

Young Malice: To say the least. 11, 12, 13 albums or however it's been.

WordofSouth.com: In total including official group albums, solos and compilations, it's about 15.

Young Malice: Right. Ok, but you have motherfuckers that just recently got into the game and just recently got bread, but they took it to a deeper level.

WordofSouth.com: 50 Cent is a good example of when he got into the game.

Young Malice: Right. Of course he's [Scarface] salty man. Of course he's a little bit unhappy. Every other year he's talking about retiring (laughs). But yet he's still in the game; there's a reason behind that bro. He can't retire. He's not that comfortable. This is real shit. I don't give a fuck man. This is just real though.

WordofSouth.com: In terms of referencing to his retirement, do you think he'll come out of retirement once again?

Young Malice: Dude is not retired (laughs). He is not retired. Whatever he does, I'm happy for him. I'm happy for that dude. As far as my shit goes, that's all I'm focused on right now. I'm still a young dude. I'll be 30 in November. There are a lot of people that had their time to stand in the limelight and to stand in the spotlight. And then you get a time to put other people on. When you get your opportunity to put other cats on, put them on. Don't stand in there limelight. Don't try and destroy them. Stand in the limelight with them and that would be better for everybody. That would be a more positive situation for everybody. I see a lot of older artists, and when I say older, I mean 38-40 years old. If you're between 38-40 years old, you need to be putting motherfuckers on. It's time to be putting motherfuckers on. If you didn't get your money by the time you turn 38, you're not gonna' get it.

WordofSouth.com: Rap is a young man's business.

Young Malice: Right, exactly (laughs). Some people don't know when to not call it quits, but there is always an outlet for your creativity. Even me; I would love to sign a 20 year old artist with that charisma that can do a million records. Some people don't think like that though; they think about themselves. Those are the people that end up going beyond (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: With all the Scarface references, I think the people reading this would be upset at me if I didn't ask you if the two of you are still making records together?

Young Malice: Of course man. I'm gonna' help dude with his shit. It's just the politics man. If money was a non existent factor and we could just record, that would be great. But I know how much money has been made off my voice. I know how much money has been made of Willie Hen's voice and I know how much money has been made off my creativity. I shouldn't have to ask you where the money at? You feel me? That's not something I should have to ask. If you have a business partner...and that all it is, we're business partners. And I don't give a fuck how many records he's sold. We're business partners and we have a business. When that happens, you have an understanding and an agreement that we're gonna' do business together. Dude [Scarface] didn't keep his end of the bargain; that's all it was. But it was a great album (laughs). I don't want anybody to take this shit the wrong way. Sometimes a great album can be a curse. And in this case, that's just what it is. Everybody has been asking me when we're gonna' tour and do this and that; people fucked up the business. A lot of people fucked up. I can't even say that the label fucked; KOCH didn't fuck up. He [Scarface] asked them to let him do the marketing and do all that shit that he never did.

WordofSouth.com: I just had to break it down for the readers simple and plain that if Scarface does another solo,
Young Malice will appear on it, and that Scarface would appear on a
Young Malice solo.

Young Malice: Me and him are good. This is a long time coming though. I don't need nobody on my shit (laughs). There was nobody on The Product album. I don't really need that dude on my shit. From the beginning, they came to me to do The Product album. I was invited to be on his "Emeritus" album, which I still haven't got my money for, you know what I mean? (laughs). It's just bad business. To any up and coming artist and I want this on the record; don't fuck around on this side; don't fuck around with these people (laughs). There business is fucked up. When you see whoever Soulja Boy is doing his business through, they handle their business. Whoever Jay-Z does his business through, they handle their business. Anybody you see that is really getting their turnaround for what there creating, they have somebody on the other end that is really handling their business. That's just how I feel about it. I'm talking about coming under a legend. As soon as Nas spoke our name, that should have been the takeoff. As soon as Nas mentioned The Product and how he loved us and the "One Hunid" album, that should have been the fucking takeoff. There is no way he [Scarface] shouldn't have got on the phone and reached out to Nas and we should have been on Nas' next project; or even a tour or anything.

This motherfucker [Scarface] dropped the ball; that's just how I feel. I'm about to pick the ball up and run with it. It's just bad business. Sha Money XL was over at G-Unit speaking highly on us; Aftermath, Interscope. We could have gone and did that. He [Scarface] could have made that happen easily. He could have easily made that shit happen. But because people sometimes have wicked hearts, some people by nature just really have wicked hearts. I wouldn't have said this if I wasn't around people and been apart of the system that I was on for a daily basis. I've been around people on a daily basis so I know how their behaviors are. You have to be around people for a long time to really understand how their behavior is. I really understand dude's [Scarface] behavior right now. It's not healthy man. You can't go in the studio and make good music if you don't have a healthy relationship. Some people don't know how to be what they intended be. You can't put everybody in a boss position. Some people don't know how to be a boss. Some motherfuckers are just better off staying on the chess board. Everybody doesn't know how to be a boss. On the other end, you have some people that really know how to handle a boss position and those are the people that prosper.

WordofSouth.com: Moving away from all that, I know you're working on a solo album and mixtape; which is coming first?

Young Malice: Right now, we're working on the mix joint. The name of the mix joint is gonna' be "The Life & Times of the Young"; I'm gonna' send some of this shit over to you Young Looney (laughs). I ain't never heard nothing like this, and not because it's me (laughs). I really never heard no shit like this. I don't think there is nothing on the market right now fucking with it.

WordofSouth.com: How do you plan on releasing the mix joint? Will it be like a free download or are you searching for a digital situation?

Young Malice: I got distribution on the table right now. We're gonna' get it on and make sure we get it in. I might do a little bit for free or for the digital distribution.

WordofSouth.com: Are you eyeing any release date?

Young Malice: I'm more of a fall person. Summer, I just kick back and stay out the way. Now that the fall is hitting back around, I'm definitely gonna' try getting this out towards November or December is when I wanna' have this shit ready to go.

WordofSouth.com: It is a mixtape so will it have original production or are you spitting over other people's beats?

Young Malice: You know what? Most of it is original. It's really an album. I'm just giving these people something because too many people have been hitting me asking when I was gonna' put it out. I'm doing this just for them. I'm gonna' come with some originals; I might spit over a few people's beats. It has to be extra hot though and it has to be a beat that moves me when I hear it.

WordofSouth.com: Which type of producers are you working with?

Young Malice: I have in-house cats; my homeboy Mike Tracks outta' Jackson [Mississippi]; he did some stuff for David Banner and a few cats. I have Tone Capone and John Bido on there. I have this other little cat by the name of DJ; he just came onto the squad and dude is hot; it will be good to get his name in the interview (laughs). DJ is hot and up and coming. I also touched the keys a little bit. I'm working with a lot of up and coming cats to help these people get their names fresh.

WordofSouth.com: And is it safe to say those same names will be the ones producing on the album?

Young Malice: Oh yeah, for sure.

WordofSouth.com: What's the title of the solo album?

Young Malice: The album, the name will be "Early Flight." You have to be around me to understand that (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: "Early Flight." In terms of distribution, will you be going through the same distributor as the mixtape?

Young Malice: After we get the mix joint popping, I‘m more than sure it won't be hard to find a major that wants to run with it.

WordofSouth.com: So it might be on a different label.

Young Malice: I feel like we can go anywhere right now. There is no telling where you might see me at bro. There is no telling with this shit. I'd love to hit Atlantic or be somewhere fucking around at Def Jam. Right now, Def Jam could use this, you feel me? They could use the Young right now. They could use the Young at Atlantic because they got my boy T.I. locked up right now. They could use that right now. I'm gonna' give it to them first and I'll let them talk to me.

WordofSouth.com: Which label is distributing the mixtape?

Young Malice: I don't really wanna' say because we're still getting stuff ironed out. I don't want to give them free promo until they send that cheque in the mail (laughs). We have a little agreement going on right now.

WordofSouth.com: In terms of the album, are we looking at next year?

Young Malice: If everything goes according to plan, it should be ready right around the 2nd quarter. That's when I want the album to drop.

WordofSouth.com: Right before the summer hits so you can kick back and relax like you like to.

Young Malice: (Laughs) right, exactly. I know one of these majors will jump on it by then. If they're not acting right, I'll just do it myself. Will do it ourselves if that's what we need to do.

WordofSouth.com: That's the right mind set. We got
Young Malice in the building; you got the official word on the upcoming album, mixtape and everything else he has going on. You know will have him back shortly. Do you have any last words before I let you go Malice?

Young Malice: I want to thank you bruh for always coming through for me (laughs). I wanna' thank you for always coming through. Thanks to everybody at www.wordofsouth.com for reading. I want the people to stay tuned. I got something real spectacular coming up; I got something that has never been heard before on the way. I can guarantee it will change you. "The Life & Times of the Young" and "Early Flight" on the way real soon so be looking out. Shouts out to everyone holding me down, hitting me asking for the project; that's a good look, straight up.

- INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo