Juvenile: Cocky & Confident [New Interview]

[Lunatic]

– INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo



Juvenile: Cocky & Confident

 Monday, November 23, 2009  

http://www.wordofsouth.com/online/2009/11/23/juvenile-interview-feature/



http://www.wordofsouth.com/online/2009/11/23/juvenile-interview-feature/

WordofSouth.com: What’s going on with you Juvenile?

Juvenile: Man, I’m chillin!

WordofSouth.com: You’re on www.WordofSouth.com.

Juvenile: www.WordofSouth.com, that’s what it is!

WordofSouth.com: First off, what makes your return to the game a “Cocky and Confident” one?

Juvenile: (Laughs) it’s just the fact that I’ve been away for a minute. I’ve always been a little bit of a cocky cat. I feel strong about what I’m doing, being that I’ve been away for a couple years.


WordofSouth.com: Speaking of being away for a couple of years, why such a long hiatus after a hit record like “Rodeo” and a hit album?

Juvenile: You know what; I had a lot of things going in my life, personal things. I just wanted to spend a little time with my family.

WordofSouth.com: Is that why you didn’t steadily release mixtapes to keep your name out there?

Juvenile: Yeah. And I never was a mixtape cat. I try to keep people wondering what I’m up to. I’m not big on doing a thousand mixtapes and stuff like that. I think you get out there and make awareness like the older days when people actually go to the store and people actually support you.

WordofSouth.com: The mixtape market is definitely an over saturated one.

Juvenile: It was good when it first started, when 50 Cent first started doing it and it was all fresh and it was actually getting people record deals. But now, it’s hard. There are a billion mixtapes out there.

WordofSouth.com: What’s the subject matter like on the new album?

Juvenile: Really, it’s “Cocky and Confident.” It’s a good album. It’s a weekend album. Something that you listen to when you’re ready to go out there and have a good time. It’s not a downer, it’s an upper. I’ve never been a slow tempo cat. This album is definitely not the one to listen to if you wanna’ hear a slow album.

WordofSouth.com: Can the fans still expect some of that deep subject matter?

Juvenile: Oh of course.

WordofSouth.com: Ok, no doubt. What’s your personal favorite track on the album?

Juvenile: Right now, I got about 4-5. I’m really loving the “Listen to your Heart” record. It’s a song I made for my son.

WordofSouth.com: So that probably goes back to the deep subject matter. That’s probably the one right there.

Juvenile: When you said deep subject matter, I couldn’t pick up what you meant really.

WordofSouth.com: I mean some of that meaningful stuff. Not just weekend, club music.

Juvenile: Oh ok, I definitely got some of that on there. You know I’m a hip-hop head, so I do it all.

WordofSouth.com: Good to hear. What’s the status on a video for “Hands On You?”

Juvenile: Nah, I’m not doing a video for “Hands On You.” That’s a song that Atlantic picked. My picks were “We Be Getting Money” and another song for the ladies that I’ll probably shoot a video for. But nah, I don’t plan on shooting a video for that. That’s just something we shot to radio.

WordofSouth.com: So what is the next video?

Juvenile: Well the next video is “We Be Getting Money” (editor’s note: video has premiered). We’re just waiting for it to premiere on World Star.

WordofSouth.com: In terms of a third single, is that the female one you were speaking of?

Juvenile: Probably. I really like to let the fans to choose. But it probably will be the female song.

WordofSouth.com: When the album hits stores, are you doing a tour?

Juvenile: I’m on tour now. I’m doing my promotional tour now. I definitely plan on going out there and hitting everywhere. That’s where people can see you and touch you.

WordofSouth.com: Speaking on being a hip-hop head and on what you just said about the people seeing and touching you, are you one of those artists which take pride in going on tour?

Juvenile: Oh yeah, definitely. I take pride on being on stage. Seriously, I don’t like people who get on stage and stay in one spot and don’t give the people a show. I like to sound like the record too.

WordofSouth.com: I like that. Did Mannie Fresh handle any of the production on the new album?

Juvenile: Nah. You know what, he did but none of the songs we did made the album; maybe 3 or 4 of them got bootlegged. It was a crazy situation with that. That’s really one of the reasons I had to go back into the studio and record again.

WordofSouth.com: So the records you two recorded already leaked?

Juvenile: Yeah. Some of the Mannie Fresh records, there already out there. There not even on the album though.

WordofSouth.com: Which ones are you talking about, title wise?

Juvenile: They’re getting their own titles from the people. I never even got the chance to title them (laughs). I don’t even want to put that out there to promote those songs.

WordofSouth.com: We can respect that. Is the mixtape with DJ Drama & B.G. still on?

Juvenile: I don’t know nothing about that. I didn’t know we were doing a mixtape like that. That’s new to me.

WordofSouth.com: Wow, you don’t know about that?

Juvenile: That must be something B.G. and them has. We did songs together. But the songs we did were my songs. I don’t know anything about a mixtape.

WordofSouth.com: Damn, that’s crazy because they got everything; a title, a front cover and all types of shit out there.

Juvenile: Well you know, I ain’t mad at him (laughs). Thank you for the free promo.

WordofSouth.com: Speaking of, what’s the status of the Hot Boyz album? Baby recently said that the album was done and would be released in the summer of 2010. That sort of clashes with comments you recently made.

Juvenile: Nah. We recorded songs but it’s just a matter of us getting back into the studio and making new songs. It’s been a minute. He put that out there because he definitely knows will be in the studio making some new records.

WordofSouth.com: But the album is definitely not done at this time?

Juvenile: Nah. I mean, we’ve recorded so many songs. He probably does have an album of material but that’s now how it’s gonna come out.

WordofSouth.com: But you guys do plan on getting back into the studio?

Juvenile: Definitely.

WordofSouth.com: Will you be recording anything with Lil Wayne before he goes to jail?

Juvenile: You know what, that’s what I’m trying to do now. I’ve been moving around and he’s been moving around. He gotta’ get everything straight before he goes in. But yeah, definitely. We plan on maybe doing a whole album before [Wayne goes to jail].

WordofSouth.com: So you’re hoping to finish up the Hot Boyz album before Wayne goes in?

Juvenile: Yeah.

WordofSouth.com: Do you know what Turk’s situation is?

Juvenile: That’s part of it too. And B.G. too because he just got in some trouble. I don’t know man. I wish I could answer all of these questions but I can’t answer them. If I can’t answer the question to the fullest, I rather not answer at all. I really have no information right now.

WordofSouth.com: We hope Turk is released soon and will hear on that shortly.

Juvenile: Yeah man. I done put money up and everything. But he’s in Tennessee; I don’t know what they’re doing. They said it was a police situation. We don’t know if it’s somebody holding a grudge. We don’t know what it is.

WordofSouth.com: That’s messed up. In your opinion being an artist from New Orleans, what is Soulja Slim’s legacy?

Juvenile: Soulja Slim was the streets; straight up. All those street cats, whoever was thugging, grinding, getting money in New Orleans and outside of New Orleans; wherever Slim’s record played, people listened to him and knew he was the streets. That dude was the streets. That was my little homie out the projects. I brought him into the game. I was one of the cats who made him serious about rap because at first, he wasn’t taking it serious.

WordofSouth.com: So you kind of inspired him to keep rapping?

Juvenile: Oh definitely. I paid for Soulja Slim or Magnolia Slim, his first demo.

WordofSouth.com: That’s a good story. Are there any new rappers out of New Orleans your feeling at this time?

Juvenile: Oh definitely. I got a little cat named Youngin’ and some other cat. I still run with Skip. The list is long though; my list is long.

WordofSouth.com: I was just about to bring that up, you mentioned Skip. What about Wacko? Are they still on UTP?

Juvenile: Nah, I still got Skip. Wacko is doing his own thing.

WordofSouth.com: I think he was over at Rap-A-Lot.

Juvenile: Me and J. [Prince] are partners.

WordofSouth.com: You and J. Prince?

Juvenile: Yeah, me and J. Prince, we did a partnership on two albums. That’s like him [Wacko] going to somebody we already know. That’s not out of our house.

WordofSouth.com: No doubt. This is an old partnership with J. Prince though, correct? It’s not upcoming albums?

Juvenile: It was for “Partners In Crime” and the first Juvenile, Wacko & Skip album.

WordofSouth.com: So that’s been fulfilled.

Juvenile: Oh yeah, we’ve been done that.

WordofSouth.com: So what’s next up for UTP?

Juvenile: I’m still on Atlantic. UTP is my label, I own it. I may sign some new artists here and there. Right now, I’m the only artist on there and I got Skip next up.

WordofSouth.com: So what are your plans moving forward in terms of your relationship with Atlantic?

Juvenile: Ain’t nothing wrong with me and Atlantic. I’m still there. I hope you ain’t trying to make nothing bad (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) Nah, I ain’t trying to make nothing bad.

Juvenile: (Laughs) you heard something? What you talking about (laughs)

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) I ain’t heard nothing. The stuff that came out with B.G., you hear about that?

Juvenile: Nah, I ain’t heard nothing. What happened with B.G.?

WordofSouth.com: Baby went on record asking Atlantic to let B.G. out of the contract. He said they’re not giving him any money. Baby is trying to bring B.G. back and get him some money and what not.

Juvenile: Oh see, I don’t even know anything about that.

WordofSouth.com: That’s why I was asking. Your relationship is cool with Atlantic?

Juvenile: Oh yeah.

WordofSouth.com: Are you signed to them past this album? Further than “Cocky and Confident?”

Juvenile: Yeah. I’m there for 5 albums; 25 million baby.

WordofSouth.com: There y’all have it. Juvenile is putting that in the public. We appreciate your time Juve. We want everybody to go pick up “Cocky and Confident” when it’s in stores.

Juvenile: Like he said, go pick up “Cocky and Confident” when it hits the stores. Thank you to www.wordofsouth.com baby!

– INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo
http://www.wordofsouth.com/online/2009/11/23/juvenile-interview-feature/

[Bananas]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

[Lunatic]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

lol u gotta be kidding me.

[D-Nice]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

U must not have read alot of Luna's interviews have you?

[Bananas]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

lol u gotta be kidding me.

I know I know. That shit is just foolish, everyone wants to read about label relationships and the awkward communication problems between you and the rapper. I'm tripping.

[Lunatic]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

lol u gotta be kidding me.

I know I know. That shit is just foolish, everyone wants to read about label relationships and the awkward communication problems between you and the rapper. I'm tripping.

I asked lots of good questions most interviews wouldn't; for example, I bet u most would leave Soulja Slim outta this; when I know my target audience (the word of south visitors), a lot are from New Orleans and were gonna be looking for that.

That's why WOS is a top 100 hip-hop website according to XXL 

[Blood$]

dope interview... I been bangin' alotta Juve and B.G. and just all the old Cash Money shit to hold me over for December 8th 

[D-Nice]

Man, these industry interviews are boring as shit. This man (juve) had a huge number 1 single and was on top of the world at one point, he's probably got a gang of interesting shit to say and stories to tell, but this interview stays making him sound dull and uninteresting. Wheres the questions about what liquor he drinks, stories about freaks, cars he drove, guns he likes, things that he'll sit up in his chair and wanna tell you a story about?

lol u gotta be kidding me.

I know I know. That shit is just foolish, everyone wants to read about label relationships and the awkward communication problems between you and the rapper. I'm tripping.

I asked lots of good questions most interviews wouldn't; for example, I bet u most would leave Soulja Slim outta this; when I know my target audience (the word of south visitors), a lot are from New Orleans and were gonna be looking for that.

That's why WOS is a top 100 hip-hop website according to XXL 

XXL's list doesn't mean shit. They only listed the popular and even official rapper sites for fuck sakes. Philaflava didn't get mention and a few other great hip hop sites. It was pretty pointless in bringing it up and sort of agree with the other user. These interviews nowadays are pretty predictable with the interviewers sucking up to the artist/producer and questions that have already been answered.

In most cases, I am sure the label or manager/A&R wants the interview focused for the most part on a current project. I have seen many of his interviews like say with a DOC or a Knocturnal, where nothing is off limits and the interview is more care free. But then I also seen people say I don't want to hear about that BS, I want to hear about the music so I guess it is damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Lunatic]

In most cases, I am sure the label or manager/A&R wants the interview focused for the most part on a current project. I have seen many of his interviews like say with a DOC or a Knocturnal, where nothing is off limits and the interview is more care free. But then I also seen people say I don't want to hear about that BS, I want to hear about the music so I guess it is damned if you do and damned if you don't.

some aren't built to understand that D