Roccett Interview: CTE Departure

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2096/54/

Here is a brand new Raptalk exclusive with former CTE artist, Roccett. In this interview, Roccett details the reasons for his departure from CTE, and what it had to do with label front man, Young Jeezy. Roccett also speaks on hy a potential joint venture deal with Akon fell through, and details who is to blame for that.

Enjoy!

[Lunatic]

Raptalk.Net: How’s it going Roccett?

 

Roccett:  Ahh Man, everything is good homie.

 

 

Raptalk.Net: Tell us about where you come from, and your upbringing in Carson California?

 

Roccett: You know Carson is right next door to Compton, so it’s your typical west coast story; drugs, gangs, a lot of different things. Being on the west, you have to keep your eyes and ears open and make wise decisions; growing up on the west is really hard.

 

 

Raptalk.Net: When did you decide to start using music as an outlet?

 

Roccett: I was always rapping, ever since I was young. At 16 I was putting words together, by 18 &19; I got in the studio for the first time. Once I made my first song, I really felt in love with it. So around 18 & 19 was when I really focused on music.

 

 

Raptalk.Net: From listening to your music and following your mixtapes you talk and a lot about the "Grind." How has your grind been in this industry from day one?

 

Roccett: My grind has been just about making some good music and to succeed in this music industry because it’s so hard to prosper in this game. If you don’t sound like this or make this type of music than they don’t want you to succeed. I feel like being me, making the right music for me, striving to be who I am, and make my mark in the game.

 

Raptalk.Net: What has the mixtape game done for your career from your perspective?

 

Roccett: Man it brought me a long way, about 4 to 5 years ago, When I did my first mixtape, Strong Arm Steady Green up mixtape,  it just went and did a lot for my career, and I just started doing more and more, and the more I did, the more people liked my music. I was shocked that I was getting more and more fans, I haven’t even dropped an album yet, but the mixtape music is there so fans can pop that in and have something to listen to.

 

Raptalk.Net: As we stated earlier, you are a west coat artist, but you are known outside of the west coast, most noticeably for your affiliation with Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy and CTE.

 

Let’s get into your situation with CTE and how it fell apart. How did you link up with CTE and Jeezy in the first place?

 

Roccett: Me and Jeezy had similar friends, we were part of a similar family before CTE,  we bumped into each other all the time, his friends were my friends, He heard some of my mixtapes and was like “yo I need u to be part of CTE”, and that’s basically how that happened. Now I’m not with them anymore.

 

Raptalk.Net: In your record, “Dear Jeezy, Dear Meech: you provided a little insight to the situation with you and Jeezy. Example, in the song you say “He sat me down like Vick”, what actually happen to cause you to step away from CTE and Jeezy?

 

Roccett: I’m gonna’ be honest - anyone who is a fan of music, clicks or labels, there is always a formula homie; even when you go back to the Death Row days, There was Dre than snoop and etc.., With Jay-Z and Roc-a-fella you had Jay than Memphis Bleek and etc., Even with  G-Unit, everybody sold a collective amount albums, a decent amount cause of the formula, set the next artist up to succeed, going in the studio with your artist making sure everything is right. I felt like CTE consisted of just Jeezy, rather than Slick Pulla, Roccett, and Blood Raw. It was more Michael Jordan and Chicago bulls instead of the Spurs. That isn’t any disrespect, that’s the truth. It looks like me leaving opened his eyes because now he’s putting artist out now. I still feel like he wasted my time, I wasn’t over there to hang out with Young Jeezy, not over there to hit the clubs every week, I’ve been doing that all my life, been all over the world, I’ve done all that with Big Meech. I was at CTE to make music and albums. I appreciate the love the south gave me while I was with him, so many real dudes out there in the south, it was a blessing to meet them, but at the end of the day he wasn’t on his J.O. He was on his Jeezy J.O., but he wasn’t on his CTE label boss J.O.   I feel the Blood Raw project wasn’t pushed and promoted right and Slick should have been had an album out. I just don’t know.

 

Raptalk.Net: Are you still cool with the other CTE artists?

 

Roccett: Yea, shout out to Slick Pulla and Blood Raw, at the end of the day, I learned to respect these people as men before artists. We might not be able to hang out like we used to, but there is a level of respect there. For Jeezy, I really don’t care how he feels, this is how I feed my family, I had to take control of my career. I’m glad I left, since I left he’s starting to see that he might have to start paying attention to his artists more.

 

 

Raptalk.Net: What do you offer that’s different from other West Coast artists?

 

Roccett: It’s so many flavors of west coast, I offer growth, maturity and super realism, I give it to you raw, I don’t care if you like it or dislike it, who feelings get hurt, I keep it real homie. I know sometimes saying “I’m real” don’t mean shit these days because everyone is saying it. That’s like a people saying I love you everyday to each other, it don’t mean that much, but I’m so me, I’m a regular dude, I like to do regular things. I just like chill and be me and that separates me from every artist.

 


Raptalk.Net: Let’s talk about this new mixtape with Dj Drama, "The Free Agent." I personally think it’s some of your best work to date.  What was your mindset when you were preparing this mixtape?

 

Roccett: I was feeling like AI, I’m the free agent, felt like Vick in the pen for 2 years, doing my pushups. A lot of people had been giving me some great feedback on the tape, when I’m in the studio working on a tape; I like to construct it in a way where you don’t have to skip songs. I listen to my tape and try to figure out as a listener, what tracks I would skip over or wouldn’t want to listen to. I’m my biggest critic. You might not like every song, but if u like 5 or 6 songs, that’s a good thing for me. At this point, it feels good to not answer to anybody; my career is on my hands.

Raptalk.Net: What artist in the game do you want to work with that you haven’t yet?

 

Roccett: I’m not gonna’ lie; Dr. Dre, I’m so ready to walk in the studio and see Dre behind the board like “look here Roccett I got a song for you, just go record”. I’d like to work with 50 [Cent], I respect 50, not just his music, but just how he does what he wants to do. I respect it as a man; I mean in this life we all die one day so take advantage of your opportunities... I feel like 50 has an attitude of if he want to do it, he will do it, if he don’t he don’t.

 

Raptalk.Net: With the “get your green up” movement, are you looking to go independent or major?

 

Roccett: That’s a tricky question; independent is best because you get to keep most of your money, however the majors have the marketing dollars you need to get the visibility and make more money if you than decide to go indie. …I guess I’m just waiting on the right move, and if it doesn’t come, independent is always there. I don’t really know.



Raptalk.Net: Was there a label situation with you and Akon?

 

Roccett: Man, let me keep it real...me and Akon had a conversation. Akon wanted me to do a deal with him and CTE, a collective deal, and Jeezy turned it down, and Jeezy being my man at the time, I thought I knew what he was doing. I thought he was planning put me out, but low and behold nothing happened. Who knows if I could have been skyrocketed right now with the Akon deal. I felt like I was loyal to somebody who wasn’t loyal to me. Akon definitely isn’t a rapper, so it was basically gonna’ be on  me to do the rapping and handling the music.… obviously it didn’t work out, but me and Akon are still cool, so something might happen in the future.



Raptalk.Net: What future projects do you have coming up (Movies, Clothing, etc...)  I know will be getting more Roccett mixtapes.

 

Roccett: Well I’m sponsored by Makaveli clothing which is a blessing, that’s so big to be sponsored by them. After the DJ Drama tape I’m dropping the “West In Full” tape part 2 It’s gonna’ have all the hot west coast artist on there, than a Roccett tape with southern artist, than after that, hopefully its album time by June of next year.

Raptalk.Net: Roccett, We appreciate you taking time out of your day to speak with us. For the people who want to get in touch and get down with Roccett and “Get Your Green Up” how can they contact you?

 

Roccett: Google me, YouTube me, etc; I got www.twitter.com/iamroccett

www.iamroccett.com

www.roccett.com

www.myspace.com/roccett

www.youtube.com/RoccettTV

www.facebook.com/roccett

Run through that free agent mixtape; take 60-80min out of your day to check it out. I ain’t gonna’ stop grinding. I appreciate yall for the interview, The truth about everything shall come out sooner or later, cause if I get bitter its gonna be a problem.


By: Patrick St. Fleur

Questions compiled by Patrick St. Fleur & Rashad Dowdell

Edited By: Justin Melo

[LONDON!!]

good interview, its sad to hear about that cte stuff not working out for roccett, hopefully he can still blow up and go through, he has the talent, he can spit and has a good ear for beats too

[MistaNova]

Roccett: Yea, shout out to Slick Pulla and Blood Raw, at the end of the day, I learned to respect these people as men before artists. We might not be able to hang out like we used to, but there is a level of respect there. For Jeezy, I really don’t care how he feels, this is how I feed my family, I had to take control of my career. I’m glad I left, since I left he’s starting to see that he might have to start paying attention to his artists more.

I wonder if Jeezy plans to replace Roccett with 211. The quote above somewhat explains why Jeezy announced 211's debut.