West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => Outbound Connection => Topic started by: Lunatic on August 26, 2008, 06:43:35 PM
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In a time where many fans claim "Houston rap is dead" Slim Thug has been busy shutting up the haters. Just a year and a half after he introduced the world to his group The Boss Hogg Outlawz with their debut album "Serve & Collect" Slim Thug and his camp returns with the sophomore album "Back By Blockular Demand: Serve & Collect Pt. 2"
While on their promo run in New York City, Slim Thug and the rest of the gang (minus Young Black) took time out if their busy schedule to speak to raptalk about the project. This interview includes everything you would want to know about the album, plus a one on one session with Slim Thug that reveals info on his upcoming "Boss of all Bosses" album, his decision to leave Interscope and a whole lot more!
read interview here: http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/752/54/
Q: We’re here with Slim Thug & The Boss Hogg Outlaws; how are you guys doing?
C-Ward: What’s happening? Thanks for having us. I’m good.
PJ: I’m blessed. Come on with it.
J-Dawg: I’m good, I’m blessed. I’m ready.
Slim Thug: What’s going on? I’m good, having a good time here in New York City.
Killa Kyleon: Oh man, I’m feeling blessed.
Q: Let the fans know when the new album “Back by Blockular Demand” is dropping.
C-Ward: September 2nd, 2008.
Q: How can the fans expect this album to differ from the last group effort, “Serve & Collect?”
C-Ward: They can expect this one to differ as far as the growth. It’s pretty much going to have the same feel. This album here is going to have a lot more pain. The first time, you got a lot of the ghetto. They got the ghetto shining, they got the ghetto outlook. This time, there going to get the look of the ghetto from the inside looking out instead of the outside looking in. That’s how I believe this one will differ from the first one.
PJ: It’s different because we’re brushing up on a lot of different topics and different concepts. The production is similar. We got the same producers from the first album, but they came with some new heat. It’s all new. We’re bringing our A-game.
J-Dawg: I feel like its more mainstream, it’s more universal. I feel on the last one, we strictly catered to Houston the way we did. This one here more universal. We’re everywhere. I really don’t have a personal favorite song on the album but I like everybody’s solo songs. We got tracks together we’re all rapping on them together, but I like every artist solo songs on the album.
Slim Thug: It’s really a continuation. It’s more universal based. It’s still Houston; we got those Houston records but the last album “Serve & Collect” the whole record was nothing but ridin’ on swangers’ and Houston type of music like that. We tried to do half and half on this one; a lot of the Houston records and a lot of reality situations. We still kept it street and didn’t do it for the mainstream or nothing like that. The streets are going to love it, that’s who we really did it for.
Killa Kyleon: It’s musical growth. We originally made the first record for our region. That was a record made for our region. This second album, we’ve expanded to build our fan base as far as trying showing people we can create on different musical levels. On the Houston music, we really concentrate on our culture and try to make hit records for our region. This album was broader for hip-hop; showing we got depth in hip-hop and we have concepts – we can talk about other topics other than what’s going on regionally. It’s a broader and mainstream sound than the last record. Like I said, we did the last record strictly for our region. This record here is better-rounded and sounds more mainstream. We did the girl records, we did every concept. It’s a bigger sound because our last record, we just concentrated on pleasing our region. If your not the shit at home, how the hell you going to be the shit anywhere else?
Q: It sounds like this album will be more mature in terms of subject matter.
C-Ward: I believe so. I believe we had a strong subject matter in many words on the first one, but I feel this one here touches on more situations. This one here is more universal. The first one was more the H-Town feeling on what we do coming town, the shining part – what we do with the money, this one here is more what we do to get the money.
PJ: Yeah, positively. We talking about snitches, we talking about our day at home, we talking about wet pain drippin’, we talking about the ladies, we talking to the playa’s. “Ride Around With No Ceiling” we hitting them hard.
Q: Let’s talk about the first single, “Ridin’ with no Ceiling.” Tell the fans about that record.
C-Ward: Me personally, I don’t care too much for that record. It’s more of a H-Town feel on that record, but it’s a nationwide thing. “Ridin’ With No Ceiling” is basically any car you have, the top is off. It’s basically about having a little money and feeling good about yourself. It’s when you’re going through things in life, you have that and you feel good about yourself. You let the top down and just ride through the city and you just feel good until the breaks hit the wave. That’s basically what that’s all about. Get your mind right and ride around with no ceiling.
PJ: “Ride With No Ceiling” is a song for the south, we like to ride drop top cars, drop top old school Cadillac’s, anything with the top off is a drop top. Anything drop top, whatever – we ride with no ceiling. That’s what it is. It hits you, “Ride with No Ceiling.”
J-Dawg: Yeah “Ride with No Ceiling” basically I’m going to tell you the truth. It was a rap I had done and they (the group) took part of the verse out of the rap and came up with the hook. Basically “Ride with No Ceiling” is something we do, how we ride in Houston with the top down. Let the top down and let the wind blow. It’s pretty much self-explanatory.
Slim Thug: “Ride With No Ceiling” is produced by GL productions and it’s some young cats out of Houston; one of them is actually LeToya Luckett’s younger brother. It was actually a song for J-Dawg or whatever and we got on the record and put it on this group album here. The streets and it’s in the clubs heavy right now.
Killa Kyleon: “Ride With No Ceiling” was a record really done for our region that we threw out there. The weather is hot here; we’re one of the only cities were you can be in the middle of December, around Christmas - we have the money and we’re having fun. We’re in a Convertible car with no top, just riding around. We ride the drop top on the swangers. That’s what we do. We did this song for like a part 2 to “Recognize a Playa” from the last album. I can really say this record is part two to what “Recognize a Playa” was for the first album.
Q: You don’t like that record C-Ward? At the very least, I appreciate your honesty.
C-Ward: Oh me personally, I don’t like that record but I like every other song on the album except that one. I’m not a big fan of that song but everyone else in the group actually is. I really don’t like it too much.
Q: The last album was mostly produced by Mr. Lee. How will the production look on this effort?
C-Ward: We pretty much stuck to the script; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We got Mr. Lee again, GL Productions which made the Young Black solo track from the first album. We used Stunt Dosha, Mr. Rogers and that’s basically it. We kept it the same solution.
PJ: You got Mr. Lee, we got GL Productions which is two people. You got Mr. Rogers on there. We got T.A. ofcourse. That’s it. We cool.
J-Dawg: We got Mr. Lee, that’s who we usually deal with. To me, he really captures our style. We got T.A. and we got GL Productions who is actually LeToya Luckett’s brother and his friend, they came together with GL productions. We have Mr. Rogers on a track. Basically, we got the Houston producers.
Killa Kyleon: for the production, we still kept it Houston with a different sound of Houston because we really keep like the Death Row/Cash Money vibe with one producer – we just get that one producer which is Mr. Lee for us. We reached out to a lot of hot up and coming producers like T.A., GL Productions which is LeToya Luckett’s younger brother, Kevin Luckett. We also got some new cats out of Dallas, Texas DJ Mr. Rogers and Stunt Dosha. We got Mr. Lee as usual. One of the lead singles off the record, with Ray J is done my Mr. Lee and “Ride With No Ceiling” is done by GL Productions.
Q: The last album didn’t have any guest appearances outside the group. Can we expect the same from this project?
C-Ward: yes sir. This time, we got two features. We got Ray J and we got Lil Keke who is from the Screwed Up Click which is where I’m from, the same root. That’s it though, no other features.
Q: So tell us about the decision to not really have features when most albums today are bombarded with them.
C-Ward: We’re just not trying to put out a compilation album. It’s already six or seven us so I believe a gang of us as it is. We’re just trying to put ourselves on. It’s a hard job when to promote yourselves with about six people in the group rapping and then you go and put ten features on the album. It’s kind of hard to let everybody do their thing and get they shine. We kept it to ourselves on this one here.
PJ: We’re like the Cash Money thing, we’re very family-oriented. We feel our skills stand stern. We don’t really have to go outside the camp to get anyone. Anything we’re looking for, we got it in our camp. It’s not being selfish or anything. If people want to work with us, that’s cool but we don’t go looking for features because everything we’re looking for, we got it.
J-Dawg: It’s not even really like that; it’s not that we don’t like features. We deal with a lot of artists in the game. We’re cool with pretty much everybody. We got five people under our label, really, six of us and after we do our thing, we don’t really have to go to anybody else outside the label. That’s really how it ends up happening. We don’t just think like that or say we aren’t going to get features; we just do a lot of work and a lot of songs.
Slim Thug: We don’t want people to get it confused, we’re not putting out a compilation. The whole main objective to putting this album out is to set the different artists up and let everybody know that everybody can stand on their own two feet. It’s not all about Slim Thug; these cats all got their own talent. It’s basically a set up record. We don’t care how you get it. We’re rich motherfuckers’ if you buy it, but if you don’t buy it, download the mutha’ fucka’ – do whatever you got to do to hear the record and make sure you get a feel for each artist individually.
Killa Kyleon: Because it shies away from the actual artist who the record is for. I always say records have a cycle. When you do your debut record, you really need to concentrate on letting the people know who you are. The first record really concentrates on your group. Ok, you made it passed step one, how are you going to handle the sophomore jinx? For the second record, you have to establish yourself as an artist to your audience. It doesn’t make sense to go and get those hip new features. I feel like those features can really be a “help me” type thing like “I need him to get at his fan base.” But really, his people are just listening to the record for you and they look at it like his record. We wanted to make it where we can still give our audience our look and we just went and got Ray J for a hook because we’re in a situation at Koch where Ray J is also. We had the record already done before the “Sexy Lady” before the “Sexy Can I” and before the “Gifts” and everything. We put Ray J on the record and that’s how we made a record with Ray J. The (Lil) Keke record came around being that (Mr.) Lee already had the beat with Keke on it already. It was only right to pay homage to that beat with Lil Keke on it. Other than that, we just wanted to show everybody that we can hold our own and we don’t need features.
Q: What’s next up for the group? Solo albums or a third group effort?
C-Ward: I’m hoping solo’s. Whatever the fans beg for most likely. If they pick whoever they pick and chose from whom they beg for, that’s how we roll.
PJ: A third group album may come later in the future, but right now we’re all setting up for our own solo projects. I got my own label. J-Dawg got his own label going, (Killa) Kyleon got his own thing going, C-Ward got his thing going; we’re really just trying to get from under that Slim Thug umbrella and show the world we can hold our own. We can make good music and good singles and we got labels coming out of Houston because we’re all bosses. We are all different. We’re coming into the game; we’re not just leaning on Boss Hogg Outlawz. We’re really young entrepreneurs that know the industry and know the game. We’re trying to get our piece of the pie. That’s what it is, we just want to make good music and do good business. We’re in it for the longevity.
J-Dawg: Yeah, we’re working on solo albums. We support each other as far as Boss Hogg goes. After this here, we’re going to drop Slim’s (Slim Thug) solo “Boss of all Bosses” which you know is going to be our main focus as far as the promotion and working with that. But yeah, we’re all bosses under Boss Hogg so we’re going to all drop solo albums and hopefully if everybody give us good feedback on this group album you might see us back for part three.
Slim Thug: Definitely, that’s the whole plan. Right after we drop this album, I drop my next solo “Boss of all Bosses” and everybody will follow it too.
Killa Kyleon: These two records that we just put out was really to solidify us in the game and to let the audience know who Boss Hogg is outside of Slim Thug. After these two records, we’re going to come out with these street solo records. Everybody has their solo records already established. We have established features; everybody bosses just like the title of the group is, Boss Hogg Outlawz.
Q: I want to talk about to you Slim about the upcoming solo. What is the current status on “Boss of all Bosses?”
Slim Thug: The album is ready, it’s complete. We’re just trying to figure out if we want to put it out in November or February. That’s where we’re at. Basically all we’re doing is sitting back waiting on that decision, one project at a time; we’re putting this project out so all we can do is for this. As for my record, I got over 150 fuckin’ songs so I’m ready to drop whenever; you know what I’m saying? We’re just trying to figure out if we want to do it in November or February.
Q: Tell us about the decision to leave Interscope Records.
Slim Thug: When I first signed to Interscope/Geffen, I loved it. I loved everybody I was working it; I had a good relationship with everybody. But after we dropped “Already Platinum” they fired there whole staff; from the presidents to my A&R; to the marketing people, everybody. There are just one or two people that are still there from the time I was. I tried to re-build a relationship with the new people but it never just got all the way together, we never got on the same page. That started to slow down the process of my project. The new A&R didn’t want to pick up where another A&R left off. A different A&R picked me as the artist than the A&R that is now there. The new A&R was slacking when it came to me because they didn’t pick me as an artist. Me personally, I didn’t feel as if Interscope truly understands what Houston music is and what it is about. They wanted me to do one thing and when I would explain to them another way; when they okay go your way, I can go my way but when it was something they didn’t agree with, they weren’t going to put it out. That type of stuff got old to me. I was like I really rather do it independent. I can’t call Jimmy Iovine whenever I want; I can call Adam whenever and we can talk about anything and get work done; I like that. We have the whole machine moving; everybody is doing their job and on the same page.
Q: So the album is complete, have you picked out a first single?
Slim Thug: I got an album worth of shit, I got a 150 fuckin’ songs. We haven’t picked out one song out. We got a good idea of which one it’s going to be. We just leaked a record as a matter of fact we just put out a new record with (Dr.) Dre and Devin (the dude) called “Bitch I’m Back” for the streets. It’s on the internet, crazy. We haven’t picked out a first single, I just did some records with Jim Jonsin (editor’s note: producer for Lil Wayne “Lollipop” and T.I. “whatever you like”) and I’m working to this day; so I haven’t made no decision as far as the first singles goes. If we drop the album in November, I know I need a single by September, I’ll pick it then. Until that day comes, I’m going to keep working.
Q: Will the Dr. Dre produced “Bitch I’m Back” is that a lock to make the cut?
Slim Thug: Nah, it ain’t 100% for sure if it’s going to appear on the album. I did so much work that I can leak something down every month. I got so many records. Like I said, it depends on what time it’s going to be when we drop; if we drop the album in February, most likely “Bitch I’m Back” won’t be on the album because it’ll be a bit old by then.
Q: How did you hook with Dr. Dre? Not a lot of people are getting Dre beats these days.
Slim Thug: That was through Interscope.
Q: Let everybody know to pick up “Back by Blockular Demand” on September 2nd.
Slim Thug: Pick it up because it’s good, quality music. It’s going to introduce you to the whole new era of Houston rap music. These cats on my label are so different from what you hear out of even me, Paul Wall, Mike Jones – they have a different swag, nobody sounds like each other and they each do own music and I’ve built an all-star team with them.
Q: Thanks a lot for your time.
Killa Kyleon: No problem, thank you.
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there first album was pretty dope, ill check out this project out,.
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yeah, his first album was dope, one of the few south albums that were good
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When does the 2nd serve & collect album come out? There wasn't enough songs on the 1st serve & collect that I liked. I'm tryna expand my horizons, especially on music. But I do feel that Slim Thug's Already Platinum was underrated.
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When does the 2nd serve & collect album come out? There wasn't enough songs on the 1st serve & collect that I liked. I'm tryna expand my horizons, especially on music. But I do feel that Slim Thug's Already Platinum was underrated.
read the interview dog, it comes out Sept 2nd!
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Luni does it again... good stuff bro.
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this fall gone be like the houston wave all over again..startin in september..
boys sick of waitin on the majors.. they finna flood the streets of texas again with them mixtapes n everything..
good interview ti.. :-\
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good interview ti.. :-\[/color][/b]
huh?
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good interview ti.. :-\[/color][/b]
huh?
fuckin wit ya folk..
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good interview ti.. :-\[/color][/b]
huh?
fuckin wit ya folk..
lol oh
thanks a lot for readin it dog
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Luni does it again... good stuff bro.
thanks and u know what it is styles!