New Guerilla Black Interview (Speaks on Barack, Compton, Gangs, BIGGIE etc)

[RHustle]

Guerilla Black - A Beautiful Mind
Posted: Thursday - January 8, 2009 |

http://www.yoraps.com/features1.php?subaction=showfull&id=1231410501&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&

Guerilla Black There haven't been too many West Coast artists dropping albums in the past few years, as far as the hip-hop game. However, there has been many talented West Coast artists from the past that we haven't heard an album from in a while like Guerilla Black. Many people became familiar with Guerilla Black when he dropped an album called Guerilla City, with a hit single featuring Beenie Man entitled, Compton, in 2004. Since then he has been putting out other projects and he has been really big on the mixtape circuit. Despite the decline of West Coast artists in the game, the very motivated Guerilla Black with the help of his brother recently signed to Def Jam has stated, "We are pushing forward and lifting up the West Coast and putting it on our backs at this point." As you read further you will learn about Black's feelings about the hip-hop industry at this point, the decline in album sells, and his comparison to The Notorious B.I.G.

You know we just had a very big election, what are your feelings on the first African American president?

This right here is a moment that can't be replaced. After several years of our ancestors coming to this country in chains and forced into slavery, we finally have an African American in the highest office of this land. There are no words for it. When I found out I was excited and I know a lot of other people were too.

So, what were the first thoughts that went through your head when you found out?

You know what? The first thought that went through my head was, "Wow." In the moment after that I thought about my grandmother and I thought about my grandfather who worked for a penny an hour in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I thought about them because they went through a lot of trials and tribulations. They went through civil rights, segregation, and they weren't here to see that day. I know they were able to see it from Heaven. This election was a phenomenal thing.

So, what's going on with you? Do you have an album coming out?

Right now, I'm just on the mixtape circuit, with the current way that albums are selling. I think that the mixtape circuit is definitely the place to build the momentum for an album. The album is definitely in the works but the mixtape circuit is a very important first step before going into the album process.

Yeah, I know you constantly have mixtapes out. You have a mixtape out right now, right?

I have a new mixtape out right now called The Black Tapes. The mixtape was put together by DJ Ill Will, Antidote, and myself. It definitely came out real hot. 

What do you think is the importance of the mixtape?

I think that the importance of it is for an artist to grow. Challenging yourself means going out of the box and you are competing with yourself. You are jumping on another person's record and a lot of these guys are really hot. So you are also competing with them. So, I think the competitive nature of the mixtape is a creative process. It causes you to step your game up and that's something I enjoy.

So, you see the mixtape as an advantage?

Yeah, it's an advantage to upcoming and older artists that have been in the game for some time. I think the mixtape is challenging for them and if an artist consistently deals with the mixtape they will learn how to step their game up. When artists do a mixtape they see how the original person recorded and they can learn how to make better hooks and better songs, as far as the 16 bars. The game is saturated and it's hard for artists to be heard and the mixtape is a tool for artists to be heard.

So, right now it appears that southern hip-hop is really what is dominating the radio. What are your feelings on that?

You know what? It's a beautiful thing. Reality rap and gangsta rap originated here, in none other but the West Coast. We are the beginning of the reality rapping, which New York ran behind and New York had their time to shine. The South has waiting for so long and they went through so much trying to get themselves in the game. So, it's a beautiful thing to see them in the game right now, especially me being a West Coast artist because that let's me know that everything comes in full circle.

What do you think has contributed to the decline in album sales?

I think the major contributor to that is for one, downloading but two, the artist. I know that's a peculiar answer for you and I know you are like, "Why would you say the artist?" You have to understand that hip-hop is a growing and changing atmosphere. The artists think that they can take a year off, come back with a single, and drop an album. These artists are mistakenly wrong. I think that the labels have been doing that for so long and have gotten used to that technique of doing things. Now they are finding that while they are out for a year or two that you got Mary, Jim, Blow, and everybody else filling your spot that you left after your last album came out. With television, radio, and mixtapes you loose a little of your credibility because you were gone for a year. You may put out a single and we may see you in a video but I don't think that's enough to make someone go in the store and buy your album. It's a combination of things like mixtapes, doing features, and making yourself available to jump on a lot of other artist's music. It definitely falls back into the artist's hands. If an artist thinks that the label to out work then they are mistaken and wrong. The artist really has to take the responsibility of their career. You see the sagging sales of Jeezy and the Game. You can't walk away from the game for a year or two years and think the atmosphere is the same. The game is changing about every month or every 6 months now. You have to make yourself readily available and put out music because the game is saturated. If you don't saturate the game the game will saturate you.

Okay, so how do you feel about the West coast and their overall role in hip-hop?

I'm really upbeat about the West Coast right now. The artists here were lost after the death of Tupac and pretty much Pac left the blue print for us. At that moment a lot of people didn't understand what he was leaving behind and the direction that he wanted to go in. We were left scratching our heads like, "What's next?" I think a lot of the different artists on the East Coast like Ja Rule, Nas, Jay Z, and those people in the passing of B.I.G., the blue print was left open and they were like architects planning. While the West Coast artists were still scratching our heads and wondering what's next. Artists from the West Coast are also stereotyped to what people understand Khakis, chucks, and gang banging. This place is a trend setting place but there's so much outside of that. The artists haven't been able to capitalize on a lot of the different things that the West Coast has to offer.  I think that artists here need to get their swag up, get their swag right, and switch their swag. I think they have more to offer and I think it's coming.

So, I know you are from Compton. Are the gangs, in your opinion, a really big problem in that area?

One thing you have to remember is that gang banging will never cease to exist in the state of California. This has been going on since the 1960's. As long as you have penitentiaries, you will have gang members and gang violence. That's something we have learned to live with over time. I can understand why the rest of the country has a fascination with it.

As far as the whole comparison with B.I.G., do you think that was an advantage or a disadvantage to your career?

I think it was somewhat an advantage but a lot of that was promoted because of the label I was with at that time. Pretty much they seen me as being a big tall brother with a deep voice and they seen a way that they wanted to promote, advertise, and market me. They pushed me in one direction and that direction was continually pushed upon me by different execs. I think that they pretty much pushed me out there in a lot of ways it hurt me and in a lot of ways it helped me but at the end of the day, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Do you plan to come out with an album even though sales are down right now?

I definitely have plans on putting out another album. I think that I make quality music and I think that a lot of people considered my first album a classic on the West Coast. A lot of other people considered my first album a classic. I'm going to always want to put out another album. Right now it's just about the mixtape and getting the buzz back created. So, I'm moving forward and I am anticipating putting out another project.

What other projects do you have going on?

Outside of this Black Tapes, I have already recorded and I have finished the mixtape Beautiful Minds Do Beautiful Things. We are also recording simultaneously I'd Rather Be Somebody For A Day Then Nobody For A Lifetime. My brother, who I don't know if you are familiar with him Hot Dollar, is over there and he did a label situation with Jermaine at Def Jam. We are pushing forward and lifting up the West Coast and putting it on our backs at this point. I think the mixtapes will circulate around the country via the Internet downloading, which is a good and a bad thing. So, we are pushing forward and out of my camp we are planning a lot of things in the future.

Okay. I really appreciate the interview.

I appreciate the time you took out.

Do you have any last words for Yo! Raps?

I want all of y'all on Yo! Raps to look out for The Black Tapes mixtape; they have it on a few websites. Look for the Beautiful Minds Do Beautiful Things and keep praying for me and supporting me and I'll pray for you. Keep it real to the next time.

- By Callas Lane

[MOB]

nice read!
too bad we won't see his next album for a long time