Buckshot Interview "Survival Skills" W/ KRS-One

[Lunatic]

Raptalk.Net hooked up with New York MC Buckshot for an exclusive interview to talk about his new duo album with KRS-One "Survival Skills" out September 15th. Discussing the "Robot" single produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep, Buckshot goes into extreme detail with us about the content of the song and the comparison it has garnered to Jay-Z and his "Death of Auto-Tune" single.

We get off track for a minute but it sure provides for an interesting conversation; Buckshot talks about the "Robot" that is the major record labels and how they've created a "Terminator" like concept - interesting dialogue indeed.

Back on track we get into Buckshot & KRS-One making the perfect decision by releasing the new album via Duck Down Records. Although considered a perfect pairing, this is the first album Buckshot & KRS-One have hooked up to complete; Buckshot talks about how the idea of recording an album together came about.

Continue on to get the low down of album guest appearances, producers and how the Rock the Bells tour treated Buckshot. For all of our Boot Camp Clik and Black Moon fans, get a status update on their next projects.

Buckshot even gave us a video shout out while he was out here in my city, Toronto, Canada for a concert - you know Raptalk.Net get the exclusive treatment.

Enjoy...

Read full Interview here: http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/1924/54/
Buckshot shouts out raptalk.net here:

[Lunatic]

Raptalk.Net: Buckshot is right here on www.raptalk.net. We’re going to talk about his upcoming duo album with KRS-One, “Survival Skills” dropping September 15th. How are you doing at this time?

Buckshot: I’m feeling good. I’m real excited. I’m feeling real energetic and ready to do this. I’m ready to get out there again.

Raptalk.Net: We’re going to get into the album. Let’s talk about the “Robot” single you and KRS have out right now.

Buckshot: That’s the single that represents the album. “Robot” is a message that we put out to let everybody know that you could be more original in the music that you make. You could be more original and to be original is to be better. To be better is what we strive for, that is why to be original is to be better because if you’re like everybody, then you just like being nobody – because that is no identity. Once you have no identity, you become a robot. A robot has no identity. A robot has no fingerprint. We as humans are born with a fingerprint that gives us identity. We need to take advantage of that.

Raptalk.Net: I like that. So would you say the overall content of “Robot” is a message to represent the lack of creativity in Hip-Hop right now?

Buckshot: The message in “Robot” is the message in life. The reason we put that Terminator stuff in there is because we’re trying to let people know we’re in the market and we’re starting off, we are the John Connor’s of the world. We are starting off the Terminator. We’re feeding that monster right now. I know that we can’t avoid it, but I want people to know that we are creating it. I don’t want people to think its all good. We’re feeding the Terminator right now by allowing ourselves to be controlled by a robot that makes decisions for us. Everything from music, they make the decisions for us. We’re losing that fight. There is a new movie called “District 9” or whatever, where they joke about having a section for the humans and another section for the non-humans. Buckshot is telling y’all that joke will be here in a few minutes.

Our song is different than Jay-Z. I felt Jay-Z with the “Death of Auto tune” but I wasn’t trying to say kill auto tune. I was letting it be aware that everybody wants to be a robot.

Raptalk.Net: So you wouldn’t compare it to “Death of Auto Tune?”

Buckshot: Nah. I am feeling it and both our records were made off frustration are getting big in this state. That’s not to say kill auto tune, I’m saying learn how to control auto tune. Learn how to control it. You don’t have to use it every time; you don’t have to become auto tune. There are a lot of kids who use auto tune and they don’t feel the way we feel. They think we’re bugging. I feel them too. I’m not saying auto tune is wack. I’m saying if I’m watching a video and don’t know the difference between Kanye West and all these other people, I don’t know the difference between them because they all sound the same. Seems like y’all all come from the same state, have the same sound and have the same slang and now you’re all using auto tune. Now you have people like confused because they don’t need auto tune. It’s crazy man.

Raptalk.Net: Earlier you said that we’re losing the fight to the robot and are letting them make our decisions. Could that be a representation of us buying into what the major labels want us to do? Is that how we’re losing the fight?

Buckshot: Yeah because we’re buying into the fact that we’re playing a small role and being apart of a system that we are not ready for. We as Duck Down Records or all other independent labels that throw up their independent flag, we know that we fight against the majors. When I say we fight against the majors, the major corporations are owned by people that aren’t even into music. These people make decision based on numbers. And numbers is when you begin to become robotic. Why do we go by numbers? Computers have numbers. We as humans have compassion. He only sold 30K, he’s going home. There is no compassion in that. It’s robot numbers or statistics and graphs. We’re numbers.

We’re heading for that. We’re being apart of the Terminator. If you saw the first Terminator, that’s the stage we’re at now, literally right now. It’s physical, there walking around and becoming a representation of you. I take pride in being on the John Connor side. He’s not even a real character; he’s a fictional character that represents the struggle. He represents the “nah, I’m not going for that.” I’m a real life John Connor. We’re trying to tell people but they won’t hear us. The need to be independent and the want to be an artist is what we’re saying. You can be apart of it by controlling yourself. Don’t let anyone control you. That’s real.

Raptalk.Net: How do we get out of the Terminator? Is it by not listening to what the majors want and making what we feel is real Hip-Hop?

Buckshot: Do you notice that in the Terminator movie they don’t go back? We can’t go back. We can’t stop the Terminator. John Connor couldn’t stop it. We were apart of building it to destroy it. There are only four major label distributors in the world. The people there are more than four labels out there that are major. If you’re not down with this four, those are the ones that are left. That’s the truth. We can’t go back. What we can do is warn each other right now. You could stay out of this shit. Get ready for the have’s and have not’s. We could at least have each other. We could at least have something so even if they do destroy us, we have something. We’re not all suckers. We won’t get pushed to the side. This shit is crazy.

Raptalk.Net: Talk to us about hooking up with Duck Down Records to release the album.

Buckshot: September 15th is when “Survival Skills” comes out. The album reflects what it takes to be in this industry for so long. Some people came in and went out with one hit. Some guys never come back. Some guys never last more than a year in this business. For me and KRS-One to be in the game this long, you have to have a set of skills to survive. That’s the name of the album right there. You need skills in order to survive. That is what dictates the album. The album September 15th, KRS-One and Buckshot bring their worlds together in the collaboration in attempt to go after the devil, to go after the powers that be. We’re the only true people in the game that I think are not afraid. I really believe that. I’m just happy to be here. We don’t pay attention to the new slang or style. We’re still here. I don’t have the courage to say give me liberty or give me death. I don’t say that. I don’t want death, fuck that. You end up dying for nothing. I know you don’t live forever. But what did you do when you were here?

Raptalk.Net: And made you and KRS-One hook up to record an album together?

Buckshot: Because we work well together on stage. We kept saying we work so well together on stage, let’s take that to the studio. The album will give us a chance to really come out here together. We have work separately, but we didn’t have anything together. We decided to do an album together so we can go on stage together. We started talking to each other and it became real serious. We just knew how to capitalize off the idea. When I say that, the KRS-One and Buckshot fans, both of you respect Hip-Hop. Both of our sets of fans respect the fact that Hip-Hop gives them a voice and a choice. Other than that, we could be wiping the tables. You may have never known you had a chance to be rebellious. That may be something you don’t want to like.

Raptalk.Net: What was the process like for the “Robot” video shoot?

Buckshot: It was fun. First and foremost, it was fun because I and KRS are two energetic people. I was a dancer up until the year 1990 since I was a kid. Dancing was my first love. My uncles were dancers and they were in groups. I just followed that tradition. It was contraction. No disrespect. I had a whole family of people who do this and none of them got to the level where I did. They all got to a level where it was impactful around their ways. There local legends. I just happened to be one of the grand kids that got into Hip-Hop. It’s in me man. Like I said, one of the things that are in me too that I shocked my consumers with is my love for business.

I don’t know why I have a love for business. I get turned on and excited for business (laughs). I don’t know why I do that. I don’t know why I have knowledge of how perfect Billie Mays was two of the biggest marketers on TV today period. I don’t know why last night I was watching a story on a whole Warren Buffet biography. They had me locked because here is a guy who seems to everyone who doesn’t know him like a crooked old angry white man. But that dude is cool and has a nice heart. Buckshot is a rapper and he took in Warren Buffet, admiring the fact that dude is like 80 years old and he’s bouncing around. He is with the people out in the crowds. You gotta’ see his energy. That’s why that motherfucker is so rich. And then for him to drop one of the best quotes in the world we hear all the time but don’t know it came from him.

Let me ask you a question Lunatic. What’s the best investment you would ever make? I’m asking you. I don’t want to take your time, but what’s the best investment that you would make?

Raptalk.Net: Putting stock into a proven winning company like a businessman like Warren Buffet. If you put stock into that man’s business which has been so successful and made so much money, you can almost assure yourself of being successful.

Buckshot: How about in the words of Warren Buffet himself. That sounds cool what you said because he has shareholders and everything but how about this, Warren Buffet’s quote is the best in the world: “invest in yourself.” That is the best thing in the world to say. A lot of people don’t invest in themselves. They invest in other people before they invest in themselves. Nobody should be a better investment to themselves than yourself. You know how you want to take care of yourself. You know how to believe in yourself. That’s why we say invest in yourself. Anything you invest in that you don’t believe in, you’re hurting your profit. A lot of people don’t believe in themselves. If they did, we wouldn’t have so many followers. We wouldn’t have so many people failing in the stock market. There so locked into the stock market. Next thing you know the stock or share goes down, then there gone.

My whole point is, invest in yourself. Take the time out to really go hard on yourself. That’s the thing we need to remember in our Hip-Hop society. Take the time out to invest in yourself. Stop investing in everybody else. Stop trying to be the same old school rapper. Everybody is trying to be the same robot producer. Nobody has time to go anywhere.

Raptalk.Net: You just mentioned producer. Havoc produced the first single “Robot.” What other guest producers and appearances do you have on the album?

Buckshot: We got fire man. We brought out the bomb team. We have Havoc, 9th Wonder, Ill Mind, Nottz, Marco Polo, Black Milk. There are a lot of missiles on this album production wise. I’m proud of that. Anyone who isn’t aware of those producers, don’t worry about it. When you hear the music, it will speak for itself.

Raptalk.Net: And what about the guest appearances?

Buckshot: All of the people that support me and KRS-One personally and business wise. We really rock together at shows. Mary J. Blige first of all. Immortal Technique, Slug from Atmosphere. So many people are on this album. Blue Scholar, Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, both of them. Smif-n-Wessun. The album reflects what Hip-Hop needs. There are a lot of people stressed out because of the direction of Hip-Hop at this time. The game isn’t supposed to be this way. It’s all good though.

Raptalk.Net: How has the Rock the Bells tour treated you far? What has been the best crowd?

Buckshot: I don’t know which state would be the best crowd because they all really gave it up. There were some spots that were a bit light though. But pretty much everything has been alright. It’s been good. I think equally Chicago and New York represented hard. It’s hard on this tour. There are a lot of artists and MC’s on the tour. It’s really hard to do it like that. You have all these MC’s in one spot. Fans come see all of us and they don’t want to see all of us because we’re on different stages. Each artist is at different spots. It gets a little bit confusing.

Raptalk.Net: Any more plans for more Boot Camp Clik or Black Moon albums?

Buckshot: Yeah, definitely have a Black Moon album coming out. We’re working with a Boot Camp Clik album as we speak. I’m taking a lot of the material in the same approach as this KRS-One album. So we’re kind of going in straight with that after this KRS album. It’s all about a flow. I feel it and I’m making sure I keep that flow with the Boot Camp album. It has banging tracks. That was my job to make sure this album has some good beats. The KRS-One album, you’ll know I put together the criteria that I know how to. Sometimes it’s not perfect, but we try and it’s ok.

Raptalk.Net: Thanks a lot for your time Buckshot. That does it for my questions. It’s a great interview no doubt. As your last words, tell our readers why they should go cop “Survival Skills” on September 15th?

Buckshot: In order to survive. I put it like this. In a world of confusion and distress, in a world of not feeling you can go anywhere without being sent for by the devil, understand what it takes to survive. You need patience, disciple and obedience. Use those three rules and jewels, and you’ll be big in any industry you get into, whether it is music or business. Patience, discipline and obedience. Write those three things down and don’t forget them.

[NillerTheKid]

props on this. seem as most of your questions evolved around Robot?

[Lunatic]

props on this. seem as most of your questions evolved around Robot?

Thanks. Y'all gotta understand (not taking a shot at u, been wanting to say this and seems good timing) that this is indeed a business. Even with these interviews, the goal is always to help the artists promote whatever there trying to sell at the time. Right now, "Robot" and the album are 2 major points, so to keep the artist, label, publicist and so on happy, I ask questions about that. Anyitme u see me doing an interview with an artist who is about to drop a project, the questions will always heavily revolve around that.

That's why I enjoy my interviews most with people that ain't dropping shit; My DOC's one were classic.

[NillerTheKid]

props on this. seem as most of your questions evolved around Robot?

Thanks. Y'all gotta understand (not taking a shot at u, been wanting to say this and seems good timing) that this is indeed a business. Even with these interviews, the goal is always to help the artists promote whatever there trying to sell at the time. Right now, "Robot" and the album are 2 major points, so to keep the artist, label, publicist and so on happy, I ask questions about that. Anyitme u see me doing an interview with an artist who is about to drop a project, the questions will always heavily revolve around that.

That's why I enjoy my interviews most with people that ain't dropping shit; My DOC's one were classic.

it was in no way a diss, i actually thought it was very dope, he was speaking on life in general, not just some "go cop my album, it's the shit"

[D-Nice]

Great interview, great album, great catalog and label, nuff said

[Lunatic]

props on this. seem as most of your questions evolved around Robot?

Thanks. Y'all gotta understand (not taking a shot at u, been wanting to say this and seems good timing) that this is indeed a business. Even with these interviews, the goal is always to help the artists promote whatever there trying to sell at the time. Right now, "Robot" and the album are 2 major points, so to keep the artist, label, publicist and so on happy, I ask questions about that. Anyitme u see me doing an interview with an artist who is about to drop a project, the questions will always heavily revolve around that.

That's why I enjoy my interviews most with people that ain't dropping shit; My DOC's one were classic.

it was in no way a diss, i actually thought it was very dope, he was speaking on life in general, not just some "go cop my album, it's the shit"

I know it wasn't a diss homie, that's why I said it wasn't directed at u becuase I been wanting to say this about my interviews for a while now. I just felt your comment was a good sedge way for it.

But ya he a dope cat, kickin it with him was cool too. Great interview.

[Lunatic]

No doubt D! Thanks!

[Elano]

this is better
http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=229609.0