Ron 'Riskie' Brent Interview (Makaveli album cover creator)

[Darksider]

Ron 'Riskie' Brent, creator of the notorious Makaveli album cover, sat down with MrMakaveli.net and discussed the past (the Death Row days), the present (the Makaveli poster) and the future (what's coming up).

MrMakaveli.net: What you up to these days? and can you hit us up with more information on and what we can expect from www.thainkwell.com?

Riskie: These days people have been getting at me to be involved in a lot of 2pac tributes… for september….the anniversary of his death is creeping back up on us…I’ve been in 2 documentaries so far this month.. it’s a blessing that after 10 years people wanna still know who I am and hear what I have to say…I’m appreciative for that …I don’t feel like I’d gotten the proper respect for my work back in the day… now it’s finally starting to surface…thainkwell.com is my online gallery where everyone out there feelin my vibe will be able to see some of my work and purchase it there only….right now I’ve been workin on a lot of t’shirt designs…so be on the look out for um I plan on makin a lot of noise this year…. the underappreciated will always rain supreme in my book.

MrMakaveli.net: How did you first get into art? When did you first learn the talent you have and how did you get involved with producing artwork for the rap industry?

Riskie: I first got into art at a young age tracing out of coloring books. The older I got the more I became involved in the gift…in about the late 80’s I started tagging …I’d gotton so popular in high school from drawing I created my own crew and started doin murals on my high school gym..those where the days…lol….i was know through out my neighbor hood also…and at that time death row was hotter than fish grease….suge knight and I grew up in the same hood….i would see him come through from time to time in his lowrider wit all the homies…I liked that whole vibe I jus wanted to be down back then death row had all the hits and they were real wit it…I’d spoken to suge a few times but nuthin really came of it..until they shot the video for California love the remix at the Compton swapmeet where I used to airbrush t’shirts at…I will never forget that day I saw suge again for like the 3rd time people had surrounded him askin questions wanting autographs…and I jus stood by until he was alone…it took bout 2 hours..lol…but when he was free I made my move…when I walked up to him he remembered me and asked if I had my portfolio wit me? (he’d seen it before through some friends that wanted to help me get on) i told him yeah I ran off to git it brought it to him…and he said come wit me I walked wit him to a van when he opened the door to the van there was pac inside chillen wit some chicks …lol….i was shocked that I was finally meeting him….but suge introduced us.. pac looked at my portfolio the next thing you know I was on death row workin on the insert to all eyes on me.

MrMakaveli.net: Are there any current Art projects (Album covers etc) you are working on and if so can you reveal any details?

Riskie: Yes I’m always workin on sumthin but right now I can’t reveal any details.. don’t wanna git to far ahead of myself…

MrMakaveli.net: Where do you get your inspiration from, to carry out concepts and complete a piece from start to finish?

Riskie: I get my inspiration from whom ever I’m workin on at the time…if it’s an artist I listen to their music and twist up a fat one and git bizzy

MrMakaveli.net: We have alot of budding artists out there that look up to you and your work one thing they wanted to know is if you can explain your own process of creating an idea for an image?

Riskie: I create my ideas out of there imagination I usually sketch whatever they describe to me and I don’t stopp until I get there approval

MrMakaveli.net: Are there any artists past or present you look up to and what is your fave artwork by that artist?

Riskie: One artist from the past I use to look up to was hex he was a big graph writer in los angeles back in the day I was his biggest fan I wonder what he’s up to?
I have no favorite peace from him I jus know he was dope as hell…I remember going to the Belmont tunnel a lot to see his pieces

MrMakaveli.net: What is your definition of 'Art'?

Riskie: My definition of art is anything creative you put your heart and soul into for others to appreciate for a lifetime!

MrMakaveli.net: Whats your fave 2pac and or deathrow song?

Riskie: My favorite pac song was if I die tonite and against all odds
And my favorite death row song is keep there heads ringin

MrMakaveli.net: Was there any particular pieces that caught Suge Knights eye and hence why he got you to do work over there? If so can we preview anything? & When did you start 'working' for Deathrow?

Riskie: I think one of the drawings I did that caught suges eye was a portrait I did of him from the welcome to death row vibe cover that really put me in the game….i started on death row January of 96 one month before the realease of all eyes on me

MrMakaveli.net: Do you still have contact with Suge Knight and have you visited him in Jail? If not can you remember the last time you had a convo with him and what you talked about (business wise)?

Riskie: No I haven’t spoken wit suge in 2 years now….i have visited him in jail before…and the last convo we had was me comin back to tha row…I had his blessins to stopp thru anytime..that was before the realease of the disfuntional family soundtrack…but he got incarcerated again before we tied the knot..from there I lost all contact.

MrMakaveli.net: Did you ever get to see 2Pac recording at the Deathrow studios? and if so can you try best to describe his work ethic and which songs you witnessed him recording?

Riskie: Tupac was indeed a hard worker I remember him spending nights at can am recording studios sun up to sun down…I do remember him in the studio doin against all odds I was there with george pryce then death rows publicist…I had come wit george for snoop to do an interview and pac slid thru and blessed us wit a couple of bars

MrMakaveli.net: People like to speculate and put shit out there like Suge Knight set 2Pac up to be shot in LV. Whats your reaction to such comments and can you try to explain 2Pacs and Suges relationship from what you saw?

Riskie: I don’t believe that….they were the best of friends from what I saw…if you saw suge you saw pac….that’s all I can speak on what I saw

MrMakaveli.net: Can you let us know what month in 1996 the album was recorded and or when you was approached to create the cover for the Makaveli album?

Riskie: I can’t remember that far back then…and as far as the album cover I got a phone call from suge to make it happen and I did…when it was done I took it to pac and he gave his blessin…

MrMakaveli.net: Was there any other drawings you did for this or was the finished product the one we see released?

Riskie: There was other artwork but let’s jus say that’s my little secret!

MrMakaveli.net: Can you explain the though process you put into this or did you just do your thing? Can you tell us what 2Pac and/or Suges ideas relayed to you for this project?

Riskie: The office had a meeting that night when I got the phone call about the cover so I made a mock up cover to present at that meeting….suge explained he wanted pac on a cross because he felt crucified by people…but suge didn’t want anything disrespectful or tasteless so that’s why he order the disclaimer you see on the bottom of the album…makaveli had some of the most controversial pieces of art I’ve ever done.

MrMakaveli.net: When creating the cover of this album did you get to preview the album tracks to draw inspiration for the cover? If so can you remember anything from songs thats different to the released album version. Was alot cut out of the songs 2pac diss wise?

Riskie: Yeah toss it up and against all odds!
I’m not gonna speak on that rest…you all know how pac was he was a rider fasho there was nuthin fake or scripted about him at all except in his movies…so he was gonna do damage wit this one fasho

MrMakaveli.net: We believe one of 2Pacs previously released albums at that time was to feature 2Pac crucified on a cross (possibly the Me Against The World album). Was the makaveli cover based on this original idea?

Riskie: I have no idea about that one.

MrMakaveli.net: Alot of 2Pac 'alive believers' believe there are many things hidden in the Makaveli album cover for example a small box shape at the bottom right of the picture. Where this small picture added by you, if so what is it? Can you explain if there are any hidden meanings in the cover? and if you was told put any there (by suge after 2pacs death)?

Riskie: No don’t believe the hype it is what it is…there are no messages other than the one pac wanted to get across and I can’t answer for him

MrMakaveli.net: What were 2Pacs reactions to seeing the album cover?

Riskie: He was surprised that I had put it down… he couldn’t believe I made his thoughts a reality I was supposed to do more stuff for him to hang up at his pad after vegas…but he never made it back

MrMakaveli.net: Is it true that you were the provider of some background vocals on the Gang Related soundtrack?

Riskie: Yeah..lol….i did a song called freak sumthin….i never benefited from it but yeah I’m on a platinum sellin record rappin’ hard to believe hunh?

MrMakaveli.net: I am sure you are aware of who Kadafi of tha outlawz is (sadly passed away in 96). A few years back we saw a mix cd released from his family. They are releasing Volume 2 next year. Would you be down to create a CD cover for that project either free or some way we can pay you through our site/forum? Its for a good cause and we wanna try help out kadafis family as much as possible. Please let me (221) know

Riskie: 221 jus git at me when the time comes… I really din’t get to know yak like that but I’ll always have love for an outlaw

MrMakaveli.net: Will we be seeing your work again on music cds and or any upcoming magazines?

Riskie: Life is full of possibilities I jus take life one day one step at a time

MrMakaveli.net: I am sure we have bored you enough with all these questions! I, as many 2Pac fans do, hope you get asked by Amaru Records to work on a future 2Pac project be it CD covers, Dvds or clothering! We fully appreciate you giving MrMakaveli.net the opportunity to laying this question to rest that have been on the fans minds for 10 years! Finally Is there anything you would like to add or let the Riskie, 2Pac and Deathrow fans out there know?

Riskie: I wanna thank you all for takin the time to read this interview and for supporting my inkwell movement it is greatly respected…with out all of the love I’d be an unknown legend still…tryin to bounce back from 1996’ that was an incredible year for me as an artist…thanks again to suge knight for takin my art from the hood to history…and to 2pac amaru shakur thanks again for letting me have this small part of your legacy…rip I’ll see you again in heavens ghetto!


If you haven't already, make sure to support Riskie and purchase the Makaveli poster at thainkwell.com!