www.hiphopgame.com

Ever since 50 Cent put a mean hurting on the game with his debut LP, being a member of the G-Unit means having to live up to greatness. Lloyd Banks has done well to establish himself outside of 50's shadow, and now it's Young Buck's turn.


You rapped 'My mama stay in the projects and I been havin' money, I went and bought her a house and she told me she ain't want it. Right then I understood that the hood's in my blood', is it still true?
[laughs] that’s a good one right there, partner, you know what, I had a real problem with my mom and the house situation. You know, where she lives basically is just like them projects and I was getting money out here and I’m like ‘mom, come on you gotta go’ and she’s telling me ‘no’ and it was looking kinda crazy but she finally got out of it and finally I got her a big ass house she’s happy right now.

Is she happy with your success?
Oh man, she’s so happy, I think I’m the love of her life right now, just seeing me doing what I'm doing now is a great feeling for her.

What’s the hip hop scene like in Nashville?
You know, when you say Nashville, Tennessee, the average person thinks 'country music' and when you get there, you realize the Hip-Hop scene overshadows all that. So I'm pretty much one of the persons that's just made it out first, to be able to represent and then let you know that it's really going down, down here, as well as it is in any big cities, it's just going down a lil' bit harder and just like some of these bigger cities you know. And representin' that part is real important to me with this album, I got the concept of my album from NWA's Straight Outta Compton and named my album Straight Outta Cashville you know.

Do you think G-Unit is some kind of modern NWA?
Them some big shoes to fill, I just feel like we got the potential to carry out the legacy like NWA did, the energy is there. So I definitely think if we keep on that way, in the future, we can look back and, down the road, we'll be like 'yo damn, we just did this just like they did'. I think you can make a comparison with real life issues, it was always real with them and it's always real with us

Speaking of west coast artists, you're doing a lot of collabos with them. do you think they have more in common with artists from the south than east coast mcs?
You know what, I think even on my record you get more southern features than you got on a G-Unit record. I got Lil' Flip, David Banner, T.I., Ludacris, Stat Quo, I got a cat I'm bringin' to the table from Cashville by the name of D-Tay. My album is really a Down South thing. I was brought up listening to a lot of West Coast as well as East Coast, I just took a lot of influence of the West Coast, more than I did of the East Coast.

Do you still care about the hip hop culture or is it more about making money right now?
Man, you know what, I love the music before the money, so I'll always care about the Hip-Hop culture, that's what comes first. That's what I was attracted to before I would see finance from this, it was the music and it's always gonna be that way and I think it's something we all got in common in G-Unit. The man upstairs realizes that we have a true love for this thing.

Are you the kind of rapper who records 3 songs in one day or do you just take more time?
Actually, I'm able to give you an album in 2 or 3 days, the work process in my head is crazy. I'm 3,4 songs a day and I'm pretty much doing it on the spot, the way I feel, the way the beat takes me, you know...

Did you know Tony Yayo before he went to jail?
Yes yes yes, way before he went to jail. 3 and a half years ago, I was with Juvenile in New York on a tour bus and 50 had brought Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks with him so our relation established from there.

We just heard that Yayo’s spent a lot of cash after getting out of prison, what’s the first thing you bought with the G-Unit check?
I bought a house, My mother's house, when she decided to come out of the projects.

What was it like when you came back to your hometown to shoot the video with 50 and Lloyd Banks?
It was total crazy man. A lot of people in my city, they know my struggle so they understand some of the things a lil' bit more that I'm saying in these rhymes and shit than the average person.

Are you still cool with Juvenile?
yeah yeah yeah man, me and Juve are aiight.

Is he gonna appear on your album?
nah, he's not on my album.

Would you have liked him to be on this LP?
Well , in the near future you may see a collaboration with me and Juvenile but this time around I really want to show Buck and I really work with the guys who've helped to establish me at this point.

What did you learn from the cash money experience?
What I learned, always keep it real with your folks, I learned not to give up, no matter how hard it may get. Just believe in yourself and believe in what you're doing. My whole city was watching me, I didn't want it to be a disapointment to my city. So the whole regroup thing right there was hard for me but I'm still here and I'm aight, you know.

What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t in G Unit?
I don't know if it would be legal or illegal but I'd be making something and I'd be making some money.

Who are the producers on Straight Outta Cashville?
I worked with Lil Jon, DJ Paul from Three 6 Mafia, I got a lot of up and coming producers, I got so much production I don't even remember. Oh and I got Dre on there!

Do you also wanna start your own label like Eminem and 50 did?
I am in the process of doing that, you're gonna see that in the near future: G-Unit South, that's Young Buck/50 Cent.

Do you wanna bring some peeps from Cashville?
Definitely man, It's gonna be my first focus and then branch out, you know, bring new southern groups to the table, and not only the South, just around the world, there's a lot of people that deserve a fair opportunity.

Will we ever see you flashing a big smile on an album or magazine cover?
Yep! you should check XXL, I show you every diamond I have in my teeth right now with a big ass smile on my face.


When’s the last time you’ve been to the dentist?
Probably 6 months ago...

What does he tell you when you go there?
Your shit is straight!

Who are your favorite rappers?
Number 1: Tupac, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Yayo, Game, Eminem

And outside of the G-Unit Camp?
Outside it would be Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel.....

What about Jadakiss?
Yeah, and Jadakiss, definitely!

It’s been rumored that Jay Z signed a one album deal with Dre, do you know anything about that?
[Almost laughing] I don't know man, you gotta stay tuned...

Can you give us a small hint at least?
I ain't got no hints, I'm not denying or confirming either but all I gotta say is, man, you gotta stay tuned on that one....

What do you think about the beef between Joe Budden and your crew?
The dude is not on nobody's level, I don't really understand the dude. You know, he don't really push nothing my way, you know I'm really in the streets and I don't believe seeing you out here, If nothing, I wouldn't even entertain that man, cause I got to come see you (laughs).

How would you describe your style compared to the other G-Unit members?
I think the style is more because of our slang more than our lyrics, like 'right thurr', that's a terminology I'm showing you. I think if you put that and the lyrics together, you have kinda like a lyricist, a dirty lyricist ha ha!

Any Last Words?
Yo shout out to HipHopGame, July 27th, I'm comin' to a hood near you, straigh outta Cashville motherfuckers!!!

coo interview