Anotha Suge Interview (A british Interview)

[=[Euthanasia]=]

Yesssss, it's anotha one, but it's a good read, well I thought so.
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At its height, Suge Knight's record label, Death Row, was worth £100m. He dominated hip-hop with the likes of Dr Dre, Snoop and the late Tupac Shakur. He also had a reputation for violence and intimidation, and a very public rivalry with Puff Daddy and his main act the Notorious B.I.G. In 1996 Suge was jailed for nine years. While inside, all his major artists including Snoop, fled the label. Now he's been set free, and in an exclusive interview with Radio 1 he sets the record straight.

How does it feel to be a free man?
I feel great, when I was in prison my mind was free, my heart was free, the only thing missing to be free was my body, now I got my body free, soul's free, everything feels great.

What was the daily routine like in prison, what your life was like?
I get up about 5.30 in the morning, they're at the doors probably about 6.30, 7, I didn't go to breakfast, never ate their chow - always cooked for myself. Go the yard about 8.15, hung out with the homies, drank a little coffee, smoked a nice cigar, relaxed a little bit, work out for about an hour and an half, [bell] bar work. Come in again and be on the phone, by the time I took a shower it was almost lock up time again. Go inside my cell, loosen up, watched the stories, relaxed, smoked another cigar.

Chow is about 5.30 - don't do the chow thing - go to the yard 6-6.30, take my radio, hang with the homies 'till about 9.00 pm, then you're on recall. Go back in - every day I had a schedule. Tuesdays was 'Dark Angel', then 'Jenny Jones', write a few letters, listen to some oldies. I missed out the most important thing. I'd make myself a meal. Eat about 5.30, snack about 9.30. Smoke about 1.30 - 1.55. Two o'clock, they're doing count and then don't want no-one smoking inside, so I'd kick back then I'd fire it back up.

How did you stay focused in there, was it easy to stay focused?
In prison you have to realise one thing - everybody's bitter, you got to stay focused but you really got to understand yourself. Actually I enjoyed myself in prison, I had fun, it might sound crazy, there was some great times & some bad times, some lock downs, you had tragedies but there were also good times. Some of my people who got life couldn't go home and be free so I was able to chill with them and spend time.

Some got 100 years life so I knew I would never see them again on the streets. Prison to a guy who has got life - it's like he's dead. This was the opportunity for me to be with them. Every person in prison don't deserve to be in prison, everyone has they're own reasons for being inside, you can't judge people.

How do you think its changed you coming out and the time you've spent in there, do you think your a different person?
Naturally after doing five years I'm going to be, smarter, wiser, stronger. Prison made me a better judge of character, you appreciate all of the little things like being able to take a simple shower, drinking clean water, how the weather changes, it just makes you more appreciative. Prison's either going to make you a strong man or a weaker man.

What do you make of the rap game now, how did you think the hip hop industry has changed?
The change I see is that no-one is doing anything different, people are doing the same stuff that I was doing, there's nothing new, it's time for a change. With Death Row we kept it exciting, something always happened. We kept the fun in it. Same thing with the music - made your head bop. Hip hop and gangsta rap is about the neighbourhood. If you're rapping about a neighbourhood you can't go to, then you're lying. You got guys rapping about Compton that haven't been to Compton in 12 years. You got people rapping about Long Beach that can't go to Long Beach. At this stage of the game Ja Rule is like incredible, he's on another level, it's like it's hard for others to even catch him. The West Coast seems like it was in prison with me. The West Coast will be back in full effect. Our presence will be felt.

One of the first things when you did when you came out was changed the name slightly from Death Row to Tha Row, was that a way for you to start a new chapter?
There's always going to be Death Row, I've got Death Roww tattooed on my arm the whole nine (yards). Death Row is the catalogue where you can find any of your greatest hits. But it's a new era now, great new artists are coming up. I'm not saying Death Row was negative, it's a bit more positive to say Tha Row. Also I don't want to live off the past. I want to take Tha Row to the next level and make it more positive for the young kids.

Right now they're into people like Eminem, what do you think of Eminem, as an artist, would you have signed him?
I wouldn't have signed him. He's a comedian, the stuff he does is funny, I'm into giving the guys off the block in the ghetto an opportunity. Like if I was in your land, the first place I'd go is the ghetto because they deserve that, they need that. I'm not looking for the surburbs - don't have anything against them but they're basically already winning. They have parents who are doctors and lawyers and things, those guys don't have anyone.

How do you feel about Dre these days?
He's still the same, I don't have anything bad about him to say, I wish them well because no matter what, I created them. Its like having a child, even though they don't stay home no more you still don't want to see anything bad happen to them because they are a reflection of you. Everything they're doing today is what I taught them. Those guys have Death Row wives, Death Row babies, Death Row cars, because Death Row is what blew them up.

What do you think of the stuff that Snoop's doing now?
It's not the same. He had a murder trial. It was my 4.5 million that took care of him, made sure he wouldn't go to prison for the rest of his life so I did these things for these guys. If it's a situation where they're bitter at Death Row for helping them, then they're an idiot. If you can't go nowhere because you fear yourself, that's not being happy. I go everywhere. I can't say the same for him. I don't see him anywhere. The whole time I been home I haven't seen him and I hangs out!

[=[Euthanasia]=]

How does it make you feel now about Snoop because you guys were so close?
It does not bother me at all, time change, people change. I'm on a mission to give an opportunity to the young kids. All the people I've already helped it's on them now. My thing is to help these youngsters.

One of these youngsters you've helped is Crooked I, do you want to tell us a little bit about what we can expect from him, and what it is about him that you like so much about his style?
He's a great MC on the microphone, he's really from the ghetto, he's not caught up in the gang banging stuff, he doesn't use drugs, he just loves what he does. I think J Valentine is definitely a star. You’re talking about a guy who wrote a song for Tyrese, wrote a song for N'Sync. The guy's incredible. The same thing for his brother PB (Pretty Boy).

Now on Tha Dogg Pound album you've got that tune with Jay Z, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Siegel and the first thing that Jay Z's saying on that tune is a shout out to the East coast, shout out to the West coast so is that a statement of intent that you would like more unity and more harmony now?
To me it really wasn't a East coast, West coast situation. The guys off the block of East coast I had love for, the same thing with West coast. You get cowards on the East coast that people don't like, and you get cowards on the west coast that people don't like and that's no good.

It's been five years since Tupac left us and he's still topping the charts. What do you think it is about him that still makes people buy his records, still want to identify with him?
Tupac is what you call a superstar. There's a difference between being an artist and a superstar. You get guys on other labels that could probably go and sell some records but they're not a star. Tupac was a star, when he walked in a room the room lit up. He could still be a thug and still talk about thuggish things but he can still take his shirt off and be a pillar to the women. There's a difference between being a thug and a street punk. Tupac is and always will be a legend, even when he was alive he was a legend because he had his own spiritual flava, his own vibe and that's one of the best things you can look for in a guy like Pac. There isn't ever going to be another Tupac, there will be a lot who imitate it but not duplicate it. He's in a class by himself.

Do you think Biggie (The Notorious B.I.G) has that same sort of status as well?
Biggie was a great artist, I Iiked the first song especially he first put out.

Do you want to tell us about the rumour about the J Lo video - whether it actually existed, if there was anything on it?
That video will never come out, its definitely sexy, definitely exciting, definitely interesting. All the things your probably thinking now and probably can't say its that and more but we can't say on air! At the same time I like her as an artist, I like her as an actress, she's working hard, she's good at what she does and I will not be the guy to damage her career so out of respect of her there's no video coming out.

How do you feel about Puffy, you must see him all over the place since you've come out because he's got his new album out?
I haven't seen him, I have nothing against him. When Puffy started Bad Boy he was a bad boy, he still is a bad boy! I don't play with boys I'm a grown man, so how can I have something against this guy? He's just a little boy. I wish him the best.

Throughout the press you're portrayed as the bully boy of hip hop, do you think that's a fair representation or do you think they just picked on one person or just focused on you?
I think I've helped more people in this industry than done harm to them. The situation is that I just don't like people who are fake, trying to beat others. I've never bullied ever since elementary school. I wouldn't consider myself as the bully because I never bullied on someone who couldn't fight back. I would stand up for the guy who wouldn't stand up for themselves.

The Hip Hop Summit that took place earlier on in the year encouraged people to regulate their own lyrics - what do you think about that?
Everyone's got a right to talk about what's going on in their own neighbourhood, and speak what's on their mind. How are you going to change that now? People should be able to be their self, talk about what they want to. They need to make room for these young artists to come up. The difference between me and these other guys, I'm into making the artist a star. I'm making sure they're highlighted on their videos, highlighted on their albums. I want them to get their shine. You don't seem me trying to rap or appear in their videos.

What do you think is the lasting contribution you've made to hip hop?
First thing I did was keep my masters (master tapes). Everybody said it was impossible to do and I've done it. I've kept my respect and remained a man, and worked hard. I have left my ground rules for others to follow. It's called showbusiness. All the other executives can teach you the show part but when you want the business part you have to come and see Suge Knight.

What does the future hold for Suge Knight and Tha Row?
It's a great future, a happy future, happiness is everything, the most important thing is happiness. I'm happy, my people are happy and when your happy like that you can be creative better, you are going to be able to hear it in the music.
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He obviously know's nothing of Em's background, Suburbs, hardly, LOL....Mother & Father having professions? LOL, he doesn't even have a father as far as Em's concerned.
& is it me, or did the way he described prison sound almost livable
Sounds like he's got a blossoming relationship wit Ja though, hmmmmmm

[lee]

Why is he so proud that one of his acts wrote a sobg for n'sync ? lol
and i read a interview with suge a few months ago where he was saying he would like Eminem on Death row .....

[js83]

Why is he so proud that one of his acts wrote a sobg for n'sync ? lol
and i read a interview with suge a few months ago where he was saying he would like Eminem on Death row .....

Really??..i thought he didn't like Eminem cuz supposely..em said the word "nigga" on one of his songs...

[HBKid_Jr]

I remember readin along time ago  at two places,  1.  an NWA page an the Death Row fourm that b4 dre came along death row tried signin Eminem an he said no

[lee]

i never heard em saying nigga ....

[Joachim]

Any of the UK cats see that interview 'Liquid News' had with Suge on BBC Choice the other day? Suge had a beard and looked old as fuck, it was crazy. The first time id seen him since he got sent down.

[lee]

No but i seen him on a MTV us interview with no beard .... maybe he grew it ...

[Joachim]

Or maybe he shaved it, anyway it was recent cause Crooked I was sittin with him, he just called Snoop a fake, and said he made Dre, and he wanted all British emcee's too contact Deathrow UK, and send demos...

[Hittman]

Suge Seemed To Be Living The High Life In Prison, I Thought It Was Meant To Be ard In There.  

I Dont Think He Should Sign Ja Rule Though

[lee]

Ja Rule would be dumb to sign with him .......
i remember Trevor Nelson given a address 4 u to send demos to Suge , it was somewhere like um ...birmingham ... how gangster ... lol
Suge seems to be taken more interest in the uk, this time round ....

[ZILLA THA GOODFELLA]

Eminem has neva said "Nigga" in a song, but he does say it on stage when he's hypin 4 d12 or dre.....

[Jay ay Beee]

Lee said:
"it was somewhere like um ...birmingham ... how gangster ... lol"


Ok Lee - flights from Dublin to Birmingham are cheap - I'll pay for your flight - then you can go down to Handswoth or some shit and see how many times you get battered and robbed and raped or some shit- then you can say 'that's gangsta' without being sarcastic

[lee]

um ... do u live there or something  ? coz my cousins do and its a real country place (except for the town ... lol   )  

and everywhere has it rough areas where u'll get mugged or raped or whatever, but Birmingham and Death Row just don't sound right.

[Ro J. Simpson]

this nigga cooked his own meals n shit? wat the fuck???