SHA MONEY XL (March 2008) | Interview By: Eddie Gurrola

       Dubcnn caught up with Sha Money XL for an exclusive interview.  In this feature, we discuss Sha’s “One Stop Shop” hip-hop conference, which is being held in Phoenix, Arizona on March 8th and 9th.  We also talk about what qualities he looks for in clients, and how artists should present themselves on their Myspace pages.  After this, we speak briefly about the new G-Unit album “Shoot To Kill”, 50 Cent’s “Before I Self Destruct”, and Young Buck’s compilation “Product Of The South”.



As always we have both the transcript and the video for you to check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: eddiegurolla@dubcnn.com
 

Interview was done in February 2008.

Questions Asked By : Eddie Gurrola

Sha Money XL Gave Dubcnn A Shoutout: Click Here

Full Interview In Audio : Click Here

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Dubcnn:  What’s up everybody, we’re here with Sha Money XL. How are you doing?

I’m good man. Everything is good.


Dubcnn: As the owner of your own management company, tell us what qualities you’re looking for in a client to sign?

My management company goes from producers to artists. If you’re talking about an artist, I would say appearance, performance, vocal capability, talent, and social dynamics. [Just] the character that lays in them. If they’re real quiet and timid, I don’t think that’s gonna work.


Dubcnn: You recently signed Tha Bizness to Money Management. Tell us about working with them…

Tha Bizness, those guys are incredible. They integrate live instrumentation into their music as well as samples, and it sounds crisp. Those guys are one of the best to come [in a while.] They’re going to be like The Neptunes in the next year or so. They’re working on a lot of projects.

I’ve been a fan of J-Hen’s for some time. He worked on Lloyd Banks’ album in 2004. I lost touch with him for about a year and a half or two years, and then he came back to me. He came back as Tha Bizness with his cousin Dow Jones, and ever since then I’ve been pushing their beats. They did the Robin Thicke record for 50’s album [“Follow My Lead”], they did “Puff Puff Pass” [from Young Buck’s album]. So they’ve got a lot of records going out to big artists everywhere. They’re talented.


Dubcnn: Do you check out Myspace or hip-hop websites to find new talent?

Yeah, yeah, Myspace is definitely a source. [For] a lot of people, that’s their thing now. They don’t have to e-mail their music, they just send their link. I’ve got a little Myspace folder and I go check out the talent that they send me. Whether it’s a producer or a rapper, I go on their link, check out the songs they have, and check out the pictures. The imagery has a lot to do with what you’re selling. It’s the full completion of the marketing process.


Dubcnn: Tell us about the One Stop Shop conference you’re working on out in Arizona…

The One Stop Shop is the name of the conference. Basically, my management company is expanding. We’re continuing to employ people and grow, but at the same time I can’t continue to have a roster of 100 producers when there’s not 100 projects for me to get them all on. I’m content with the clients I have already.

I just wanted to form something that I can open up to all the other hip-hop friends that I have that want to find ways to get to Lenny S at Def Jam or Shalik at Def Jam. I want to get them to the managers outside of me, such as G. Robinson or Tony Perez, that can help them find their way. So, I said, I’m gonna do something where I bring out the top producers, managers, publishers, [and] mix it with technology, mix it with tastemakers. The whole part of hip-hop [is], you have to make it exciting. If I’m just sitting on the money I’ve got and don’t care about the excitement, that’s not hip-hop. So I wanted to give back this way and add excitement by giving new guys, like Jiggalo, an avenue to put out their talent. They come to this conference, they meet all these people. Some of them sell beats [that] I never even knew they sold through this conference, find their way, and make money. I’m happy for that! That’s my way of giving back to my people.

[Going] back to someone like Jiggalo, he was the runner-up of the battle, and I’ve been doing so much work with this guy. He’s on Buck’s album, he made it to 50, Rick Ross. He’s on his way. I like to see that, the evolution. When I’m an OG, they’re gonna be yelling my name about how much I helped them. So that’s what it’s about, you know?


Dubcnn: That sounds very exciting! How can new artists go about coming to the convention?

New artists need to come! They need to get onto moneymanagementxl.com, register, and come out. If you’re an artist and you want to meet producers, that’s what Busta Rhymes is doing, that’s what Buck comes to do. Last year, we had all the artists getting music. If you’re a new artist, this is where you’re gonna meet everybody that’s in the industry as well, so it works for you too. It’s catered to producers because we’re trying to inform them, but we don’t close doors to anyone. This is a good place for networking, which is so important in hip-hop. You see a million awards shows, and that’s just everybody putting on their best suit and looking good. But what are these people doing as far as giving back and teaching people? It’s not just about the awards shows, it’s about giving back so the next guy can be at the award show. That’s the whole concept.


Dubcnn: Tell us about the new G-Unit album “Shoot To Kill”. What’s going on with that release?

They’re working hard. They were all up at the house before they took off on tour. I just sent them some music, and they’re working hard. They’re at the studio up at his house.


Dubcnn: Are you going to do any production on that?

Yes, absolutely. I just spoke to him [50] and sent them some music.


Dubcnn: For the “Before I Self Destruct” record, how would you compare what you’ve heard of it to the sound of “Curtis”?

It was really a hard record. He was really on some self-destructing…saying shit that’s like “Ohh!” He held back the records that were really gonna hurt some feelings. I think he changed the whole view of that and didn’t go that route. But he has some records that…man, if we hear this record, there’s some shit on there. It’s real hard man!


Dubcnn: What’s the latest with M.O.P.?

That’s a good question. I don’t speak to those guys every day. I know Fame is making beats, and his beats are hot! I know they’re doing some shows and stuff. I love those guys! I don’t run the day-to-day of the label, so I don’t know what their activities are.


Dubcnn: Is your production going to be featured on any other upcoming albums?

Yeah man! Right now, we’re working on Buck’s [project]. Buck did his Cashville Records deal with Sony Red, so we’re looking at releasing a lot of records, four records a year. He’s finishing up his “Product Of The South” compilation, which consists of him, his group 615, & Sosa The Plug, another solo artist from Nashville that is incredible. He has features from extended family like Tha Outlawz, C-Bo, Jeezy, Devin The Dude, and Plies. Working on this first presentation of Cashville Records is incredible. So we’re working with all those artists on that.

I just finished up Gorilla Zoe’s album, [and I’m] working on Joc now. I’m just putting in work man. There’s a lot of things that I’m going to forget. We just did Freeway; we did a fourth-quarter bombing. I had something on a little bit of everything, working on Young Chris’s album, we did something on the last Jay-Z album, Prodigy. Free Prodigy! [I’m] just getting all over the place, [I’m] gonna expand into some R&B, and keep things going in music, man!