’ Words by Todd Davis Photos courtesy of SMC Recordings
Hyphy movement going on and the music from the Bay Area taking a whole different turn, they kinda requested it back. So, I brought it back with the Throwblock (Muzic). Why did you start another imprint? Aren’t you still co-owner of Sick Wid’ It Records? Of course I’m always Sick Wid’ It! It’s me and 40’s company that we created together, and Block Movement is more of what I’m doing on my own, another independent. It started with accounting differences, and you have to be able to identify with that when it comes in. But if you look at the logo of Block Movement, it’s still the hog. But, it’s just like he’s standing up. He’s a little bit rougher, like on the block. It’s all related though. With that being said, as far as Block Movement is concerned, who all is a part of that roster? I got this young guy, Taj-He-Spitz, and he just turned eighteen. I’m dealing with him right now. We’ve got a couple of mixtapes coming out on him. One is called Meal Ticket 2 and then Jewelry Money. He’s featured all over my album. Then, we’re gonna do a Block Gang album, which is me, Taj-He-Spitz and Duna. Those are the two main artists that I’m focused on right now. What’s the current status of Sick Wid’ It? Well, you know, on the West Coast there’s very few artists that are really signed to a major deal anymore. But we’re still hustling though. Turf Talk just came out recently. We got a lot of up and coming acts. They’re on the table ready to go, but for the most part ‘bout the only thing I think that’s really gonna [be released on a] major in 2008 would be the B-Legit and E-40 album. So, y’all are finally gonna deliver on that long overdue, highly anticipated duet LP? Yeah, it’s a must-have! We’re just trying to keep that in the can until it’s ready to go, ‘cause we’ve been talking, talking, talking… so this time we want to really prove it and do it. Although you are often described as one of the best emcees on the Left Coast, it seems that you always tend to fly under the mainstream’s radar. Why do you think that is? I don’t know. Maybe because I put out records independently. I never really had a major label record deal, as far as an artist deal to where a company invested to spend money on me to put me out like that. Even with Jive Records, it was just a hybrid deal. I wasn’t really [signed to them] as an artist. So all my walks have been, what I want to call, from the ground up type of thing. I’ve never really had help, but it’s okay because, like I say, my fans stayed loyal. My first album that I put out, Tryin’ to Get a Buck, on the solo with no promotions, sold 100,000 units, and it’s been good ever since. And, once I got a taste of the independent money, man, it’s kinda hard to say, “I’ll just go and do an album for X amount of dollars.”
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You’ve never abandoned where you came from. Not just in the way that you still represent, Vallejo, California to the fullest, but you are still very much a part of your community. Has it been difficult to maintain that as you became more and more successful? Naw, one thing about the block, as far as this whole label thing, Block Movement, when we came in the game, how we got popular, we went to the ‘hood, touched people, kissed babies, shook hands with the D-Boys, and that’s just what it is. I am that. That’s me. I am the ‘hood. I am the block. So, I’m addicted to it. I can’t do nothing else. That’s where I come from and that’s what I do.
ong considered one of the Bay Area’s hardest emcees, Brandt Jones a.k.a. B-Legit the Savage’s stellar career has consistently eluded major label status. Save for what he calls a “hybrid deal” with Jive that was suffocated by a bubble-gum, pop-friendly era, B-lah has survived the good ole fashion way: by pleasing the streets. Appropriately, the business minded mogul is in the second phase of building his own brand – the Block Movement – per Throwblock Muzic. Actually a warmer for his sixth solo release (untitled as of yet) in the way of the streetape trend, this collection of sorted slap is more meal than appetizer and yet another nod for the people’s choice.
Is it fair to say that you are happy with the current state of Hip Hop music and West Coast rap in general? Well, West Coast rap really doesn’t have any identity as of right now. Nobody’s really doing too much. There’s no West Coast sound right now. Like you said, we kinda fell off quick. I think mainly we got away from the element of making songs and storytelling. We were known in the Bay Area for our funky bass lines and pimp style raps/Mobb style raps and it got to going another direction to where they really didn’t understand anymore. The South kinda adapted our sound and added a hi-hat to it, and they’re winning with it now.
Why did you choose to go ahead and put this out versus just coming with your next solo record? Well, you know, I like it because I get a lot of fans that request Mobb Music, and these are tracks that were done in those days. A lot of tracks that I did are from back in 2001, like the one with the late, great Mac Dre. I’m using it as a leadoff single, like a warm up single, and it’s called “Game.” With the
Do you think the trend will come back full-circle and end up out West again? Yeah, I’m pretty sure if we stick to doing what we do we’ll finally get some love back again. We had it on lock, and we were winning, but everybody deserves a turn. It’s the other people’s turn now – the South’s turn. After that music is hopefully done doing its thing, then we keep doing our thing and we might be hot again. I’m just gonna do me for right now though. // OZONE WEST // 21