DIRTBAG
MIAMI, FL
Where have you been hiding? There was a lot of hype when you signed your deal, and then things slowed down a bit. Basically, things just came to a stop. I learned the hard way – you can’t win on the label, you gotta do it yourself. It’s a little politics, you know? I was supposed to make a move from Jive to another company, so we’ve been going through that for the past six months. They finally decided I’m gonna stay over there at Jive, due to the success of Cool & Dre. Dre signed over there at Jive. So politically they figured, damn near anywhere I go I’m gonna blow up now since Dre finna blow, so they kept me. But it was a battle for six months that held things up. I was out of town for a little bit and that kind of held things up too, so now I’m on the grind. I’m putting out a mixtape and I’ve got a new single I’m working on called Bring It Back to The Bottom. I’m just keepin’ it poppin’ while these boys work. What were the problems between you and Jive? Some of the Southern artists that have been signed to Jive in the past felt that the label didn’t really know how to market them. Was that part of your issue? The real problem I got at Jive is that they really don’t take too many chances. They kinda tippy-toe. You can’t play ball like that. You either go all out or you don’t do it at all. They’ll throw a single out there but they won’t work it, they’ll just see how it goes by itself. So fuck it, I gotta work it myself. I know if I get it poppin’ myself they’re the machine so they gotta do what they gotta do. But they’re not gonna take that first risk on me. They’ll sign me and have me sitting for five years, and they don’t care as long as I ain’t making money for nobody else. So that’s the situation over there. After you create a buzz and get a few hundred spins yourself, Jive will step in. They don’t have good street teams. Their pop records sell, so that’s their bread and butter. They’re known for pop music so they just got rap on the side. You know, Too Short ain’t over there no more and E-40 ain’t over there no more. It’s not impossible to eat [at Jive] but you’ve gotta make that buzz on your own. If you ain’t got a buzz, it’s difficult.
I ain’t gonna say that I relaxed, but I did think they were going to pick up the slack. But with a lot of the stuff I was doing, they just didn’t want to put music out. It was all “hush-hush.” So it got kinda frustrating. But on my part, I forgot the grand hustle, you know what I’m saying? You never stop hustling. Even if you’re on a major label, you still push your own shit. So I take 75% of the blame for that. But the other 25% is on them, because they didn’t push my talent. Didn’t Jive do a video for you and Mystikal? Well, Jive didn’t do that. Chris Lighty did that. Then Mystikal got locked up and Busta Rhymes and his label got on us about putting the song out there. A lot of people didn’t come through on clearances. But it’s all good, I keep doing it. It’s like being in the game not knowing the game. God bless them, my heart goes out to them, but I’ve moved on to some other things now. With all the setbacks did you ever get to the point where you felt like quitting? I can’t. Cause if I quit and do something else, it’s going to be illegal. I gotta give it at least a five year run. I been in it for three years, so I got two more years to go... The rest of this interview will be featured in the July issue of OZONE Magazine at www.OZONEMAG.com.
Is it fair to say that when you signed the deal with Jive you slacked off a little and relaxed, thinking that they were gonna pick up the slack? OZONE
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