TIME IS NOW: STREET LIFE
STREET LIFE | STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK
INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK PHOTOGRAPH BALL
STATEN ISLAND WU TANG MEMBER STREET LIFE HAS BEEN A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH EVER SINCE HE STEPPED ON THE RAP SCENE WITH HIS FEATURE DEBUT ON “MR. SANDMAN” OFF METHOD MAN'S FIRST ALBUM “TICAL” IN 1994. MAINSTREAM HIP HOP HASN’T BEEN THE SAME SINCE LYRICS STOPPED BEING THE FOCAL POINT BUT EMCEES LIKE STREET LIFE CONTINUE TO CARRY THE FLAG FOR AUTHENTIC HIP HOP. AN EMCEE THAT RECOGNIZES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF HIP HOP AND PAYS HOMAGE TO THE CULTURE SHOULD BE CELEBRATED. WITH THAT BEING SAID, VALIDATED SPOKE WITH STREET LIFE TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING FROM HIS EARLIEST MEMORIES OF HIP HOP CULTURE, SURVIVING THE SHIFT IN HIP HOP MUSIC, WORKING WITH THE NEW YORK YANKEES, RECENT SINGLES “SQUAD UP” FEATURING METHOD MAN AND HAVOC (OF MOBB DEEP) AND “TIME IS NOW” AND MORE.
VALIDATED: GROWING UP IN STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF HIP HOP CULTURE?
STREET LIFE: I'M GONNA SAY, “TWO YEARS AGO, A FRIEND OF MINE ASKED ME TO SAY SOME EMCEE RHYMES”... I'M GONNA GO BACK TO, “I WAS SWIMMING IN THE WATER OF THE OCEAN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I DROPPED MY POTION”. I GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO STAPLETON, PARK HILL. OH MAN, WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO HIP HOP, THAT'S WHEN WE WAS DOING THE, UM, YOU HAD TO RECORD IT ON THE TAPE DECK, BACK AND FORTH, YOU HAD TO RECORD, STOP. I DON’T CARE HOW, YOU WROTE THAT STUFF DOWN WORD FOR WORD. LOL
VALIDATED: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START AS AN EMCEE?
STREET LIFE: UM, I WAS JUST IN THE STREET, WE IN THE HOOD ALWAYS RHYMING. I'M SITTING IN THE CLASSROOM, LIKE EVERYBODY BEATING ON DESKS, RHYMING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, FREESTYLING, NOTHING WRITTEN, ALL FREESTYLING. YOU GOT ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WU TANG KIND OF FORMULATED. YOU HAD US IN THE STREETS, YOU HAD EVERYBODY THAT HAD THEY RHYMES. EVERYBODY WAS GOOD AT SOMETHING AND I WAS JUST A DUDE THAT USED TO RHYME IN THE STREETS. RIGHT BEFORE METH HAD GOT HIS DEAL AT DEF JAM, HE WAS LIKE, “YO, STREET, WHEN I GET MY DEAL I'M GONNA COME SNATCH YOU UP.” I WAS LIKE, “YEAH, AIGHT, WHATEVER.” THEN HE GOT THAT DEAL AT DEF JAM, MAN AND YEAH, HE SNATCHED ME UP. THAT'S WHEN AS FAR AS FOCUSING ON BEING AN EMCEE CAME INTO PLAY. ‘CAUSE I NEVER FOCUSED ON BEING A EMCEE, I USED TO JUST DO IT BECAUSE I LIKED TO DO IT.
VALIDATED: I READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU WEREN'T EVEN INTERESTED IN RAPPING PROFESSIONALLY INITIALLY, SO WHAT GOT YOU TO PURSUE IT?
STREET LIFE: THE STREETS GOT REALER AND REALER, DYING, JAIL, BEEFS WAS STACKING UP. WE WAS ON THE ROAD, METH CAME WHEN HE GOT HIS DEAL AND TOOK ME ON THE ROAD, ‘CAUSE I WAS DIBBLING AND DABBLING IN AND OUT. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE STORY THAT ACTUALLY GOT ME TO STICK MORE TO FOCUSING ON EMCEEING. I THINK RZA, REST IN PEACE TO HIS MOM'S, THEY HAD LIKE A PARTY AT HER CRIB AND WU TANG, I GUESS THEY HAD SOMETHING GOING ON. I GUESS THE DEAL OR WHATEVER THEY WERE ABOUT TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO START THEY STUFF AND KEEP IT MOVING. SO THEY GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, AND METH IS LIKE, “YO, I'M ABOUT TO GO OVER TO THE GOD HOUSE.” AND SAYS, “YO, COME WITH ME.” I'M LIKE, “YEAH, AIGHT.” SO BOOM, WE GET OVER THERE. EVERYBODY HAVING A GOOD TIME, ME AND METH COME WALKING THROUGH THE DOOR… I'M TALKING ABOUT I PROBABLY GOT ABOUT TWO STEPS IN THE DOOR. RZA HIT ME LIKE, “YO, COME HERE, LET ME TALK TO YOU.” METH LOOKING AT ME. RZA’S LIKE, “NAH, LET ME TALK TO YOU LIKE OUTSIDE.” SO I SAID “AIGHT.” WE GO OUTSIDE AND HE WAS LIKE, “YO, I KNOW YOU BE IN A LOT OF STUFF AND ALL OF THIS AND ALL OF THAT BUT I GOT A LOT AT STAKE HERE. I CAN'T HAVE YOU COME AROUND AND NIGGAS COMING AFTER YOU AND JEOPARDIZING WHAT I GOT.” SO HE WAS LIKE, “YOU GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE. IT'S EITHER THIS OR THAT.” SO I WAS LIKE, “I’M ROCKING WITH THIS.” HE WAS LIKE “AIGHT.” THAT WAS ACTUALLY WHEN I STARTED TUNING INTO TOO… KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO START MOVING INTO EMCEE AND PUT THE GUNS DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED KIND OF REALLY FOCUSING ON EMCEEING, WHEN HE KIND OF GAVE ME THAT CHOICE RIGHT THERE. METH GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND RZA GAVE ME THE CHOICE.
VALIDATED: YOU MADE YOUR DEBUT ON “MR. SANDMAN” FROM METHOD MAN'S FIRST ALBUM “TICAL” IN 1994. HOW DID THAT COLLABORATION COME TOGETHER?
STREET LIFE: JUST BEING IN THE STUDIO AROUND METH, COMING TO PICK ME UP, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO HE COME PICK ME UP, WE GO TO THE STUDIO, WE LOCKED AND LOADED. AND METH IS LIKE, “YO, STREET, WHAT UP WITH THIS BEAT?”, AND I’M LIKE, “I GOT SOMETHING FOR THAT.” AND I ACTUALLY, AT THAT POINT AND TIME, I DON'T EVEN THINK MY MIND WAS MENTALLY FOCUSED ON EMCEEING. I THINK METH ACTUALLY GAVE ME ABOUT TWO BARS, IF NOT FOUR. I ONLY HAD ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT. HE'S LIKE, “YO, FINISH IT UP LIKE THIS.” I SAID, “AIGHT, MAN, WHATEVER.” HE SAID, “JUST TO GET YOU ON THE ALBUM, YOU’LL FIGURE IT OUT ONCE WE KEEP IT MOVING.” I SAID, “COOL.” BUT THEN I JUST TOOK IT INTO MY OWN EXPERTISE AND FOCUSED AND KIND OF GRINDED MY OWN LITTLE PAVEMENT AND MADE MY OWN LITTLE WAY.
VALIDATED: THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM, “METHOD MAN PRESENTS: STREET LIFE: STREET EDUCATION”, 2005 CLEOPATRA RECORDS. HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT ALBUM TO YOUR CAREER?
STREET LIFE: YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS IN MY CAREER WHERE IT WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS SAID TO ME. THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN, THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN AND EVERYTHING WAS LIKE BE PATIENT AND IT JUST WASN'T HAPPENING. ACTUALLY THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY WAS DOING THE MIXTAPES. I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T REALLY PUT MUCH OUT YET BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THOSE TAPES. EVERYBODY WAS PUTTING OUT MIXTAPES AND THEY WAS USING EVERYBODY BEATS AND JUST DOING A FREESTYLE OVER SOMEBODY BEAT. THAT'S WHEN THAT LITTLE ERA STARTED RIGHT BEFORE 50 CENT CAME THROUGH AND SMASHED THE WHOLE MIXTAPE INDUSTRY. I WANTED TO PUT A MIXTAPE OUT, BUT MY OWN ORIGINAL BEATS. THE METHOD MAN PRESENTS STREET LIFE ONE, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MIXTAPE BUT MY MAN FANTOM CAME TO ME. DISTRO, HE WAS LIKE, “NO LIE, FOR THAT STUFF, YO, I COULD GET YOU SOME MONEY FROM THAT.” SOMEBODY ASKED ME TO PAY THEM 500.00 FOR THEM TO PUT IT OUT AS A MIXTAPE. I WAS LIKE, “YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU MONEY TO PUT MY MIXTAPE OUT?” SO FANTOM COME TO ME, HE WAS LIKE, “YO, I CAN GET YOU A CHECK FOR THAT.” I AIN'T BELIEVE HIM. HE WAS LIKE, “YO, JUST GIVE ME THE SONGS.” I GAVE HIM THE SONGS. I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE CAR, HE CAME BACK WITH A CHECK. HE'S LIKE, “YO, WE GONNA DEFINITELY GO WITH CLEOPATRA PROBABLY, YOU GOING TO BE OVER HERE. I WANT YOU TO MEET THEM, WE GOING TO DO THIS DEAL.” AND THAT'S WHEN I PUT THAT OUT. SO TO SAY THAT WAS ONE OF MY ALBUMS, NAH. NOW I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WAS A MIXTAPE THAT WE KIND OF FORMATTED INTO AN ALBUM. ‘CAUSE THEY AIN’T REALLY GET THE REAL ME YET. THAT'S WHY I HAD TO JUST PUT THAT ONE OUT THERE. THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING I HAD TO DO AT THAT TIME TO TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
VALIDATED: YOU WITNESSED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY SHIFT FROM BUILDING UP ARTISTS TO ARTISTS HAVING TO BUILD THEMSELVES UP TO CATCH RECORD LABELS ATTENTION, HOW DIFFICULT WAS THAT FOR ARTISTS TRYING TO MAKE THE SWITCH?
STREET LIFE: MY STORY IS SIMILAR BUT SO MUCH DIFFERENT BECAUSE I WAS IN ONE OF, IF NOT THE MOST FAMOUS GROUP AND THEN NEXT A SOLO ARTIST. AND THEN I JUST GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SHUFFLE AND ALL OF THAT. YOU KIND OF GET BLINDED BY THE MONEY AND YOU DON’T REALLY START FOCUSING ON YOUR STUFF UNTIL THINGS START SLOWING DOWN. THEN WHEN THE STUFF START SLOWING DOWN, THEN YOU START SEEING HOW MESSED UP YOUR BUSINESS IS. HOPEFULLY IT AIN’T TOO LATE SO YOU CAN CATCH THAT STUFF AND THEN RESTRUCTURE IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WELL FOR ME, IT WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT EASIER THAN OTHERS BASED OFF OF I HAD BUILT A FAN BASE THROUGH WU TANG, METH AND WHATEVER ELSE ARTIST OUT OF THAT. I KIND OF HAD PLATFORMS TO STAND ON WHERE I COULD BUILD MY BRAND BUT SOME PEOPLE DON’T GOT THEM PLATFORMS. I DID A LOT OF GROUNDWORK, SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS, RADIO, PICTURES… AS FAR AS MY CAREER I THINK I DID MORE GROUNDWORK THAN MUSIC WORK. SO WITH ME ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TO REACH THE PEOPLE, WHICH GOT A LITTLE DIFFICULT AS I STARTED GOING ON BECAUSE NOW THIS PERSON THAT I’M TRYING TO REACH TO GET THIS MUSIC OUT IS CONNECTED WITH THIS PERSON, AND THIS PERSON WAS LIKE “UM, I WANTED HIM BUT HE AIN’T OVER HERE, SO YOU DON’T MESS WITH HIM. OTHERS ARE LIKE “I DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT STREET ‘CAUSE YOU KNOW I DO BUSINESS WITH HIM, SO WE DON’T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK.” YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING, SO I GOT CAUGHT IN THAT SHUFFLE. I WAS HEARING “AIGHT, YEAH HE’S DOPE BUT WHO’S GOING TO USE HIM? WELL IF YOU GOING TO USE HIM THEN...” AND IT WAS LIKE RIGHT WHEN I HAD EVERYTHING LINED UP. RECORD EXECS WAS LIKE “YO, STREET YOU DOPE.” THIS WAS AFTER “SEMI AUTOMATIC” AND ALL THAT… THIS WHEN I KNEW IT GOT REAL. THIS WHEN I KNEW THE INDUSTRY STARTED CHANGING. THEY WAS LIKE “AIGHT.”, THIS WHEN YOU KNOW WHO WITH YOU AND WHO NOT WITH YOU IN MUSIC AT A POINT TOO. NOW I’M STARTING TO WAKE UP A LITTLE BIT. THEY WASN’T MAKING STARS NO MORE, THIS WHEN THEY WAS SWITCHING OVER FROM YOU GOT TO BUILD UP THE STAR TO WHEN YOU GOT TO COME IN WITH YOUR OWN ENTITY. THEY WAS LIKE “IF HE THAT DUDE, Y'ALL SAY HE THAT DUDE, SHOOT HIM A VIDEO, GIVE HIM A SINGLE, SET HIM UP AND THEN…” SO WE LEFT THE MEETING LIKE “COOL.” 1 MONTH WENT BY, 1 YEAR WENT BY, 2 YEARS, 4, 5 AND I NEVER GOT THAT SET UP. THEY WAS LIKE “YO, YOU GIVE HIM THE SET UP, WE’LL TAKE HIM FROM THERE.” I’M JUST WAITING, I’M JUST WAITING. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? LOL THEY SAY “DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT STREET, YOU GOOD, HERES THIS CHECK.” AIGHT, COOL. I’M JUST WAITING, I’M JUST WAITING. YEAH, SO I GOT CAUGHT IN THAT SHUFFLE. IT WASN’T BAD FOR ME IN THE BED I WAS LAYING IN. SOMETIMES IT’S GOOD TO MAKE YOUR OWN BED THOUGH.
VALIDATED: I THINK WU TANG IS ONE OF THE FEW HIP HOP GROUPS THAT CAN STILL GO ON TOUR WORLDWIDE AT ANY TIME AND SELL OUT ARENAS.
STREET LIFE: YEAH, WU, METH, ALMOST ANYTHING AFFILIATED, THE PEOPLE LOVE IT. WU IS ROCKSTARS, WU IS THE ROLLING STONES OF HIP HOP TIL THIS DAY. YOU COULD HAVE YOUR HOTTEST RAPPER OUT RIGHT NOW AND HAVE WU IN THE LINE UP. IT DON’T EVEN MATTER. TO ME IT'S JUST THE REALNESS I GUESS. THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS, CERTAIN STUFF IS SEE THROUGH AND CERTAIN STUFF. IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS… WU TANG, IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS AND ALWAYS BEEN.
VALIDATED: SO, IN 2008 YOU RELEASED “STREET CREDIBILITY” INDEPENDENTLY, HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU GREW AS AN ARTIST SINCE YOUR FIRST RELEASE?
STREET LIFE: “STREET CREDIBILITY”, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THAT ONE. I’M TRYING TO SEE WHAT THAT ONE WAS. WHAT WAS ON THAT? I REMEMBER SEEING SOMETHING ON THERE LIKE THAT. ONE OF THEM ALBUMS, IT GOT OVERSEAS SOMEHOW AND THEY CHANGED THE NAME AND RE-PUT IT OUT. SO A LOT OF WORK, WHEN IT COMES TO ME DOING ALBUMS TO ME AS AN ARTIST, I AIN’T DO NOTHING YET. REALLY, TO ME ANY ALBUMS THAT’S OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE SAY “I WAS ROCKING WITH THAT STREET EDUCATION.”, THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE WHERE I CAN SAY I ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND SAID I’M GOING TO PUT THIS ALBUM OUT. OUTSIDE OF THAT, TO ME AS FAR AS THE FANS, TO ME AND ME DOING WHAT I GOT TO DO, I STILL DIDN’T GIVE THEM PEOPLE THAT YET. I DON’T REALLY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE NONE OF THOSE PROJECTS. LIKE WHEN YOU TALKING AND YOU LIKE, “YEAH.” AND I’M LIKE “WHAT’S THAT?” THAT'S WHY I DON’T EVEN KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT SITTING OVER HERE LIKE, “OKAY, I DID THIS ONE, I DID THIS ONE.” ME, I AIN'T DO NOTHING YET. ANYTHING THAT I DID WAS A COLLAGE OF SONGS THAT SOMEBODY PROBABLY TOOK AND PUT TOGETHER AND PUT IT OUT AS A STREET PROJECT. BUT AS FAR AS ME SITTING DOWN TO GET THE SKIT, I GOT THE BUDGET FROM OVER THERE, WE DID THIS, WE PUTTING THIS, WE DOING THIS CAMPAIGN BEHIND THIS... I AIN'T DO THAT YET UNTIL NOW WITH “SQUAD UP” AND ALL OF THESE SONGS, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE BEHIND THAT... MAN, SOMETIME I JUST LEARNED THROUGH THE YEARS SOMETIMES TO SHUT UP BECAUSE I COULD TELL YOU STORIES. AND IT JUST WON'T BE NICE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO SOMETIME I JUST KEEP IT TO MYSELF AND INSTEAD OF ME FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAYS TOWARD PEOPLE THAT I TRULY LOVE AND WILL DIE FOR, I BETTER SHUT UP AND JUST SWALLOW THE LOSS. I WON'T TAKE IT AS A LOSS, ‘CAUSE IT'S A OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS GIVEN. AND JUST TAKE THAT AND TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE FROM THAT AND KEEP IT MOVING. BUT I DON’T REALLY CREDIT EXCEPT FOR “METHOD MAN PRESENTS: STREET LIFE”, THAT WAS WITH CLEOPATRA RECORDS, YEAH, EVERYTHING ELSE, I GOT BAMBOOZLED. SOMEBODY TOOK THIS, DID THIS, TOOK THIS PUBLISHING, WENT OVER THERE AND DID THIS, TOOK THIS, TOOK THAT, RECONTRACTED THAT OVER THERE, BLACK LABELED THIS, THIS WAS ALREADY OUT, “HOW THIS WAS ALREADY OUT?”. FAN’S COME RUNNING UP TO ME LIKE “YO, YOU KNOW, I GOT THAT ALBUM.” AND I’M LIKE, “WHAT ALBUM YOU TALKING ABOUT BRUH?” THEY'D BE LIKE, “THIS ONE.” AND I’M LIKE, “OH WORD, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? YO, WHO PUT THIS OUT?” YEAH, THAT’S HOW MY SITUATION WENT. I'VE BEEN IN IT FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, YEAH, I SHOULD BE TIGHT, BUT I'M NOT. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. ‘CAUSE I GOT GOOD BROTHERS LIKE METH IN MY CORNER THAT DEFINITELY TOOK CARE OF A NIGGA AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT AS FAR AS THE MUSIC ASPECT OF IT, I'M PISSED THE OFF. I GOT TOLD A LOT OF THINGS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BUT WHEN YOU GOT CHECKS BEHIND THAT IT’S EASY TO BE BLINDSIDED. SO YEAH, SO ME, REALLY, I AIN'T DO NOTHING YET. THIS LATE IN MY CAREER, I STILL GOT SOMETHING TO PROVE. I AIN'T DO NOTHING YET, THAT'S WHY EVERY TIME, IF YOU HEAR ME STILL TO THIS DAY, THE MUSIC PROBABLY SOUND LIKE I'M STILL IN THE NINETIES ‘CAUSE I STILL GOT SOMETHING TO PROVE. I CAN'T SLACK OFF YET, I AIN'T GIVE THEM NOTHING YET. LIKE THAT'S JUST REAL TALK TO ME. I AIN'T GIVE THE PEOPLE NOTHING YET. NOT WHAT I REALLY GOT TO GIVE THEM, I AIN'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY. BEHIND THE SCENES I DID. I COULD SAY THINGS AND THINGS COME OUT IN THE FRONT AND YOU'D BE LIKE, THEN I'LL COME OUT AND YOU BE LIKE, “YO, HE SOUNDED LIKE HIM.” BUT WHY CAN'T HE SOUND LIKE ME? ...YOU AIN'T GET IT FROM ME FIRST. SO STUFF START HAPPENING LIKE THAT. YOU BE SAYING, “HEY THAT FLOW SOUND LIKE…” YEAH, I KNOW, IT’S ALL GOOD THOUGH. YOU KNOW, HEY MAN, I AIN'T MAD AT NOBODY. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THAT'S WHY I CAN'T SAY WITH THE YOUNGIN’S “PAY ATTENTION”. THE YOUNGIN’S ARE KIND OF FORCED TO PAY ATTENTION, MAN. SO THEY AIN'T REALLY GOT TO BECAUSE WHEN THAT 360 DEAL STARTED, THEY WAS GETTING SO CROOKED IT WAS LIKE THE LABELS WASN'T STUPID NO MORE. THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN THOSE ADVANCES NO MORE. WHEN I FIRST GOT A DEAL I GOT LIKE A $50,000 TO $150,000 ADVANCE, JUST BACK WORK. IF YOU COMING IN NOW, YOU A READY MADE STAR, YOU A INTERNET STAR. THEY ALREADY TAKING YOU WITH A BIG FAN BASE ALREADY. THEY AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO REALLY LOSE, TO PUT MONEY BEHIND THAT AND FLIP IT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT BACK THEN YOU COULD LOSE MONEY. NOW YOU COME IN, YOU SELL, YOU 50/50 SPLIT. YOU GET THIS, YOU GET THAT. SO A LOT OF ARTISTS THAT GOT CAUGHT IN THAT 360 DEAL GOT WASHED UP, ONLY A FEW OF THEM MADE IT OUT OF THAT. SO, BUT THEY SMARTER NOW, THE YOUNGIN’S IS ACTUALLY MORE ON TOP OF THEIR BUSINESS NOW. SO MY DEALS WAS MORE OLD SCHOOL VETERIN DEALS THAT YOU CAN'T GET PAST. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
VALIDATED: I THINK NOW THEY LOOK AT IT MORE LIKE A COOKIE CUTTER. LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALITY, HAVING ARTISTS THAT STAND OUT AND DOESN'T SOUND LIKE NOBODY ELSE. SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST WANT WHATEVER'S HOT RIGHT NOW OR WHATEVER AND JUST KEEP DUPLICATING IT. IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT THE LONGEVITY ANYMORE.
STREET LIFE: NAH, IT AIN'T ABOUT THE LONGEVITY, IT AIN'T ABOUT AUTHENTIC, THE REALNESS… NONE OF THAT STUFF. IT'S JUST, IT'S ALL QUICK FLIP. EVERYTHING IS A QUICK FLIP. WHATEVER'S IN AND HOT RIGHT NOW WE GOING TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN GET OUT OF IT AND GO TO THE NEXT.
VALIDATED: WHEN I WAS COMING UP, RAP, IT WAS JUST DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, MOBB DEEP, RAKIM, RUN DMC, LL COOL J, BOOT CAMP, WU TANG, NAS AND I COULD KEEP GOING.
STREET LIFE: BECAUSE IN THOSE ERA’S YOU COULD GET EXPOSED. IF YOU WASN'T THAT AND YOU GET EXPOSED, IT'S A WRAP. SO IT WAS AUTHENTICITY OF IT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? NOW WE AIN'T GOT NONE OF THAT. YOU SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEBODY… THEY COULD COME OUT WITH SOME GANGSTER OR WHATEVER AND YOU EXPOSE THEM AND IT DOES NOTHING TO THEIR CREDIBILITY. THEY PROBABLY BLOW UP EVEN MORE.
VALIDATED: WHICH IS CRAZY TO ME.
STREET LIFE: SO AS FAR AS EXPOSING AND THE TRUTH AND THIS DUDE FAKE, AND THEN Y'ALL ALL MEETING UP AND THEN SOMEBODY THAT NIGHT IS GOING TO END UP AT THE BOTTOM. LIKE WE ABOUT TO EXPOSE THESE DUDES OVER HERE. SO THAT PART OF THE GAME IS JUST NOT THERE NO MORE, NOBODY EVEN CARES. NOBODY CARES. MEANWHILE THIS DUDE OVER HERE TRYING TO KEEP IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE, FIGHT THE POWER, WHATEVER THE CASE. AND HE CAN'T EVEN GET A UNIT OUT THE DOOR. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT ME, I LEARNED EARLY, THAT'S WHY IT'S EASY FOR ME. I'M NOT ONE OF THE OLD SCHOOL HATING DUDES. I ADJUSTED EARLY BECAUSE I LEARNED HOW THE BUSINESS WENT. AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE BUSINESS, LIKE WE WAS ALL SITTING IN THIS ROOM... WE WAS IN THE DEF JAM BUILDING. I'M NOT GONNA CALL OUT NAMES BUT WE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT WU TANG, WHEN WE WAS COMING OUT WITH THE GOD BODY AND THIS AND THAT AND SWINE, THEY WAS LIKE, “OH, THAT’S A FAD. IT'S GONNA FADE OUT.” AND THIS AND THAT. AND I REMEMBER GETTING PISSED LIKE, “WHAT! FAD, THIS, THIS AND THAT.” BUT THEN THIS ONE DUDE, HE STEPPED UP LIKE, “LISTEN, IT'S JUST MUSIC. THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE REALIST AND THIS AND THAT. IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S AT THE HELM OF THE ROUND TABLE. AND IF THAT'S WHAT'S IN NOW, THAT'S WHAT'S SELLING. BUT THE NEXT HOT ARTIST THAT COME IN, THIS THE OTHER ARTIST IS OUT THE DOOR.” HE SAID, “IF WE KEEP DOING WU STUFF AND GOD BODY THIS AND GOD BODY THAT, THAT'S ONLY GOING TO MAKE BUT SO MUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY. SO HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE SAME MONEY?” SO THE TABLE HAS TO TURN IN ORDER TO MAKE NEW MONEY. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, IT AIN'T ABOUT THIS, IT’S WHATEVER TURNS THAT TABLE AND THAT'S WHAT'S MAKING THAT MONEY. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THE RAP ARTISTS BEFORE US GOT LESS PAY, WE GOT MORE THAN THEM, ARTISTS AFTER US GOT MORE MONEY, ARTISTS AFTER THEM GOT MORE MONEY. SO THAT THE MUSIC CAN'T STAY THE SAME. KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? IT JUST CAN'T. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE STALE MONEY AFTER A WHILE. SO THAT'S WHAT GOT ME, WHEN I SEE CERTAIN THINGS THESE DAYS, PEOPLE BE LIKE “OH THAT’S WACK!” I DON’T EVEN LOOK AT IT AS WACK, THAT’S WHAT’S MAKING THE TABLES TURN RIGHT NOW AND YOU GOT TO TURN WITH IT.
VALIDATED: TO ME, IT'S HARD TO COME TO GRIPS WITH, LIKE YOU GOT THE INDUSTRY, RIGHT? THE BUSINESS PART, BUT THEN YOU GOT THE CULTURE PART OF IT. I TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE CULTURAL PART OF IT. I GET IT, LIKE YOU SAID, THE TABLES HAVE GOT TO TURN AND YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THE SAME THING.
STREET LIFE: OKAY, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT WITH THE CULTURE PART. BOOM, JUST WITH TV, RIGHT. VIACOM, WHATEVER, ALL THESE STATIONS, VH1 AND ALL THAT. EVEN WITH “GOOD TIMES”, WE CAN TAKE IT BACK TO “GOOD TIMES”. THEY GIVE YOU YOUR CULTURE. THEY PUT IT OUT. THEY GOT ALL THE CHANNELS, THE SATELLITES, EVERYTHING, SOUND AND TV, THE CONNECTION. THERE WOULDN'T BE A GEORGE JEFFERSON OR NONE OF THEM TV SHOWS IF THEY WAS TRYING TO DEPICT THE CULTURE IS MOVING ON UP. BUT HE MOVED ON UP TO A APARTMENT. ARCHIE BUNKER LIVED IN A HOUSE, THAT WAS ARCHIE BUNKERS BEST FRIEND. THEY GIVE YOU YOUR CULTURE, THE JEWS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, THEY KIND OF SELL YOU YOUR CULTURE. WHEN IT WAS “FIGHT THE POWER” AND CROSS COLORS AND THEY PUT THOSE VIDEOS OUT. WHEN EVERYBODY WAS WEARING RED, BLACK, AND GREEN AND ALL THIS, THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LOOKING THE SAME. YOU HAD THE KWAME ERA WHEN THEY WAS WEARING POLKA DOTS AND THE BAGGY PANTS WITH MC HAMMER AND THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LOOKING THE SAME. THEY WAS PUSHING THAT. THEY KIND OF PUSH YOUR CULTURE TO YOU AND WE GET LOST IN WHAT’S REAL AND WHAT’S NOT. EVEN NOW, NOT TO SAY FOR NOTHING, OUTSIDE OF OUR ERA IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF OF THE CONSCIENCE RAP. BUT IT WAS A GOD BODY RAP, IT WAS ALMOST A BUILDING YOURSELF UP. IT WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ENERGY THAT YOU GIVEN TO THE CULTURE. AFTER THAT, THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THIS NOWADAY RAP WITH YOUR LIL BABY’S, I DON’T WANT TO SAY THE NAME BECAUSE I THINK LIL BABY’S DOPE BUT ALL THIS CULTURE WHERE YOU GOT THEM JUST DOING THE MONEY, THE TWERKING, THE MONEY BAGS, THEY WAS TAKING THIS AND THAT. THAT SORTA BECOMES THE CULTURE BUT WHO'S REALLY PUSHING THAT THOUGH. THE RECORD LABELS PUSHING THAT NOW. RIGHT NOW, IF THAT RECORD LABEL WAS PUSHING BLACK SUITS, BOW TIES, HARD BOTTOM SHOES AND A ARTIST CAME OUT WITH A HARD SONG AND THAT WAS THE MOVEMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DUDES DRESSING WITH THE SUIT VERSUS BEING OUT HERE WITH THE TATTOOS AND NO SHIRT ON. YOU FEEL WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THE CULTURE’S KIND OF PUSHED ON YOU IF YOU DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT REALLY THE CULTURE IS. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I DON'T WANT TO GET OFF THE TOPIC, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE AT TODAY IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, BECAUSE WE WERE SO DISTRACTED BY ALL OF THAT STUFF AND WE DONE FORGOT ABOUT THE REAL ISSUES. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? OUR CULTURES BEEN TARNISHED IN THIS FOR YEARS. IT JUST BE A LOT OF STUPID STUFF GOING ON AND PEOPLE BE THINKING THEIR STUFF IS RIGHT BUT IF THEY REALLY LOOK IN THE MIRROR AT THEY SELF LIKE YOU A PART OF THE WHOLE PROBLEM AND DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.
VALIDATED: BACK TO THE MUSIC, YOU RECENTLY DROPPED THE POLITICALLY CHARGED RECORD “TIME IS NOW” SHEDDING LIGHT ON UNREST OF BLACK MEN IN AMERICA. WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE TO THE RECORD SO FAR?
STREET LIFE: SO FAR IT'S COOL, THE RESPONSE IS GOOD. BUT THIS IS WHAT’S FUNNY, WE GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO THIS. ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON, RIGHT? YOU GO ON THE INSTAGRAM PAGE AND YOU GET YOUR LITTLE LIKES AND EVERYTHING, RIGHT? I THREW SOME STUFF OUT WHEN THE WHOLE THING WAS GOING ON. I THINK THE COP GOT BURNT, SOMEBODY SET A COP ON FIRE. AND I SAID SOME OTHER STUFF WITH THE POLICE. YO, NO LIE, I GOT SO MANY LIKES AND VIEWS OFF OF THAT BUT WHEN YOU TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF AND PROMOTE YOURSELF AND FEED YOUR FAMILY. PEOPLE DON'T GIVE YOU NO VIEWS. SO YOU WANT THAT STUFF, BUT DON'T WANT THIS STUFF. SO IT'S FUNNY TO ME ON HOW STUFF PLAYS OUT. SO WHEN YOU SAY, “HOW’S IT DOING?” YEAH, IT'S DOING GOOD, BUT IF I WOULD’VE SHOWED SOME REAL GARBAGE ON THERE, IT WOULD’VE GOT MORE VIEWS. KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? BUT IT'S GETTING GOOD RESPONSE. THE FEEDBACK IS GOOD. AND I DIDN'T DO IT FOR THAT. I DID IT JUST BECAUSE WHEN THE MUSIC CAME ON, THAT'S WHAT IT GOT OUT OF ME AT THAT TIME. THAT SONG WASN'T EVEN RECORDED DOING THIS MOVEMENT. I RECORDED THAT SONG TWO YEARS AGO. NO LIE, I HAD THAT SONG, MY ALBUM SUPPOSED TO CAME OUT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. I WAS SUPPOSED TO DROP THE ALBUM BUT THIS DELAY, THIS DELAY, ME TRAVELING AND DOING TOURS, BUT THINGS LIKE THAT SLOWED IT UP. BUT THAT ALBUM, IT WAS DONE TWO YEARS AGO, I DIDN'T JUST DO IT. AND IT WASN'T MOTIVATED BY NOW ‘CAUSE THE FIRE HAD BEEN BURNING IN ME FOR YEARS. LIKE MY BEST FRIEND GOT KILLED, MY SON RIGHT NOW, SAYON, HE JUST CAME OUT OF COLLEGE, GRADUATED, IS NAMED AFTER HIM. HIS NAME IS SAYON, I NAMED HIM AFTER MY BEST FRIEND THAT GOT MURDERED BY A COP. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SAME THING. SAME SITUATION. DID THE MARCHING, DID THE PROTESTING, DID THE BURNING... DID ALL THAT STUFF. THEY GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BONE, YOU START CHOMPING ON IT AND THEY KEEP MOVING ON, WHICH IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. SO I JUST SEE IT REPEATING ITSELF. SO I JUST MADE THAT AND WHOEVER IT CATCHES, GOOD, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING PERSONALLY THAT I JUST HAD TO JUST PUT OUT. IT WASN'T FOR THE TIMES, OR TO TRY TO CATCH A WAVE. THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING IN ME THAT I WAS LIKE, I COULD HAVE PUT OUT ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT SONGS. I COULD HAVE DONE A VIDEO TOO FOR THAT MOMENT, BUT I SAID, KNOW WHAT, I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THAT OUT, IT’S THE RIGHT TIME, THIS AND THAT. PLUS I WON'T MIND PEOPLE SEEING ME IN THAT LIGHT VERSUS ME ALWAYS SMACKING SOMEBODY AND BEATING THEM UP WITH THE HEAT. WHICH I AM STILL SMACKING YOU UP AND BEATING YOU UP WITH THE HEAT BUT IN A POLITICAL WAY. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THAT'S WHERE THAT SONG CAME FROM. IT'S JUST A WAKE UP SONG, SO THE RESPONSE, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS, IT'S BEEN GOOD, BUT IT'S LIKE WHATEVER, LIKE WHEREVER IT GOES, CAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL WAITING FOR ME TO, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR THE BULLSHIT. AND THE SAME PEOPLE, WHEN I THROW THE OTHER STUFF OUT, THAT'S GOING TO GET MORE RESPONSE THAN THIS.
VALIDATED: YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR SON WAS NAMED AFTER YOUR BEST FRIEND EARNEST CASE SAYON. WHAT TOOK PLACE AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT?
STREET LIFE: IT’S A SUMMERTIME DAY, EVERYBODY'S OUT AND THE COPS WAS MAKING A RAID IN THE BUILDING. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THEY WERE ABOUT TO RAID AN APARTMENT IN THE BUILDING. SO THEY ALL GOT THE UNIFORMS UP, THEY ALL GETTING GEARED AND ALL OF THAT. THEY'RE ABOUT TO RUN INTO THE BUILDING. AND AT THIS TIME THEY'LL JUST RAID UP RIGHT THERE ON THE BLOCK. THEY DIDN’T SET UP AROUND THE CORNER AND JUST COME IN. LIKE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO, “OH, THEY ABOUT TO GO GET SOMEBODY.” YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THEY ALL GETTING READY TO GO AND RAID THE APARTMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THEY LOOKOUT DUDE OR WHATEVER THE CASE WAS, BUT THEY THREW A M80 OFF THE ROOF. SO IN THE MIDST OF THE COPS WONDERING WHAT’S GOING ON, MY DUDE, HE'S LAUGHING. LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS LIKE, “OH, LOOK AT Y'ALL STUPID COPS SCARED.” LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO HE DIDN'T SAY ALL THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST NORMAL TALK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE SAID, ACTUALLY, BUT I KNOW HE WAS LAUGHING AND THE COP, OFFICER DONALD BROWN, I GUESS SEEN HIM LAUGHING. WE ALREADY HAD ALTERCATIONS WITH THIS COP IN THE HOOD ALREADY. SO HE GOES OVER THERE AND SAW US, PUT HIM ON THE FLOOR, STARTS BEATING HIM UP, HANDCUFFS AND THIS AND THAT. EVERYBODY'S LIKE, “HE AIN'T DO NOTHING. GET OFF HIM.” SAME THING, BEATS HIM UP, THROWS HIM IN THE CUFFS STILL BEATING HIM UP. SO NOW YOU GOT THE PATTY WAGON. THEY THROW HIM IN BACK OF THE PATTY WAGON. AT THIS TIME THEY GOT ABOUT FOUR OTHER GUYS IN THE PATTY WAGON TOO. IF YOU KNOW, BACK THEN THEY'LL ARREST YOU, YOU'LL DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK UNTIL THEY ARREST OTHER LOCATIONS THEY GOT TO GET. YOU JUST GOTTA BE IN THERE TOO UNTIL THEY TAKE YOU DOWN TO THE PRECINCT. SO IT WAS FOUR OTHER DUDES IN THERE, OF COURSE WE KNEW THEM. SO WHEN THEY TOOK THE VAN, TOOK IT AROUND THE BLOCK, JUMPED IN THE BACK AND STARTED BEATING HIM UP WHILE HE WAS CUFFED IN THE BACK. THIS IS WHAT MY DUDES IS TELLING ME THAT'S IN THE VAN. SO THEY BEATING HIM UP BACK THERE AND AFTER THEY DID THAT, THEY JUMPED BACK AND STARTED DRIVING OFF TO DO THEY DAILY LITTLE PICKUPS. MY MAN TOLD ME HE TOLD THE COP LIKE, “YO, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT BREATHING BACK HERE. YA’LL GOT TO CHECK ON HIM.” YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THEY PULLED OVER. THEY WENT, TOOK HIM, CHECKED ON HIM AND HE STOPPED BREATHING. THEN THEY TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL AND THAT'S WHEN, THAT'S HOW HE DIED. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THAT WAS HIS STORY, HOW THAT WHOLE THING SO HAPPENED. SO WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE HIM DIE LIKE GEORGE ON A BLOCK… THEY HAD HIM IN CUFFS. THEY BEAT HIM UP IN THE VAN, IN THE CUFFS, THEN TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. HE DIED IN THAT PROCESS. SO, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, IT WAS HELL. I WENT THROUGH ALL THAT, DID MY LITTLE WHATEVER I FELT I HAD TO DO TO GET MY LITTLE JUSTIFICATION SANCTIFICATION OFF OR WHATEVER IT WAS. YEAH, DID ALL THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT THIS RIGHT HERE, SEE THAT WAS EVERYDAY STUFF, THAT WAS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY EVERY DAY.
VALIDATED: I SAW THAT THE NEW YORK YANKEES PICKED UP YOUR SINGLE “SQUAD UP” FEATURING METHOD MAN AND HAVOC.
STREET LIFE: THE YANKEES HAD PICKED THAT SONG UP, WHICH WAS A BIG DEAL BUT IT WAS A BIG DEAL THEN A BAD DEAL BECAUSE OF THE SHORT SEASON. WE WAS GOING TO BRING OUT THE PLAYERS, KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? THEY HAD US BRINGING THEM OUT, ME AND METH... SEASON TICKETS, SKYBOX, ALL THAT. WE HAD OUR OWN MERCH LINE DEAL WITH THEM. WE WOULD’VE BEEN SELLING MERCH LIKE RIGHT THERE IN THE STADIUM. COME ON, WHAT’S GONNA GET BETTER THAN ALL OF THAT? THEY WERE GOING TO PLAY THE SONG AND THEN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING HAPPENS AND IT’S NO MORE “SQUAD UP”. THEY AIN’T TRYING TO SQUAD UP. LOL IT DIDN’T FIT THE REBOOT WITH THE SOCIAL DISTANCING BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT BUT WE STILL GOT EVERYTHING ELSE TO GO. IT WAS A GOOD THING WITH MY CAREER, LIKE I SAID. IF THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN WITH THE COVID, THINGS WERE ABOUT TO POP OFF. I WAS BASICALLY ABOUT TO GET MY JUST DUES IN A SENSE, ABOUT TO REALLY GET PUT RIGHT WHERE I SHOULD’VE BEEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. I’M WORKING HARD, I’M IN THE STUDIO, THE ALBUM IS FIRE AND I GOT MAD DUDES ON IT LIKE M.O.P. I GOT CERTAIN DUDES THAT YOU PROBABLY WANTED ME TO WORK WITH, THEY ON THAT ALBUM. NO LIE, I GOT A FIRE PROJECT. EVERYTHING WAS LINED UP AND THEN COVID HAPPENED. SO WHAT WE TRYING TO DO WITH THE YANKEES, WE STILL TRYING TO KEEP THAT BALL ROLLING BECAUSE THEY STILL SHOW US MAD LOVE. WE STILL BE IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THEM AND ALL THAT. BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WISE WITH THEM IS EXCELLENT. THE PLATFORM THAT THEY WAS GOING TO GIVE US WOULD’VE BEEN TREMENDOUS BUT THEN WE COULDN’T USE IT BECAUSE WE COULDN’T BE OUT THERE WITH THEM. IT’S ALL GOOD THOUGH.
VALIDATED: WHAT’S YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS AND WEBSITE?
STREET LIFE: INSTAGRAM - @STREETLIFEWU AND WEBSITE - STREETLIFEWU.COM