I’m ridin up uptown.
Kanye West talks about his career and his new album, “Yeezus.”
you just aint know the words
With his 6th solo studio album dropping, Student of the Game, on April 16th, I sought out to seek some knowledge from this seasoned MC. The Queens native first came to notoriety in 1996 with fellow MC Capone in the rap duo CNN, Capone-N-Noreaga. Brining boom-bap to the forefront with their album The War Report, it set off the groups success which was to be curbed as Capone was sentenced to jail. His solo career thus began and with hits including “Superthug” and “Nothin” both produced by The Neptunes he would become a platinum selling artist. Delving into raggaeton, he also found success with his single “Oye Mi Canto” on his album N.O.R.E. y la Familia…Ya Tú Sabe. Throughout his career he was the man with a camera in his hand, which lead him to obtain countless amounts of early footage of what became todays icons such as Nas, Eminem and Jay-Z. With his untouched treasure chest of videos, he has turned it into a documentary, “What, What”, with clips already circulating the web. His passion for film and money, produced his first movie “S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G.” set to release this winter as well as a comedy, with a title yet to be released.
His career has spanned, nearly four times the average MC, and with that he has managed to remain a respected member of Hip-Hop. Breaking down into 6 steps, we go through what initially drove him into music, what Student of the Game gives to listeners in addition to discussion of his upcoming movie “S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G.”
Discover passion
What initially pulled you into Hip-Hop?
Just the music. Me hearing the music, and realizing that I can actually create the same thing.
Know you’re sound.
Do you feel like the new production today is missing something?
I don’t really look at music to critique it. I look at music and I look at the parts that I like. Of course there is the music out there that I don’t appreciate but I don’t think it’s really to critique down. Or really even pay attention to music that I don’t like. I tend to you know look forward to the music that I do like and the music that I do enjoy. And that’s what it is. I’m not trying to bring back the 90s, but if I can bring back the feeling in music then yeah, I’ll do it.
Listen to your gut.
You had originally came with the boom-bap sound, and not it has been brought back to popularity by the new wave of artists from New York, especially on Joey Bada$$ mixtape 1999. Do you think that sound is here to stay?
You just got to do what your heart is telling you to do. You know what I mean? Again I’m not here to be like, yo this is what I want to stay; this is what I feel like hip hop should like or this is what I feel like hip hop is or isn’t. I’m just here to do my part of it. And I’m if boom-bap music is what is back then that works for me. Perfect. As a spokesperson for it I’d rather ride the wave then to sit there and critique it.
Ride that wave.
In your “What What” clip Wyclef said, “Hip hop will embrace you, but then cut you.” Do you feel that has been the case in your career?
It’s been the case in everybody’s career. They love you as long as you hot, and then when you hot again they gonna love you again. When you’re cold again they’re gonna do that again, it’s just a reality of life. It’s not even hip hop. If you have something and everybody needs that, everybody wants it at the moment, you’re that guy, but then the next thing comes along and then you have Facebook. And Facebook is the shit yeah everybody wants to be on Facebook. Just like MySpace, MySpace was the shit. Then Facebook took over, and now there’s Twitter, then guess what now feed is coming in and feed might be the next thing. You just got to understand that you know sit back and enjoy the wave. Cause the wave comes back around. I’m just fortunate enough to sit here and still survive the fantastic life I’ve been living.
Adapt.
When you came in it was Puffy’s time with the shiny suits, and instead you brought to the table timbs, camos and hoodies. Since you’re taking it back to basics what are you bringing to the table?
I’m just bringing real hip hop I just you know. The name of the album is student of the game, dropping April 16th and the reason why I said I’m the student of the game because I’m doing the new school hip hop and then I’m mixing it in with the true school of hip hop and if you haven’t seen yet you can go on Google or YouTube or whatever and search you know Norega featuring Large Professor “Built Pyramid” so that’s the true school sh*t. You know the shit that I grew up with the boom bap hip hop. But, you know if you want to still be modern you know you can Google “Tadow” and “Tadow” is featuring some of your modern day relevant you know superstar heroes, you know what I’m sayin. That’s just what I’m doing, I’m always going to bring to the game something.
Diversify your bonds.
On set S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G. Movie
Your career has taken you to make movies and reggaeton, what else do you want to do?
Right now just focusing on my movie, “S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G.,” which should be dropping either before Christmas or after Christmas. As far as my first feature film I’ve directed and writing and producing and you know um it’s really on a menace to society type of route. But, after that I’m coming out with my comedy I can’t release the title yet. But and I’m excited about that and I’m going to continue to make music it’s just exciting to me.
April 16 Student of the Game is coming out.
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