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| Interview: Killer Mike |
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| Written by Styles | |
| Friday, 23 May 2008 | |
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We also discuss previous projects such as Mike's unreleased album "Ghetto Extraordinary" from his time spent on Purple Ribbon/Sony and its recent leak onto the internet.
It wouldn't be a Killer Mike interview without discussing politics so also get an indepth look on what Mike thinks about the current presidential race.
Questions by: Lunatic 63
Q: We’re here with Killer Mike, how’s it going? I’m good, how are you man?
Q: I’m good, thanks for asking. Let’s start off with the upcoming Grind Time Rap Gang compilation, when’s that set to drop?
Q: That’s cool. What will set this one apart from part one in this series? I Pledge Part 2, you’ll get more of me on this one and it’s a little more focused. The last one had dope music but it was kind of like dope music everywhere. This one is much more for the streets and I have big hopes for it. I have real singles on this one right here.
Q: You mentioned singles and you recently dropped the first single off of the project “2 Sides” which features a Shawty Lo sample… Yeah, one time for my man (Shawty) Lo and one time for my boy Tip.
Q: You bring up an interesting point right there, those two seem to be in a little bit of a feud right now. That’s typical west side shit though, if you’re from the west side that’s what you do, you argue with other niggas from the west side.
Q: Well tell us about that song is it at anyone in particular? No, the record is at anyone who gets offended. If you get offended by it, you are not from Atlanta for real. If you don’t get offended, than you’re from Atlanta for real.
Q: Perfect (laughs) (Laughs) and I mean the real Atlanta not that black gay Hollywood bullshit either.
Q: I feel you. You seem to be standing up for both Shawty Lo and T.I. so hopefully they can end this feud of words soon and make some music together. It isn’t a feud, it’s some west side shit. What I’m telling you is that if you’re from the west side, you’ve spent your whole life arguing with other niggas; it’s just two west side niggas arguing. The public is just being blessed to get an opportunity to look at it; this is nothing different than what I’ve seen growing up in that part of town.
Q: Well let’s hope it stays calm. That’s all it’s going to do because everybody is players in this situation; everybody know each other for real, I doubt anything comes out of it other than some good entertainment.
Q: You had some good appearances on the last I Pledge Allegiance such as 8Ball and MJG; who’s on board this time? 8Ball and MJG are back and I’m waiting on my man Trae to send me his verse; he actually jumped on the remix to “2 Sides” which is crazy. Ice Cube is supposed to be submitting his verse to me this week; (Andre) Dre 3000 is delivering his verse for the Itunes version. No I.D. co-produced a track on there. It’s just some dope shit.
Ultimately people love me because I get on tracks and I beat them up and tell the truth and I’m on heavily featured on this installment. Chamillionaire and Messy Marv are on the project as well.
Q: So you said you’re getting Trae, Ice Cube and Andre 3000 for the “2 Sides” remix? Andre 3000 is getting on another song and Ice Cube is getting on a separate song. Trae is jumping on the “2 Sides” remix.
Q: That is a dope lineup right there. I am a huge fan of Trae, like a fan for real. I really fuck with him, that’s my homie.
Q: Our readers will be glad to hear that, some of them are big Trae fans. For sure.
Q: What project is next up from the Grind Time Rap Gang after the “I Pledge Allegiance 2” drops? S.L. Jones is dropping “Colors” we are re-releasing that. We are then dropping Grind Time Rap Gang “Serving Live from the Grind House” compilation.
Q: And those are coming after I Pledge Allegiance 2? Yeah, after I Pledge Allegiance 2 and I’m trying to get I Pledge Allegiance 3 out around December.
Q: I’m glad to hear about the re-release about the Colors album from SL Jones, which was a fantastic album which went a bit unnoticed. It is a fantastic project and to be honest it was kind of our plan to soft release it like that. Our fans are a little ahead of the curb and the re-release is going to be even crazier. We are going to re-release I Pledge Allegiance 1 at some point as well.
We are just always trying to give the Grind Time Rap Gang supporters more for their buck. I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind Part 2 is going to be two CD’s for the price of one. We are always trying to give our supporters a little more. We are re-mastering Colors and it’s going to be even bigger and crazy.
Q: I’m sure the fans appreciate that. We call them supporters, I’m sorry to y’all fans. I know rappers have fans and that’s cute but we have supporters and that’s different. A supporter is with you for life and a fan will be a slave to a different artist next year.
Q: (Laughs) well I’m a supporter. Thank you man.
Q: When are we going to get the “16 In the Kitchen” album? 16 In The Kitchen is coming out in 2009. No I.D. and I have started working on it and he’s a co-executive on the project alongside myself. I have L. Rock on the beats, (DJ) Toomp on the beats. I don’t know if I want to have one guest appearance on that album; that’s going to be a very important album – look for that to be my Blueprint.
Q: That sounds fantastic. I think we need to go back to the old days when guest appearances weren’t as common. Most of the classics had little to none. If you’ve ever heard my music… The record I put 8Ball and MJG on, that could have been their records. My guest appearances are less about people noticing who’s on my song and more about me working with my dream artists; I’ve always wanted to work with Ice Cube. I’m not going to waste money trying to go get whoever is doing hot and who six-teen other niggas got on a remix; I am going to go get my motherfucking idol.
Q: That’s a good strategy to have. Ice Cube and 8Ball & MJG are some of my favorite artists, so at least you’re working with legends. I’m really about being a rapper which is my dream. I can make money doing a thousand other things because I am talented and intelligent enough to do that. This is living my dream. When I sat in my fucking grade ten biology classes, I was bumping 8Ball and MJG. I am getting the opportunity to work with people who I used to dream about working with every day so I am truly blessed. I told 8Ball & MJG they’re going to be on god damn near every record I do for the rest of my life (laughs).
Q: (laughs) that is great. I feel you because I am also trying to just work with not anyone; people who I think are legends in the game. Thank you, that means a lot. That is exactly what is going to keep the game alive and flourish.
Q: Yeah, I’m trying to get at people like Killer Mike and Stat Quo. Thank you and I have a huge amount of respect for Stat Quo and his grind.
Q: I understand, he is fantastic. He is an amazingly dope artist.
Q: He is. He needs to sell me some of those dope ass hooks he has (laughs).
Q: (laughs) you need to get at him. (Laughs).
Q: You recently leaked onto the internet what was to be you’re sophomore album “Ghetto Extraordinary” what lead you to make that decision? Honestly, the fans deserve it… the supporters deserve it. When you support me for over two years, don’t think that would go un-rewarded. I don’t care what my former company or my former employee’s think, what matters to me that my supporters are happy. I am glad they got that record and I’m glad when I blow up and become real famous, they’ll never be able to re-release that album. They’ll have to come back and give me a lot of money if they want me to do another one.
Q: Was the version you released of “Ghetto Extraordinary” the official retail version or was it tampered with? No it wasn’t the exact retail version. It was the unfinished with a few extra songs; like the “let me give it all to them” version. That’s as close to retail as you’re going to get. You got more than you would have got on retail.
Q: You did not make that a half-assed release just because it was a free download. Thank you, that means a lot. Even if my supporters don’t like it, trust me when I say they let me know. They’re some opinioned bastards and I love them (laughs). Whether they like it or not, I want them to be able to tell them themselves and it gave me a better sense of what they want more of. I hope they keep downloading and passing it to friends.
People who support me and Grind Time have to understand we’re building an institution and a get rich independent mentality; I want my music to be a soundtrack for your success. It’s important that you hear all my stages of development because I’m growing with you. I’m not the same person I was four years ago; I’m different now and you’re grown. I want the music to grow with us.
If you promote this Grind Time crew, whether you’re a supporter or work here, are ultimate goal is to get rich independently. I’m not going to be happy until we have Grind Time conferences going and there are a gang of millionaires attending who allowed are music to be the soundtrack for their success.
Q: I think more artists have to go the independent route. You’re the blueprint right now for artists what can be done independently. It’s going to take our supporters buying the record. We don’t have to get into who went gold and who sold the most the first week. I’ve already had an album on the top ten on the billboard two-hundred and walked away with a gold plaque. We want to teach people that an independent artist that you support may sell only 250,000 copies but you helped put that million dollars in the company bankroll which allow us to make more dope music.
I want people to see that their dollars directly effected the growth of the music they like. I don’t want you to buy my music because every nigga has it on the block; I want you to buy it because I’m not like every other nigga on the block.
Q: You are not like every other rapper that is out there right now. Nor do I wish to be. I think most rappers out right now are sad, dumb, unintelligent and pathetic and it’s a shame because these men have the potential to change the world and if all they’re doing is changing $100 to ones to throw, that’s a piss-poor shame.
Q: There isn’t a lot of intellect in hip-hop right now so we need more people like Killer Mike, Ice Cube, Bun B and so on. One thing I’ve learned is that whether or not I respect a hip-hop artist, keep my opinion to myself and keep talking to my supporters and moving out. I used to be about collectively saving hip-hop but it’s not about that; it’s about me representing Grind Time and the street movement that we’re pushing and the supporters arriving with us.
You have people who listen to Grind Time who don’t listen to rap; that mean something big to me. That means something big to me. What it says is that whatever we’re saying is encouraging people to push through their day and have that get rich independently and have that kind of mentality.
Q: That means it’s worth them listening to even if they’re not hip-hop fans. God damn right it is. When I say something, I’m going to say something. I want my music to matter; I don’t care if hip-hop matters anymore. I feel that rap music is being headed by corporations so I want my music to matter. I want people to come up to me and tell me that “Promise I Will Not Lose” kept me through my final year of college when I felt like dropping out.
I was in the mall once and a dude came to me and said “Mike, no homo but I have to show you this” and pulled up his shirt and across his collarbone he had I promise I will not lose tattooed. He said he had to look at that every morning because it encouraged him to wake up every morning and get some money for his family. That’s significant when someone is willing to scar you’re words in his skin; that’s bigger than a fan ship, that’s support. That means my music is supporting him and in return he’s supporting me. That’s what we’re about, being a soundtrack to you’re success.
Q: I listen to “I Promise I Will Not Lose”, I listen to “That’s Life” which was a fantastic record. I listen to “Speak Lord” from the “Ghetto Extraordinary” leak and they’re all monumental records which inspire you. That’s all I want to do. I’m human, I love women – I give you those kinds of records, I’m hardcore and give you the bust up records because that’s what’s out there. But the ultimate message in my music is that you can, you must, you will, you have to do it.
Q: Exactly. We got a bit off track there a little bit. With the “Ghetto Extraordinary” album, what went wrong with that project in terms of releasing it? Honestly what I think happened was Sony felt it was dope, but Purple Ribbon wasn’t getting the support it needed for me as an artist so they weren’t being supportive to it. I feel that Purple Ribbon at the time wasn’t ready to mash as a pure independent company and it slipped through the cracks. That’s more of a question for Big Boi.
Q: Speaking of Big Boi, Outkast recently announced plans for three new projects. A Big Boi solo, Andre 3000 solo and an Outkast group album. Any chance will see you on any of those records? I’m just going to say if I’m not on any of those projects; the Dungeon Family fans will have been cheated.
Q: I’d feel that way if you’re not on them. I encourage the fans to write Big Boi and ask him why he wasn’t on I Pledge 2; he had the track and I offered him to get on it to show the world that we had made peace. As the Dungeon Family, we must do a better job collectively mashing for our fans because we have fans lost in the wind that are forced to listen this crank that bullshit.
Q: It’s true. So you sent Big Boi a track for the “I Pledge 2” which is being released soon and he didn’t get on it? Harass the shit out of him. He’s a great guy and he needs to be on this fucking record; Dre (Andre 3000) is getting on the record. And it’s not for me; it’s really for the Dungeon Family fans.
Q: I know you don’t need him on the record, but the fans would love to see it. Exactly. If you want a Wu-Tang album, shit I want Ghostface (Killer) and Raekwon on it too.
Q: Ofcourse, it wouldn’t be the same. Exactly.
Q: You mentioned having Andre 3000 on the album, so hopefully Andre brings you in for his album or the group album. I hope it goes. As a fan, I’d love to continue to be apart of their music. But if not, we made great music and Grind Time definitely is an extension of the Dungeon Family. We are here to support the Dungeon Family fans; I have something for you.
Q: I understand you can’t always look behind you. Exactly, you have to look forward.
Q: You’re doing that, so big ups to you and the entire Grind Time crew. Thank you and look out for Backbone’s upcoming project; he is on Big Oomp records and preparing his next project. Dungeon Family fans, DF members are still out there. Witchdoctor dropped “Diary of a man that is witchdoctor” with William Street records. He’s mashing and there’s hope out there. Please continue to support the Dungeon Family members. Grind Time supporters, y’all are like fight club – y’all are everywhere I go, Grind Time Rap Gang – bang, bang, bang.
Q: It’s been a while since we heard from those dudes; great to hear. It has, I’m glad to hear. Backbone really helped start that trap talk movement before a lot of other people. That’s why I am particularly glad to hear him back and get his voice out again.
Q: I think I already know how you’re going to answer my next question (laughs). (Laughs) ask away.
How do you feel about the current state of southern hip-hop? Its trash.
Q: (Laughs). The current state of southern hip-hop is trash, do you know why? Because we don’t have any political or moral statements being made. IF you’ve been a fan of southern hip-hop, we’ve always dope music and we always had a message within dope music. 8Ball and MJG had dope music and dope messages; Outkast, UGK, Goodie Mob – heck even Luke Skywalker told you to wear a rubber (laughs).
Everybody had an agenda and now everyone has the agenda of cranking the party. If that’s all we have to offer hip-hop after twenty years of being shut out, maybe they need to shut the door again.
Q: There’s nothing wrong with party music, but we need more of a balance. It’s cool and everything but if that’s all you’ve got, where’s the substance? What the fuck are you saying?
Pimp C told me about two years ago, Pimp said that Bun (B) would get frustrated and think that it wasn’t going to happen and he used to tell Bun (B) “don’t worry about all these niggas getting they’re burn now; where are they going to be ten years from now?”
Q: May God rest his soul. UGK has been in the forefront of hip-hop for twenty years now and you have never seen them sell out. Nope, never and that’s what I’m about; I’m about maintaining a certain level of musical integrity. That is why I get on records with young artists who make snap and crank records and I lyrically assault those tracks. I do that to show people that you can lyrically stand out on a crunk record; I and Tip (T.I.) did it on “Never Scared” And “Re-Akshon.” You can lyrically stand out on tracks like that; I did it on “Body Rock” and “Claremont Lounge.”
Now I’m jumping on a few snap records to show people that if you maintain you’re lyrical integrity, there’s always room for you in the market.
Q: It’s funny you mention that because a lot of crunk records die out after a while, but I still hear “Never Scared.” God damn right and that’s because lyrically, we were where we were supposed to be.
I am so fucking proud of Tip (T.I.) because I was a witness when the whole world including parts of Atlanta tried to shit on him. I saw him fight and claw his way to the top and that’s why I celebrate the king, I really do. I’m really happy for him; I have a lot of love for him. I’m happy the US Government showed mercy for that brother, I’m looking forward to seeing him have a long and productive career.
Q: I’m happy for him to, it’s great he got passed his situation. One time for the entire Grand Hustle family. I have brothers over there. Mac Boney, Alfa Mega, AK Tha Razorman, Big Kuntry; congrats on his recent success. Ofcourse my project buddy Young Dro as well. I got a lot of love for those guys.
Q: They are a good representation for the south. Y’all support Young Dro as well; he’s one of my personal favorites straight out of Bankhead courts. That’s my neighbor from around the corner.
Q: Young Dro has a very unique style which works well for him. Exactly. All of the most colorful music out of Atlanta is coming out of the projects. Whether it’s Fabo and his wild antics or Young Dro and his amazing ability to turn color into some other shit on a track.
Q: Hopefully they keep it up. Wait until you hear a dude by the name of Gangsta Pill who’s on Grind Time Rap Gang. He is on a song called “If I Can’t Eat Right” on I Pledge 2, he lyrically lost his mind. Everybody knows SL Jones at this point. It’s like a triangle; I’m coming in at number one, SL Jones at number two and Gangsta Pill at number three.
Q: I remember Pill from I Pledge Allegiance Part One. Yes he was. Every song he’s on “I Pledge One”, he did in one day. That was after a year long hiatus because he was dealing with some other shit.
Q: I can’t wait to hear that record. I can’t wait for you to hear it. We are going to start leaking more records from the project in the coming weeks so tell all the supporters to be on the lookout for that. Hit up the myspace grind time online.
Q: I’m sure they will. Already.
Q: I know you are a very intelligent man so I thought we can get a little political before we end the interview. How do you feel about the possibility of having a black president? I am encouraged as a black man. I am truly blessed to be in this moment of history to witness this possibility.
I am more excited about than having a black president is having a black president who has a white mother so he also understands the issues of white working class people. Beyond having a black president who had a working class white mother, but having a president period that has been poor. Nobody ever talks about poverty.
Having a president who has been poor is much more significant than me saying I like the color of his skin. Once you’ve been poor, you share a common knowledge that most of the world shares. There is never enough and you always need more and I am not talking about anything past food. Poor people always need more.
I really believe that he (Barrack Obama) is going to bring a global sensibility to the office. I think that he is going to bring a “from the bottom-up” mentality and not a from the top-down mentality. Most importantly I think that the color of his skin is going to break the glass ceiling on young African-American men that space is reachable; but you have to be in a space shuttle instead of a God damn Cadillac to get there.
Q: It really doesn’t matter what the color of you’re skin is when going through poverty; you’re going through the same issues. Exactly and that is what is so threatening about the Clinton campaign and dividing working class white and black people. That is why the Ku Klux Klan was formed. The Klan was formed when you convince working class white people that they’re opportunities are being taken by poor people and that’s not true. What took you’re fucking opportunity was NAFTA and who was the president during NAFTA? Bill Clinton and who was his advisor? Hilary Clinton.
My thing is go to the root of the problem and that is there are no jobs in Indiana, Michigan and so on; who was the president when the jobs left?
Q: Bill Clinton. So he was the problem. He was president and his advisor was Hilary (Clinton) so I do not want them in office again. You may take the rest of our jobs.
Q: For all we know it could get worse. God damn right.
Q: There you have it. I want to thank you for you’re time and do you have any last words for the fans before I let you go? It’s Grind Time Rap Gang - bang, bang, bang fucker. Support the grind through December and we’re going to support you by making our music the soundtrack to your success.
Comments (2)
  written by Styles, May 24, 2008
Lunatic is da man!
 written by Lunatic 63, May 24, 2008
^HAHA props styles!
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