Top Dawg MC K-Dot recently took time out of his busy schedule to sit down with raptalk and discuss multiple topics.

In this exclusive interview, K-Dot takes us from the point he hooked up with Top Dawg Ent to where he is now!

Read about his upcoming "Training Day" mixtape, his major label debut album which is to drop after Jay Rock drops his album, the controversy surrounding the two hooks on Jay Rock's single "All My Life" and much more!

We’re here with K.Dot of Top Dawg Ent, how’s it going?

Chilling and working man; trying to finish up everything.

Start us off by telling us how you hooked up with Top Dawg Ent?

I hooked up with Top Dawg in my early years of high school when I pushed out this little mixtapes in the streets, stacked them out. I made a few copies and passed them out in the streets. It just so happened that Top Dog who owns the company overheard it from a mutual friend and he invited me to the studio; we went from there.

How was that first experience when you went over to the studio?

The first experience was cool because I actually had to perform; I had to display that I had talent. It was cool for them to have interest in me.

How soon after that did you sign with them?

Like a month after. We had to get the paper work done, that can take a while. It was already in the works the following week.

They were clearly very interested in you.

Yeah, right.

You dropped a mixtape last year by the name of “Training Day”, are you planning on dropping another one anytime soon?

Yeah, I am going to be releasing a mixtape/street album entitled “Before I Commit Suicide.” It’s about 80% done and we have about thirty songs already and I’ll put about ten on there and just dish it out to the streets so they can rock it on an underground level.

What type of guest appearances can we expect to hear on that?

The guest appearances you’ll be hearing on that is everybody from Top Dawg; me, Jay Rock, Bo, Ab-soul and that’s it – Im’a keep it in house.

We need more mixtapes like that; it’s usually all over the place now in days.

Right.

Have you been in any talks with DJ’s to host the project or will it be tag free?

Not yet, but I have a few in my circle such as Ill Will, (DJ) Skee, (DJ) Warrior and so on. I’ll reach out to those as soon as the project is ready to go.

Is it going to be released via free download or for purchase?

It’ll be free download.

That’s good stuff, giving the music away to your fans for free.

That’s what I do; you got to.

Absolutely. Are you also working on releasing an album sometime after Jay Rock releases his debut?

Yeah I have been working on that; we’re about seventy songs in. I haven’t come up with an actual title yet but it’ll be good to go after Jay Rock’s drops.

And when do you think it’ll drop?

Next year, middle of next year; top of next year.

At least you’re real with a date, that’s good.

Right.

How did it feel to work alongside Jay Rock and Lil Wayne for the “All My Life” record?

It was a beautiful thing, the process was crazy. I go in the studio everyday with Jay Rock so its always a pleasure to work with that dude and to get in with Lil Wayne, that’s like three of the dopest. Creatively, it’s gonna be a serious track and all types of thoughts were bouncing around the room.

It’s come to my attention that Jay Rock chose to roll with the version with Will.I.Am on the hook, when did you find out and how did it make you feel?

I knew the whole time; I’m the one that actually said run with it. We all as a team decided that they were going to run with it because it’ll be a better look; Lil Wayne and Will.I.Am. The hook is modest to your ears (editor’s note: begins singing) “In the ghetto, in the ghetto” it’s more catchy for your ear and plus its Will.I.Am. It’s all about politics as well at the end of the day.

That’s very modest of you to say that the Will.I.Am version will be a better look.

Exactly, have to look out for the whole team. I couldn’t be selfish just because that’s me on there. We are trying to win as a team.

We need more people moving as a team like that now in days.

Right.

Your hook will be on the remix version though, is that correct?

Of course, once the official version comes out you’ll be hearing a whole lot of remixes.

And it’ll be your hook on the remix versions?

Yeah, exactly.

When it comes to laying down a verse, do you like writing something down or freestyling it in the booth?

I work off of feeling; I stopped writing when I was around seven-teen because I couldn’t actually project my words by reading the paper and projecting the words with looking at them.  I just go off of the top now. Most people do it because Jay-Z do it, but I do it just off of feeling.

Which artists influenced you to get into the music business?

First off I’d say 2Pac, that’s from my early days of listening to rap. As far as who influenced me, probably DMX. When I heard the first DMX album that’s when I knew I wanted to do this. That album took me somewhere else musically; DMX first album.

How do you feel about the state of west coast hip-hop right now?

Everybody wants to push this new west hip-hop; I mean we all have talent. As you know though, they’re won’t be no west coast hip-hop without unity. We say there is unity but they’re really isn’t. You have people in their own lanes that is doing selfish rap from the older cats to the younger cats. It’s cool that we have the talent but we won’t grow without building and pumping each other.  So that’s what I feel about the state of west coast hip-hop, it has to get better; not on the talent end, but on the unity end.

Well hopefully the ball gets rolling soon on the unity end because the talent is there, no question about that.

The talent has always been there. The west coast never had a problem with the talent. You just can’t mix the street side with the business side; they just don’t clash.

Yeah it can get ugly.

Yeah, exactly. That’s the whole thing with Los Angeles. It is what it is though.

Well it seems like Top Dawg is united in a big way, so that’s a good thing you guys have going.

We’re trying to be the new dynasty around here; we are the new dynasty around here.

Well I like the chances of that happening with Jay Rock coming out this summer, your dropping top next year, Bo, Ab-Soul; there’s a lot of talent.

Exactly.

What made you decide to make that “Gemini” record?

It was the beat; when I make a song I go off the feeling of the beat and as soon as I heard it, the beat felt like me as a person and me as a person is a Gemini. That’s the emotion I felt when I heard the beat. When I’m making a record, I go through all types of emotions and when I’m doing a record I try to pad my emotions to the beat in order to express myself; the whole song is about expression of me.

It’s a great record, that’s why I asked.

I appreciate it.

What’s your favorite album out right now and why?

We were talking about this the other day; of 2008?

Yeah.

I have to say the new Rick Ross album. He stuck to what he does; he didn’t go too far out of his lane. He stayed in the streets; nobody does records for the streets anymore, people try to keep it mainstream. It was a real street album and that’s on the inside of Jay Rock. I say Rick Ross because he stayed to what he does and he didn’t try cross all the way over. It was a complete album.

Do you have any last words for the fans before I let you go?

Keep supporting K.Dot and Top Dawg Entertainment. Look out for the Jay Rock album coming out this summer “Follow Me Home.” Look out for my mixtape as well coming really soon, pumping the streets; they’ll know when they hear it; just stay tuned.

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Styles, June 05, 2008

K-Dot killed that Milli freestyle...

Name

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment

---