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E-40
Photo: Warner Bros
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E-40: Time To Pay Homage
Wednesday - March 8, 2006
— by Jay Casteel
It's been a long time since the Bay Area has really been recognized for their contribution to hip-hop. Back in the day, rappers like Too Short, Spice 1, the late Mac Dre and a host of others including E-40, had many hip-hop fans around the nation talking and walking like the Bay Area hip-hop community. Although much of that is still true to this day, not much credit is being given to the Northern California destination.
That's beginning to change slowly though. With the forthcoming release of E-40's My Ghetto Report Card and the growing awareness of the area's hyphy movement spreads, a glimmer of hope seems to be shine brighter than it ever has in the past.
BallerStatus had a conversation with E-40 to speak about why cities like Oakland, San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area have been long overlooked, what this hyphy craze is all about, and how he linked up with Lil' Jon and left his longtime home with Jive Records.
It's time to man up, and give respect where respect is due. Is it the Bay's time to shine?
BallerStatus.net: The new album, "My Ghetto Report Card," is scheduled for March. Talk about the album and what folks should expect.
E-40: My Ghetto Report Card will be in stores March 14th through Sick Wit It/BME/Warner Bros. I'm up under that boy Lil' Jon. Jon produced nine tracks on the album, Rick Rock produced five, my son Droopy got a song on there and my partner Bosko and Studio Tone on there. So, basically, it's a mixture of that new E-40 and vintage E-40, ya smell me? It's just silly, dumb, retarded. It ain't bananas, it's coconuts. We is not playin' and that's what's cookin'.
BallerStatus.net: You're working heavy with Lil' Jon on the new record, so how was it this time around working with Jon, as opposed to recording your previous records?
E-40: With Jon, what I like about the whole thing is our vibe. I bring something new to the table, and he brings something new to the table though we have worked before together on our previous albums, but we ain't never done this amount of songs together. At the end of the day, we did like 13, 14 songs, but the ones we didn't use, we used on soundtracks and what have you. He produced nine tracks on the album and our chemistry is A , ya dig? We vibe off of each other.
BallerStatus.net: Break down how you and Jon's relationship came to light, and what led you to signing with him?
E-40: I met Lil' Jon in the late '90s with the boy Too Short 'cause me and Too Short would do a lot of spot dates together (and still do). During those spot dates, I seen the boy Lil' Jon 'cause Too Short is one of the dudes that introduced Lil' Jon to this thing. [Too Short] had [Lil' Jon] up under his wing, ya know what I mean? They is family to this day; Too Short and Lil' Jon is closer than Siamese twins. They got super love for each other and respect.
Anyway, I stayed in contact with Jon. I've been in a couple of his videos before I even signed with him. I'm in a song with him called "Rep Your City" with me, Petey Pablo, Bun B, 8 Ball and Lil' Jon. And it was a winner, ya smell me? So, we just knew we had chemistry from right there. My deal was up with Jive Records, and me and Jon got together and made it unfold.
BallerStatus.net: Was the situation with Jive not working out for you, or was this just the better route to go?
E-40: Nah, it was just one of those situations where I wanted to try something new and venture off to something else, because I had already did 10 calendars with Jive Records, ya dig? I was on that label for 10 years, it wasn't like my contract was for 10 years though. I see plenty money with Jive, but at the same time (during my later years with Jive), I tried to hang in there, thinking they was gonna push the button on the machinery and they held back. I kinda see why though. It's like, you know, you got Backstreet Boys, you got Britney Spears, you got N'Sync, you got Justin Timberland Bolo, so when you got these kind of people selling millions of records, you kind of forget about the people that ain't making as much money as them. You ain't putting as much money in they pocket as they are, so that's how it is. Business is business, but at the same time, you can't forget about people who built the company -- people like E-40, UGK, Too Short; all of us. We were just waiting for them to push the button, but they wouldn't do it. It is what it is.
I just wanted to move on. There ain't no bad blood; I love Barry Wise. I made a lot of money with Jive Records, so we good.
BallerStatus.net: On this new album and the latest video, you are really pushing this hyphy movement. For the people living in a box who haven't heard of it yet, break down what hyphy is, how it originated and what E-40's take on it is?
E-40: Hyphy is something that started in Oakland. It's a part of the culture now. The youngsters, that's what they do, they hyphy out here in the Bay Area. It's controlled chaos. It's just high energy, it's energetic and it's just expressing yourself how ever you are feelin'. It's just letting yourself do what it do, ya know what I mean? It's being you. Hyphy is just a whole movement that we got going on out here in the Bay, and I'm gonna kinda quarterback it and let the world get woke to the hyphy movement that's going on out here.
I've been selling tapes and CDs for many moons, so hyphy is not the only thing E-40 is about though. Slang is not the only thing E-40 is about -- Ebonics and all that good stuff. E-40 really spits those cold lyrics. And E-40 is here to teach and at the same time, put you right in the passenger's seat, where I drive the car, so I can...it's like when you listen to my music, it's like I'm explaining and showing you the do's and the don'ts. I'm just showing it to you to the point of where you relate to my music and you can say, "Oh man, I feel ya bruah 'cause that's the same kinda sh-- I've gone through." That's the type of sh-- E-40 spit. I spit struggle rap. The kind of rap I spit is the kind of rap that can make a gangster cry.
BallerStatus.net: The single is "Tell Me When To Go," so how has the fans received the song thus far?
E-40: Aww man, sick response man, in a positive way bruah. I'm talking about, I haven't had a buzz like this, overall, in a few years. This whole thing that's going down right now: they lovin' the video, they love how I'm showing the visuals, they love how I'm still being me, E-40 and just adjusting to the times so slick like I am. Being in the game so long, you can't just sit in one time zone and stay stuck on doing that same particular sound you was doing 10, 15 years ago, you gotta press reset, and adjust yourself to the times. That's what I did, and that's what I been doing. That's why I've been able to stay in the game with longevity like Mick Jagger.
BallerStatus.net: Although your track record is pretty thorough, why is it that you and the Bay Area are sometimes overlooked, even though you guys are able to move major units independently on a consistent basis?
E-40: I think with us, we are so ahead of our time that people don't catch on so quickly. Like I said before, a lot of people, they ain't woke -- they don't stay tuned in, and they just truant. They just late like FEMA, so a lot of cats won't catch it until like 3, 4, 5 years later. There's words and things that we have put out on display that people are just now doing, thinking it's new. That's how it go. Anything that's different, it take a while for other cats to catch on. And anything that's ahead of its time, it take many moons for cats to catch on. That's what the Bay Area is man, we waaaay ahead of our time.
BallerStatus.net: Who are some of the artists from the Bay that you feel can carry the torch when E-40 is ready to retire?
E-40: It's hard to say man. And the reason I say that is 'cause there's so much talent out there in trenches and the soils and these hoods that's unidentified and haven't been let out their shells yet. I can't really call it, but I got a good idea who will. I know who I really feel will, and will say if you want me to scream some names out. Like I said, if we can get some major labels out here really peeping around and these A&R's really going to clubs and the hoods, they will find these talents. You can find some Tupac's, you will find some Biggie's and you will find some E-40's.
I will tell you this though. One of the cats I know will really do this thing is the boy Turf Talk. And it's not because he's up under my umbrella, I'm a fan of his. The boy is a cold ass rapper, and he got what it take. To me, he's a young E-40, but don't sound nothing like E-40. He'll be the on who will carry the torch. There's many others, but if you ask me one person, I'll tell you Turf Talk.
BallerStatus.net: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you think people have about the Bay Area and its music?
E-40: I don't really know man. What the rap game is talking about now is the hustle game, and come on, we birthed the hustle game. All we spit is about the yola game. We been doing that since back in the Spice 1 days, back in the 415 days, The Click, the Mac Dre's...everyone! We been putting [the hustle game] down. I don't know what the f--- is wrong with the game. I just wish that some of these rappers with national exposure would just go ahead and pay homage and say, "Man, them Bay Area boys manye...that's what I grew up on. Them boys is way ahead of they time and that's who I f-- with." I wish they would pay homage 'cause the game done got us twisted. We some of the coldest emcees. I'm not even gonna say we hip-hop, but don't get it twisted, we got rappers from all walks of life out here -- the so called "backpack rappers," but they got game too. We got everything you need out here. We got all the elements of star status type sh--.
BallerStatus.net: You got the book coming (Dictionary Book of Slang, Vol. 1) that will drop along with your new album. Speak on that a little...
E-40: Yea, the dictionary been in the making for quite some time. I been had it done, I just be adding new words to it every few months or so. I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there, there ain't no need for me not too because there's a lot of identity thieves out there. I'm just trying to let it be known that 75% of the slang out there comes from E-40 and the Sick Wit It umbrella, or basically, the majority of the slang come from the Bay Area, as far as the majority of the slang in the hip-hop community, period.
No one is paying homage, so I'm gonna go ahead and get the homage paid to myself and they Bay Area by putting out this dictionary book.
E-40
Photo: Warner Bros
» BallerStatus Alerts
Receive daily alerts to your email, 2way or cellphone! Sign up today!
SUBSCRIBE
UNSUBSCRIBE
E-40: Time To Pay Homage
Wednesday - March 8, 2006
— by Jay Casteel
It's been a long time since the Bay Area has really been recognized for their contribution to hip-hop. Back in the day, rappers like Too Short, Spice 1, the late Mac Dre and a host of others including E-40, had many hip-hop fans around the nation talking and walking like the Bay Area hip-hop community. Although much of that is still true to this day, not much credit is being given to the Northern California destination.
That's beginning to change slowly though. With the forthcoming release of E-40's My Ghetto Report Card and the growing awareness of the area's hyphy movement spreads, a glimmer of hope seems to be shine brighter than it ever has in the past.
BallerStatus had a conversation with E-40 to speak about why cities like Oakland, San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area have been long overlooked, what this hyphy craze is all about, and how he linked up with Lil' Jon and left his longtime home with Jive Records.
It's time to man up, and give respect where respect is due. Is it the Bay's time to shine?
BallerStatus.net: The new album, "My Ghetto Report Card," is scheduled for March. Talk about the album and what folks should expect.
E-40: My Ghetto Report Card will be in stores March 14th through Sick Wit It/BME/Warner Bros. I'm up under that boy Lil' Jon. Jon produced nine tracks on the album, Rick Rock produced five, my son Droopy got a song on there and my partner Bosko and Studio Tone on there. So, basically, it's a mixture of that new E-40 and vintage E-40, ya smell me? It's just silly, dumb, retarded. It ain't bananas, it's coconuts. We is not playin' and that's what's cookin'.
BallerStatus.net: You're working heavy with Lil' Jon on the new record, so how was it this time around working with Jon, as opposed to recording your previous records?
E-40: With Jon, what I like about the whole thing is our vibe. I bring something new to the table, and he brings something new to the table though we have worked before together on our previous albums, but we ain't never done this amount of songs together. At the end of the day, we did like 13, 14 songs, but the ones we didn't use, we used on soundtracks and what have you. He produced nine tracks on the album and our chemistry is A , ya dig? We vibe off of each other.
BallerStatus.net: Break down how you and Jon's relationship came to light, and what led you to signing with him?
E-40: I met Lil' Jon in the late '90s with the boy Too Short 'cause me and Too Short would do a lot of spot dates together (and still do). During those spot dates, I seen the boy Lil' Jon 'cause Too Short is one of the dudes that introduced Lil' Jon to this thing. [Too Short] had [Lil' Jon] up under his wing, ya know what I mean? They is family to this day; Too Short and Lil' Jon is closer than Siamese twins. They got super love for each other and respect.
Anyway, I stayed in contact with Jon. I've been in a couple of his videos before I even signed with him. I'm in a song with him called "Rep Your City" with me, Petey Pablo, Bun B, 8 Ball and Lil' Jon. And it was a winner, ya smell me? So, we just knew we had chemistry from right there. My deal was up with Jive Records, and me and Jon got together and made it unfold.
BallerStatus.net: Was the situation with Jive not working out for you, or was this just the better route to go?
E-40: Nah, it was just one of those situations where I wanted to try something new and venture off to something else, because I had already did 10 calendars with Jive Records, ya dig? I was on that label for 10 years, it wasn't like my contract was for 10 years though. I see plenty money with Jive, but at the same time (during my later years with Jive), I tried to hang in there, thinking they was gonna push the button on the machinery and they held back. I kinda see why though. It's like, you know, you got Backstreet Boys, you got Britney Spears, you got N'Sync, you got Justin Timberland Bolo, so when you got these kind of people selling millions of records, you kind of forget about the people that ain't making as much money as them. You ain't putting as much money in they pocket as they are, so that's how it is. Business is business, but at the same time, you can't forget about people who built the company -- people like E-40, UGK, Too Short; all of us. We were just waiting for them to push the button, but they wouldn't do it. It is what it is.
I just wanted to move on. There ain't no bad blood; I love Barry Wise. I made a lot of money with Jive Records, so we good.
BallerStatus.net: On this new album and the latest video, you are really pushing this hyphy movement. For the people living in a box who haven't heard of it yet, break down what hyphy is, how it originated and what E-40's take on it is?
E-40: Hyphy is something that started in Oakland. It's a part of the culture now. The youngsters, that's what they do, they hyphy out here in the Bay Area. It's controlled chaos. It's just high energy, it's energetic and it's just expressing yourself how ever you are feelin'. It's just letting yourself do what it do, ya know what I mean? It's being you. Hyphy is just a whole movement that we got going on out here in the Bay, and I'm gonna kinda quarterback it and let the world get woke to the hyphy movement that's going on out here.
I've been selling tapes and CDs for many moons, so hyphy is not the only thing E-40 is about though. Slang is not the only thing E-40 is about -- Ebonics and all that good stuff. E-40 really spits those cold lyrics. And E-40 is here to teach and at the same time, put you right in the passenger's seat, where I drive the car, so I can...it's like when you listen to my music, it's like I'm explaining and showing you the do's and the don'ts. I'm just showing it to you to the point of where you relate to my music and you can say, "Oh man, I feel ya bruah 'cause that's the same kinda sh-- I've gone through." That's the type of sh-- E-40 spit. I spit struggle rap. The kind of rap I spit is the kind of rap that can make a gangster cry.
BallerStatus.net: The single is "Tell Me When To Go," so how has the fans received the song thus far?
E-40: Aww man, sick response man, in a positive way bruah. I'm talking about, I haven't had a buzz like this, overall, in a few years. This whole thing that's going down right now: they lovin' the video, they love how I'm showing the visuals, they love how I'm still being me, E-40 and just adjusting to the times so slick like I am. Being in the game so long, you can't just sit in one time zone and stay stuck on doing that same particular sound you was doing 10, 15 years ago, you gotta press reset, and adjust yourself to the times. That's what I did, and that's what I been doing. That's why I've been able to stay in the game with longevity like Mick Jagger.
BallerStatus.net: Although your track record is pretty thorough, why is it that you and the Bay Area are sometimes overlooked, even though you guys are able to move major units independently on a consistent basis?
E-40: I think with us, we are so ahead of our time that people don't catch on so quickly. Like I said before, a lot of people, they ain't woke -- they don't stay tuned in, and they just truant. They just late like FEMA, so a lot of cats won't catch it until like 3, 4, 5 years later. There's words and things that we have put out on display that people are just now doing, thinking it's new. That's how it go. Anything that's different, it take a while for other cats to catch on. And anything that's ahead of its time, it take many moons for cats to catch on. That's what the Bay Area is man, we waaaay ahead of our time.
BallerStatus.net: Who are some of the artists from the Bay that you feel can carry the torch when E-40 is ready to retire?
E-40: It's hard to say man. And the reason I say that is 'cause there's so much talent out there in trenches and the soils and these hoods that's unidentified and haven't been let out their shells yet. I can't really call it, but I got a good idea who will. I know who I really feel will, and will say if you want me to scream some names out. Like I said, if we can get some major labels out here really peeping around and these A&R's really going to clubs and the hoods, they will find these talents. You can find some Tupac's, you will find some Biggie's and you will find some E-40's.
I will tell you this though. One of the cats I know will really do this thing is the boy Turf Talk. And it's not because he's up under my umbrella, I'm a fan of his. The boy is a cold ass rapper, and he got what it take. To me, he's a young E-40, but don't sound nothing like E-40. He'll be the on who will carry the torch. There's many others, but if you ask me one person, I'll tell you Turf Talk.
BallerStatus.net: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you think people have about the Bay Area and its music?
E-40: I don't really know man. What the rap game is talking about now is the hustle game, and come on, we birthed the hustle game. All we spit is about the yola game. We been doing that since back in the Spice 1 days, back in the 415 days, The Click, the Mac Dre's...everyone! We been putting [the hustle game] down. I don't know what the f--- is wrong with the game. I just wish that some of these rappers with national exposure would just go ahead and pay homage and say, "Man, them Bay Area boys manye...that's what I grew up on. Them boys is way ahead of they time and that's who I f-- with." I wish they would pay homage 'cause the game done got us twisted. We some of the coldest emcees. I'm not even gonna say we hip-hop, but don't get it twisted, we got rappers from all walks of life out here -- the so called "backpack rappers," but they got game too. We got everything you need out here. We got all the elements of star status type sh--.
BallerStatus.net: You got the book coming (Dictionary Book of Slang, Vol. 1) that will drop along with your new album. Speak on that a little...
E-40: Yea, the dictionary been in the making for quite some time. I been had it done, I just be adding new words to it every few months or so. I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there, there ain't no need for me not too because there's a lot of identity thieves out there. I'm just trying to let it be known that 75% of the slang out there comes from E-40 and the Sick Wit It umbrella, or basically, the majority of the slang come from the Bay Area, as far as the majority of the slang in the hip-hop community, period.
No one is paying homage, so I'm gonna go ahead and get the homage paid to myself and they Bay Area by putting out this dictionary book.
