ay I got a question for yall too-- that Keak song "fa sho/fa sheezy/thats my word" thats on Dope Game 2. what is that? whats Dope Game 1? the compilation? or is it a group like Jacka is talkin bout with him and Hus?
peace
HHN Interview with Jacka of Mob Figaz
HHN: Where did you grow up? And how did you get into the Hip-Hop game?
Where
are you reppin' now?
JACKA: I grew up in Oakland, Richmond, and Pittsburg, CA. I rep the Bay
Area.
HHN: Tell us about the Mob Figaz crew. Who is Mob Figaz? And where does
Mob
Figaz stand in this Hip-Hop game?
JACKA: The Mob Figaz are me, the Jacka, as well as the Rydah, the Husalah,
AP-9, and Fedx. We are the realest niggaz in hip-hop meaning we did the most
and been through the most. Ask all your favorite rappers about the Mob
Figaz. They'll tell you we're solid. We first came out as group in 1999,
with
C-B0 and West Coast Mafia. He was real big and had a lot of fans on his own
plus 2Pac featured him on a few cuts on "All Eyes on Me" so a lot of fans
and artists had to respect him. That album sold something like 118K units
independently. It was huge for us and really set us up to do a lot with
our careers.
HHN: You're part of a new group called "The Dope Game" featuring Keak Da
Sneak
and Husalah. How did this group come together? And what is the goal of
this collaboration? How close is the real dope game to your life, both past
and present?
JACKA: It was all about us wanting to go on the road together and having a
good time and meet new people. We want the Bay on top as far as Independent
goes. The real Dope Game has made me who I am. I lost everything only to
regain it through my life over beats.
HHN: What artists is the Jacka feelin' these days? Is there anyone you
aren't
feelin' that you feel is receiving too much shine?
JACKA: I like reggae music better than rap sometimes because rap has no
meaning at times but Roots Reggae always has something you can grow on.
Sizzla, Morgan Heritage Family, Capleton, Bob Marley. Reggae is dope when
you learn to understand it.
HHN: What can the people expect from the new album "The Jack Artist?" How
have you grown since your solo debut in 2002? And for the indie artists
reading this, what were some of the key business moves to you selling
30,000+ of your debut?
JACKA: I've definitely grown since my last album, but I've always been
different. I never follow the mainstream because there isn't that much
originality and everyone is trying to sound the same. I just stick to the
real and do me on all my music. My new album is hella tight.
It's not about the business. It's about the people who buy music. All you
have to do is give them world something that is missing, but do it from the
heart. You'll be respected and that's the start to selling whatever you
press up. For an artist, that's gonna help bring the good business.
HHN: Tell us about the Bay Area Rap scene. Is the Hyphy sound holding it
down
there? What other sounds are creepin' out of the Bay?
JACKA: Hyphy ain't a sound. It's the streets that are hyphy and artists make
songs about the streets out here. But hyphy is out attitude out here as
well. It's not a sound, whoever told you hyphy is a sound is a real square.
HHN: What's your lead single "Barney" all about? I've heard it's about the
purple stuff...most people associate that with Houston, and not with the
Bay. And how did you link up with Cormega from NYC?
JACKA: Barney (also titled More Crime) is about a struggle in life and
making
choices about the things that you do. Like my hook says, "Selling dope is
cool, but rap is on my mind. It's hard to do them both and get my bread at
the same time." You have to pick one. For many people it may not be selling
dope and rap, but it's something. It all relates. You have to focus on
something.
The song does also talk about some purple. We smoke purple weed in the Bay
Area (in Cali). The weed is really the color purple. But in Houston they sip
lean which is also purple...the streets know the difference.
I met Cormega in North Carolina. He came to Cali (The Bay) and we've been
boys ever since. I've been to QueensBridge and it was dope.
HHN: How did you link with C-Bo? And what has C-Bo taught you about the
game?
JACKA: C-Bo was in the pen when he first heard about us (the Mob Figaz), so
when he got out he came to PIttsburg and it was a reynolds (wrap). From C-Bo
I learned to do my own thing as far as labels and moms and pops stores and
owning my music goes. We don’t need anybody to put us out unless we want
them to. Other than that we do it ourselves.
HHN: I think one of the most astonishing facts about you is that you have
been
featured on over 50 albums in the past 6 years. What is it about the indie
cali/southern Hip-Hop scene that sees artists collaborating with each other
so much? I ask this in contrast to the New York scene where it seems like
there is so many beefs that no one can get down with anybody.
JACKA: I'm pretty sure I've been on even more than that, but I have never
even
tried to count. On the West Coast and especially in the Bay Area, we are all
we got. Everybody else is scared of Cali so we stay tight with each other.
We are building together and keeping it strong out here. Without being
on albums like that, the people won't get to hear enough from us because we
aren't getting a huge push from the radio or the DJ's.
HHN: Where can people check out the Jacka online?
JACKA: WWW.THEJACKA.COM. I also have a myspace page for those who fool
around with that...and I can be reached at [email protected]. I've heard
that I have a lot of shit on the net so you can just search me and the mob
figaz.
HHN: Who is your favorite recording artist of all-time? (Hip-Hop or non
Hip-Hop)
JACKA: Slick Rick for hip-hop and Bob Marley.
HHN: Do you have a final message for the HHN readers?
JACKA: I'm going to bring real music with deep thought from the heart and
mind back to rap. Food for thought from a street nigga.
Thank you for having me.
peace
HHN Interview with Jacka of Mob Figaz
HHN: Where did you grow up? And how did you get into the Hip-Hop game?
Where
are you reppin' now?
JACKA: I grew up in Oakland, Richmond, and Pittsburg, CA. I rep the Bay
Area.
HHN: Tell us about the Mob Figaz crew. Who is Mob Figaz? And where does
Mob
Figaz stand in this Hip-Hop game?
JACKA: The Mob Figaz are me, the Jacka, as well as the Rydah, the Husalah,
AP-9, and Fedx. We are the realest niggaz in hip-hop meaning we did the most
and been through the most. Ask all your favorite rappers about the Mob
Figaz. They'll tell you we're solid. We first came out as group in 1999,
with
C-B0 and West Coast Mafia. He was real big and had a lot of fans on his own
plus 2Pac featured him on a few cuts on "All Eyes on Me" so a lot of fans
and artists had to respect him. That album sold something like 118K units
independently. It was huge for us and really set us up to do a lot with
our careers.
HHN: You're part of a new group called "The Dope Game" featuring Keak Da
Sneak
and Husalah. How did this group come together? And what is the goal of
this collaboration? How close is the real dope game to your life, both past
and present?
JACKA: It was all about us wanting to go on the road together and having a
good time and meet new people. We want the Bay on top as far as Independent
goes. The real Dope Game has made me who I am. I lost everything only to
regain it through my life over beats.
HHN: What artists is the Jacka feelin' these days? Is there anyone you
aren't
feelin' that you feel is receiving too much shine?
JACKA: I like reggae music better than rap sometimes because rap has no
meaning at times but Roots Reggae always has something you can grow on.
Sizzla, Morgan Heritage Family, Capleton, Bob Marley. Reggae is dope when
you learn to understand it.
HHN: What can the people expect from the new album "The Jack Artist?" How
have you grown since your solo debut in 2002? And for the indie artists
reading this, what were some of the key business moves to you selling
30,000+ of your debut?
JACKA: I've definitely grown since my last album, but I've always been
different. I never follow the mainstream because there isn't that much
originality and everyone is trying to sound the same. I just stick to the
real and do me on all my music. My new album is hella tight.
It's not about the business. It's about the people who buy music. All you
have to do is give them world something that is missing, but do it from the
heart. You'll be respected and that's the start to selling whatever you
press up. For an artist, that's gonna help bring the good business.
HHN: Tell us about the Bay Area Rap scene. Is the Hyphy sound holding it
down
there? What other sounds are creepin' out of the Bay?
JACKA: Hyphy ain't a sound. It's the streets that are hyphy and artists make
songs about the streets out here. But hyphy is out attitude out here as
well. It's not a sound, whoever told you hyphy is a sound is a real square.
HHN: What's your lead single "Barney" all about? I've heard it's about the
purple stuff...most people associate that with Houston, and not with the
Bay. And how did you link up with Cormega from NYC?
JACKA: Barney (also titled More Crime) is about a struggle in life and
making
choices about the things that you do. Like my hook says, "Selling dope is
cool, but rap is on my mind. It's hard to do them both and get my bread at
the same time." You have to pick one. For many people it may not be selling
dope and rap, but it's something. It all relates. You have to focus on
something.
The song does also talk about some purple. We smoke purple weed in the Bay
Area (in Cali). The weed is really the color purple. But in Houston they sip
lean which is also purple...the streets know the difference.
I met Cormega in North Carolina. He came to Cali (The Bay) and we've been
boys ever since. I've been to QueensBridge and it was dope.
HHN: How did you link with C-Bo? And what has C-Bo taught you about the
game?
JACKA: C-Bo was in the pen when he first heard about us (the Mob Figaz), so
when he got out he came to PIttsburg and it was a reynolds (wrap). From C-Bo
I learned to do my own thing as far as labels and moms and pops stores and
owning my music goes. We don’t need anybody to put us out unless we want
them to. Other than that we do it ourselves.
HHN: I think one of the most astonishing facts about you is that you have
been
featured on over 50 albums in the past 6 years. What is it about the indie
cali/southern Hip-Hop scene that sees artists collaborating with each other
so much? I ask this in contrast to the New York scene where it seems like
there is so many beefs that no one can get down with anybody.
JACKA: I'm pretty sure I've been on even more than that, but I have never
even
tried to count. On the West Coast and especially in the Bay Area, we are all
we got. Everybody else is scared of Cali so we stay tight with each other.
We are building together and keeping it strong out here. Without being
on albums like that, the people won't get to hear enough from us because we
aren't getting a huge push from the radio or the DJ's.
HHN: Where can people check out the Jacka online?
JACKA: WWW.THEJACKA.COM. I also have a myspace page for those who fool
around with that...and I can be reached at [email protected]. I've heard
that I have a lot of shit on the net so you can just search me and the mob
figaz.
HHN: Who is your favorite recording artist of all-time? (Hip-Hop or non
Hip-Hop)
JACKA: Slick Rick for hip-hop and Bob Marley.
HHN: Do you have a final message for the HHN readers?
JACKA: I'm going to bring real music with deep thought from the heart and
mind back to rap. Food for thought from a street nigga.
Thank you for having me.
