Bay Area's favorite son is ready for superstar status. Besides his music, Yukmouth is a boss. He's running the West Coast faction of Rap-a-Lot. He sounds off about Hip-Hop, the industry, and the headaches that are delivered with success.
Throughout the course of the conversation, Yuk spoke like he had a ton of shit on his chest. He verbally slashed 50 Cent, the whole G-Unit, JT the Bigga Figga, and the industries' dirty players. Addressing his situation with whom he refers to as "Gay-Unit", the rumor of JT the Biggal Figga being named president of Rap-a-Lot West, Yuk sounded as if he was ready to pop a blood vessel.
Yuk has a street credibility that other rapper's would pay for. He achieved many of his dollars with underground music. On top of that he is a CEO, a veteran, and thinks its time to step up his grind.
On your website, Smokealotrecords.com, you have a anti-G-Unit campaign; why the harsh feelings?
Fuck em'. They snitching; getting guys hit like Irv (Gotti), Preme, Suge Knight's office got raided. Tried to get our office raided at Rap-a-Lot. All that was a domino effect, all the black independents got hit. We all got indicted.
This is 50?
Yeah, he can beef with Ja Rule,but don't be shitting on black entrepreneurs because they (police) look at everybody. They put us all under a magnifying glass. Making it hard for anybody else to get in the game. Why he go hate? He made hard for black entreprenuers, we was getting audited.
You ever try to talk to him or make some sort of connection?
Nah, why? Whatever you say to him go be recorded and used against you in the court of law. He the police. He hates on everybody without reason.
Like Game and Kanye West?
Of course. Soon as Game started to blow he came out saying he wrote Game music. This is a labelmate. And how the fuck is Kanye success from 50. Kanye didn't blow just because he in a different genre of music. Golddigger was a hit. College Dropout was 2x platinum. That's a hater. He just mad Kanye selling so good and shitting on Tony Yayo. G-Unit a fad waiting to pass. 50 can sign all the guys he wants. Mobb Deep late LP didn't go gold, M.O.P. never went gold, and Mase last joint barely hit gold. They washed up.How Mase go from preaching to saying niggas and fuck bitches. Lloyd Banks say he from the hood, that nigga went to Job Core.
What do you think will become of 50?
They'll have a new nigga next year. It was almost Jeezy. But the ultimate downfall is when 50 shit on Dre or Eminem. Em' got fire lyrics. He will crush 50.
What's your situation with Game?
We cool. He just was riding for a nigga who didn't have love for him. And I was riding for my label.
What's with the JT Bigga Figga rumor?
That shit is false. He went leftfield with a conversation he and J.Prince had. Trying to blow off our name. Why would he get that spot over me. He ain't put no work in. J.Prince go give me that position.
Do you have something in writing?
Why?! I am the West. I'm the only nigga that been putting it down for the Bay.
Let's go to music. What's your expectations for the next album?
I'm trying to go triple grande with this one. Double platinum at least.
What did you do different to increase your fanbase?
I'm go give them a radio single. That hit they want. I got joint I'm doing with Slim Thug, Bun B, Pimp C, Jeezy, UTP, and others. The album ain't even done only at 40%.
Is it better to be an artist's boss or a artist without a boss ?
It´s good both ways. I don't have a boss besides J.Prince, but I don't have any A&R's telling me the type of music to make. Total creative control to do what I want.
What's the best way to maintain creative control?
Get a trill label like Rap-a-Lot. The big labels, Jewish labels, White labels, wanna be careful with their investment so they send down a A&R to dictate. They scared.
How much you got left in you?
5 or 6 years, I'm passing the torch to my artists and getting into other business on top of music.
Can a mediocre rapper outsell an elite rapper with better marketing tools?
A average rapper can make more money than a elite rapper off lesser sales.
What is the game missing?
A hardcore-party rapper. I trying to fill that void. I'm not that fake gangsta making party music, singing.
Doesn't that contradict what you said earlier?
No, because you gotta have a single.
Scarface has a new label and group, why would he try and split from J.Prince?
Scarface always had his own label. Ain't no beef with him and J.Prince. He just adding to the team.
Current state of Hip-Hop?
It´s good. But it ain't fun like it used to be; like when Pac and Big were still here and Jay-Z had just come out. Seems like a beef come with your contract. We don't have that many functions anymore.
- By Jay "Jay Rich" Robinson
Throughout the course of the conversation, Yuk spoke like he had a ton of shit on his chest. He verbally slashed 50 Cent, the whole G-Unit, JT the Bigga Figga, and the industries' dirty players. Addressing his situation with whom he refers to as "Gay-Unit", the rumor of JT the Biggal Figga being named president of Rap-a-Lot West, Yuk sounded as if he was ready to pop a blood vessel.
Yuk has a street credibility that other rapper's would pay for. He achieved many of his dollars with underground music. On top of that he is a CEO, a veteran, and thinks its time to step up his grind.
On your website, Smokealotrecords.com, you have a anti-G-Unit campaign; why the harsh feelings?
Fuck em'. They snitching; getting guys hit like Irv (Gotti), Preme, Suge Knight's office got raided. Tried to get our office raided at Rap-a-Lot. All that was a domino effect, all the black independents got hit. We all got indicted.
This is 50?
Yeah, he can beef with Ja Rule,but don't be shitting on black entrepreneurs because they (police) look at everybody. They put us all under a magnifying glass. Making it hard for anybody else to get in the game. Why he go hate? He made hard for black entreprenuers, we was getting audited.
You ever try to talk to him or make some sort of connection?
Nah, why? Whatever you say to him go be recorded and used against you in the court of law. He the police. He hates on everybody without reason.
Like Game and Kanye West?
Of course. Soon as Game started to blow he came out saying he wrote Game music. This is a labelmate. And how the fuck is Kanye success from 50. Kanye didn't blow just because he in a different genre of music. Golddigger was a hit. College Dropout was 2x platinum. That's a hater. He just mad Kanye selling so good and shitting on Tony Yayo. G-Unit a fad waiting to pass. 50 can sign all the guys he wants. Mobb Deep late LP didn't go gold, M.O.P. never went gold, and Mase last joint barely hit gold. They washed up.How Mase go from preaching to saying niggas and fuck bitches. Lloyd Banks say he from the hood, that nigga went to Job Core.
What do you think will become of 50?
They'll have a new nigga next year. It was almost Jeezy. But the ultimate downfall is when 50 shit on Dre or Eminem. Em' got fire lyrics. He will crush 50.
What's your situation with Game?
We cool. He just was riding for a nigga who didn't have love for him. And I was riding for my label.
What's with the JT Bigga Figga rumor?
That shit is false. He went leftfield with a conversation he and J.Prince had. Trying to blow off our name. Why would he get that spot over me. He ain't put no work in. J.Prince go give me that position.
Do you have something in writing?
Why?! I am the West. I'm the only nigga that been putting it down for the Bay.
Let's go to music. What's your expectations for the next album?
I'm trying to go triple grande with this one. Double platinum at least.
What did you do different to increase your fanbase?
I'm go give them a radio single. That hit they want. I got joint I'm doing with Slim Thug, Bun B, Pimp C, Jeezy, UTP, and others. The album ain't even done only at 40%.
Is it better to be an artist's boss or a artist without a boss ?
It´s good both ways. I don't have a boss besides J.Prince, but I don't have any A&R's telling me the type of music to make. Total creative control to do what I want.
What's the best way to maintain creative control?
Get a trill label like Rap-a-Lot. The big labels, Jewish labels, White labels, wanna be careful with their investment so they send down a A&R to dictate. They scared.
How much you got left in you?
5 or 6 years, I'm passing the torch to my artists and getting into other business on top of music.
Can a mediocre rapper outsell an elite rapper with better marketing tools?
A average rapper can make more money than a elite rapper off lesser sales.
What is the game missing?
A hardcore-party rapper. I trying to fill that void. I'm not that fake gangsta making party music, singing.
Doesn't that contradict what you said earlier?
No, because you gotta have a single.
Scarface has a new label and group, why would he try and split from J.Prince?
Scarface always had his own label. Ain't no beef with him and J.Prince. He just adding to the team.
Current state of Hip-Hop?
It´s good. But it ain't fun like it used to be; like when Pac and Big were still here and Jay-Z had just come out. Seems like a beef come with your contract. We don't have that many functions anymore.
- By Jay "Jay Rich" Robinson
