Alfamega
Interview by Scott Bejda
Continued from Murder Dog vol 16 #1
When you got out did get busy recording some of the material that you
wrote while you were locked up?
I didn’t go immediately after I was set free, but I did go into the studio
about four days later. I was a free man and wanted to get to work. I
had a vision for all of this. I hooked up with Beanie Siegel a few days
later and he wanted to sign me.
Didn’t you do something with Universal?
I recorded some stuff with Banner and then I got signed to Universal
but the deal didn’t go right and I was a free agent.
Did you ever think your music would be so popular?
I had an idea that it would, but you’re never all the way sure. I did
know I had a plan and knew what I needed to do in order to get where
I needed to be. It was all hard work but to be here now considering where
I was; it’s a big achievement for myself.
You wrote seventeen hundred songs when you were in prison?
Yes, and three movie scripts and a book.
I just stay consistent with my craft! If you are going to do something
then don’t half ass the shit. Make sure that you apply yourself.
For the new album did you use some of the material that you wrote while
you were in prison?
Yes I have. With all that shit I wrote I have enough to keep my busy
for a while. I wanted to make sure that I had enough when I came out
and I ended up with more than enough shit.
Do you have anything playing on the radio right now?
I got the song with T.I. “Uh Huh.” I just got off the phone with Nitty
and we are getting a re-mix together for that too. The re-mix is with
me, Bun-B, Rick Ross and Tip.
What can the fans expect from your new album?
You can expect some real music! I’m bringing you that shit that you want
to feel. I’m giving you the ingredients that have been missing for awhile.
I’ve got a song on the album with me, Eightball & MJG, Bun-B, and
Pimp-C. That one right there is going to make a lot of people happy.
Any more surprises on the album?
I got a song the album which is the most touching song to me called “Imagine”
featuring Lyfe Jennings. It’s about me doing time in prison, and Lyfe
doing time in prison. It’s us both recognizing that it played an important
part in our life. We both came out and took a negative and turned it
into a positive. We took our prison life and put it out there so people
know where we have been and see how good it is to be where we are today.
The whole point is you can do anything if you set your mind to it.
It’s beautiful to be able to get out of that situation and to turn your
life around the way you did.
All day! There’s nothing like coming out of a situation where you’re
told what to do constantly for years and then being able to come home
and tour the map and live good and provide for your family. It didn’t
happen overnight by any means. There was a lot of plans and hard work
in order to get where I am today and the work ain’t done yet either.
I still got a ton of shit to do. I’m doing this 24/7-365 and 366 during
the leap year.
It sounds like while you were locked up you were using your time wisely.
What kept you going while you were locked up?
I had a plan. I knew what I wanted to do. A person once told me that
a person without a five year plan is a person on a way to self-destruction.
You gotta have something in motion for yourself and your family, because
if not you are in for some bad shit. This world ain’t gonna slow down
by any means. You have to get out there and get what you can before it’s
your time to go. That is just an honest life lesson. Learn from other’s
mistakes so you don’t make the same ones and also learn from your mistakes.
You have a lot of insight to share with the people. Have you ever thought
of writing a book?
I did write a book while I was in prison.
Was it about your life?
It wasn’t, but I need to write a book about my life though. I also wrote
some screenplays while I was locked up. I’ll be doing something with
them after the album drops. First I just want to get this album out there
and then I will go from there.
Have you done any acting?
I just did a movie with Snoop, and Daz. The name of the movie is called
“Make it Rain.” I got the starring role.
How was it for you to act? Were you nervous at first?
No, I wasn’t nervous because the character is damn near just like me!
It was very easy for me to do because all I had to do was be myself.
You have been big into the mixtape game. Are you going to continue with
that?
Yes. I got something coming with DJ Drama, DJ B-Lord, and DJ Bigga Ranks.
I am looking to talk to one more guy because I am going to have four
mixtapes with just me on it. I have been featured on over 300 mixtapes.
I think I hosted over a hundred too.
Do you think mixtapes are still an effective way to build yourself as
an artist?
It’s very important because it’s a promotional tool. It will get your
name out there in the streets where you need to be.
What would you do if you were not a rapper?
I would manage an artist. I got the eyes and ears for talent. When
I travel I come across a hell of a lot of talented cats! I meet muthafuckas
all the time everywhere I go who are talented.
How long have you had the ear for talent?
I have had the ear since before I could remember. I was young but I got
caught up in the streets and that distracted me from the music.
Growing up which artists did you look up to?
When I was younger I used to look up to LL Cool J. L.L. was that
boy because all of the women loved L.L. He had that swag! I wanted to
be like him. I had the big ropes and everything. Then when I started
to get deeper off into the streets and had my own money I wanted L to
be like me.
When you got caught up and went to the feds what was the charge?
A gun. When you’re in the streets guns are a part of life. People say
what they want to say but until you walked into another man’s shoes then
you can’t judge nothing. Wait until you see another man get his brains
blown out right in front of you. I like that saying, “I would rather
be judged by twelve than carried by six.” The whole logic behind that
is I will get out of jail before he gets out of the ground. I will still
have my life. You can’t escape death. Once it’s your time it’s your time.
Everyone has to die, but I would rather prevent it if I could meaning
by protecting myself.
How is it working with T.I.?
Great. He is a brilliant MC and a businessman! Dude is real humble.
I was sad to hear he got hit with a year term in prison.
Life throws you a curve ball. But he can’t be stopped. He’s cool, he’s
a player, man.
For all the cats who are locked up right now what would you like to say
to them?
I would say stay positive and cool, and know that when you get out you
can make it happen. Like I said in one of my songs “From the prison yard
to 106th & Park.” You can make it as long as you keep your focus.
Where do you find time for everything?
You gotta make time! You have to operate by a schedule. I know you are
busy and you have to make time to get everything done that you do throughout
the day. That’s one thing I can say is I make time to get everything
done.
Wasn’t your album supposed to come out in October of 2008?
It was supposed to come out on October the 14th but I decided to push
it back. It was my decision. The record company kind of looked at me
crazy at first and was shocked but they saw the logic that I was talking
about.
What was your reason for waiting?
There were political things going on with the election, and I felt like
my children’s future was more important than me putting out an album.
I got this campaign that I started up called “Mamas for Obama”. I wanted
to keep the focus on Obama. At that point the whole country was seriously
at stake.
That is a pretty big thing for you to be willing to push back your album
for this cause. Most times an album gets pushed back is because of the
label and not the artist.
I had to do that because my children are more important than the release
on my album. People need to understand exactly how important all of this
is.
People forget that this country was founded by slave owners who said
that all men were created equal.
Right. This country was founded by a bunch of felons. George Washington
was wanted for treason and treason in that country was considered to
be a crime punishable by death.
Was T.I. behind you on this decision?
Yeah. He had his thang going with “Respect my Vote!”
It’s good to see artists making decisions with the big picture in mind.
There’s a certain responsibility in being a public figure.
Yes sir. Don’t get me wrong because I do get rowdy. Even the most responsible
can get rowdy.
Are you on the road a lot away from home doing shows?
I’m on the road all the time. I do a lot of promo shows right now. I
like going around in different cities and states meeting different people.
When I was locked up doing fed time I met people from everywhere. I already
know how to get along with people from everywhere.
Do you like going to the Windy City?
Chi-Town is straight love! I’m on my way there on my next run. I got
family in Chicago on the Southside in the wild 100’s. The thing I love
about Chicago is right away they know if you’re real or if you’re fake.
They know right off the bat. If you go through New Orleans it’s the same
there too. Gary and Flint too are like that.
What are some of your other spots that you like to go to?
I love Cleveland, Detroit and Miami. I love going to Miami. I like to
be where the people are at.
