Complex: Once you left Ball State and started focusing on rapping, you were signed to Interscope in 2005 by the same A&R, Joe “3H” Weinberger, who almost signed Kanye West to Capitol Records. Why did that end up not working out?
Freddie Gibbs: He was a “dickriding-type” dude, so he wasn’t into the project. He basically f***** me over and played with my life pretty much. He left Interscope and said he was gonna take me with him to Warner and it didn’t happen. I didn’t get no big advance. I got like 30 Gs. I was just in a bad situation, so after that little money ran out I had to go back to Gary. He saw the trends of rap starting to shift away from the gangsta s***. He saw more of these fuckboys coming into the game. These “Charles Hamilton-type” niggas making that “bubblegum-bullshit” rap. He saw that and wanted to latch onto that, instead of latching on to what was real. He saw a dollar-sign opportunity. I ain’t no racist m***********, but it was the Jew in him. He started f****** with Charles and saying rap was dead and he was going in a different direction, but didn’t have the nuts to tell me. He was about to sign Charles to Interscope. He was trying to take him to Warner, but Interscope gave Charles a better offer. A lot of people around him thought I was dope. It was the whole “50 Cent” era, and everything was blowing up over there at Interscope. He wanted his own hard gangsta rapper. But it’s like me and 50 Cent totally different. We both do street rap, but we both do it from two way totally different perspectives. [3H] was just trying to be like Eminem and Paul Rosenberg. He had a “First Look” deal through Shady and Paul Rosenberg and Eminem had the chance to sign me. I was signed to Interscope for six months, and the parameters of the deal with Shady was within six months of my Interscope deal being signed, they could either sign me or not sign me. They passed on me.
Complex: Did you like actually go sit down with them?
Freddie Gibbs: I sat down with Paul. Eminem heard my music and he didn’t wanna take a meeting with me.
Complex: Was that disappointing to you?
Freddie Gibbs: I guess it was disappointing because I saw he signed niggas like Ca$his and I was like, man, get the f*** outta here. These busters can’t hold a candle to me. It was a lot of youth in those feelings. I just wasn’t in the right state of mind at the time. I felt like they were s******* on me. Like I wasn’t dope or something like that. But in the grand scheme of things that just gave me the mentality like, f*** these niggas, I’ma show ‘em. I ain’t mad at them at all for not signing. It was a blessing in disguise. But once they said “no,” my s*** was in limbo. And then [Interscope] was trying to stick me with whoever they could stick me with. They tried to stick me with Polow, and that whole Zone 4 s***. Polow passed on it.
Complex: Did they try and stick you with G-Unit?
Freddie Gibbs: I think the whole Shady thing blew that out the water. I ain’t really wanna be the 12th n**** on G-Unit at that time ’cause they had like 13 niggas. They had like M.O.P. They signed Hot Rod. They was signing busters too, ’cause Hot Rod a buster. I don’t know him, I just think his music sucks. [Laughs.]
Complex: So then you just went back to hustling?
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah I did that in L.A., Atlanta, Gary, all over. Wherever I could make a dollar at. I had a child on the way, so I was real focused. I was in Atlanta hustling. Southside, Northside, Marietta, Westside, all of that s***. I had the homies down there, and we were shipping green to Atlanta from Gary. Getting pills from Atlanta, taking them to Gary. Getting in shootouts, doing all kinds of b*******. Josh [The Goon] had hit me up, and was like, “I think you need to give it another shot.” And I was like, “Yeah, right.”
Complex: Once you did start focusing on music again, the mixtapes you released—The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik—had material you recorded while signed to Interscope. I heard some of the producers were complaining about you releasing music and not letting them know and also about not getting paid.
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah, a couple of them. They just tripping, but for the most part everybody showed love. They know that I wasn’t playing them or nothing like that. Plus most of them producers, they got a front end on them beats. 3H was trying to make buddies with everybody, so he was just passing out checks on my budget.
Complex: Just Blaze had mentioned on Twitter that he wanted a check, right?
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah. [Laughs.] He was like, “Can I get my Freddie Gibbs check?” And I was like, “Yeah, holla at 3H for that one.” But I worked with you off the Interscope budget. But yet at the same time, Just, I respect him and everything he do. I don’t want nobody thinking I’m taking advantage of them or no s*** like that ’cause I definitely wasn’t. We made good music together, and I gotta put it out. S***, he a rich n****, he understand that s***. I’m trying to get to his level. One f****** song. For a m*********** to trip like that, then you know. Whatever, I ain’t tripping on that. Rap niggas and the niggas in this industry I don’t even pay no attention to ‘em, cause ain’t none of them gonna come whoop my ass. Ain’t none of them gonna come say nothing to me. So I just be like, whatever. [Laughs.] M************ hide behind they computers and say little b******* all day, but 99% of these niggas ain’t 100, man, so I don’t really give no f***. I love Just Blaze music, definitely would love to get back in the lab with him. But I don’t owe that n**** a goddamn thing. I don’t owe that n**** s***. [Laughs.]
Complex: Were there any other producers that have said anything?
Freddie Gibbs: Hell nah. Everybody else was down with it and they cool. Niggas down to work with a n****. I ain’t taking advantage of no n****. I ain’t trying to get a n**** to do nothing for me for free. He didn’t do that s*** for free. He got paid. I don’t really care nothing about these dudes’ feelings on that s***. Like I said: I respect him, I love his work, but I don’t owe him s***.
Complex: How much would you say Interscope spent on your project?
Freddie Gibbs: They probably spent over half a million dollars on me and these producers like Polow, Just Blaze. Interscope was putting money back into their own pocket ’cause I was using their studio in the back of the building and they charging us out the budget for studio time. [Laughs.] You know how that situation go. So people, they can be like, yeah, we spent this—but they ain’t really spent s***. All Interscope did with the budget is pay themselves. They probably spent a 100 grand. A lot of that s*** went in 3H’s pockets and my crooked-ass [former] managers and lawyers.
Complex: Who was your former manager?
Freddie Gibbs: This dude named Barry Williams from Violator. He was 50 Cent’s manager, too. I wasn’t dealing with Chris Lighty at all. It was Barry and this other guy named Mel. They was all cool with 3H. 3H picked the manager and lawyers. It seemed like a good decision at the time, ’cause I had not been exposed to the industry whatsoever yet. So I didn’t know who was a good manager. I’m a loyal dude. I tried to follow [3H], as much as possible. They wasn’t gonna point me in the wrong direction. You know, we a team. But I was wrong about that.
Complex: Switching topics: One of the hottest rappers right now is Rick Ross. One of your recent tweets read: “Who are you? Rick Ross, Big Meech or Larry Hoover? the rap game is like halloween every day?”
Freddie Gibbs: [Laughs.] That’s real, man. That dude makes good records, but I just can’t support no bold-faced lying on records. I guess he’s entertaining people. It’s like a movie, like Scarface. He can have that fake lane. I’ll stay in the real lane. We got a non-fiction lane of rap, that’s how I’m looking at it now. So you got that fiction lane over there where they’re doing all them. I do the non-fiction, the autobiography, the real s***. It’s all good. S*** like that just make it easier for me to stand out, and easier for me to put my work in to be highly respected. I’ll never ever fabricate nothing or act like I’m something that I’m not or try to be another n****. I can’t do that. I just think you gotta respect the streets and respect this Midwest culture. I mean you can’t really trip on him yelling names out. This the same dude that told you he knew Noriega when he first came out, so…
Complex: On the flip side of that, does it make it harder for you because it seems like these days if you make good music, people don’t really care whether or not you’re being genuine?
Freddie Gibbs: Rap’s so f****** watered down right now, you can be a m************ C.O., you can kiss a n****, and as long as you making good music, these niggas don’t give a f***. With me I’ma make good music, be a man of my word, and live how I’m rapping. It’s a fine line between artistry and authenticity, and I just think that I just combine all of that, and everybody can’t do that. It definitely makes it difficult from a mainstream-radio standpoint, but I can care less. That’s only because these dudes have those machines behind them and those marketing dollars behind them to dress their fake s*** up. But I’m not trying to fabricate nothing or dress nothing up to be something that it’s not. I ain’t a n**** with no furs, but I’ve sold a lot of crack. A lot of pills. But I wasn’t that n**** like that. It seem like all these niggas in the rap game trying to tell the boss story when 90% of these niggas was never the boss. I was never no coke boss of my neighborhood. I was a shooter, a corner boy. So that’s the perspective I gotta tell you from. I can’t tell you that perspective with no n**** that live in those million-dollar houses, I ain’t never had that.
Complex: Another tweet you had recently was, “much love to all the real DJs in the game. To all the ones that be tryin to rap and be diddy eat a d***.” Were you angry at someone or was that just a general blanket statement?
Freddie Gibbs: I mean it was just a general thing. I wasn’t angry at nobody. Specifically I was talking about DJ Khaled, if people wanna know. I don’t like what he’s doing rapping on records and s*** like that, but you know, to each his own. I’m not taking away nothing that he did in the game or the success that he’s had, ’cause he’s done his thing and made bread, but I just think that so many niggas are making a mockery of this rap game right now. It’s like, real MCs doing they thang, putting this real s*** down, real lyrics, and can’t get breathing room ’cause you got f*** s*** like that. I think that s*** is garbage. I don’t like what that s*** stand for.
Complex: Would it have made a difference if you thought his verse was good?
Freddie Gibbs: He got his position, though. DJ Khaled ain’t a rapper. Don’t matter if you nice or not. Play your role, play your position. No way that n**** can be nice, listen to his f****** voice. [Laughs.] He a DJ. He do his thing. Scream on your records. Say “nigga” and all that s*** you like to say. I’m surprised m************ ain’t check him for that. Clowns like that in the game I don’t really pay attention to. I respect his success, and the way he did what he did to make his paper, but I don’t respect his art none whatsoever.
Complex: You don’t like any of his records?
Freddie Gibbs: I like some of them records. I like the s*** with Plies and T-Pain, “I’m So Hood.” That’s really it. I liked a couple of the early records. I’m not saying they don’t make good records. They just do clown-ass s***. A lot of these rappers in the game be scared to say something about that s*** because they wanna get they next check, or they wanna ride d***, ’cause these niggas is making a little bread. N**** make your own lane and make your own money. Niggas wouldn’t be able to do no s*** like that in ‘96, ‘98. In the ’90s. Kid Capri wasn’t busting no verse. You don’t see Funkmaster Flex busting no verses, my n****. DJ Premier ain’t busting no verses. It’s all about respect. Much success to them and I hope they keep doing they thing, but I just think these niggas disrespecting the game because they got the power to do it. The f****** president of A&R of Def Jam, who gon’ tell them no?
http://www.complex.com/music/2010/0...r-label-saga-str8-killa-rapping-djs-rick-ross
Freddie Gibbs: He was a “dickriding-type” dude, so he wasn’t into the project. He basically f***** me over and played with my life pretty much. He left Interscope and said he was gonna take me with him to Warner and it didn’t happen. I didn’t get no big advance. I got like 30 Gs. I was just in a bad situation, so after that little money ran out I had to go back to Gary. He saw the trends of rap starting to shift away from the gangsta s***. He saw more of these fuckboys coming into the game. These “Charles Hamilton-type” niggas making that “bubblegum-bullshit” rap. He saw that and wanted to latch onto that, instead of latching on to what was real. He saw a dollar-sign opportunity. I ain’t no racist m***********, but it was the Jew in him. He started f****** with Charles and saying rap was dead and he was going in a different direction, but didn’t have the nuts to tell me. He was about to sign Charles to Interscope. He was trying to take him to Warner, but Interscope gave Charles a better offer. A lot of people around him thought I was dope. It was the whole “50 Cent” era, and everything was blowing up over there at Interscope. He wanted his own hard gangsta rapper. But it’s like me and 50 Cent totally different. We both do street rap, but we both do it from two way totally different perspectives. [3H] was just trying to be like Eminem and Paul Rosenberg. He had a “First Look” deal through Shady and Paul Rosenberg and Eminem had the chance to sign me. I was signed to Interscope for six months, and the parameters of the deal with Shady was within six months of my Interscope deal being signed, they could either sign me or not sign me. They passed on me.
Complex: Did you like actually go sit down with them?
Freddie Gibbs: I sat down with Paul. Eminem heard my music and he didn’t wanna take a meeting with me.
Complex: Was that disappointing to you?
Freddie Gibbs: I guess it was disappointing because I saw he signed niggas like Ca$his and I was like, man, get the f*** outta here. These busters can’t hold a candle to me. It was a lot of youth in those feelings. I just wasn’t in the right state of mind at the time. I felt like they were s******* on me. Like I wasn’t dope or something like that. But in the grand scheme of things that just gave me the mentality like, f*** these niggas, I’ma show ‘em. I ain’t mad at them at all for not signing. It was a blessing in disguise. But once they said “no,” my s*** was in limbo. And then [Interscope] was trying to stick me with whoever they could stick me with. They tried to stick me with Polow, and that whole Zone 4 s***. Polow passed on it.
Complex: Did they try and stick you with G-Unit?
Freddie Gibbs: I think the whole Shady thing blew that out the water. I ain’t really wanna be the 12th n**** on G-Unit at that time ’cause they had like 13 niggas. They had like M.O.P. They signed Hot Rod. They was signing busters too, ’cause Hot Rod a buster. I don’t know him, I just think his music sucks. [Laughs.]
Complex: So then you just went back to hustling?
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah I did that in L.A., Atlanta, Gary, all over. Wherever I could make a dollar at. I had a child on the way, so I was real focused. I was in Atlanta hustling. Southside, Northside, Marietta, Westside, all of that s***. I had the homies down there, and we were shipping green to Atlanta from Gary. Getting pills from Atlanta, taking them to Gary. Getting in shootouts, doing all kinds of b*******. Josh [The Goon] had hit me up, and was like, “I think you need to give it another shot.” And I was like, “Yeah, right.”
Complex: Once you did start focusing on music again, the mixtapes you released—The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik—had material you recorded while signed to Interscope. I heard some of the producers were complaining about you releasing music and not letting them know and also about not getting paid.
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah, a couple of them. They just tripping, but for the most part everybody showed love. They know that I wasn’t playing them or nothing like that. Plus most of them producers, they got a front end on them beats. 3H was trying to make buddies with everybody, so he was just passing out checks on my budget.
Complex: Just Blaze had mentioned on Twitter that he wanted a check, right?
Freddie Gibbs: Yeah. [Laughs.] He was like, “Can I get my Freddie Gibbs check?” And I was like, “Yeah, holla at 3H for that one.” But I worked with you off the Interscope budget. But yet at the same time, Just, I respect him and everything he do. I don’t want nobody thinking I’m taking advantage of them or no s*** like that ’cause I definitely wasn’t. We made good music together, and I gotta put it out. S***, he a rich n****, he understand that s***. I’m trying to get to his level. One f****** song. For a m*********** to trip like that, then you know. Whatever, I ain’t tripping on that. Rap niggas and the niggas in this industry I don’t even pay no attention to ‘em, cause ain’t none of them gonna come whoop my ass. Ain’t none of them gonna come say nothing to me. So I just be like, whatever. [Laughs.] M************ hide behind they computers and say little b******* all day, but 99% of these niggas ain’t 100, man, so I don’t really give no f***. I love Just Blaze music, definitely would love to get back in the lab with him. But I don’t owe that n**** a goddamn thing. I don’t owe that n**** s***. [Laughs.]
Complex: Were there any other producers that have said anything?
Freddie Gibbs: Hell nah. Everybody else was down with it and they cool. Niggas down to work with a n****. I ain’t taking advantage of no n****. I ain’t trying to get a n**** to do nothing for me for free. He didn’t do that s*** for free. He got paid. I don’t really care nothing about these dudes’ feelings on that s***. Like I said: I respect him, I love his work, but I don’t owe him s***.
Complex: How much would you say Interscope spent on your project?
Freddie Gibbs: They probably spent over half a million dollars on me and these producers like Polow, Just Blaze. Interscope was putting money back into their own pocket ’cause I was using their studio in the back of the building and they charging us out the budget for studio time. [Laughs.] You know how that situation go. So people, they can be like, yeah, we spent this—but they ain’t really spent s***. All Interscope did with the budget is pay themselves. They probably spent a 100 grand. A lot of that s*** went in 3H’s pockets and my crooked-ass [former] managers and lawyers.
Complex: Who was your former manager?
Freddie Gibbs: This dude named Barry Williams from Violator. He was 50 Cent’s manager, too. I wasn’t dealing with Chris Lighty at all. It was Barry and this other guy named Mel. They was all cool with 3H. 3H picked the manager and lawyers. It seemed like a good decision at the time, ’cause I had not been exposed to the industry whatsoever yet. So I didn’t know who was a good manager. I’m a loyal dude. I tried to follow [3H], as much as possible. They wasn’t gonna point me in the wrong direction. You know, we a team. But I was wrong about that.
Complex: Switching topics: One of the hottest rappers right now is Rick Ross. One of your recent tweets read: “Who are you? Rick Ross, Big Meech or Larry Hoover? the rap game is like halloween every day?”
Freddie Gibbs: [Laughs.] That’s real, man. That dude makes good records, but I just can’t support no bold-faced lying on records. I guess he’s entertaining people. It’s like a movie, like Scarface. He can have that fake lane. I’ll stay in the real lane. We got a non-fiction lane of rap, that’s how I’m looking at it now. So you got that fiction lane over there where they’re doing all them. I do the non-fiction, the autobiography, the real s***. It’s all good. S*** like that just make it easier for me to stand out, and easier for me to put my work in to be highly respected. I’ll never ever fabricate nothing or act like I’m something that I’m not or try to be another n****. I can’t do that. I just think you gotta respect the streets and respect this Midwest culture. I mean you can’t really trip on him yelling names out. This the same dude that told you he knew Noriega when he first came out, so…
Complex: On the flip side of that, does it make it harder for you because it seems like these days if you make good music, people don’t really care whether or not you’re being genuine?
Freddie Gibbs: Rap’s so f****** watered down right now, you can be a m************ C.O., you can kiss a n****, and as long as you making good music, these niggas don’t give a f***. With me I’ma make good music, be a man of my word, and live how I’m rapping. It’s a fine line between artistry and authenticity, and I just think that I just combine all of that, and everybody can’t do that. It definitely makes it difficult from a mainstream-radio standpoint, but I can care less. That’s only because these dudes have those machines behind them and those marketing dollars behind them to dress their fake s*** up. But I’m not trying to fabricate nothing or dress nothing up to be something that it’s not. I ain’t a n**** with no furs, but I’ve sold a lot of crack. A lot of pills. But I wasn’t that n**** like that. It seem like all these niggas in the rap game trying to tell the boss story when 90% of these niggas was never the boss. I was never no coke boss of my neighborhood. I was a shooter, a corner boy. So that’s the perspective I gotta tell you from. I can’t tell you that perspective with no n**** that live in those million-dollar houses, I ain’t never had that.
Complex: Another tweet you had recently was, “much love to all the real DJs in the game. To all the ones that be tryin to rap and be diddy eat a d***.” Were you angry at someone or was that just a general blanket statement?
Freddie Gibbs: I mean it was just a general thing. I wasn’t angry at nobody. Specifically I was talking about DJ Khaled, if people wanna know. I don’t like what he’s doing rapping on records and s*** like that, but you know, to each his own. I’m not taking away nothing that he did in the game or the success that he’s had, ’cause he’s done his thing and made bread, but I just think that so many niggas are making a mockery of this rap game right now. It’s like, real MCs doing they thang, putting this real s*** down, real lyrics, and can’t get breathing room ’cause you got f*** s*** like that. I think that s*** is garbage. I don’t like what that s*** stand for.
Complex: Would it have made a difference if you thought his verse was good?
Freddie Gibbs: He got his position, though. DJ Khaled ain’t a rapper. Don’t matter if you nice or not. Play your role, play your position. No way that n**** can be nice, listen to his f****** voice. [Laughs.] He a DJ. He do his thing. Scream on your records. Say “nigga” and all that s*** you like to say. I’m surprised m************ ain’t check him for that. Clowns like that in the game I don’t really pay attention to. I respect his success, and the way he did what he did to make his paper, but I don’t respect his art none whatsoever.
Complex: You don’t like any of his records?
Freddie Gibbs: I like some of them records. I like the s*** with Plies and T-Pain, “I’m So Hood.” That’s really it. I liked a couple of the early records. I’m not saying they don’t make good records. They just do clown-ass s***. A lot of these rappers in the game be scared to say something about that s*** because they wanna get they next check, or they wanna ride d***, ’cause these niggas is making a little bread. N**** make your own lane and make your own money. Niggas wouldn’t be able to do no s*** like that in ‘96, ‘98. In the ’90s. Kid Capri wasn’t busting no verse. You don’t see Funkmaster Flex busting no verses, my n****. DJ Premier ain’t busting no verses. It’s all about respect. Much success to them and I hope they keep doing they thing, but I just think these niggas disrespecting the game because they got the power to do it. The f****** president of A&R of Def Jam, who gon’ tell them no?
http://www.complex.com/music/2010/0...r-label-saga-str8-killa-rapping-djs-rick-ross
Just do you and let the chips fall where they may.
He even gave them props for their music he just mentioned that they are fake as well.
