ALL STAR 2011 - Ozone Magazine

COMPTON RAPPER Problem plans tocapitalize off the momentum createdby his record “my ex” and ride thewave of bay-to-l.a. california unityALL THE WAY to the top.Do you have any parties or events plannedfor All Star weekend?They’re gonna see me in the streets. I’m everywhere.A couple places are trying to book mebut nothing is set yet. I plan on being everywhere.You’re gonna see Problem everywhere,all weekend. Watch!What are some of the hot spots in L.A. thatout-of-towners need to hit?The city is gonna be so booming, man. If youwant to shop, everyone goes to the BeverlyCenter. It’s crazy because I was out here performinglive when I was younger and I can justsee the difference. This shit is gonna be crazyout here, man.Let’s talk about what you have coming upmusic-wise. Is “My Ex” your official single,or just something you leaked out to keeppeople talking? What’s the status on that?I was just recording and my boy Felli [Fel]heard it and asked for a copy of it clean [forradio], so I shot it to him, and it just took offfrom there. All of these were songs I was doingfor my project What’s the Problem? that I’mabe dropping real soon. Just like the “Lobster”record, that’s been doing real good too. I don’treally have an official single right now, but if“My Ex” is working and people are fuckin’ withit, that’s what I’m fuckin’ with too, you know?Is What’s the Problem? going to be an actualalbum release or more like a mixtape?It’s bigger than a mixtape, man. It’s gonna bean event. When you’ve got a title like What’sthe Problem? you’re gonna have to understandwho I am by the end of it and who you’redealing with. There will be no mysteries aboutme at all. I’m going to give you every side ofme. There’s a visual shot for every song. I juststarted making a couple of the visuals recently.It’s gonna be a movie for real. I know peoplesay that a lot, but this is gonna be a movie forreal. It’s a lot of original records.Are you still independent or do you have alabel releasing this project?I’m under Diamond Lane Music Group, that’swhat I’m pushing right now. I’m not signedanywhere else. I’m still indie and I plan onkeeping it that way. I’ve had [major labels]calling, but that’s just not what I’m interestedin right now. I feel like it’s not time for that yet.I want to brand Problem. I want the world toknow who Problem is, what Diamond Lane is,and really embrace me for me. I’m not tryingto be anybody else. I want to develop a fanbase of people that fuck with me and fuck withmy music. I just can’t wait to see the response.So far so good. I’ve only been leaking shit forabout a month and I’ve already received callsfrom five different labels and a whole lot ofgreat situations have been offered. I’m justhaving fun right now.You seem like you go hard for a little while,then chill a bit, and then go hard again. Whatdo you think it’ll take to motivate you to goone hundred percent without falling back?Well, I have to go through all these stages ofgoing hard and pulling back because I wasjust runnin’ around out here like a chickenwith my head cut off. I really didn’t have astructure, I was just excited that people wereliking me. Then you have to deal with it whenyou don’t have the hot song out no more andpeople start acting different. It’s just life. Andnow I feel like there’s no possible way I couldlose, because I sat back and really formulateda plan. When you see a plan being executedand goals being achieved, you can’t lose. Theynever got to see me, they just heard me. This isthe first time the world gets to see me.So these videos you’re shooting now are yourfirst visuals?My first real visuals. I mean, DJ Skee shot myfirst video for the “America” record and thatgot over 200,000 plays. I did a few other videosmyself. I never really had label support, it wasjust me and my squad tryin’ to do it. You haveto really formulate a plan when you have agreat idea. It’s in the pot for real, I swear. Listen,I guarantee you this, no bullshit man, this timenext year we will be having this same conversationand you’re gonna be like, “Damn, nigga,that’s what you said.” I promise you.Who else do you see coming from Californiathat’s in the same lane as you?Everybody’s poppin’ right now. You’ve gotKendrick Lamar, YG, Skeme, Joe Moses, DomKennedy, Terrace Martin, man, it’s so manypeople right now. Everybody is all fuckin’ witheach other too. It’s crackin’ right now.Do you think the relationship between L.A.artists and Bay Area artists has gotten better?Seems like there’s more California unity.I actually just came from up there and I knowof at least three different Bay to L.A. projectsthat are being worked on right now. I’mincluded in some of them and a lot of thoseOZONE MAG // 45