ALL STAR 2011 - Ozone Magazine

AFTER GETTING RELEASED FROM WARNERBROS., WATTS REPRESENTATIVE JAY ROCKLINKED UP WITH TECH N9NE’S STRANGEMUSIC AND HIT THE ROAD TO MEET HISFANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HERE, HEREFLECTS ON LEAVING THE STREET LIFEBEHIND AND HITTING THE STUDIO WITHDR. DRE.I hear you linked up with Tech N9ne andStrange Music. That sounds like an interestingcollaboration.It’s real good. Shout out to my boy TechN9ne. I’ve been on the road with him. I justgot off the Independent Grind Tour with him,E-40, and Glasses Malone. It was a real goodlook.They have a completely different style andstage performance from a lot of the rappersthat are out today. With your music beingmore on a gangsta vibe, why did you thinkStrange Music was a good home for you?Basically, I like the way Tech N9ne vibes withhis fans, man. That’s one thing about me,man, at the end of the day it’s about the fans.Being on the road and being in our fans’faces at every show, that’s a big thing to me.Just being on the road and connecting withthe fans was the best thing that could everhappen to me.They’re doing it real big on an independentlevel.Exactly. They’re one of the biggest independentcompanies that’s out right now, andthat dude’s grind is crazy. We’ve been on thatsame grind too, so just to hook up with whatthey already have rolling is a beautiful thing.You were in the Warner Bros system before,right?Yeah, everybody knew my situation overthere with Warner Bros. I had a cold recordwith me, Lil Wayne, and Will.I.Am called “AllMy Life,” that was one of the hottest records Iever did. Everybody loved it. The label didn’tquite have my back on it like they shouldhave, but I don’t want to knock Warner. I’dlike to thank them for giving me the time andthe opportunity and the chance to do what Ido. But me and my team were just unhappywith the way things were going. Everybodythought I got dropped, but that wasn’t thesituation. We went in there and got my walkingpapers.Now that you’ve seen how the major labelsystem works, being with an independentlike Strange Music, how does it compare?I mean, first off, touring. I had like seven deals[offered to me] and no other label couldoffer me the opportunity to tour as muchas Strange Music does. The major labelscouldn’t offer me touring and merchandiseand things of that nature. When I hooked upwith Strange, within a week or two of closingthe deal, I was on the road. They’ve gotmerchandise people, everything. Every daywe’d get up and do meet and greets with thefans, and that was crazy to me. They’ve reallygot it going on, and that’s what I love to do,just being on that road and touring and connectingwith the fans.In some of the new cities you visited, wereyou surprised that the fans already knewyour music?Yeah, it was amazing. The type of fans Techhas – for these dudes to know who I was – Iwas like, wow. At the first show I did “All MyLife” and people already knew the lyrics tothe song. That was crazy, because I didn’texpect that. People knew who I was and theyeven more excited than I was. They were like,“I’m so happy for you, man, I always wantedyou to sign with Tech N9ne.” That was amazingfor them to show me that much love,man. I ain’t even expect it to be like that.They knew who I was; they were familiar withmy face and a lot of my records. That was areally big thing for me.So you’re really focused on being on theroad and building your buzz up again,or do you have an actual release date oralbum plans?I’m gonna continue to be on the road doingshows, but I do have a release date of May17th, 2011. The album is called Follow MeHome and it’s a classic album, straight up.So this was the same album that Warnernever released, right? Have you revamped it?Oh yeah, I’ve got a lot of new records. Theproduction is crazy. I’ve got some of myin-house producers plus J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League,Tha Bizness, Cool & Dre, DJ Quik and a lotmore. Hopefully, Lord willing, I’ll have a Dr.Dre track on there.That would be major. How did you get ahold of Dr. Dre? That sounds pretty exclusive.The other day I had the chance to really bein the studio and work with that dude, man,and it was like a dream come true. It wascrazy to see the way he works. It was a blessing.I never thought in a million years I’d bein the studio with Dr. Dre. This is a dude thatI’ve been growing up with since I was real50 // OZONE MAG