ALL STAR 2011 - Ozone Magazine

young, you know? I never thought I’d be inthe lab with him. The vibe was real, real epic.That dude right there is focused. That dude isa perfectionist, straight up. (laughs)Did you record something with him or wereyou just throwing some ideas around?We were just vibing in the studio, man. That’swhere the magic happens. When people vibetogether that’s where the magic happens. Itwas real crazy. I’m trying to get back in thestudio with Dr. Dre real, real soon.He doesn’t work with a lot of new artists. Didhe tell you why he was impressed with you?He said he’d heard a song that me and Kendrick[Lamar] did together. He said, “Man, youhard.” (laughs) For him to say that, that wasamazing to me.That’s a big compliment coming from him.So Kendrick Lamar is with Top Dawg, youroriginal record label?Yeah, me and K Dot started out together withTop Dawg. Me and Kendrick have been workingtogether for years, grindin’. That’s my littlebro right there. We been doing our thing, webeen on our grind forever.So you’re still Top Dawg affiliated eventhough you signed with Strange Music?Yeah, of course, it’s still Top Dawg. Don’t getit twisted. Top Dawg Entertainment andStrange Music joined forces together, feelme? We’re together on the same grind.Have you had any opportunities to returnthe favor? Have you seen anybodyelse that was going in the wrong directionand been able to give them a morepositive focus?Yeah, of course. People come up to me all thetime, especially when I was on the road. A lotof people were like, “Man, your music helpedme get through,” and I’d tell them, “Don’tever give up on your dream.” Whatever youwant to do in life, just pursue it, man. Don’tlet nobody tell you nothing. Just stay awayfrom the negative, and if you want it you canget it. Go hard in whatever you’re trying todo, whether it’s music, or school, or whateveryour goal is. If you’ve got a goal, pursue yourgoal. Just do it and don’t give up.Do you feel like there’s more unity now onthe West Coast?Of course, we’re all getting together. Everybodyis out here doing their thing and everybody’smaking good music, so why not gettogether? Ain’t nobody hating on nobodyelse. We can all be one, man. We’re all tryingto get to the top together.Are you doing any events for All Star weekendthat people should know about?Yeah, man, it’s a lot of stuff going on rightnow. I’m gonna be in all the spots and youcan catch me out there in the streets. Whereverit’s poppin’ at, that’s where I’m gonnabe. //In one of our earlier interviews youtalked about how Top Dawg sort ofkidnapped you in the studio and forcedyou to focus on your music. Haveyou been able to leave the street lifebehind?(laughs) Ah, yeah. You know, I’m still outhere, but my focus is music. It’s crazy thatyou said that; shout out to dude Dawg.That’s Top Dawg, man, he was like a realbig homie. He saw me in the streets justacting up and being hard-headed, andhe knew I had the talent to rap. A lotof people knew I had the talent to rap.Everybody was on me like, “You got it,man, we want you to do that music, don’tbe out here [bangin’].” All my friendsand family were telling me that, so Ifigured if that’s my calling, I gotta do it. Ifeverybody’s telling me to keep doing themusic, you know, that’s love. That’s wheremy focus is now.OZONE MAG // 51