Scarface is a natural born leader. With a repertoire it would be silly to recount, there are few in the game with the knowledge, longevity and standards of quality as the living legend from Houston. A storyteller from the gate and a constant figure in the foundation of Hip Hop, the music speaks on its own.
As a follow up to what was penned as his retirement album Emeritus, Scarface is back with Dope Man Music, dropping May 4. 'Face is the epitome of evolution as he further defines the lane of rap, as a "free agent."
Using his influence for more than music, Scarface chops it up with Yo! Raps on why certain people hate on Barack Obama, race relations including calling out Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, and his take on other artists in the game like Soulja Boy, and Kanye West.
What's up with Dope Man Music?
It's a mixtape with all original material. It's a chance for the kids that are really making noise lyrically to be showcased with somebody that people listen to.
Are you bridging the Hip Hop talent gap?
Yes, I do. This is my passion. I love to make music and I love to hear rappers that are dope in subject matter that don't sound like anybody else. For me, it's dope, original content that matters the most.
Who are you listening to currently? Any Hip Hop artists?
I'm listening to Radiohead these days, in all honesty.
Do you use alternative styles of music to fuse diversity with your style?
The type that inspires me is great music. Blues, Alternative, Metal, or Jazz, I don't care what it is. It's inspiring enough with great music. You have so many people that make great music that go unheard, and then you have people that make garbage music and everybody hears it. I don't know if they're trying to kill the great music, or the culture of Hip Hop. It's a lot of good stuff, and it's a lot of bullshit.
How did the bullshit infiltrate the rest?
Looking at it realistically, no one has a blue print to follow anymore. If people would take the time out to study the music that came before, we wouldn't have these problems. I grew up on quality music. If you look at the music that was made in the '60s on through the '90s, and compare that to the music of 2000 and 2010, it fell off. Date back to the 1990's when Dr. Dre made the first Chronic album or the late 80's when N.W.A was heavy.
Is it the times we live in that make the evolution happen so quickly?
I think the dragon, which is the powers that be, make those decisions. I don't know if it's a conspiracy to destroy the craft, but I know that there are people that still take it serious. If you listen to The Roots, they take it serious. If you listen to a Jay-Z album, or a Kanye album, they take it very serious. I take it serious. This is my career.
By taking it seriously, you've been able to remain inspired?
I've always been a musician. I can play all instruments. There's a piece on the web of me playing the blues with a buddy of mine. As far as evolving, more into bands and things like that, I've always been into it, in my early career; we would hire people to come into the studio and play. These days, any kind of computer that you buy is going to have some form of studio on it. Everybody is making music.
Some would argue that the blueprints for success change every day.
In my opinion, success is going to depend on the type of music you make, and that depends on the strength you have in this business. I'm pretty sure that between now and the past 10 years, there's some music that came out that got a lot of airplay. The artist may have sold a lot of records but, if you look at the situation they're in now, you can't tell they sold a lot of records. Now they can't even stand in front of a store and give the album away. It just won't hold. In order to stick around, you've got to make music that's quality and that makes sense.
Artists like Soulja Boy move tons of units and product yet the arguments rage on about his quality of rap.
I like his business mind, as a 19 year old. I have a 19 year old son, so I appreciate the way he handles his business. He does what he does well, and there's no denying were his mind is business wise.
Is it finally time to leave the Soulja Boy arguments alone?
Ain't nobody supposed to be fucking with him anyway, he's a kid. He's a child. But, I think that if you look at what I call quality music, I like Drake's shit, I like Wayne. I like T.I.'s shit. I like Jeezy; you can play that shit five or ten years later. It may be great for a fan or for a club but when the 18 year olds get in the club with the 24 olds, things are going to change.
You mentioned that you are ready to use everything you've learned about the music business. What's the one lesson that holds true, even today?
What's going to always be relevant and hold true about me and my thinking is that good music is going to speak for itself every time. That's the way you have to do it. A perfect example is that when the Dr. Dre album comes out, you'll have it right?
We stay praying for Detox to come out.
I know it's gonna come out! I'll have a Detox album in my deck. When Kanye's record comes out, there's no question that I'll have it in my deck. When Drake comes out, I'll have that too. I'm sure that when these kids like Wacka Flocka and Soulja Boy, my kids will be listening to that, so I'll hear it. Good music, great music will always speak for itself. It may not be heard by the masses, but it will be heard. Look at Sade. It's not heard by everybody, but her shit is heard.
Her earlier records are still celebrated. Is there more to it than longevity?
Time goes in the direction that we can't prepare for, but know the direction will change again. Imagine that part of it. You have to be able to come back and make a record that makes since when my eight year old is rapping. Make a relevant record when my 21 year old is a grandfather. You have to be prepared to make music that lives forever.
I hear you're on Twitter, that's a very different platform for music than existed years ago.
Twitter -- it's a whole other world out there, and all of my people that ride with me, I can hit them all at one time. I always have some crazy shit to say, especially when it comes to Barack Obama. I don't know why these racist Republicans hate this man so much. I don't understand. This tea party thing? They're Klansmen.
It does have a bit of a lynch mob feel.
It's a total lynch mob! Obama could say do whatever you want and they'd still hate him. It's when your skin becomes your sin. They have never been able to accept the color of his skin. If he's doing all this to help people that are without, what's the problem with that? Everybody needs fucking insurance! Congress has insurance!
Do you feel a need for a stronger social responsibility in Hip Hop?
All I can do is say something. I can enlighten people that it's way bigger than what it looks like on the outside. You really have to start digging deeper so you can see the reasons why we'll never be considered equal by the 60 year old conservative. We'll always have the "N" word argument with our white friends.
And over the usage of it in general.
I'm fucking offended that the 2010 census says "Negro" or "Colored." I don't think I'm going to turn that motherfucker in! There was nothing that said "African- American" on that motherfucker. They put the rest of that shit on there. That's some old Mitt Romney ass shit. Then you've got the fucking Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson's old 95 year old ass up there asking for some fucking apologies. Get the fuck outta here! I'm mad now. Fucking idiots.
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are two people that many say are the voice of African-Americans.
I don't want those motherfuckers speaking for me. I speak for my goddamn self, now that I think about it. If that's going to be the picture to white people across the world what niggas look like, then take me out of that shit. Motherfuckers can't be my voice. Who elected them or appointed them to speak for the Black people? I'm alright. Motherfucker, you wanna do something, send the check.
You mean reparations?
That's the fight right there. If you want an apology, tell them to send the check behind that.
What else are you focusing on right now?
I'm focused on me, continuing my business and making great music. That's where I've been focused, and that's where I'm going to continue pouring my energy.
- By Maxine Ross
