Illuminati 2G

J-Kwon chopped game with I2G in this a 2 part interview. Done weeks before his Hood Hop 2 street tape dropped, we discuss the new tape and his newfound independence with starting his own label. We also take a blast to the past and discuss his time at So So Def and creating Hood Hop and the success of his hit single Tipsy. Part 2 is more about Hood Hop 2.5, dropping July 28th on Gracie Urban/EMI , but for now check now part one. For part 2 click here.

Illuminati 2G is here with J-Kwon how's it going?

What's up, what popping my dude?

Not too much. Let's get right into it. Tell me about your latest release, Hood Hop 2, that dropped a couple months ago.

Yeah Hood Hop 2, basically what it is, is that it is a mixtape with all original production. It is more of a street tape, and it is hard.

Yeah I was listening to it and I noticed that it has a much harder tone then your first album. Tell me a little bit about the album.

Actually I did some of the production on the album. Speedy did some and that's really a wrap on that. Me and Speedy went in and did the records and we just put it out. It's tight, it's hard. It is waaaay harder then the first one.

Yeah definitely. You also dropped a single called Fly. Tell me about how that track came together for you.

Alright that song is off of Hood Hop 2.5. It is alot of Hood Hop going on. There is the first Hood Hop, Hood Hop 2 the street tape, then there is Hood Hop 2.5 which has the single Fly on it. What had happened was Chris Rich did it, I at first wanted the single but Chris got it. I went it the studio and heard the record and I was like aww man this is crazy. I just freestyled to it and I was just playing around. Everybody was like nah that is hard, that is dope Kwon. So we decided to put it out on my project. You can get it on ITunes and all that.

Do you have a release date or anything set for Hood Hop 2.5? (Dropping July 28th) (Interview done in May)

I am pretty sure it is this month, but the album is already done.

Will you anytime in the near future be working with Jermaine Dupri again on any other projects?

If Jermaine wants to work, then we will work. I got a bunch of unreleased records with JD but they can't compare to the records that I am doing now. If we can both get on the same vibe and he is hearing some of the music that I am doing now, then yeah we will definitely be working together. That is just what it is, it is not even no label thing. I am always going to be a So So Def artist for life and our relationship is cool right now. If he come up with something new then yeah we can work but right now we are on 2 different styles. But if I jump back on that page that I was on, yeah we will work.

What do you feel is the biggest lesson that you learned from being on So So Def that you carried on with you now that you are a independent artist? What do you feel about that experience helps you now in your career?

Don't love nobody and nobody is going to love you. This is all business and you got you be you because at the end of the day, you are going to have to stand up for what you did. Now, can't nobody get me to put out what I do not want to put out. I would just rather not make the song if it is like that. I am at a point where I am cool, my kids are good. Now it is about who Kwon wants to be. That is what I am going to do.

Tell me a little bit about your label that you started up, Hood Hop Music.

The name speaks for itself. You know because everybody is starting up labels, and just talking about the label. I don't even do that. Hood Hop Music, J-Kwon the 1st artist. What we do, is what is going to tell you what the label is all about. When I come out with my album and it is popping, that is Hood Hop Music. It is a way of life, it is not really even a label. It is a movement, Hood Hop Music.

What is your thoughts on the music scene in St. Louis?

Everybody better go get they money. They better go get they money before I rejuvenate. I am telling you, like they need to hurry up. You don't have much time.

Laughs

Run and go get cha money real fast because Kwon is BACK! I am not really playing, I swear to God. I am for real about that one, because I really feel like the St. Louis scene, as much as I have done and did out here and helping the rappers out here, I do not feel like that same love and support was returned. That is why I said on Hood Hop 1, I done did everything I could for the streets, I am humble now waiting to see what the streets do for me. They really showed they ass, they really showed they ass. So go get your money because I am coming for it. I am serious about that. G get that Hood Hop 1, 2, 2.5, it is not a gimmick for real. Compare everyone elses albums here to it. I don't care what the sales is, or what the sales was, compare album for album, song for song. That is why we don't get along, feel me?

Ok

So that is where I am going with it.

What is some good memories that you can share in making the first Hood Hop and the success of the single Tipsy that you can share?

Well one good thing about it was that the song did go number one in the country. Trackboyz did it and it will never be the same. We will never capture that moment again. They took me all the way there with that album. I remember linking up with them at first and them telling me yo we got these beats and we gonna stay in the lab and be better than everybody else. They trained me well and I cannot even lie about that. We did that and that is all that it is about. I am blessed it went number one in the country, I worked with my uncle on it and it sold a million records. So we gonna keep it moving.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates coming up?

I know we are doing the X-Box tour, towards the end of the summer. My manager has all the information on that, I am just on my money and I am recording.

What is your myspace or website information for people looking to check out your music?

Just Google it, type in J-Kwon and you are good.

When did you say the single Fly would be out on ITunes?

Sometime in June. I know right now we are buzzing it out. Radio has it, it will be out in the streets. I don't even have it on my myspace yet. It is that fresh. I did the whole album in one week.

Stay tuned for part two as we get more into the details on Hood Hop 2.5 dropping July 28th, whether J thinks the St Louis music scene is becoming more unified and much more.