Illuminati 2G

Illuminati 2G sat down with Michelob for a exclusive interview. We talk about the what going on with the Game Bangers group, his upcoming album, Streetscan and his DVD Lobe TV, the state of westcoast hip hop and hip hop in general and much more so check it out.

To check out the audio version of the interview click on the link below.

http://www.zshare.net/download/12536681fdc4891f/

D: Alright Illuminati 2G here with Michelob. How's it going man?

M: Oh man, I'm chillin man, I'm blessed man you know man. Trying to get my buzz up. Trying to support yall man, what's good?

D: Alright, tell me about how you got your start in the game and some of your musical influences in the game.

M: Umm shit, I got my start off in the game fucking with my brother from another mother, Spice 1. He is a legend in the rap game, he has done songs with 2pac and everyone else. He basically took me under his wing and took me on the road with him. I basically took it from there and made it happen. Once I figured out that I had the talent and once I figured out this is what I wanted to do.

D: What ever happened to the Game Bangers project you had with Rappin 4-Tay, Spice 1 and 40 Glocc?

M: And Bad Azz. Bad Azz is part of the Game Bangers and the Dogg Pound.

D: Oh wow.

M: And we have a couple of new members too. Zo The Roasta, AK9 and Mr. Goodbar. But that's still in effect. We all kind of branched off and we are doing our solo thing, but we have a whole album, maybe even more than a whole album done, we just want to add some more songs to the project and try to pick the best ones and then we gonna put that out too. So the fans can still expect the Game Bangers album to drop. Along with all of our solo projects too.

D: Have you spoken with Spice 1 since the shooting and he got out of the hospital and how is his mindstate right now?

M: Oh yeah, I have talked to him plenty of times. I talked to him probably about 2 or 3 weeks ago. His mindstate is cool, he is back, God blessed him to have a full recovery. Which is a beautiful thing, we are all very happy about that. He is just focused. He is working on his new album right now and it's banging as usual. He just ready to let everyone know and to prove that he is a legend in the game and he ain't went nowhere. He doing his thing, just like the rest of us.

D: You going to have Spice 1 on any of your upcoming mixtapes or albums?

M: OH YEAH, he is going to be on my album, Streetscan that is dropping on the 4th of July. So that is when the fireworks get released for all the fans. That is the fireworks day so I figure Imma go ahead and let go of my fireworks on the same day. And he is on my album. The name of the track is called Burner On Me. Talking about having a strap on you. And it is super banging, ya know. So the fans can expect a super bangin ass song with Spice 1 on my album along with all the other features I got like 40 Glocc, Kurupt, Jayo Felony, Yukmouth, Ras Kass. I mean the list goes on and on. I have so many I can't even think of them all right now. But the album is about to go down, and Spice is on the album.

D: Are you putting Streetscan out independently or through a label on July 4th?

M: I'm dropping it independently at first.Then once that buzz picks up. I ain't gonna lie, the album is really super heated. I not just saying it because it is my shit, I'm saying it because I really took my time with it. I perfected my craft and I made sure that I put together a classic album. With all original beats, it ain't no mixtape. It's called a mixtape album because I did not do anyones beats. It's all original beats and it's about to be that shit dog. I hope the fans is ready for the new west artist that is about to take over the west. I'm bout to knock the wind out this muthafucka.

D: That leads perfectly into my next question. What are your thoughts on the state of west coast music right now. What coming as a whole right now?

M: The west coast movement, with going off what's on TV, and 106 & Park and all that shit, I mean we are still light years behind. If we trying to be on TV. We are still stuck in the NWA mindstate of making music, which it is ok to make those type of songs. Because I have street songs too, but we have to learn how to branch off and make universal songs for the world. I am not trying to just appeal to California or the west coast, I want to appeal to the world. I am trying to appeal to Austraila, Japan, Peru, Iran. I want fans all over the world. I try to make music for everybody. Something that they can indentify with. And I think when our west coast artists start doing that, and not just being so one minded with the type of music that they make, and keeping it so hood and gangsta, then that is when the west can really start coming back.

D: Who are some of the new west artists right now that you are feeling right now that are dropping music?

M: New west artists that I am feeling right now is of course anyone that is a part of the Game Bangers. Of course I am part of Zoo Life too with 40 Glocc. We got another movement too. We all Game Bangers/Zoo Life, Infamous Mobb Deep, G-Unit. My new shit which I just started, which is called Money Gang. We all connected. It's about to go down dog. But as far as artists, I listen to Hot Dollar. He is doing that kind of music that I am talking about. He stepping out from the NWA mindstate and making universal music. Music that appeals to everybody. Glasses Malone's new song with Akon. 40 Glocc got a new song too with Akon that is super bangin.

I don't know if people have heard that. I'm on any artist doing some new shit that is different but still bangin though. And not just trying to keep it hood and gangsta. Because that shit can only go so far. So I feel Hot Dollar, the song with Glasses, 40 Glocc got some universal shit, who else? Man I mean, it's not too many out here dog, that's what I was saying we behind, because we got to get out of that mindstate. Because you go my myspace page, which is www.myspace.com/michelob2u you go to my page and listen to the songs that are on there, and then go listen to the rest of the west coast artists that are out now or the new west artists, it's really no comparison when you make a list of songs, because I step out of that realm. I try to make songs and come up with concepts that people have not even touched before. And that is something I think we need to do more as artists on the west coast is try to come up with songs and concepts that people really have not done before. That will really make you stand out. Fuck fitting in, stand out. And that is what I am all about.

D: Definitely. Getting back to your 1st album, Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya, it was a great debut album from you. Looking back at it, what are your thoughts on the album, and how you felt it was released and just tell me some good times you experienced in the studio making that album.

M: Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya I was just getting my feet wet. It's always going to be a classic album to me, for the simple fact that it was my 1st project and I basically just started rapping when I made that album. So for me to come up with a album like that and to have the features that I had, that is what makes that album special to me. But I have tremendously grown as a artist since Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya. I don't know, I really do like that album, but when people hear Streetscan, they will be able to hear the growth in me as a artist. And see me develop my mentality of really making good music. But don't get it wrong, Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya has got some knockers on there. And I did not even put it out there like I really wanted to. The way Streetscan is going to be put out, Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya was not put out like that. But it still got a nice little buzz that I am really thankful for. Streetscan is on a whole other level then Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya.

D: When is your DVD Lobe TV set to drop, and what can we expect from it once it does drop?

M: Oh Lobe TV is going to be the hottest, raw DVD to come out. You got my word on that. I study all these artists, I study all the DVD's that are coming out. The only DVD I think that was really good and smart was the one Crazy Toones did. With WC and all the artists on there. Even though it is not like a documentary, it is more like a video documentary. I like the way he put that together. But as far as rap documentaries, where there is interviews and behind the scenes footage, I am about to shut them down. Because I got them with incredible footage and I have a great editor, my boy Scott. He is editing on my DVD and he in the studio right now. Lobe TV is dropping the same day as Streetscan. On the 4th of July I am hitting them with both of them. I am coming with a double whammy on they ass. So fans yall get ready man. I am really ready to bless yall. I hope you feel blessed once you see it and hear it.

D: Is the DVD going to be packaged together or is going to drop at the same time as the album?

M: You know I have not even figured out how I was going to do it. Streetscan is done, the DVD is what is not done yet. Streetscan is done, mixed, mastered and ready to go. Lobe TV is not done, it is still being edited. But I have not figured out if I am going to drop them together, or if I am going to drop it seperate. But more than likely, it will be put together.

D: What's your thoughts today on music and the digital age and the internet, downloads. Music is becoming the ipod age and becoming very portable. How do you feel artists need to do to change the game to stay up with the times?

M: Really when it comes to that, it is really out of the artists control. Because we are not the ones that is running the internet. Somebody can buy Streetscan and dump the whole album online, or limewire or bearshare and download my shit for free. But I am not really worried about that. I am going to be giving Streetscan out alot. I am just trying to build my buzz up to let people know how much of a hot ass rapper I am. What you are talking about, it's really all about control. There is really nothing we can do about it. Only thing I can say to the artists is that be thankful that you can at least make money off of shows and ringtones. Because that shit really did fuck up the game. If it was up to me, it wouldn't be going down like that.

But it is out of our control. I'm thankful for the ringtones, I'm thankful for being able to just give it out too. Because all you have to do is create your buzz, and the labels come at you. Even if they don't want to give you a major deal, they will give you a ringtone deal. You can eat off ringtones. Look at Soulja Boy. He sold 30 million ringtones off of 1 song, he generated 70 million dollars. Off of 1 song, so it ain't that many rap albums that have generated 70 million dollars. But even though it has changed, it still in a way could be in our favor if we come up with those right hits. That appeal to the whole world.

D: Well that is all the questions from me. Thank you for taking the time to do the interview. Do you have any last words or shoutouts for the fans?

M: Man just everybody go to my myspace. Hit me up. I am one of the hottest artist out on myspace that don't have the type of plays that they should have. I be going to these other fools page, I don't know if they have that Play Channel or what, but they be having thousands of plays in 1 day. And they songs aren't nearly as hot as mine. I'm keeping it 100. Go to my myspace, get ready for Streetscan, get ready for Lobe TV, get ready for the Game Bangers to drop, get ready for the Zoo Life project to drop. And get ready for the Money Gang project to drop. And I ain't going to bring nothing but heat. I ain't going to make nothing but heat.

That's all that I am bringing my fans. I'm not making any mediocre songs. All my songs are going to be banging. If they not, I am not going to put it out. Michelob is going to bring you that real heat. Not that fake ass, watered down bullshit. That alot of these artists are putting out right now. The game is so over saturated that it is really sad and ridiculous. I feel for the fans. I was a fan before I became a artist. And I am still a fan, but I am not a fan like I used to be. The music is not the same. And that is what makes me really take my time and perfect my craft and make sure that when I put my music out, I am giving the fans something that they will really like, and hopefully love.

D: Alright man, appreciate the interview. July 4th for the Streetscan album and Lobe TV DVD? 

M: Yeah Streetscan and Lobe TV 4th of July. Hold on, what's the name of yall website?

D: Illuminati 2G

M: Ok, and I got to give a phat ass shoutout to Illuminati 2G. I thank yall for reaching out to me. I am glad yall found me and are feeling my music and I hope everybody gets to read this and hit my page and buy the album or download it or get the ringtones or watch me on TV and just get ready for me to be doing alot of shows. I got alot of shows coming up. The buzz is about to crack. I am going to do whatever I can to take over the west coast. So stay tuned, I ain't going nowhere. God willing.

D: Appreciate it.