Young Buck Interview: "We Ain’t Fall Off, We Moved Out The Way"

Young Buck came up with the popular group Cash Money, but launched a platinum selling career as an artist under G-Unit. He is currently signed under G-Unit Records and released his first solo album, Straight Outta Ca$hville. He has also been very successful on the mixtape market, as many G-Unit artists have.

In this interview, Buck lets his fans know what's good. He shares with everyone the production on his album and what his fans can expect. Buck also takes some time to talk about The Game and their exploited beef, and whether or not Hip-Hop is really dead.

SoundSlam: What's been goin' down Buck?Young Buck: Oh nothin' man. Its been all good, you know.

Soundslam: Well, you got this album set to drop, Buck the World. When is it set to drop and what can we expect from you?
Young Buck: March 20th is when it drops, man. And you can expect the Unit to be back on top, man. You know that, and you can expect the Unit to get right back to number one with this record right here, man. It's been a long time comin'. The title of the album is Buck the World. March 20th is when it hits the stores. And you can expect that same energy from Young Buck; that same street shit. I think I've stepped my game up a lot lyrically, you know, and I got a lot of features and production. It's totally different from the whole spectrum of Young Buck. I'm as excited as my fans are. I know I'm comin' in a totally different way than people were expecting me to come. I enjoy having pressure, and carrying weight on my back. It makes me work harder.

SoundSlam: Yeah, the album sounds dope. I mean, I've heard "4 Kings" and "Do It Myself," which also sounds really good. And you're receiving a lot of good hype for the LP. So, what artists and producers did you work with on this album?

Young Buck: Production-wise, the album is crazy. It's crazy. I worked with Dr. Dre, Eminem, I worked with Hi-Tek, I worked with Jazzy Pha, DJ Paul, Justus League, a whole lot of hot producers...Features-wise you're gonna get records like the "4 Kings" record with Jeezy, T.I, and Pimp C. I got a record with me Bun B, 8 Ball & MJG together, bro. I got a record with me, Snoop Dogg, and Trick Daddy together. I got a record with me and a dude from Linkin Park, man. It's a versatile album, man. It's got something on their for everybody. My fan base has kind of grown, so I wanted to touch bases with a lot of fans who have jumped on the Young Buck bandwagon.
SoundSlam: So, you've said you've grown lyrically, which I think people can see from the stuff you've come out with on other people's albums and a couple of mixtapes. But what's the difference between where you were comin' from with Straight Outta Cashville and where you're comin' from with Buck the World?

Young Buck: I base my music around reality and real life stuff, man. Shit that I'm going through right then and there, you know. I base it around that because that's the only way you can get a true fan. They can pull something out of your lyrics and say, "Hey, I'm going through that." The only way to do that is base your music around real life issues. And for me, I've been through a lot of shit as far as the public eye. You know, the Vibe Awards thing, the DJ incident, a lot of different stuff, man, that is like fuel to the fire of what you are about to get with this record. I've gone through a lot of record label shit that people go through when they're feelin' the streets like I am. I'm just trying to sum it all up, that's why it's called Buck the World. I wanted to call it Fuck the World, but they wouldn't let me name it that. (Laughs). There ain't no limitations with this record, man.

SoundSlam: I gotta ask you, what's up with your record label? I hear a little about this: Cashville Records. What's up with this? Who's on it, and what's your role? What can we expect from it in the future?

Young Buck: Cashville Records is what it is right now. That's my label. G-Unit South is the movement. From the beginning, I've always told 50 what I wanted to do, and he's always been supportive of me. And he was like, "Buck, man, now is the time." So, like the first artist I think I'm going to release is C-Bo, from the West Coast. He's got a real great independent following. He's jumped on board Cashville Records, and we're about to put his shit out in, hopefully, May. Probably through Koch. He's great, man. Someone with that kind of street buzz allows it to be really easy for me to work with him. I've got my own crew, which is 615, which is the area code in Nashville. That group consists of myself, Hi-C, D-Tay, and Lil' Murda, and I'll probably do a world wide deal with them. But I'm movin' right now, and I'm movin' at a cool pace. At the end of the day, I think I'm doin' good. I'm a CEO of a company, and I've only put out one album. I'm doin' alright. I'm just lovin' this pressure. It's makin' the album better.

SoundSlam: I heard Lloyd Banks sayin' that he spent his whole life writing his first album, that's why it's difficult to write a second. You said that you liked the pressure, and it made it better?

Young Buck: Yea, I use it to drive me. I take it as if, like, they could accept me for me after my first album, then they're gonna like this one more. Because I didn't work with Dr. Dre, I didn't work with Eminem, I didn't work with the big name producers. So, at the end of the day I felt that at the end of the day the fans understood me for me. Now I'm going and working with these other artist who understand the same thing.

SoundSlam: I heard tidbits of this thing that recently happened with The Game? Like, you ran into him and his crew and they didn't do anything? Could you clear that up?

Young Buck: Yea, it wasn't that they backed down or nothing, there just wasn't no problem when we ran into each other. But, yea, we ran into each other and we seen each other. I had to see what was up with his entourage, and it wasn't really what it was. If there was a true problem, then they would have handled it. I was out numbered, you know. There were like 12 or 13 of them, and like 3 or 4 of us. If there's that much beef, then it's supposed to go down, and it didn't. So I figured, let me leave this bullshit alone.

SoundSlam: So, what do you think about this whole "Hip Hop is Dead?" thing?

Young Buck: That's some bullshit. I feel Hip Hop is dead for those who it is not

working for. Hip Hop is dead for you if you're not movin' around and your videos are getting' played, and you ain't got no shows comin' up. But Hip Hop is working' great for people like me. I think that was a fucked up statement. Hey, hold on ...

(Young Buck gets up to holler at a Breezy)

Sorry about that. These girls were lookin' fine.

SoundSlam: You know, if you gotta get up, I'm glad you got up for that...So are there any other artists out there who you're feeling?

Young Buck: I'm really diggin' Jeezy. I think Jeezy is the shit, bro. I like what Jeezy and T.I is doin'. I like what he's doin' with the Grand Hustle thing. Young Dro, you know, real talent from the South. But I'm really feelin' Jeezy. He really come from the streets for real. And I've known him before music, you know, he got a true street following. And Trick Daddy, man. I really like Trick Daddy, man. Dope shit. I really like to see the South movin', man. I wish I could see more West Coast artists get out there and like pioneers on the East Coast. Like KRS One. We need to see some of the old heads come through and lay the law down, bro. Just pop up and show them what's up. Like Big Daddy Kane. Imagine Big Daddy Kane hoppin' out a 2006 Benz in a video these days. At this point, Hip Hop is wide open because it's open for everybody. I want to see the pioneers get out there right now. Like Ice T, Ice T is an idol to me. I would love to see him drop an album.

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NEWEST BIO:

01/29/07 - Another Young Buck Interview with AHH

Cashville, Ten-A-Key. The fact that Country Music’s reigning capital has been given a Hip-Hop inspired nickname speaks volumes about the influence of the city’s newest ambassador—Young Buck. Mayor Bill Purcell is probably not too thrilled that his city has adopted a nickname synonymous with copping cocaine at a bargain basement price, but in terms of Hip-Hop, local artists have been campaigning for his job since Count Bass D and Kool Daddy Fresh entered the scene.

With over 2.3 million albums sold worldwide, it would appear that the city has cast its votes in favor of one David Darnell Brown. Buck has managed to avoid the G-

Unit backlash, and despite introducing an agitated spectator to the business end of some table cutlery at the 2004 Vibe Awards, MTV still loves him. While driving home, Buck is in full politician mode—equal parts activist, artist and G-Unit advocate. He may not be kissing any babies, and we can probably assume that the cigars he’s pulling from have been, shall we say, slightly altered, but the campaign trail to a March 20 release date of Buck The World starts here.

AllHipHop.com: There are various reports circulating about another DJ from Atlanta. Can you address the situation between yourself, DJ Will from Hot 107.9 and the Core DJ's?

Young Buck: I ain't put my hand on no DJ ever, just to clear that up. It was a situation where I was paid to be at a fuckin' concert and perform. Don Juan, my DJ, was set up on the stage already and everything and then the [The Game's "It's Okay"] "One Blood" record dropped as I was getting ready to perform. I stopped the record and asked the man, "Look bruh, I don't know if you're doing that to disrespect me, but if it's real disrespect, you'll bring the record back." He brought the record back. He brought that motherfucka back—he was gangster for that shit. The crowd was upset after that because you've got to remember these are my people. I was paid $15,000 to perform and everybody in there came to see Buck.

Him playing that record not only caused a conflict of interest with the crowd, but he knows there's a conflict of interest between the two crews at that time. Why would you even do that? At that time the crowd was all the way off base, so after that I told the crowd that I would try to go over and holler at him and see what the deal was. He tried to explain in a roundabout way, but there was just too much tension at the time. I said, "Let me just get up out of this shit." I walked off from the DJ booth and headed to the door and that's when the rumblin' started. I never put my hands on anybody and he knows that I didn't put my hands on him. I think he almost feels like somebody in my entourage or some of my people actually did it, but nobody in my entourage put their hands on him.
AllHipHop.com: Buck The World was originally scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of 2006, why the change?

Young Buck: There really wasn’t a reason to release it that early. I was featured on Lloyd Banks, T.I., Trick Daddy’s and some other albums too. Me being on that many albums and a few others that were coming out in the fourth quarter allowed me to push my album back and it also allowed me to free up some clearance time for myself.

AllHipHop.com: True. Every commercially successful crew seems to reach a point where they have to switch things up a little bit. In doing so, G-Unit has experienced its share of backlash, but you have been able to avoid that, how so?
Young Buck: We set our standards so high by selling so many records in the beginning of this shit that the people start to see a gold record, like how Yayo did

750,000, then they see a record go gold after 50 did 12 million, and then two [million] from me and Banks it’s like, “Oh shit.” Mobb Deep comes through and doesn’t have a hell of a debut like they expected so, at the end of the day, I think a lot of fans don’t know that Hip-Hop has taken a fall overall. We catch a lot of flack over that by having the standards set so high on our own. But, for the most part, The Unit ain’t went nowhere, my nigga.

That’s where I come in at. I’m the cleanup man. I’m so out here in the streets that my presence ain’t went nowhere. I think the streets have been waiting with me on my project, and I’ve just been feeding them through the mixtapes and through other shit like that. I don’t make my music thinking about selling a record. I make the music thinking about how to make the best fucking music that I can make, because I know that’s going to make the money. That controls the records being sold. Artists limit themselves by focusing on selling records because then you don’t really know your true potential. You have to go into this shit like, “Fuck everything.” You can only do it if you’re getting money outside of just music, and that’s my thing, ‘cause I’m moving around. I’ve got one of the biggest clothing stores in Tennessee coming out, plus movies and other different shit to keep my money turning. That way, when I come around I’m not worried about how many I sell. I’m just focused on giving my fans the best fuckin’ music they can possibly hear at that time.
Niggas don’t think they can do it but I’m about to show ‘em. I like to do what you can’t do. That’s what I shoot for. When a nigga tell me I can’t do something that’s what I shoot for. That’s why I’m rolling around right now with some clocks on my god damn rims.

AllHipHop.com: Clocks on your rims?

Young Buck: Straight up, bruh. They’re called “Timekeepers.” Them shit’s keep time with perpetual movement and everything. You’ll see them in your next magazine. When a nigga says the word “can’t” or even has that thought in his mind then he’s already fuckin’ up.
AllHipHop.com: Now that G-Unit has different generations are you passing that type of advice on to newer members like Spider Loc and Hot Rod?

Young Buck: With Spider Loc, I tell him a lot. He comes straight from the motherfuckin’ streets. Spider Loc is a gangbanger, bruh—he’s a Crip. He’s dealing with a situation where he’s coming strictly off of the block and dealing with rap. I spend a lot of time letting him know that he needs to make sure his surroundings are on the same page that he’s on. You’re going to have ups and downs with this music shit and the shit is not always going to look beautiful.I love Hot Rod so much for just being himself. Hot Rod don’t have that real gangster upbringing, and he never portrays that life. He gives you that party feel and shit like that. So, for me, the only thing I could really tell Hot Rod is, “Yo, man give me some of your hoes,” ‘cause his life is different from my life. I can tell him little things about the industry, but as far as day-to-day living, we live two different ways. I come up…you know how I came

up—straight from the block.

AllHipHop.com: Judging by the title of your first album, I would assume that Dr. Dre has been a great influence on you as well the rest of the G-Unit.

Young Buck: You’re damn right. That’s like the fuckin’ mentor right there. Dre is everything to not just me, but ask Game what Dre means. That nigga say Dre name in every other fuckin’ rhyme. That nigga says Dre’s name more than me, and I cut a nigga’s ass up for Dre. I’m like, “God damn, let me say his name so I can give him some love.” [Laughing] Nah, but it’s all good, bruh. Dre is exactly what he is, and they picked the perfect nickname for him—Doctor Dre. That nigga really fixes shit. He could hear something totally different that nobody else is hearing. My first time ever meeting him in the studio was when I was rapping and he was like, “Yo, that was dope, but spit that shit like this.”

For a rapper it’s hard to just sit and listen to another nigga to tell you what to do, but this is “The Doctor.” How many Niggas you know that will say something back? So I did what the nigga said and it ended up being some of the best shit I ever did in my life. Based off of that, I knew off rip why they call this nigga “The Doctor.” That nigga fixes shit.

AllHipHop.com: No doubt. Being that he helped build Death Row and you had a brief affiliation with them while Juvenile was setting up UTP, did the topic of Death Row Records ever come up?

Young Buck: Nah, I ain’t never had a chance to explain my situation to Dre about being over there. It’s never came across his mind to say anything to me about it. I just know it ain’t no bad blood between me and Suge Knight. My situation at Death Row was through Juvenile, and when Juvenile didn’t make his situation with Suge happen, it didn’t cause conflict with me and Suge. They respected Buck, and how I get down and I respected what they do. I just don’t play that shit about my life or none of this shit—period. A nigga gotta kill me first before they take my respect or any of that type of shit.

AllHipHop.com: These days you’re respected as both a soldier and a leader. You were influential in bringing Spider Loc over to G-Unit as well as getting 50 to co-executive produce Lil’ Scrappy’s album.

Young Buck: In order to be a good leader, you’ve got to be a good follower. I know my position is a solder, and I have a boss. My boss is 50 Cent. I do have my own direction. I’m a man, and I’m my own individual, so I’ll always voice my opinion in any situation right or wrong. Opinions are like assholes, everybody’s got one. I think my opinion carries a lot of weight with 50. Being in a position that 50 is in, where he’s always made the decisions, he’s really open minded in paying attention to me and recognizing my input. I’ve showed this nigga what I can do, and that’s

what has allowed me to have my own label, Ca$hville Records. The biggest supporter of my label is 50 Cent, and that’s very seldom seen in this game. He’s my CEO and still the biggest supporter of my label. Hold on, man I got DJ Drama on my other line…

[Several minutes later]

AllHipHop.com: Considering that G-Unit revolutionized the way the mixtape was used, do you worry that the RIAA tried to charge Drama and Don Cannon with racketeering?

Young Buck: That nigga Drama gone be good, man. Shout out to Drama and his camp. Make sure you write that the feds ain’t shit. They can suck two dicks and die on a cold Thursday! Drama’s my dog. I don’t know the full extent of his situation, but I’m sure it’s a misunderstanding on their end. As people, it’s really hard to go against whatever decisions they choose to make. The word on my end is fuck ‘em. That’s all you can say about the feds, fuck ‘em, straight up and down, fuck ‘em.

I think Drama wi