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| Gangsta Grillz: Willie The Kid |
| Wednesday, 19 December 2007 | |||||||
 Willie The Kid / Aphiliates Music Group You think you know the man from 5,000 Ones and the Gangsta Grillz mixtapes, but do you really know Willie The Kid? When I caught up with WTK last week while he was on the Gangsta Grillz The Album promotional tour, we discussed everything from his upbringing in Grand Rapids, MI, the pressure of being Drama and camp’s flagship artist, and his place in the rap world as he sees it. To take a note from one of Drama’s cohorts Clinton Sparks, get familiar. Thanks for taking the time out to do this, I know you're busy with the tour right now. No problem man. Before we get too much into the album, why don’t you tell the fans who maybe ain’t quite familiar a little bit about yourself and what you bring to the table. Yeah, Willie The Kid man, crown prince of this rap shit, man. My team, the Aphiliates Music Group, Embassy Entertainment, Come Up Boys. Gangsta Grillz album in stores right now, I’m all over that shit like Snoop on The Chronic. My album is coming in 2008, February, March… Just check for me man. [We] doing our thing, it’s a good time for us man. So how did you initially hook up with the Aphiliates? I was with the Aphiliates before they was the Aphiliates. I was with the Aphiliates when it was just me, Dram, Cannon, my man Sense, and my brother La. Drama had his mixtape he was doing, he had this new neo soul tape he called Automatic Relaxation, and he had another tape he did with some Southern music on it, and it was called Gangsta Grillz. So, that was way back, before it is what it is today. [At that time] I didn’t know Drama directly, but I knew Drama through Don (Cannon), and Don brought me to his house and was like ‘yo, this is the artist I been working with.’ Drama been heard of me, I heard of him, but we never met. And when we finally met, it was like family man. He told me, ‘stay down with me my nigga, and when we put everything together I’ll make sure to put you out.’ It wasn’t as promising [then] as it is now. We was recording in the bathroom like a booth, in his apartment. If I had to, I’d carry records. I’d pass CD’s out, put flyers up – whatever I had to do [for] the Aphiliates movement man. When it finally came together, I was there, doing it. When the time came, we signed a couple situations man, for the label, and here I am today. To be signed under Drama, and have a situation with a major right out of the gate as a flagship artist, you've come along way from your upbringing in Grand Rapids, MI. How has it been for you to have Drama to help you navigate in the business? I’m excited man. But like, like what people gotta understand is, my brother La been doing this shit for a very long time man… [He] put a album out independently in ’98, sold 300,000 copies independently. I been in this environment, I been doing this. I grew up with that shit. Like I was raised in a dojo, so don’t be surprised I’m a black belt, don’t be surprised! I just do what I do. [But] to move to Atlanta and link up with Dram, it was like icing on the cake. Cause Dram was running with T.I., and T.I. was in a position with a lot of influence and a lot of impact and a lot of good things were coming his direction. So for Drama to be a part of that and showing love to me, it was definitely a big deal. So, for me, it’s priceless, man. From the beginning of hip hop, the DJ has always branded the artist. So we did it in the style of tradition man. Drama making sure I’m in position, making sure everything’s good man. Definitely as a mentor on the business side, as my brother, as a family member of mine, that’s my people right there. Do you feel any pressure as the flagship artist of AMG? I mean, a lot is riding on your shoulders. Hell yeah I feel pressure, all the time. I mean it’s a good thing to me, you know what I’m saying? I love the pressure. The pressure always produces the best, for me. If it wasn’t no pressure that means it’s not important. If it became unimportant then I’m doing something wrong. So, the pressure is a good thing. The pressure only signals, for me, that this is something valuable and I need to do my best. Pressure creates diamonds. Oh yeah, pressure creates diamonds, and pressure busts pipes. But for me, pressure equals inspiration, so it’s all good. Now, congratulations are in order. The wait is over, The Gangsta Grillz Album dropped last week after a long time coming. How does it feel for you and Drama to finally get that out to the people after everything that went on to delay the process? Man, on some other shit? It’s like meeting a girl you wanted to fuck, right? But then like, it’s like you tried to hit or she wasn’t feeling you, but you finally caught her one time but she had to go do something, or you had to go do something, or you tried to link up one time, and you just could never ever get her. You know what I’m saying? This album coming out, it’s like you finally got her B. Finally. And it’s a match made in heaven once we made it happen. The album is classic. The world needs to hear this man, a lot of hard work went into it. It’s a good time for us. It’s a time for celebration man Tell us about Gangsta Grillz The Album. I know the Feds made a special appearance, but what else can the people expect if they haven't already picked it up? This type of album man, it’s like a buffet. Everywhere I go, everybody keep telling me they got a different favorite [song]. One nigga might like the Outkast record, nigga might like the Me, T.I. and Lloyd record… You know what I’m saying? Got some G-Unit shit on there… Every variety of hip hop that is relevant today is on that album. [On the] production side: with Don Cannon, The Runners, the Lil Jon, and the Knots. It’s like gumbo, everything you can possibly imagine that’s good for you in hip hop, right there on that album man. Perfect for the Holidays. It sounds cliché to say ‘Oh it’s something on there for everybody,’ but that’s the truth. Anybody that feel that quality street music it’s something there for you. And I mean that man. I ain’t sayin that ‘cause it’s my project. You mentioned the Outkast record, the Lloyd record, both are big records and I love the ‘Kast joint, but what’s you’re favorite joint on there? I got a different favorite everyday man. The album is so complex, that you couldn’t quite say that you have a favorite record. Depending on what’s going on right now I’ma have a different favorite. How often do you get back home? Oh I’m home all the time. And when I come home, I come bearing gifts.
Not me. I don’t have no situation with nobody man. Okay, so what happened with that? I know there was a diss track recorded… I didn’t do no diss track. He said some shit about Dram in a article when Dram got jammed up or whatever… That’s all I know. But we don’t record no diss tracks. Aiight. So this was the rumor: Willie the Kid recorded a track in which you referred to Wayne as ‘Lil’ Stain’, and something about how kissing men is gay— Oh! You mean that? Nah, that wasn’t no diss track man… I was just throwing my darts. Now if he get offended, take it how you want it. But I didn’t go in the studio trying to make a diss track. I don’t make diss tracks. I did a joint, I said something on a record, that’s how I felt, now if a nigga get mad then that’s your business. So it was just a little love tap? I don’t love them niggas man. Ain’t no love tap. I was just doing music. I was being real to myself. Now if you feel a certain type of way about that, then that’s another conversation. And you and Wayne have been on songs together since, so everything’s good now between you too? Everything’s always good man. Oh hell yeah. Everything’s good. Aiight... So moving on to your album, tell us the status of that and what we can expect on it. Oh man my shit gonna be crazy man. I’m feeling good about it as a fan of hip hop. Not ‘cause it’s me and I’m on some self centered shit. I’m really excited about the project as a fan of hip hop music. I’m excited about what’s on there: the spectrum, how it goes from one end to the next. The production that’s on there. You know what I’m saying? Me and La got some incredible shit on there. The features are placed on there real carefully. The energy surrounding [this project], the shit I’m doing in my life while I’m recording right now, I’m excited man. I’m excited like a fan. What do you represent as a hip hop artist? Quality, street music. Not good music - quality. This is the real premium shit. This is the Bentley not the Daewoo. A car is a car-- but how you wanna ride though? You know what I’m saying? The fans deserve that. Hip hop as a whole deserve that. You can’t come in and be bullshittin’ with this thing man. I was raised off of hip hop music, I’ll be damned I get in a position and not take this shit seriously. We didn’t come this far for that. So how do you feel about the current state of hip hop right now? It’s wonderful man. Niggas is getting’ that money man. What kind of impact do you see Willie the Kid making in hip hop, and not just with your upcoming album, but over the course of your career? I think it’s gonna be huge. I was raised on the greatest, I looked up and studied the greatest, so I plan to be among the greatest. I plan to among them people who, when you in the barber shop arguing with your mans [about who’s the greatest], somebody gonna be saying Willie The Kid, hands down, no question. So I wanna ask you then, who’s top three to you right now? Man, Willie The Kid, La The Darkman yo. I’m not saying it on a biased tip, I’m trying tell y’all niggas man. I be everywhere from Tokyo, to Duvall County man. From Oakland to Saginaw, I be everywhere. We doing it. I’m excited about this movement man. I saw you in Tokyo for the Saru [Clothing] shoot. Did you perform out there at all, and how did the people receive you and Drama? Yeah, we performed a couple times out there. They not detached from hip hop like how we like to think they are. They like Soulja Boy and D4L and everything over there just like we like it over here. You know what I’m saying? They like Young Jeezy, and they like 2Pac like we like it over here. So it’s the same thing. We might get it first, but don’t think they not hip to what’s going on in the hip hop community man. They tuned in. So they know Gangsta Grillz, they know Willie the Kid, they know La The Darkman, they know DJ Drama. They know what we do, so when we went over there we was received as such. It was a wonderful time. We performed, [and] it was a lot of love. Beautiful country. A lot of fun over there man. I wish I was over there right now as a matter of fact. What other projects do you have in the works right now? La The Darkman Gangsta Grillz. Notorious L.A.D. Shit is crazy. I’m putting my shit together for another Gangsta Grillz, getting some beats together, some concepts together. One thing about us is, we go extra hard. Our 50 percent is the next man’s 200 percent. We selling a whole bunch of records, got a whole bunch of material, whole bunch of concepts, but we still feel like that’s not enough. And I don’t plan to get out of that mode. What can fans do if they want to show you support or get a hold of you? Go to gangstagrillz.com. Go to myspace.com/thewilliethekid. I wanna thank you again for your time, we appreciate it, and we wish you nothing but the best playboy. I appreciate that good brother. Gangsta Grillz: The Album is in stores now. Cop that.  
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