Wu Tang Clan's "The Sting" features master
rappers Method Man, Fat Joe, Suga Bang Bang, North Star,
ODB, Shyheim, Solomon Childs, Lord Subperb, & RZA.
The compilation super-group, known as the "Killa
Beez", blends new and old Wu elements, resulting
in a super tight combination of fresh faces and veteran
all-stars. Publicity Whore sat down with Monk, Crisis
& PC to see just what it takes to be a part of this
heavy hitter lineup.
PW: So how long have the Black Knights been
around? How did the group come about?
KB: We’ve been a group for 10 years. Crisis and
I met at Long Beach Jr. High, and it’s been on ever since.
Doc Doom was always around - he was the older generation,
ya know. When you speak of the Black Knights, you cannot
forget Holocaust. He’s part of the Black Knights, he’s
also his own entity. The name speaks for itself.
Crisis dodges the Spotlight, but his
rhymes don't miss a beat
PW: So what’s your background?
KB: (Monk) I'm out of Compton, Crisis is from the North
Side of Long Beach. Doc Doom is out of Compton. We’re
from the inner cities of California. When people talk
about California the first thing they think of is LA.
When you hear the Black Knights you’re gonna hear a new
element and new sound, you hear what’s going on around
our part of the city. When you hear Snoop Dogg you’re
hearing about the East Side of Long Beach, you’re hearing
what goes on around that part of town. We’re bringing
our sound and that’s what the Black Knights is about.
PW: What’s gonna make this CD different?
KB: The Black Knights, that West Coast sound. That’s
what the Black Knights bring to Wu Tang Clan. The West
coast flow, that flavor. That laid back gangster sound.
We put the G on the KB. We named it the Killa Beez. We’ve
been working it a long time. Now it’s ready to blow up
like yeast.
PW: What can people expect to hear?
KB: Expect that energy, dope beats, dope lyrics, good
rhymes, originaltiy. Not this flossy flossy clone shit.
Expect a good quality album you can listen to. A bunch
of tight tracks back to back.
PW: Who are the producers?
KB: RZA does his thing. Producers like Six Mil are on
there. PC is on there. All Wu elements with some new producers
on there.
RZA, an artistic
interpretation
artist: unknown
PW: What do you believe is the primary job
of the producer?
KB: (PC) Number one - you have to have the ear. If you
don’t have that it’s uselss. It’s about listening to what’s
out there and staying up with the times, the equipment
coming out. You gotta stay up with the technology. You
gotta keep practicing, keep making beats. Don’t stop.
You always get better, practice makes perfect. Make five
beats a day. Pace yourself that way, until you are making
10 beats a day.
PW: What were your influences coming up?
KB: (Monk) Easy-E. Dove-C. Wu Tang Clan. We listen to
everything, but a lot of what is getting played nowadays
is a bunch of bullshit. We can’t fall victim to that.
We can’t get caught up in that phase of where the game
is going today. We stay grounded, we stay who we are –
we stay Black Knights. That’s why the title of our album
is “Every Knight is a Black Knight”. And you don’t know
what’s gonna go on within that Knight. It’s survival.
We bring punishment and that Sting. And you might not
get up from that sting. Those stings can be fatal. We
told ya that on “The Swarm.”
PC & Publicity Whore - a dangerous
combination!
PW: Who’s doing quality work right now?
KB: Method and Red. Scarface is making some good
music. Dre and Snoop come with that good music. Aside
from that, ain’t nobody making enough noise for me to
listen to. There’s dogs barking, but their barks aren’t
loud enough for me to listen to.
PW: What else do you guys got coming up?
KB: The “Every Knight is a Black Knight” album
is coming out. The “Almighty Black Knights” video is also
coming out. It’s getting serviced right now, will hit
around summer. MTV, Rap City, you know. The “Dirt Up”
documentary is coming out. We came with the Swarm in ’98.
Now “The Sting” is to mark ourselves in the game. KBG
style. Killa Bee Gang Style. Rameen we’re looking for
you. Holler at us.
how loud is his bark?
PW: Have people around you been supportive?
KB: We have lot of people who got our back. There’s
a lot of support coming from all angles. As a person you’re
always gonna feel like there is something that isn’t being
handled, because there is so much going on it is out of
your reach. Sometimes you feel it’s you against the world,
but as long as you got a good supporting cast, it doesn’t
have to be that way. Right now I feel our supporting cast
has got what it takes to get it done.
PW: What do you think of the state of music
today?
KB: A change needs to be made. A lot of new stuff
needs to come out. Mental illusions cause mental confusions.
Everything is about the Bling Bling. Everything is about
having 50 hoes in your video. I feel there is gonna be
some good music coming out, cause shit has got to change.
There’s a lot of bullshit out there right now. It’s not
classical music that will around in 10 years, it’s phase
music. It’s for the time being.
PW: So how are you guys different?
KB: We’re taking it back to the streets. When it was
about the MC’s. When it was about the beat. And if you
could get in your car and drive to it. Is the nigga spinnin'
rhymes good? You ain't gonna see a lot of diamonds, you
ain’t gonna see niggas dancing across the stage. You may
see some 40’s, you’ll see Wu wearing Chucks. We’re taking
it back to when NWA first started making videos. You know,
crossing the borderline. We’re not gonna take it. Like
“Express Yourself”. We’re not gonna change anything just
to get that video played. It’s being released on Koch
Entertainment & In The Paint. The Black Knights are signed
to Wu Tang Records.
NWA in the DAY
PW: Do you think that that a lot of new artists
coming up get fucked by shitty label deals?
KB: (PC) Anytime you are first time artist and
you come into the industry it is very hard to get a good
deal. Period - point blank. No record company's really
willing to invest so much money into you. They aren’t
sure that if they put a million dollars into you they
are gonna be able to recoup that money back. Most artists
that get a first deal it is exploitative, but it is up
to that artist to know their business so they can get
the best deal they can. You see it all the time with artists,
look at TLC and Toni Braxton who sell millions of album,
and still end of bankrupt. At the same time, since they
sold those millons of copies they are able to come back
to the record company and renegotiate. They have been
making 8 points on an album which breaks down to 56 cents
and then they can get maybe 20 points which can be $1.50
an album.
PW: What’s a standard deal people can expect?
KB: (P.C.) A standard deal is really break your
back. It’s about 14 points and maybe $250,000 - $300,000
to record your album. By the time you pay all your producers,
especially is you use a producer like Dre who charges
$250,000 for a track, and you got $300,000 … then you
gotta get 10 more songs for $50,000. You gotta break it
down.
PW: Is it worth it? Is paying Dre $250,000 for
a track a good deal?
KB: (P.C.) I believe his name alone is worth it.
It’s not necessarily just the music anymore. If you send
me to the radio right now, even if I’m a nobody, and Dre
is featured on it or produced it, the DJ’s will spin it.
The radio stations will at least play it. It’s up to that
song to be tight from that point in. But you’re gonna
at least get that spin just because of Dre versus someone
who nobody knows, and the radio station and DJ are just
gonna put it to the side.
Dre - is he worth 250k?
PW: What are some do’s and dont's?
KB: (P.C.) Never go in blindfolded. No matter
who brings you in, no matter how happy you are about the
whole situation. Sometimes because you’ve looked up to
someone for so long, you’ve see him on TV and you’re whole
life you want to be that guy. Then when you finally meet
that person you are so caught up in the fan aspect you
don’t handle that business. Now he’s just regular man,
so if you don’t handle your business, he’s not gonna handle
it for you. Make sure you got the dream team: A great
entertainment attorney, a great manager, and a great accountant.
You gotta have that – and they all gotta be on your team.
When you get to the record company, sometimes they’ll
refer you to an attorney – that’s a conflict of interest
and it’ll never work.
Publicity Whore kicks it with Monk &
Crisis
PW: What’s the deal with Snoop. Is he a producer too?
KB: Not really. He’s a rapper/actor.
PW: When you see all that flash in some people’s videos,
it that really what’s going on?
KB: Just because they got platinum in their videos and
they rolling around in those rental cars that does mean
they are gonna go home to a mansion that is in there name.
Don’t be fooled, don’t get caught up in that illusion.
PW: Any final words you want to say to your fans out
there?
KB: Every Knight is a Black Knight. Listen with Pride
and buy our shit. Support us because we’re gonna support
y’all. We’re gonna feed y’all. We’re not gonna feed you
that bullshit. We’re gonna give you what you want to listen
to and what you’ve been waiting to hear. We’re gonna keep
it real, we’re gonna keep it hood - West Coast style.
We’re gonna keep Black Knights and Wu Tang oriented. Support
us like you support the Wu, because we’re part of, don’t
get it twisted. Just because we use The Black Knight’s
doesn’t mean we’re part of the Wu. The album speaks for
itself. It’s got that ghetto dope, that Ghetto Gold.
PW: And finally, what do you think of those guys at Publicity
Whore?
KB: Man - you know. Gotta be a Publicity Whore, right.
We appreciate that support like you do it, KBG style.
Publicity Whore style.
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here
For more information on the Killa Beez, visit the official
website - click here
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