In this exclusive interview, Slim the Mobster steps into the Booth to discuss the importance of visuals in music promotion, his relationship with Booth-acclaimed cousin XV and the extent of his contributions to the long-delayed Detox LP.
Your brand new mixtape, War Music, is set for release on November 8. What was your goal going into this project?
My goals were to establish myself as more of an artist than a writer.
What do you think your fans are looking forward to the most with this release?
I think the people are looking forward to me delivering some quality street music. I think that’s what the people want from me. I don’t partake in the creation of the corny rap that’s going on right now.
Several videos from this project have been serviced to all of the major blogs and websites. In this Internet age, how important is it to give fans visuals?
That’s a big part of it. That’s why you’re seeing the videos that you see right now. That’s why I’ve released songs already with Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar. I’m doing these things for that exact reason.
Hip-Hop fans have been familiar with your name ever since Dr. Dre first mentioned your work during a radio interview, but you’ve been relatively quiet up until now. Why is now the time? Why not two years ago?
Who else’s time is it? There’s no better time than the present. In terms of why not two years ago, my focus was in other places at the time. I’d say I’m fully focused right now.
I am sure Booth-goers will be happy to hear that XV - a buzzing rapper out of Wichita, Kansas - is your cousin. Why haven’t we seen heard a collaboration from the two of you?
I taught him how to rap man. That’s my first cousin right there. Besides music, of course that’s my family. You’re definitely gonna’ get a collab between me and XV. I have another cousin that raps too – Mic Phenom. He’s big on the battle scene. I’m here to help him make the transition to songwriting.
Of late you've been mentioned in the same sentence as Kendrick Lamar, since both of you are Dr. Dre protégés. How would you describe your relationship with Kendrick?
We know a lot of the same people. I knew who he was before we both went under Dre. I look at Kendrick like my little brother and as an emcee; he’s hard on that mic.
In a recent interview, Dr. Dre (it seemed) intentionally didn't mention Detox. Instead, he was talking about a lot of the advertisement deals he has going on. Any status update on the project you can report on?
You see me right? Ok. That’s all I need to say. I’m gonna’ let the people figure that out. We’re here as a team for a reason right now.
How much writing have you done for Detox?
I don’t know how much writing I’ve done. I can only tell you that it’s a lot and that I’ll also appear vocally of course.
How would you describe the overall experience of working with Dr. Dre?
I don’t think they have a word for that yet. In the light of the experience that is working with Dr. Dre, it doesn’t have a definition yet. There was one track that leaked with me and Glasses Malone over a Dr. Dre beat. That track was called Motherf**kin’ Streets.
You’ve worked with a lot of producers outside of Dr. Dre – Nottz, Chocolate and DJ Silk to name a few. Has there been one producer in particular that you've vibed with the best?
My answer for that would have to be Eminem.
Why Eminem?
Because just on different occasions, I know that throughout the course of his day, he listens to my sh*t all day (laughs). That right there was big to me. I would see him and he’ll be singing one of my songs to me – that’s crazy. And its music that I haven’t even released yet, just something he’s had an opportunity to hear.
Any last words?
War Music drops November 8. Without a reasonable doubt, it will be here on that date. There were a lot of things I had to do to make it as classic as I could. Not just as a street album or mixtape, I want you to be in tune with me as a person so we had a lot of artwork created for the project. I’m gonna’ be in the places where most people don’t go and I’ll be handing out hard copies. I have a special exclusive t-shirt that I’m doing with Crooks & Castles I have a lot of things that I’m doing with this project to make it memorable. It’s not gonna’ be just a regular mixtape because if you’ve been paying attention, there’s a lot of different things we’re doing like behind the scenes videos and what not. I’ve done so much work to make it something different to where it requires more attention than just putting out a mixtape. I wanted to make this big.
Source - http://www.djbooth.net/index/news/entry/slim-mobster-in-mix-10261112/
God I am so sick of all this bullshit......we need to rename this blog:
ReplyDeleteSame Shit Another Day
What exactly are you sick of and why is it the blog's fault?
ReplyDeletethat song muthafuckin streets has a sick dre beat on it!
ReplyDeletecheck it out!!!
Action not words!!
ReplyDeleteDawaun Parker tweeted today that he was in the studio recording with Dre and DJ Khalil. Still recording, nothing new.
ReplyDeletesame shit, different toilet...
Niggaz be trippin, why the fuck u come to uzee blog? Dre got some shit i heard it in my imagination with unicorns and dragons. OMG its so good, but dre be killin it in the studio we just have to wait, ya digg!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso uzee likes its when delayed gets fame
south central blues is a step in the right direction from slim still dont think hes goin to be the next big thing tho
ReplyDeleteuzee post that nate dogg song - sweet pack of lies, cuz it says that it was supposed to be for detox...its detox related and definatly more worthy to be posted than these slim da mobster interviews
ReplyDeleteIt's not Detox related, sounds nothing like a Dr. Dre beat, so websites just say that to get hits. It isn't as if Nate Dogg did nothing but record hooks for Dr. Dre and his album throughout the last decade. It's a cool track though, I hope there's more.
ReplyDeletemaybe you're right, but if it doesnt sound like a dre beat, it doesnt mean its not detox related, cuz i think everybody knows that dre is having others produce his songs
ReplyDeleteIt's still a stretch to say it was for Detox IMO, Dre is still micromanaging and mixing the beats to his liking and taste, and the joint sounds absolutely nothing like what he would throw on the album. Before his stroke, Nate wasn't sitting around waiting to do hooks only for Detox, he was releasing albums and keeping busy with his own thing and doing hooks for Em, Game, you name it, so it's a lot more believable that this was just a spare joint leftover from something else. Plus I would imagine if Dre had any Nate hooks on a Detox beat, he would be saving that shit to use it.
ReplyDeletei dont know how u can assume that its "nothing like what he would throw on the album". no one was expecting something like INAD and some other songs that leaked to be detox related or as anything that would have dre's name on it. Yes i know nate was doing alot of other things but dont forget that dre has been working on detox for years, he has songs that can make up to 5 albums or more, probably this is one of them. Anyway, iam not assuming anything, its just what i read on a couple of websites.
ReplyDeleteThose websites say anything and they know anything Detox-related or even Dre-related gets hits. How many online stores or European shops have given 100 release dates for Detox on their sites just to secure preorders from people who don't know any better?
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it's absolutely impossible but Dre hasn't just worked on Detox for a decade either. He's given beats to 50, Game, Busta, Snoop, whomever. There's zero reason to believe the leak was for Detox and no sign that it ever was - that's just wishful thinking by fans and gimmicks by websites. Rather than automatically assume anything and everything that comes out from anybody revolves only around Detox, I probably need any reason to. If a Dre joint leaks, yeah, I'll assume it was for Detox, but Nate Do-double-G was busy doing other shit since '02-'07. Why only believe everything HE did HAD to be for Detox? It's a random ass beat, not very good, and doesn't sound like anything anyone is used to hearing from Detox sessions.
exactly ^
ReplyDeleteFUCK SLIM DA MOBSTER" DRE DROP A SINGLE OFF DETOX GIVE FANS SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT........
ReplyDeletei still dont know how u can assume its not like "anything anyone is used to hearing from detox sessions". There are about 15 songs that leaked throughout the past few years and claimed to be from detox sessions although dre didnt rap on some of them and had others sing as if they were him (eg. topless, OG's theme...) with many producers which means different types of beats. Till now we cant assume what kind of songs will be on detox, but some of the news lately and the videos with snoop and other westcoast cats in the studio, gives us hope that it might be good after all. All iam saying that it would be nice to see people's opinions on the leak that is claimed by other websites to be deox related, and yes it may not be true, but the same way uzee posted some of those european websites fake release dates, i think a "fake" song is more interresting, cuz the blog is about the news and RUMOURS of dre and detox.
ReplyDelete^^ thats right it is about news and rumours - of dre or detox - there isnt even a rumour that dre was actually involved with this track.
ReplyDeleteNeither has it been actually linked to detox.
Even if other producers worked on it, have they mentioned this track in the same sentence with dre or detox?
When one popular website simply tags 'detox' to this type of track, of course other websites will do the same.
The commenter above me mentions that i posted news from European websites etc, which yes ended up being fake. But---those type of rumours actually had the word/s 'dre' and/or 'detox'.
Currently this track should simply be looked as a nate dogg track, reminding us how great he was. When great artists die, his/her track/s are bound to leak.
As always, dre shouldnt always be steal the thunder from other westcoast artists, even including the close ones he worked with.
well, i guess we'll never know if it was from a deotx session or not unless someone who knows speaks about it, anyway i was just saying this is what i read on couple websites and you decide if you want to post it on your blog or no.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, nice discussion/argument, hopefully soon we'll discuss something more legit.
You know man, I think it does a disservice to Nate to tag anything he did as revolving around Dre and his Detox project because it takes away from Nate's own work and talent. Who even said Nate was ever involved in recording for Detox... ever? I've read nothing that ever said he was, we just all assumed it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a Detox session because there's no reason to believe it was right? Just because you want to believe something doesn't make it so when there's no reason for anyone else to actually buy it. Anything is possible but so are unicorns and shit so I need a halfway decent reason to believe something is true. This Nate hook was for Detox? Possible but why believe it when Nate had his own discography, lent his voice to so many others' records, and was a legend on his merits? He wasn't just sitting around all that time waiting to record Detox hooks, this man was busy in the game and before he had a stroke, running his own gospel choir to do what he loved. It takes away from all that to say it's only for Detox because it implies Nate wasn't the OG or legend he actually was. As Uzee said, this is a Nate Do-double-G song and should be used to remember how legendary he was in the game, not exploited to throw into Dre's Detox black hole, and it should stand by itself for his own memory.
Just my thoughts but I appreciate the back-and-forth too. If Dre did get some hooks from Nate for Detox, I hope he's saving them for the final cut. I was a big fan.
Havent commented in a loooong time but I agree....Bare was one of the best. Hopefully Detox will be here soon.
ReplyDeleteUzee keep up the great work.....I'm still waiting.....;)
Jmac
so today in my music appercaiation class we were talking about concept albums
ReplyDeleteso i look on a list of all concept albums that ever came out.
surprisingly i found all kraftwerk albums and also kanye west my beautiful dark twisted fantasy im almost certain detox is going to be a concept album but of what u may ask?
i may be wrong because no body knows for certain until detox is released but i dont expect the concept to match the title of the album , based on some of the tracks we have heard so far ie kush & drug test (off games red album) i think most would agree is a detox left over but shows the content in the music their making, i dont expect any leaks or anything we have heard up to now to make the final track last ... also i hope that dre makes the album 20 tracks long ive heard rumours of the album being 12 tracks
ReplyDeleteIIRC the very first incarnation of Detox (circa 2003) was supposed to follow a concept about a hitman and play itself out musically with a cinematic approach and narration by Denzel Washington. I'm pretty sure Dre has long abandoned that by the second version (2005) onward.
ReplyDeleteI don't really presume Detox will follow any one concept like that too closely but I always assumed the title was a big hint in what to expect, and following what Bishop Lamont and others said over the years: 12 main tracks to mirror the 12 steps to recovery. Dre and the people close to him have said different things at different times about Detox but at this point I don't even know if he cares about anything but just assembling a perfect album, the Thriller of hip-hop, regardless of what it follows conceptually musically or lyrically. We'll just have to wait until it edges closer to release and he's happy with it enough to finally put it out but I'm 51-49 betting it will still follow the whole 12 step Detox concept if only very vaguely.
just hope their is not a feature on every single track ,too many features wreck an album obviously dre is goin to have featured guests like em,game,snoop,kendrick & sly on the hooks but just hope he dont go over board,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about features but Detox will be feature-heavy because Dre isn't any artistic rapper. His lyrics are written by others who compete to put the best lines on his solo productions; he still changes things or micromanages every line to his standards and only accepts the best shit that fits the song. His last albums were essentially all features so there's little reason to expect Detox won't be. Just remember it's less about being a Dre solo album and much more about Dre conducting and being in charge of making the best hip-hop album and obviously his thing is collaborating with everyone and anyone who can get it there within his direction and concepts. That's why The Chronic and 2001 are timeless classics.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I hope like you said is that the features stick to the same guys for the most part. 2001 did it right. Fuck variety and having 20 different people on it, Detox should revolve around the WC cats he sticks with whether they're hot or not and maybe one joint with Jay and Nas will work for the sake of it. We may get some surprises like Cube, Ren, even Warren G is owed something, and shit maybe even an unreleased Nate hook if we're lucky. I'd like one Bishop feature from those sessions when Detox came close to being put out since I feel he's owed something and on good terms with Dre but if there's any bullshit like guys from Wayne's camp or Southern rappers than I'm gonna be disappointed and take that as a betrayal. Nothing against them but Detox owes itself to be the pivotal and defining WC/LA album.
The funny thing is just about every hot or talented rapper has likely contributed something to Dre for Detox but I just hope he keeps the newest best of the best and saves it for his people. Having features from all over the place and different styles would just dilute and ruin Detox.
All Dre cares about is making money! The legend of Detox is just a cover to sell overpriced headphones. Check out this article:
ReplyDeletehttp://gu.com/p/333eg
PLEASE no lil wayne or drake on detox ,sell records they may but their certainly not on the level of a nas or jay z who even tho their not west coast rappers it would be dope to have track with one or both on detox ,i taught the leaked version of "topless" with nas was one of the best leaks we have heard upto now the beat was crazy ..hope that hey young world track that hit youtube lately makes the album beat was insane .....
ReplyDeleteGood article above, and fair play to the journalist for trying haha. Dre loves music more than money, that's for sure! And we will get Detox eventually.
ReplyDelete@ the comment 3 posts above me: stop sayin' Dr. Dre only cares about making money with headphones. Dre said in an interview with VIBE in febrary 2011 that first, DETOX was meant to promote his Beats By Dr. Dre headphones, but now it will be the headphones that will promote the album.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like anyone can blame Dre for banking off Beats so why whine that he only cares about money? I don't like the headphones myself but I admire he built an electronics brand from the ground up which could have failed easily like anything but it became fucking huge. They're like Apple products: electronics with a fashion label. Now HTC bought a stake for $300 million in Dre's pocket and they're already building new Android smartphones with Beats audio installed. It's fucking smart, I have to give it up to anyone who plays that shit flawlessly and comes out with something as simple as headphones in a crowded market that end up being the sort of thing everyone lays down $200-$350 for. That's some on-point marketing and everyone knows Dr. Dre is a premium name even if the headphones really aren't that great. So why get on a man's case for building up such a huge brand? He has to get out there and promote it anyway. Who wouldn't do what he's doing?
ReplyDeleteTo the few comments above me: Topless is still one of the best leaks because of Nas's verse even if it's way unfinished and unmixed. That shit was murder but that always my favorite one because even Dre's hook was sick. I'm a huge advocate for Detox being WC through and through but Jay and Nas earned their spots on that album; I only prefer they're both on one track to save room. It's Detox after all.
just listening to bishop lamont rapping over dre beats it only sounds better with time he has to have a spot on detox ,the music they were making togther between 05-09 was FIRE,its a real shame bishop will never get the credit or blow up like he should when lil wayne and young money are everywhere you turn
ReplyDeleteI feel that more than anyone, I was huge on Bishop and still am. The biggest reason he got screwed was that Interscope just wouldn't get behind him no matter what. Even when Grow Up hit the radio and proved it was going to be a surprise hit, Interscope stabbed him in the back and sent cease-and-desist to the radio stations preventing them from playing it anymore. Dre didn't screw him and Bishop knows it and they left on friendly terms because he's smart enough to separate business from personal. Dre was the first one to throw all his support and time into him but it ended up being that Interscope decided amongst themselves (without telling him) they're just not going to put the money into anything he wants to do. It took a while but Bishop finally realized that, like many others before him, and it just ended up being another case that Aftermath/Interscope signs a new promising artist (Bishop was called 'the heir to the Aftermath throne') and promptly puts zero into them, wastes their career, wastes their time, and plays games until they have to split. Talent and true hip-hop doesn't mean shit, even with Dre's full backing, when it comes to selling hip-hop records anymore and that's the proof.
ReplyDeleteThe Reformation was still contractually prevented from being released until after Detox and I don't know if that's still the case. I don't think it's as clean-cut to release that album as we think because that shit STILL hasn't come out. Bishop probably fucked up publicly dissing the shit out of Game but there was more to that since Bishop has known Game and his brother Big Fase long before any of them were famous. But for all the work, time, and effort Bishop put into Detox and the FIRE that we know came out of it, I still feel he's owed a spot on Detox even if that's near-impossible now. Otherwise fuck man, Bishop is a great guy, totally real, actually cares about hip-hop, didn't sell his soul for a dime, and deserved to blow up as much as anyone. It's just a shame since he came so close until Interscope went out of their way and made sure that didn't happen for him.
yeah i agree grow up ,no stoppin carson ,change gonna come ,flashy ,and the detox refrence track whos yo daddy bitch some of the best tracks they made togther and i also think bishop was and still would be a great ghost writer for dre pity he left the aftermath i would have loved to heard the finished version of detox that bishop was involved in no doubt would have been dope dre is the only one that will ever know hate to say it but i dont think were goin to see bishop on the final detox cut
ReplyDelete