Dre protege Slim tha Mobster interview

Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records has seen quite a few artists come and go over the years, but one artist who has remained through it all is South Central's own Anthony Johnson better known as Slim The Mobster. Although he's been signed to the good Doctor for a good minute, Slim has kept a pretty low profile in the rap industry thus far while staying busy recording and doing various work for Aftermath Records.  The time for a low profile is over according to Slim, and after serving a three month jail bid, he's out and ready to make some noise. The young Dre protege' hooked up with AllHipHop.com to talk about what he's got in store for the world. Fans may have their doubts considering Aftermath's track record when it comes to putting artists out, but Slim remains confident as he is the last of the Mohicans on the label.    
 

AllHipHop.com: Let's talk about your roots in this rap game.  
Slim The Mobster: I've been around a few dudes that were doing music. The D.O.C is one of the dudes that I've been around for a long time. Snoop Dogg is another dude that I've been around for a long time. I just watched and it caught on. I didn't really start rapping until a few years ago. I picked it up quickly just by being able to talk and express myself. All music is really just expression.   
AllHipHop.com: Weren't you going to sign with Jay-Z at one point?   
Slim The Mobster: I was messing with a dude by the name of Big Chill. He had helped Lupe Fiasco previously with some business. Chill was putting that together but he got incarcerated so we never got to make that happen.
 
AllHipHop.com: So how did the Aftermath deal happen? 
Slim The Mobster: I went to Dr. Dre's studio with a CD one day. I dropped it off and left my number on a Lottery ticket and he ended up calling me back. Dre said that if I had the patience, because he had a lot of other work going on, he would work with me.  


(Video) Slim The Mobster Feat. Xzibit – Don't Believe You (Produced by Nottz) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItvL1YuV2bY  


AllHipHop.com: You didn't have any reservations? A lot of artists have signed to Aftermath and ended up leaving with their albums never seeing the light of day.  
Slim The Mobster: None whatsoever. I've been there 4 years. I'm working on my album and getting ready to release a new mixtape called War Music. The concept behind that project is that everything has it's good and bad – there is a war to it – like good versus evil. It's me being good yet evilish at the same time. I'm not your typical rapper right now. I'm not in to the skinny jean movement. I'm not against what anybody else is doing, but I'm more like the N.W.A era. I've been dealing with so many things but now its time to make my name. I can really rap. It's not a myth and it's not fake.  

AllHipHop.com: Do you have any collaborations on War Music? 
Slim The Mobster: I've got Snoop Dogg. I like that song we did together. Another is a dude named Sly.  Everybody knows him from the Kush song and he's also on that song with Eminem and Royce Da 5'9” that's out right now. Mostly the project is just me. I'll probably put the mixtape out in the next two weeks.  


AllHipHop.com: It's dropping that quick? 
Slim The Mobster: It's been in the making for a minute now. I'm just going through the proper chain of command. Most artists don't get the chance to put out a mixtape over here so I've been fighting to make it happen. I've been given some leverage and room, so I've got to do it. It will be available for download and it'll give people a chance to see who I am. It's about displaying my talents. I play instruments - drums and keyboards. It's something that you are going to see from somebody out here in L.A. because 9 times out of 10 the people that rap aren't the ones that are making the beats – and vice versa. I do both.
 
(Video) Slim The Mobster – I Ain't Gonna Say Nothing (Produced by Jake One) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4ZczzmZmxA  


AllHipHop.com: I had no idea that you could also make beats and music. Where did you learn this?    
Slim The Mobster: From my uncle Chocolate (the producer of Vanilla Ice's “Ice Ice Baby” song) and Dr. Dre. I watched and learned from them. If its in you to do it, then its in you to do it.   


AllHipHop.com: What's the biggest thing that you've learned from Dr. Dre so far? 
Slim The Mobster: To keep adding slashes to your name. Like artist slash producer, actor, director and so forth. When you keep adding slashes to your name, that's the best thing for you. He also tells me to do what I feel and not to do anything that I don't believe in. There have been times where we've been given beats and I don't really like it – and that's hard to say to him. But by saying that, you're letting him know that you can't do something to the best of your ability – and he doesn't want that. He wants the best. It's always best to be upfront and tell him what it is.  
 
AllHipHop.com: Do you think the fans are being hard too hard on him in regards to waiting for Detox? Is he getting fair treatment? 
Slim The Mobster:  No, I don't think he is. He's given so much in between. You've gotten music and  albums from Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, and others. You can't really complain.  


(Video) Dr. Dre Feat. Slim The Mobster, Snoop Dogg,  Akon & Sly – Kush Remix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLNjrOdqa2M  


AllHipHop.com: Are you on Detox?  
Slim The Mobster: I'm hoping so.  


AllHipHop.com: So you haven't gotten a confirmation on that? 

Slim The Mobster: I have songs recorded for it but Dre has the top-secret information on that. I'm just playing it by ear. I believe that you are going to see me on there.  


AllHipHop.com: What about the album that you are working on? Do you have a name for it yet? 
Slim The Mobster: It's called The Movie. A lot of the things that have happened in my career, it feels like it's been scripted. From everything including being signed, it seems like something right out of a movie. Those things are rare and they sound like something that I wrote down. Sometimes it doesn't feel real. This is my movie.  


AllHipHop.com: Aside from the War Music mixtape, Detox and The Movie album, what else have you got going on?  
Slim The Mobster: I'm trying to figure out this film situation right now. I've got a great script that I'm trying to run with. And of course there is my label “Gang Module.” I've already got artists that I work close with like Black Friday from Compton and my little cousin Controversy from Pomona. Look out for that War Music mixtape. If you like real West Coast music, then stay tuned.  


Source - http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2011/06/22/22805601.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter