They don’t
call them the first family for nothing. Brooklyn rap group M.O.P. say if they
can’t reach an agreement between both Jay-Z and Damon Dash for a new recording
contract then the former Roc-A-Fella artists will look elsewhere.
“When we
came into the situation it was like Roc-A-Fella: Jay, Dame,” Billy Danze
told AllHipHop.com about the rumors surrounding his and Lil Fame’s next
label home. “If it can’t be that, then we may have to go another
route.”
While being courted
separately by the former partners is flattering, according to M.O.P, ultimately
they feel a sense of loyal to both men.
“I love Dame,”
said Fame. “Dame’s my n*****, man. But we ain’t coming between
two n*****.
Fame, however,
did admit to thinking about the potential rewards of signing with either party.
With Dash, he said, there’s a track record of success. “Dame’s
made a lot of money, man,” beamed Fame. “A whole lot of money.”
But with Jay-Z,
via his newly appointed position as the president of Def Jam, Fame believes
an artist would get a fair shake. As a former solo star, he reasons, Jay-Z could
relate to his roster’s needs better because of his own experience. “He
(Jay-Z) know what a n**** deserve,” Fame fumed. “That’s the
treatment I expected from the Roc [initially].”
As a result of
Jay-Z and Dash’s split, the release date of M.O.P’s next album,
Ghetto Warfare, has been suspended indefinitely. Last year the group pasted
together old verses for a rock-inspired release in hopes of satisfying their
legion of loyal fans. With no resolution in sight on the business end, Fame
insists he and Danze will be forced to release free music.
“We about
to start giving out a bunch of s***t,” he said. “Just to show our
appreciation. Just dedicate it to people. We need to release some music, man.”
