(AllHipHop News) Philadelphia rapper Beanie Sigel has announced exclusively to AllHipHop.com that he signed a new EMI distribution deal under the guidance of industry veteran Chris Schwartz.
During a studio session in Brooklyn, New York last night (March 28), Beanie Sigel spoke one-on-one with AllHipHop.com about the new deal and what it means for the future of his solo career, and more importantly, his State Property affiliates.
“That’s what kind of pushed me to really do this album. I was sought out by Chris Schwartz. He had a situation at EMI and was looking for an artist,” Beanie Sigel explained. “I had just recorded a couple songs in the studio. Somebody heard a record and was like, ‘You should check out Beanie; he hasn’t been doing anything.’
“The first conversation was kind of generic – it was like, ‘Uhh yeah.’ I had deals on the table; I’ve been approached by everybody from everywhere – from E1, well to Koch first, to E1 to Asylum. For me to sign to a major, it’s like, ‘For what?’ I’m too far advanced in my career to go to a 360 deal. I’ve learned too much of the business to put myself in that position now.”
One of the founders of Philadelphia’s State Property rap collaborative that includes Freeway, Peedi Crakk, Young Chris, and others, Beanie Sigel has been plagued over the past few years by legal and industry woes. His well-publicized split with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2009 left him without a label deal, and prison time further stymied his recording.
In 2010, while working with 50 Cent in a rumored agreement with G-Unit, he announced his plans to retire from rap. Now, according to Beanie Sigel, the EMI deal signifies his return to an industry that has changed immensely in the past two to three years alone. With Chris Schwartz, he feels he has the backing of someone reputable who has signed past artists such as The Fugees and Nas.
“If you’ve been through what I’ve been through in my career, you wouldn’t trust no one. You’ll fourth guess everything. What made me do the deal with Chris Schwartz was actually to get the deal together for State Property,” Beanie Sigel said.
“I don’t wanna be selfish – it’s selfish to the people,” he added. “That’s the only reason why I’m doing this. It’s not fun for me no more; it’s work. It used to be fun, and when it starts turning into work, it’s not fun no more.
“But I haven’t been missing. I’ve been missed,” Beanie Sigel reflected with a smile. “I’ve got tons and tons and tons of music that the world has never heard yet. I could make an entire album tomorrow.”
Beanie Sigel plans to release a mixtape in the coming weeks, and his new album, The Classic, is slated for a Summer 2012 release.
Stay tuned for AllHipHop.com’s exclusive video interview with Beanie Sigel in the coming days.
Follow Beanie Sigel on Twitter (@BeanieSigelSP).
