When Sha Money departed from G-Unit, the rumor mill went crazy. From stories alleging that he was dismissed for funneling sub-par beats into the camp, to reports of him wanting to expand beyond the scope of the label, people gripped all aspects of the news and created their own versions of what happened. While remaining relatively quiet during that transition, Sha was also busy at work building a brand for himself, networking, and creating fresh opportunities.Now serving as CEO and President of his own company, Money Management Group, Sha manages the careers of artist like Young Buck, and Lloyd Banks, and producers Hi-Tek, Chris Styles, Jake One, and many others. Returning to his first love, production, has also allowed the former President of G-Unit records to reach back and help producers looking for a crack in the industry to allow their talents to shine through and be noticed. The One Stop Shop producer’s conference is coming back to Phoenix, Arizona in March. This was founded to provide opportunities for up and coming producers and to present them with a glimpse of how to move forward with advice from many industry notables. Sha Money sat with AllHipHop.com to explain everything from his divergence into the world of technology to why some G-Unit members got his departure “Twisted.”AllHipHop.com: What’s going on man?Sha Money: I’m good man, I can’t complain at all. I’m getting ready for the Super Bowl, just locking down the city. I’m doing a lot of events out here in Arizona, so we got The Super Bowl coming up and we got a few events going down, so we’re just gearing up for it.AllHipHop.com: Are you going to the game?Sha Money: Yeah, I’m gonna be at the game. I’m gonna take my son and my wife there.AllHipHop.com: Who to do think is gonna win?Sha Money: Awww Man. I mean who I wanted to be in there is not in there, so at this point, I’m just a fan of the sport. I’m just going to be having fun in the city, a lot of people are coming out. We have Buck getting busy out here so it’s gonna be great. AllHipHop.com: So ya’ll doing up big out there?Sha Money: Yeah we got clothing in stores, signings in stores, performances, after parties, strip club after parties, we got everything going on down here.AllHipHop.com: Why did you start doing business in Arizona?Sha Money: You know everybody got a second home. A lot of people choose Miami, Like Chis and them got a crib in Miami. A lot of people have a place in Atlanta. I came to this city ( Phoenix) about six years ago and this city, it grew on me like a magnet. Not to mention I do have a spot in Atlanta, and I do have a spot in Florida that I do go spend some time at. But this city…I’m more of a pilgrimage dude where I can come into a quiet city and lock it down you know? I’m in this quiet town to lock it down and it’s a lot of great things about this city. It’s a lot of Fortune 500 companies out here. The cost of living, my crib is huge, humongous. My kids, they at peace, they can play on the block and the streets and I ain’t gotta trip. So it’s just good living.AllHipHop.com: In terms of business, do you see it as untapped?Sha Money: It’s definitely untapped and there’s a big Hip-Hop scene out here. G-Unit was the first to sign someone from out here which was Hot Rod. Now it’s growing because DTP signed Willie NorthPole who’s from out here. There’s more talent, its 5th coast, it’s Cinque, it’s Jiggolo. This producer named Jiggolo I promise you by the end of this year he’s gonna be one of those dudes that comes from here that will be like what Jermaine Dupree was, the illest producer in the ATL.AllHipHop.com: So you’re getting ready for the One Stop Shop conference again?Sha Money: It’s coming March eighth and ninth and we’re gonna do it so big. AllHipHop.com: Last year was crazy! what do you have special for the producers this year?Sha Money: I got Swizz Beatz who’s gonna appear in person. We’re gonna honor him for lifetime of his greatest music catalog. DJ Toomp, all my favorite records from last year were produced by Toomp. DJ Premier, we’re bringing him back out again, he’s the OG, he’s the legend. But this year were doing a Premier beat suite where it’s an exclusive with Microsoft and Xbox. So we’re gonna be playing games and listening to every producer. AllHipHop.com: Tell the readers how an up an coming producer can benefit from coming to the conference?Sha Money: When I sold my first track, I put myself in a position where the artists and the music was at. So if you’re in these markets where you can’t see people run past you every day that are valuable, even in Arizona, ain’t nobody really here that’s going to be able to get you anywhere unless you know me or a few other heads. So I’m saying, here’s a place that’s dedicated for producers to get their music out there, to get it sold, to get publishing deals, to meet all the A and Rs at the major labels, to meet all the producers that’s making it. Even if you wanted to get in Swizz Beatz’s camp, here’s an opportunity to meet him and prove your talent to him.AllHipHop.com: You are one of the first producers to expand production into technology, why did you decide to make that transition?Sha Money: I’m happy you said that. Us as music people we get high and we don’t pay attention to the smart decisions and how to be ahead of the curve. So I take more time in learning. I’m on websites so I can learn technology and be ahead of the curve, because this guy Steve Jobs is about to take us out of business bro. I need to be able to say if I’m not going to be an executive for five years to come working for a major company, I need to be in a technology field where I have partners such as Microsoft who’s down with me on this conference. Then I’m out in the field in the Bay area or San Francisco meeting all these technology freaks that are so smart. Then I bumped into this company called Eidos, and they had this video game in development and just from me inquiring, I met up with these guys and I released my first video game. It’s called Traxxpad, which is a PSP handheld video game where you can make real legitimate beats, real sampling, real drum sounds. Now for 39 dollars, a producer who doesn’t have the money to get Logic or Reason or a MPC, he can start off for 39 dollars whether he’s eight to 30 whatever , he can make a beat. AllHipHop.com: Are you guys going to follow up on the Traxxpad?Sha Money: That’s why I’m with Microsoft now because we’re in developments. I’ve connected all the smart guys that do the technology part, the actual applications. They are coming out with Traxx Pad XL so it can be on your X-box and you going to have a DJ and a mic just like you have a guitar and drum machine for Rock Band, we’re gonna make a Hip-Hop orientated one.AllHipHop.com: You’re talking a lot of new business opportunities. Did departing from G-Unit help free you to do things like this?Sha Money: Yeah it did. My networking system completely changed. I went from a place where we had to be careful who we conducted business with, and you have people that don’t like you. I went from that to straight, going for gusto, and meeting all the top executives everywhere. I was the president so I couldn’t be moonlighting and doing other things that had nothing to do with G-Unit. So that was what the conflict was that led to the departure. I had to realize that I’m a great guy to network with all these Fortune 500 companies and I wanted to be able to do that and continue to build this Hip-Hop brand.AllHipHop.com: I guess that can happen in any job situation.Sha Money: Yeah your priorities get twisted and you have an obligation so you have to respect the obligation. So, I needed more, I had a hunger for more.AllHipHop.com: Did your departure put some of the G-Unit members in a position where they had to choose?Sha Money: People make those kind of walls. To tell you the truth, me and 50 had a great conversation two days ago. I think they didn’t understand what was going on between me and 50 so they made their own assumptions. It was no side to choose unless you felt there was a, rivalry but in reality the only thing I did was battle for the better in their careers. So even if I gotta go up against 50 at some point, I’m not doing it for myself, I work for these guys. So they kinda got it twisted. I’m battling him for you. If I didn’t have to battle him for you, I wouldn’t even have an issue with him. That’s why all the changes happened so drastically. Now, I’m at a point where I’m happy and I think all of them are happy, so I don’t think anybody is tripping. Like I said me and 50 talked and we’re still working on music so it’s all good.AllHipHop.com: Sometimes when you break free from a company, a slight challenge or competition arises, is there any of that with you and 50?Sha Money: I think that was last year’s challenge and this year we all looked at last year and didn’t see too much greatness in the decisions. So even for 50’s last album, Money Management Group did five tracks. We did five joints on the album, and Jake One did two, so my company still got busy. Music is always gonna speak for itself so if someone don’t like me or don’t like the politics, they are gonna realize that the music is greater than all of that. AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about your team. You have a lot of producers on there that you’re working with.Sha Money: I did have a lot, I trimmed a lot of the fat. I’m only focusing on the ones that I want to build brands with. Hi-Tek is a legend, his music is incredible, he’s working with Dre exclusively for Detox, he’s just delivered an album so he’s an artist also. I got Jake One, he’s from Seattle, he just finished Freeway’s last album and worked on 50’s album. I’m getting a lot of calls on him right now. I got Tha Bizness, they are also from Seattle. They moved to Atlanta, but they did that Robin Thicke joint with 50 and they did a few other records that’s out there and starting to twizzle right now. AllHipHop.com: I Gotta ask you what’s up with Young Buck? Sha Money: That boy didn’t peak yet. So he got his new deal called Cashville Records, so he’s getting ready to release a compilation entitled Product of the South. He got this new artist. I told him “You need someone from your city that’s gonna speak as loud as you do.” He found this kid named Sosa Tha Plug, he’s a real good compliment to Buck and he’s a problem. AllHipHop.com: Is he working on anything for G-Unit?Sha Money: Yeah for his G-Unit requirements, he’s working on a G-Unit album and then he’s going to get into his solo.AllHipHop.com: So it’s seems like after all that drama, everything worked for the best.Sha Money: Like I said, G-Unit is my home base of where I started and I learned a lot. 50, I respect a lot, he’s one of the best artists I’ve ever worked with. I just wanted to branch out for myself and build my own business and show people who I am as a individual. My conference is my passion. We only go to award shows, you feel me? Award shows is for stiffs and bourgeois who just want to feel themselves. What are all of us doing to give back to Hip-Hop where we are all know that we’re suffering. What are we doing? Are we gonna keep going to suited up places? What are we doing to make this exciting again for the new people in the suburban and urban areas that want to support Hip-Hop but are like “This s**t is wack.” We are not doing nothing for them.
