(AllHipHop Interviews) “It’s Goin’ Down.” That’s the title of Atlanta rapper Yung Joc’s 2006 platinum selling single. The phrase can also apply to the RCA recording artist’s return to the limelight by releasing new music and joining the cast for the upcoming explosive season of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.
The man who contributed to hit songs like Hotstylz’s “Looking Boy,” T-Pain’s “Buy U A Drank,” and Danity Kane’s “Show Stopper” is back in the booth working on multiple projects.
Joc recently dropped the track “I Got B**ches” with AE200 & D Dro, and the Swagg Team Entertainment founder is also calling in some fellow rap stars from the South to provide features for his future releases.
In an exclusive interview, Yung Joc speaks with AllHipHop.com about what he’s been working on musically and topics related to LHHATL.
I saw that you did an interview where you said you kind of fell out of love with making music at one point. What inspired you to get back into recording?
I don’t think I necessarily fell out of love with making music. I fell out of love with the politics of the music business for a brief moment, because so many things were changing – the way business was handled, the people that were in the buildings that I was in.
I was doing a lot of business on the low, behind the scenes. You put your team together with different people in these different buildings, then the st gets shuffled up. It’s like your man who was the man, ain’t the man no more. And you’re like “damn.” Next thing you know you got to start putting your st back together in a new situation. It just kept happening. So I fell out of love with that part of it.
To watch 2 Chainz come from being in Playaz Circle as Tity Boi then to just dominate the scene with his presence and his flamboyant freshness, that was very, very motivating to see him do that. He’s one of my personal partners from the Southside, so to see that dude do that s**t, I was like, “You know what? Let me show these folks what time it is.”
You dropped the “I Got B***hes” track this year. What else are you working on musically?
I’ve been working a lot. I just went in with B.O.B. I got a record with a few people. I’m not going to start naming names, but I’ve been working with the people I want to work with.
Are you working on an album or a mixtape?
I’m working on an album, mixtapes too. But I’m focused hard on the album.
You’ve worked with Lil Boosie before. Now that he’s out do you think you two will hook up again?
For sure, I’m about to make the phone call today.
You’re also appearing on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta this season. What did you think about Mimi and Nekko’s sex tape?
I’m happy for them. It’s something they wanted to do. They did it. I’m pretty sure they’re getting the recognition and hype that they wanted from it, so it was successful. They’re damn sure getting booked, and they’re damn sure going to make a lot of money off the tape. So I think they’re getting the result that they asked for.
[ALSO READ: Mimi Faust & Nikko Smith Talk Sex Tape, Stevie J + Joseline, & Shower Scene (VIDEO)]
Would you ever consider doing a sex tape?
No buddy, because if I did a flick I’d have to go into hiding. These women out here would be crazy. They’d be chasing me down.
A couple of months ago, Karlie Redd did post some nude pictures of you along with Benzino. What was your reaction when you saw that?
She was upset with Benzino and his girl, and I guess that was her way to shut them both down. They both were trying to say that she wanted Benzino back and all this extra st. That was her reason for posting the pictures like, “I went from that to this. I don’t ever want to go back to that.” That’s why she posted both of the dks next to each other.
What’s your relationship like with Benzino? Do you guys have any issues?
Hell no. We’re cool. There ain’t no problems over here. I don’t beef with n*as. That’s one thing I ain’t never done. I never been on that beef st. That s**t don’t get you nowhere. If it ain’t going to put no more food on the table, ain’t going to make the quality of life for me and my kids better, I ain’t concerned with it.
The trailer shows a lot of physical confrontations take place this season. Did you get caught up with any of that?
I can’t tell you. You got to watch.
It did show one thing. It seems like something went down with you and Karlie over another woman.
People just got to watch the show. The show is going to be crazy. I think it’s going to be one of the biggest seasons.
A lot of other reality stars have complained that the show edits them in a way that makes them look worse than they actually were. Are you worried about that happening?
I don’t give a fk about all that st. I know what I signed up for, so however they go that’s how it’s going to go. I feel like they can only edit what you give them. You always got to keep that in mind. If you’re sucka free then you ain’t got to worry about that s**t.
It has to be different to go from living your life to having cameras following you around. What was that transition like?
That s**t ain’t no different than being in the studio and having cameramen come in and follow you. You forget that they’re there. You just zone them out. They’re not even there really.
You have Love & Hip Hop. You’ve said you’re working on a couple of projects. What else do you have in the works?
I’m working with the apparel line Kobe Jordan. Also, Humble Hustler which is another apparel line.
Follow Yung Joc on Twitter @Iamyungjoc and Instagram @JocLive.
Love & Hip Hop Atlanta season 3 debuts Monday, May 5th at 8 pm ET on VH1.