A few years ago, a hit single ransacked the streets, “Bling, Bling,” eventually it was a catch phrase and swept the world. Money and fame were everywhere for Cash Money, successful singles hitting airwaves in constant rotation in both radio and video. Together the collective was unstoppable, then inside quarrels in regards to mismanagement of money, caused one member by the name of B.G. to defect from the group and label. Just because he doesn’t have that machine behind him, this train is making no local stops to get to the last stop; which is the top.
Taking his new found music experience and creating his own situation, for himself and his peoples. He formed Chopper City records and was able to hit back to his prime market, and let his words do the talking. Aside from the rumors being said about him, B.G. rose from the ashes like a phoenix to bang out his ninth album, The Heart of tha Streets.
B.G. and AllHipHop.com chopped it up in New York City not too long ago on the transition from major to independent, young boy to living legend, and all else in between.
AllHipHop.com: How have you been able to deal with things, after leaving Cash Money?
B.G.: It’s been challenging, but I’ve been holding it down, maintaining, and learning as I go. I left that situation due to money problems [and] things of that nature—they weren’t keeping it real. So I had to man up form my own situation; basically go for what I know. Everything been working out positive.
AllHipHop.com: But are you still cool with them dudes?
B.G.: Nope. [Laughs] What dudes?
AllHipHop.com: At one point it seemed that you got many labels trying to get at you. Going from an independent that was signed to a major with distribution, then leaving that situation to start another. How is the transition?
B.G.: It ain’t ‘bout nothing. It is what it is. I just stay focused and continue to do what I gotta do. If the majors don’t come all the way correct, I won’t sign with a major. I’m a leave Koch and go straight straight independent. [I’ll] go through Select-O-Hits, or something, where I sell 100,000 or 200,000, and I’m a see two to three million, easy. F**k the fame I’m trying to get this money.
AllHipHop.com: your current release is The Heart of tha Streets, What’s different about it from the previous releases you put out? You change up the formula? Work a new style…
B.G.: Ain’t nothing really change I just stepped my game up. This is my ninth solo project motherf**kas who been f**kin’ with me, or who got all eight of my other albums know where I’m coming from. I just can’t tell my whole life story on one album, life goes on everyday. I’m still in the streets I’m still out there getting it how you live. My story is just more to talk about, as far as the streets go.
AllHipHop.com: what made you come up with the title for the album?
B.G.: I feel like a body can’t operate without a heart, so I feel like I’m the heart of the streets. If I stop the streets won’t stop pumping.
AllHipHop.com: The title of your of your seventh album is Living Legend, which you also proclaim yourself. You feel any other artists’ in the South would take offense, to that title?
B.G.: What you mean?
AllHipHop.com: Like T.I. calls himself the “King of the South”, that had cats going after his crown…
B.G.: Look at my track record. Look at all the work I put in everybody in the game respects me as that. I have never had anybody, you know, tell me about it. I got a dude like Scarface and UGK tell me they respect what I’m doing. I got nine solo LP’s, three Hot Boy albums. I got the right to say I’ma living legend.
AllHipHop.com: You were real close with Soulja Slim before his untimely death. How have you been able to cope with the loss?
B.G.: At first it was kinda rough; I know it come with the game. I learned to deal with that, you know what I’m saying – take one of mine I take ten of yours.
AllHipHop.com: I know he isn’t on the album, but do you have anything you two collaborated on still unreleased?
B.G.: I got a whole album with Slim and me. We did an album before he got killed, I’ma probably put that out.
AllHipHop.com: Who you got handling the production on this album?
B.G.: Smurf produced the first single “Where They At.” KLC did tracks on the album. Dani done the “Slow Motion” track produced on the album, Bass Heavy, Kidd, I got a whole lot producers. I’m putting a whole production team together.
AllHipHop.com: The first single off of the album is “Where They At,” the heartbeat is crazy in it, and its getting play on a lot of radio stations and video stations. How are you going top that, what’s the next single?
B.G.: I’ma let the streets decide, I’ma let them pick the next single.
AllHipHop.com: What do you want to get across on this album to the listener who isn’t familiar with you?
B.G.: If they not familiar? They better ask somebody. The person who followed my career would be able to tell them about me and the work that I put in.
AllHipHop.com: You have a track on C. Miller’s album The Truest Sh*t I Ever Said the single is hot. C was on Rap City, and gave you a shout out, he said you are one of the realest cats he knows. You visited him on lock down, he said his brothers don’t even swing through.
B.G.: Yeah. That’s my boy I speak to him once a week, see how he holding up.