B
ig Tuck is the lead off artist of T-Town Records, who inked a deal with Universal for a staggering seven million dollars late last year, may not be a man of many words, but he claims to be a man about many units.
Having moved 100,000 units of his album Purple Hulk independently, it is kind of understandable as to why so many labels were staking this Dallas collective. Along with fellow Dirty South Rydaz, T-Town Records and Tuck are hoping to encourage the home of JR Ewing as another Southern Hip-Hop hub.
As the lead-off single “Tussle” makes its way around stations, Tuck spoke to AllHipHop.com about the position he’s in, and the year he claims he’ll have.
AllHipHop.Com: So first of all, you are out of Dallas, what is Dallas going to do to add to the shine of Houston?
Big Tuck: Well we ain’t going to try and take away the shine from Houston; we just want to add to the Texas movement.
AllHipHop.Com: You got serious money from Universal, were they hunting you for a long time?
Big Tuck: They were, Sony was, Def Jam was, Interscope was and Universal pretty much talked the most money, so that was the way we went.
AllHipHop.Com: But moving the units you moved, wouldn’t it have been better for you to stay independent?
Big Tuck: Well yeah, but you can only do so much underground and then it comes to time to take it to the next level.
AllHipHop.Com: You mean get your music beyond Texas?
Big Tuck: Yeah, but I mean we were already hitting Cleveland market, the Florida market so we were already beyond out state.
AllHipHop.Com: How did you encourage those markets?
Big Tuck: You know we just started hitting the road and then the Mom and Pops stores, driving between Dallas and Cleveland, you know, dropping the tapes off and people picking them up and that.
AllHipHop.Com: You are part of the collective Dirty South Riders, how many people make up that group?
Big Tuck: There are six of us.
AllHipHop.Com: But you are the main artist, is that because you are the one that’s so far moved the units, or are you just the guy to kick start the movement?
Big Tuck: It’s pretty much because I have a bigger fan base. I mean everyone has a big fan base but I just seem to bring mine out a bit more.
AllHipHop.Com: You went to school and got a degree in music, does this mean you do more than just the MC’ing; do you put your hand to the production aspect of it too?
Big Tuck: Yeah, I do it all: the music, I produce, I write music for black college marching bands, everything. My whole life is music.
AllHipHop.Com: Were you in a marching band yourself?
Big Tuck: Yeah, I was.
AllHipHop.Com: What did you play?
Big Tuck: I played tenor drum, snare drum, keyboards.
AllHipHop.Com: Yeah I was watching Drumline last night, as we don’t have marching bands where I come from, and I didn’t realize just how serious college bands are.
Big Tuck: Yeah, we did exactly what they did on that movie too. Y’all don’t have marching bands in England?
AllHipHop.Com: No, schools are really different over there. So who have you pulled from inspiration wise?
Big Tuck: R. Kelly, as I think he is ahead of his time and all those people who were in the position that I wanted to be in.
AllHipHop.Com: Listening to “Tussle,” it’s obvious you are putting your own twist on the Southern sound. Who else is emerging from Dallas that we need to watch out for?
Big Tuck: Well, you got a guy called Bow Legs and Gator Man, a guy called Mr. Poochie Loochie.
AllHipHop.Com: When you look at the South, y’all seem to move as a movement, its not just individual states and cities coming together, will you be doing the same by collaborating with other southern artists?
Big Tuck: Yeah, I mean we have already started by collaborating with Slim Thug, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall. My last CD featured those guys.
AllHipHop.Com: So when can we expect to see something on the shelves from you?
Big Tuck: Yeah my CD should be dropping [soon], and that is called The Absolute Truth, and that is just introducing you to me and how I live.
AllHipHop.Com: So talking about how you live, if I was to come to Dallas as a first time visitor, what would be the places you would show me that give me a full understanding of your city and lifestyle?
Big Tuck: Dallas is so big so it is hard to say just one spot as everyone has their favorite spots.
AllHipHop.Com: I mean, you hear it is a growing city, so doesn’t that mean you should have your own sound, your own musical identity?
Big Tuck: Yes.
AllHipHop.Com: How long has T-Town been around, because even though you are just getting nationwide attention you have been established a while right?
Big Tuck: Yeah, we have been around about six years.
AllHipHop.Com: Have you always been a part of T-Town?
Big Tuck: Yeah, I was one of the first members.
AllHipHop.Com: Have you got any collaborations we can look out for on the Absolute Truth album?
Big Tuck: Yeah, I have Paul Wall, Bun B, and Erykah Badu.
AllHipHop.Com: Wow, did you actually get to work with her?
Big Tuck: Yeah, we live in the same area. I know her. It is pretty much a big Southern album.
AllhipHop.Com: Any video in the works?
Big Tuck: In terms of video, we just shot the “Tussle” video and that is super hot. It should be out in about three weeks on BET and MTV. There is a lot of Southern action and it shows the potential of Dallas.