AllHipHop: I personally consider you the original G.O.A.T [Greatest of All Time]…you were the dominant rapper in hip-hop at one point and very visible unlike some before you.
MM: Black people have short-term memory. That’s just us being ignorant, trendy and going with the fad. We are a part of history. If I was a white dude and I was the first, great rapper, I would have Rolling Stones status. Overseas, its totally different. Them kids know more about the whole spectrum of rap than kids here and its supposed to be our culture. The average Black kid don’t know who we are. Now 50 Cent is the guy, but when the next guy comes out that’s more grimy than 50 Cent, he ain’t gonna be the guy no more.
White people are gonna do what the ni**as do and they gonna jump on that. But the ni**gas aint holding up their end in a cultural perspective. This is our history? How can a group like Public Enemy be passé, but a group like NWA move forward?
AllHipHop: You recently made history.
MM: “The Message” [The Furious Five’s] was the only rap record inducted to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. That just goes back to what I was saying, nobody’s trying to make music for an intellectual-type person. They just trying to keep it on one level with the street kind of vibe. They making records like they still selling dope. Its just ni**as selling dope.
AllHipHop: So where are you headed?
MM: I’ve got goals. I’ve got places to go. A point to prove, basically, not to the people but the music industry. I can’t prove my point doing shows with the Sugarhill Gang [with whom he toured intensely].
AllHipHop: So what are your goals and what the hell do you have to prove?
MM: The point that needs to be proven to these industry cats is that you can’t tell a man when he ain’t needed in his own game. Its like Reggie Jackson can always get a job with the Yankees. The are to the point of ignorance where they won’t allow the greats of the game to be apart of game. If I can still do it, why am I not a part of this game? I am here to take back what is mine.
I know Russell [Simmons]. I know Andre Harrell. I’ve met every dude in the a game and I’m better than most. I can rhyme with anybody at anytime. If they have a top 20, I’m in there and I haven’t had a record out in 10 years. I’m an entertainer. I’m a star. They are dope dealers, pimps and the broads, they are hoes.
AllHipHop: What’s your take on Run DMC? They changed things when they came out. Run DMC had that off-the-street-type look.
MM: They were the first to take that route. They were the first that had that modern marketing and promotion. We only made one video. Kurtis Blow made maybe two. Afrika Bambaataa made one. They were the MTV babies. They did things more like record a company. When Russell came, he came with the Fat Boys, Whodini and LL. Run DMC spearheaded that era. To the average person, you would think that Run DMC was the greatest rap group ever but their not. They’re the most publicized rap group ever. Jam Master Jay was not the best DJ, rest in peace, not even close. And Run and DMC weren’t the best rappers. Werent even close. Where put them with the production and the amount of marketing and promotion, you got RUN DMC – bigger than life. I do remember seeing them at a club and they got in a battle and got destroyed and booed. The last thing they said was, “When we come back, we’re gonna be stars” and when they came back, they were.
AllHipHop: What’s your take on battle rapping?
MM: You see these rap battles and they are talking about what the other guy is wearing. Its like real stupid sh*t. You don’t even have to have any talent to do that. “You look like you got on your lil’ brother’s shirt.” We just did what we had to do and if it was better than the other guy, we won. To me, today’s battles are corny. Your whole focus is what the other guy does. That’s what kids are doing today.
AllHipHop: Rappers have used your stuff like Mobb Deep redid “White Lines.”
MM: From a financial stand-point, you can only like it. It lets me know, they know that we are not old the way they are saying it is. Its classic. If a Mobb Deep or a Puffy can redo “The Message” that’s just goes to show you are classic.
AllHipHop: I heard you were working as a male stripper [for females] for a while.
MM: You gotta do what you gotta do.
AllHipHop: Mickey, ya boy, told me to ask you about your p#### collection.
MM: [Laughs] I’m definitely Mr. P####. That was from back in the day. I been collecting [movies and now DVD’s] since I was about 17. Its cool and it’s a part of life. People do have sex and I like to see all that sh*t. I’m excited to meet [the female p### star] the way others wanna see Denzel Washington.
AllHipHop: I hear you are a workout fanatic.
MM: I just love training. The girls love that. Ni**gs like a broad with a nice body and the same with them. Young girls – don’t look at me girl!
AllHipHop: What do you think about the state of the game now?
MM: All people know about rap is “Oh yeah, that’s dope. That’s street. Them ni**as is street, they hard!” Hip-hop ain’t about that. Hip-hop ain’t got nothing to do with that. [Street] guys like that never said rhymes. They never even wanted to say rhymes. Its been hijacked by these cats. All this violence and sh*t – don’t put me with that. That’s not me. I’m going this way. Y’all go that way. I’m not hating, but I’m going to get mine.
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