M
ike Jones was the only student of Houston’s 2005 graduation class that has experienced platinum success [Who Is Mike Jones.] despite the region’s industry takeover. Jones swears he was also the stepchild of the lot, which included acclaimed artists like Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Chamillionaire. A budding mogul, the rapper says he’s now peaceably departed the Swishahouse home that helped groom him. While the former stepchild runs away from home, his frequently repeated moniker and famous phone number remain the same. Through all the grills, candy paint, and lean, Mike Jones stands before his own empire, Ice Age Entertainment, and a future that includes big phone bills, more tippin’ and a colossal toy collection.
AllHipHop.com: Okay, what’s really good with you and Swishahouse?
Mike Jones: I just felt that Swishahouse did some foul stuff. I still got respect for those guys. It was just the business; they did a lot of stuff I didn’t agree with. Now, I got my own thing. If you look, there’s nobody on the Swishahouse team doing what I’m doing, you know what I’m saying? I got much respect and love for everybody over there, but we going to see how everybody move without Jones.
AllHipHop.com: Can you elaborate on the alleged foul stuff that went down?
Mike Jones: Man it was just a lot foul stuff. A lot of people didn’t believe in the Who Is Mike Jones project. But when the album started taking off, everyone wanted to have their hands in on it. I couldn’t be around stuff like that, know what I’m saying? People will tell you, ‘Oh this s**t is tight,’ and when they turn they back, want to say the album is wack. That’s why “Back Then” made so much sense and why a lot of people took up on it. A lot of people go through ‘back then.’ On The American Dream, you are going to see a whole different side of Jones. I’m still going to represent the street side, but I’m just going to hold it down.
AllHipHop.com: What’s cracking with Ice Age?
Mike Jones: I’m with Warner and Asylum, but now that everything is up I’m going to get a big Ice Age deal. I’m about to get a 20 million for this Ice Age deal! It’s going to be crazy. We in talks with [Lil’] Mo, I got King Mello, he up next. We had the D4L which was really really big [with “Laffy Taffy”].
Allhiphop.com: You had a big hit with “Back Then.” Does that song have more significance now that you sold 1.5 million?
Mike Jones: It’s not really the groupies; it’s everybody from guys to girls. People want to holla at me and show me love, they all on me now like, ‘Man, remember we used to go to school together?’ Everybody want to be all cool. “Back Then” is something everybody can relate to; kids, grown ups, old people. That’s just how it is.
AllHipHop.com: Was there any money issues included in your dissatisfaction?
Mike Jones: Nah, the money issue was cool. But sometimes it’s not always about money. Dave Chappelle, he passed up $50 million to be happy. I rather be happy any day. I was making money coming into this game. I was already over a half a million in the bank saved before I even got signed. That was the most important thing to me. I got to make sure I’m somewhere comfortable where I love being at. I got full control of marketing and everything here. I’m cool with everyone over there. I’m cool with Paul [Wall]. I’m cool with [Lil’] Keke. I’m cool with everybody. It was just the heads [of the company] that was I going back and forth with. I really respect those guys. I hope they do their thing. I’m taking my project over with [my label], Ice Age. As of now in Houston Texas, I’m the only one that went platinum. People saying they platinum, but I’m the only one that sold platinum over. I sold 1.5 million.
AllHipHop.com: So to get this all the way overstood, it’s not really beef but it’s just a better situation for you?
Mike Jones: Yes. Just like you said- it’s a better situation. It’s basically the idea of people not believing in your project and then they want to believe in it when they see the record sales going up is crazy. Now y’all do your thing over there, they got some stuff they got going on; I got a lot of stuff going on my end. [So] we both going to work hard.
AllHipHop.com: That’s what’s up. I think the beef stuff is played out.
Mike Jones: I totally agree with you on that. Even me and Chamillionare, we were going at it at one time, but I seen him not too long ago, we shook hands and we put it to rest.
AllHipHop.com: The Source did a photo shoot with a lot of the prominent Houston rappers and both of you guys were there. I was wondering how did everything go?
Mike Jones: Yeah, we was there. Actually, we shook hands after that. The Source magazine came out a little late. I mean I know people be shooting [darts] at me, but as long as we know that when we see each other, it’s all good [I’m cool]. Bun B invited me to a party. He invited Cham too. I didn’t know that. So Cham came on stage and basically said that all of this s**t was crazy. I looked at him and he looked at me and we shook hands. We gave each other dap and showed each other love. So it’s all good man.
AllHipHop.com: “Still Tippin’” put the stamp on the Houston Rap explosion. How did the recording session go down for that song?
Mike Jones: Really, they say the song was big because there were three big Houston artists on it. My buzz was already big [though]. First, it was really me and Chamillionare on the song. And then they took Cham off and threw Paul Wall on the song.
AllHipHop.com: What’s The American Dream looking like?
Mike Jones: It’s looking crazy, man. I got Jamie Foxx on there, Chris Brown on there. I got a joint with Lil’ Mo that’s sick. And when I say the song is sick, you can quote me that we’re going to the Grammy’s with that one. I got some stuff with Slim Thug. I’m talking to Jeezy. I’m trying to hook up with Mary J. [Blige]. A lot of people been showing me love. A lot of people out here in Houston hate on your boy, but they know that they can’t take it away from me that I sold all these records.
AllHipHop.com: How did you link up with Lil’ Mo?
Mike Jones: I met her in Indianapolis. She was a fan of mine and I definitely was a fan of hers. That song “Put It On Me” with Ja Rule was one of my favorite songs at the time. I mean, I loved that song. The way she sang on it, she really put surgery to that song. I wanted to do a song like that. And the song we got it’s crazy. It’s called “I Know.”
AllHipHop.com: With T.I. selling Gold first week, do you feel pressured now?
Mike Jones: That’s my dude. T.I. showed a lot of love to me. Matter of fact, I got him on a track on the album with Bobby Brown. It’s a “Tendoroni” remix. It was for his album, but he didn’t use it. I asked him if it was cool [for me to put the song on my album] and he said it was cool. So the track is fire. So when he [sold those numbers], I was happy, because he still doing him. He motivated me to at least move around that number.
AllHipHop.com: With a lot of the Houston rappers talking about grills, candy paint and slabs, do you think the outside markets like New York and California will get tired of it?
Mike Jones: A lot people are tired of it. On American Dream, you are going to hear it, but not as much on Who Is Mike Jones. That was every line; paint, lean, grills. There’s a meaning to it. I got the American Dream album on me. I could let you hear some s**t.
