In the eyes of the law, Project Pat may be some sort of menace to civilization, but those that come into contact with him know there’s more sides to him than a dice from a Dungeons and Dragon’s game. He’s a genuine sort of person with penchant for base, gutter lyrics – lyrics that were almost used against him in a court of law. The Memphis, Tennessee rapper was escorted to prison in June of 2002, after being convicted on two counts of firearm possession as a felon. He opted to go to jail after his whole musical catalog was to be ammo for his persecutors.
These days, Pat is a changed man, and AllHipHop took him to task by asking him some of the most ridiculous and thought-provoking questions possible. Pat accepted the challenge, from responding to questions about his favorite super-heroes to battles with Dennis the Menace to weighty topics like abortion, homosexuality and global warming. Oh yeah, Pat also gives the deal on his new album, Crook By Da Book: The Fed Story.
AllHipHop.com: So I am going to throw some questions at you. Do you have a favorite book?
Project Pat: The Bible.
AllHipHop.com: What’s so special about the Bible? I know that seems like a dumb question.
Project Pat: We know God can’t tell no stories. That’s what’s going to guide us through this life. I was telling somebody that guys get caught up with the Feds and all that. You got these guys out here snitching, telling this, telling that. There is a verse in the Bible that says, [paraphrasing] “You wouldn’t want to put an affliction on your brother that you wouldn’t want on yourself. That’s not right.” I’m going to make me some shirts or something. When I got caught up in my jam, I just went to God. I ain’t gonna sit here telling on this person, telling on that person.
AllHipHop.com: What was your first job?
Project Pat: I did have a job, but I never worked long. First job I had was at Crystal’s [or as] New Yorkers call it, White Castle. I was 15 years old. I say this, not to be glorifying it, but I worked there for a minute and realized I was just there to buy a couple ounces of cocaine. Wrong is wrong, right is right.
AllHipHop.com: Who is your favorite Pat besides yourself? Here are some suggestions: Pat Morita aka Mr. Miyagi. There is Pat Riley, the basketball coach. Saint Patrick. Patrick Swayze. Pat Robinson, the preacher.
Project Pat: I don’t know. Besides myself? Oh, I know- Pat, Jr., my son. That’s my favorite Pat.
AllHipHop.com: Who is the cruelest person in your life?
Project Pat: [Thinks] Some dude tried to jump me one time, but I ran. Just some dudes from another neighborhood.
AllHipHop.com: So, everybody is basically nice to you?
Project Pat: No, not that so much. You know, you got your haters out there. You know, if it’s like that we gonna gear it up. Whatever happens, happens.
AllHipHop.com: What was your first rap name?
Project Pat: Well, Project Pat was really a street name that just became a rap name. The guy that I used to be over his momma’s house, he said I’m going to start calling you “Project.”
AllHipHop.com: Did the government create AIDS?
Project Pat: Nah, I don’t think so, because if they did, that would be dumb. Me personally, I don’t think so.
AllHipHop.com: Since you have kids, what’s your opinion on giving kids the drug Ritalin to calm them down.
Project Pat: You don’t do that. Let me tell you something about that: what they need to be done is prayed for. Lets just keep that – ain’t no Ritalin. I got another son and they tried to say that he needed to be on something. I said, “No, he needs a whoopin’.” He needs this belt to his behind. He don’t need no Ritlin. That’s a cop out. [Laughs]
AllHipHop.com: How long do you where a pair of sneakers before you throw them away?
Project Pat: You know what, man, I’m not saying nothing… [pauses] Me and Juicy [from Three-6-Mafia], we really didn’t have nothing, and I hate to see somebody else waste their money. I have been in situations where I have so much stuff and I just leave the Air Force Ones on the bed [of the hotel]. It’s like two or three pair. I can’t take them, it’s weighing my bag down. I ain’t wore ’em a week. It’ll be a cleaning lady and I’ll be like, “Y’all want some shoes, because I can’t take ’em?” It’s just a blessing. God said your cup runneth over and that’s for real.
AllHipHop.com: Are people making a big fuss over global warming for nothing or is it a real problem?
Project Pat: Global warming? I mean like, what is global warming? It’s hot outside?
AllHipHop.com: Yeah, like the ozone layer is depleted and it’s getting hotter.
Project Pat: Check this out. In Memphis, they been talkin’ about smog. Since I was a kid, I ain’t never heard that, and I’m from there. It was hotter than a fool down there. It felt like Arizona. I don’t know maybe it’s the end of the world or something. Feels like it.
AllHipHop.com: Maybe. What’s the most important thing to you?
Project Pat: I don’t know, man. I guess, life in general. God. My kids. I always look at situations and things I been through. I’m getting older now. Everybody wants to just find their way. I take life serious. It’s not like when I was 19. Its not “whatever.” That’s what they say in Memphis, “whatever, whatever.”
AllHipHop.com: Were the Beastie Boys overrated?
Project Pat: Nah, they did they thing. They was bumpin’!
AllHipHop.com: Are Eazy-E and Big Pun under-appreciated by the mainstream, because they didn’t die in a violent manner?
Project Pat: Nah, nah. Eazy-E got props ’til the end. Big Pun was cold. One thing about Big Pun was, he wasn’t out there long enough.
AllHipHop.com: Did you like him in Memphis?
Project Pat: What? [Yes,] he was something serious, because of the way he flipped his words around. He was spitting. He was straight gutter. I like Big Pun.
AllHipHop.com: In a fight between Dennis the Menace and Beaver from Leave It Beaver, who wins?
Project Pat: Dennis the Menace wins, because Leave It to Beaver was slow.
AllHipHop.com: What’s the biggest regret in your life?
Project Pat: Not taking advantage of different opportunities in life. I look at some guys [that might] get caught up and goes to jail when he’s 20 years old and gets out when he’s 30… If he have just worked a job for seven years, he would have had way more… I wish I had did something regular like get a CD [a money investment].
AllHipHop.com: What was the last thing that made you cry?
Project Pat: Well, I’ma tell you something. There was a situation that came up. Well, my grandmomma died. She died the year I got out. She died the top of the year and I got out that summer. I wasn’t boo-boo hooing, but I cried.
AllHipHop.com: Abortion: right or wrong?
Project Pat: Oh, abortion, that’s wrong. “We pregnant, baby, we ’bout to have that.” I use to think it was okay. No. That’s taking a life. I ain’t with that.
AllHipHop.com: I don’t know if you want to answer this one.
Project Pat: I’m gonna answer it all.
AllHipHop.com: Homosexuality: right or wrong?
Project Pat: Aw, man! You know that’s wrong! [Laughs] I’m not judging nobody, because lying is wrong. I had a pistol in my hand and robbed a few people. That was wrong. It’s wrong, flat out.
AllHipHop.com: Did man come from apes or God?
Project Pat: You know man ain’t come from no apes.
AllHipHop.com: Does Satan exist?
Project Pat: Yeah, without Satan there wouldn’t be any bad in the world.
AllHipHop.com: Now, earlier this year, there was the day 6/6/06. Did Three-6-Mafia do anything special that day?
Project Pat: They were on the road, I was in Memphis. We got like four stations in Memphis that play rap. Man, they was all playing Three-6-Mafia all day. All day. I’ma say this right here, you don’t get no Oscars worshipping the Devil. That’s a blessing.
AllHipHop.com: Is the Black man an endangered species?
Project Pat: Nah, we’ll never be endangered. There’s too many of us. That’s why they targeting us.
AllHipHop.com: Is “The Man” holding Black people down?
Project Pat: Yes and no. Like, for example, when I was younger, I had caught a charge when I had robbed a store. I robbed the store. “The Man” didn’t make me rob the store. I didn’t have to rob the store. In my mind, I thought I had to. Where “The Man” comes in is: I’m confused, so don’t sentence me to 50 years. I’m confused, real talk. “The Man” looks at like, “You know what you were doing.” There’s a lot of people out here confused and they given them so much time [in jail]. They just babies.
AllHipHop.com: Who is your hero?
Project Pat: My daddy is my hero.
AllHipHop.com: Who is your favorite super-hero?
Project Pat: Daredevil.
AllHipHop.com: Why?
Project Pat: Because he had it bad. I know his whole history. I used to get that comic book sometime. I used to be like, “Man, he got it bad.” He’s blind, they used to pick on him. But, he’s hardcore. I like him.
AllHipHop.com: You have one rifle, one bullet and 30 seconds before the cops come. What do you do?
Project Pat: Me?
AllHipHop.com: It’s a fictitious scenario…
Project Pat: Where they coming from? The front door? Around the corner? The car?
AllHipHop.com: I don’t know. [Laughs]
Project Pat: All I can say is you better drop it and pray. Run and start praying.
AllHipHop.com: Now that we got through that, tell me about the album. What are we getting?
Project Pat: We getting something hot for the streets. Some in the raw. I probably should have called it Kush – straight gutter. Mainly talkin’ about them streets. It’s called Crook By Da Book: The Fed Story.
AllHipHop.com: Why that title for those that don’t know?
Project Pat: When I got caught up with the Feds situation. They tried to say that I’m out here, I’m a criminal and I know about the drug trafficking and gun trafficking in the city. [I tell them], “I’m on TV, making albums, making movies.” Everybody knows that illegal money can be some good money, but it’s tax free. You just can’t do what you need to do. I ain’t got time for all that. A real crook is in the shadows. I’m on TV rappin’ about I’m doing this and and I’m doing that – for real? That what they were trying to say. They were gonna used the CD [against me].
AllHipHop.com: You seem offended.
Project Pat: I’m not mad, it’s all behind me. It was just that I’m Project Pat, I got caught with a gun and they were trying to get some recognition. They did what they did. I did have a strap. I ain’t got no hard feelings.
AllHipHop.com: You leaving the guns alone?
Project Pat: I got security with me everywhere I go, because I got kids, I got a wife. I ain’t got no time for that garbage.