A Short (G.O.O.D.) Convo With... Consequence
Consequence talks with VIBE about his boob-tube-th
VIBE: Your upcoming album was originally
called You Win Some, You Lose Some;
now it's Cons TV. Has the actual
record changed, too?
Consequence:
It's a completely different direction, and not just because Q-Tip and Kanye did
all the production. [The records] are more thematic. They're like their own TV
shows and the packaging and everything around that will reflect it... The album
goes from noon to midnight, every spectrum of television. Songs like "When
You Find a Girl You Love" is like your soap opera. "On My Own"
with Kid Cudi is like the A&E inspirationa
self-reflec
it. It's slightly incredible.
How
is the production split?
'Ye
did nine joints, Tip did four. And it's really good. [Laughs] When it comes
out, I'm going to be sad in a way, because I don't even know if I'm ever going
to get it this good again. I'm just in a space where the raps are crazy, the
music is crazy. I'm not a boo-hoo motherfucker
cry, man.
But
you've been in this business since 1993, reinventing yourself. What's your
key to staying power?
Perseverance
I enjoy what I do. It's a roller coaster: You have to brace yourself for when
it goes up and when it goes down. It's not for a person who breaks easily,
'cause you'll shit your pants in a roller coaster. But that rush is so
fulfilling when you get off. It's the same thrill I get from the music
business. And it doesn't seem to have aged me. I'm easily classifiable in the
graduating class [of] Rampage, Craig Mack--but I don't wear it like that. But
for somebody that's just getting into Hip-Hop, [they could say] "Oh,
Consequence is in the same category as Talib Kweli and Mos Def." And for
some people it might even be Wale and [Kid] Cudi.
Cudi
compared the G.O.O.D. team to the '90s Chicago Bulls teams. You agree?
I
wouldn't it to sports. I'd compare it to Ocean's 11. We're all here for this
big-ass robbery and we all do a specific thing. Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle
didn't do the same thing. Everybody had their own position and did it to the T
so that we could all take $20,000,000.
Who
was the G.O.O.D. deal for originally? Kanye was already signed to Roc-a-Fella
at Def Jam.
When
G.O.O.D. went to Sony, that deal was for me and GLC, 'cause we were the dudes
that held it down with 'Ye. It was
never me as a weed carrier. I humbled myself to have motherfucker
was a sidekick, like I'm brand new! I love 'Ye to death. That's my brother, as
close to not being blood to blood. But I'm still a man with an ego. How am I
somebody's protégé? When that man met me, I was Consequence! [Laughs] But
individual sacrifices have to be made to attain greater goals. One of us blew,
so we're all going to be alright.
"Spaceship,"
your guest appearance on Kanye's The College Dropout is still a fan favorite five years later. Did you
have any idea it'd make such an impact?
I
would've never have thought that in '09, people would say that "Spaceship"
was one of the most classic records in the history of rap. That was just the
reward of struggle. I'm a punchline rapper by nature, but "Spaceship"
had nothing to do with punchlines. It was just life. And it worked.
Is
Kanye releasing an album this year?
It
won't be this year--this year is almost over. But I've heard a couple of new
joints he's got. I know because of the [VMA] situation, he was talking about
taking a chill. But even before everything jumped off, he was really talking
[about wanting] to take his time with his next record.
What
about Common? Is he dropping an album any time soon?
I'm
not sure. I think he has a film coming soon. He's making like $5-$10 million a
film right now. [Laughs] I'm pretty sure he's having fun doing that. He's
rolling.
You
get plenty of respect from your peers, but not much acknowledgem
media and such. Do you feel like an underdog?
If
I had a choice between Top 10 accolades and money, I'd choose money. A Top 10
list is somebody's opinion. I know what I've contributed to the game. I'm like
Father's Day--it sucks. A lot of other rappers are like Mother's Day. Mothers
get everything. I get a tie, but [they'll say] "I love you, Dad."
Maybe with Cons TV, I'll get to
have Mother's Day. -Brad Wete
Consequence, cousin of Q-Tip, was an honorary member of A Tribe Called Quest before rocking with one of the few true-to-its-
