V Exclusive! Mannie Fresh Calls Kanye West’s Crew 'Talented'; Talks G.O.O.D. Music Compilation

With the news that Kanye West’s upcoming G.O.O.D. Music compilation album is nearly finished, recently recruited Yeezy collaborator and former Cash Money in-house producer Mannie Fresh is offering more insight into the project. “It’s self-explanatory,” Fresh told VIBE of the album, which will reportedly feature West’s crew that includes acclaimed veteran Clipse lyricist Pusha T, heartthrob Detroit spitter Big Sean, alternative MC Kid Cudi, buzz-heavy beat man Hit-Boy, as well as production from Fresh. “Just look at the name of Kanye’s label: G.O.O.D. Music. That’s what it’s all about, creating good music. I’ve been having fun. Kanye was like, ‘Man, play me some new songs.’ He was impressed with what he heard. Kanye respects what I’ve done.” 

Fresh says it was important to know early on that West wasn’t out to change his sound. It’s a musical stroke that went on to revolutionize southern rap in the ‘90s as the architect of Cash Money’s synth-heavy, hard-paced production that fueled platinum plus releases by Lil Wayne, the Hot Boyz, Juvenile and his own group with Cash Money head honcho Birdman, the Big Tymers.

“I knew Kanye way before he was signed,” Fresh explains of their history. “He came to Cash Money with Mickey, who was an artist on Cash Money. They came together as a group and Kanye was the producer, and he decided to split out and later did his thing with Jay-Z. So I’ve been knowing dude forever. Kanye knows what I’m about.”

For Mannie, the most impressive part of his experience working with West has been the wealth of talent on the artist’s burgeoning roster. “There are so many talented people that are on G.O.O.D. Music that it’s nuts,” Fresh glows. “You have so many people that you are working with that it’s unlimited. I can’t say what it’s structured around. It’s more so a music factory. It’s like, hey, everybody that walks through those doors play Kanye something. If he likes it they give it to him. It’s as simple as that.”

Indeed, the G.O.O.D. Music compilation album has been getting major buzz. Most recently, Kid Cudi discussed the making of the release with radio personality Big Boy, stating, “Kanye West has been plotting this project for a long, long time…everybody got their projects out of the way -- now everybody's focused on this.”—Keith Murphy