 dead prez | Andre 3000  |
I think [Soulja Boy] got the potential to be the next Russell Simmons.
“So, I’m legendary?” Scarface asks from his home in Houston. He sounds amused. “I think Afrika Bambaataa is legendary,” he says steadily. “I think LL Cool J is legendary. I was just glad to be a part of it.”
And so are we. In 1991, Brad “Scarface” Jordan. 39, changed Southern hip hop forever with his raw solo debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back (Rap-A-Lot). It was an album that moved him beyond his Geto Boys run (the legendary hip hop group he joined in 1990), and cemented him as one of the most vital rappers ever. During his fourteen-album career, Scarface—whose latest solo project is 2008’s Emeritus (Rap-A-Lot/Asylum)—has mentored everyone from the late Tupac Shakur to Jay-Z. Lately his world has involved raising kids, a lot of golf, and “fucking with John Legend way too tough.”
VIBE: What made you want to become a rapper?
Scarface: To be honest with you…I don’t fucking know. I guess it was because of what I was listening to. I think when I started rapping it was Kurtis Blow and Sugarhill Gang, and Furious Five with Grandmaster Flash. I think that KRS-One came into the game and changed it forever because the shit that he was talking about on Criminal Minded was me. You know? That’s how I felt. I think Ice-T changed hip hop forever with “6 'N the Mornin.'” That’s a mean fucking record.
Who are you listening to now?
Man, you know who is fucking awesome man? John Legend is fucking awesome! I mean I thank God for John Legend, man, for real, because he brought back music. He’s making that shit that I grew up on. I love The-Dream. My kids turned me on to The-Dream [sings “Eh, eh, eh!”].
Who’s the best producer in the world?
Dre. In the fucking world. Like, I was listening to a track in this movie War and it was just an instrumental. The fucking track was…man…who can fuck with it? I mean the man releases a record every eight or nine years. This is how you rate the producers: staying power. Everything that he’s ever touched was some big shit.
Who are your five favorite rappers of all time?
I would have to say 2Pac. I like Kool G Rap a lot, you know? I like Cube a lot, I like Eminem a lot, and I like Redman and Method Man a lot. I don’t have five. I like Rakim and KRS-One a lot. I like Wayne a lot. I like T.I. a lot. I mean, regardless of what happened and however, I still like his shit.
What’s wrong with rap right now?
I think the Internet is what’s wrong with rap right now. Because it’s no way to filter garbage. You say some dumb-ass shit, and you get a million hits on your Web site on some dumb shit and the record label seeks you and it end up being…you sell a few ringtones for the company, and no respect.
And Soulja Boy is not included. Because I got a kid his age, and I think what he did was fucking brilliant. My 11-year-old son bought a Soulja Boy CD the other day. So for him to have fans and shit is some big shit to me. He getting money and he’s my son’s age. I like the way he do it. I think he got the potential to be the next Russell [Simmons]. I’m giving him some big-ass shoes to stand beside but if that kid really focus on finding talent and marketing that shit like he is now at fucking 18-, 19-years-old, I ain’t mad at it.
I got an 18-year-old and he worried about going to the prom and shit. Soulja Boy going to see accountants and lawyers and shit, and you tripping on the prom man?! This muthafuckin’ man getting his money, man! [Laughs]
What’s right about rap right now?
I don’t know man…I can tell you everything wrong, though [laughs]. Urban and pop radio is killing hip hop. I think the video stations and record execs are killing hip hop. Man, it’s some kids who are so fucking dope; these new little kids are so dope. And they’ll never be heard because they’re not in the right system.
How would you save the game?
I would…you know what? Do you remember when KRS-One would go onstage and beat up niggas for being wack? I would just send niggas to award shows to kick the wack rappers’ ass, like, Just go up there and beat the shit out of so-and-so…in front of all of his fans.
Press play to watch the video for Scarface's "On My Block" from his album, The Fix (Def Jam/2002)
Press Play to listen to Scarface's "High Powered" from his album, Emeritus
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