May 31, 2006 @ 1:36 pm

Field Mob: DTP Affiliated

by: Paul Cantor

Shawn Jay and Smoke should probably be talking about how they’ve rebounded from a three-year hiatus and scored a regional anthem with their Ray Charles-influenced Luda collab, “Georgia.” Or how their new Disturbing Tha Peace affiliation will be reflected in the sound of their forthcoming album Light Poles and Pine Trees, in stores June 20th. They could even talk about how they reunited with producer Jazze Pha, called in Ciara for a hook, and crafted “So What,” a feel-good record that is sure to be inescapable on the airwaves this summer. Unfortunately, they have to address a different issue—allegedly dissing east coast hip hop. The duo recently appeared on a Raw Report DVD calling out New York rappers for their attempts to “bring New York back.” Vibe.com recently had a chance to chop it up with Field Mob. Here’s what they had to say. Vibe: Tell me a little bit about how your situation with DTP came about? Shawn Jay: We was on MCA, that we call Rape N U Records. We had a hit song out that they ain’t have no way to follow up ‘cause they were stealing our money. We ran into Chaka Zulu (DTP President) and they came and hollered at us. Chaka broke that bread, said he really wanted us over there. I think “Georgia” had a bit of a harder sound to it than some of your past records. Is that something that people can expect from you more often? Smoke: Some people think we’re just a “So What” or “Sick of Being Lonely” group. Nah, homey. It’s bigger than that. You go buy that album, you’ll get to really know what it is. What was it like working with Jazze Pha again on “So What,” and what were your goals in making the record? Smoke: Well, our goal in making the record, just like every record, is to make a hit. Jazze—we knew what was gonna happen right there. It ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I notice that Kenjo did a lot of production for your album. Shawn Jay: Kenjo! He’s from Albany Georgia, real humble dude. When you hear Kenjo’s tracks, you’re gonna automatically know this ni**a’s talented. He got that Georgia river water running through his veins just like us, so it only felt right to work with him. Are there any other songs from Light Poles and Pine Trees that you feel people should check for? Shawn Jay: From the beginning to the end, the whole album is fire. The lyrics is fire. The beats is fresh. The songs is real and true. It’s good music. Now, the Raw Report DVD. I saw the way it was edited and it didn’t come off to me like ya’ll were really dissing New York artists. Shawn Jay: We just was talking, having fun, being Shawn and Smoke. That’s probably someone low level, in a media position, a low level rapper, broke ass trying to get in the game. right Now, I’m from New York and I admit that I don’t think even New York rappers have a clue on how to quote on quote bring New York back. Shawn Jay: Ya’ll make it hard on New York rappers because ya’ll telling them to bring it back. New York ain’t went nowhere ‘cause, sh*t, I’m still happy and proud to get my records played in New York. It’s just, there’s a new breed of artists. Ya’ll got some artists, it’s just ya’ll ain’t supporting them. When someone come to your high school from a different part of the world and they got a different accent, all the bi**hes love them. Well sh*t, the South just came to your school. Let us have em for a moment. You been fu**ing them ho** for years. You started fu**ing them high school hoes (laughs). New York got it. We love ya’ll. We understand totally. I just can’t believe ya’ll came at us sideways like that. Smoke: But it wouldn’t be a problem if [New York] had it. It’s a problem cause the South is in control right now. I’m not mad at it. Thanks for the attention. It took for ya’ll to think we said some sh*t. Do you think there’s somewhat of an effort on the part of the media or the music business to keep the North, the South, the East and the West all divided and beefing with each other? Shawn Jay: That’s the game. If you don’t do that, it ain’t gonna happen. We all speaking to each other. We don’t have none of that ‘he say she say’ sh*t, the bi**h part of this sh*t be the media.

Read more vibe.com online exclusives.

Article tags: Field Mob Disses New York, Field Mob, Ludacris, So What, Ciara, Field Mob Is DTP Affiliated 

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