CLASSIC - Ozone Magazine

What do you have going on right now?We’re actually cocked and ready wit’ a mixtaperight now. We’re gettin’ the final mix andmastering done, some overall production stuffdone to it. It should be out by the time thisinterview comes out. I’ve been concentratingon my shows. The name of the mixtape is GetYa Money Up – it’s self-explanatory. Most of theproduction was done by my homeboy RodneyP. from Average Joe Productions. The rest of itis industry tracks. It’s hosted by my homeboyDJ Q45.Why didn’t your usual producer DVUS do thetracks?He had a lot of shit goin’ on during this mixtape.At this point, no bullshit, I was writin’ amixtape worth of material every week. Aftera while I guess it got to be a bit much for usto get in the studio at the same time. He wasdoin’ one thing and I was doin’ another thingso I went on ahead and did the mixtape. Hedid do the mixing, mastering, and overallproduction as far as puttin’ it all together. I gota few singles on the mixtape that he did theproduction on, but I was just testing the waterand gettin’ some new blood under my belt.You have a new song called “I’m So Hated.”What inspired you to write that song?It’s one of those self-explanatory joints. It’s alot of muthafuckas that fuck with me, but atthe end of the day that’s how I felt so I put itout there like that. That’s how I was feelin’ thenand that’s how I’m feelin’ now, so I put it in thestreets and the people are taking to it. It’s anoverall good look for a nigga.What are some other bangers you have outthere?I got “I’m So Hated” that’s beatin’ the streetsup. “Work” is doin’ alright. We also got a videofor that. We got this joint that’s about to behittin’ the street real soon, I’ve just been realpicky about when I wanna put it out there.It’s a song I did called “Hell Yea.” We put it onDVUS’ Myspace page for a minute and as far asa single, that one is a problem!Over the years you’ve had several managementsituations, a few deals on the table,and a lot of performances. Why do you thinknothing solid has materialized yet?I think it’s a combination of things. I always feltlike I was ready, but me being as special as Iam, maybe internally I wasn’t ready. I look atthe situation like the stars have to align. You’vegot to have the right song, the right team, theright people lookin’ at you; everything has tohappen at one time. I ain’t sayin’ everything’saligned right now, but we’re plotting andplanning and we’re damn sure ready. As far asmanagement goes, I’ve been back and forthover the past 5 years with a few different managementsituations. I ain’t sayin’ they didn’thave my best interest in mind, but at the endof the day, I gotta do what’s best for me. SoI’ve been runnin’ everything on my own for thelast 2 years. It’s been good for a nigga. It’s beenstress free, drama free. I can’t tell you the exactreason why shit ain’t popped off the way it’ssupposed to, but all I can tell you is that for ’08and ’09, if they ain’t fuckin’ wit’ me I’ma makethem kick themselves in the ass and ask why.Back in the day you used to be on the freestylecircuit real hard. Do you think you couldstill eat some dudes up in a battle?I’m still on that! If you know Swordz, you knowI’ve always been about lyrics. Regardless ofwhat a nigga stands for, regardless of what anigga been through, I’ve always been ‘boutlyrics. If y’all niggas thinkin’ a nigga was sleep,this mixtape finna wake your ass up. A lot ofthe shit niggas ain’t been gettin’ over the last3 or 4 years, they’re gettin’ it now. Half of themixtape is songs, and the other half I’m rappin’from the start of the beat to the end of thebeat. But I don’t do the freestyle battles likethat, mainly ‘cause I’ve been there and donethat and I don’t have to prove myself to theseniggas. They know what I can do. Make itworth my while. Put the cash pot up to a thousand,or some stacks, and holla at me. I can’tbe doin’ these battles for $200. I don’t feel like Ihave to prove myself over and over. It’s alwaysbeen there and it’s always gonna be there.Your performances are another strong quality.What’s been your favorite shows so far?I’d have to say the ones where the audiencedon’t know who a nigga is or what a niggais ‘bout to do. Like a lot of these Hood Rockshows I’ve done, I like doing ‘em ‘cause myback is against the wall. I don’t know whatto expect from the audience and they don’tknow what to expect from me. That’s wheremy comfort zone is at. Unless I’m constantlychallenging myself it’s not really doing nothin’for me. I like doing shows in cities where theyaren’t up on a nigga like that. Shows wherethey don’t know what to expect and I blow ‘emthe fuck out their shoes and they like, “Whatthe fuck was that?”What else do you want to let people knowabout Swordz?I ain’t been nowhere! I’ve been planning,plotting, and strategizing, and now I’m backin y’all’s niggas asses like toilet paper. Thismixtape is dropping. We got a Duval mixtapefollowing that. The long awaited studio albumis finally getting ready to hit the streets aroundSpring of next year. Keep watchin’ for me.OZONE MAG // 27