Published: Saturday - January 22, 2005
Words by Jay Casteel
Bushwick Bill (Photo: BallerStatus (file))
In 1991, Houston, Texas' hardcore gangsta rap scene was introduced to mainstream America by the Geto Boys -- consisting of Willie D, Scarface and the most recognizable member of the group, Bushwick Bill a.k.a. Dr. Wolfgang Von Bushwickin The Barbarian Mother-Funky Stay High Dollar Billstir -- with their breakout album Can't Be Stopped. The album spawned a chart topping hit with "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," but after many set backs -- including the infamous incident that left Bushwick with only one good eye, Willie D leaving the group, the group's legal woos with Rap-A-Lot, and Bushwick's suit against the label for allegedly getting assaulted -- the group is back once again to show that they can still shine through the storm.
The Foundation, which drops January 25, is set to be a new beginning for the group. The trio's pint-sized rapper, Bushwick Bill, sat down with BallerStatus.com to discuss the group's history and future. But he's also got a lot more going on besides the reunion LP, including getting his own Dollaz & Sense label off the ground and prepping the release of his next solo effort entitled Gutta Mixx (dropping in March).v BallerStatus.com: The Geto Boys, aside from Scarface, have been pretty quiet for quite some time. Why did you guys wait so long to put out a new album?
Bushwick Bill: It's has to do with paperwork. It's got nothing to do with talent.
BallerStatus.com: I know in the past you had problems with Rap-A-Lot, so why did you agree to go with Rap-A-Lot for this new album?
Bushwick Bill: Well, that's who owns the name Geto Boys, that's where The Foundation is at. It was [J. Prince's] name, we just rapped underneath it.
BallerStatus.com: I've read past interviews with you and you had said you had no kind of relationship with J. Prince (CEO of Rap-A-Lot) and you wouldn't work with Rap-A-Lot again. So, that's why I asked why you were working with them on this album.
Bushwick Bill: It's not so much that I'm working with Rap-A-Lot, more so than it's a business move for me. You can look at as if I'm working with them, in the sense that your saying, but I haven't done any paperwork with them. I'm not working with them in that sense. I have my own solo album coming out on Dollaz & Sense/Adex Records/Lightyear, so it's like doing this album... all everybody kept asking me about was, are you a still a member of the Geto Boys? It's like people can hear me better when I'm in that light, and they can see my potential better than they could try to predict my potential. People like to work with what they can see, as far as the direction you're going in rather than trying to invent the direction you're going to make it in.
Basically, the way I recall the whole album coming together is like, we doing this for the love of the fans and because rap is standing better than when we started. We love what we do and you can tell when you hear the record.
BallerStatus.com: You guys have been apart for so long, how did it feel to actually get back in the studio and work together again?
Bushwick Bill: Well, we got put in the studio together when we didn't know each other, so after knowing each other it's a lot easier.
BallerStatus.com: [laughs] Well, how was the vibe this time around?
Bushwick Bill: It was the same as always. I mean, we never went to each others' house; we never hung out with each other after the concerts. We always were three separate individuals. It's like going into Iraq; once you know where you are going, then you know what your position is.
BallerStatus.com: So it's pretty much just a strictly business relationship.
Bushwick Bill: Yea! It's always been that way. We're cool with each other, but it ain't no "Partridge Family" sh--, it ain't no "Fat Albert and the Gang" type sh--.
BallerStatus.com: The new Geto Boy's album, The Foundation... what can fans that have been waiting for this album expect?
Bushwick Bill: Sh--, they can expect us to do what we've always done. We've never fit in; we're always the ones that stand out. And we're gonna be touching on issues, circumstances, and situations that people are overlooking, like always. We gon' deal with what's important, not what's unrelative to the current situation of current events. It relatively has to be relative to the ghetto, in order for us to do this album concerning the ghetto.
BallerStatus.com: I have heard some of the tracks from the album and your "Bill" track is sick. Is this track what people should be expecting from you upcoming solo album?
Bushwick Bill: Yes... if you look at the "Yes, Yes, Yall" video, you notice in all my scenes, I'm by myself. The one club scene you see me a couple times... if you watch the video you will see. It's weird man; you can actually see who the camera wants to be on. That lets you know the quality of certain scenes of the people who get the close-ups and all that sh--, you can tell... If you look at the video, you can tell by the quality of the video exactly who they're focused on. But I'm using this as a stepping stone; I have no hatred towards no one. I love all people that love God and I hate those that hate him. Business is business; bullsh-- is bullsh--. The only thing personal about me with the Geto Boys is that I respect the music that we do and I love the music that we do, and that's about as personal as it gets. Other than that, it's about the money I'm making doing this project. And if I don't see no real money in the future, or I get an inclination that things aren't right, then I'll gracefully bow out. I ain't gotta trip. I ain't gotta argue about why after 20 years sh-- ain't right. If it just ain't right, then nothing's ventured, nothing's gained -- at least, I didn't question whether it was possible that the business could be correct. In the end, at least I tried. In this life, all you gotta do is be the best you. You can't be somebody else. I can't be somebody's shadow; I can't be somebody's yes man or someone's utensil. Either we're equal or we're separate. And that's why I left. We weren't equal, so we had to separate. I came back in because the conversation sounds right, everything seems to be going right. But the minute I realize that the captain wants to hit an iceberg, I'm exiting before the ship starts sinking.
I wish everybody the best on the whole project. Personally, I'm happy and excited about it. But you know the only reason I left before was because of the business and I'm just praying that everything goes right with the business this time. I hope that everyone comes out of this deal satisfied with whose handling the tours, who's over the videos, who's over the marketing and promotion. I want Geto Boys to finally get the kind of publicity and marketing support from a label that any artist would get. Even when we were with Virgin Records, I can't really say that what they would have put behind this or that artist is what they did for Geto Boys. I didn't see no stand-up cut-out or anything like you would most artists -- that's on a major label -- would get.
BallerStatus.com: Back when the Geto Boys were at the peak of your careers, your style of music -- as far as the really graphic nature of it -- wasn't accepted on the scale of what it would be accepted on today. So hopefully with this new album, the Geto Boys will see the type of success that your reputation deserves.
Bushwick Bill: Yea, we're [considered] legends in the game, as far as being the first in the South to be there, stay there and build a foundation without running to the East or the West or anywhere else.
BallerStatus.com: Is that why the album is called The Foundation?
Bushwick Bill: Yes, that's what we are. No one did things in the South and do what we did. We were the first to go platinum nationwide and worldwide, who were from the South. We are the foundation of Southern hip-hop music. We're not the foundation of hip-hop music; we are the foundation of Southern gangsta hip-hop music. We covered everything. We're Southern, political rappers; we're gangsta rappers; and we're anti-social rappers. We've always been the CNN of the ghetto; I call us the BNN -- the Black News Network. [CNN] gives you the world in 30 minutes; we show you how the world is f---ed up in the ghetto in an hour.
BallerStatus.com: Now moving on to you specifically. You got a new solo album coming called Gutta Mixx...
Bushwick Bill: That's exactly what it is, it's a Gutta Mixx. It's a mix of past, present and future [Bushwick Bill tracks]. This is a new generation, so I'm just showing this generation what I've done because the generation that grew up on Geto Boys music are parents, teachers or business executives themselves now. So I'm re-enterating what I've done in the past for this generation and showing them where I'm going. Then, doing the [new] Geto Boys album gives me the opportunity to show them what I did with the foundation as a rapper from the South. It's like they get all sides of Bushwick with The Foundation and the Gutta Mixx.
BallerStatus.com: Tell me about your record label.
Bushwick Bill: Yea, it's called Dollaz & Sense Entertainment, but it's actually two companies; one is called Lickle Getto Boy and the other is Dollaz & Sense Entertainment. Lickle Getto Boy is my management company and Dollaz & Sense Entertainment is my record label. That's where I plan on doing my DVDs, my independent films.
BallerStatus.com: Any last words?
Bushwick Bill: I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not. I'm also getting ready to check out the paper work on this reality show called "Urban Icons," they want be to be a regular host down there, so we'll see how that works out. I'm trying to make this second chance I have in the music business on a major level with the Geto Boys for what they call a comeback! I just want all the readers to know that the only thing that limits you in this world is you. I was born short, but I didn't except any short circumstances. I tried to live as big as the world is within reason.
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