Cuban Link: Long Overdue

Born in Havana, Cuba in 1974, Cuban Link faced a lot of hardships in his life, not to mention his career in hip-hop. Once he touched the pen at the age of 15, Cuban began what would become of the hardest journeys he had yet to travel. As a youngster, the rapper met his future partners in rhyme, Triple Seis and Big Punisher, and from there, set his place as a future hip-hop underdog.

When Big Pun blew up, Cuban Link was right there beside him as one of the original members of the Terror Squad. After his comrade Pun passed away early, his relationship with Pun's mentor, Fat Joe, began to dwindle. When the tension became too much, Cuban and Fat Joe had a falling out, which led to the infamous incident at Jimmy's Cafe in the Bronx, where Cuban was left with his faced sliced. Soon after, the deal he had with Atlantic Records fell through, and his original debut, 24K, was shelved. All the doors that were once open for him, began to close shut for the young rapper.

Since then, the Spanish rapper has moved on. Not dwelling over the walls being thrown in front of him, he began to sharpen his lyrically skills, and continued to record material, waiting for his next opportunity. In 2003 that came, he inked a deal with indie label M.O.B. Records, and now after a decade deep in the game, is finally prepping the release of his debut, Chain Reaction.

Cuban Link spoke with BallerStatus.com about many topics including how he feels about his present situation, how he linked up with M.O.B., his past, and about his new album. Long overdue is an understatement in this story, Cuban is finally ready to unleash his wrath.

BallerStatus.com: Congrats on finally getting your debut ready. How does it feel -- after having such a long history in hip-hop -- to finally drop your debut album?

Cuban Link: I think it feels real good. It feels like all my hard work has finally paid off. I feel like it's definitely the right time now. I had the biggest buzz for a while, and now we're finally putting it to work. We just gotta do what we gotta do; I feel real good.

BallerStatus.com: It's been a long time since you were first introduced into the hip-hop industry. After all the blackballing you faced, do you feel that you're ready to show these major labels that they missed on a chance to sign you early on?

Cuban Link: Oh yea, that's definitely one of my driving forces. That's one of the things that has definitely made me stronger. The rejection from the major labels, the turning they backs on me; it's definitely a driving force for me to do extra [work]. I'm actually in a better position right now with M.O.B. [Records], as far as being an artist. They take care of their artists in every way, especially my money. They've been through it with me, and they showed me that they are ready for everything. I got they back, and they got mine.

BallerStatus.com: Now, how did you link up with M.O.B., and why did you feel it was a good fit for you?

Cuban Link: I linked up with them through a mutual friend that I had. He introduced me to the M.O.B. CEO, my man Artie. I met him, and we had a little meeting. He just wanted to find out my personal vibe. My music, he loved it, he told me. He wasn't ready at the time to do a label, but he told me he enjoys my music. He was Spanish, and I'm Spanish, so it was just a formal meeting. [At the time], he said he was looking to get into the music business, but wasn't ready, so we left it at that. A year later, I was still doing my thing, but our mutual friend was still emailing him new music from me. He got more open [to doing the music business thing], so we set up another meeting in 2003. After the second meeting he told me, "I'm ready! Let's pop it off." When he said that, it kinda bugged me out because people don't usually do that. You usually gotta get all the paperwork together and all that. He was like, "Let's pop it off," so I was like, "Hell yea, let's do it." I put him to a little test with the cheddar and all that, n----s is already like $100,000 deep in me without signing papers. That means a lot to me right there. That right there, people don't do that. After that, of course the papers were signed, and I got to know them, they got to know me on a personal level. I can't ask for a better position to be in right now.

BallerStatus.com: Before I talk about the new album, let's get into your past a little. When Pun died you and [Fat] Joe kinda fell out a little, which led to the incident at Jimmy's where you got your face sliced...

Cuban Link: There's more past then just that Jimmy's incident. That was definitely a big turning point in my career, but I just spent so much time on that already. I know you read the magazines, and they got the same things. I just don't wanna keep going through the past. I'm just sick and tired of that incident. There was just a lot of conflict between me and [Fat] Joe. He chooses to do what he do, and I choose to do what I do. The bond between us -- as far as getting back together and the future -- that's broken already. I'm gonna do me, and he's gonna do him; that's it.

BallerStatus.com: But as far as you and the rest of Terror Squad, do you guys talk anymore?

Cuban Link: Nah, we don't talk; no one besides Remy. I seen her at the Mixtape Awards, she's mad cool. She was one of those people that has always been real with me, so I have no problem with her. [Triple] Seis, I'm still down with him. He jumped ship first from Terror Squad [laughs]. I say that 'cause he's sitting right here with me, and I don't want him to think I forgot about him.

BallerStatus.com: Now back before you fell out with Joe, you were signed with Atlantic Records. You recorded your debut with them, which was shelved. Do you think any of that material will see the light of day?

Cuban Link: I'm sure it will. When I pop off this time with the situation I got going on right now -- when Chain Reaction hits stores -- I'm sure they are gonna put that 24K album out. That's only gonna make them look stupider 'cause I'm gonna put them on blast, "Look at them putting it out now, they are riding the bandwagon" [laughs]. That album was a part of my past, it's was my rookie album. I tried to give the world a little bit about Cuban Link, and I guess it wasn't appreciated by the label. That was definitely appreciated by the streets though.

BallerStatus.com: Now, I heard this rumor that you and Pitbull had a little run-in at Club Exit after the Mixtape Awards. Did anything even go down that night?

Cuban Link: It was a little altercation that popped off a little bit, but it was nothing major. The story about me and him goes back: he did a song about me, and disrespected me. He didn't come at me on the lyrical tip; he came on some disrespectful sh--. Long story short, I met him as a humble kid at a radio station, and he showed me love, so I showed him love. Something was going on with a friend at the time, which was Don Deniro -- [Pitbull] was more with Deniro than I was. When I went back to New York, Deniro had a lot of bad things to say about me, and got in [Pitbull's] ear. From there, [Pitbull] took that side of things, got on the record, and dissed me for no reason. He don't even know me. It got realer than that because I've been in the game for ten years, and no one has ever done that to me. He's a dude from my own country, and he does that to me? I still don't know why he did it, maybe using me to get on or whatever. You don't use me to get on, don't do it. I seen him at [Club Exit] -- I regret that it was Biggie's party 'cause it looked disrespectful; I didn't wanna be disrespectful -- I just lost my head a little bit. I got kind of hot, my mind didn't think. It was a little confrontation, nothing major, and that's it. It's not that important to me.

BallerStatus.com: So did you guys exchange words?

Cuban Link: He's a little too fragile to me. I don't wanna even touch the situation. I already seen his eyes, he don't want it.

BallerStatus.com: You got your debut coming out called Chain Reaction...

Cuban Link: It's crazy man; it's fire. I got a lot of heat on there. I got Don Omar on it; I got Jadakiss; I got Syleena Johnson; I got Peedi Crakk; I got Avant; I got Baby Pun; I got Triple Seis; I got Game... just a lot of fire power on there. The songs on the album are diverse; I hit every angle on there. I got songs that are sad, mad, inspirational songs... I got a "Letter To The Better," where I'm just talking to my dead homie. I know [Big Pun] is watching over me right now. That's my favorite joint on the album.

BallerStatus.com: Since this is all new material, how does it differ from the past Cuban we've heard?

Cuban Link: Well, I've been through a lot since then. Just a lot of situations that have gotten my anger level up, got my lyrical skills up, and a lot of airing out in there. I'm just trying a lot of new things. I got a Reggaeton joint on there with Don Omar, it's just a lot of avenues that I haven't taken, and I'm taking now. It's still hot! Cuban has never lost his touch with the lyrics. You'll see when it comes out that it will be something you'll wanna get.

BallerStatus.com: Now you got Pun's son on there, Baby Pun. Tell me a little about him, and do you think he can carry on his father's legacy?

Cuban Link: Oh, of course; that's his blood. I've never lost touch with Pun's family. His wife is like my sister, and his kids are like my nephews and nieces. That bond will remain there forever. Baby has been doing it. He chooses to do his little rapping thing. He's only 10-years-old, and he's coming up in the world; he's coming up fast. He's got his father's blood, and he's got that fire. He's my little nephew, so you know he had to be a part of it. He's lyrical; he's straight lyrical, just like his pops. He's got a lot of growing up to do, but he's got it. You'll hear it.

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