DX: You guys are back in the studio now, recording as D12. That had to have been tough when you went back to recording?
MP: Well the first month we did pretty good, but you could tell we were really at a loss with what we wanted to say. I got the point where I wanted to focus on certain things and showing a growth as that was what we were going to focus on anyway with this record. That was hard as hell as some days you just know he wasn’t there and then there were some days where we just knew we had to do what we had to do and everyone was strong. Then there were the days where emotionally we weren’t feeling anything. It was just hard all around. We didn’t go in think, "Oh we are going to make some money," we went in with the intention of rapping like we were rapping at the Hip Hop Shop. We didn’t consider what people wanted to hear as that was what Proof taught us. He taught us to be who we are and not what people expected. I think today things are so cynical and so messed up that we missed that part, we got lost in it as I felt that I was trying to make certain songs. It was tough because he wasn’t there. You never forget the message, you just get confused and wonder what we did so wrong to lose one of our own again. This isn’t the first time, this is the second time.

DX: Are you happy with the direction of the album?
MP: I think if I am able to actually do what I want to do with the record, which would be move to be executive producer on the project, it is hard when you are dealing with friends. I did the Pharoahe Monch [Desire] [click to read] record, and I didn’t even get to put my foot all the way into that, but I will with this record and all the things I am able to do, it is hard to show your own group that. Sometimes I think they have to move outside of me being this little kid that we came up with to this guy who knows how to do that. I am happy with it though yeah.

DX: Why couldn’t you do what you wanted to do with the Monch album?
MP: I will say it like this; we did a lot and we had so much more. But it became political and when it started to become political with him and his label and I think the A&R at his label. I met Steve Rifkind, and he didn’t even know that I was doing the record. I mean I am sure he had a lot going on, but it kind of showed me how important the project was to him. I am not a loud, flamboyant dude who likes to tell people he is good at something, but I just let people see that I am good at what I do. That I believe is what my problem was, he didn’t know and when it stated coming down to it, there was a lot of legal stuff that wasn’t taken care of and things not done right and not just on my behalf as my business was together. We are actually working on another record and I guarantee this one is going to be better than the last one. It just became political with management and A&Rs and it became tough for me because a lot of the changes they were trying to make were things that I wasn’t really going with. Not that I was looking to make commercial singles, but I knew where we should be with those singles and I wasn’t able to make those decisions as I was overshadowed by an A&R.

DX: Do you think labels actually understand the importance of who really exective produces an album?
MP: I think they are starting to get it, but I just hope it isn’t too late. I mean I would have Eminem exec produce for me, but it’s not like you would just use anyone as it really is an important role and you have to be able to listen to suggestions. There are a lot of producers now just saying, "Fuck the labels, I am going to go get my artist and bring you a whole finished product." That is really the way it should be.

DX: You sang the hook on the joint, "Look At Me Now" you did with Young Buck. Did you get cussed out for that as well as that was something different for you?
MP: I made that song for Buck when I was in New York finishing a track for D12, and he was down the hall and he needed a record. What I did was I went and did my research like I do with everyone I work with, something I love to do. Buck is just raw. I like to make songs that fit a person, and that track fit him. People gave me flack because I was singing. You know they would ask, "Why you singing?" and I would be like, "Because I know how." [Laughs] I mean I started singing before I started rapping. I am always learning with this, you know I ever went to school for this, nothing like that. But you know I gained a lot of love in the south from that. Me and Bun B [click to read] are close friends, me and Pimp C had a mutual friend in jail and we were going to work with each other and that was before this track. People are very shallow today yet I do get to reach people with the message and the right people and I think it made it easier for me to go down south and say, "DJ Drama [click to read] I want to do a song for you," or "Devin the Dude [click to read] I want to work with you." Continued on page 3 »