DX: Wouldn’t you say "Hypnotize" is a track of yours that everyone embraced though? I mean that gets played still to this day in the clubs.
DD: It’s funny that you say that though, as I remember when "Hypnotize" first came out, some of the negativity was, 'These guys, all they do is loop up records," you know there is always something. But when I look at it, it is 2008 and I made "Hypnotize" in 1996, but 12 years later that track still comes on in every club I go to. "[All About] The Benjamins," I made that in 1996 and that track still comes on at one or two am in the middle of all the hottest records that are being played in the club and that still gets the same reaction. I am happy that I have been able to make records that have been able to last for years like that and I hope to keep going and keep giving the people what they want.

DX: Will there be a "Brooklyn Let’s Go Part 2"?
DD: Yes there will be.

DX: Can you give us some hints as to who might be on that? A lot of people thought Fabolous should have been on there?
DD: Yeah, it’s funny because DJ Clue heard part one and he said that he thought Fabolous [click to read] should have been on it. But Fabolous is considered an A Lister; he is not a new guy. So over the last week, a lot of A List artists from Brooklyn have commented to me about that, saying that they could have also been on that. So there is a possibility that there could be a part two with more newcomers, like say Sha Stimuli [click to read], Uncle Murda [click to read], Saigon, Hoffa, you know those sort of guys; or there might be a chance of a "Brooklyn Let’s Go" with a Fabolous, a Lil Kim, a Foxy Brown, a Jay-Z [click to read], Mos Def, Talib Kweli [click to read], all those type of artists who are also from Brooklyn but are more A List.

DX: When your identity as the Madd Rapper was unveiled it caused quite a lot of controversy. Would you have rather stayed unknown longer?
DD: No, I mean I think back then, there was a lot of misunderstandings and there was a lot of media attention and it wasn’t really focused on the right things. I wasn’t upset that my identity came out; I was upset at the timing of the fact that my identity came out. What a lot of people don’t know is that behind the scenes, I had well over a million dollars worth of endorsements and sponsorships from various clothing lines and big corporate companies because at that time, I was a very hot producer. Being associated with Puffy, it was that era when a lot of money was coming in and one of the stipulations for those deals was that the Madd Rapper was a little more negative than Deric Angelettie the producer, who was married and a family man. A lot of these corporations wanted to keep that Deric Angelletie persona and not have the negative association to the "Madd Rapper" so to speak. They didn’t mind as long as I was introduced first as Deric Angelettie and let the people and the audience be more comfortable with Deric Angelettie and then slowly but surely bring them around to the fact that I am the Madd Rapper. When that information leaked too soon, the corporations and some of the sponsorships that I had, they ran for the hills. They weren’t comfortable with that and I lost out on the possibility of coming away with seven figures worth of endorsements and that really is where the regret came in. That would have taken me the man into different worlds, where there would be a life after music. That was where the problem was. I love people knowing that I am the Madd Rapper and I brought smiles to people's faces, made people laugh and knowing that people can remember the first time they heard it. It is really deep in peoples memories which is great and I love the fact that people know me. You know Dave Chapelle and Tracy Morgan, people of that stature have walked up to me and said how funny I was and I am looking at these guys as they are hysterical and they are looking at me in the same way, it is crazy. Cedric the Entertainer [click to read] gave me a big hug and told me how much he loved my skits and my interludes.

DX: Tell Em Why You Madd introduced the world to 50 Cent. Are you and 50 still cool today?
DD: I mean I would say we are still cool, as I haven’t spoken to him in a few years, as I haven’t seen him. But back then, it wasn’t like we were the best of friends, we just happened to be label-mates as we were both signed to Columbia at the time. We thought it was a good combination - what I was doing and what he was doing. It wasn’t like an organic friendship where we knew each other before the music business. You know through our trials and tribulations in both business and personal we went our separate ways, but when we do see each other, it is hugs and "How you doing?" etc. But we don’t regularly talk on the phone or through email. I mean that is one of the reasons as to why I am still here as I try to find talent and associate myself with such talent as like a Kanye West or a 50 Cent [click to read]. I managed Kanye before anyone knew who he was, and I am comfortable in that space, being their college coach before they make the pros, you know what I am saying. You know they may play for various teams in the pros but they only play for one college coach and they have to remember that one college coach who taught them all the life lessons and taught them how to be a man, what you need to succeed in the business. Continued on page 3 »