DX: Bun B is killing it on the charts right now, and UGK’s last album opened at #1. I respect Bun for his knowledge of music and his outspokenness in interviews. He is an underground king. You guys can say the same on all three counts. It took UGK 15 years to get what they always deserved. Can you guys wait another 10 to get what you deserve?
Phonte: The main thing that people don’t realize is in the age of the technology, MySpace, YouTube, I just think somewhere along the line, people forgot that the music industry is hard. [Laughs] Motherfuckas just don’t realize how hard this shit is, man. One of the things that I’d just like to express to people who always say, “Man, I just want to get to where you and Pooh are at.” Dude, that’s cool, but even to get to our level, to where we are right now, that shit has been a process 10 years in the making. Me and Pooh met each other in ’98. From then to us sitting on the phone right now has led to us being where we are. You can’t count one thing out. The harder thing for people to understand is, people may think it’s easy to make music, but it is extremely hard to become a successful, working musician. I’m personally good with it. If my career never progressed this point, as long as I’m able to take care of my family, then I’m good. I really don’t need nothin’ else. Even that has taken a long fuckin’ time to get to.

With the case of UGK and Bun [click to read] in particular, he’s just a dude that would not stop. I asked Bun the same question myself, “What keeps you goin’?” He was just like, “Really, it’s the fans. It’s people reaching out to me and letting me know they appreciate what I do. Straight up.” For me, what keeps the fans, but even more than that, it’s the feeling that I have something to say. If I ever get to the point where I feel like I’ve said all I have to say as an artist, then I just won’t make no records. I’d be wastin’ peoples’ time.
Rapper Big Pooh: If I can take anything from the UGK situation and comparing it to ours, it’s just that good grind and good music don’t go unappreciated.