Some would say that beef is getting to redundant in the rap music industry. As cliché as it may sound, I agree with their sentiments. To many times do rappers utilize their God-given talents for the increasing of record sales. A degree of the anger that these rappers feel may truly be attributed to a difference ‘tween the two. But, come on, how much “trouble” are these guys really going through?
A genuine dispute arose around the end of 2006 where Philadelphia MC, Gillie The Kid put the reinvigorated Hot Boy, Lil’ Wayne on blast. Citing that he was the one responsible for lyrics off The Carter album, the Major Figgas veteran was ignored by the N’awlins boy wonder.
After being arrested for allegedly running two drug houses, Gillie The Kid sits down exclusively with HHDX as he discusses why he’s still better than his lyrical foes, explains why nothing can stop him from reaching the top and has a special message for the hip-hop community.
HHDX: Beef seems to be running rampant in the game. How much do you think is conjured up to generate sales?
GDK: I think a lot of it is conjured up to get sales. The shit to me isn’t real unless you have a legitimate beef. A lot of these rappers are actor's doing what they do to try and make money. If you got a real beef, then I can respect that. I had that. I had/have a real beef. Someone mentioned my name. This was someone that I was cool with and this person mentioned my name in a diss record. I don’t know if it was the drugs or whatever, but I know a lot of these guys come around just for the hype. So, either way… it is what it is.
HHDX: You even have Timbaland and Scott Storch going at it. So, if B.I.G. says what beef truly is, then why do all these emcees seem to be sensitive towards one another?
GDK: It depends on how thick your skin is. If you’re cut from cheap cloth, then you’re going to get mad. But see, where I’m from… rapping over some beats is not beef. Man, I’m from the murder capital, so “beef” really explains itself. Philly guys aren’t talking. They aren’t about rap music shit. Beef is beef and rapping is just that. These guys rap about each other and disrespect one another’s family, just doing it crazy on the mic and in the studio. Then they bump into one another in person… and it’s no problem. That’s not beef. You know what I’m saying? To me, they’re just having fun with a beat, you know? Just trying to get their buzz out.
HHDX: I know your situation is still wrapped up in legality, but can you talk about the arrest that happened early on in February?
GDK: I was advised about talking about the situation, but I’d just want to thank everybody for their support. I appreciate it. In time, I’ll be able to talk about it, but right now, I don’t even want mention it.
HHDX: Does this arrest speak to a financial situation that you’re currently going through? Or is it a part of a rapper’s aesthetic to “stay in the streets”…?
GDK: Nah… you got to think… some of us are really are in the streets, you know what I’m saying? Some people come from the streets… whether they grew up there or lived it… that’s what they come from. That’s what really gives us our ability. We’re only talking about what we know. We come up with the rhythm from the ghetto. If you’re intelligent enough to put words together… that’s the hustle. That’s the law of the ghetto. It’s kind of like unless you at a certain level… a Puff [Daddy] level, a 50 Cent level or a Jay-Z level, then you can’t pull all of your homies out the hood. You may live one way, but all the guys you grew up with are on the same corner since you were all kids. At the same time, it’s a bad thing, because the hood will get you caught up. You’re always going to have that connection to the streets. There can be a separation between the hood and the industry, but it feels good when you come from the hood and make it to the top. It’s good when you’re able to ride back and see where you were raised. Life went from sour to sweet. You may have a $2 million dollar house, but you came from nothing. It gives you a sense of staying grounded.
HHDX: Most people use their jail stints as motivation towards their lyrics. How has this occurrence invigorated you?
GDK: I was brought up in the hood, so I handle it accordingly. I’ve been shot before, but I never rapped about that. That’s not really my thing. I’m going to do what I’ve always done with my music. If it’s something worth mentioning, then I will. But all my negative events, I learn from it in from a positive aspect, but I don’t really put it in the music. I really don’t do that.
HHDX: For Cassidy, it gave him a renewed hunger, but he also wanted to step back from the bullshit, too. So, is it easier to stay connected to the streets and still be relevant within the music industry? Or do you have to choose one over the other?
GDK: You always got to stay connected to the streets. The streets are what make you. The suburbs may buy the records, but it’s the streets who make you. They [the suburbs] look at the streets and want to be like that. That’s what people who are not of the hood emulate. So, you always got to stay connected because the streets come up with the new gear, the new slang… the streets determine that.
HHDX: Now, Wayne really didn’t reply to your comments and in the recent XXL Magazine basically said you had nothing to do with his lyrical growth. Are you done with that whole situation? Or are you stuck on trying to give the truth to the masses?
GDK: Pretty much, I’m done with that whole situation. My belief is if you real… if a person has any realness in them, then you can see that. And honestly, you can see right through “shorty.” They asked him a question about me in the magazine and he said, “Who’s that?” You stupid enough to act like you don’t know who I am. That’s the third time I’ve heard him respond like that. So, that right there shows that he’s phony. He’s worn one of my chains in his videos. You got a guy who comes to an artist who hasn’t sold any records and wants to represent that man’s company! That’s the utmost respect! He was on the high end, I was on the low. It wasn’t like it was the opposite and I was going triple-platinum. He was on the high end and he wanted to represent me in his video! You can recognize who’s real… because I’m a real man. It gets no better than this. You can’t give a man more respect than that, but he tries to belittle me. He’s a kid to me. Then the road he takes is “if he [Gillie] did this, if he did that, then he should have some money.” Nothing he’s saying adds into anything. The next question after that was, “So, how did you get so good, so fast?” He said that Baby told him that “everybody left and that he [Wayne] needed to take it to the next level.” Just because Baby said that does that mean that you got better. If you got eyes, you can see that that’s bullshit that “shorty” is talking. What’s he talking is nonsense! Think about it last year, Jay-Z was his favorite rapper. But now this year, he’s better than Hov?! Everything I’m saying is coming to light. He’s fucked up on drugs! Whenever you see him on stage, you can see him rapping with his eyes closed. He’s rapping with his eyes closed, he’s hooked onto that OxyContin. Think about it… I’m the one who said that he kisses Baby on the mouth. No one believed me. He turned down $15,000 because he was scared to come perform at this club. There isn’t no way that I’m not going to get my money because of Baby and Wayne. He really showed you what type of respect he has for me in the magazine. That right there shows that “shorty” is scared to death of me. He’s not going to fuck with me in my city. He knows what I can do. When things were cool, I had people waiting on him outside the Ritz Carlton, for protection, in my city. He knows what kind of person I am… I’m not going to comment on “shorty” anymore. He’s a fucking kid. He’s a good kid, though, just high off them drugs. I’m kind of salty that I had to expose him like that.
HHDX: So, aside from having beef with rappers, the police having beef with you, what do you plan on doing to not let all this drama stop you?
GDK: At the end of the day, I’m doing me. I’m the hottest underground product throughout the country. So, I’m going to continue to do me. When I got out of jail at 2 o’clock in the morning, there were three record labels waiting on me. In fact, I want to give a big shout out to the homie 50 Cent! He reached out to me while I was his jail. Him… G-Unit… I fucks with all them. Shouts out to Interscope Records, too.
HHDX: So, any chances of you moving over to G-Unit?
GDK: I just came back from California. I met with Jimmy Iovine, so it is what it is. I respect dude [50 Cent] because he sold a whole lot of records. The difference between 50 and Baby and Wanye is that he’s real and those two are fake. 50 and I knew each other before that. But when I got locked up, he really extended his hand. That’s a real dude right there. But you got Baby, who had everyone around him and they left. He had twenty artists on his label and they’re nowhere to be found. Hell, even Wayne was trying to leave. So what does that say? That says that guy Baby is the devil. God willing, it’s about to go down. So, what I have to say to a lot of you rappers who’s out here stealing from these record labels, y’all checks are about to get cut short. I’m not playing any games with anyone. You’re going to see the difference between the cats who got talent and the cats who got a gimmick. Everyone knows I am what I say I am. I’m the King of Philadelphia. I just had a party two days ago and 2,000 people came out just to hang out. I don’t know anyone since Jeezy who have this type of moment. I’m just ready to bring the East Coast back.
Gillie is set to release his mixtape, the Best of the GDK Mixtapes, on March 13th in stores. For more info, check him out online at http://www.gilliedakid.net.
A genuine dispute arose around the end of 2006 where Philadelphia MC, Gillie The Kid put the reinvigorated Hot Boy, Lil’ Wayne on blast. Citing that he was the one responsible for lyrics off The Carter album, the Major Figgas veteran was ignored by the N’awlins boy wonder.
After being arrested for allegedly running two drug houses, Gillie The Kid sits down exclusively with HHDX as he discusses why he’s still better than his lyrical foes, explains why nothing can stop him from reaching the top and has a special message for the hip-hop community.
HHDX: Beef seems to be running rampant in the game. How much do you think is conjured up to generate sales?
GDK: I think a lot of it is conjured up to get sales. The shit to me isn’t real unless you have a legitimate beef. A lot of these rappers are actor's doing what they do to try and make money. If you got a real beef, then I can respect that. I had that. I had/have a real beef. Someone mentioned my name. This was someone that I was cool with and this person mentioned my name in a diss record. I don’t know if it was the drugs or whatever, but I know a lot of these guys come around just for the hype. So, either way… it is what it is.
HHDX: You even have Timbaland and Scott Storch going at it. So, if B.I.G. says what beef truly is, then why do all these emcees seem to be sensitive towards one another?
GDK: It depends on how thick your skin is. If you’re cut from cheap cloth, then you’re going to get mad. But see, where I’m from… rapping over some beats is not beef. Man, I’m from the murder capital, so “beef” really explains itself. Philly guys aren’t talking. They aren’t about rap music shit. Beef is beef and rapping is just that. These guys rap about each other and disrespect one another’s family, just doing it crazy on the mic and in the studio. Then they bump into one another in person… and it’s no problem. That’s not beef. You know what I’m saying? To me, they’re just having fun with a beat, you know? Just trying to get their buzz out.
HHDX: I know your situation is still wrapped up in legality, but can you talk about the arrest that happened early on in February?
GDK: I was advised about talking about the situation, but I’d just want to thank everybody for their support. I appreciate it. In time, I’ll be able to talk about it, but right now, I don’t even want mention it.
HHDX: Does this arrest speak to a financial situation that you’re currently going through? Or is it a part of a rapper’s aesthetic to “stay in the streets”…?
GDK: Nah… you got to think… some of us are really are in the streets, you know what I’m saying? Some people come from the streets… whether they grew up there or lived it… that’s what they come from. That’s what really gives us our ability. We’re only talking about what we know. We come up with the rhythm from the ghetto. If you’re intelligent enough to put words together… that’s the hustle. That’s the law of the ghetto. It’s kind of like unless you at a certain level… a Puff [Daddy] level, a 50 Cent level or a Jay-Z level, then you can’t pull all of your homies out the hood. You may live one way, but all the guys you grew up with are on the same corner since you were all kids. At the same time, it’s a bad thing, because the hood will get you caught up. You’re always going to have that connection to the streets. There can be a separation between the hood and the industry, but it feels good when you come from the hood and make it to the top. It’s good when you’re able to ride back and see where you were raised. Life went from sour to sweet. You may have a $2 million dollar house, but you came from nothing. It gives you a sense of staying grounded.
HHDX: Most people use their jail stints as motivation towards their lyrics. How has this occurrence invigorated you?
GDK: I was brought up in the hood, so I handle it accordingly. I’ve been shot before, but I never rapped about that. That’s not really my thing. I’m going to do what I’ve always done with my music. If it’s something worth mentioning, then I will. But all my negative events, I learn from it in from a positive aspect, but I don’t really put it in the music. I really don’t do that.
HHDX: For Cassidy, it gave him a renewed hunger, but he also wanted to step back from the bullshit, too. So, is it easier to stay connected to the streets and still be relevant within the music industry? Or do you have to choose one over the other?
GDK: You always got to stay connected to the streets. The streets are what make you. The suburbs may buy the records, but it’s the streets who make you. They [the suburbs] look at the streets and want to be like that. That’s what people who are not of the hood emulate. So, you always got to stay connected because the streets come up with the new gear, the new slang… the streets determine that.
HHDX: Now, Wayne really didn’t reply to your comments and in the recent XXL Magazine basically said you had nothing to do with his lyrical growth. Are you done with that whole situation? Or are you stuck on trying to give the truth to the masses?
GDK: Pretty much, I’m done with that whole situation. My belief is if you real… if a person has any realness in them, then you can see that. And honestly, you can see right through “shorty.” They asked him a question about me in the magazine and he said, “Who’s that?” You stupid enough to act like you don’t know who I am. That’s the third time I’ve heard him respond like that. So, that right there shows that he’s phony. He’s worn one of my chains in his videos. You got a guy who comes to an artist who hasn’t sold any records and wants to represent that man’s company! That’s the utmost respect! He was on the high end, I was on the low. It wasn’t like it was the opposite and I was going triple-platinum. He was on the high end and he wanted to represent me in his video! You can recognize who’s real… because I’m a real man. It gets no better than this. You can’t give a man more respect than that, but he tries to belittle me. He’s a kid to me. Then the road he takes is “if he [Gillie] did this, if he did that, then he should have some money.” Nothing he’s saying adds into anything. The next question after that was, “So, how did you get so good, so fast?” He said that Baby told him that “everybody left and that he [Wayne] needed to take it to the next level.” Just because Baby said that does that mean that you got better. If you got eyes, you can see that that’s bullshit that “shorty” is talking. What’s he talking is nonsense! Think about it last year, Jay-Z was his favorite rapper. But now this year, he’s better than Hov?! Everything I’m saying is coming to light. He’s fucked up on drugs! Whenever you see him on stage, you can see him rapping with his eyes closed. He’s rapping with his eyes closed, he’s hooked onto that OxyContin. Think about it… I’m the one who said that he kisses Baby on the mouth. No one believed me. He turned down $15,000 because he was scared to come perform at this club. There isn’t no way that I’m not going to get my money because of Baby and Wayne. He really showed you what type of respect he has for me in the magazine. That right there shows that “shorty” is scared to death of me. He’s not going to fuck with me in my city. He knows what I can do. When things were cool, I had people waiting on him outside the Ritz Carlton, for protection, in my city. He knows what kind of person I am… I’m not going to comment on “shorty” anymore. He’s a fucking kid. He’s a good kid, though, just high off them drugs. I’m kind of salty that I had to expose him like that.
HHDX: So, aside from having beef with rappers, the police having beef with you, what do you plan on doing to not let all this drama stop you?
GDK: At the end of the day, I’m doing me. I’m the hottest underground product throughout the country. So, I’m going to continue to do me. When I got out of jail at 2 o’clock in the morning, there were three record labels waiting on me. In fact, I want to give a big shout out to the homie 50 Cent! He reached out to me while I was his jail. Him… G-Unit… I fucks with all them. Shouts out to Interscope Records, too.
HHDX: So, any chances of you moving over to G-Unit?
GDK: I just came back from California. I met with Jimmy Iovine, so it is what it is. I respect dude [50 Cent] because he sold a whole lot of records. The difference between 50 and Baby and Wanye is that he’s real and those two are fake. 50 and I knew each other before that. But when I got locked up, he really extended his hand. That’s a real dude right there. But you got Baby, who had everyone around him and they left. He had twenty artists on his label and they’re nowhere to be found. Hell, even Wayne was trying to leave. So what does that say? That says that guy Baby is the devil. God willing, it’s about to go down. So, what I have to say to a lot of you rappers who’s out here stealing from these record labels, y’all checks are about to get cut short. I’m not playing any games with anyone. You’re going to see the difference between the cats who got talent and the cats who got a gimmick. Everyone knows I am what I say I am. I’m the King of Philadelphia. I just had a party two days ago and 2,000 people came out just to hang out. I don’t know anyone since Jeezy who have this type of moment. I’m just ready to bring the East Coast back.
Gillie is set to release his mixtape, the Best of the GDK Mixtapes, on March 13th in stores. For more info, check him out online at http://www.gilliedakid.net.
