It may appear as if Cam’ron was the first Harlem cat to make pink and purple hot. But the truth is, the “purple” movement is the brainchild of Shiest Bub, who recently signed his own crew, Purple City with Baby Grande.

Along with producer Agallah and Dip affiliate Un Kasa, Purple City is dropping a best-of mixtape, The Road To The Riches on March 22. HHDX sat down with “The Emperor” Shiest Bub to find out how Cam stole his style, when his novelty shop is opening and what’s so special about Harlem.

What is Purple City?
Purple City started off with myself being part of the Diplomat movement. That was a way for me to identify myself. I started doing mixtapes. I met Un Kasa. He was with the Diplomats. Purple City started off as a training camp for artists in the streets, in the hood that wasn’t getting their chance to come out. I used it as an outlet for artists that didn’t have industry ties to come out. Because since the industry is based where it’s like if you don’t have an industry backing, it’s almost impossible to get on. My contribution to the Diplomats was I would start working with new artists helping them get their stuff together and breaking them on mixtapes along with Diplomat artists. And then once I got to around my third mixtape… I had used some of Agallah’s beats. He was a friend of mine. I didn’t know he was into the music serious like that. When I did my homework, I said, why don’t you work with us? That’s how we pressed on. I got a studio for us to work out of and we made seven mixtapes.

How’s the chemistry with you three working together?
Basically, we all have the same goal. My whole being in the industry was brand new. Due to my fashion, Me wearing purple. Having a purple chinchilla. It was extra with me. People gravitated to that. We all had the same idea for being successful. We’re not a group. We’re a crew. We’re from New York, That’s how we move in New York. It’s way larger than the three of us. Agallah does the production. I organize it. Un Kasa puts his young generation on it. That’s how we keep it moving.

How did you hook up with Baby Grande?
Chuck Wilson read about us in Fader. People have the misconception that Purple City is Cam’ron. But in reality, Sheist Bub owns Purple City. I am the Purple Master. That’s what I do. It’s not to say anything about stealing or jacking. I’m grateful to Cam for adapting to the purple and poppin off with it because it helped my transition into the industry. It’s been documented through our mixtapes that we started the Purple Movement. Cam and the Diplomats supported us from day one. They got the money. That’s what Harlem is about. Hustling whatever the product is. They hustled and now I’m hustling it. He got it from me. Continued on page 2 »