Audio interview with Quran
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Philly Rap: I want to start out at the beginning, back when your dad had the label Pop Art. What was it like growing up around the likes of Cool C, Steady B, Jazzy Jeff, and The Fresh Prince?
Quran: Now being older looking back, I realized it was actually history, it was legendary. At the time when everything was taking place, I was a kid. I really didnt understand how great it was. Now, looking back, having been able to grow up seeing Will Smith, whos now one of the biggest entertainers, is great. I was a part of history: Pop Arts Records and the legends Steady B, Cool C, LP. I saw everything first hand and that played a big part in motivating me to be the person that I am today.
PR: Would you say thats when you actually started to realize that you wanted to do this as a career?
Q: Yeah, it was instilled in me since a young age. I was around my father, I would always see him running his company and managing his groups. He was a producer as well, and he was a person that taught me everything that I know. Most people dont know that, he taught people like my cousin Steady B how to produce as well.
PR: So, Steady B is your cousin?
Q: Yeah, hes my first blood cousin.
PR: In 1992 the album Something For Da Youngstas came out. What was it like to be that young, and see your CD out and everybody going at it on the store shelves?
Q: It was good. Once again, when youre that young, you dont really realize how major everything is thats taking place around you because youre a kid. We were still in school; we couldnt really mess with girls like that (laughs). Our father was hawking over us everywhere we went, because when we first came out I was only twelve years old. I was very young.
PR: So, Im sure everyone at school knew who you were. How did that feel?
Q: Thats the thing, Im not trying to sound arrogant or nothing like that, but Ive always been popular. I was in videos before I even got signed, and everybody knew who my father and who my cousin were.
PR: I want to take you to the next CD, The Aftermath. That had the single Crews Pop featuring Trech from Naughty By Nature. Whats your thought on that?
Q: Well, Trech was the biggest artist in the rap game. There wasnt no Jeezys around at that time or 50 Cents. Trech and Naughty by Nature was the biggest shit in the game. Trech is an icon, they way he wrote Crews Pop was crazy. The way that came about actually was that we had been at the hip-hop hooray video shoot. They invited us to come through and be in the video. So, we got to talking about working together and next thing you know we went up there to record at Trechs aunts house in East Orange. He used to live with her there. Theres been music videos dont at that house, Tupac used to always be at that house. A lot of people dont know that Tupac and Trech were like brothers.
PR: Yeah, Ive seen him in the background of some of his videos, but I didnt know they were that close. So, after that your next CD was No Mercy with the hit single Hip-Hop Rides. That is a song paying homage to all of Hip-Hop. I wanted to know, why didnt you ever drop the song Reality as a single?
Q: Yeah, Reality was one of my favorites too. We only got two singles off that album. At that time we were in the middle of going our separate ways and it got kind of political at that point.
PR: It was really just you guys transitioning over and trying to figure out what you were looking for?
Q: Exactly.
PR: After that your next CD was Ill Make You Famous, which was the lead single on that album?
Q: Yeah, we actually went back and released that on Pop Art records. A lot of people didnt even hear that album, but that was a great album. I wish that people couldve heard it.
PR: Thats around the time I started to realize that you were a good rapper. You had a solo song on there called Murder. So, why did you never do a solo project?
Q: Well, after Ill Make You Famous, I really started to get into production. Thats when we started to get independent and we really didnt have a lot of money to be doing our own projects. Before we were on Atlantic Records, so we had a bigger budget. Me and another guy named Mentally Gifted (MG) basically produced that whole album by ourselves. We had no outside producers on that entire album.
PR: So, thats really when you started to produce?
Q: Nah, actually Ive been producing since I was thirteen years old. My first official record I produced was on the No Mercy album. I did the intro, and two other tracks. Once we got on that fourth album, I got heavy into production and a lot of people started hearing my talent as a producer and started to approach me to put up tracks. I kind of fell into that. Rap is my first passion, Im a rapper first actually, I just grew into being a producer.
PR: Is producing something that you love to do?
Q: I love production, but I still always have that itch to get behind the microphone. Everyone is definitely going to hear me back in the booth. Im definitely working on a solo project as well. Im about to blitz the industry. I got my artist, Small Mill, who everyone should look out for because hes hot. Hes bringing the lyrics; hes bringing everything back to the game. Theres going to be a lot of stuff coming out in 2010.
PR: Youve worked with some of the biggest people, like Method Man, Missy Elliot, and Amerie. Whats it like to be in the studio with them?
Q: Its always a privilege to work with them. I worked with 50 Cent a lot, especially in the beginning of his rap career. We started out together as track masters. Ive seen the whole process of him starting out and being a rapper all the way until who he is today. 50 is a perfectionist man, every fucking particle of success he has now, he deserves it 100 percent. That dude is a super hard worker, super hard worker. Hell be in the studio on time; first one there and hell be the last one to leave. A lot of people dont know that hes really a good dude. A lot of people have this image that hes an ignorant monster. Im not taking away his street credibility, hes a nigga too, but at the same time hes a good-hearted dude.
PR: The hip-hop game is a lot different today then it was over ten years ago when you started rapping. What do you think of the game today?
Q: Its a lot different, theres more people out today. Back then, you didnt have tools like the Internet, and it was harder to get yourself out there or create a buzz. Nowadays you can just make a record and put it on YouTube and next thing you know you got all these hits. Anyone can have 15 minutes of fame. I think its also a good thing because you got everybody into the game now. You have kids like Soldier Boy and Bow Wow making millions, producing, and promoting themselves and everything. Its more of an entrepreneurial business.
PR: Are you really feeling anyone in Philly right now?
Q: Yeah, of course Im feeling my man Small Mill. Im feeling Meek Millz too. Ive been keeping an eye on him, checking his stuff out.
PR: I know this might be a stretch, but are Da Youngstas ever going to drop another CD?
Q: Hey, I mean we might come out with something together. Were grown now so, we all got families, and everybody has stuff going on. If we can all get our schedules right and get on the same page that can definitely be a possibility.
PR: Are there anything you want to tell our followers to look out for?
Q: Everyone look out for Small Mill, my solo project, we got a lot of production that is coming out soon, a couple of new artists. I did some stuff with Amerie, and some stuff with Chris Brown and 50 Cent. Basically, Ive just been concentrating on working on my Face Off Entertainment Company. Youll see a lot from me soon. I want everyone to look out for the LG documentary too. Its all about my father and how he was a godfather pioneer of rap and how all of the people he worked with came about. Theres a preview on my myspace page www.myspace.com/qurangoodman. I want everyone to check it out.
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