The album should be released on 25th October. Is this release date definitve? What caused the delay?
Rapper Pooh: The album is actually being released on October 23rd. It is a definitive date. The delay was caused by people not moving at the pace they were suppose to be moving at. We, the artist, did everything we were suppose to do in the time frame we were given but that means nothing if the label isn’t sticking to that same time frame.
Who and how came up with the Get Back logo?
We actually had this guy from out of Greensboro, NC come up the logo. Phonte has been the contact for that so forgive me for not remembering his name but we just asked him to come up with something that could represent the new album and the „new“ Little Brother at the same time. He did an excellent job.
If somebody said that Little Brother are selling out collaborating with Lil Wayne, what would be your answer?
That’s their opinion. If me collaborating with an artist I respect is selling out then maybe I am. If trying to put together the best project I can come up with and working with a commercially successful artist is selling out, then maybe I am. At the end of the day I can give a flying fuck!
There have been lots of discussions about only 11 songs on Get Back. But if you look at Illmatic, 36 Chambers, all these classic records are short, right?
Less is more, especially in this day and time. Attention spans are short and there is so much music out there that you are competing with. I don’t need 17 tracks to get my point across on a album. That’s when you start filling your album with bullshit. Short albums normally are short on filler and get straight to the point. That’s what Getback does.
The Listening introduced you to the world, The Minstrel Show made listeners think about its concept and topics, what should listeners get from Get Back?
A combo of both albums in theory. Reintroducing Little Brother now that we are no longer a trio but a duo. The topics that we speak on will still have you going back listening again, talking about, and relating to. We just did it in a fresh new way. Updating the formula.
You parted your ways with 9th Wonder due to creative differences. I´m sure you´re tired of being asked why, when etc. Hypothetically, can you imagine another Little Brother entirely produced by 9th?
No, not going to happen. That chapter in all of our lives is over.
You and Phonte announced 9th´s leaving and leaving Atlantic within a week. Did you expect what was going to happen? That everybody´s gonna ask why, question your album and all that?
Of course. That’s what people do, ask questions and speculate. The announcements came in the same week but each situation was developing behind the scenes for a while. With 9th having the bigger name in the group, the natural reaction was to question me and Tay’s worth to the group. Real fans and people who did their research new that we all contributing to Little Brother’s success equally and that we were going to be good on our own.
You are being considered a hard-wrking MC, still getting better. What do you think of your 4-year-old songs?
I hate my older songs. Hate them. Can’t really listen to them. I sound horrible…seems like stuff I did 4 years ago was more like 10 years ago.
Your next solo album Dirty Pretty Things is scheduled for the next year. How many songs are you deep and how does your solo album differ from the stuff you make with Little Brother?
I have recorded probably about 14-15 songs so far for Dirty Pretty Things. I actually want to record about 5-10 more when I get off tour and pick out the best 12 or so joints for the record. Its still scheduled for release early 08. My solo music is more beats and raps compared to a Little Brother record which is normally more soulful, more singing, more musical. I lean toward edgier sounds, less singing, just a harder sound all around. You also get me 100 percent!
You call yourself Rapper Pooh. Why not an MC? What´s in your eyes a difference between an MC and a rapper?
An emcee understands how to rock a crowd. An emcee understands how to make songs. A rapper just knows how to rap. The Rapper Pooh thing started out as just a nickname 9th used to call me a while ago and it stuck.
You said you would sign with a major label one more time. What would you have to be offered to do so?
My own label. I would have to be able to release music when I’m ready. Last but not least, I would need just a stupid amount of money to make the bullshit the label about to put me through worth it. So I guess I won’t be signing to any majors anytime soon ha!
The Minstrel Show caused many issues – your video was not played on BET and The Source changer their rating. With all this cheating going on, does it make sense to watch TV stations or read magazines like these ones?
For me there is nothing on BET for me. Their programming isn’t created with my demographic in mind. I learned with the Source issue about how political the magazine game is. The music world is just as political as the political world for real. Its so much going on that the average fan is oblivious to its crazy.
You´re about to go on tour. Do you prefer performing rather than working in the studio?
Actually those both are the only times that I do not feel like I’m working. I’m able to free in both situations.
Do you plan to tour Europe in the near future?
We are definitely going to Europe to tour for this album. Probably sometime in late January early February.
