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SEP 20th 2005: DIPLOMATS - DIPSET VIDEO ANTHOLOGY VOL. 1 (DVD)
AUGUST 23RD 2005: JIM JONES - HARLEM: DIARY OF A SUMMER
ft. max. b, trey songz, p. diddy, jha jha, camron, juelz santana, paul wall, diplomats
COMING SOON: HELL RELL - STREETS WANNA KNOW MIXTAPE
COMING SOON: JUELZ SANTANA - FEIND OUT MIXTAPE
OUT NOW: Diplomats & DukeDaGod present: DIPSET - more than music vol. 1
ft. DukeDaGod, Hell Rell, JR Writer, Juelz Santana, Jim Jones, Cal., Un Kasa, Cam'Ron, Freekey Zeekey, Ash, Fabolous, Bezel, Bloodshed, A-Mafia, Jha Jha & Razah
DUKE DA GOD interview:
August 2ND , 2005
Duke Da God: Leading The Movement
Bill "Low-Key" Heinzelman
You know the Dipset's motto, "it's more than music." While not many expected it, collectively the Diplomats have hustled their way to becoming one of the hottest crews
In Hip-Hop. With their fanatical fan base, the streets have embraced Dipset as a full-fledged movement, setting the industry on fire with their unique style, slang and swagger.
While everyone knows the familiar faces of Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, there is one member of the Dipset that has played an integral part in shaping the movement behind the scenes. The A&R of Diplomat Records, Duke Da God, has been side by side with Cam since they grew up together in the same housing complex. Now he's heading the movement and taking Diplomat Records to the next level.
While he's only an A&R, Duke was able to hustle Koch Records for his own album deal with More Than Music Vol. 1. The Dipset compilation features all new music, and is the album fans hoped for with the disappointing Diplomatic Immunity 2.
In an attempt to reveal the man behind the scenes, BallerStatus.net spoke with Duke about his new album, as well as his humble beginnings.
BallerStatus.net: Dipset fans have heard of you and know about your new album, but many still don't know who you actually are. In order to solve that, I just want to ask you some questions about your history and background. So were you born and raised in Harlem your whole life?
Duke Da God: Yeah, I was born and raised in the east side of Harlem.
BallerStatus.net: What was it like growing up in Harlem for you?
Duke Da God: It was cool growing up in Harlem. I had the projects all around me, but I wasn't struggling like that. We was getting money back in the day, so the Harlem life was good.
BallerStatus.net: What were you like?
Duke Da God: Basically, I came from the building in which Dame Dash and Cam'ron grew up in. We all grew up in the same complex. So when I was young, probably 14 or 15, we were always involved in the music, and Dame was an older dude who always had groups and stuff, so we were always involved in that and the streets. Dame Dash was heavily involved in the streets, and I was right there with him.
BallerStatus.net: What is your first memory of Hip-Hop?
Duke Da God: When I was six years old and I heard Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five's "The Message." I remember I recorded that song over and over on my TDK tape. I just had that song and nothing else on it. And eventually the tape started to drag, because I listened to it so much.
BallerStatus.net: What about an album? Was there one album you always listened to?
Duke Da God: Man, there are so many. I used to love Tribe Called Quest, EPMD, Kool G. Rap, De La Soul, Krs-One -- I can't even pick one.
BallerStatus.net: I know you said you used to run with Cam and Dame, but how did you start to get a name for yourself in the industry as an individual?
Duke Da God: Basically, just being around and working hard. My motto is, "A diamond will shine." That is my slogan that I tell myself all the time. My hard work speaks for itself, and eventually I shine. Eventually, people will notice what you do, and you will come to the forefront.
BallerStatus.net: In the beginning, were you an A&R, or what were you doing?
Duke Da God: In my very first professional job I was a road manager. It really wasn't professional, because we weren't really signed to anything, but Dame Dash was the manager. He used to book us with shows with a lot of artists that were out already, so we were almost professional. But I used to be the road manager back in the days for that. That was like '94 or '95, and then Cam got his record deal. He got signed in '97, and I was an intricate part of Cam's Confessions Of Fire and S.D.E. albums. But we were always on major labels, and we weren't Diplomat Records yet. We really didn't get the proper credit or anything, but it's all good. Once we formed Diplomat Records, people have been able to see what I can do.
BallerStatus.net: What are your strongest traits as a business man?
Duke Da God: I'm a big believer that if it makes sense, I'm with it. I'm an optimistic person. As far as business goes, I always have a big goal, and I'm also a good listener. If you are part of the staff and you have a good idea, I'm definitely listening. I don't care who you are. If you have a good idea, I'm gonna gravitate towards you. So I think I'm real easy to work with and I have good listening skills.
BallerStatus.net: What are you in charge of at Diplomat Records, as far as the everyday hustle goes?
Duke Da God: I'm in charge of everybody's projects -- the entire staff. I'm managing everything, taking care of the budgets, sample clearances, looking over the music -- everything. There is so many different aspects, so I am definitely keeping busy. I'm at the studio every night, so it's definitely a busy life, and you can't have no wife and kids with this career.
BallerStatus.net: With all the recent additions to Dipset, like Jah Jah and S.A.S., did you bring them in?
Duke Da God: Na, I actually didn't. I voted them in, but as far as actually going in the streets and finding them -- no. They kind of found themselves and we were just like, "Yo, they are crazy," and that's how it went down.
BallerStatus.net: How did you get this deal from Koch for your new album More Than Music, considering you're not an artist, DJ, or producer?
Duke Da God: Yeah, I'm maybe the only A&R that has ever had an album, but I basically got the deal because I did the Dipset mixtapes. I make and put them together, as far as the whole pro tools thing, and I also distribute them. So I'm involved in the whole process, and that's how I got my deal. I do the mixtape thing at a very high level, and I have sold like 20 or 30 thousand mixtapes already. The record company, being that we have done business with them in the past, they knew me and know what I can do. They gave me the deal because it makes sense. Why not capitalize off me?
BallerStatus.net: With Koch Records, you are getting a lot more money off each album than you would with a major, correct?
Duke Da God: Yes, a lot more! I can sell 10 thousand records and still have cake. I would probably get more cake from that than I would if I was on a major and sell 300 or 400 thousand. So yeah, it's definitely good money. Plus, you are real hands on with your project, and the budgets ain't that big, so you make a lot of the decisions.
BallerStatus.net: Plus, with the fanatical backing that the Dipset has, you guys are pretty much guaranteed to sell a certain amount each time out, right?
Duke Da God: Yeah, but there are no guarantees with anything. I seen artists come out who thought that and it didn't happen. But, that is definitely an advantage for us, because we have powerful music. Our stamp is a stamp, and we have a good reputation, so I hope everything works out in the end.
BallerStatus.net: What do you think the reason is for you guys having one of the strongest fan bases in the game?
Duke Da God: I don't know! I think it's the way we move and the different characters and members of the group. You have Killa Cam; he is the don and the chief. Jim Jones is thuggin' it and he is doing him; he got the gangs and a lot of sh-t in the streets, so we get a lot of love in the streets from that. You got Juelz; he is also into that and the girls. We are also real colorful people, as far as our fashion and swagger. To be a rapper, people gotta wanna to be like you. Like right now, a lot of people relate to Young Jeezy, and he's talking a lot of street sh-t. Also, he sounds good saying it, so fans are attracted to that. It's the same thing with us, because we have that movement where people wanna be like us. Plus, we got powerful beats, and we don't give a f--k about nothing.
BallerStatus.net: How did you specifically go about putting this new album together? Did you pick a beat and say, "I want you two on this?" Or did they come to you with tracks, and you picked which ones you liked?
Duke Da God: Na, na, we recorded this album strategically. I had a couple ideas, as far as tracks go, and I got the collaborations that I wanted. It wasn't like, "Here Duke, put this on your album." We collaborated in the studio, so I would be in there with 40, Hell Rell and J.R., and I would be like, "Let's do this joint." So we really worked together on this album.
BallerStatus.net: Hell Rell, 40 and J.R. seem to be on the album the most, so are those the three you are feeling the most out of the camp at this point?
Duke Da God: Na, because we introduced them on Diplomatic Immunity 2, so we wanted to show their evolution. We featured them on it because they are up-and-coming, and their albums are coming out in the future. J.R.'s album is coming out later this year, and Hell Rell [s dropping] the top of next year. We just wanted to feature them and get them ready to come out. This whole Hip-Hop game is real big, and a lot bigger than New York, so I wanted everybody to know about them, if they weren't aware already. I believe in them. I think they are dope, and I think they are the future.
BallerStatus.net: I know some heads who listened to the Diplomats at first and were like, "I don't get it, they don't make any sense." Then they keep listening and after awhile they eventually get it, and then they are hooked. Do you think that has to do with the huge amount of slang you guys use, as the average fan not living around NYC may not get it at first and it takes them longer to catch on?
Duke Da God: Yeah man, we are so futuristic, and then they come back like, "Oh, I didn't know he said that?" I remember Cam said the rhyme, "I kick that that rooti, tooti, fruity, Louie." And niggas were like, "What is Cam talking about?" But if you just listen to it, he is talking about Louie Vuitton. He's talking about the fruity colored Louie Vuitton bags, so if you just listen to it a little harder, there is more to find in the music. Its not just simple sh-t. And no disrespect to any rappers, but its not real simple, and that is what makes it fun. You listen to it and you're like, "Damn, I just got that."
BallerStatus.net: Yeah, it's like how E-40 is in the West. Obviously, not to the same extent, but just as far as people not getting it at first.
Duke Da God: Yeah, E-40 is to the next level with it (laughs). I don't know who understands everything he is saying, but he's a dope rapper though. I'm sure he has fans who can break his stuff down, but we just speak what's in our hood. If you are from Idaho, you may not understand a word we are saying. It's just hood talk, and we speak what we normally speak. That's the thing too; we try to make music for us. We not making music for your hood or this hood. We want you to accept our music in your hood, so it ain't like we are trying to make music for the South or West. We want to bring our own swagger to your house.
BallerStatus.net: Right now is a big time for the Diplomats. Juelz with "Mic Check," Jim's "Baby Girl" is going crazy in NYC right now. So do you feel as if this is the biggest moment in the movement right now, and you guys are on the verge of taking it to the next level?
Duke Da God: Oh yeah, definitely. We got a lot of music out right now, and as you said, "Baby Girl" is buzzing crazy. And Juelz, he is about to drop his new single, so it's definitely real big. We got the lineup already set. Jim Jones is coming out right after More Than Music, then Juelz in September, then Killa Cam coming right back in November. After that, J.R. is cleaning up around Christmas time, so this is definitely our time right now.
BallerStatus.net: What is the next single for Juelz?
Duke Da God: He got this song called "The Whistle," and it's a catchy record.
BallerStatus.net: What's the vibe of it? Is it commercial, street, or a mix?
Duke Da God: It's fun. It's a fun record that you can visualize by just listening to it. It's also like a dance record, but it's within our realm, and we didn't try to go out and make a record like anybody else. It's in our realm, and it's a fun record with a twist to it. It's a little gimmick, but it's fun.
BallerStatus.net: Let me ask you about Cam's Purple Haze. When it first dropped it had a nice buzz in NYC, and the Kanye joint was blowing up. But do you feel due to the Def Jam situation, that it was a wasted opportunity? Especially, since most felt it was his best album.
Duke Da God: Yeah, Purple Haze was a real messy album. Cam really didn't really get behind it like that, because he really didn't want to release it. It's just the contracts and all that. But he definitely wasn't happy at Def Jam, and didn't believe in them and what they were capable of doing. He didn't go crazy promoting it, and just put it out and it did what it did. It went Gold without any promotion or push from Cam'ron or the label. As soon as Purple Haze dropped, he was trying to get out of his deal, so they weren't trying to spend any money on it anyway. It was a done deal, but it still Soundscanned Gold.
BallerStatus.net: Let me ask you then, with Juelz still being on Def Jam, are you guys worried about that repeating with his album? Especially considering the albums they have recently dropped have flopped.
Duke Da God: Na, we are definitely on top of that. We are very much involved, and remember, we are Diplomat Records. Juelz is Diplomat Records/Def Jam, so we definitely have our feet and hands in his project. We are definitely going to put that Diplomat swagger on it so it don't catch no bricks or nothing.
BallerStatus.net: Any last words?
Duke Da God: The album is crazy, More Than Music Vol. 1, the first Dipset compilation executive produced by Cam'ron and me. It's all new tracks and it's real dope. We are back out, itss Dipset season, so everybody get ready. It's our time right now!
source: ballerstatus.net
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auch wenn viele die ja nich mögen,......ich steh total drauf....,nur jim jones is ne schwuchtel
