Jay Tee

Jay Tee gehört zu den alten Haudegen des Westcoast-Rap, seine Alben mit N2Deep, Baby Beesh und Latino Velvet haben ihn weltweit bekannt gemacht. In letzter Zeit forcierte er in erster Linie seine Solokarriere, also kein Ende in Sicht … oder etwa doch?

What up Jay Tee! Pretty much, you’re already a bay area legend! How does it feel to still be able to drop CDs and do the business the way you want to after all these years?

Man, It feels real good. I feel I’m at the best point in my career right now. I been more famous during the early N2DEEP years, but as far as my business and money, I’m doing real good right now.

Tell us a bit about 40 Ounce Records. Since when does the label exist? How many releases were put out thus far?

I been drinking 40 Ouncers since Junior High School. That’s where the name came from. I started the label around 1994 after the 2nd N2DEEP album came out. I had so many problems with the major labels that I didn’t want to mess with them anymore. I decided to start my own label and do the Independent thing. I’ve put out over 30 release on 40 Ounce Records.

Who is on the 40 Ounce roster right now?

The only artist on 40 Ounce Records is me. I do a few deals where I might help other artists, but I don’t sign anybody. Too many headaches.

What can you tell us about the DVD that is going to be released on January 10th? Any details about this one that you can already reveal to our readers? Will it be released with a CD?

The DVD got pushed back. I’m waiting on this new Distribution Deal that I’m finalizing this month. All of new stuff will be coming out this Summer.

Will TL be down again?

Me & TL will probably do 1 more N2DEEP album. I just got to get him back fired up.

What else are you working on at the moment?

Right now I’m finishing up my new album “Jay Tee – How The Game Go”. I got a DVD and a book that will be going with it. Me & Beesh are also finish up a Latino Velvet project. I also got a T-Shirt line coming out in February. I got a lot of good stuff coming out this year.

What’s up with Johnny Z? Will there be further cooperations? This combination has always been deadly!

I call Z about once every month and tell him I need some slaps. He hasn’t came with none, so it’s on him. I think his mind is on some of his other ventures. No love lost.

A little history: what was your first release ever?

My first release was the 12 Inch Vinyl, “N2DEEP – Work That Body” back in 1990. After that, we put out a 4 song cassette called “Telly”. That’s the original name of “Back To The Hotel”. We sent that cassette out to all of the record labels and ended up getting a deal in 1992 with Profile Records.

 

What brought you to rap?

Being from Vallejo, you don’t really grow up thinking that you can go to college and get a good job. I grew up wanting to be a hustler. After I did my thang, I just gradually took my life and started writing raps about it. The rest is history.

Who is the most important personality in Vallejo rap to you as far as putting the town on the map?

Most definitely Mac Dre and E-40. We all started out at about the same time and I was friends with both of them. I was always the middleman between the two, trying to get them on a song together. They both had totally different styles, so I think I took a little bit from both of them. They both are still the biggest rappers from Vallejo and they started about 15 years ago.

Do you have a favourite Mac Dre moment you’d like to share with us?

The last time I did a song with Dre, I went to his house and set up my portable studio in one of the bedrooms. It was just me, him and Miami. We did the song and then just kicked it talking about old times. Dre was a real cool cat.

And what is your favourite record ever?

My favorite album is probably “N2DEEP – The Golden State”. I was really struggling in life at that point, so I gave it everything that I had. Even being broke, I was still having fun. That was a good year.

Speaking of great records: Baby Beesh and you did your thing with those Latino Velvet releases. Whose idea was it to do that?

Me and Beesh were at a club one night were it was mostly Mexicans and we seen all of the love that we were getting. We decided to a album that was more directed to that type of crowd and it blew up.

Is it true that you are planning to retire after the N2Deep release? If that is the case, what are your plans for the future?

I think I’ve done everything that I can in the music business as an artist. I’ll probably do a few more projects and then take a back seat. No matter what, I’ll always be involved in music for the rest of my life.

What is your opinion on the current rap scene in the bay? Is that “hyphy” sound something that we will hear from you as well on the future releases? You know, I’m not hating on others, but I’d definitely prefer to hear that classic laid back playa sound from you like you’ve done it since day 1!

My new album is gonna have some of that 1990’s sound. That’s what’s in my blood. I love that kind of sound, but it’s hard to find producers that can still make that kind of music. I got a couple new producers that remind me of the 1990’s. I’ve always tried to put a few new producers on each of my releases. Some of them can do the old slower mobb stuff and some of them are doing the new up-tempo hyphy stuff. If you’ve ever been to the Bay Area, then you would understand the hyphy movement. It’s more than just music. I got a little bit of the hypy on my new one.

 

You did a beat for the E-40/Too $hort album right? Do you know why this project never got released?

I think it was because of the Jive Records. I wrote the hook to the song and they did the raps. The song will probably eventually come out on something. I thinks it’s called “Everywhere We Go”.

You’ve collaborated with tons of great artists! Is there anyone that you still wish to work with?

I’m a big fan of Sade. I’d love to have her sing one of my hooks. I’d also love to have a Dr. Dre beat.

Did you know that there is a big fan base for your music in Germany? What other countries overseas have supported you over the years?

I sell a lot of stuff off of my website to people from Germany. Hopefully, someone can hook something up so that I can get out there. I never knew that people over there liked our stuff. I found out after I started getting a lot of orders from people and e-mails. I always answer all of my e-mails, so people started letting me know that they liked what I was doing. I’m real appreciative.

The Internet is getting more and more important for independent labels. Is it already bigger than the street hustle, especially financially?

I make money every day off of the Internet. I will never stop hustlin’, but it is easier getting money deposited into your checking account than trying to get it off the streets.

What do you think about people downloading your stuff?

I’m not trippin’. I just hope that they like it and end up buying something later.

I read that Mac Lee is incarcerated right now. Any chances of him getting out soon?

He has about 4 or 5 more years and then he’ll back, stronger than ever.

One last thing I’d like to know is: When you are in the studio, who may change the course of the recording through input? Whose opinion means the most to you in that sense?

I listen to everything that other people say. Even if someone that knows nothing about music is in the studio and gives me some input, I usually take that into account. I’m not one of those people that think I’m the greatest or anything like that. I like other people to give me there input.

Ok, we’re at the end of the interview! Any last words you’d like to say? Shout Outs, Fuck You’s, whatever…

Much love to Skreel for hooking up this interview. I want to let everybody in Germany know that I appreciate all of the support over the years. You can get all of my music as well as all kinds of other Bay Area rap at www.80westmusic.com and check out my website at www.40ouncerecords.com – Keep it Double Fisted!