Lake

Nach der Präsentation der “41st Side” Compilation dreht Lake jetzt erst so richtig auf: am 22. August geht mit “My Brother’s Keeper” eine Albumkollabo mit Cormega in den Verkauf, außerdem arbeitet der Rapper aus Queensbridge schon eifrig an seinem Solodebüt “The Big Ride”, das gegen Ende des Jahres über Death Row East erscheinen soll. Wir bringen euch mal eben auf den aktuellen Stand der Dinge.

You’re about to release the album “My Brother’s Keeper” with Cormega real soon. Tell me about the project…

We adress alot of topics ande issues that need to be adressed. It’s a real soulful album, real street. Me and Mega, we’re like brothers, we’ve been homies since we were little kids. And we have other dudes that we came up with that recently – about a hear and a half – got caught up in some real situation. They got incarcerated and they needed our help. So we got together to make this happen so we can help them. It was a crisis situation. That’s how the album came about. So there was alot of things that we needed to talk about on the album and we adressed it and the album came out banging. We got a whole range of producers: Buckwild, C4, Alchemist, Havoc – the record is well rounded.

Do you already have a single?

We’re debating on the single right now. We have a record that’s on the radio, it’s getting high attention. It’s called “The Oath”. That’s bumpin’ over here on the street, they play in on the radio – it’s doing good! We’re about to pick the next record we gon’ do as far as marketing it and doing a video and all that.

One more thing on Cormega. What do you appreciate on him a) as a rapper and b) as a person?

His loyalty. Loyalty to the music and loyalty to the people that he cares about. That’s the most dominant characteristic that’s stands out and I appreciate it because it comes through. If it wasn’t like that the music wouldn’t be what it is. It would be something else, he would have been conformed to what everybody else is tryin’ to do and what they think that should be done. He don’t do that, it comes from the heart. I definately appreciate that. His music goes big because you don’t have alot of artists that do that.

What abour your affilitation to Nas?

We benefited from each other alot. He got alot of things from me, alot of insight and I got alot of insights into the music world through him. It was a good situation what it was. You know, he gotta do what he gotta do and I gotta do what I gotta do. There’s nothing as far as animosities and nothing. I got to focus on my music and that’s what I got to get known for. That’s where I’m at with that.

You’ve been incarcerated for several years – how has this time changed and influenced you?

It influenced me because it made me focus up on the things that I really wanted to give me a value in my life. It made me look at things that I may not have looked and that have been mistakes. When I had the time to analyze it I said that’s not where I wanted to be in my life. And it’s not what I want my life turn out to be. So I had a look at the cards that I was dealt and really valuate it and say: what can I do? And the music was something that I definately knew I could do because I had that in my heart. So I really was focused on that and made that my outlet to the world. My outlet for me to get out of the situation I was in. And make it sure that I’m not in that situation no more. And be able to help the people I really wanted to help. I felt my help would be a benefit to our people in the movement.

Of course we have to talk about Queensbridge, the hood you’re from. What’s the state of affairs over there right now?

Man, pretty much everybody is trying to do the same thing. Everybody is trying to represent themselves and trying to get the story told. To get out of the struggle and get out of the opression that is in every inner city neighbourhood. It ain’t nothing but corrupt police – they come and do pretty much what they want to you. Because they know they can get away with it. And people don’t have the resources to fight that type of situation at the place they’re livin’ in. And nobody wants to be under that, everybody is trying to see better for theirself. So we got a whole bunch of different rap artists and all of them is doing that. We got people that support them that pretty much have the same dream. That’s what it is, everybody’s focused on doing what they gotta do. It’ll take the right people to get in that position of power to really change the way that it should have been as far as the unity and all of that. It’ll come once I do what I gotta do and Mega do what he gotta do. We focus up and take this to the level where we need to take it to. People that’s in the position are not leaders. They’re not adequate with that. But once you’ll see us on a whole different level then what we’re on now.

So why haven’t you achieved to drop a solo album yet?

It was alot of things that was going on. After I dropped the 41st Side album I got incarcerated and went back to jail for a case. So I had to fight that, I wasn’t on the street and able to do that. Than I fought the case and won the trail and came home. Now when I came back home, I’ve been in the studio working. That’s when I got with Nas, I got on “God Son”, we did “Revolutionary Warfare”. We were just focused on getting Ill Will Records established but it never really happened. That’s what really slowed me up. Then after that I tried to have a outlet but they put my album not the way that I wanted to. So I didn’t want to put it out and let it fall on def ears. I needed to get the right situation. When I get in that situation I make sure to develop it, that’s when my music is gonna be heard the way it needs to be heard. I don’t want to put it out no other way.

What about other albums, compilations or mixtapes you’re featured on?

Man, I’m on a bunch of mixtapes now that’s on the streets. I can’t even keep up with all of them. I’m all over the streets with the mixtapes. I don’t have no compilation now that I’m on but I’m all over the streets. And the websites they keep putting my music up.

Are there any young brothers you try to bring up with you?

Well I got some artists that I’m putting out. Artillery. Army J, hes from the Bronx. Uno Dos from Long Island. All of them will be coming out with their albums when my album dropped. I got a few brothers that’s incarcerated, when they come home I want to put them out.

What’s the first thing that comes in your mind when you think of Germany?

I just see a state of unadulterated music. I don’t see music that’s tainted over there as it is over here. Now when I think of different concepts and different areas I think of how the facts is musically. And over there, I see that the music has been pure. I feel like the music from over here is only appreciated at places where they haven’t been tainted and over saturated with alot of wack, not heartfelt or soulful music. So I see that as being like a untapped resource.

Will we have the chance to see you over here on stage?

Oh, definately! Once we’ve put the album out and we set the schedule, I wanna get to Germany. I’m definately coming across sea to bang out hard…

Is there anything I forgot to ask about?

Naw, I see no thing. That’s it, that’s it. The album will be out August 22nd, “My Brother’s Keeper”. It’s gonna be a full length album with Lake and Cormega, a Death Row East Project. My album “The Big Ride” will be out at the end of this year so get ready for that, sit back and enjoy what we rap. A shoutout to all the supporters of my music, I appreciate y’all. Hit me up on myspace, I get all the hits. I’m just tryin’ to finish up the album, I’m runnin’ around and working hard but my shoutout goes to them – because without them I’d have no reason to do this nore would I be able to do that. So my first shoutout is to my fans that support me.