Monday, May 02, 2005
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glisten: bizzy
Matt Sonzala of the world-famous Houstonsoreal blog (specializing in Texas hip hop) and Damage Contol on KPFT had occasion to interview last Wednesday with Bizzy Bone.
The following is my annotated transcript of that interview and an MP3 of same so that you can follow along.
Bizzy Bone - "'05 KPFT Interview"
Matt Sonzala:
90.1, KPFT, The Damage Control Program, live and in full effect once again, um at uh twelve-twenty in the AM on a, a early early Thursday morning. Trying to get things together here in the studio, uh, and we did it in three songs flat: Cam'ron "Get 'Em Daddy", before that Missy uh, with Pharrell of course, "On and On" and Kanye West with "Diamonds"; now we got all that East Coast stuff out of the way, we can go over to the midwest and then maybe come down South a little bit, cause right about now we got an EXTREMELY special guest in the studio, mang. Extremely special...
Bizzy Bone:
LOVE!
Matt:
Bizzy Bone, what's up mang?
Bizzy:
Love, love, love, love, love! "Cross to be out"? it's only one true god, you know how we do it man; what's the dilly yo; how things going down here in the H-Town; glad to be down here man; just relaxin' and maxin', man; I ain't seen nobody bring me no money yet...
Matt:
Haven't seen anybody bringing any money in H-Town?
Bizzy:
Oh well, you already know how it is: when we look at money we don't look at that paper; render unto Caesar what's Caesar's; render unto God what's Gawddssss...
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
Yeah yeah yeah, most definitely; it's a spiritual thing; it's a spiritual movement. Most of my people at the mall, they know what's going on; most of my people over there at the Scottish Inns, they know what's going on; most of my people over there at the hotel over there by my family, you already know what's going on; you know how we rollin'; ain't no time to be playin'. That's what's up! One true god! And representative! Please believe it! Inthenameofourlordandsaviourjesuschrist, how you doooin'?
Read this interview with Bizzy where he details the breakup with his former group, Bone Thugs N Harmony.
Reporting on Bizzy's last show with Bone prior to the break-up, NYT writer Kelefa Sanneh wrote, "Bizzy Bone was dividing his time between a microphone and a flask, and as the concert progressed, he paid less and less attention to the microphone. He slumped over on the side of the stage and then, right before 'Notorious Thugs,' he staggered off."
Bizzy has five kids with four different mothers. He is twenty-eight years old and has been an internationally acclaimed recording artist from the age of eighteen, when Bone's first album Creepin On ah Come Up dropped.
Matt:
Man, what brings you down here, bro?
Bizzy:
Well, you know man; I've best been movin' and and y'knowwhatI'msayin' and I ain't got nowhere to live really, you understand what I mean, so you know: we lookin' for somewhere to live; we lookin' for something to eat; when I was sleepin' at the bus station, everybody was laughin' at me, y'knowwhatI'msayin': I had calluses up under my feet; everybody was laughin' at me, but I'm up in this motherfucker, OOO my girl, did I cuss; excuse me.
Matt:
Yeah, the station manager's here, "Greg"?
Bizzy:
My bad; tell the station manager that I love him. Oh my goodness, there go the phone. Ooo my goodness, oh my goodness; I ain't even gonna take it no further; pardon me, pardon me.
Matt:
Naw, that's alright mang.
Bizzy:
Okayokay.
Matt:
Now suh, from, uh from the sound of things, sounds like you're not just homeless; maybe you're a nomad?
Bizzy:
Well, you know some people w-was. Y'knowwhatI'msayin', that's a good word: no-mad. I ain't mad. Y'knowwhatImean, we just handlin'; we doin' what we need to do man and we livin' and we praisin' gawd every step of the way and some people may say that that gospel thing ain't what they really want to see and some people may say that ain't what they really tryin' to be on; but trust and believe and when we talkin' about the creator you ain't talkin' about that, y'knowwhatImean? You talkin' about some realness, you understand what I mean; and that shi- oooh, it's so real!
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
Oh my goodness! Praise God! Praise Gaaawd! Praise GAAAAAAWWWWWD!
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
YES!
In 2000, Bizzy levelled a number of lawsuits against his label. Bizzy also has a long standing dispute with Ruthless Records. Precisely how destitute Biz really is is open to dispute, but he has commented with increasing venom as to how he often performs without being paid.
Matt:
You goin' in the way of the gospel.
Bizzy:
Oh well you already know. You know, from, you know you got 'Heaven's Movie'; you got 'The Gift'; you got the 'Praise the Alpha and Omega'; you got the 'Praise the Beginning and the End' and you already know the little science behind stuff that's been going on already that's been set up the way it's supposed to be already, ya dig?
Matt:
Yeah...
Bizzy:
YESSSSSSS!
Matt:
I understand that; I always thought a lot of guh, uh, gospel sound influencing Bone, but uh, you kinda always went in both directions, I think.
Bizzy:
Well, you know a lot of people would say that, y'knowwhatI'mean-
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
But when you start speaking it, when you start talking a lot of people would LIKE for you to shift but it's hot or cold, baby! It's hot or cold, y'knowwhatI'msayin'; that's why I said: y'ain't gave me no money so what they talking 'bout.
Matt:
Who hasn't given you any money?
Bizzy:
Well, I mean, period, y'knowwhatI'msayin'; let's say somebody on some, like some evil levels; you know, the evil level, you know what I'm sayin': they's LAVISH, they y'knowwhatImean: they BENTLEY DRIVERS, you understand what I'm saying, if you, y'knowwhatImean, if you on that level, you of this world and you on that you know what I'm saying and the slobber goin' down your cheeks and y'knowwhatI'msayin' and the nectar goin' down your neck, and y'knowwhatImean; that's got a lot to do with that bread but when you rollin' around here and you feedin' your people down there on the streets, you understand what I'm saying, where the nectar at? That's what I'm talkin' about; HOLLA BAAAACK.
Matt:
The nectar? Yeah.
Bizzy:
Yeaaaaaah.
Read this entirely unbiased review of Bizzy's "The Gift" from The Violently Racist Music Page.
Since going solo in 1998 with his album "Heaven'z Movie", Bizzy's music has taken a more and more pronounced Christian tact.
Matt:
Well, man; now, tell me though, tell me: I, when I was growing up, player, I saw Bone on TV all the time; I saw ya'll blowin' up, man; what was that?
Bizzy:
Yeah, yeah, as, as, as well, as well, as well. As well, as well, as well. Well, you know when you look at blowing up and you look at the different things, once you get to the physical realm of it and once you start looking at it like that: that's why you stay in the streets; that's why you stay in the hood; that's why you stay around the people that ain't got NOTHIN', 'cause they ain't got nothin' to say but LOOOOOOOOOOOVE! ==gasp==
Matt:
Yeah? I think you have a lot more to say that what you lettin' on tonight, baby.
Bizzy:
Hey, well you already know how I feel about the situation; ain't nobody drop no money in front of the door so ain't no sense in even taking it too far.
Matt:
Feel about the situation.
Bizzy:
Do you feeeel meeee?
Matt:
We want to know more about, you said, "the situation".
Bizzy:
Well, the situation is mang, there's a lot of things going on, you know what I'm saying; we got a lot of things happening in the world; that's what's up; got a w- w- w- what 'Pac say: uh, "I said you can run the red lights, but peep the street signs; you can run the red lights, but peep the street signs; you can run the red lights, but peep the street signs." Please believe it.
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
Holla. HOLLA.
Bone memorably collaborated with Tupac Shakur on the 1997 "Art of War" album. Here's a clip from that track.
Bizzy Bone - "Thug Love" (clip)
Buy "Art of War" from Amazon.
I remember when this first dropped, a friend of mine told me that he rode with a cat who was popping shots out of his car into the tarmac while he was listening to this song. We at th' Hut don't approve of this sort of behavior... but we understand. That beat is vicious.
Matt:
So it sounds like it's a lot more than just about you not getting paid...
Bizzy:
Well, you know when you get to the "I" or get to the "me" and you start talking about the paper mang, as long as everybody representin' th' one; in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen in the name of our lord and saviour jesus christ, that's all that counts. I don't need your money. Keep your paper. We'll get the paper ourselves. I don't sit on my - "A"! YouknowwhatImean, we don't have to do that youknowwhatImean: I said, I do what I do and anybody that want to put something down, youknowwhatI'msaying, get to a little rapping: "comeinitwithadollywithamulletupinamuggettogetherprobably
gonnakilliteachotherbelovehitthefellowtothe--" c'mon now; you already know we do these things.
Matt:
I hear you.
Bizzy:
Holla back, c'mon now. Calm yourself down; this is how we get down. You know what's up. Please believe it. Oh, c'mon now. You know what's up.
Matt:
So now you're work, you're looking for work in Houston where garbled
Bizzy:
Well we really ain't, no we ain't looking for no work right now; we just movin' the way that we movin' and whoever ain't movin' the way that we ain't movin', hopefully they lives go good, youknowwhatI'msayin'; that's all we can do, you know: we can pray for the best, you understand what I'm saying? Ain't gonna be no waltzing in, holla.
Matt:
Right. Now that's where it's at.
Bizzy:
YES SIRRRRR.
Matt:
Man. You gonna stay here awhile or what's the next-
Bizzy:
Y'knowwhatImean?
Matt:
Uh, what's the next destination on your journey?
Bizzy:
Well, youknowwhatImean, we just being guided by the spirit; wherever we at is where we at, youknowhatImean: you might see me at the bus station; you might see me at the shelter; you might see me somewhere over here, somewhere over there; it really don't matter, you know, it ain't nobody-
Matt:
Why the bus station or the shelter? Why that?
Bizzy:
Well, you already know: 'cause that's where the real people at; that's where you ain't gonna get judged; that's where people ain't gonna, youknowwhatI'msaying, try to HAND you the death, youknowwhatI'msaying, and try to hurt you like that, youknowwhatImean, cause they goin' through they own thing; they doing what they gotta do and they been through the things, youknowwhatImean and th- then you know what I call me my, youknowwhatImean and it's uh, you, uh-huh, yeah, uh right and that's what be goin' down, youknowwhatI'msaying so they can't say nothin' but love and that's what it's supposed to be and if they say anything extra, you gotta show love because you understand the situation that they in; that's why them are the people that we need to be dealing with, hollaback.
Read this interview with Bizzy, in which he discusses the murder of his brother:
"I am looking at his picture right now, as I keep him with me everywhere I go. The whole thing that happened with (my brother) Adrian was...the industry and what we are doing, was not ready for (Adrian's album, produced by Bizzy). And not only were they not ready, they were not willing to give us a chance to be heard. And when you don’t give people a chance to be heard, who need to be heard, as this is their only outlet out, when you take that from them….When people say, "Please don't do business with him, don’t give him any deal, don’t let him put out this, don’t let him do this, he is untrustworthy, etc". When you hold him back like that, when you get that black ball on it, by him just always sticking with me, because he was [family]. So virtually, he was blackballed in the industry, like I was blackballed in the industry. During the course of that, we have kids we have to feed. He has three children he left behind. And in the course of that, things happen in when you have to take care of your children. From that, you step in the jungle, and you have to be an animal. Unfortunately, somebody came up into his home and he was murdered! That is the thick of it. I blame myself, because if I wasn't blackballed in the industry, I could have had him out there working. I could have had him out there singing his heart out, doing what he does best. But we are real people and what we rap about and sing about is not fake. So if we are not doing this, there is a good chance, and there is a good possibility that we may wind up dead."
Matt:
Yeah? Now, don't you have a new project out right now?
Bizzy:
Well, you know it's a few projects out, youknowwhatI'msaying: you got 'Heaven's Movies'; you got 'The Gift', youknowwhatI'msaying; you got the 'Praise the Alpha and the Omega'; you got the 'Praise the Beginning and the End' and youknowwhatI'msaying; I don't expect nobody to go out there, youknowwhatI'msaying and youknowwhatImean, be all on that; it's all good, youknowwhatImean; that's the way I like it; I just like it like that ain't no waltzin' in around here; I like it like that. I like it like that! I LIKE IT LIKE THAT!
Matt:
You don't expect them to go out and, like, pick up the record, man? I think they would; I think they-
Bizzy:
Well you already know, man: th- that comes from the heart; if I stand up in here, try to manipulate and try to play 'The Gift', youknowwhatI'msaying and try to maSSAGE it, youknowwhatImean; I gotta come from the heart man; if it don't come from the heart, I don't even want to HEAR IT, man; aw, man: bootleg it or something. I ain't tryin' to hear none of that man. Keep it real or don't even come NEAR me; don't come around me; don't buy nothing; it don't matter to me, that's how I get down. It's real; when I see you, you already know how I feel about you and I'm gonna see you regardless.
Matt:
... see who?
Bizzy:
EVERYBODY WE'RE TALKING TO.
Matt:
Everybody, man.
Bizzy:
Yeah, because you know we're not just talking to each other, we're talking to-
Matt:
Right.
Bizzy:
- a lot of people around the radiusssssssss.
Matt:
Yeah. A lot of people listening in on the internet at KPFT dot org, whassup ya'll, whassup?
Bizzy:
Alright, alright, alright: one, one love, one love, one love. You know what it is, you know what it is, one love, hold it down, hold it down, I know, I know, I know, quit trippin'.
Matt:
Yeah? What're we playing tonight; what did you bring for us?
Bizzy:
Oh well, youknowwhatI'msaying, we got the little 'Praise Alpha and Omega' album which is a beautiful thing-
Matt:
Right.
Bizzy:
YouknowwhatI'msaying, especially when you understand what it represents. That's right there; I'd much rather you play something from one of the other young homies out there that's doing they thing so we can promote what they doin', youknowwhatI'msaying, 'cause it ain't about me, youknowwhatImean, I just appreciate the time to be able to sit down and talk and now that I got the time to sit down and talk my people know what it is there's only one true god in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen in the name of our lord and saviour jesus christ and any blasphemy against that shall be met with SWIFTNESS.
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
YESSSSSSSSSSS.
Here's a cut from Bizzy's album 'The Gift'.
Bizzy Bone - "Still Thuggish Ruggish"
Buy 'The Gift' from Amazon.
Matt:
The church of Bizzy Bone-
Bizzy:
MAN.
Matt:
- here tonight at KPFT. Is that it? Is there another, is there a church of Bizzy Bone; is that comin'?
Bizzy:
Hey man, you already know what church is-
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
Now, we walkin' in our church.
Matt:
Yeah.
Bizzy:
These are our tabernacles. You walkin' in your church; you speakin' in your church; that's how we do it; we praise; we worship; we go from within; the jewels and the linaments and the diamonds and the rubies and the sapphires and the pearls that come from within, you understand what I'm saying? I already know YOU know what it is; you feel me? Huh? Holla! Holla! Holla! Holla! Ain't learned it for nothin'; what you think I ain't gonna say nothing-
Matt:
Man.
Bizzy:
But I'm supposed to come up in here and saturate it and not say nothing? What, I supposed to not do nothin'? What, I supposed to not say it? I'M GONNA SAY IT! I'M GONNA BE IT! I'M GONNA BE REAL WITH IT! THAT'S THE WAY WE GET DOWN! TO THE DEATH!
Matt:
That's what we need. You got to say it!
Bizzy:
PRAISE GAWD!
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
YESSSSSSSSSSS!
Matt:
What's this, uh, song we're gonna play right now, though? Is it, uh, are we playing?
Bizzy:
I don't know, brother; you know what, I think; oh, oh, you're gonna do number, uh, uh, fourteen.
Matt:
Okay. Fourteen, yes?
Bizzy:
It says, "You Better Run, You Better Hide".
Matt:
"You Better Run, You Better Hide"?
Bizzy:
Yeah, I think that's the title of the song; you have to excuse me, because as we put things down, we really don't, youknowwhatI'msaying? You know how it is: you drink a lot, you black out, holla.
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
Holla! HOLLA! Huh? Huh, huh, what?
Read this interview with Chronic magazine.
Bizzy has had a dramatically difficult life; at the age of four, he was kidnapped for months by a family member who attempted to sexually abuse him. Problems with alcohol and substance abuse are at the crux of his issues with Bone.
Matt:
Is, is "You Better Run, You Better Hide" a broad message as well; is that a message to, to everyone?
Bizzy:
Well, you know, the beginning of it is, for those who thought I signed with B2K; they must be outta they MINDS.
Matt:
Now, who thought you signed to B2K?
Bizzy:
Well you already know: it's one of them passing phases; see it went so fast, you forgot about it.
Matt:
Yeah? Now, that's true; that's true... So now, actually, so you, this is, uh, directed at B2K?
Bizzy:
Naw, naw, this is directed to the music that it IS, youknowwhatI'msaying-
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
I, if I wanted to direct it to them; man, don't try to single them out dude!
Matt:
Naw, I'm not trying to single them, man.
Bizzy:
Don't do me like that! Just like I ain't gonna come to you like that? And I ain't gonna play you like that? And I'm with your tabernacle? Don't play them like that; it's B! 2! K! It's just like if you sit down and you say a metaphor and this is a story that you actually know about and that you can actually kind of get something from it instead of it just being something you thought was plucked out of the air. Holla back; c'mon now.
Matt:
Does it have a broader message, maybe against, about the music business? And about the whole business?
Bizzy:
Well, you already know; for those who, tho', for those who thought I signed to B2K, youunderstandwhatI'msaying and I'm gonna take it spiritual there's only one true god, representative. And you thought it was my test! Huh? Holla! Holla! Holla! Holla! Holla! Holla! HOLLLLAAAAAAAAA!
Read where the B2K rumour started and read about the fallout and followup.
Matt:
Uh, everybody's saying, "Ask him this, ask him that"; do you wanna take questions from Chill and everybody else?
Bizzy:
Hey, you already know what it is-
Matt:
Yeah?
Bizzy:
I think you need to go ahead and play the music, youknowwhatI'msaying; we definitely been pumped; we definitely been hyped, youknowwhatI'msaying; we want to snatch a little bit away from that so we can grab the ego-
Matt:
Yeah.
Bizzy:
Tell the ego to sit down and do what needs to be done and the quicker you blink and the quicker you raise your head, you let me know what you was thinking about from jump. Hollaback.
Matt:
Hey, hey. You got it, man.
Interviewer:
Hey, can I ask you a question, yo?
Bizzy:
Tap that heart, tap that mind-
Interviewer:
Hey, can I ask you a question?
Bizzy:
Test that soul, test that heart, test that mind, test that soul-
Interviewer:
Hey is that, uh. Can you freestyle for us one time?
Bizzy:
Well, youknowwhatImean, just a freestyle, youknowwhatI'msaying: It's only one true god... unh... it's only one true god... you see, as I walk through valley of the shadow of death with flesh and blood I let evil question us and you know how we bust we lay back in the cut, I see the sinister minded you blinded look at him and he find that when I nibble that tree of science you thought you was laughing at Bryon hollaback that's enough!
Visit Bizzy's official page.
I have to say that part of my intention in posting all of this is in the hope that someone reads and hears this and gets Bizzy a little help. I really don't mean to get all up in the brother's business, but it seems undeniable that Bizzy is a young man with more problems than he can handle. Anybody else notice some serious OCD surfacing in his speech? There's a rule of threes that he follows with a lot of phrases and there's a definite compulsiveness to his outbursts.
There is an undeniable but definite nascent racism when it comes to out-of-control hip hop artists; the general attitude is that they're not real people in need of assistance; they're just cash cows. People are fast to think, "Oh that guy; he's just a wacky rapper." Uh, Bryon is talking about sleeping at bus stations. He needs a hand.
Everybody gets all maudlin when artists die; how about we help out the needy NOW, ya heard? We don't need another ODB.
I say all this with love; I think Bizzy is a strange but singular talent. For god's sake, the man is FREESTYLING EVERY TIME HE OPENS HIS MOUTH. Let's get him some money and a nanny and keep him alive so we can feast on his art for the next twenty years, eh?
Matt:
Man! Well dude, we really appreciate you coming down tonight...
Bizzy:
I appreciate you having me down here; it's much love; it's much respect; we got the fire engines out there-
Matt:
We do!
Bizzy:
We got the po-lice out there, youknowwhatI'msaying; you know how we rollin' up in this motherfucker-
Matt:
MAN!
Bizzy:
Oh my goodness, let me get on up outta here; I love you mang; god bless you. There's only one true god; praise god; in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen, in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen, in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen; in the name of our lord and saviour jesus christ, hollaback; THIS IS REAL!
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Labels: favorites, interviews, music
