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 8/25/2008
Before you released the “Holla at a Playa (Remix)” you were laying pretty low. Was that the plan?
Yeah, man. I’ve just been trying to get everything right. I didn’t even really mean to do it but in the midst of me recording and being on the road with Wayne, I finished Zone Out Season Part 2. I’m not going to sit on that shit much more. I know niggas want some new music. Big Mike is hosting it with me. There’s going to be a bunch of treats on there. Niggas want to know what’s going on. You just have to listen to that to get all your answers. I haven’t been lazy. I’ve been working.
How did your deal with Lil’ Wayne’s label Young Money come about?
I was really hollering at Wayne to get on the “Holla At A Playa” remix. I was hollering at Wayne to get on that and I was trying to get the files for that song. I was kind of calling him for a couple of days and when I finally spoke to him I told him I wasn’t down with Universal and the next time he came to New York I wanted to talk to him. He said he wasn’t going to be in New York soon so what did I want to talk about? I told him I felt comfortable going to him and we always had a good relationship. “I don’t have a deal now and I was just wondering if you had room at Young Money.”
He was like, ‘you don’t have a deal?’ He’s so in his own world and he don’t pay attention to anyone else. He was like, ‘You don’t got a deal?’ “No, I’m just working on my one-two thing.” He wants to know how soon I could be in Miami and I told him yesterday. I flew down there and that’s what it is. That happened in January. That’s how that situation happened. I’ve just been keeping it on the low. I didn't really want to put it out there too much and not have no music but when we were at a show in Jersey, during every show he shouts out all his peoples and he shouted me out and told them I was a new member. The website and DVD niggas were there and there were cameras and the niggas just ran with it so crazy. Fuck it. It’s out. It is what it is. (laughs)
Do you find that you have more fans now because you’re down with Wayne?
I get that a little bit but I’m going to keep it real with you, man. I’m from New York. I’m not really from where a lot of people are from. I don’t’ really get the backlash. A lot of niggas out here, they fuck with Wayne. When I’m on the road you get your little hate mail. That’s why I did the “Computer Love” joint into “Computer Thug”. You know, sometime you be reading the comments and what the people are posting in their blogs and they’re saying what the fuck did I sign to Young Money for and what did Wayne see in me. It’s not about the rappers. The rappers don’t give two shits about me. But there are some rap niggas that want to get on some “diss Jae Millz” shit and honestly those are the niggas I don’t pay no attention to.
My whole career I’ve been battling and doing the DVD thing and I don’t really pay attention to the whole thing. This time around it’s all business. I'm not trying to get caught up in niggas dissing me and if it’s really a serious situation with niggas dissing me, a nigga’s not really thinking about that. Where I’m from, niggas do all that diss record shit and niggas don’t move on you and the nigga wants to talk shit about that after because he wants tot have something to talk about. And if you really look at it, I don’t diss nobody. That’s not my style to go in the studio and diss niggas.
I feel like I’m one song away and I’m not going to waste my energy dissing one nigga because it wasn’t about that. I’m one song away from being where I want to be in life. It ain’t about record sales no more. It’s about that digital money. It’s about that show money. That’s where that money comes in. It is what it is, man. Basically what a nigga’s been doing is a nigga’s been getting smart. (laughs)
What made you want to sign with Young Money?
I just felt like I was in a good position. I felt like niggas really wanted to fuck with me. I really started going through some real bullshit with producers that I knew for years and DJs I knew for years and rappers I knew for years that weren’t answering their phones. It got to the point where it was like, ‘Damn, man.’ It got to the point where it felt like it was all a dream and it was over and it felt like niggas were shitting on me because I didn’t have a deal anymore. I knew no nigga in New York was going to give me a big solo deal because niggas were going to hate and say that I had my chances and all of that. Niggas are going to hate and I had all these crazy songs. I decided I was going to holler at artists.
I hollered at T.I. I met him in Vegas awhile ago and we were trying to work something out. It didn’t really work out but he’s still my nigga and it’s all love. We’re still niggas and we kept it moving. The same conversation I had with Wayne but that was damn-near a year later. I wasn’t running around asking niggas for deals. I put Zone Out Season out and I stayed relevant on the internet. I did all of that on my own.
With Wayne, I flew out and we had a sit down. He kept it real with me and he told me he fucked with my vibe and he said that he was glad I could be a part of his team. He didn’t hear no songs or nothing. I didn’t have got submit no demo. I didn’t have to do none of that for Lil’ Wayne. You can ask Lil’ Wayne. Nope. It was nothing like that. It was mutual respect. As soon as I got down there I was working. I was in the studio in the booth. I was working. I looked at it like that was the only nigga that was willing to help a nigga when I was down and out so it’s time to ride now. It’s Young Money now. It could have been anything else but ain’t nobody want to fuck with me. So that’s what it is.
There are a lot of up-and-coming artists signed to Young Money. Does Wayne let you know what his plans are for the label?
He definitely let me know what it was. I went over there with the mentality that I wasn’t trying to go over there and step on no feet. I knew he had Mack Maine and Tyga and Nicki Minaj and all that. There was so much on my mind and I didn’t want to go over there and me on some Hollywood shit like it’s all about me. I’m just there to work. He doesn’t have to give me no release date right now. I’m just over here to work, my nigga. I just want to be a part of something that’s just like me, my nigga, all about work. I ain’t really with the clubbing or the chasing a bunch of bitches. I’m all about making a dollar.
I ain’t got to come out right now or right when Tha Carter III comes out. It ain’t like that. I’m willing to earn my shit. I ain’t trying to come over here and have niggas looking at me funny. I’m not trying to steal the spotlight. Nah, my nigga. I’m just here to work and whatever happens, happens. That was our conversation and you gotta respect that. He respected that and I respected that and that’s why we’re so cool. That’s why we got the respect for each other that we do. We got all that out the gate in the beginning. There’s no bullshit.
Have you worked with Young Money artists like Tyga and Nicki?
I haven’t gotten to work with Tyga but I’m working with Nicki for the new mixtape. I got joints with Mack Maine and me and Wayne got a bunch of joints. It’s a good situation, man because I can be in the studio. Wayne might be in the studio playing guitar and doming some singing shit and doing a remix for somebody. Please believe that we’re all going to do at least three songs together while we’re on the road. We’ll pull into a gas station and lay our verses real quick while the bus is getting gassed. It’s a real cool environment and niggas think he’s slipping but all he does is work. He’s not slipping. He’s doing a show every night.
Will we see more Jae Millz and Lil’ Wayne collaborations in the future?
Yeah. I was holding the “Holla At A Playa (Remix)” for awhile because I didn’t have the best mix on it. I wanted the first song you heard with us to be right. I didn’t have a Pro Tools file for the shit. I had to get that when I was down in Miami and do all that crazy shit and then get that shit mixed and then put it out. That’s going to be on Zone Out Part 2 and my joint with Nicki Minaj is going to be on Zone Out Part 2 too.
What are you doing differently at Young Money that you haven’t done previously at other labels to make sure you really come out this time?
It’s really all about work. That’s really what it is. It’s just about work. I can’t really be mad at the situation. I’m currently in the midst of waiting for everything. You know it takes awhile for the paperwork and all that dumb shit to go through. The thing with me is I’m not really waiting on no release date. We’re working on this Young Money mixtape. It’s really what Wayne wants to do.
I’m not trying to do everything through Young Money and Universal. I got my own distribution shit that I’m working on and I just do my shit through Young Money. Me and Wayne figured out a business plan to how he’s going to eat off the studio and we’re just going to do it like that. But it’s still Young Money. Everything runs through Young Money but I just got, like, my own distribution like Tyga. Tyga got his own distribution but he’s still Young Money. He’s still running his shit through Young Money.
So you could do a deal with a label like Koch and still be Young Money?
Yeah. Wayne is a businessman, man. Either way he’s going to eat. That’s basically the conversation we had. Homie is a true businessman. He’s not really with the bullshit. Anyway that there’s a way where a dollar can be made and it’s not compromising his integrity and it’s all work and it’s something that he wants to be a part of, then he’s down with it. And that’s how he broke it down to me. Cool, homie, I’m with it. Homie’s a good dude, man, and all he does is work. That’s the motivational part of being around the nigga.
Fuck what everybody else says. Just to see how he works, that shit makes you go hard. You can’t be around a nigga that plays the guitar, sings and raps better than most rap niggas and not be motivated. He’s on stage doing everything and he’s up all night. He do this all night until the sun comes up and I’m talking about before Tha Carter III came out and after Tha Carter III came out. He’s a workhorse and that shit motivates you and you have to respect that.
There’s too much motivation to not go hard. I look at that and what would I be doing in New York? Chasing DJs around and staying in the club until 2:45 until the DJ plays my record and there’s people acting funny. There’s politics everywhere. You gotta just get away or you gotta just branch out. It’s not like I’m saying fuck New York or New York shitted on me and I’m just rebellious. Nah. But what works for one person doesn’t work for the next person. I always tell people what worked for 50 didn’t work for me and what works for Jay might not work for me. It’s the same with what works for Cam and what works for me might not work for the next nigga.
It’s all about having a plan and my plan was that I had to branch out and fuck with somebody else but it just so happened that the nigga I branched out to, he has just as much respect for me. He has so much respect for me that he’s giving me this situation and he’s giving me this deal and he didn’t have no reason. Who does that nowadays? Especially a person of his caliber. That’s letting me know that that man respects what I do. He didn’t have to hear no music. He already knows what the situation is. He’s doing what people in this business for years haven’t seen. How could I not ride with him? How could I not be loyal? Come on. It’s crazy. Niggas can make comments on the internet but I guarantee you them that if Lil’ Wayne asked them if they wanted to be down with Young Money, they’re answer would be three letters and not two.
Since Young Money is under Universal, do you think if you came out on the label you would have problems with anybody up at Universal who worked with you when you were signed directly to them?
Me and Wayne had a conversation about that one time when we were on the road. I kind of brought that you and we just conversed about that. At the end of the day I don’t think that would be a problem. I don’t want to talk about what people would or wouldn’t do. Chalk that up to the game. That shit is old. Wayne said don’t nobody care about that shit no more and to pay that shit no mind. I done been in that system more than one time. Fuck it. We’re just going to switch it up and do it different. If we can’t then we have to find something else. Wayne said we’re going to rock out however we want to do it and that’s how it’s going to get done. I don’t have a problem with Universal and I don’t think they’re going to not market me the right way. I don’t live off the past and that shit is in the past. I’m going to do it this way this time and give this a try. That’s really what it is. There’s nothing against anybody.
You seem to have a real good team attitude, but are you concerned about being a priority at Young Money?
It ain’t no priority thing like I’m worried about being a priority. He’s not that kind of dude where he won’t let me do this and he won’t let me do that. If you look at it, Tyga’s album came out the same day as his album on June 10. Tyga’s album No Introduction came out June 10. Tha Carter III came out June 10. They did TRL together. Wayne interviewed Tyga on TRL on June 10. I was with Wayne when he interviewed Tyga. We all went in together. So that right there lets you know that he’s not paying attention to that and he lets it be known that Tyga is Young Money.
He’s with niggas and grinding out. Let’s grind out. So I’m not really worried about being a priority. I’m not going over there and trying to step on nobody’s feet. I’m just going over there and working. We’re going to put these songs out and get this anticipation back to where it needs to be and that’s when you hit niggas with that album. I ain’t trying to jump out the window and throw no album out and the buzz on the song ain’t really popping like that and the affiliation isn’t really clear yet. It hasn’t really sunk in with a lot of people yet. So what I’m in a rush for? I ain’t in a rush. It’s going to be a long ride right here so I ain’t in a rush to do nothing.
How is your debut album coming?
Oh, it’s cool, man. I’m working. I’m working. I got a bunch of songs. I didn’t really start narrowing songs down yet. I didn’t really get to that point. We ain’t in that state yet. It’s really about recording. It’s about getting the right beats and I didn’t figure out if I want 12 or 14 songs or 16. There’s just a lot of decisions right now that need to be made but more or less, man, the music is on the way and I’m going to keep hitting the ‘net with music and dropping mixtapes because that’s what I do. I’m going to keep giving niggas what they want in the streets and giving niggas more music here and there. I got a couple of new joints that I’m going to put out. I got this joint coming that’s like a pre-single. It’s not the real single but it’s just something that we’re going to warm up with real quick. I don’t want to give people too much, man. We can do another interview then when it’s time.
I’m actually going out to Amsterdam tomorrow to meet with Wayne. I’ve never been out there. I’m sitting in the crib now smoking that good New York sour and waiting to get out there with my camcorder to show niggas what it is over there. That’s what it is.
Do you have any big plans for Amsterdam?
I ain’t never been to Amsterdam in my life so you already know what it is. I can’t wait. He already told me I was supposed to go a few months ago but I was out in Miami and I didn’t have my passport so I had to fly back to New York. Wayne said they got the worst food and I better eat something before I get out there or I would be real angry when I got out there. I don’t give a fuck about the food, man. Just have some good bud for me when I touch down. It’s all love out there. I don’t have any problem being on the road with dude. It’s all family and it’s all good energy. It’s a good vibe and it is what it is. But I fucks with homie and I ride with homie and it is what it is.
Are you still working with Ron Browz?
Yeah. I got three joints with him on the new mixtape and he did the pre-single. I don’t want to say the name of the song because there’s so many swagger jackers in the game and they’ll get the concept and do the same shit with it so you have to watch that.
But yeah, I’m definitely still working with Ron Browz. I hollered at Scram and Buckwild the other day. For the new mixtape I have my man Ron Browz and a new producer Tye-Sticky from the Bronx. I went to high school with him and he’s definitely hot. He’s got some shit and he’s all over my mixtape. He definitely has some fire, man.
When will we hear you and Scram Jones record another banger?
I was up in Scram’s studio about two weeks ago. We’re working on some shit right now. I ain’t really get no joints from him in a minute. I had to go into his studio so we could knock some shit out. Scram is the type of guy where we always do two or three records and I keep one record for myself to put out. We’ve been working like that since I was 19 or 20 years-old so shout out to Scram Jones and Beast Music.
Do you still work with Mysonne?
Yeah, definitely. Mys is definitely grinding. He’s doing his BX thing. He’s got the Bang Bang Boogie thing right now. He’s grinding out and they’re getting a heavy buzz out here in New York. Niggas is fucking with it. He’s getting a big buzz with that movement right there. I speak to Mys every other day. You might hear something with me and him and somebody from the Bang Bang Boogie sometime in the next couple of weeks. He had some shit called “Money” that I just got on with him.
Is your crew Wanna Blow still in effect?
I still fuck with the C.E.O. and the head niggas in charge. Shout out to my man Tone and Nige but I’m really focusing on this Young Money thing and making sure everything there is right. It’s definitely still Wanna Blow. It’s not really so much of a label situation but that’s more like the family. We’re all like family but for rap. So at the end of the day Tone and Nige aren’t in control of my situation with this Young Money thing.
As a New York artist, it must be good to see Maino’s “Hi Hater” doing so well nationally.
Me and Maino have been cool ever since we met a long time ago. Ever since then we’ve been cool. Whenever I’m in Brooklyn I holler at him and he hollers at me whenever he’s in Harlem. Me and Maino have a good relationship and he tells me to this day that “My Swag” was crazy and Universal was crazy for sleeping on me. I’m doing shows in Boston and I’m in this state and I'm hearing his shit on MTV Jams and on TV and on rotation on the radio. I’m an artist. I know what it feels like to get that. I know what it feels like to have your video coming on and your niggas getting to see it and people getting to see it and people see you on a different level. When they play you in the club that’s good feeling. That’s what you do it for.
I’m happy as shit for Maino. That’s love right there. You can’t be mad at Maino for that. Any nigga that’s mad at Maino, even if you think that shit is wack, so what? You should just be happy for him for the type of person he is and what he’s been through. It ain’t like they just threw his song on the radio when he came home. Maino had to grind. He had to do the same showcases that I did. I been around him when he was putting in that work. A nigga like me, I’m happy when I see shit like that. I like to see shit like that. I’m happy when I hear about Uncle Murder signing to Rocafella. These are young niggas and that’s good shit.
When a nigga like Wayne does a million records in the first week, that’s great. He’s 25 years-old with a daughter and he takes care of his family. He takes care of his moms. Why are you not happy with a nigga getting money like that? Please tell me why you’re not happy with him not getting money”? That’s good shit. Look at Soulja Boy. He’s 18 years-old and sold a ton of records and has his own clothing line. That’s great. You might not like the clothes and I’m not a fashion expert, but he’s getting money. That’s great. I want to see them getting money.
I was in the studio with Wayne and Bow Wow and the money they was gambling, niggas in the ‘hood would die just to have. A nigga from the ‘hood in any state would go crazy. These guys were getting in their trucks to go home and get more money and gamble. This is the life that these niggas are living. You don’t want to get in on that? I want to get in on that. I don’t want to sit in on that and be mad. “Look at the jeans that nigga got on.” “I don’t like his voice on that song” Or “he could have gone harder on that shit.” Keep that shit to yourself. I don’t talk sideways and I keep my opinions to myself. I just state my opinion. And when you get rich, just chill out and handle your fucking business. Don’t be a clown.
When Jay-Z was really at the top of the game everyone was biting him. Now more artists are copying Wayne. Do you see that trend?
With that kid selling a million records in his first week, everybody wants to be lyrical. Did you hear how many people were rapping over the “A Milli” beat? It’s coming back to the fact that you have to be nice. Niggas don’t care about the bubble gum pop shit or the dance record. If you’re hot niggas are going to like you. If you spit that hot shit niggas are going to fuck with you. Wayne killed all those remixes and he came with “Lollipop” and niggas never thought he was going to come with that and he let that rock for three months before he did another video. If you spit some crazy ass raps or play the guitar people are going to fuck with you until they don’t fuck with him no more. That’s how the game goes. When they fuck with you they fuck with you and right now he is the one that they’re fucking with.
When is Zone Out Season Part 2 dropping?
It’s crazy my nigga. I’m about to go over to Amsterdam with Wayne and all that. When I come back, probably in another three weeks, it’ll be in the streets. It’s Zone Out Season Part 2: Don’t’ Get Mad, Get Money with my nigga Big Mike hosting it. I don’t like to talk about my music. I like to let that speak for itself. Zone Out Season Part 1 was under the radar. I threw that shit out on the internet and I recorded that whole shit by myself. I recorded it by myself. I would hit record and then go over to the mic.
But I played around with the Autotune shit. Everybody else is fucking with it and they’re getting a chance to rape it. I’m like, ‘All right, I want in’ before that shit is over and people say that only T-Pain can do it. It’s cool everybody’s experimenting and in a minute we’re going to have to chill out. That’s T-Pain’s shit and he does that shit the best. But niggas is experimenting as rappers and as musicians and niggas want to see shit. Niggas want to try things. That’s where people doing the Autotune shit is coming from but in a minute we’re going to have to chill and leave that to the god. But I’m trying it tout and I’m experimenting with it and just seeing what’s what. But niggas can’t fuck that man’s money up like that. That man works hard. But we’re just experimenting right now. T-Pain, don’t get mad at us. We’re just trying to see how we sound with the little Autotune shit on our voice. That’s what you do. You’re the god at it. I’m letting it be known.
And I ain’t really been trying to put out mixtapes. I was just trying to have music out there so when I go into my next situation I have music. I wanted to have music for people to play that’s new. But Lil’ Wayne didn’t want to hear nothing. He just wanted to make sure that we had a good understanding. He already heard music from me. He already had a good understanding and we met each other a lot. He knows I’m not just no nigga trying to get by and I'm not no nigga trying to get by by riding Lil’ Wayne’s shit. I’m not doing none of your shows. Those are your shows. They’re not my shows but I’m willing to ride on the bus and sleep in the bunks and play Madden with niggas. I’m down for that because that’s work.
It’s not about me being Jae Millz and it’s all about me right now. I have to understand my position. Yeah I’m Jordan when I’m in Harlem and I’m that nigga, but at the same time, when it comes to that Young Money situation, I can’t be over there acting like I’m Jordan. I have to understand that I can play the role like Pippin. This is like Hakeem’s team and I’m just the Drexler that the nigga brung in. I’m a nice nigga too but I don’t really have no championship so I’m coming over here trying to get a championship. (laughs). But that’s what it is and shout out to Young Money and Lil’ Wayne.
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