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12/19/2006 What’s up?  I feel all right.  Time is Money is finally coming out. What are your thoughts on the album right now?  I’m just waiting for it to come out and I’m trying to be patient. I know it’s fire.  Why has there been such a big holdup on Time is Money?    There have been all kinds of contract issues and label issues. It’s all been about the business. Interscope wanted to drop my album in November but the business wasn’t there so we couldn’t do it. Everything has to be right.  Looking back on “I’m Black” and the way the label handled it, it’s safe to say that song never reached its full potential. Are you happy with what that song did today?    Nah, not overall. It held up my project a little because they didn’t want to push the video.  Have you been getting the attention you deserve at Interscope?    I could say I’m starting to.  Do you need a radio smash to get more promotion?    I’m going through that a little right now, but I can’t knock it because it’s the machine. I don’t think “Get High” was the normal joint for them, and I can’t knock them because they worked with me on that. I just can’t wait for Time is Money to get out because it’s a great album. I just want it to get heard. I put a lot into it. This album is for the Styles P fans.  In your mind, is Time Is Money absolutely ready to come out now?    Yeah.  What are you trying to prove on Time Is Money?    I’m trying to prove that I’m an all-around great MC. My first album was me trying to show I could make an album. Some people call it a classic. It was a hard, deep, dark album with sprinkles of light here and there. I tried to do more different shit on here like “Can You Believe It” and “My Favorite Drug.” I also have some hard shit. I just want this to be incredible. I hate being characterized.  Do your fans expect a certain sound form you?    They definitely do. I’m going to give them a certain amount of that and the mixtapes but I also have to eat. Even on songs like “Can You Believe It,” I still remain Styles P on that joint.  Is it hard balancing the types of songs you do?    Yeah, sometimes. Before it was hard all the time balancing the types of songs I did because I never found myself motivated to do a certain type of song. Sometimes you have to reach in yourself and say, “I’m going to do this song.” I sat in jail for a year and I’m looking at the game differently.  Have you started working on your next album?    I’m not going to bullshit around with you, I have albums done. I have too many songs lying around.   Are you going to look for a new label for the next album?    Nah.   How’s The Lox album coming?    It’s coming good. We’re working. We’re keeping it moving. Everybody’s doing a lot of songs together and separately. We’re trying to do a lot of shit.  How far along is the next Lox album?    We just have to do a few touch-ups.   Who’s it going to come out on?    It’s going to come out on Ruff Ryders/Interscope. The Lox, Styles P, and Jadakiss are signed to Interscope.  There were rumors that Def Jam was going to get The Lox. What happened there?    The paperwork wasn’t there. It still might happen. You never know.  What’s your relationship with Jay-Z today?    We’re cool.  The Lox went on the radio with Diddy to get out of the deal. What are your thoughts on what went down at Hot97 today?  It went down good. We got everything back.  Did you see it going down as it did?    Nah. I thought we would get less than what we got.  Why did it go down the way it did?    I couldn’t tell you. I guess it was God.  What’s your relationship with Diddy today?    It’s cool. It’s not like we hang out. We’re cool. There’s no problems between us but I’m not going to sit here and say we’re the greatest friends.  What’s the story behind “Shots Fired” and why did that come out at a time when things were quiet between D-Block and G-Unit?    That’s old. We just recorded a bunch of stuff when it was going down and we just recorded a bunch of songs then.  Are you happy with the response to that record?    I’m trying to get money right now. It’s dumb shit.  Will things get better between you and 50?    Nah. I doubt it. We don’t know each other in the first place.  Will you ever have a sit-down with him?    It’s not even in my thoughts.  Do you have more tracks for 50 and G-Unit?    I think it’s pretty much dead. That’s it. Now we’re just trying to get some money.  When I interviewed you last year, you said you were going to do work on some poetry and fiction books. How’s that coming?  I got a little something, not too much, but a little something. I’m not putting it out soon, but not too far away.  What’s the biggest challenge in switching from songs to poetry?    I don’t write lyrics.  What’s the next move for you?    We have the D-Block album and a DVD with Koch. That’s in stores now. That’s all about our life and what we’ve been doing and how we got here.  How’s J-Hood’s album coming?    That’ll be out pretty soon too. That should be out in late August or early September.  Has it been hard for him to be so patient?    Yeah, definitely. He’s been through a lot but he’ll be all right.  What have Sheek and Jada been up to?    They’ve been working. We’re working on the third Lox album. Everybody’s just in the lab.   What do you want to say to everyone?    Cop. Make sure you cop. Make sure you get to the stores and cop.

By Brian Kayser

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