FEATURE: SILKK THE SHOCKER – IT’S HIS TIME, AGAIN!

Guess who’s bizzack? Silkk. Yessir, Silkk the Shocker. Your favorite New Orleanian who helped put the No Limit movement on the map in the 90s. I had a chance to catch up with multi-platinum, multi-millionaire artist and entrepreneur, who forreal is just a really cool dude! We chopped it up on everything from the projects he’s working on, Lauren the Shocker, his brother C-Murders murder trial, jerking [PAUSE: We’re talking about the dance] and what he’s been doing with all that good green $. Check it out…

BB: You’ve been laying low since your last album. What you been up to?

STS: I’ve been working on this clothing line, working on a lot of films. Just focusing on the business side of stuff.

BB: I’m a believer that life influences art. Artists who release projects back to back without living seem to lose inspiration. Do you pull from life experiences to create your music?

STS: It’s funny you say that because I just talked to somebody about that the other day. That’s exactly what I did, I felt like I been doing [music] for about 12 – 13 years straight. We’re talking about being home for maybe a month out the year, if that. I did a lot of great things but didn’t have time to enjoy it. I would do back to back shows, like 28 shows in 30 days. You do all that stuff, a lot of great things, but you don’t enjoy it. So that’s exactly how I feel about it. I love music, I love everything about it, but I wasn’t really pressed to come back. A couple years went by but it doesn’t feel like it. I was doing things I really enjoy. Writing, I’m working on a book called “Poor Little Rich Kid.” I just got fed up with doing everything for everybody else so I just took some time off. We’ve done a lot of good stuff music, so I decided to take some time to enjoy what I’ve done. Once I did that I realized, wow, there’s something else besides music.

BB: Do you think people are ready for you to come back?

STS: Yea! Even though I haven’t put the record out, I’ve done a few shows did a couple of appearances and you know what, it’s actually the perfect time because my music right now is my best ever. People who’ve heard it, my family my brother they’re all are saying this is the best ever. And I agree, because there’s no pressure, I just love the music. I’m my worst critic, and if I like it, I think it’s pretty good. I liked my music [before] but uhhh… this one, I’m at my best. I’m very excited about it and it’s really not even my #1 focus to sell a billion records. If everybody likes it like how I like it, then I’m good with that.

BB: I hear you. You’re on that Diddy, Janet level where you’re not doing it for the money anymore because you’re all set in that respect. You’re just doing out of the pure passion for music at this point.

STS: *LOL* Exactly! You hit the nail on the head. I feel like I can go in the studio for 12 days and make a thousand songs and it would all be good. I’ve never felt how I felt now creative wise. When I got in the studio, I felt no pressure. When you feel like that, you have no writers block, you just give me a track and I do it. I really do feel like a Puffy where I’m just trying to make good music for the people. I’m pretty sure the fans are really going to embrace it. I speak to my fans all the time, they’re always asking when I’m coming back or they say “man, the rap game needs you!” And it feels good because, if I felt there was no need to come out, I wouldn’t even come out. I just feel there’s a lack of good music.

BB: What’s the vibe of the new music you’re working on? Like what can we expect? Is it serious, fun, laid back, upbeat?

STS: It’s a little of everything. I got heartfelt songs, I got rowdy songs, I got club songs, I got inspirational songs. I really can’t wait to see people’s perception of it. I really think I may have snuck up on what could be a classic, but you aint hear that from me *LOL* It’s definitely something for everybody on there. And I think by being such a good record, I think it will draw people to other songs. I like all types of music, no music is horrible to me. But let’s say like I don’t really listen to country, but I’ll listen to a Garth Brooks song every now and then and I start realizing how talented that guy is. And that’s how I feel this record is. You might like my rowdy stuff, another person my like my crossover stuff, another person my like my reality songs. At the end of the day, if you’re a true musician, you’re just happy that people are putting you’re record on.

BB: Will you be T-Paining all over that joint? Or you stand behind team DOA?

STS: *LOL* Yooouuu funny. You know what? I did one on [the album]. I’ve never done autotune before but my boy Tip produced this track, and it’s funny because I decided to try it. The good thing about it, it became one of my favorite joints on the record.

BB: What’s the name of it?

STS: It’s called Smiling. But yea, I like it; it’s one of my best songs on the record. But I didn’t get carried away and do too much of it. What happens is, I respect Jay and I respect T-Pain, but I just like music. I like Soulja Boy, Jim Jones, Jeezy, everybody who does good music. The catch is, as the music goes, you got to be able to respect all types of music. Certain parts of music, take you to the next genre of music. Like now it’s jerking. I mean I don’t jerk but I respect the fact that it keeps hip-hop going for the next person to come back. Like maybe the next Jay or the next 50 brings their next style. We don’t want to kill anything about hip-hop, we don’t want to stop jerking, T-Pain, Jay-Z. We want everybody to consistently put into it and then guess what? I might come out and they might stop jerking. But my point is they already got enough people trying to stop hip-hop, we don’t need to be trying to stop it amongst ourselves.

BB: A lot of people probably don’t know that you’re first album “The Shocker”, was released without the support of major label distribution and still went gold. That doesn’t happen for every indie artist. Why do you think people took to you so much, even without all the heavy video and radio promo?

STS: I just think it just caught on. I don’t know if it’s because I was always on my brother P’s record. I mean there was this one song with him, I can’t even remember the name of it. I don’t know what I did, but I kinda really did my thing on it. *LOL* Like it was just good, everybody was telling me I killed it.

BB: *LOL* Right, like “I don’t want to toot my own horn but, I MADE that record” *LOL*

STS: I did, he’ll tell you! But I didn’t realize how good it was until we look back on it now. So like I guess I set the bar with what I did there. The people grabbed it, almost like how Jeezy did on So Icy. I was only like 14 and I kept hearing my name. I remember E-40 was like “I’m a big old fan.” It’s funny, I don’t think I ever told this story before, but I remember I was on a video set, and I seen Tupac, I’m looking at him, he’s looking at me, so I thought he wanted to fight or something. *LOL* Like we just kept going back and forth and eventually I found he was a big old fan too, so that was a really good feeling, because you know, Tupac was a big deal. That was just kind of crazy. I guess overall it was just an energy, guys felt it, ladies felt it.

BB: I got a couple questions coming up about the ladies situation so you hold on to that. *LOL* How important is knowing this music business and making investments to your pockets? A lot of aspiring artists still think it’s all about talent and making hot music.

STS: The business side of it is #1. The first contract, the first thing you sign, you’re going to sign because you’re coming from nothing. Who knew that Jay-Z would be Jay-Z? Who knew Puffy would be Puffy? You’re not going to know that so you’re just going to try to get in somehow, which is good. You might get a contract with $500,000 up front, but that really isn’t anything. If you’re a big old star, you get a car for $90,000 a house for $250,000 and then you’re done. Not to mention, everything you do is recoupable, from the traveling budgets to the videos. Just put it like this, you’re going to be in the hole for five years.

Here’s what I would tell them and someone told me the same thing… Make them spend as much money as possible on your first record. I mean if they can spend $10 mill make them spend it. Make your single blow, become a big old star.

BB: So you’re saying make them make the investment early on and the money will come through later?

STS: Nah you’re not gonna get any money from them period, from record sales at least, so just get in the hole as much as possible. I should teach a class on this. *LOL* Say I want a million dollar video. I want a three million dollar marketing plan. Being in the hole half a million and five million is all the same thing, because you’re not even getting out of it, so don’t even worry about it. In the meanwhile you become this big star; you’re plastered everywhere, top of your game. Then, the next year, after you sell a lot of records everybody knows your name, then you just go in there, rip up the contract in their face and say I want a new contract.

BB: *LOL* that sounds like a good gameplan. I’m not even mad at that.

STS: Next interview you do an interview with anybody in this business, ask them how much they made on their first record. If they say they made one buck off of it, you call me and tell me who it is.

BB: *LOL* Aight.

STS: I’m just trying to be real with you.

BB: I like to focus on the positive, but I know people want to know your thoughts on your brother C’s murder trial. Any thoughts you can share with us?

STS: I can’t really talk about the case but I can say this about him. I’m proud of him, and I’m backing him up 100%. He’s a different dude. If he did the crime, then he should go to jail and do the time. I wouldn’t want anybody to come kill my brother so I’m not going to be biased on that. But he didn’t do it. If you read the pages, you know what’s going on. The justice system aint all right, you can tell something aint right. The first trial got overturned.

The Supreme Court doesn’t overturn a trial if everything is right. They wanted to sentence him because of his name. If we’re talking about justice, I mean I know he isn’t perfect, he has a history, but we’re talking about guilt and innocence. I can’t lock you up just because you hang with this guy. That means all our people, family and friends are in jeopardy. Now if he’s guilty, he needs to do the time. But if we know he didn’t do it, there’s all kinds of shady evidence in there, that aint right.

We need to fight, I’m not saying fight for C, but we gotta fight for the system because it could be you in there it could be me in there. If we don’t fight for this, they’re going to think they can do this all the time, to your kids, my kids, everybody.

What I do respect about C is that he is a different person at 20 than he is at 30. Yea he was a knucklehead, he did some stupid things, but as a man, and he got three kids now, he took his 10 years for that. But when I talk to him now, he’s a totally different dude. He changed, and he can do a lot of good. People listen to him, there’s a lot of dudes in Compton and Inglewood that know that he’s been through hell and back. He wants to talk to them and let them know this gangsta stuff aint all what it seems. Just like when I was 18, I thought I knew what I was doing, but I’m on a whole different page business wise right now. I thought I was doing the right thing at 18, but I’m doing the right thing now. We are able to change and we may have to suffer the consequences for what you didn’t do right in the past, which he has already done.

BB: Definitely hear you, thanks for sharing that. I recently interviewed Dawn Richard from Danity Kane who is also from New Orleans. Artists don’t always get the chance to speak on the good things they do. Have you contributed to the rebuilding of New Orleans? Or any other charity/non-profit efforts you want to let people know about?

STS: That’s all I really do now is charity. I’m doing a charity weekend with the city of Las Vegas, with City Councilman Barlow. We’re doing a back to school thing with the kids. We always give back to New Orleans and try to rebuild back that place. Really our main focus right now is the kids because that’s our future.

BB: Aight, enough business. Let’s get to know Silkk. I know ladies love you. This one girl named Lauren would have everyone address her in high school as “Lauren The Shocker” otherwise she wouldn’t even answer you *LOL* So I must ask on their behalf, are you single?

STS: *LOL* Ummmmm, you know everybody’s taken in some way. I’m pretty good right now. *LOL* yea I’m somewhat taken right now. You gonna get me in a lot of trouble on that one! *LOL*

BB: I’m saying, if I didn’t ask you that, Lauren the Shocker would not be a happy camper right now.

STS: Nah mean I was gonna wait for Lauren! But she never got with me so I was just kinda like, I needed to occupy my time. But I still got Lauren on speed dial. *LOL*

BB: I understand man, you can’t wait forever.

STS: Right! *LOL*

BB: What do you like to do for fun outside of roll around in big face hunnits?

STS: *LOL* I like to play basketball, bowl, do a lot of swimming and stuff. Just take care of myself, I exercise a lot. I sleep ridiculously, relax a lot. I go to sleep early most nights. I just chill, I don’t even be tripping.

BB: Who are some of your favorite artists out there right now? Or some songs that you’re feeling heavy?

STS: Lil Wayne is at the top, Jay-Z, Jeezy, Jim Jones. Drake has talent. I support everything. I don’t have a biased opinion. I don’t say anybody sucks, it’s just different. I send my assistant to go pick up albums on Tuesdays, just to support the movement.

BB: Have you heard any of the leaks from Jay’s new joint?

STS: I didn’t. I want to hear it but I don’t want to download it. I don’t want to support that. But I heard it was dope though. I heard it was tight.

BB: I mean yea, there’s a lot of different opinions going around. I try not to listen to too much of it, but I like the little that I’ve heard. But I feel like the situation is messed up. When there’s a release of that magnitude and it gets leaked, I just think that’s crazy. As if artists aren’t struggling enough.

STS: Yea, I feel like people should just be a part of the movement. I don’t like that. Like I don’t like the hating in hip-hop right now, period. Like if you go on the blogs and you see Soulja Boy, the guy is trying. But if you see the comments, like “he’s a F-ing jerk, he can’t rap.” I mean if you have an opinion, some criticism, that’s fine. Like say he needs to step his game up a little bit, whatever. But don’t be like “he’s the freaking worst.” Like I see 13 year old people calling chicks whores. But it’s like dude, how can you be sitting at home being a random hater?

BB: *LOL* So, How are you feeling about the current state of Hip-Hop?

STS: I’m up in the air about it right now. It’s good, the music could be a little bit better. But it’s kind of a stand still right now. The illegal downloading, all that takes away from it. Because I don’t see people really bootlegging rock & roll or country music like that. But it’s mainly our people, just constantly taking away from it.

BB: You’ve had movies, books, clothing line, music, record label, do you feel like you’ve conquered it all or is there something else out there that you’re itching to get into?

STS: I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface yet. I go hard man. I’ve done a lot but I’m around people who’ve accomplished a lot more than I did. I’m usually the youngest around when I’m doing business, but I can hang with the best. So that inspires me. I don’t like to rush into doing anything, but if I feel passionate about doing something, I like to try it. Energy drinks, cartoons…

BB: Cartoons? What’s that about?

STS: This one is really big. This will be one of the biggest things I’ve done in a long time. We got the people who used to work at Disney who are doing it. Can’t talk about it much right now. But in a month or two you’ll know all about it. We’ll have a launch party and everything. But I don’t want anybody running away with my ideas.

BB: Is that under your production company?

STS: Yup!

BB: And when can we expect your album?

STS: My video is shot and everything, the single just dropped. The album is coming out December 4th. It’s called Holla At Your Boy.

BB: Any last words you want to share with our readers?

STS: Thank everybody. It’s going to be a beautiful year. I’m looking forward to coming back out and letting you know what I can do.

You can check the new single here: http://www.myspace.com/silkktheshocker