"Yung Berg is in your area" Exclusive Interview w.Queen Princess

Hey get your asses out of bed and recognize fools. It's about 9 ish on the east coast cuz and you're still asleep. Damn! Anyways, my homegirl Queen Princess sat down with a young and talented cat out of Chi-Town that goes by...Yung Berg, whom we featured on the site several times. He's one of the newest signees to Epic Records and is in the midst of releasing his first album called "Look What You Made Me" sometime this summer. He's a very talented dude, whose been in the business since he was the age of 15. Along the way he's taken his bumps and bruises as everyone has a time or two, but not he's ready to hit the game hard now that he's got the knowledge. Yo, see what he had to say we when he sat down with QP in a 1 on 1 interview this past Wednesday (5/16/07)....


Queen Princess: Hey Berg how’s it going?

Yung Berg: I’m good, how are you doing?

Queen Princess: I’m doing pretty good, have you been busy today?

Yung Berg: Uhh yeah, we’ve just been up working all day, busy, busy, busy but it’s all good. I’m not mad ‘cause I’m workin on this album.

Queen Princess: I notice that the title of the album is look what you made me. What is the title directed at?

Yung Berg: Umm it can be as broad as it wants to be, it can be as home based as it wants to be. I was mainly talking to Jay, Nas all the greats in the game, DMX, everybody that influenced me and things of that nature. It’s just saying, look what you made me. You turned me into a beast, like you made me. Like Kanye, you made me want to study my music and get tuning and live instrumentation on my album. It’s also directed to my parents and family, look what you made me. That’s what it is, like take me as I am.

Queen Princess: What songs on the album kind of contribute to the meaning of the album?

Yung Berg: Every song is a piece to the puzzle. On my album there’s no shoot ‘em up bang bang, no partying all crazy or doing all these other different things. There’s no standard formula just like all these other albums are. I’m telling a story from track one to sixteen, so I’m just giving pieces of me every time I touch the mic.

Queen Princess: I feel you, because everybody is talking about shooting people and getting’ money. Do you feel it’s cool to sometimes be on the same side as those artists or stay in your own lane and try to do what you do?

Yung Berg: Do what you do. If I’m being like anybody else then, that’s a problem.

Queen Princess: Right…… You’re young now, so how old were you when you official began to get into things within the music industry?

Yung Berg: I signed my first deal with DMX on bloodline records at fifteen.

Queen Princess: Wow, that’s big. Did you get to record any songs or did it just not work out for you?

Yung Berg: I did like the Exit Wounds soundtrack and things of that nature. It went descent. It wasn’t like no bad blood between nobody. At the same token, my parents just pulled me out of the situation, because they felt like it was a bad move for me, which is something that probably saved my life and my career as of now.

Queen Princess: And from that you went to military school, how long were you in there?

Yung Berg: I was there for twelve months and I was cut off from the world. I couldn’t watch TV; I couldn’t um listen to music. I didn’t know Jay-Z and Nas were beefin, I didn’t know 9/11 had happened, so that just forced me to get on my grind and still be creative and stand alone. At that point I was working with a producer, so I was really attached to my producer and looking to him for guidance. That made me stand alone and helped me to grow and make me who I am right now.

Queen Princess: That’s crazy that you didn’t even know that 9/11 went on.

Yung Berg: Yeah

Queen Princess: You were cut off from the world, but what did you learn from military school that contributed to your career.

Yung Berg: Uhh, there wasn’t really no certain thing. It wasn’t a lot of discipline. It was a humbling experience, it just showed me that you can be up here one day and down here the next day, so don’t take nothing for granted. Stay humble and just go hard at whatever you do. When you get the opportunity to make it happen just do it to the fullest.

Queen Princess: Being in military school, not knowing what’s going on, you really have to rely on yourself. Did you still take inspiration from other artists or rely on your creativity?

Yung Berg: Like, I just had beats in my head. I don’t even know what beats they were right now. At the time I was just writing and doing my thing. At that point I was real hungry and it was like I had my deal with X, I had a taste of success and I just knew that it was attainable to get a deal.

Queen Princess: So you’re a producer as well?

Yung Berg: Yeah, I’m a producer. I don’t go and boom bap and make beats on mp’s and all types of things of that nature cause JFK and Rob Holiday do that. I’m bringing a lot of live instrumentation not to say that they don’t do that as well, it’s just a certain element that I bring to the record you know what I’m saying? So I work hard at producing, I get my Diddy on. Exactly what Diddy does.

Queen Princess: That’s crazy you’re a writer, artist and producer. You just put yourself out there. Is it difficult at times?

Yung Berg: Naw, cause it’s what I love to do. There was no other option other than me to be anything but this right now.

Queen Princess: Maintaining the focus….

Yung Berg: Yep, tunnel vision I prayed hard worked hard and it turned out well for me.

Queen Princess: That’s what’s up. Now, why did you choose to release “Sexy Lady” as opposed to a more grungy type song that portrays you as a hard hip-hop artist?

Yung Berg: Because, I’m not trying to be, I’m just being myself. I’m not a hard hip-hop artist, I’m not gon kill you, I’m not gon stab you, I’m not gon do nothing, you know what I’m saying? (Both laugh). Realistically I didn’t choose to release sexy lady. We made the record in back of my manager’s house. I recorded it and laid it in 30 minutes. Junior, he recorded me, I recorded him in a small itty bitty one mic pre-production studio. It probably wasn’t even right, we went mixed it and mastered it and leaked it to the radio and that’s what y’all are hearing right now on TV and the radio. It just took off, like it was out of my hands. It wasn’t even like, “Yo, what’s my first single gonna be?” It was no question.

Queen Princess: Okay. I saw the video and I liked it. The clothes changing and everything, I thought that was cool.

Yung Berg: That’s what’s up, that was my idea, me and my young directo.

Queen Princess: Yeah that was hot

Yung Berg: That’s what’s up

Queen Princess: So, you did a lot of behind the scenes things as well. You were a hype-man for Shawnna, and you were doing some writing. What was it that made you decide to come up from behind the scenes and launch yourself as an artist?

Yung Berg: I mean God don’t put nothing in front of you that you can’t handle. It wasn’t like it was my decision, it was just time. It was what God wanted me to do, like I was still grindin. I had songs back then and I was still trying to be out here and get a deal, but at that time it wasn’t right for me. I was still rapping about shoot ‘em up and bang bangin, Chevy music and all that stuff when it really ain’t me. So I took the time, I was in LA riding with my manager and he was like, “Man you need to tell your life. It’s a lot of fire shit you talking that you been through that you need to talk about.” At that point it was a turning point for me and I just started writing records all about my life. Then we went in the studio and created 14 songs…..that’s my album. He took it, turned it in, then the label got it. “Sexy Lady” was already out, we shot the video. I literally signed my deal two months ago.

Queen Princess: At Epic?

Yung Berg: Mmm hmm.

Queen Princess: Oh okay. Who was it that discovered you and helped to put you on and sign at Epic?

Yung Berg: Well my manager Billy J and a lady here at Epic, there was a correspondence back and forth. She loved our music, then we did “Sexy Lady,” we took it to the radio. We basically forced the hands of every record company; they love it when you do that. They’re forced to compromise now ‘cause you’re hot, you’re on the radio. We forced the hand, leaked the record and put it out there. Once it came back I was sitting down with every record company damn near in this business, but I chose Epic because there was nobody over here doing what I was doing. There was no urban act at the time, so I feel like I would be the number one priority and I am the number one priority over here.

Queen Princess: That’s what up. I hear that from a lot of artist. Epic let’s you do your own thing, so that’s cool. Anyway when people hear your music, do you want them to be changed by it, because they’re not hearing violent songs and all of that?

Yung Berg: I guarantee that they’ll be changed by it. It’s something new. Nobody is making any music that sounds like mine right now.

Queen Princess: That’s what’s up. Somebody has to step up to the plate you know what I’m saying?

Yung Berg: Yessir

Queen Princess: How long was the creative process?

Yung Berg: I wrote and recorded just the basic shit. We wrote and did that shit the weekend I ain’t gon lie. It took us 72 hours to write and record my album. That’s crazy.

(Both laugh)

Queen Princess: That is crazy

Yung Berg: The live instrumentation all the pieces of the puzzle that I’m bringing to the table right now to fine tine it along with the features has taken about four months. Not too long, it was pretty quick. My album’s coming out real soon, so it’s like…..we gotta get it.

Queen Princess: Do you have a set release date for your album as of yet?

Yung Berg: August 28th.

Queen Princess: Okay. Who were able to work with as far as producers, writers or was it basically all you?

Yung Berg: The whole album is produced by me, JFK and Rob Holiday. They did all the beats and I added my little touches with Rob’s instrumentation. My uncle Wild Wild Watson played the guitar and things of that nature and basically Quincy Jonesed my album. There’s no other production, because we are the production régime. We’re the new standard for beats like for real, we set a new wave. My album is basically the movie of my life translated to audio starring an all-star cast which contains: Fabolous, Shawnna, Twista, Eve, Jim Jones, Richboy, DJ Khaled, Ray J, it’s so many features on my album. I’m probably leaving somebody out right now. It’s basically just wow. When you hear the commercial with all the names that get spilled out it’s crazy.

Queen Princess: It sounds crazy even right now. I mean was there anybody that you weren’t able to work with that you wanted to.

Yung Berg: Umm….yeah, I did this joint with John Legend. It was a sample that was probably his next single, but they told me I wasn’t able to do it. I was kind of tight about that, but on the same token, we put it on a mixtape so it’s out there.

Queen Princess: After the release of the album, what are you expecting to happen with your career? How are you expecting the fans to receive it? What do you want to happen after the album comes out?

Yung Berg: I just want to stay focused, keep God first and move to the top and get to where I’m supposed to be. I’m a prince you know what I’m saying? There’s a lot of people out here being misrepresented and a lot of young cats that’s not right. If you don’t write your raps you can get away from me. I don’t want to hear nothing about you from you. Shot out to Lil’ Wayne and Juelz, those are two young dudes that I see that’s doing well, but anyway, we’re dropping an EP the second week of July, it’s called almost famous. There are five songs and five videos.

Queen Princess: Are you going to be touring soon or are you doing promo?

Yung Berg: We’re doing major promo right now, but we’re doing heavy tours, but I can’t really talk about them right now.

Queen Princess: Okay, but we will be seeing you?

Yung Berg: Yeah you will see me in a city near you.

Queen Princess: Is there anything else you want to say to the people out there?

Yung Berg: Basically I just want people to know that there’s no age range or bracket that you have to be in to be a yung boss. You can be in school and be a yung boss. Work hard and get the best out of it. If you’re an athlete, go hard but at the same token, be a yung boss. We’re just trying to empower and tell young people that if you get together on the same page with a group of guys: young, black, whatever. Get together and do something other than violence; you can be creative, make money and be a good look for the whole community and represent. No matter how old or young you are, I just want to show them that’s it’s a movement right now. Yung Boss or die.

Queen Princess: That’s what’s up. I want to thank you for doing this interview with hiphopruckus. You’re standing in your own lane so people are going to recognize you.

Yung Berg: Thank you

Queen Princess: Aight man stay up and I hope to be seeing you sometime soon.

Yung Berg: Definitely.

Yo, we'd like to thank Yung Berg and his team for giving us the opportunity to sit down and chop game. Remember, his album "Look What You Made Me" is coming out in stores this summer, so go cop that. In the meantime, hit YB on his myspace page and let him no what's good peoples.

Got questions or comments for the Queen Princess, email her at this link.

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MetaFore "Nah Mean" (Video)

Posted at 5/19/2007 08:52:00 AM

Exclusive Video
This is a cool video, I'd like you to peep by a young cat named MetaFore. The jank is called "Naw Mean". I kinda like the whole deal. Hope you do as well...

"Nah Mean"
(click to view)

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DJ Khaled's New Album Cover Art

Posted at 5/19/2007 08:47:00 AM

Exclusive Photo
I just wanted to show you the exclusive cover art for DJ Khaled's new album "We Are The Best" which is due out on the shelves on June 12th. Cool!

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Introducing "Midi Mafia"

Posted at 5/19/2007 08:27:00 AM

We'd like to introduce some new cats to the HHR fold. Their name is the Midi Mafia. They are a group that is described as a deadly combination of DJ/producer Dirty Swift, and MC/producer Bruce Waynne, who formed an unlikely partnership in 2002.

Bruce Waynne grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn, amid all the chaos and hustle of the BK streets. A brief stay in Rikers Island proved enough to pull his attention away from the streets and towards a career in the music industry, where his talent for creating catchy hooks and beats lead him to sell over 60,000 units independently with his former group US.

Dirty Swift is a Canadian-born beat junkie who caught the music bug at an early age. He became a turntable wiz by high school, winning the DMC Canadian DJ Championship soon after, and later branched off into production, working with some of the biggest names in Canada (K-OS, Choclair etc). Determined to penetrate the US market, Swift left Ottawa, Canada and headed for The Hip Hop Mecca, NYC. As chance would have it, Swift and Bruce met in a Brooklyn recording studio, while both working on the same project. They vibed, and soon after, formed a partnershiphence, the beginning of Midi Mafia.

Their union has since resulted in one of the most powerful, extraordinary production efforts of the past two years. Their Number One hit single, 50 Cent's "21 Questions," was one of the biggest songs to hit the charts in 2003. Midi Mafia now sits atop of an impressive list of elite artists and producers bubbling on the surface of today's music scene. They have collectively spawned some of the heaviest remixes and hottest tracks of the year, and are now rightfully emerging as one of the industry's most sought after production teams.

Since their inception, the pair has produced smashes and/or highly anticipated projects in the works for Nelly, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Mos Def, Lil Mo, Westside Connection, Talib Kweli, Tamia, Fantasia, The Bravehearts, NORE, CNN, G-Unit and more. Additionally, the group's exclusive remixes continue to land coveted spots on radio and mixtapes all across the country. The group has also garnered national media attention, and has appeared on BET's 106 and Park, Rap City and The 2003 Billboard AURN Hip Hop and R&B Awards.

Now outfitted to bring their very own offerings to the music industry, Midi Mafia are preparing to unfurl their new label Family Ties, which is distributed by Atlantic Records. Currently they are working on the first artist signed to their imprint, an R&B female from Brooklyn named Deemi, as well as their own debut album.

As producers, CEOs and now artists, the twosome have more than reason enough to be excited. Working relentlessly with their team and other artists, the duo is expected to continue dropping hot remixes and surefire hits. Known for masterfully assembling whole songs - not just a beat or a hook, Bruce Waynne lends his distinctive vocals and charismatic hooks, while Dirty Swift applies his DJ influenced methodologies and technical expertise. The result is an innovative blend of hooks, beats and choruses - just add vocals and you're song is a ready-made hit.

With their artist deal, a new label deal, a remarkable catalog of hits and a long laundry list of artists calling on them to produce their magic, Midi Mafia has no choice but to be at the forefront of the next great music movement. Expected to bring even more heat in 2006, this two-man hit-making machine has definitely created a winning formula. Get Connected!

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Thursday, May 17, 2007   MUSIC |  VIDEOS |  INTERVIEWS  | NEW ARTIST  | HOME

Hot Video: Lil Boosie "Wipe Me Down" Remix w.Webbie & Foxx

Posted at 5/17/2007 08:24:00 PM

Trill Fam has a hot new video. Lil Boosie, Webbie, and Foxx have teamed up for a definite club banger and head rocker. The new "Wipe Me Down" (Remix) video is blowing up, and here's your chance to check it out. After you watch, you're going to want to do the 'Wipe Me Down' dance yourself.

Also, don't forget to cop the new album, Lil Boosie, Webbie, Foxx, and Trill Fam Present Survival of the Fittest, in stores May 22nd.

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40 Glocc set's the records straight

Posted at 5/17/2007 08:16:00 PM

Amidst the current controversy surrounding rap lyrics and the flagrant use of the 'N' word, both in rap and every day life, 40 Glocc feels like someone should stand up for the views of those actually living in the ghettos whose experiences are so vividly depicted in the music under fire.

With that in mind, he recorded the song Niggaz4Life which you may download from the link below or hear on his MySpace page. "I feel like Imus' excuse for what he said was too convenient and, even worse, that the people who are supposed to speak for us are allowing rap to become a scapegoat for other peoples' ignorance. Russell Simmons started out backing us and our right to free speech, then succumbed to the powers that be and backpeddled." He goes on to say, "I looked at my Mother's birth certificate recently and under race, it says 'nigger.' We are from Beaumont, TX and that was the common practice back then. I'm sure it was in alot of palces. The politics may have changed, but on paper, we will always be niggers. There has never been an apology for that sh*% and anyone who watches daytime television, including school-aged children, can hear the word bitch a million times a day on reality TV shows. Who is making an issue of that? People are afraid to speak up for the real issues and I don't think we have had anyone real to speak for us and the way we really feel in a long time."

40, and many like him, say they have taken the 'N' word and flipped it - taking away its power and making it their own. "I heard that word all my life growing up, through my peers. I want people to know what i got from it and what the word means to me - Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accompished - where is the violence in that? There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country for whom we will always be 'niggers'; families who are right now raising their kids with that very mentality..........so why not take the 'N' word back and use it?..........like the song says, we will be niggaz for life, but which type of nigga will you be????????? "

LOOK OUT FOR 40 GLOCC'S UPCOMING VIDEO TO 'WHERE THEM HAMMERS AT?" COMING SOON ON YOUTUBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For further quotes and comments, kindly contact Nancy Byron/OGPR (832) 220.6071 or nancy.byron@ogpr.net

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Stax Records BHF Kickoff Party June 7

Posted at 5/17/2007 04:37:00 PM

Join the Bodega Crew as they kick off the 3rd Annual BHF on Thursday, June 7, 2007 Stax 10th, Anniversary Celebration And Launch Party for BHF 2007.

PowerHouse Arena
37 Main Street at Water Street
Dumbo, Brooklyn
6-9PM

Space Is Limited Arrive Early

Music provided by Large Professor and Uncle Ralph McDaniels giveaways from Stax Records, WaxPoetics, PowerHouse and Brooklyn Bodega all night long!

Drinks provided by Brooklyn Brewery

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Mims Get's nominated "Best New Artist" by B.E.T.

Posted at 5/17/2007 04:32:00 PM

This year’s festivities will air live on Tuesday, June 26 from Los Angeles’s historic Shrine Auditorium (8 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (CT)), tape delay to Mountain and Pacific Time Zones) and will honor the best in 15 categories in music, film, video and sports. Superstar diva Diana Ross will be honored at the award ceremony with a BET Lifetime Achievement Award for her significant musical career, while actor Don Cheadle will take home this year’s BET Humanitarian Award for his dedication to humanity. For more info see BET.com. Be sure to check it out to see if MIMS takes it home!