THE RETURN OF THE INCREDIBLE LETTERMAN: K-SOLO.

‘To come tow truck your weak side show, back on the scene is the incredible one man team, when I get mad, I turn green’, K-Solo, the original rap criminal, is one of the realest, roughest, fiercest lyricists that have ever blessed the mic. K’s solo rap career took a steer flight after the release of his debut album ‘Tell The World My Name’, but soon later he vanished from the scene, only to return for a handful of guest appearances. Since 2004, rumors have been spread that the one and only Letterman would return with a new album, but still fans had to postpone their aching longing. Now, in 2006, things are finally looking good and the odds that a new album will issue soon are very much in favor. Backed by his record label Waste Management and a crew called The Sharp Shooters, Solo is coming back harder as ever. What follows is a quick jump back in history, a small update on his beef with DMX, but first more on his up-and-comings…

Wassup K-Solo. It's been a while. There was an album coming, tentatively called 'There Will Be Hell To Pay'. Will it be the same album now as the one planned for 2004?

The album is still titled the same but I really want to get a chance to work the production side as well as the MC side. I’ve been around long enough to know that I am talented on both sides of the field.

Basically, what can we expect from it?

It’s featuring myself mainly, but I have a beat team called the Teamster Union that is just completely out of control, a crazy talented group of beat makers and producers. As far as guest rappers; of course my boy Maintain, Canibus, the Sharp Shooterz (www.wmrinc.com), they are gonna wack a lot of people up. I think if you go down our roster (Waste Management Rec, ed) with the upcoming stars and proven vets, this will be nothing short of history for the hip-hop world.

So when and where was Waste Management Records founded?

It was originally founded in Brooklyn, NY in 1995 and it grew from there. We are in three of the country’s major cities (NY, CHI, LA), which has provided us with a national street interpretation. We’re not just hitting you with a New York sound or an LA sound, we all over. The world will get too see our first act Maintain (www.myspace.com/Maintain847) on Waste Management Records.

Besides Maintain, what other artists are on it?

Canibus, who everyone knows is a fucking beast, Mozes Gunn, Willie Dynomite,
Buccweet and of course me, K-S-O-L-O, the original rap criminal.

Canibus always gave you love in interviews and he’s also a boxer like you...how long have you been down?

Canibus is like Rambo, deadly with that 40 cal. You can bring a fucking army to knock him out and he will still escape and win.

You also mentioned The Sharp Shooters Click…

Yeah, we consist of about 24 rappers from NY to LA with a mixture of everything. Hustlers to blue collar. Shit, when The Sharp Shooterz didn’t have a deal, they worked building houses, building goddamn buildings theirselves. Hard working, punch-a-nigga-in-the-face-type of guys.

'Wolf Tickets' was your latest single right, will it be on the new album?

No, it’s classic but I got too much dope shit to let the others stand there. I have a lot of songs I always did.

One of your latest features was on the Earatik Statik album...how did you connect with him?

Through PMD.

You featured on PMD's album too. That's the only artist from the Hit Squad you're still workin with?

The thing about PMD is that he has made some of the worst moves in rap
history. All I have to say is how the fuck do you blow a 7 million dollar deal?

But where would K-Solo be without the Hit Squad?

In all honesty, the Hit Squad saw me when they were just young boys trying to get a name. I look at it like this: they wouldn’t be where they are if they didn’t see and hear my music first. Ask Parrish how old he was when he first heard Solo at the White Church and his older brother had a crush on my music. That shit is way before EPMD 5 years before the world heard them, true story.

Speaking of the Hit Squad, you heard something of Top Quality, is he still making music?

I like his shit but the label deal he signed at RCA fucked him up and he lost the feel for the business after his project.

So How was touring the world with PMD and DJ Honda in 2003?

PMD messed that up too, flipping over everything but his ticket and record sales. If Honda wanna work with him then that’s on Honda, but me never fucking again.

You collaborated with Stezo on 'Tension Off The Chest' in 1996…

Stezo, man, that’s a good dude to work with. He was always ahead of his time just
like me. I like that dude, man, talented.

Redman was your DJ back then, how would you rate him as a DJ?

I think Redman is a good DJ, he should get a radio show DJ-ing!

What of your classic 12”s are you holding on to the most: ‘Fugitive’, ‘Letterman’, ‘Head Banger’?

‘Head Banger’ and ‘Fugitive’ hands down, I think my verse on ‘Head Banger’ could be one of the best all time. The video was ridiculous, ‘Head Banger’ was the shit! Check the video on Youtube. The Fugitive though, the flow the ill video completely out of control, classic hip hop in raw form! Check the video on Youtube.

Your second album was only released on vinyl by bootlegging...is it correct that you did that yourself?

No, I didn’t even know that shit…crazy.

As for the first album, there's also 'legitimate' bootlegs of it right?

Solo: I don’t know you have too ask PMD that.

Your first album sold over 350 000 units, not bad for a new artist, and people still talking about it, what's the strength of the first album?

Hearing real lyrics from a real nigga. Nothing fake on that album and it was ahead of its time. I mean, it went gold to my knowledge

How would you compare the second album with the first one?

Classic, just as dope, if you listen to it, you’ll find it’s one of the few albums in that time that still holds up.

How did you connect with Sam Sneed? And were you ever signed to Death Row or a East Coast department of Death Row?

We hooked up at a show in Pittsburg, PA. Yeah, I was signed to Death Row when all that major shit between Dre and Suge went down. There’s still a crazy bootleg of me and Kurupt free-styling, it is out of control. I can’t even find that shit anywhere, last time I heard it was on a DJ S&S tape like 10 years ago.

Were you ever sponsored by Carharrt for introducing them to the rap world?

No, but it’s never to late. Sharp Shooters will have an official sponsor, I guarantee that.

Many fans praise you as one of the best lyricist that has ever blessed the mic, if it wasn't for your 'time-out' out of hip-hop do you think you would've become as major as Jay-Z, Nas,...?

I love being me, the people I met during what you call it a ‘time-out’, but Jay and Nas are dope.

How much has boxing influenced your take/approach on music?

Everything from the mentality to the aggressiveness it takes to survive in this game.

How would you define 'being hardcore' in rap?

I don’t, rap at its roots is hardcore.

Could you briefly explain the DMX beef?

It all started in jail in the late 80’s and we would battle. He lost when ‘Spellbound’ fucking destroyed him and to this day he has never gotten over it, it really fucked with this young kid’s cocky ego. To this day, you mention my name and you can tell I really hurt that nigga’s feelings, it pained him to get embarrassed like that. He wants to Apollo Creed me, cool so ill play rocky and really hurt him he won’t walk again.

The last few months the beef has been on again, with DMX quotin you in an interview, what's your next move gonna be?

The truth of the matter is that being in L.A., I have people that I never would in LA, like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidell, true beat-that-ass-niggas. I have personally talked to the UFC folks and they would love to see us fight, I would love to see us fight. I mean we are forever going to be linked in the beef shit because there has not been a clear winner. I feel that I destroyed him, I assume he feels the same. It’s obvious we both don’t like each other and I think it’s the only why too settle this beef, but let’s face it, I saw dude do 50 push-ups and almost fall down afterwards. It took like 10 minutes to catch his breath to smoke another cigarette; obviously he is not ready for that. It would be the biggest deal in hip-hop in 20 years.

What other rappers are you feelin right now?

Maintain , Shon Doe, Willie Dynomite, SHARP SHOOTERS!

If you had the choice, what producers would you work with?

Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, No ID, Rza, Pete Rock.

Please give your opinion/more info on the following:

Juice
One of the best free-stylers in the world.

Mozes Gunn
He grew up with me at 30 Helock Street and he’s dangerous rapping cause he’s like me; he can fight and rap. He’s got beef with Keith Murray and I feel bad for Keith’s camp because Mozes is gonna destroy him; watch!

Pete Rock
Nigga for life.

Freddie Foxxx
Freddie Foxx is still spitting like he’s 21, that’s not easy as it sounds.

DMX
He made way more money then me in rap, but look at that nigga, he is sad, depressed, feelings hurt. He covers his shit up with drugs, alcohol a ‘Dog’ persona and a bark. Deep down he is still a little scared 18 year old hoodlum who got embarrassed trying to rap and he is still angry that I dissed him, he took real personal because he loved my style and wanted to be me so bad that he tried to steal my flow.

Any last words?

Yeah, check out www.wmrinc.com, www.myspace.com/wmrinc, www.myspace.com/maintain847. Any questions on booking for concerts, events, parties, guest appearances, mixtapes, merchandise, etc… Please e-mail Jason Clift at jclift27@hotmail.com.

Shout-outs:

SHARP SHOOTERS, WASTE MANAGEMENT RECORDS FOR LIFE!!

WORD UP!

©pf August 2006.