Javonne Talks with Kurupt about new release
The Frank & Jesse Story
Tha Dogg Pound

JH: So tell me about the new joint. Who all did you work with this time around?

Kurupt: It's called the Frank and Jess Story, me and my lil brother Roscoe. It's our first album together, it's already in stores and we're about to shoot the first video this week. It's gonna' be large and I know everyone will feel the beats and lyrics when they hear it.

JH: Who influenced you growing up in CALI?

Kurupt: Church…I had a couple of people influence me, Rakim was the main one who influenced me. Another big one was Tupac, I used to love the shit out of Tupac, and I grabbed him when I was thirteen. But Rakim was the one who inspired me. U know what…I'm goanna tell you the real, as I got older it was Snoopy he was a great inspiration back in the 90's when we were workin' together. His game was just so slick, he was just so tight in all his pieces of the game and as for his talent ton the mic. Snoop knew how to handle his business, which gained him stardom in music, film and producing.

JH: How do you feel when hip-hop is referred to as disrespectful to women or bad for children?

Kurupt: Well you know hip-hop is music and you just take it for what it is because there are many forms. You have hip-hop for kids and then there are the real raw versions produced for stripers and strip clubs. There is hip-hop for regular clubs and also gospel hip-hop. There are just so many different forms that you can't even look at hip-hop as just one it really depends on what suits you. So I don't think it's bad for anyone who really enjoy music and I believe that if you are looking for the hits released for the PG age group it can be found and it's all good. If you're lookin' for grown folk hip-hop, you got grown folks hip-hop. If you're lookin for conscious hip-hop, then you have conscious hip-hop. That's what's so big about the musical form we call hip-hop. It's so many forms that there is something for everybody, it just depends on what you want.

JH: You have been in the game for a while now, what has changed about your music from 10 years ago?

Kurupt: You know, I think it has changed dramatically, I think it has actually gotten broader, actually it's more wide spread, I mean Snoop Dogg did a country western record. Which means that people are opening up their minds to so many different other places, when it comes to their music and what they're putting out. You gotta' spread your wings for hip-hop to be so big that it speaks for music in general. I think that the transformation and changes are positive…I love it!

JH: Do you think that your personal success helped influence any other West Coast rappers?

Kurupt: My personal success has definitely helped West Coast rappers because I create a whole new breed of West Coast rappers. If you listen, a lot of West Coast rappers sound like they're from the East Coast and I don't understand how the true West Coast flavor and legacy can be down played now days. To me they weren't really rappin' like that. I created a whole different West Coast scene. A whole different way to rap, a whole different way to sound.

JH: Would you rather be an artist or a mogul? Would you rather be on stage or in the office?

Kurupt: I have been doing both for awhile now and it isn't easy, as for being a artist I have gotta' be gone with my tracks and with me working with so many parts of puttin' it down I must be able the to move around a lot plus still be the other guy that is the executive. The game requires stability and a sense of content in working both ends with determination to produce music that capture a wide range of audience.

JH: What's your label status right now? Do you have your own label?

Kurupt: Yes! I do Pentagon Entertainment and we are more than just a record label we're a film company as well as all other things. My wife Gail Gotti run the whole gig properly when it comes to business side. We got our deal through Luke Montana and Universal which gave us the opportunity to do what we love the most and we want to send a big shot out to them for believing in us. This has given us the chance to be the artist and also be one of the main players in the decision making on the executive side of the table. It's a good thing though, Pentagon Records, yea we in here. Church!!!

JH: What's your status with the Dog Pound as of 2008?

Kurupt: I am going to put it like this, there's no me without the DPG and me and my homies have been through hell and high water. We've been through the ups and the downs and we are still here. We're stronger than ever, ya understand me…and like I said there's no me without the DPG. Daz, Snoopy, Soopafly, Nate Dog, Warren G, and me we are all pushin' real strong now. Everyone's real supportive of what everybody is pushin'. We got a Dogg Pound album coming real soon actually. Daz produced the whole album, its proper, it's so proper. So I guess we'll be talking to each other in the near future to go over the DPG gig, ya dig?

JH: With all of the new technology and new ways to get music these days, how do you think this has changed the game?

Kurupt: I'm not mad at it, you know, I'm not mad at all. You gotta' change the game up and I think they're making people change their game and I'm not mad at it, because we had bootleggers and now we have computerleggers. Technology is very important to the growth of the game, so I'm not mad at all, I'm gonna' step my game up with them, fuck it!

JH: What do you think about the future of West Coast Rap?

Kurupt: I think it's growing drastically, um I can see them growing drastically. The new faces you will see, all of them will have a certain caliber when it comes to rapping. Their skills will be unprecedented and I think you're gonna' find a better West Coast rapper and with the new MCs that are coming out, I think it's gonna' be a big thing. I see us going to the moon, to the moon Alice!!!

JH: What's next on your plate?

Kurupt: Street Life will be droppin in the summer and it's my first real official solo album under my new label. Pentagon Records, doing it super big. I'm already in the future, Ya dig, Church!!!

The Frank & Jesse Story