Hey Slim Thug!
Hey how ya doin’?
I’m fine how are you?
I’m alright just working!
Yeah you’re on tour at the moment.
Yeah I’m on a promo tour in the mid-west of America so we’re just doing that and going city to city.
I see! So, first things first can you tell us what part of Houston you grew up in and what it was like growing up there?
I grew up on the North side of Houston in the area I was in it was pretty bad but not that bad. I don’t feel like I was in the worst of the worst.
On March 3rd you dropped your mixtape ‘I Represent this pt. 2; 10 Years Later’ featuring Trae and Chamillionaire. Can you tell us the concept behind the title and the mix?
‘I Represent This’ was the name of the first mixtape I ever put out when I first started rapping. It came out in 1999 so it was kind of like the reunion of that, I just wanted to redo it like that. Basically I wanted to do it Houston style. In Houston when we do mixtapes you mix all the songs together, it ain’t just a bunch of songs. We just put it all on the same level that way you just play the mixtape all the way through instead of just making a song you just make a long version you know? You just freestyle.
Are mixtapes still a good promotional tool out there in the States?
Yeah it’s still a good promotional tool. It’s especially good for cats like me who have already got a name for doing mixtapes. The stores are more open to receive a mixtape from me, but for a new cat it will probably be harder for him to come out on the scene because he has no name. But yeah mixtapes still do a lot out here.
Later this month on March 24th you drop your album ‘Boss of all Bosses.’
What can we expect to hear from you on there?
Aww man it’s my second album and it’s me bringing the Houston movement back that’s basically what I’m trying to do. I got records with all my friends, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, also legends in the game like, Scarface and UGK then I’ve got a lot of records by my self. I got production by Jim Jonson and Manny Fresh so it’s all over the place!
What was your inspiration for this album?
I had the title a long time ago I saw the movie ‘The Boss of all Bosses’ and that’s where I got the title from. Basically it turned into a Houston album and it gives the perfect visual of my city so that’s what it ended up being.
You’ve also got the single ‘I Run’ currently doing some damage out there in the States tell us about the track.
It was produced by Jim Jonson he came down for the Ozone Awards in Houston. We left early and went to the studio and that was the first beat he played for me, I loved the beat. I had an idea for it and we chopped with The Flock of Seagulls track ‘I Ran’ which came out back in 1982. That was it, we just flipped the words up, I did the verses and that was that man! He made it real easy for me.
Will you be dropping a chopped and screwed version of the ‘Boss of all Bosses?
Yeah definitely it will be done by Michael Watts I will I think that will be out in June.
Like you mentioned earlier you’re currently on a 24 city promotional tour how’s it all going so far?
It’s going pretty good you know? We’re going city to city letting the people know that the album is coming out. Meeting and greeting with all the different radio people. It’s definitely effective.
You’ve also played out in Europe do you have any plans to play the UK and Europe again to help promote your album?
Yeah I definitely would love to go back out to Europe and the UK and have a good time. I like it over there and I look forward to coming back out that way.
How would a promoter go about contacting you to do a show?
You can hit up my road manager Daryl at bighev@gmail.com
Let’s go back to the beginning. What made you want to become a rapper?
Aww man listening to cats like NWA, Scarface and The Geto Boys they inspired me to want to make music.
Back in the day you were signed to Swisha House how did you hook up with Michael Watts?
Well Swisha House wasn’t even Swisha House when I got there! It was just Michael Watts doing mixtapes and I was one of the first artists to get in to Swisha House. It was me Lil Mario and J Dawg we all got together on one CD and we released that and it just kind of took off ever since then, it was named the Swisha House and that was it.
You’ve also got your own crew called The Boss Hogg Outlawz can you tell us about the crew?
Aww man they serious! I think they’re going to be popping this year! They’ve got their albums coming out after mine. I think the world is going to open up their ears to them and like the music they come up with. Killa Kyleon and J Dawg are next to drop albums so, so we’re working on that man and just really trying to put them out there. They definitely have a big fan base out here in the South. We also got new artists like Lil Ray and Young Black and we’re looking forward to their albums to come out too.
Who are the members?
We got Killa Kyleon, J Dawg, Lil Ray, Young Black, Chris Ward, P.J, Sir Daily there’s a lot of people and hopefully I haven’t missed one!
After the release of ‘Boss of all Bosses’ and albums by the Boss Hogg Outlaw members what other projects will you be working on as a solo artist?
I’m going to drop this album then I want to get right back on another album. It’s been a minute between ‘Already Platinum’ and this album, so I want to make up for the missed time and try and put another album out by the end of this year.
A lot of great artists have come out of Houston over the years. What rising star’s do you think are next to blow?
Out of Houston I would definitely say the dude’s from off of my label. I know it’s kind of like I’m just pitching them but that’s who I really see coming up and taking over the city. I haven’t heard a lot of new artists emerge out of Houston and I think that’s a problem, it’s kind of the same old dudes on the same stuff holding it down. I definitely think we need new artists and that’s why I keep trying to sign people to the label to keep the movement going.
Can you tell us about your label Boss Hogg Outlawz?
Yeah I started it back in 2000. I left Swisha House and I just wanted more control over myself and all that stuff. So, me and my brother got together and we came up with the name Boss Hogg Outlawz. We started doing mixtapes like we did at Swisha House and eventually the brand grew bigger and we just started doing independent albums and all that.
Slim thanks for taking the time out of your busy tour to talk to us! Is there anything that you would like to add or give a shout out to?
Shout out to the whole of the UK and everybody who is supporting my record. Log on to http://www.imahogg.com/ or www.myspace.com/slimthug and that will keep you up to date with what we got going on. You can pick up the new mixtapes and all that from one of those sites. Make sure you’re ready to pick up the album on March 24th.
Interview by Jai Boo
Hey how ya doin’?
I’m fine how are you?
I’m alright just working!
Yeah you’re on tour at the moment.
Yeah I’m on a promo tour in the mid-west of America so we’re just doing that and going city to city.
I see! So, first things first can you tell us what part of Houston you grew up in and what it was like growing up there?
I grew up on the North side of Houston in the area I was in it was pretty bad but not that bad. I don’t feel like I was in the worst of the worst.
On March 3rd you dropped your mixtape ‘I Represent this pt. 2; 10 Years Later’ featuring Trae and Chamillionaire. Can you tell us the concept behind the title and the mix?
‘I Represent This’ was the name of the first mixtape I ever put out when I first started rapping. It came out in 1999 so it was kind of like the reunion of that, I just wanted to redo it like that. Basically I wanted to do it Houston style. In Houston when we do mixtapes you mix all the songs together, it ain’t just a bunch of songs. We just put it all on the same level that way you just play the mixtape all the way through instead of just making a song you just make a long version you know? You just freestyle.
Are mixtapes still a good promotional tool out there in the States?
Yeah it’s still a good promotional tool. It’s especially good for cats like me who have already got a name for doing mixtapes. The stores are more open to receive a mixtape from me, but for a new cat it will probably be harder for him to come out on the scene because he has no name. But yeah mixtapes still do a lot out here.
Later this month on March 24th you drop your album ‘Boss of all Bosses.’
What can we expect to hear from you on there?
Aww man it’s my second album and it’s me bringing the Houston movement back that’s basically what I’m trying to do. I got records with all my friends, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, also legends in the game like, Scarface and UGK then I’ve got a lot of records by my self. I got production by Jim Jonson and Manny Fresh so it’s all over the place!
What was your inspiration for this album?
I had the title a long time ago I saw the movie ‘The Boss of all Bosses’ and that’s where I got the title from. Basically it turned into a Houston album and it gives the perfect visual of my city so that’s what it ended up being.
You’ve also got the single ‘I Run’ currently doing some damage out there in the States tell us about the track.
It was produced by Jim Jonson he came down for the Ozone Awards in Houston. We left early and went to the studio and that was the first beat he played for me, I loved the beat. I had an idea for it and we chopped with The Flock of Seagulls track ‘I Ran’ which came out back in 1982. That was it, we just flipped the words up, I did the verses and that was that man! He made it real easy for me.
Will you be dropping a chopped and screwed version of the ‘Boss of all Bosses?
Yeah definitely it will be done by Michael Watts I will I think that will be out in June.
Like you mentioned earlier you’re currently on a 24 city promotional tour how’s it all going so far?
It’s going pretty good you know? We’re going city to city letting the people know that the album is coming out. Meeting and greeting with all the different radio people. It’s definitely effective.
You’ve also played out in Europe do you have any plans to play the UK and Europe again to help promote your album?
Yeah I definitely would love to go back out to Europe and the UK and have a good time. I like it over there and I look forward to coming back out that way.
How would a promoter go about contacting you to do a show?
You can hit up my road manager Daryl at bighev@gmail.com
Let’s go back to the beginning. What made you want to become a rapper?
Aww man listening to cats like NWA, Scarface and The Geto Boys they inspired me to want to make music.
Back in the day you were signed to Swisha House how did you hook up with Michael Watts?
Well Swisha House wasn’t even Swisha House when I got there! It was just Michael Watts doing mixtapes and I was one of the first artists to get in to Swisha House. It was me Lil Mario and J Dawg we all got together on one CD and we released that and it just kind of took off ever since then, it was named the Swisha House and that was it.
You’ve also got your own crew called The Boss Hogg Outlawz can you tell us about the crew?
Aww man they serious! I think they’re going to be popping this year! They’ve got their albums coming out after mine. I think the world is going to open up their ears to them and like the music they come up with. Killa Kyleon and J Dawg are next to drop albums so, so we’re working on that man and just really trying to put them out there. They definitely have a big fan base out here in the South. We also got new artists like Lil Ray and Young Black and we’re looking forward to their albums to come out too.
Who are the members?
We got Killa Kyleon, J Dawg, Lil Ray, Young Black, Chris Ward, P.J, Sir Daily there’s a lot of people and hopefully I haven’t missed one!
After the release of ‘Boss of all Bosses’ and albums by the Boss Hogg Outlaw members what other projects will you be working on as a solo artist?
I’m going to drop this album then I want to get right back on another album. It’s been a minute between ‘Already Platinum’ and this album, so I want to make up for the missed time and try and put another album out by the end of this year.
A lot of great artists have come out of Houston over the years. What rising star’s do you think are next to blow?
Out of Houston I would definitely say the dude’s from off of my label. I know it’s kind of like I’m just pitching them but that’s who I really see coming up and taking over the city. I haven’t heard a lot of new artists emerge out of Houston and I think that’s a problem, it’s kind of the same old dudes on the same stuff holding it down. I definitely think we need new artists and that’s why I keep trying to sign people to the label to keep the movement going.
Can you tell us about your label Boss Hogg Outlawz?
Yeah I started it back in 2000. I left Swisha House and I just wanted more control over myself and all that stuff. So, me and my brother got together and we came up with the name Boss Hogg Outlawz. We started doing mixtapes like we did at Swisha House and eventually the brand grew bigger and we just started doing independent albums and all that.
Slim thanks for taking the time out of your busy tour to talk to us! Is there anything that you would like to add or give a shout out to?
Shout out to the whole of the UK and everybody who is supporting my record. Log on to http://www.imahogg.com/ or www.myspace.com/slimthug and that will keep you up to date with what we got going on. You can pick up the new mixtapes and all that from one of those sites. Make sure you’re ready to pick up the album on March 24th.
Interview by Jai Boo
