Exclusive: Fresh off of producing "Fizzyology" for Termanology, Lil Fame says that he learned to stay a secret threat from Freddie Foxxx, and producing hits for M.O.P.
by WILLIAM E. KETCHUM III
posted November 24, 2012 at 9:01AM EST
by WILLIAM E. KETCHUM III
posted November 24, 2012 at 9:01AM EST
For years, Lil Fames humility kept him away from the limelight. He has always handled much of the production for M.O.P., his duo with fellow Brownsville emcee Billy Danze, whenever legends like DJ Premier and D/R Period werent around to lend their own hardnosed backdrops. Still, the songs were credited as M.O.P. for production. But when the knock-heavy Cold As Ice, the follow up to M.O.P.s breakthrough single Ante Up, came around, Danze and the groups manager Laze E. Laze had had enough: it was time for Fame to receive some recognition. Fizzy Womack, a slightly changed old nickname from Fames youth, was resurrectedand listeners saw his talent, as he produced five of the albums 19 cuts.
Since then, other East Coast legends such as AZ, Styles P and Cormega have recognized Fames penchant for gutter beats, enlisting his talents for their albums. This month, though, his production skills are on full display with Fizzyology, Fames new album with DJ Premier understudy Termanology. In an interview with HipHopDX, Lil Fame talks about working with someone other than his longtime partner in rhyme, lessons from his predecessors, and bringing the streets to the studio.
Lil Fame Discusses Fizzyology With Termanology
Lil Fame: Its like a collaboration album, so I wouldnt say its just me and another artist. Were not a group or nothin. Nowadays, theres not enough of the kind of music I grew up on, that golden era music, the sh-t our fans like. Its important to stay consistent and keep putting out a lot of music, so every chance I get I put out music.
DX: What made you decide to work with Termanology?
Lil Fame: Basically, me making music isnt about reaching out to people and sh-t like that, unless you work in my circle. There were other artists I could work with, but [Termanology] was right there in the studio. It started out as his album, with me doing the production, and we had so much music, I decided to add a couple of my songs on there. Wed be in the studio, drinking and coming up with a lot of music.
I think Term is a dope emcee, and up and coming emcee. He comes from that lyrical point of view. When were making music, it takes me back to when I was younger, Hip Hop was more fun. Before things got so my life without the problems. A lot of that comes out in my music. But Term is just lyrics and fun, just emceeing. He brings back that energy when Hip Hop was fun, and about lyrics. Thats what I get out the sessions. He brought that out of me, and he brought a good spirit in the studio. It was good to go back to that sound. I want to rap, and not everything is a sad story. Everybody knows my steez and how I get down, but I just wanted to rap.
DX: You and Billy are about nine albums in, so Im sure you guys have a formula when you go in the studio, so you already know where each other is at. How is it different working with Term?
Lil Fame: Making M.O.P. music is natural, but this isnt an M.O.P. album. Its showcasing Term as an emcee and me as a producer, I just did my one-two on it. Bottom line, whoever Im in the studio with, I put my all into it. All the effort I can put in it, I try to do that. I dont just go in the studio and rap peoples verses; I want to hear it mixed down, I want to hear the drops youre doing. I want to be a part of the whole session. It isnt just with Term; like any other artist I work with, I like to put all my intake.
As far as me and Billy Danze, we just vibe off each other. Our energy comes from each other. Were not just a group, I knew this nikka my whole life. We grew up from kids together, so thats just natural.
DX: What do you offer on a record like this, that you dont get to offer on an M.O.P. album?
Lil Fame: Its not that I dont get to offer it. As far as me and Billy, as far as M.O.P., its a group. Nothing is one way or one-sided. We both have to agree on some sh-t. Sometimes I have a beat, and Billy says, Yo, lets do that sh-t. In this case, it wasnt thatTerm came to me looking for beats, so I had more beats to offer. I get to show my talent as a producer.
DX: Some people have a specific song or two that converts them into becoming a fan. Do you have a song like that for Termanology, that made you really respect him?
Lil Fame: Like I told you, for me, its more about the vibe of the person. We can sit in a session, and drink and hang out. Its about having social skills. Some mufu-kas are just nerds, and you cant even sit in a session with them. Their whole vibe is fu-ked up, and thats no way to make music. Terms got a good vibe, his people are my people, were all good in the studio, we hit the club up, tour together, whatever.
But Terms first joint, Watch How It Goes Down, when he scratched my voice in from Worlds Famous. I think he had something out before that and I wasnt familiar with it. But that joint right there, the way he was going in on that song, Im like, Damn, this muh'fu-ka can rhyme. It kind of reminded me of [Big] Pun or [Kool] G Raps flow. Im a G Rap fan, Puns my nikka, and I just miss that essence of lyrics with every line. Every line, they said something. I think he deserves it. There are other people out there, but hes one of the emcees to look at right now.
DX: A lot of people just associate M.O.P. with having a lot of energy, for songs like Ante Up. But this album has songs like Family Ties and Lil Ghetto Boy.
Lil Fame: Well if youre familiar with M.O.P., we do songs like Blood, Sweat And Tears, and Dead And Gone. [Fizzyology] just a round album. You dont want to be blaow, blaow, blaow every fu-king song. One day youre feeling this way, one day Im in this mood, and one day Im in this mood. Were trying to show people that Im not one-sided. Im an artist. I dont know if Im your favorite artist, but Im an artist. Im an all around the way artist. Thats why youve got songs like Family Ties and Little Ghetto Boy, concept songs.
DX: As an artist, especially on a song on Family Ties, how tough was it for you to tap into those memories?
Lil Fame: It depends on the music. Sometimes the music can take you there, and it can be the vibe of the room. You know, Ive got something to say. Sometimes, when I listen back to sh-t like that, Im like, Man, Im not in the mood to hear that sad sh-t right now. It depends on the vibe of that day.
Term had the idea [for Family Ties], he had the idea and came down and played me his verse. For me, I go in there and match whatever right there. Sometimes I write, and sometimes I put it together like a puzzle, piece by piece. That was the vibe then. Matter of fact, I was doing the session, so that worked out perfect. Whatever song was before that, I was also recording.
Sometimes you have the songs where youre just popping sh-t, and letting nikkas know how you feel, and its easier to do the concept songs after you get all the anger out with your straightforward popping sh-t. Im always going to pop sh-t on a song. Then youve got times where you have more you want to say in a concept story. That was easy for me. That day came down, I was working on some other sh-t, and the vibe was there for me. That was easy for me, so I laid that down quick.
Lil Fame Explains His "Fizzy Womack" Persona
DX: The early M.O.P. albums credited M.O.P. for the production of those songs, not you specifically. What was it like flying under the radar for so long?
Lil Fame: Its cool, because were in this motherfu-ker together, so were rocking together. It was Billy and [Laze E. Laze's] idea to start putting Fizzy Womack to showcase me more as a producer. But a lot of those songs, sometimes Laze would come in and press and button and add some sh-t. It was the crew. But it was their idea. I never asked for my name to be put out there as just Fizzy Womack until after Cold As Ice, and sh-t like that. But that was more the executive part, which was handled by my man Laze.
DX: What made you not want the recognition?
Lil Fame: Its not that I didnt want [recognition], but I dont know sometimes people take you for an as-hole - deejay dudes or whatever. Freddie Foxxx gave me motivation. He played piano like a motherfu-ker, but youd never know that this nikka Freddie Foxxx could play the piano. So when I see cats like that who have that talent, sometimes, you dont want to be looked at as, This motherfu-ker thinks hes a producer. [Laughs] That sh-t felt like clown sh-t. Until it became cool. Its cool nowadays, but back in the days, nikkas would laugh. This nikka thinks hes a fu-king deejay! Theyd look at you like you were a chump or something. I was stuck in my years. I was still wilding or whatever, and I definitely didnt want that look.
DX: Did that take getting used to? Does it feel awkward to see your name there?
Lil Fame: Fizzy Wo is the same sh-t as Fame. Around the way, they call me Slap. So nikkas say, What up Slilz?" "What up Fizzy? I just threw the Wo on it for music sh-t. Nobody calls me Fame unless its somebody that knows me from music.
DX: Youve worked with DJ Premier, Jaz-O, D/R Period. Did they help you learn how to make beats, or were you self-taught?
Lil Fame: I was self-taught from the most part, but I picked up a whole lot from D/R Period, and I was a DJ Premier fan, a Marley Marl fan, a Jaz-O fan. Everybody I had the honor to work with that was right there, there was just a vibe in that muh'fu-ka. Im a music dude, so everything that has to do with a scratch or a beat, I was looking. Hell yeah I picked up a lot from D/R, Premier, Laze E. Laze, I picked up a lot. And Im still learning.
DX: What kind of things did you pick up?
Lil Fame: I cant say off-hand. They know how to make that sh-t knock. I aint the best mixer in the world, but I know how to make my sh-t sound right. I know what I want, Ive got the ear for that. My man Laze taught me how to work the [Akai] MPC, and D/R and Premier showed me little tricks. I add all that sh-t to my sh-t. Do you make beats?
DX: Nah, I wish I did though. [Laughs]
Lil Fame: Man, making beats is just fun for me. When Ive got to rhyme, before I go to the session, Im thinking of sh-t to say. Ive got to get in that zone, that sh-ts like work. When youre not in the mood to rhyme, that sh-t is fu-king work. That sh-t is brain work, mental work, especially if youre not in the mood. Like, God damn, I dont feel like doing this. But you dont want to waste no money either. So once I lay down that first line, Ive got to finish the whole verse.
But making beats? Thats sh-t is like playing Nintendo or some sh-t. Its like playing video games for me.
DX: Is it that much easier?
Lil Fame: Its funner [sic]. Its not work for me. Writing and putting songs together, that sh-t is work when youre not in the mood. When youre in the mood, that sh-t will come naturally. Youll know, that sh-t will tell you, Go do a song. You sit down and jot it down, and youre like, Im good. That sh-t came from no work, but after seven of those, youre like, I dont feel like doing that sh-t today.
But making beats, I can do that sh-t anytime. Im always in the mood for that. as long as Im not upset or angry, Im good.
Lil Fame Discusses M.O.P. Being More Than A Hardcore Hip Hop Group
DX: Longer, and perhaps better, than any other Rap group out there, between your production work and what M.O.P. makes, you seem to have a great talent of bringing the street to the studio. You can tell when an artist is just trying to make a street song, compared to you guys. It sounds like you literally make your songs in the street. How do you guys do that?
Lil Fame: Im from Brownsville, Brooklyn. I get tired of telling fu-king war stories and sh-t, but we come from sh-t. I dont want to repeat the same thing, but that sh-ts from my blood. Its just natural, we do that with no effort. Its not like we go in, like, Weve got to do this fu-king street sh-t! That sh-t is ignorant. It just comes out aggressive. Not every song is (makes signature M.O.P. raucus sounds). Thats not every song, you have your song where you just want to chill on this one. But to the average listener, were aggressive. Thats what were known for, and I aint mad at it. It comes from all the frustration coming up in that motherfu-king Brownsville.
DX: If you could produce someone elses album, who would you pick?
Lil Fame: sh-t, youve got me right now, my nikka. I dont know. I could tell you a lot of artists I like. Im a G. Rap baby forever. I wouldnt say Id want to produce for G. Rap, because thats a slap in the face, its kind of disrespectful. Just a dope-ass nikka. I dont want to say none of my peers, or none of the nikkas who raised me in this sh-t, with the music I grew up on. I dont want to be like that. I cant say. Most of my favorite artists are the artists before me.
DX: Why do you think that would be disrespectful?
Lil Fame: If I was asked to, it would be an honor. But as far as saying, Id like to produce an album, who the fu-k am I? It aint that serious. Like, Slow down, lil nikka. Youre doing all right, but slow down.
DX: Its interesting that you say that, because a lot of people would probably see you the same way. Termanology may see you the same way.
Lil Fame: Yeah, thats love though. Thats how its supposed to be. The ones before you. They used to call me Kool G. Slap in high school, thats how much I kept his tape on rewind. I dont forget none of that sh-t.
Koch Records put out a Rakim [The Archive: Live, Lost & Found] album, and they gave me the vocals to remix it. The song was called Im Back. It was an honor to do that, but it wasnt like, I did a beat for Rakim! Maybe personally, to myself, Im like, Oh sh-t, I did a joint for that nikka! But I got a good response from it, and Id like to do more like that.
