CEITEDMOFO
Banned
At the age of 13, Oakland, California’s Lil Monie witnessed his father take his final breath shortly after being shot in a home invasion. Monie was also wounded during the unfortunate occurrence, but managed to survive.
At the time of his death, Monie’s father was an aspiring rap artist, known by the moniker Monie Hogg the Great. His passing inadvertently served as Monie’s motivation to take rap seriously.
?And that’s what the East Bay talent has strived to do over the last few calendars.
Monie’s easily distinguishable voice has been heard on songs with the likes of The Jacka, Husalah, Mistah F.A.B., Philthy Rich, Lil Blood and Joe Blow. His rhymes mirror the life of a person waist-deep in the streets, with subtle hopes of making an impact musically.
Determined to solidify his slot among the greatest to hail from Northern Cali, Monie has released three installments of his Underrated album series, and has more projects in the works.
Oakland’s very own took some time out to reflect on his father’s legacy, the close friendship he shared with The Jacka, and Mistah F.A.B.’s success during the height of the Hyphy movement. He also talked about his early work with Livewire Records, who he’s listening to right now, addressed rumors of him being a snitch, and touched on his creative process.
Tell me about your upbringing in Oakland.
I’m out that West Side, mane. Hell Street. Dogtown, mane. I came up in a jungle, right there on 34th. A house full, like 14 people. Auntie and Uncle, Moms and Pops, [brothers and sisters] all in one house. My dad was really the musician of the family. He always tried to get me to rap, since I was a young bull. After he died, I just said, ‘fukk it. I’m going to do the rap shyt. I’m going to continue his legacy.’
I remember Mistah F.A.B.’s dedication to your father on his Da Baydestrian album.
My dad taught F.A.B. everything he knows. Mistah F.A.B. was pretty much like a son to my dad. Ever since he passed, F.A.B. kind of took me in. F.A.B. calls me his son.
What type of bond did you share with your pops?
He was like my best friend, even though he was my father. He showed me the game. He told me about these snakes. He was a gangster, but he had a good heart. I watched him feed nikkas, put nikkas on. nikkas showed nothing in return, how snake nikkas do. He could be good when you wanted him to be; he could be bad if he needed to. He was a real legend out there in that town.
In your music, you’re open about witnessing your father’s death. Do you mind reflecting on that day?
? He came and grabbed me from San Leandro, that’s like 20 minutes from Oakland. We went back to the house. We had a studio in our basement that was pretty much open to everybody that was family and music artists. It was a pretty popular spot. Spice 1, Too Short, Mistah F.A.B., and the whole AFNF—All Family, No Friends, they would come through and record all late night. The night that it happened, I happened to go downstairs. I guess somebody hit the fence or whatever. They didn’t come all the way into the downstairs section of the house. They fired like seven or eight shots, and I got hit, Lil’ Blood’s daddy was hit, and my cousin was hit. My dad came downstairs, and he was shot. He died at the hospital.
How did that occurrence impact you?
My whole world went blind. nikkas started coming to the house stealing shyt, and trying to claim shyt that wasn’t theirs. I was a grown man from that point on. It affected me then, and it’s still affecting me until this day. Mufukkas was trying to get at my moms that was supposed to be his nigs…hella, hella faulty shyt. So I basically had to go bad from day one. Before he passed away, I was straight A’s and B’s, man. I was an Honor Roll student. I’ma give it to you all the way real. Pops wanted me to do the sports thing or the rapping. He didn’t really want me to go through what he went through. I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. That’s how it kicked off.
You mentioned being close to Mistah F.A.B. Were you around him when the Hyphy movement was receiving nationwide attention?
All that shyt. I’m in that “Ghost Ride It” video. I’m the lil’ nikka sitting down on the floor, right behind him. When Mistah F.A.B. first got that light on him, he wasn’t jealous with it. He was feeding nikkas, putting nikkas on. ‘Oh, you broke? Here go some money.’ He was giving certain individuals a way to make some money.
I was introduced to you via your work with Livewire Records. How did that connection come about?
Yeah, people used to think I was Livewire. Before Philthy Rich was really on, like he is, he used to come down to the ‘hood and grab me, like, ‘Bro, I want to do the album. I want to put you on. You’re hot.’ I was dibbling and dabbling in the streets; my mind was on other shyt. He would get me on songs. Ronald Mack would get me on songs. J. Stalin would let me come fukk with him. Shady Nate would get me on songs. It was a big studio over there in East Oakland called the PTB with J-Moe and all of them, and the old school Digital Underground. I would always be over there, just rapping hella much after school. I was in there getting on different cats’ songs, so people damn near thought I was Livewire everywhere I went.
Considering Livewire had a large buzz back then, and have an even larger one now, what made you decide not to join the label?
I never had the opportunity to sign with them. We never got to that point. They would just love the way I would be rapping and be like, ‘Throw him on something.’ It was never like ‘Oh, Monie fixing to be Livewire.’ They just had hot tracks, and I would be around and get on some shyt.
How did you link up with The Jacka?
When I first met Jack, I was like 14. He was in West Pittsburgh (California). My cousin and them had already knew him because I have a cousin from Pittsburgh that’s real family with Hus. He was already hip to them. And I had been asking him, ‘Bro, put me on with Jack.’ He was like, ‘nikka, he’d fukk with you, too, ‘cuz you dope.’ One day, we seen him come out of the apartments. We were parked next to a Lexus coupe he had. He walked up and was like, ‘nikka, what you doing smoking weed? Ain’t you like 10 years old?’ I’m like, ‘I’m 14. I’m old enough to smoke.’ He started laughing. He was like, ‘What nikkas doing?’ I was like, ‘nikkas, just chilling, fixing to pour up some of this lean.’ He was like, ‘What? Oh, I need in.’ We was good from there. I poured him a little deuce. He had one of them Minute Maid Lemonades. This was before nikkas got hella heavy on the Sprite. I had got his number, and had pulled up on him and was fukking with him. But I went to juvenile and lost contact with him. Then I saw him again with F.A.B. at the Ozone Awards out there in Texas. That’s when he won the award. He took me to breakfast with him, and we went to the strip club and all that. Ever since then, it was all good. He embraced me as a family. ?
I had a chance to speak with Carey Stacks last year. During our conversation, he reflected on his friendship with Jacka, and how generous Jacka was. Can you share your thoughts on Jack?
He was like an angel, bro. Like he said in that “100 in my Chop,” ‘That boy Lil Monie, that’s my right-hand man.’ That was real, bro. He would give you the shirt off his back, bro. Before his money was spent, he would make sure you were good. Even if he just met you, if he saw signs of struggle, he would try to help. It ain’t too many people like that. He’d put you on. I’ve watched him numerous times say, ‘Here, bro. You can take all of this. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get some more.’ He was a very giving person.
There have been allegations floating around about you being a snitch. Can you touch on this?
shyt hit the fan, and nikkas was like, ‘I had a wire on.’ The nikka that they said I had told on was damn near like family. After Jack died, he pulled up on me, took pictures with me, and kicked me out a few dollars. But, you know, that shyt don’t change shyt. That didn’t do nothing but make nikkas hate it more. My whole thing was, I fell back on nikkas. fukk nikkas. But Hus call me every other day. Blahk Jesus; it’s certain nikkas that stuck to me. And I got a pack of nikkas behind me, for sure. But certain nikkas fell out. nikkas got to sneak dissin’ me in songs and shyt, not saying my name and shyt because they know nikkas wit the shyt. But it’s all good, man. All praise due to the high power. I’m gonna keep pushing. I wasn’t made to satisfy these nikkas. It’s all watered down shyt anyway. My whole thing is, how the fukk you get 50 days in jail, but you get caught with like 10 pounds and four guns?
Jack was like, ‘nikkas talking ‘bout you telling. I ain’t gonna turn on you. I look at you like a son. I know everywhere you stay. I ain’t gonna send no harm to you. I love you.’ That’s the only thing that mattered to me. But all them other nikkas, them nikkas was saying my name in songs and shyt. nikkas know, if you say my name, you’re getting protection in the street. nikkas know not to fukk with you because I’m wit the shyt. All these nikkas. It’s not a rap nikka from Oakland that didn’t say my name. ‘My nikka, Lil Monie. My nikka, Lil Monie.’ And half the time, wasn’t none of them nikkas fukkin’ wit me from the go. That’s what nikkas do. nikkas use you for clout and shyt. But, you know, half of these nikkas be hitting me on Instagram talking about, ‘Brodie, it’s all love. I don’t want no problems with you.’ My thing is, let the world know that shyt. Don’t be saying that shyt on the low, nikka. That’s hoe shyt. Certain nikkas talking bout they gone do shyt to me, and see me and run stop signs and shyt, you know? Fleeing the scene out of there.
?Since the allegations came out, I haven’t seen you collaborate with a lot of the artists you used to work with. Do you think y’all will ever reconnect?
You know, the nikka they say I told on, he’s around me every now and then. He come drop shyt off, and come around. I don’t see why not. I can’t tell the future. But at the same time, I just stay in my own lane. I don’t speak on nikkas. I don’t say nikkas names. The ones that fukk with me, it’s love. And the ones that don’t, it’s still love, too.
What’s your creative process when you’re in the lab?
I do everything freestyle, bro. As far as my punch game, Jack really [taught me that]. Jack was like, ‘Bro, you way too dope to be sitting up in here writing raps and shyt. I’m doing music all day. You can’t slow me down, and I want you to be on the pace I’m on.’ I was like, ‘Well, shyt, what you want me to do?’ He was like, ‘Get your ass on the mic and freestyle your first line, and off that last word you said, you rhyme on the next line to that, and watch how fast you be.’ At first, I was like, ‘What is you talking bout? Hell naw. That shyt is hard.’ He was like, ‘I’m telling you, it’s easy as shyt, and you’re going to get more songs done and faster.’ I started doing it, and I noticed it was doper that way. When you don’t know what you’re going to say, you end up saying some real unique shyt.
?Who are some of the artists you’re feeling right now?
I wake up slapping some of that Mozzy. Lil Yase. J. Stalin. Dubb 20. Husalah. They got a couple of young cats. Lil Uno is my nig. I fukk with Lil Uno from the Wolfpack. I be off that Ampichino. The song he did dedicated to Jack, I slap that. I like the Doughboyz Cashout. They got the young nikka from the East; he pretty dope. He called Project Poppa. I slap him. He from East Oakland, out there in the Village. They got the lil’ Acorn cats, Lil Purp. Lil Birch Street Wee, and Lil QB from East Oakland. Pretty much, if you’re a good artist, I listen to nikkas. I don’t really care about who nikkas be having certain problems with. I slap DB tha General. HD. I play everybody. I don’t really sugarcoat shyt and take sides. A lot of these nikkas out here take sides. I ain’t wit none of that shyt. Ain’t none of you nikkas put food on my plate, and ain’t none of you nikkas fed none of my family. I slap everybody. And that’s how that go. A lot of nikkas ain’t like that, though. They try to group up and click up. I’m not with none of that. I slide through, and I bounce out in all of you nikkas’ hoods whenever I want, how I want. I’m not with your gangs, your clicks, or none of that shyt.
What do you have in the chamber musically for the future?
I got some shyt cooking. I got the Underrated 2017 and ’18 on the way. That’s cooked up already. I got like four or five more songs to do for the ’18, but it’s coming. On this one, I’m just going bad on shyt. I like to put all my pain into my music. A lot of these nikkas be cooking shyt up and giving it to you as is. I try to put my all into this shyt before I give it to my people. I’m just trying to come at it from a different angle this time—real storytelling and real pain. I’m showing nikkas I can’t be fukked with. I’m the nikka, and all that other shyt is whack. Period.
?You mentioned putting your pain into the music. Would you say recording is therapeutic for you?
?
Yeah. When I want to get away from all the bullshyt, all the negative shyt, I just go in and hit that record button. That’s what gets me by. I love this music shyt. A lot of these nikkas is doing it just to do it. This is what we love. We gave up everything for this. I put all my time into this. This is what I’m doing. While these nikkas is out doing all the fukkery and shyt, I’m either writing or listening to some instrumentals. As soon as the beat come on, I know what I’m going to say. I adapt to it.
Is there anything else you would like to share with readers before we wrap up?
Just keep pushing. Don’t let nobody tell you what you can and can’t do. If you love this music, love it, just how you love pitching that bundle or holding that hammer you got, or being a doctor or a dentist. However you love it, keep pushing with your passion. Don’t let nobody bring you down. Perfect your art and craft, and show the world what you got because I am. And rest in peace to the mac muthafukkin’ Jack.
At the time of his death, Monie’s father was an aspiring rap artist, known by the moniker Monie Hogg the Great. His passing inadvertently served as Monie’s motivation to take rap seriously.
?And that’s what the East Bay talent has strived to do over the last few calendars.
Monie’s easily distinguishable voice has been heard on songs with the likes of The Jacka, Husalah, Mistah F.A.B., Philthy Rich, Lil Blood and Joe Blow. His rhymes mirror the life of a person waist-deep in the streets, with subtle hopes of making an impact musically.
Determined to solidify his slot among the greatest to hail from Northern Cali, Monie has released three installments of his Underrated album series, and has more projects in the works.
Oakland’s very own took some time out to reflect on his father’s legacy, the close friendship he shared with The Jacka, and Mistah F.A.B.’s success during the height of the Hyphy movement. He also talked about his early work with Livewire Records, who he’s listening to right now, addressed rumors of him being a snitch, and touched on his creative process.
Tell me about your upbringing in Oakland.
I’m out that West Side, mane. Hell Street. Dogtown, mane. I came up in a jungle, right there on 34th. A house full, like 14 people. Auntie and Uncle, Moms and Pops, [brothers and sisters] all in one house. My dad was really the musician of the family. He always tried to get me to rap, since I was a young bull. After he died, I just said, ‘fukk it. I’m going to do the rap shyt. I’m going to continue his legacy.’
I remember Mistah F.A.B.’s dedication to your father on his Da Baydestrian album.
My dad taught F.A.B. everything he knows. Mistah F.A.B. was pretty much like a son to my dad. Ever since he passed, F.A.B. kind of took me in. F.A.B. calls me his son.
What type of bond did you share with your pops?
He was like my best friend, even though he was my father. He showed me the game. He told me about these snakes. He was a gangster, but he had a good heart. I watched him feed nikkas, put nikkas on. nikkas showed nothing in return, how snake nikkas do. He could be good when you wanted him to be; he could be bad if he needed to. He was a real legend out there in that town.
In your music, you’re open about witnessing your father’s death. Do you mind reflecting on that day?
? He came and grabbed me from San Leandro, that’s like 20 minutes from Oakland. We went back to the house. We had a studio in our basement that was pretty much open to everybody that was family and music artists. It was a pretty popular spot. Spice 1, Too Short, Mistah F.A.B., and the whole AFNF—All Family, No Friends, they would come through and record all late night. The night that it happened, I happened to go downstairs. I guess somebody hit the fence or whatever. They didn’t come all the way into the downstairs section of the house. They fired like seven or eight shots, and I got hit, Lil’ Blood’s daddy was hit, and my cousin was hit. My dad came downstairs, and he was shot. He died at the hospital.
How did that occurrence impact you?
My whole world went blind. nikkas started coming to the house stealing shyt, and trying to claim shyt that wasn’t theirs. I was a grown man from that point on. It affected me then, and it’s still affecting me until this day. Mufukkas was trying to get at my moms that was supposed to be his nigs…hella, hella faulty shyt. So I basically had to go bad from day one. Before he passed away, I was straight A’s and B’s, man. I was an Honor Roll student. I’ma give it to you all the way real. Pops wanted me to do the sports thing or the rapping. He didn’t really want me to go through what he went through. I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. That’s how it kicked off.
You mentioned being close to Mistah F.A.B. Were you around him when the Hyphy movement was receiving nationwide attention?
All that shyt. I’m in that “Ghost Ride It” video. I’m the lil’ nikka sitting down on the floor, right behind him. When Mistah F.A.B. first got that light on him, he wasn’t jealous with it. He was feeding nikkas, putting nikkas on. ‘Oh, you broke? Here go some money.’ He was giving certain individuals a way to make some money.
I was introduced to you via your work with Livewire Records. How did that connection come about?
Yeah, people used to think I was Livewire. Before Philthy Rich was really on, like he is, he used to come down to the ‘hood and grab me, like, ‘Bro, I want to do the album. I want to put you on. You’re hot.’ I was dibbling and dabbling in the streets; my mind was on other shyt. He would get me on songs. Ronald Mack would get me on songs. J. Stalin would let me come fukk with him. Shady Nate would get me on songs. It was a big studio over there in East Oakland called the PTB with J-Moe and all of them, and the old school Digital Underground. I would always be over there, just rapping hella much after school. I was in there getting on different cats’ songs, so people damn near thought I was Livewire everywhere I went.
Considering Livewire had a large buzz back then, and have an even larger one now, what made you decide not to join the label?
I never had the opportunity to sign with them. We never got to that point. They would just love the way I would be rapping and be like, ‘Throw him on something.’ It was never like ‘Oh, Monie fixing to be Livewire.’ They just had hot tracks, and I would be around and get on some shyt.
How did you link up with The Jacka?
When I first met Jack, I was like 14. He was in West Pittsburgh (California). My cousin and them had already knew him because I have a cousin from Pittsburgh that’s real family with Hus. He was already hip to them. And I had been asking him, ‘Bro, put me on with Jack.’ He was like, ‘nikka, he’d fukk with you, too, ‘cuz you dope.’ One day, we seen him come out of the apartments. We were parked next to a Lexus coupe he had. He walked up and was like, ‘nikka, what you doing smoking weed? Ain’t you like 10 years old?’ I’m like, ‘I’m 14. I’m old enough to smoke.’ He started laughing. He was like, ‘What nikkas doing?’ I was like, ‘nikkas, just chilling, fixing to pour up some of this lean.’ He was like, ‘What? Oh, I need in.’ We was good from there. I poured him a little deuce. He had one of them Minute Maid Lemonades. This was before nikkas got hella heavy on the Sprite. I had got his number, and had pulled up on him and was fukking with him. But I went to juvenile and lost contact with him. Then I saw him again with F.A.B. at the Ozone Awards out there in Texas. That’s when he won the award. He took me to breakfast with him, and we went to the strip club and all that. Ever since then, it was all good. He embraced me as a family. ?
I had a chance to speak with Carey Stacks last year. During our conversation, he reflected on his friendship with Jacka, and how generous Jacka was. Can you share your thoughts on Jack?
He was like an angel, bro. Like he said in that “100 in my Chop,” ‘That boy Lil Monie, that’s my right-hand man.’ That was real, bro. He would give you the shirt off his back, bro. Before his money was spent, he would make sure you were good. Even if he just met you, if he saw signs of struggle, he would try to help. It ain’t too many people like that. He’d put you on. I’ve watched him numerous times say, ‘Here, bro. You can take all of this. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get some more.’ He was a very giving person.
There have been allegations floating around about you being a snitch. Can you touch on this?
shyt hit the fan, and nikkas was like, ‘I had a wire on.’ The nikka that they said I had told on was damn near like family. After Jack died, he pulled up on me, took pictures with me, and kicked me out a few dollars. But, you know, that shyt don’t change shyt. That didn’t do nothing but make nikkas hate it more. My whole thing was, I fell back on nikkas. fukk nikkas. But Hus call me every other day. Blahk Jesus; it’s certain nikkas that stuck to me. And I got a pack of nikkas behind me, for sure. But certain nikkas fell out. nikkas got to sneak dissin’ me in songs and shyt, not saying my name and shyt because they know nikkas wit the shyt. But it’s all good, man. All praise due to the high power. I’m gonna keep pushing. I wasn’t made to satisfy these nikkas. It’s all watered down shyt anyway. My whole thing is, how the fukk you get 50 days in jail, but you get caught with like 10 pounds and four guns?
Jack was like, ‘nikkas talking ‘bout you telling. I ain’t gonna turn on you. I look at you like a son. I know everywhere you stay. I ain’t gonna send no harm to you. I love you.’ That’s the only thing that mattered to me. But all them other nikkas, them nikkas was saying my name in songs and shyt. nikkas know, if you say my name, you’re getting protection in the street. nikkas know not to fukk with you because I’m wit the shyt. All these nikkas. It’s not a rap nikka from Oakland that didn’t say my name. ‘My nikka, Lil Monie. My nikka, Lil Monie.’ And half the time, wasn’t none of them nikkas fukkin’ wit me from the go. That’s what nikkas do. nikkas use you for clout and shyt. But, you know, half of these nikkas be hitting me on Instagram talking about, ‘Brodie, it’s all love. I don’t want no problems with you.’ My thing is, let the world know that shyt. Don’t be saying that shyt on the low, nikka. That’s hoe shyt. Certain nikkas talking bout they gone do shyt to me, and see me and run stop signs and shyt, you know? Fleeing the scene out of there.
?Since the allegations came out, I haven’t seen you collaborate with a lot of the artists you used to work with. Do you think y’all will ever reconnect?
You know, the nikka they say I told on, he’s around me every now and then. He come drop shyt off, and come around. I don’t see why not. I can’t tell the future. But at the same time, I just stay in my own lane. I don’t speak on nikkas. I don’t say nikkas names. The ones that fukk with me, it’s love. And the ones that don’t, it’s still love, too.
What’s your creative process when you’re in the lab?
I do everything freestyle, bro. As far as my punch game, Jack really [taught me that]. Jack was like, ‘Bro, you way too dope to be sitting up in here writing raps and shyt. I’m doing music all day. You can’t slow me down, and I want you to be on the pace I’m on.’ I was like, ‘Well, shyt, what you want me to do?’ He was like, ‘Get your ass on the mic and freestyle your first line, and off that last word you said, you rhyme on the next line to that, and watch how fast you be.’ At first, I was like, ‘What is you talking bout? Hell naw. That shyt is hard.’ He was like, ‘I’m telling you, it’s easy as shyt, and you’re going to get more songs done and faster.’ I started doing it, and I noticed it was doper that way. When you don’t know what you’re going to say, you end up saying some real unique shyt.
?Who are some of the artists you’re feeling right now?
I wake up slapping some of that Mozzy. Lil Yase. J. Stalin. Dubb 20. Husalah. They got a couple of young cats. Lil Uno is my nig. I fukk with Lil Uno from the Wolfpack. I be off that Ampichino. The song he did dedicated to Jack, I slap that. I like the Doughboyz Cashout. They got the young nikka from the East; he pretty dope. He called Project Poppa. I slap him. He from East Oakland, out there in the Village. They got the lil’ Acorn cats, Lil Purp. Lil Birch Street Wee, and Lil QB from East Oakland. Pretty much, if you’re a good artist, I listen to nikkas. I don’t really care about who nikkas be having certain problems with. I slap DB tha General. HD. I play everybody. I don’t really sugarcoat shyt and take sides. A lot of these nikkas out here take sides. I ain’t wit none of that shyt. Ain’t none of you nikkas put food on my plate, and ain’t none of you nikkas fed none of my family. I slap everybody. And that’s how that go. A lot of nikkas ain’t like that, though. They try to group up and click up. I’m not with none of that. I slide through, and I bounce out in all of you nikkas’ hoods whenever I want, how I want. I’m not with your gangs, your clicks, or none of that shyt.
What do you have in the chamber musically for the future?
I got some shyt cooking. I got the Underrated 2017 and ’18 on the way. That’s cooked up already. I got like four or five more songs to do for the ’18, but it’s coming. On this one, I’m just going bad on shyt. I like to put all my pain into my music. A lot of these nikkas be cooking shyt up and giving it to you as is. I try to put my all into this shyt before I give it to my people. I’m just trying to come at it from a different angle this time—real storytelling and real pain. I’m showing nikkas I can’t be fukked with. I’m the nikka, and all that other shyt is whack. Period.
?You mentioned putting your pain into the music. Would you say recording is therapeutic for you?
?
Yeah. When I want to get away from all the bullshyt, all the negative shyt, I just go in and hit that record button. That’s what gets me by. I love this music shyt. A lot of these nikkas is doing it just to do it. This is what we love. We gave up everything for this. I put all my time into this. This is what I’m doing. While these nikkas is out doing all the fukkery and shyt, I’m either writing or listening to some instrumentals. As soon as the beat come on, I know what I’m going to say. I adapt to it.
Is there anything else you would like to share with readers before we wrap up?
Just keep pushing. Don’t let nobody tell you what you can and can’t do. If you love this music, love it, just how you love pitching that bundle or holding that hammer you got, or being a doctor or a dentist. However you love it, keep pushing with your passion. Don’t let nobody bring you down. Perfect your art and craft, and show the world what you got because I am. And rest in peace to the mac muthafukkin’ Jack.