Since this is one of the first interviews you've done in a couple of years, let's start from the beginning of your time with Strange Music. How did you get hooked up with Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin and become part of the labels roster?
Me and Tech knew each other for like, 20 years. At the time probably like 15 years. We were also both signed to a label called JCOR. You know, two different artists signed to the same label. Some things went bad with the CEO and we kinda got fukked out of some money so we both went off and did separate things. That's when me and C-BO did the Blocc Movment album together that featured Tech. We were out doing things for a while, and when Everready came out we went down there, me and my boys to support Tech's release and they treated us like kings. They wanted us to get on the label but at the time I didn't know what I wanted to do with my career because I was a free agent at the time. So we said we'd hold back on it for a minute. Four years later, Dave Wiener went to work for Strange and then he called me on the phone one day and you know I was signed with Dave Wiener when he was with Priority Records during the Master P, Ice Cube, and Mack 10 era. I was signed with Priority. Dave tried to snatch me from Black Market but Ced wouldn't let me go. Which would have been a hella cool ass move. So when Dave went and signed with Strange, I was like ooh I already worked with this cat already and I've known him for like 10 years already, so it was already a done deal. I guess evidently Tech was a big fan of mine, and had opened up a few shows for me, and now I'm opening for him ironically. They wanted me so I signed the deal in 2010 and dropped Dinner And A Movie.
How did you come up with the concept for the Trilogy and the videos that went along with the series?
Well I had the idea for doing a three album trilogy before I signed with Strange, but I know Strange had the power to make it happen. I really didn't have the power to make it happen. I had just got off of Black Market, wasn't doing too good in the funds area so I just had it on hold but I always had it in my mind that I was going to do a three album trilogy. Once I signed with Strange and I knew they had the firepower to do it, signed the contract, and they offered the videos. They were like hey, we'll do the videos to it and make it like a video movie and I was like cool, lets go! You know what I mean? It all came together.
What about the titles for each chapter? Is that have to do a lot of what the theme of each project was based on to fit the trilogy together?
I'm usually pretty hard on myself, like I don't make up a whole bunch of titles. When I say that's the title, that's what I stay focused on. My name is Kevin Mann, M-A-N-N so that's where I got the Mann for Mann-ibalector. I like movies, I love meat, and cannibal type shyt. I named the last album that title where the artist or person was supposed to go overboard. Dinner And A Movie is where he started figuring out fukk rap Id rather go into murdering. Coathanga Strangla is where he was really in there like, I like this shyt. In Mannibalector is where he goes over board. I've had these titles for over, 7 or 8 years. Just never had a chance to do the album, but Strange gave me the avenue to constantly be in the studio to do these albums. I finally got 'em done.
I know you used to get people to tell you, when are you going back to that Season Of Da Siccness flow, or when are you going to do an album like this again... Nobody understands the growing process as an artist. Explain to your fans what it's like for you.
After I left Black Market I went into this dark place, to where I didn't even want to write anymore. I kind of gave up. This man done went and made a million dollars off of me. Priority went and made a million dollars even though they were the ones paying me and I wasn't seeing a million dollars. So I kind of gave up for a minute but then I had a couple of talks with some close homies and they were like man just go and do your thing. What you do and you'll be alright. You already built your brand. you already have a brand you just need to build on it more and that's basically what made me come up with this three album trilogy. I'm the type of person that never goes backwards. I'm not living the Season Of Da Siccness days no more. I'm not living the "24 Deep" days no more and when I did the "Loaded" album I was smokin hella weed. Just always high. So I named it Loaded. So if I'm not living that life or those times, I'm not in those times. So to people who say I should go back and do Season again... I've always been a raw spitter like that so I can bring it back at any time. Any artist should know because they can too. I been a raw spitter. There's times in my career where I thought I should go a little lighter so I could get the interest of other companies that might help me out. There was times like that, but when I got to the point where I got a certain age and was like fukk it. I'm just going to be me. If they don't want to pick me up, they don't want to pick me up. Strange ended up picking me up and they dont elt me get away with everything I want to do... they cut some stuff off of this album and I respect that from them because they are a reputable company and they have their goals of where they are trying to go as a company but I was like god damn it I wanted that on the album! I respect their company to the fullest man. I'm part of them. They're my brothers.
