KingsOfKings
𝔻𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕥
As Buck starts readying his next installment in the Ten-A-Key series, XXL hopped on the phone with the G-Unit soldier to talk about 10 Bullets, his future projects, his status with G-Unit and why 50 Cent is making his best music since Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. Roll up. —Dan Rys
XXL: When you were putting together 10 Bullets, did you have a concept behind it?
Young Buck: Honestly man, I never had a concept nor a direction for the mixtape. All I knew was that I worked hard and I had a lot of records. And at this point I felt like I just wanted to at least make a statement with a mixtape where there was no features. That was the most important thing for me was to kinda give the world Young Buck real quick, because the last product they got from me as far as a mixtape for me was Before The Beast, and that had a lot of different features, as well as the two EPs I dropped with my brothers. So I just wanted to give the fans a quick check of what it was to hear Young Buck by himself.
I guess the whole title of the record came about through me. I felt like I wanted to do something different with the game, make it exciting a little bit. You know, it’s kinda boring to me; there’s a lot of good music but there’s not a lot of consistency, it’s kinda here and there. I know I’m one of the most consistent artists in rap; I fight for that and I feel like I deserve that. I might not be your favorite, but I’m damn sure consistent. So I wanted to do something that showed my work ethic and consistency and then to give myself a challenge at the same time. And that’s when I came up with the Ten-A-Key mixtape series, 10 mixtapes in 10 months with 10 different songs. And the 10 Bullets was just basically the kickoff for the mixtape series.
I did all of this without sitting down and actually talking with a 50 Cent. Contractually, I’m obligated in certain areas, where it’s just that whatever fulfills my agreement on his behalf I will have to do. But I’m real impulsive and I’m a guy to really, you know, if I see something that I feel like Fif is gonna give me the green light on it, sometimes I act on it before even saying something to him. And this was one of those situations, but I still brought it around like, “Yo, anything and everything, you know.” And he was like, “Yo Buck, man, at this point the streets is wanting you and they loving what you doing and so am I. I’m behind you 100 percent with everything that you’re doing. So let’s see where it goes.”
XXL: You said this is just the first in 10 installments over the next 10 months. Do you have a plan for each of them or are you just gonna feel it as you go?
Nah, man, I feel it as I go. I will give you this much: I know I’ve had some of the most amazing things happen for me very, very quick with this preparing of the mixtape series. A lot of guys I didn’t know were fans of Buck have been reaching out, like, “Yo, I gotta be part of this series.” Or, “Yo bro, you really fu*kin’ sh*t up. In fact, I’m producing this whole sh*t.” And then it’s like, woah, woah, sh*t, man, I’m finna have to sit down with 50 because this sh*t is getting really really real. Even from a producer standpoint I got a couple major guys that stepped out, like, “Yo Buck man, what you’re doing is kinda crazy and I wanna be part of it.” I think it would be interesting for the game to see me work with some of these producers, and then for them to actually have a lot of the hit records that you hear out here today, it’s interesting for me to go down that lane. And then to be able to do it for a mixtape series, it’ll be exciting, not just for me and the people working, but for the fans. All I can say is stay tuned at this point, stay focused, and if you ain’t got 10 Bullets you better go get that, because it’s like the kickoff.
I will say that the next one I’m working on, it’s crazy, man. I won’t give you the title—I do got the title ready and I do got four out of 10 songs for the next one that I know I’m going with—so I’m getting ready. I’m gearing up to shoot the video for the single off the mixtape, gonna be “Let Me See It,” and that’s produced by Drumma Boy. So we gonna go with it the right way and push that product as much [as we can] and get ready for the next one coming next month. So that’s where I’m at with it, man.
XXL: It did seem like a surprise release; you Instagrammed it and then within a few days you had put it out. Was that the way you intended it?
Right, it wasn’t meant to have no promotional dollars involved in the project. Most of the production was done through my producer who’s signed to my company that goes by the name of Bandplay, he produced the majority of the tracks and then you got my brother Drumma Boy, of course, and then my other brother Ensayne Wayne who produced a track on there. So it was one of those projects where I really kept everything in-house, you know what I’m sayin’? Like I say, it wasn’t like I pre-planned this, it was just that I woke up one day and was like, “I’m sick of this sh*t. Let me get the world right.” And that’s exactly what’s happened.
You know, it’s doin’ what it’s doin’; it’s fresh but at the same time, men lie, women lie, numbers don’t. In my situation, I created a product where I gave it to the world for free featuring Whoo Kid, 10 Bullets, you can go get the no-DJ version from iTunes. So for me to actually have a free mixtape out to see it do anything from a selling standpoint but it really wasn’t targeted as that is really just a win for me and those who participated in the project. Most of all, man, it’s just a stepping stone to let the world know that G-Unit, we here. I’m just one of my other brothers that’s to come, just really putting that ground work down and really doing what it takes to make the people understand that we here and we here to stay.
XXL:You said this is just the first in 10 installments over the next 10 months. Do you have a plan for each of them or are you just gonna feel it as you go?
Nah, man, I feel it as I go. I will give you this much: I know I’ve had some of the most amazing things happen for me very, very quick with this preparing of the mixtape series. A lot of guys I didn’t know were fans of Buck have been reaching out, like, “Yo, I gotta be part of this series.” Or, “Yo bro, you really fu*kin’ sh*t up. In fact, I’m producing this whole sh*t.” And then it’s like, woah, woah, sh*t, man, I’m finna have to sit down with 50 because this sh*t is getting really really real. Even from a producer standpoint I got a couple major guys that stepped out, like, “Yo Buck man, what you’re doing is kinda crazy and I wanna be part of it.” I think it would be interesting for the game to see me work with some of these producers, and then for them to actually have a lot of the hit records that you hear out here today, it’s interesting for me to go down that lane. And then to be able to do it for a mixtape series, it’ll be exciting, not just for me and the people working, but for the fans. All I can say is stay tuned at this point, stay focused, and if you ain’t got 10 Bullets you better go get that, because it’s like the kickoff.
I will say that the next one I’m working on, it’s crazy, man. I won’t give you the title—I do got the title ready and I do got four out of 10 songs for the next one that I know I’m going with—so I’m getting ready. I’m gearing up to shoot the video for the single off the mixtape, gonna be “Let Me See It,” and that’s produced by Drumma Boy. So we gonna go with it the right way and push that product as much [as we can] and get ready for the next one coming next month. So that’s where I’m at with it, man.
XXL: Now that you and G-Unit have put out the two EPs that you had promised, how do things feels now?
The bond that we have is the strongest bond that I’ve ever had in my life with my brothers. We’re closer than we’ve ever been. You know… Let me tell you something, man. When you have success the way we have had success and so quickly of how G-Unit got where we at, somewhere down the line in the middle of that, somewhere you become un-humble. There’s no way you can remain humble all of the fu*kin’ time, so somewhere we all became un-humble, including 50 Cent. And I think what happened with our separation was that God made us realize that and he humbled us all. And when he put us back together, man, we so excited for what’s to come, we know what to do from where things is at in the game. We’ve been and done a lot of different things. But most of all, we grew and matured a lot in a lot of different areas, not only as us as artists but as a team. What people don’t realize is that an artist is only as strong as the team, the people that you don’t see behind the cameras. I tell 50 this all the time; our team is special because even over the seven or eight years that I was away from 50—you know, we never had a conversation or nothin’—but when I came back around not only did I realize the growth of us as men and as brothers, but some of the same individuals that was there to help make my career from the beginning with G-Unit are still there. And they’ve grown into better men, better businessmen as well.
What we’re heading into, number one this is all God’s Work, because you’ll never see nothin’ like another G-Unit or another 50 Cent again, in my eyes. But we’ve all matured over the years, man, we’ve all been humbled and now it’s about going to get what we deserve. It’s not about so much of fighting a battle. A lot of these dudes, it’s kinda senseless to fight a person who’s got his own gun to his head. Why would I fight you when you’re [trying] to kill yourself? But we’re not ducking no wreck over here at G-Unit; if you want a problem you can come get that sh*t, easy bro. But we not looking for no sh*t. But you can come get it though; we got open arms for any of that type of sh*t.
XXL: The other day you posted an Instagram of you and Wayne and said you guys had had a “real” conversation. What did you guys talk about?
You know, I’m older and came up with Lil Wayne for a long time. I’m 34 years old now, but we were actually children; I met Wayne when he was 12 going on 13, so you can imagine the history there. My conversation with Wayne was strictly away from any conversation about music. I don’t have a music conversation for Lil Wayne at this point, because I’m more concerned and excited about speaking to him as a person. That’s my brother, you understand what I’m sayin’, and I tell him there’s really no wrong he can do in my eyes. All I want for him to do, whatever you’re doing, just make sure you do it from a happy standpoint, because there’s nothing worse than making moves and doing it from an unhappy perspective, because then you’re left to deal with the repercussions of your own actions. So whatever you do, just be comfortable with yourself. And I think he got it; he know what he doin’, he his own man, and I respect whatever decisions that a man make on his own for his own life.
So when I say it wasn’t dealing with nothing with music, our conversation was about, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Stone, he was a rap artist from back in the day with Cash Money, and I was in prison with him. He died in prison. There was another guy we knew that I had done time with, so we were just speaking about some of the people we knew and catching up. I hadn’t had a chance to see Wayne and really have a conversation with Wayne since I’ve been out of prison. But Wayne has always been right there for Buck whenever I need it, bro. And the same as Baby, bro; Baby’s always been there for me with any and everything as well as Wayne. I wish both of them the best.
XXL: You don’t want to get involved in what’s going on with them?
Not at all, man. Not at all.
XXL: So I know you have the mixtape series. Are you thinking about an album coming down the line?
I’m ready for an album at any time. I have a studio in my house, I wake up and get to it, then I leave, I got artists; I never stop working. So I’m in a position where if an album had to be dropped tomorrow I could deliver one. When I get an understanding from 50 about what he wants to do, then I’ll know what direction I’ll start going with for an album. But from my understanding right now, 50 is gearing up, and I think he should. I think 50 needs to come at this point and actually play his game up. I’ll tell you the same thing I told 50: this [new music] is Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ times 10. From that hunger… Listen, bruh, when 50 created Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ and finished it and got the complete album and listened to it from top to bottom, I looked over at 50 and said, “Ayo, bro, get ready my bro, you just changed rap completely.” He was like, “Huh?” and I said, “My dude you about to sell at least 10 million records.” And the minute he sold 10 million records, I said, “What I tell you Fif?” [Laughs]
I got an ear for this sh*t and I feel like I got a good ear for it, too. And I’ll tell you one thing: I got no problem gettin’ out the way when my boss come through. I’m only here to prep this sh*t because I know when he comes through it’s about to be a hell on earth. This is the best album, by far, that I’ve heard 50 on since Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. Honestly, man. I am such a big fan of his new album to come because it’s so much needed—not only for our company and the crew—but for the streets and for people in general to understand what real hip-hop truly is. That’s my motivation, is my boss. I don’t find a lot of motivation in different individuals, I find motivation in individuals that’s not involved in rap, that’s in the streets. 50 is the only one that I’m really hands-on motivated from in this music game. So I’m just a mirror to what he does. And I appreciate being that, because I know that I come up under the realest in this sh*t, no disrespect to nobody. But he got integrity, he got morals and sh*t like that. It’s an honor. You take pride and honor from the one in front of you, for real, because I know what I’m standin’ beside, homie. A lot of these dudes don’t know what they standin’ beside, drop off a goddamn bridge for a sucker. And that nikka he just jumped off the bridge for would probably turn his back while he drownin’ down there. You just jumped off the bridge for ‘em though!
http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/04/young-buck-ten-a-key-mixtape-interview/
XXL: When you were putting together 10 Bullets, did you have a concept behind it?
Young Buck: Honestly man, I never had a concept nor a direction for the mixtape. All I knew was that I worked hard and I had a lot of records. And at this point I felt like I just wanted to at least make a statement with a mixtape where there was no features. That was the most important thing for me was to kinda give the world Young Buck real quick, because the last product they got from me as far as a mixtape for me was Before The Beast, and that had a lot of different features, as well as the two EPs I dropped with my brothers. So I just wanted to give the fans a quick check of what it was to hear Young Buck by himself.
I guess the whole title of the record came about through me. I felt like I wanted to do something different with the game, make it exciting a little bit. You know, it’s kinda boring to me; there’s a lot of good music but there’s not a lot of consistency, it’s kinda here and there. I know I’m one of the most consistent artists in rap; I fight for that and I feel like I deserve that. I might not be your favorite, but I’m damn sure consistent. So I wanted to do something that showed my work ethic and consistency and then to give myself a challenge at the same time. And that’s when I came up with the Ten-A-Key mixtape series, 10 mixtapes in 10 months with 10 different songs. And the 10 Bullets was just basically the kickoff for the mixtape series.
I did all of this without sitting down and actually talking with a 50 Cent. Contractually, I’m obligated in certain areas, where it’s just that whatever fulfills my agreement on his behalf I will have to do. But I’m real impulsive and I’m a guy to really, you know, if I see something that I feel like Fif is gonna give me the green light on it, sometimes I act on it before even saying something to him. And this was one of those situations, but I still brought it around like, “Yo, anything and everything, you know.” And he was like, “Yo Buck, man, at this point the streets is wanting you and they loving what you doing and so am I. I’m behind you 100 percent with everything that you’re doing. So let’s see where it goes.”
XXL: You said this is just the first in 10 installments over the next 10 months. Do you have a plan for each of them or are you just gonna feel it as you go?
Nah, man, I feel it as I go. I will give you this much: I know I’ve had some of the most amazing things happen for me very, very quick with this preparing of the mixtape series. A lot of guys I didn’t know were fans of Buck have been reaching out, like, “Yo, I gotta be part of this series.” Or, “Yo bro, you really fu*kin’ sh*t up. In fact, I’m producing this whole sh*t.” And then it’s like, woah, woah, sh*t, man, I’m finna have to sit down with 50 because this sh*t is getting really really real. Even from a producer standpoint I got a couple major guys that stepped out, like, “Yo Buck man, what you’re doing is kinda crazy and I wanna be part of it.” I think it would be interesting for the game to see me work with some of these producers, and then for them to actually have a lot of the hit records that you hear out here today, it’s interesting for me to go down that lane. And then to be able to do it for a mixtape series, it’ll be exciting, not just for me and the people working, but for the fans. All I can say is stay tuned at this point, stay focused, and if you ain’t got 10 Bullets you better go get that, because it’s like the kickoff.
I will say that the next one I’m working on, it’s crazy, man. I won’t give you the title—I do got the title ready and I do got four out of 10 songs for the next one that I know I’m going with—so I’m getting ready. I’m gearing up to shoot the video for the single off the mixtape, gonna be “Let Me See It,” and that’s produced by Drumma Boy. So we gonna go with it the right way and push that product as much [as we can] and get ready for the next one coming next month. So that’s where I’m at with it, man.
XXL: It did seem like a surprise release; you Instagrammed it and then within a few days you had put it out. Was that the way you intended it?
Right, it wasn’t meant to have no promotional dollars involved in the project. Most of the production was done through my producer who’s signed to my company that goes by the name of Bandplay, he produced the majority of the tracks and then you got my brother Drumma Boy, of course, and then my other brother Ensayne Wayne who produced a track on there. So it was one of those projects where I really kept everything in-house, you know what I’m sayin’? Like I say, it wasn’t like I pre-planned this, it was just that I woke up one day and was like, “I’m sick of this sh*t. Let me get the world right.” And that’s exactly what’s happened.
You know, it’s doin’ what it’s doin’; it’s fresh but at the same time, men lie, women lie, numbers don’t. In my situation, I created a product where I gave it to the world for free featuring Whoo Kid, 10 Bullets, you can go get the no-DJ version from iTunes. So for me to actually have a free mixtape out to see it do anything from a selling standpoint but it really wasn’t targeted as that is really just a win for me and those who participated in the project. Most of all, man, it’s just a stepping stone to let the world know that G-Unit, we here. I’m just one of my other brothers that’s to come, just really putting that ground work down and really doing what it takes to make the people understand that we here and we here to stay.
XXL:You said this is just the first in 10 installments over the next 10 months. Do you have a plan for each of them or are you just gonna feel it as you go?
Nah, man, I feel it as I go. I will give you this much: I know I’ve had some of the most amazing things happen for me very, very quick with this preparing of the mixtape series. A lot of guys I didn’t know were fans of Buck have been reaching out, like, “Yo, I gotta be part of this series.” Or, “Yo bro, you really fu*kin’ sh*t up. In fact, I’m producing this whole sh*t.” And then it’s like, woah, woah, sh*t, man, I’m finna have to sit down with 50 because this sh*t is getting really really real. Even from a producer standpoint I got a couple major guys that stepped out, like, “Yo Buck man, what you’re doing is kinda crazy and I wanna be part of it.” I think it would be interesting for the game to see me work with some of these producers, and then for them to actually have a lot of the hit records that you hear out here today, it’s interesting for me to go down that lane. And then to be able to do it for a mixtape series, it’ll be exciting, not just for me and the people working, but for the fans. All I can say is stay tuned at this point, stay focused, and if you ain’t got 10 Bullets you better go get that, because it’s like the kickoff.
I will say that the next one I’m working on, it’s crazy, man. I won’t give you the title—I do got the title ready and I do got four out of 10 songs for the next one that I know I’m going with—so I’m getting ready. I’m gearing up to shoot the video for the single off the mixtape, gonna be “Let Me See It,” and that’s produced by Drumma Boy. So we gonna go with it the right way and push that product as much [as we can] and get ready for the next one coming next month. So that’s where I’m at with it, man.
XXL: Now that you and G-Unit have put out the two EPs that you had promised, how do things feels now?
The bond that we have is the strongest bond that I’ve ever had in my life with my brothers. We’re closer than we’ve ever been. You know… Let me tell you something, man. When you have success the way we have had success and so quickly of how G-Unit got where we at, somewhere down the line in the middle of that, somewhere you become un-humble. There’s no way you can remain humble all of the fu*kin’ time, so somewhere we all became un-humble, including 50 Cent. And I think what happened with our separation was that God made us realize that and he humbled us all. And when he put us back together, man, we so excited for what’s to come, we know what to do from where things is at in the game. We’ve been and done a lot of different things. But most of all, we grew and matured a lot in a lot of different areas, not only as us as artists but as a team. What people don’t realize is that an artist is only as strong as the team, the people that you don’t see behind the cameras. I tell 50 this all the time; our team is special because even over the seven or eight years that I was away from 50—you know, we never had a conversation or nothin’—but when I came back around not only did I realize the growth of us as men and as brothers, but some of the same individuals that was there to help make my career from the beginning with G-Unit are still there. And they’ve grown into better men, better businessmen as well.
What we’re heading into, number one this is all God’s Work, because you’ll never see nothin’ like another G-Unit or another 50 Cent again, in my eyes. But we’ve all matured over the years, man, we’ve all been humbled and now it’s about going to get what we deserve. It’s not about so much of fighting a battle. A lot of these dudes, it’s kinda senseless to fight a person who’s got his own gun to his head. Why would I fight you when you’re [trying] to kill yourself? But we’re not ducking no wreck over here at G-Unit; if you want a problem you can come get that sh*t, easy bro. But we not looking for no sh*t. But you can come get it though; we got open arms for any of that type of sh*t.
XXL: The other day you posted an Instagram of you and Wayne and said you guys had had a “real” conversation. What did you guys talk about?
You know, I’m older and came up with Lil Wayne for a long time. I’m 34 years old now, but we were actually children; I met Wayne when he was 12 going on 13, so you can imagine the history there. My conversation with Wayne was strictly away from any conversation about music. I don’t have a music conversation for Lil Wayne at this point, because I’m more concerned and excited about speaking to him as a person. That’s my brother, you understand what I’m sayin’, and I tell him there’s really no wrong he can do in my eyes. All I want for him to do, whatever you’re doing, just make sure you do it from a happy standpoint, because there’s nothing worse than making moves and doing it from an unhappy perspective, because then you’re left to deal with the repercussions of your own actions. So whatever you do, just be comfortable with yourself. And I think he got it; he know what he doin’, he his own man, and I respect whatever decisions that a man make on his own for his own life.
So when I say it wasn’t dealing with nothing with music, our conversation was about, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Stone, he was a rap artist from back in the day with Cash Money, and I was in prison with him. He died in prison. There was another guy we knew that I had done time with, so we were just speaking about some of the people we knew and catching up. I hadn’t had a chance to see Wayne and really have a conversation with Wayne since I’ve been out of prison. But Wayne has always been right there for Buck whenever I need it, bro. And the same as Baby, bro; Baby’s always been there for me with any and everything as well as Wayne. I wish both of them the best.
XXL: You don’t want to get involved in what’s going on with them?
Not at all, man. Not at all.
XXL: So I know you have the mixtape series. Are you thinking about an album coming down the line?
I’m ready for an album at any time. I have a studio in my house, I wake up and get to it, then I leave, I got artists; I never stop working. So I’m in a position where if an album had to be dropped tomorrow I could deliver one. When I get an understanding from 50 about what he wants to do, then I’ll know what direction I’ll start going with for an album. But from my understanding right now, 50 is gearing up, and I think he should. I think 50 needs to come at this point and actually play his game up. I’ll tell you the same thing I told 50: this [new music] is Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ times 10. From that hunger… Listen, bruh, when 50 created Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ and finished it and got the complete album and listened to it from top to bottom, I looked over at 50 and said, “Ayo, bro, get ready my bro, you just changed rap completely.” He was like, “Huh?” and I said, “My dude you about to sell at least 10 million records.” And the minute he sold 10 million records, I said, “What I tell you Fif?” [Laughs]
I got an ear for this sh*t and I feel like I got a good ear for it, too. And I’ll tell you one thing: I got no problem gettin’ out the way when my boss come through. I’m only here to prep this sh*t because I know when he comes through it’s about to be a hell on earth. This is the best album, by far, that I’ve heard 50 on since Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. Honestly, man. I am such a big fan of his new album to come because it’s so much needed—not only for our company and the crew—but for the streets and for people in general to understand what real hip-hop truly is. That’s my motivation, is my boss. I don’t find a lot of motivation in different individuals, I find motivation in individuals that’s not involved in rap, that’s in the streets. 50 is the only one that I’m really hands-on motivated from in this music game. So I’m just a mirror to what he does. And I appreciate being that, because I know that I come up under the realest in this sh*t, no disrespect to nobody. But he got integrity, he got morals and sh*t like that. It’s an honor. You take pride and honor from the one in front of you, for real, because I know what I’m standin’ beside, homie. A lot of these dudes don’t know what they standin’ beside, drop off a goddamn bridge for a sucker. And that nikka he just jumped off the bridge for would probably turn his back while he drownin’ down there. You just jumped off the bridge for ‘em though!
http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/04/young-buck-ten-a-key-mixtape-interview/
