What’s the most drastic change you’ve seen in hiphop since you’ve been rapping?

Kool G: The fan base. I mean the shit is fucking ridiculous now. We didn’t have this when we were coming up. It wasn’t this worldwide acceptance of hiphop to this degree. They accepted Run DMC and the Fat Boys, but they didn’t accept the grimy shit that niggas like G-Rap was spitting. There was no radio support for that or nothing. Another thing that changed is that niggas ain’t really lyricists no more. These new cats that’s coming up they just doing it because they see other people doing it. We was doing because the niggas that made us want to do it were real lyricists. That made us want to be real lyricists too. There was no such thing as a video. When you talked that millionaire shit, you was just rapping. You didn’t think no shit like that was possible. A mansion and a yacht? That was some cartoon shit. Now the shit is a reality and these kids today is just rapping for that. It ain’t from the heart or the soul. It ain’t from nothing genuine.

On “Live and Let Die” instead of Side A and Side B there was a Terror side and a Horror side and on the inside cover you and DJ Polo got a picture in front of a mural that says “Universal Rest In Peace.” What does that stand for?

Kool G: That was for my man that got killed on the block. He was standing on the block and got caught up in some drama and they shot him up and a bullet went through his eye and killed him. So the niggas from the hood put up a mural on the wall, so I took a picture in front of it because that was my dude. Me and him used to be on the block together before my records and all that.

“Live and Let Die” was wild. “The Train Robbery” was one of my favorites. Were there any lessons behind the record or were you just rapping?

Kool G: We just did that to be rapping. All my early records, I was just doing shit that impressed me and that’s what an artist should do. Do shit that suits yourself first before you think about pleasing a million other motherfuckers. When you write your first rap before you spit it to anybody it’s because you feel like that shit is hot first. You amazed yourself first. That’s when you have the guts to say it to your friend and somebody else after that. So, all my early records I was pleasing myself doing shit that I think is hot. Then when you start getting mixed up with major companies, you gotta be more mechanical and more record making, song making, and chorus making conscious.

Did you ever get your money from Bell Biv Devoe for jacking your vocals for “Poison?”

Kool G: Never got my money man. They tried to pacify me by giving me a five-second flash in the video. G Rap really wasn’t on top of his B-I like that. I wasn’t really a business minded person at that time. I just wanted to spit lyrics. This is what separates me from a lot of niggas today. When I came into the game it wasn’t about the money and trying to bling bling and all that stupid shit. This was because this is what I really wanted to do. This shit was from the heart. I wanted everybody to be aware of what I was capable of doing. That’s why a nigga’s business might not have been tight at that time because that wasn’t my main concern. I could have gave less than a fuck if I ever got paid for a record. I just wanted people to hear me. That’s what counted more than anything. It was fortunate for the labels that I was with that I was in that frame of mind.

I peeped you had Gorilla tattoo on your arm. With everybody getting Chinese letters, panthers and lions what made you get a gorilla?

Kool G: At that time we were going by the name Black Gorilla Family and I got the name from the American Me movie, but I didn’t know the Black Gorilla Family was still as active as they are. Once I found out this was some active shit we didn’t want to take they name in spite that would have been disrespectful. So, we changed the name of our shit. But back then it was the Black Gorilla family [and that’s why we got the tattoos].

We call this next line of questioning bullets. It don’t make any sense. It’s like you being in the hot seat. The category is gonna be “Which Would You Prefer?”

Colt 45 or Kool Aid?

Kool G: Kool Aid

Hummer or Lincoln Navigator?

Kool G: Lincoln Navigator

Ice Cream or Sherbet?

Kool G: Ice Cream

Chicken or Beef?

Kool G: Shit, that’s kinda hard right there. I love chicken, but I love steak.

Aiight we’ll just say both for that. Who would win a fight 50 Cent or LL Cool J?

Kool G: LL

Gary Coleman or Lil Bow Wow?

Kool G: Haha Bow Wow

Who’s the best beatmaker to you Kanye West or Pharell?

Kool G: I’d have to say Pharell

Who you think is funnier Jamie Foxx or Chris Rock?

Kool G: Jamie Foxx definitely

If you could learn any language which would it be?

Kool G: Spanish

Who’s your favorite old soul R&B singer or group?

Kool G: Can I say more than one?

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Posted by Halftime on Wednesday, November 12th, 2003 and is filed under HIP HOP ICON SERIES.