I-20 - Blood In The Water

You've seen Jaws. You know the opening scene. The party out on Amity Island, the unsuspecting individual goes for a swim, when all of a sudden she is jerked about violently before being dragged underneath by an unseen force. With his new album "Blood In the Water," I-20 is not playing. If his city is the ocean, rappers the unsuspecting swimmers, I'd kindly advise you to stay the hell out of Atlanta.

Read on as I-20 talks to StreetCred.com writer Maxine Ross about his love for Sade, working with Luda, how he's evolved lyrically and more.

I-20 on whether or not he's pushin' a big whip these days:

"Nah, nah, those days are over, I'm a dad now, I'm driving the mini-van on 26's!"

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Maxine Ross: You look mighty dapper in your new promo pics.

I-20: Oh why thank you, thank you very much.

MR: You look like you've grown a bit since the last album.

I-20: I've grown a lot since the last album you know. My life has seen a lot of transitions so I'm trying to make my music reflect my life. I've been going through a lot of changes as well.

MR: What kind of changes and how is that reflected in the music?

I-20: I think that I learned a lot. I think that anybody, they come into the game, they kind of blind to how the business of the game works. You can know about rapping, you know about the music that you love and but I don't think you really understand the business of the game. I don't think anybody that's a rapper or comes in the game as an MC...I think it takes time, learning and understanding to develop into a rap artist. How to make a good song, how to make a good album, how to make your music reflect your state of mind at the time, so I definitely took this time to get a better understanding of my craft, get a better understanding of the game and a better understanding of what I want to do and how I want to come across and express myself.

MR: Well how do you want to come across?

I-20: The first think I want people to understand is that I consider myself a lyricist. I think that in the South sometimes we get a bum rap with lyrics or whatever so the first thing I want to come across is that I'm a lyricist. The next thing I want people to understand is that I have some depth, there's more to me than being famous for the song "Move B*tch" there's a lot of different issues that I touch on and things that I think about. You know, I'm a father, I want to grow as an artist, I want to show people that I take some time and put integrity into my lyrics and the things I think about, there's some thought that goes behind my music. So with this album, I really had a chance to do that.

MR: You titled this album Blood In the Water. When I hear that, it makes me think of something menacing, like a warning before the attack. Maybe something we should pay attention to?

I-20: That's pretty much what it is. What it really means is the expression 'blood in the water' and the sharks, once they get a scent of that blood or they get that taste. From my experience, I got a taste of what the music experience is like, I got a taste of success. A small inkling of what my position in this game could be. I got to sit back and take all those things in and really perfect my craft and this time around I feel like I'm more prepared for it.

MR: DTP has gone through a lot of changes as well. How does your affiliation with Disturbing Tha Peace and specifically Ludacris make you more prepared?

I-20: I think that I got to experience a lot of things that new artists don't get to experience right off the bat. I got to go on major tours, travel all around the world. I guess being with Luda during his trials and tribulations. I got to learn the most minor things like how to do a good interview up to concert preparation to album preparation. He prepared me to be my own artist. I'm working with a team that's already got a starting quarter back and not having to start right off the bat and having a chance to learn from them, learn the league and learn the system. It makes you a better artist when you get a chance to come out and it's your turn.

MR: In what ways do you think you stand out lyrically and musically from other rappers but specifically artists from the South?

I-20: I think by just being you, you'll stand out and I think that's one thing that isn't said enough in the rap game. I think people focus so much on being different that they come across as the same or just trying to be different. If you're truly you and expressing music in the way you see things and giving your honest interpretation and your view, you'll always be different because no two people interpret your powerful message in the same way. If you just trying to "keep up with the Joneses'" or trying to do what the masses are doing or trying to tell somebody else's story you'll end up sounding like everybody else.

MR: But sometimes rappers inspire each other through their work like you sampling Rocko on the new single, "I Really Like Her."

I-20: First off, a friend of mine made the beat and the track kind of gave itself its own direction. When you a fan of the music it's gonna be other people that you use whether it's a line or a beat or a couple lines it'll inspire you to do something for it so we are all inspired by other artists. It's more of making it your own once you get that inspiration though. That Rocko track was banging in Atlanta, he's definitely a big artist in Atlanta and I like what he's doing. When the track came to me I knew exactly what direction I wanted to take it. I think that made it a song itself just by putting it there as the hook. What me and Luda did, on my first album he only did a hook, he didn't do a whole feature so we got a chance to sit down and really put it together and I think it came together lovely.

MR: Who has produced most of the album?

I-20: The Heatmakers actually produced most of the tacks. Salam-Remi, and some up and coming producers. It's the Heatmakers that produced the majority of the tracks. In terms of features, I had a lot of features on my first album so on this album I tried to make it more personal and keep the features to a minimum. I got Lil Keke and Devin the Dude, they both outta Houston, Texas, then I got Playaz Circle, straight outta Disturbin tha Peace, Ludacris of course. I got my artist Jamir, she singing. One half of the Heatmakers on a track so, you know, that's about it for the features.

MR: What other artists from Atlanta inspire you? There's Luda of course.

I-20: I would say OutKast, definitely I feel like they set the precedent for what Hip Hop is in Atlanta. Andre 3000 is on my list of favorite MC's of all time. They show it's okay to make your own position and market Hip Hop. They should be on everybody lists for top rappers in Atlanta.

MR: Why are you most excited to put out an album right now especially in regard to the way things have worked out in the past?

I-20: I think I'm most excited because I'm getting another chance. Most people, they only get that first album. I had that first album out, it didn't go quite the way I wanted it to go. I feel blessed to come back around this time and have more creative control and to have the support of Disturbing the Peace and be able to show the other business aspect that could hopefully turn into other things.

MR: What other things?

I-20: My cousin G is my manager. We got a couple of projects that could possibly turn into films. We have artists that we are managing, we really want to stay in the TV and film aspect of it thought. There's a possible sitcom. I'm really into writing too.

MR: So what's next for I-20, the album is coming out in October, where are you promoting?

I-20: Right now we just promoting the album in Atlanta and Ludacris' album is coming out in November so a lot of it is going to combine with that. I'm going to be doing spot dates as the single starts to blow on radio. I'm just letting the company do what it does and as the album is more and more successful, I think it will open other doors and more opportunities for other things. So right now my main focus is the album and the success of the album.

MR: What is your favorite song?

I-20: In the world of all time?

MR: Of all time…

I-20: Right now or in the world of all time?

MR: Of all time!
I-20: This is going to be funny but "No Ordinary Love" by Sade.

MR: Please!

I-20: No, I'm serious, I think that song is super deep. That's my favorite song of all time. I just want to say I bought that album probably 46 times and would buy it 158 more. I love that song.

MR: Ok, a little Sade is a good thing. Are you spending most of your time in Atlanta?

I-20: I recorded most of the album in Miami but I'm in Atlanta right now getting prepared to hit Atlanta radio, like I said, Luda been doing a lot, we coming off the Luda Weekend. I got a couple of mixtapes we getting out to DJ's to spin in a lot of places. Like I said, you gotta build a strong foundation at home before you can even think about venturing out.

MR: So no rest for you?

I-20: Nah, nah, I'll sleep when I'm dead.

MR: When you do get some time to lay back, where is your favorite spot?

I-20: Miami, South Beach. I'm partial to it. I've been fortunate to travel all around the world but Miami, that's it for me. It's only about a 10 or 12 hour drive from Atlanta, only about an hour flight from the A, I'm not that far from home. It's that certain lifestyle, that culture.

MR: So when I'm in Atlanta in a few weeks, where is the laid back spots to chill that's not too flashy but where cats can chill and still get that Atlanta feel?

I-20: Over Da Edge. My partner owns it. It's more of a lounge than a club, it's got a full restaurant at the top. I'm not really into being in the spotlight, the VIP sections and all that so this is the type of place where you can cool and relax, they play a variety of music. You might hear some "No Ordinary Love."

MR: Sometimes when we think of rappers we don't necessarily think of R&B. Even some of your music, I wouldn't think you had Sade on the iPod.

I-20: I'm 31. I'm past the days of fronting like I don't listen to R&B. I listen to all types of music. You can't listen to rap 24-7.

MR: What was the last album that you bought?

I-20: The last album I bought was "Reasonable Doubt" for the 280th time. I keep that album on deck.

MR: If you were sitting in that Atlanta traffic, what's in the I-20 music survival kit?

I-20: Obviously Sade, "No Ordinary Love," Nas "Illmatic," it's gon be Jay-Z "Reasonable Doubt" OutKast "Southernplayalisticcadillacmusic," that I-20 first album "Self Explanatory" and then I'd switch it up with some Puddle of Mudd or maybe a little Linkin Park.

MR: That was a lot of albums for one deck. You must be driving something big.

I-20: Nah, nah, those days are over, I'm a dad now, I'm driving the mini-van on 26's!

MR: That's hilarious. Blood In the Water coming out in October.

I-20: Yes, Blood In the Water coming out October 2008.

MR: Anything else?

I-20: Thanks for everybody who is going out and supporting me, I'm my own man, my own lyricist, I'm trying to do the best I can to contribute to the movement and give my music a chance and shout out to Streetcred.com.