B.G. and the Chopper City Boyz Speak On New Album & Hurricane Katrina

From the swamps to the concrete jungle, Lousiana is a place that has had to display enormous strength in the face of adversity. Since Hurricane Katrina hit, New Orleans has been on a long road to recovery and rebuilding.

B.G. and the Chopper City Boyz are back with their sophomore album and sat down with StreetCred.com to talk about Hurricane Katrina, their goals in the game, Hot Boys, their hunger and more.

B.G. on the group's drive:

"You know, I’d rather be doing this than out there on that block man taking penitentiary chances. I am more than welcome to go to the block to get money but God blessed us with talents that people appreciate. So, we get in that studio and give it our all man and tell our story fam."

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SJ: Tell the people a little bit about the B.G. and Chopper City Boyz project? What is the vision for this situation?

Snipe: The album is in stores right now. It’s the sophomore album, the production for this album is off the chain. The features. It’s pretty much more money came into play so we could reach a little wider audience. For instance, with the features we have a lot more people on there than the last album. It just worked out right.

Gar: This the second time around...our second shot so we are giving you life down here in the concrete jungle. We went hard and knocked it out the park. We went in and delivered a classic. Speaking of features, we got C-Murder, Skip, Rocco, Alfamega, Blood Raw, Hurricane Chris, Lady $, Six Shot, Gar, B.G., Snipe we all over that muthaf*cker man. We just shot two videos for the “Bubble Gum” single, it’s for the ladies, and female driven, but it’s got major swag. We also shot the “Keep It Real” video featuring Alfamega, so big shouts to Alfa and Grand Hustle. It’s the street single and it’s bubbling out there. We are just grinding, the album is out, we had the album release party, Da Franchise Boyz and others came through, it was all love. We just working man. Working.

SJ: So who were some of the producers you all went in with on this album to create the sound?

Snipe: We got in with M-80 a New Orleans producer, Cosmo and a lot of producers from our area. A lot of cats that were just ready to get it in.

Gar: Nobody too major, just some hungry cats that were looking to make something happen and we worked with them. We got in the studio and delivered. That’s what we do, put the work in.

Snipe: We would love to work with the major cats and we still intend to, but we got it in with the underdog!

SJ: So you all are just getting back to N.O. How is the atmosphere and morale of that state after so much has happened and continues to happen with the hurricanes, etc.?

Gar: I’m going to keep it all the way G. Katrina devastated us man. That was the shell shock of a lifetime. That was the biggest catastrophe we’ve ever been through. When Gustav came it was a real spook but it didn’t really affect us. Katrina broke us all the way down, it’s like people in N.O., we remember that ish and it really punished us fam.

SJ: So everything is good after Gustav and the scares that you all have had this summer?

B.G.: We in the swamps man. We raised like this. Everything good fam. Everybody is stand up individuals down here ya heard? We’ve been through too much and there isn’t anything we can’t handle at this point. After what Katrina brought, this summer has pretty much been a walk in the park.

SJ: A lot of artists come underneath other artists like Serius Jones and Luda, G-Unit and 50, and it’s seeming like it doesn’t turn out well. How do you feel the B.G. and Chopper City Boyz are different from those situations?

Snipe: We all came in the game as individual artists. But this here is a different look as far as the group. We have swag out the a** though. I mean me and Gar do our thing. I grew up listening to the Hot Boyz, so I was very honored to be a part of the group that he formed and being part of the vision that he saw. He came in with the blueprint and we executed man.

Gar: I mean we can stand up on our own two but we also can see the bigger picture.

SJ: B.G., I’d like you to talk about your vision and how you want to set things up for the future through this venture?

B.G.: I’m doing everything it takes. We grinding with a capital “G”. We have that aura to our music and we are giving the streets what they asked for. What they expect from us. I have a reputation and track record of delivering real, gangster music. You know the hood and streets made me so I have to keep it real with them first. Chopper City Boyz is nothing but another name for New Orleans, you know you what I’m saying? So we are representing that 504 and all hoods nationwide. At the end of the day it’s all the same, my hood is no different from your hood. We all go through the same thing.

SJ: So you all are with Atlantic? I see that you all are aligning closely with T.I. and the Grand Hustle camp.

Gar: Chopper City Boyz are on Asylum. B.G. himself is on Atlantic. But it’s in the same building, and Atlantic believe in B.G. and Asylum believes in us, so everything just coincides with each other you know? Asylum, it’s like independent with a major push so we in the building and everything is working. We are going harder than we’ve ever gone on this one. We are doing the things that the label is not doing. We are putting it in and the results are coming in. We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback and the people are loving it.

SJ: So Gar with that said, tell me a little bit about your style and what you bring to the group?

B.G.: They already know what you doing dogg! (laughs)

Gar: I’m going to keep it real, a lot of cats do the melodic and all of that but my music is from the heart dog. That’s the bottom line. I just leave it to the fans to see what I bring to the group because I bring 200% of me to the group. I give my heart to my group man. That’s what I do.

Snipe: You can follow that up…same thing as Gar fam. I bring all of me. Nothing more, nothing less.

SJ: Dig! So tell me some things that you all are venturing out on that will extend the brand of Chopper City Boyz.

B.G. : We doing clothing lines, we are getting into the movies. We are doing joint ventures with other hot record labels from down south. The one that comes to mind first is the Power Money and Magnolia Boyz. We are running joint ventures through Asylum and you know if it make dollars, it makes sense. We are talented all the way around the board. So there is nothing that we can’t do or accomplish. So we are trying to do it all.

SJ: So what’s good with the relationship with Hot Boyz and Cash Money? You talked to me about a reunion down in ATL a couple of weeks ago. Any progress been made on that situation?

B.G.: My album that’s coming out in November “Too Hood to be Hollywood”, the first single is featuring Lil Wayne, Juve, and Trey Songz. We were supposed to be shooting a video for it, but the hurricanes put a stop to that for the moment. So I’m getting a new date for that. We got a Hot Boyz reunion planned, we are waiting on Turk to come home. But we have a couple of songs that exist already. As for the song “Ya Heard Me”, it’s featuring Wayne and Juve, I have that on my album. I mean the streets want it and have been asking for it. We are a legendary group and I feel like a lot of these things that came out have been Hot Boys imitations. So we are going to come back out and make it happen again.

SJ: Word! We can’t wait for that! So tell me about your passion for the music and why you each do this. Why do you grind with a capital “G”?

Snipe: The hunger man!

B.G.: You know, I’d rather be doing this than out there on that block man taking penitentiary chances. I am more than welcome to go to the block to get money but God blessed us with talents that people appreciate. So, we get in that studio and give it our all man and tell our story fam.

Gar: I just love when I go in the airport and I get off the plane and other cities embrace us for the music man. That’s my drive, I’m trying to see how far we can take this sh*t. I want to go overseas and get off a plane and hear people talking other languages and what not. That’s what it is with me man. I’m trying to see and touch the world. The love and appreciation for our music all over. That’s what it is for me.

Snipe: I mean, the hunger. The love and the passion. You have to have the passion to do this. You can’t just come in and think you are going to get some quick money out of this. Because it’s not easy at all. I am so hungry though my dude!

SJ: Who are some cats in the game that you kind of admire or hope to put yourself in that same space or situation?

Gar: I’m f*cking with the big homey man. There ain’t no place like home you feel me. I’m riding and I’m going out the same way that I came in. Believe that.

Snipe: There ain’t no place like home man. And there are other artists out there like TIP you feel me that inspire a n*gga. To be able to get out there and still be able to persevere. I admire any n*gga that can stand on his own two. Somebody that stand for something.

B.G.: One thing, you can look at B.G. and say that dude has come from a long way to being the owner of his own successful company man. On top of his sh*t. I’m good where I’m at. I’m from where I’m from.

Gar: Ain’t no other place I’d rather be you heard me?

SJ: So B.G., there is no one that you kind of want to follow in their footsteps?

B.G.: I’m going to do my own thing. I’m going in my own direction. There is a lot of cats that I respect. They are dealing with their companies and what not. Other than that, I’m good, I have platinum tracks and that whole deal. I definitely respect TIP, Young Jeezy, I respect Jigga, Scarface, Bun B, 8ball & MJG. It’s a few real n*ggas I respect. I respect Young Buck, the Game, I respect real n*ggas that do it the real way. I got respect for my lil brother Wanye, I got respect for Juve. You know, real n*ggas.

SJ: So tell the people at Streetcred.com something they may not know from listening to the music or interviews etc.?

B.G.: They listen to the music, everything they need to know is right there. Know a n*gga is 1 Hundred. Believe half of what you hear and less than half of what you see. It’s real over here. We are not industry n*ggas. Period.

Snipe: Ya heard!