You have been waiting all day, so we’ll keep it brief. The Clipse rolled up I-95 to do a live show, hit the radio, and talk to ML. Thanks to our dude Dan H. at Koch & Geezy we were able to link up with The Clipse to talk for a hot minute (knowing us it couldve been a few hours) on all sorts of goodness. Oh yeah and just like Buhizzle promised in the Beat Drop- the Brothers chip in their favorite Neptunes productions. For a higher cohesiveness sake we decided to keep their picks seperate. The Clipse Present The Re-Up Gang in stores August 5th.
ML: What are your top 5 Neptunes beats and why?
Malice: Oh man… Okay, I’mma say “Grindin'” for one, cause its mine and its just so infectious, and its very minimalistic. I like the joint that they did, “Throw Them Bows [Southern Hospitality]” or whatever for Ludacris. I wanted that, that’s crazy. I liked the “What What [Superthug]” by NORE. That was insane. I don’t know, that was just a good time. Neptunes were all over the place. When I think about it I think about the nostalgia of what we were doing at that time, how everybody was just getting big and it was just real cool. But “Superthug” was definitely crazy, to me. Um… Neptunes, what else? They got so many man, it’s not even fair to try and pinpoint. But we got “Throw Them Bows [Southern Hospitality]”, “Grindin”, what else I say? “Superthug”. Help me, throw something at me.
ML: Did you like “The Call (Remix)”? That’s one of our picks.
[everyone in room starts laughing]Malice: [laughs] Hey, Hey, Hey!! No, No. I did the The Call, with the Backstreet Boys. Yeah, “The Call”. Definitely, Definitely. That was the first time I heard my voice on MTV.
ML: Yeah, that’s the only way I would listen to a Backstreet Boys track was if the Clipse are on it.
Malice: Ok, appreciate that.
[Pusha Walks over]Malice [to Pusha]: Favorite Neptune beat?
Malice: “Grindin”, “Superthug”, “Throw Them Bows [Southern Hospitality]”
ML: On the site, we had a few other writers come up. “Ride Around Shinin”, a lot of people liked that.
Malice: Yeah. What was the one I really liked by Bubonic and them though?
Some Dude: Cross The Border
Pusha T: [Philly’s Most Wanted-] Cross The Border Remix
Malice: Yeah, Yeah. And the Lox joint that was just like that.
ML: What about you Pusha?
Pusha T: Cross the Border remix is my favorite Neptune beat.
ML: You guys are on the “Everybody Nose (Remix)” right?
Malice: Pusha…
ML: How’d you get on that? Did Pharrell just call you up?
Pusha: Basically. I mean, I was down there when it was going down. They were doing the Glow in The Dark tour. I mean it only makes sense. “Everybody Nose”, you know what it is. You can’t have Lupe, Kanye West, Pharrell, and me there and not be on a record of that magnitude.
ML: He didn’t have to ask? You were there.
Pusha: I already had it written.
ML: Alright. Are you gonna be in the video? Did you already shoot it?
Pusha: Yeah, we just shot the video.
ML: And how did that go? A good time?
Pusha: It was good. Hype Williams.
ML: I saw the Consequence [kyte] video, you were in the background checking out the BBC t-shirts.
Pusha: Yeah
ML: What are your personal highlights from the upcoming Re-Up Gang project?
Malice: Man… It’s just great when all of us get together. Personal highlights off of the album?
ML: Yeah
Pusha: Making it man! Making the album! You know what I’m sayin? The four of us just together brings it back to the fun of hip-hop.
ML: What kind of reception have people given you working with producers outside of the Neptunes?
Malice: It’s been love. A lot of people really look forward to hearing us on different tracks. You know, they love us on the Neptunes tracks, but they just wanna see What else the Clipse can do with other tracks as well.
ML: With “We Got it 4 Cheap” you proved that it can be Joe Schmo and you’ll fucking murder it.
Malice: Appreciate that man.
ML: Working with other producers, how do you feel that the dynamic has changed in the studio?
Malice: Well, we had it real easy with the Neptunes because they would just make a beat and toss it to us, and then we just go do what we do. Now we gotta sit down, we collaborate, let the producers get a feel for us. We also get to see where they think the Clipse should be from their mindset or point of view.
ML: What other producers are gonna be on there ?
Malice: We got Scott Storch, the Runners, Sean C. & L.V.
Pusha: J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Dame Grease, Reefa, DJ Khalil
ML: So moving on to the Columbia project…
Pusha: Oh no! That right there, we were describing the Columbia project.
ML: Oh alright. What about the Re-Up gang project on Koch?
Pusha: I think we got Maestro, I know he did “3 Peat” on Wayne. We got Storch, and a couple more folks. I forget.
ML: I always wanted to ask. How did you meet up with Ab-Liva? He was running with Major Figgas.
Pusha: Man, we was just loving his hip-hop. Loving the Philly hip-hop scene, and we just ran into the guy.
ML: And then you just started to roll together?
Pusha: Mmhmm.
Malice: Liva been down with us forever.
Pusha: We coulda picked anybody to been on that Lord Willin album, but he was great to us. We had budget money to spend infinitely on any name or whatever. But his artistry was too good.
ML: With the 2 projects this summer. What are the differences working on the Re-Up Gang project versus a Clipse project?
Malice: Shorter verses for one. [laughs] The four of us are together, so writing is a lot quicker.
Pusha: Yeah
ML: I’ve seen you live three times, and every time it seems like you’re smiling and having a great time. How do you prepare for live shows?
Pusha: Hey man, the show is what it is. The show is our connection with the fans and its just a good time. If I’m smiling its because there’s not a better time in this rap business than being on stage.
ML: Do you have a favorite show you guys have done? Maybe a recent one?
Malice: We just did a real crazy show in France where the accolades and applause were so much that we couldn’t even speak. They wouldn’t even give us a chance to say anything.
ML: That must have been wild.
Malice: It was crazy.
ML: The other thing I always ask everyone I interview is, what is the last thing you bought?
Pusha: Last thing I bought, I don’t know.
ML: Anything. Rappers say mattresses. Rev Run said condoms. We get all types of answers.
Malice: Not Rev. Run?
[Everyone Laughs]Pusha: Last thing I bought?
Malice [leans into mic]: I know the last thing you should buy is some Play Cloths.
ML: [laughs]
Malice: So, make sure ya’ll check out the Play Cloths line.
ML: Alright, is that your clothing line?
Malice: Yeah, that’s the Clipse clothing line.
ML: Which stores are they available in?
Malice: It’s gonna be in all the boutiques around November.
ML [to Malice]: But, you don’t have to buy Play Cloths. So what did you buy last?
Malice: Uh… last thing I bought. Oh man…
Pusha [quietly]: A sub from Jimmy’s
Malice: Huh?
Pusha [louder]: A sub from Jimmy’s.
Pusha: Oh yeah. A sub from Jimmy’s. Back home.
ML [to Pusha]: Is that what you also got?
Pusha: Nah.
ML: You don’t fuck with Jimmy’s?
Pusha: Nah, this is the first thing I had [points to Cheetos]. It was good.
Some Dude: He’ll be buying one. Tomorrow.
ML: [laughs]
Pusha: Last thing I bought was… [yelling] Gas! Bastards! Sons of Bitches! Gangsters!
ML: Extravagant purchase these days. Are you guys sports fans. You follow any sports at all?
Pusha: I’m not a big sports fan.
Malice: Nah.
ML: This is the last question. For the rest of the year, what can we expect from Clipse and Re-Up Gang?
Pusha [loudly clapping to emphasize]: Good hot music! Till the casket drops. Wintertime. Clipse presents the Re-Up Gang, August 5th, and from their on out its just going to be an onslaught of music.
ML: You gotta get Exclusive Audio Footage out one way or another.
Malice: Yeah, I agree.
ML (01): “Breakfast in Cairo”. Fuck man. I was probably the only kid in high school with the album.
[Everyone Laughs]ML (Hangover_Monkey): Well… I mean… [gestures towards self] Me too.
[More Laughter]ML: Well, that about wraps it up. Thanks for doing the interview.
Malice: No problem man.
Pusha: Thanks.
[…] Rock The Bells homie Jabari holds The Clipse hostage in a car and interviews them, Pt.2 […]
[…] courtesy of Complex and Play Cloths. This next album should really be something. We interviewed these guys back in July. They talked about the album, other stuff […]