By Odeisel

In part one of this interview, we took a look at the Mash out Posse and their mission in music. We talked about their relationship with Gangstarr and Guru, and the Snowgoons along with their just-released album, Sparta. In this installment, we look at the M.O.P. legacy and run down their catalog. In a rare moment of vulnerability, we get a look at what was going on in their lives and get a revealing look at what M.O.P. means to Hip-Hop and more importantly, what Hip-Hop has meant to the lives of Billy and Fame. You can’t find this anywhere else. Planet Ill revolves. Enjoy.

Planet Ill: Let’s talk about the M.O.P. legacy.  Let’s talk The Hill That’s Real. Where were you then as far as your life and what you were thinking about?

Lil Fame: Back then we were wild as shit, man there was so much going on; we was ducking bullets, running around with guns in our waist. At that time if we had to walk up the hill through that bullshit to go to the studio. Walk back down the hill, you know what I mean? Just to get a good song was the focus. And to try to do something just to get off the block for a little while, that meant a lot back then. To be able to go to the studio in Manhattan, we’ll jump the turnstile with a beer in our hands. Go to the studio just to get off the block; to get away from the bullshit. It meant a lot back then.

Planet Ill: I’mma tell you a story. Back then, when “Blue Steel” came out, I was like, “Fuck M.O.P.!” Fame came out and said, “Blam! Shooting motherfuckers in the belly!” I was not ready for that, I was like turn this shit off! And then First Family 4 Life came out. And then ya’ll made me a believer. You had all of that fire on the album you made me a believer. Take us through First Family 4 Life. [Ed note- Firing Squad was the second M.O.P. release. also very fire]

Lil Fame: For me, that’s when things were tuning around. We been through a lot man. I don’t want to sound like a crybaby cause everybody got a story. I lost a lot Mof people. And at that time, I had just moved out of the house that my momma raised me in. I had my son; I ain’t have no heat or hot water in the house. I was getting lights, I had the light on. And I had to get my son out of the house. When winter time came, I had to get a crib.

And we had signed that Relativity deal we got a nice check and I remember I went to go get my apartment, things started turning around, around that time.

Planet Ill: You music started to mature, too…

Lil Fame: Yeah, it started getting better.  It started sounding happier, we started feeling good. Everybody happy up in the studio and shit. That’s when the good times started.

Planet Ill: Then you came out with the next joint, the joint with “Ante Up.”

M.O.P.: Warriorz

Planet Ill: That was my favorite album from ya’ll for a minute

Lil Fame: That’s good times, too. That’s when I learned, me personally, how to move on.

Planet Ill: You did “Cold As Ice” a lot of people think Premier did “Cold As Ice”

Lil Fame: Yup. Big shout to Premier too. Just sitting around Premier, and cats like DR Period, I picked up a lot; Lazy Laze I picked up a lot being around the studio with them cats.

Planet Ill: “Unpretty type rapper, gritty type rapper…”

Lil Fame: “…4-5 Semi-automatic pipe clapper”

Planet Ill: Then you came out with the St. Marxmen. What was that about as far as the changeup? I know you languished on Rocafella for a bit, you can share that experience or not

Lil Fame: We needed to get some music out. Like you said, we were sitting on Rocafella and we needed to get some music out for the fans. They kept screaming “Ante Up,” “Ante Up.” They wanted more music and we needed to get it to them So we had to put something together. That was actually a mixtape you know what I mean? That shit was just a vibe; we just put that shit together real quick. Ideas that we had, like we’d stop a record and do some other shit; we were just bugging out on that album.

Billy Danze: You gotta feed the people man, that’s it.

Planet Ill: Then you came with Foundation. The very slept-on Foundation. That was a serious album. We reviewed that album, a lot of people didn’t even review it. I think we gave it 4.25 back then [ed note 4].

Lil Fame: We was on the road pretty much during that album.We had joints that we had recorded earlier. We added probably like three songs, three old songs. The rest of that shit we was just bouncing back and forth recording and shit.

Billy Danze: It’s easy for us to put records together. The problem is with these labels, like you said, a lot of people didn’t review the record. You guys reviewed it because obviously we got some fans over there, but you get with these labels that don’t know how to move your record around and put it in a marketing place where it needs to be. And we knew that that label wasn’t going to do it but again, as Fame said we always gotta feed the people. We always gotta try to feed the people something We always want to throw something out for the fans so we was doing a lot of traveling a lot of touring at that time so we put that together. And a lot fo people that knew that was there, they did go and get it and they appreciated the album.

With this new record, we are so focused on this record, dude. I know you told me watch my mouth and everything, and I’m not cocky at all…

Planet Ill: If you believe in the record, take it for what it is…

Billy Danze: If we make a record that we don’t like, then we won’t put it out. If we don’t like it, if it’s not dope, we won’t put it out. We not cocky like these new dudes be doing. They do anything and just throw the shit out and expect people to be like, “Yo it’s crazy!” If it’s not crazy, we’re not going to say it’s crazy.

Planet Ill: Or they try to be cute and say this is a thruway this is a freebie. Nah man. If it comes out I’m counting it, so if it’s wack, I’m counting it against you.

Lil Fame: EXACTLY! And we make records knowing that. Each record is like a birthmark. You can’t fix it back, you can’t change it back once it’s out. Like you say you count that one against us if it’s wack. We make records keeping that in mind alone.And I’m a fan of Hip-Hop. I’m a fan of good music.  So my opinion, I take my opinion very strongly and I love this album right here.

Planet Ill: So we’re going to close it up in two phases. One, what is the enduring M.O.P. legacy. And two, after this, where are we going?

Billy Danze: Wow. Enduring M.O.P. legacy in our eyes, we want people to see the passion and how much we put into our music and how we really speak for those people that don’t have a voice down in those small spots. And how we’re really Spartans. Like we really been fighting from the beginning and we’ll continue to fight until the day we fall off. Just remember that no one can do it better. If they would have done better than us already.

Planet Ill: And where we going after this?

Lil Fame: I’m going wherever this road takes me man. I’m on that motherfucker trying to make the best out of it. I can’t tell you a year from now, I’m gonna be this, I’m gonna do that. I just want to be alive and healthy man and I’m on this road. Wherever it takes me, I’m with it. First Family for life.

Billy Danze: If you get time, check out the new website, WeBuildHits.com. You know how it is, a lot of artists out here don’t get that opportunity. So at We Built Hits, we got a lot of big producers, Fame himself, Pete Rock, DR Period, Doc Iish, Easy Mo Be, Jaz-O, Heat Makers. We got like 25 big producers spread out not only on the East Coast, but other countries as well. They are actually putting up beats for kids to rap to. We’ll build a record and then we’ll send it all around the world.

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