ESB: What inspired the title for the mixtape?
ROSS/DIEZEL: Pure thought. After the release of my first mixtape "Before the Riot" I [knew] exactly how I wanted this project to sound, the music, the lyrics, the tone, just everything was thought out before I wrote down the first word. So the title was most certainly fitting. The intro of the tape tells it all.
ESB: Who or what are some of your influences?
ROSS/DIEZEL: First and foremost life and all creativity, Busta Rhymes, Joe Budden and the rest of Slaughterhouse [Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Royce Da 5'9"] Lupe Fiasco, Bun B, the battle rap culture, a lot of them cats is type nice... the early Kanye West, OutKast, Goodie Mob, the other half of my team.. I can go on for days bruh! [Laughing]
ESB: What genres of music do you listen to?
ROSS/DIEZEL: I listen to Hip-hop, R&B, Jazz, Smooth Jazz, I listen to a lil bit of Rock, Neo-Soul & Reggae.
ESB: What do you want people to take away from this body of work and your music in general?
ROSS/DIEZEL: My music and just me as an artist period. The way my mind works, the way I think musically and that LYRICS still exist, I'm all about the hip-hop culture. I'm trying to bring it back to when cats bragged about how nice they [were] behind that microphone and that they'll bite whoever head off when it came to bars. If you're looking for that swag rap, I'm not that artist. I breathe lyrics, I'm all about lyrics, I want you to think about what I said, what I'm saying. In a nutshell I'm not that artist who sounds like the next artist. Matter of fact [I'll] tell you what someone told me and I quote: "I like your music because, you got bars, lyrics and YOU DON'T SOUND LIKE ANYBODY I'VE EVER HEARD...YOU'RE DIFFERENT..." end quote next question.
ESB: What is your favorite joint on "PreMeDitat'D?"
ROSS/DIEZEL: Man this gon' be tough... all of them, honestly, they were all so well thought out! [laughing] but if I had to pen point any [they'd be] Smoke In The City [PreMeDitat'D Intro], Take'Em Away [AAA], Poison Pen, Found My Home, SoliDers March [March On] and Watch Who You Hang With. That's a lot! [Laughing]
ESB: What was your favorite moment in hip-hop?
ROSS/DIEZEL: My favorite moment in Hip-Hop Culture is when Hip-Hop was created, [allowing] people to express themselves in which ever way they wanted to! Though the clothing, the music, the graffiti. Just [being] able to be...CREATIVE, UNIQUE, ORIGINAL, DIFFERENT... IN THEIR OWN WAY. I chose these words for a reason. That's what my music is, that's what I live by musically. Hope y'all listening.
ESB: What is a dope line from your 'tape and explain...
ROSS/DIEZEL: Im just throwing this one out there... this is from "Poison Pen" I said:
"...If you think the victorious, is not I
Notorious did half my name...what a sacrifice
B.I.G, D.I.E'd
The cover charge for this coffin...See No I.D."
Basically I'm saying, I think biggie held the torch for hip-hop and when he passed I was next in line to pick up where he left off and do me, do what I do. He did half my name, half of Diezel is "Die" ie: "...If you think the victorious, is not I
Notorious did half my name...what a sacrifice"
Then I go on to say: "B.I.G, D.I.E'd
The cover charge for this coffin...See No I.D."
There, I'm just saying, no one is safe, no one is excluded from getting bagged. You know how there are cover charges to get in clubs and what not and they check I.D's!? It ain't none of that! Free entry for the caskets I got lined up for these artist. [Laughing] I thought that was a pretty dope line there...
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