Young Product Interview
out a song called “Go Crazy” that features Royce da 5’9. This song finds Young Product trading verses with the Bad Meets Evil & Slaughterhouse member. The new single has been blowing up — and is featured on almost every major hip-hop site and blog. This is his
follow up to street single, “Detroit 187″ with Obie Trice that was also heard by the masses.
Interview: We’re right here with Detroit native Product. What’s going on with you at this time bro?
Product: I can’t complain man. I’m out here working. You already know what it is.
Interview: No doubt man. The last time we spoke, you had a buzzing record called “Detroit 187” with Obie Trice. What have you been up to since then?
Product: We just put out a mixtape with DJ Drama called “I Want In.” We just shot a video for a joint called “Self Made” so we’re pushing that in the streets. I got a record called “Crazy” on the mixtape and I just did a remix to that with Royce Da 5”9. We’re just working these streets, you feel me?
Interview: So the mixtape is “I Want In” hosted by DJ Drama. Tell us about that.
Product: The streets were asking for me to do something special for them so who better to do that with than DJ Drama? Especially if I’m gonna’ be giving them that quality material, I had to make it all the way official. And that was just to let them know that we’re coming.
Interview: I feel that right there. Where can people grab that mixtape at if they haven’t already?
Product: On my website www.itsproduct.com and on DatPiff.
Interview: Tell us about the video shoot for “Self Made.”
Product: “Self Made”, we dropped the video two weeks ago on the internet just to let people see what we have going on with the mixtape. I’m getting some crazy feedback on that. I’m about to kick down the door this year.
Interview: I don’t see this “Self Made” joint on the “I Want In” mixtape. How come?
Product: We’re putting out the special edition to the “I Want In” mixtape. The second edition hasn’t been released yet; it’s like a special edition.
Interview: Oh ok, and when is that coming out?
Product: We’re dropping the special edition to the”I Want In” mixtape in like two weeks.
Interview: So how will the special edition differ from the original?
Product: There’s gonna’ be about four new tracks along with the original 12.
Interview: So “Self Made” is one of those bonus tracks, I feel you.
Product: Yea, we just released the “Self Made” video on the internet but we’re about to drop it officially in a few days.
Interview: And you mentioned linking up with Royce. You had the “Detroit 187” record with Obie Trice and now a record with Royce? That’s tight right there. Tell us about how that came about.
Product: Me and Royce had a record we had dropped a few years ago with DJ Kay Slay and The Game called “You Ain’t Crazy.” DJ Kay Slay had dropped that a few years back. Me and Royce are from the same place and we’ve always been putting in work. Whenever we run into each other, we get it in all the time. We support one another.
Interview: When will that “Go Crazy” remix with Royce be leaked?
Product: I’m not gonna’ officially stamp the date but we have it in motion right now. It’s coming soon.
Interview: And who produced that record right there?
Product: My guy Ray Grizzel out of Cleveland.
Interview: We got the lowdown on the mixtape with DJ Drama, the upcoming special edition, the “Self Made” video and upcoming remix with Royce Da 5”9. You have a lot going on, is there anything else you’re working on you’d like to talk about?
Product: I’m working on a project right now called “Ten Toes Down.” That’s gonna’ be a classic right there. I’m giving hip-hop a breathe of fresh air. I’m gonna’ give you the streets but I’m gonna’ give you the reality of it. I see nowadays artists promote the streets in such a positive way but we never talk about the downfall. We never tell the listeners about the end of the story; we just tell them the beginning and the highlights.
Interview: You’re right about that. “Ten Toes Down” sounds like an interesting and humble title as well. What’s the meaning behind that?
Product: I just want to let everybody know that whatever you do, you need to keep your feet flat on the ground and keep them moving. There’s no standing still out here; if you’re standing still, you become a statue. When you wake up, you need to put forth your best effort and you do that by putting your feet on the ground and you gotta’ hit the ground running.
Nowadays in hip-hop, all of the artists I see go in the same direction. They let you know about the good side of everything, but they’re not telling you about the consequences and they’re not telling you about the stuff you have to go through in the situation. I’m just here to tell the beginning, middle and the end of the story. I don’t want to leave anything out. I want people to be able to get the whole thing.
Interview: I like that right there. So is “Ten Toes Down” being done in album or mixtape format?
Product: It’s an album
Interview: So what will be the big difference between the “I Want In” and “Ten Toes Down” projects?
Product: “I Want In” was raw. I was giving you those records that were gonna’ move you and I was painting pictures. “Ten Toes Down” is gonna’ be more in-depth. T’s gonna’ be more about me, giving you the story of my life; where I was born, my surroundings. I’m gonna’ give more detail on my life. I’m giving people my story because I feel like when you’re coming with your debut album, to make it a classic, it has to be about you. There has to be a storyline about you or ultimately, the people will forget about you. I feel like every artist that was great, there first album was concerning there life issues and who they were. It’s about giving the people a presentation. “I Want In” was just me spitting and giving you what you wanna’ hear. It wasn’t me coming from my life. I’m gonna’ give you all of it, my exact story on “Ten Toes Down”, from beginning to end. It’s about the things I’ve witnessed and been through.
Interview: So are you approaching “Ten Toes Down” like your official debut album?
Product: Yeah, I’m approaching it like that.
Interview: But I assume the “I Want In” special edition with the four bonus tracks will be released before “Ten Toes Down?”
Product: Yeah because I’m gonna’ keep feeding the streets until it’s time for me to smack them with “Ten Toes Down.”I’m gonna’ let the people tell me when the time is right to release “Ten Toes Down.”
Interview: I see you’re working on that hard, making sure the timing is right. What are your plans to release the album?
Product: We have the distribution with Hoopla Worldwide.
Interview: I dig that. I really appreciate your time Product, that conducts the end of my questions. Do you have any last words before I let you go?
Product: I just wanna’ shout out all the real niggas out there doing there thing sticking to the script. There’s sunshine and then there’s rain. Y’all can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/itsproduct.
