On the direction of Hip-Hop:
“The record might stick with ringtones but as far as the artist longevity, the artist has no depth because you didn’t groom the artist on how to make records.” - Red Cafe

RTNY: How did the idea surface for this joint project?
Red Cafe: We were already doing mixtapes for the streets and the demand was so powerful, we felt we needed to get together and make a group out of it, and do something that hasn’t been done in a long time. You know, exposing the talent of the DJ as well as the artist.

RTNY: What made you decide to call yourselves The Co-op?
Red Cafe: Well, if you do your homework on what a co-op actually is - it’s different parties that own shares in one big entity. DJ Envy has his company Lock Game, and Red Cafe has the company Shakedown. And as of late, the success of The Wire - that was so related to urban life, we figured that it made perfect since. In The Wire they had the Co-op where all the crews came together.

RTNY: What can we expect from the album?
Red Cafe: Pure Hip-Hop. You’re going to get the hits, the streets, and the explanation of us coming together, and seeing what the future can hold.

RTNY: Creatively, how was it like putting this album together?
Envy: We pretty much work well together. Sometimes I agree on something and he disagrees, but pretty much when you have two minds in the studio that are geniuses at what they do, ideas upon ideas come across. We had so many different records, it was almost difficult picking records for this project. With Red not only is he a lyricists, he knows how to make records and songs. So being in the studio was like an inspiration, it was just easy.

RTNY: What’s the overall feel of the album: Is it more on the lines of “Things You Do” or your current single “Dolla Bill”?
Envy: It’s kind of difficult because it’s only one type of record like “Things You Do” on the album, and it’s only one type of record like “Dolla Bill” on the album. So I’d say if you had to put Reasonable Doubt, Life After Death, and The Chronic all in one, I know you probably hear that a lot, but that’s what the The Co-op album sounds like.

RTNY: Who are some of the other artists and producers you worked with on the album?
Envy: Rockwilder, he produced the single “Dolla Bill”. Trackmasters produced the single “Things You Do”, a couple of our own producers and a couple of producers who aren’t known just yet - GQ Beats….
Red Cafe: Frequency, Moss, and Big Dev.
Envy: And the artists we have Fabolous, Jermaine Dupree, Busta, Juelz Santana, Sean Kingston, Kool G. Rap, Sheek Louch, am I forgetting anybody…
Red Cafe: Remy Ma.

RTNY: What’s the next single from the album?
Envy: It’ll be a double release. “Buck, Buck, Buck” - the record that features Sheek Louch and Kool G. Rap. And Red Cafe with Buddafly, which is our R&B group, that records called “Mr. Luva Luva” and its crazy.

RTNY: Red, you’re a well known underground artist, do you hope this album will establish you as a mainstream artist?
Red Cafe: I’ve been known for doing what I’ve did on the streets as far as the mixtapes are concerned. I think it’ll definitely establish me as a player in the game, let’s start with that right there. I’ve been on mainstream records that have been successful already, so depending on who you talk too, they’ll say Red Cafe is that guy already.

RTNY: Envy, with you being heavy in the mixtape game, do you think DJ’s get the credit they deserve for helping an artist stay relevant?
Envy: I think we get a lot of credit for what we do. A lot of times I think people only look at us as a DJ. I think a DJ can basically do everything, if you look at a DJ it’s not just about skills or showing that they can spin a record, but it’s also how you market yourself.

RTNY: With the crack down on illegal downloading, has that slowed you down in anyway?
Envy: Not at all. Instead of doing it in the streets, now I can do it and you can download it into your phone. Through a company called Cell Fish, you can get my mixtape on your cell phone, download it to your iPOD, and download it to your computer and it’s all legal - how bout that?

RTNY: How do you feel about the direction of Hip-Hop right now?
Envy: I think everything is needed. I think the South is doing their thing. You just look at certain things for a certain reason. I look at Nas, Jay, and 50 when I feel a certain way. I love the fact that it’s so diverse. I don’t want my kids listening to shoot em’ up bang-bang, I want them listening to “Chicken Noodle Soup”. Now I might want to listen to shoot em’ up bang -bang, but the fact that it’s so diverse makes it great for music to listen to.
Red Cafe: I think you have to blame a lot of labels if you think it’s a lack of good music. The record might stick with ringtones and stuff like that which is benefiting the labels, but as far as the artist longevity, the artist has no depth because you didn’t groom the artist on how to make records and how to make an album. At the end of the day I thought that was what this was about – making an album. And when you get the Co-op you’re going to get a full album.

RTNY: Considering the climate, do you feel any added pressure to sell more records?
Red Cafe: Nah, I think we have to give the people in the market place uncompromised music, give them who we are and it’ll catch. You don’t want to give them something else that’s not you and when they figure out who the real you is, then your career is over.

RTNY: Red, I know you’re originally a solo artist, what are you next plans as a soloist?
Red Cafe: I’ve already got into making the solo release, we’ve been working on it. As soon as we complete this, we have some records in mind already. That’s something that I know the people are going to be looking forward to, we have to make sure we meet the expectations.

RTNY: Envy, you wear many hats in the industry, what’s next for you?
Envy: Probably working on Red’s next solo album, working on my solo album, and breaking these artists that we have. The whole idea of the Coop is just not one album, it’s kind of a movement and company that we created not only to promote ourselves, but to break some of these artists that are on the streets and create jobs for the urban youth.

RTNY: Let everybody know when they can pick up the album.
Envy: The album October 9. Get it, you’ll be satisfied, and if not, you can catch me on the street and I’ll give you your money back. I have that much confidence. I’ll give you your money back and buy you a Jay-Z album, I don’t care. I’ll buy you a 50 album so he can catch up, I don’t care.

RTNY: Thanks for the interview, I hope you have a lot of success with the album.
Envy: Alright, thanks my dude.

End of interview.

For more info on DJ Envy and Red Cafe:
www.myspace.com/djenvy
www.myspace.com/redcafe

This entry was posted on Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Interviews, Music.