Over the past couple of years, hip-hop has witnessed the evolution of the DJ. Once confined to sitting behind booths spinning records, the next generation of DJs are producers, artists, and record label executives.

Black Wall Street’s Nu Jerzey Devil embodies this progression in DJs. With a solo album on the horizon, a clothing line, and countless production features, the prolific DJ is looking to expand his brand into an empire. In a candid interview with RealTalkNY, Nu Jerzey Devil discusses everything from life growing up in the gang infested streets of Compton to the G-Unit beef. Continue on to read the extensive interview.

RTNY: How’s everything, where are you calling me from?
NJD: Everything is good, I’m calling from Miami, we’re moving the whole Black Wall Street South down here…trying to expand and get it poppin all across the country.

RTNY: Have you signed any new artists yet?
NJD: Not yet. We’re just focused on myself, Juice, and the Game right now. And we’re trying to build up our DJs; we got DJ Haze that we put on. We’re just trying to keep it tight right now until we get things poppin and move forward.

RTNY: So what’s up, how did you originally get in the music industry?
NJD: I started off doing beats for everybody in the hood. And I was doing beats for local artists, one of my beats got to a dude named Rodney Jerkins. I know you heard of Darkchild…

RTNY: No, doubt.
NJD: Well, I’m from Atlantic City, and he’s from there but from the suburb part. He heard my beats and took me to the studio, and from there I never left Darkchild. At that point in time we started doing beats for the Honey soundtrack, and we were doing beats for big movies. After that I was in there, my music started floating around and it started poppin.

RTNY: What experiences did you gain from working with such a great producer like Rodney Jerkins?
NJD: I gained a lot, bro. Like as far as the business aspect, I learned a lot of things on my own, but on the creative side I learned a lot. Dude had me in there with top names and then I started engineering, so I was really getting hands on experience. Not just on a production side but on vocal coaching for R&B. My forte is hardcore hip-hop, but with me being signed to an R&B label, it taught me how to expand my production. So it was very productive for me when I was under him. I just took what I learned from him and moved forward.

RTNY: With a name like Nu Jerzey Devil, I take it you did some time on the East Coast?
NJD: Definitely, I’m from Jersey…Atlantic City. I moved to LA and one day we were working with Game, and one day out the blue he said, Nu Jerzey Devil on the track. And from that day it pretty much stuck. I couldn’t even fight the name. Everybody was like Nu Jerzey Devil, Nu Jerzey Devil. I loved it, everybody else loved it, and so I kept it.

RTNY: I was going to ask you, how did you and Game link up?
NJD: It was actually through Rodney Jerkins as well.

RTNY: Damn, that boy Rodney put you down huh?
NJD: (Laughing) Yeah, he put me down. He flew me out to LA and we were out there working on the My Baby Daddy soundtrack, which is a film that came through Miramax and featured Anthony Anderson, Eddie Griffin, and Method Man.

RTNY: I remember that one.

NJD: Yeah, so during that process Game came along, he was signed to Dre but he really wasn’t poppin. He was just Game, a rapper, new dude. And with Rodney being an R&B producer, he couldn’t really hit that grimey street stuff that Game needed. So, I played Game some beats and he went crazy. After that I pretty much took over and we clicked from there. I started going to Compton to hangout and play Halo…

RTNY: (Laughing) Yeah, I’m a big Halo fan myself.
NJD: (Laughing) Yeah, so we became close and we started doing more music and we’ve been together ever since.

RTNY: Being Black Wall Street’s head producer, how much of an influence do you have on Game’s album?
NJD: When I’m in the studio with Game, he always asks for my opinion. I never lie to him. There are a lot of yes men that say yes to everything, but you can’t be like that. Especially if you’re true friends, I’m not about to tell him no bullshit. I’m not going to tell him that shits hot when it’s bullshit. So even if I don’t produce on it, I’m still kind of executive producing on it. I’m giving my input and he’s listening to me. We got a great chemistry together and I love it, and that’s going to be my dude forever.

RTNY: Which nights are crazier – nights in the studio with Lil Wayne, or nights in the studio with The Game? I know you’re currently working with Wayne on the new mixtape Blood Brothers right?
NJD: Yeah, that’s going to be a classic album right there, we’re taking our time. It’s going to be like Dre’s Detox, something that’s going to be real special. So when that drops it’s going to be crazy. But um… it’s like left and right, Weezy doesn’t write. He does what he does; he goes in the both and goes crazy. It’s two different types of energies, you know what I mean? They both go hard and they both do what they do. And anything they spit is real crazy; I don’t have to tell you that.

RTNY: I already know.

NJD: Yeah, so it makes my job a lot easier. It’s a blessing to be in the studio with either of those dudes.

RTNY: That’s what it is. I know you have a new mixtape coming out, Soundz From The Devil, what can we expect?
NJD: Just how the title sounds, man – sounds from the devil. Of course, I’m rapping now, so when I make a beat I already know how I want the flow to be, and I just add the elements of other artists on there and keep it poppin. But it’s definitely going to be some grimey street shit. It’s going to have some crazy melodic drums, it’s going to be crazy. If you’re a fan of Nu Jerzey Devil’s beats, than you’re definitely going to love this mixtape. I’m going to have Game on there, Lil Wayne, and Fat Joe. It’s going to be a nice mixtape. And you know, I hate to call it a mixtape because it’s more like an album. I’m using all my original beats, I just feel like I’m way past a mixtape mark right now. Everything I do now is pretty much album material.

RTNY: When is going to be released?
NJD: We’re releasing that the second week of February.

RTNY: The mixtape game is crazy right now, everybody and their momma are doing mixtapes. Do you think it’s getting over saturated?
NJD: Definitely. Everybody has to step there game up on the mixtape thing. That’s why I really don’t use industry beats anymore, everything to me has to be album material. It’s too much bullshit floating around now and it’s too easy to make a mixtape now. Back in the day, everybody wasn’t doing it. If you dropped something it had to be top-notch. But now you got Lil Joe and Lil Susie dropping any type of mixtapes they want. They get some good graphics and they think that’s the key to the mixtapes, but then the music sucks. When you’re doing your mixtapes, you have to go in and give it your all and bring something new to the table, otherwise it’s going to be trash. Mixtapes right now are like demos for new artists. Nobody does demos anymore, everybody does mixtapes. So, why would you put out bullshit? Put your heart into it and don’t worry about putting out a lot of mixtapes, worry about putting out that one classic. I don’t drop a lot of mixtapes like Big Mike or a DJ Clue. Everything I do is more hands on and original.

RTNY: Quality over quantity.
NJD: Yeah, definitely. So, that’s my take on it.

RTNY: How do the labels feel about mixtapes, considering they normally don’t see any money from it? Do they have any problems with you dropping mixtapes?
NJD: The only time we had a problem is when we were going at 50 and them. It was obviously on the same label. But they blamed me for all that shit – You Know What It Is Vol. 3…

RTNY: I still have that one.

NJD: Yeah, man, we had to go in. Our backs were against the wall, but the label didn’t like it obviously because we were lablemates. But other than that, I think it helps the artist. Labels don’t really promote artists as they should. I think mixtapes are key way to promote your artist. It gets their names out there, it gets their street cred up if they have any. It’s a great marketing tool, they shouldn’t be mad at that at all.

RTNY: I noticed you spoke on the G-Unit beef. Is it dead, what’s the status?
NJD: What do you think, man? We definitely did what we had to do. There’s definitely no beef cause I don’t hear nobody talking shit no more. People might go run in the corner and say something. But after “300 Bars”, it’s no coming back from that. I’m not trying to rekindle the flame or nothing like that, I’m just speaking facts. After that “300 Bars”, its’ really no coming back. I don’t see it. It was like one shot to the head and it was done after that, you know what I mean? After that it was pretty much whatever, we having fun now, its just music at the end of the day. We still here, we still poppin. Game is dropping his new album, LAX in the summer…so, it’s a beautiful thing.

RTNY: So it’s official, if anyone from the G-Unit camp wanted to work with you, it’s a hell no right?
NJD: Oh, no. Even though the beef is dead, it’s still some things you just don’t do.

RTNY: I respect that.

NJD: Unless I get the ok from the big homie Game, and he tells me otherwise, that’s just a lane I can’t go down.

RTNY: Black Wall Street as a whole seems like a tight-knit family, is it really like that between everybody?
NJD: Yeah, cause when we first started out, it wasn’t about no damn record label or nothing like that, we didn’t even know about no companies or anything like that. We were happy to have a t-shirt. We were rolling so deep that the aura of Black Wall Street was so strong, people felt our vibe and wanted to be everything that we was. And we are a real family; we’re not no bullshit click. We weren’t put together. Everybody that’s in Black Wall Street is family, we don’t let no sucka ass ni$$as in and we don’t let no bullshit in. It definitely is a tight-knit family.

RTNY: “Live for Everything, Die for Nothing”, that’s the Black Wall Street motto right?
NJD: Definitely, that’s what it is.

RTNY: Who came up with that?
NJD: That was Game, you know he’s real slick with the tongue. Everybody loved it, so we ran with it. That’s the slogan, “Live for Everything, Die For Nothing”.

RTNY: You wear many hats in the industry, mixtape DJ, producer, and know you have the Heaven or Hell clothing, what made you decide to get into clothing?
NJD: I was always into fashion since I was a little kid. In high school, I was a fly type of dude, I always loved clothes. Back in the day I was hustling just to get sneakers and clothes, I had to stay fly for the ladies. So instead of me going out and buying other people clothes, I was like let me make my own. Let me make it how I like it. And plus, this is a beautiful thing, it’s so much money in clothing. The profit margin is crazy, it’s just another element of hip-hop, so why not? I’m the type of dude that likes to be involved in everything. Everybody needs clothes; at the end of the day people buy food and clothes all day. I’m a business man and I’m trying to get it poppin, so why not?

RTNY: I checked out a couple of pieces, they look pretty nice. I seen your girl Glo modeling some clothes too…she’s looking real nice.
NJD: (Laughing) Yeah, I had to get the top video vixen to come rep the female line. Gloria is my homegirl, man. She’s family too. I had to get somebody who would represent the clothing line right. Like, I have Gloria Velez, and for the men I have The Game, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and of course myself. We got a lot of backing from big names, so it’s going to be a good year for Heaven or Hell clothing.

RTNY: Where can they pick it up at?
NJD: You can check it out at www.heavenorhell.com, and you can go to my myspace page also – myspace.com/nujerzeydevil. It’s on my top friends. We also have the Black Wall Street clothing that’s on there too.

RTNY: That’s what is. Yo, do me a favor and tell Glo I said what’s up. Tell her to check out the site too.
NJD: (Laughing) I’ll definitely tell her.

RTNY: (Laughing)

RTNY: What are some of your upcoming projects that you have coming out?
NJD: Besides my mixtape, The Soundz of the Devil 3, I’m working on my album as well, which is called, Heaven or Hell, the album, not the mixtape.

RTNY: Is it going to be on Black Wall Street South?
NJD: It’s going to be on Liveli Hood/Black Wall Street. Liveli Hood is my own company that I started. It’s just another element of Black Wall Street, like how Game is Black Wall Street/Geffen, just keeping it in the family. Other than my album, we’re working on Game’s album, Lil Wayne’s album. I’m actually doing a DVD with Lil Wayne called The Carter.

RTNY: Oh, yeah…
NJD: Yeah, me and QD3, Quincy Jones’s company. So, me and him are doing that together. We’re getting that project going right now as we speak. It’s going to pretty much be a timeline story from when he was born up until now.

RTNY: So, you’re getting into producing movies now?
NJD: Yep, I’m associate producer on that one. So, it’s crazy and I’m scoring it too.

RTNY: When is that going to drop, during the release of The Carter 3?
NJD: That’s dropping this summer. Trust me, promotion is going to be everywhere, it’s going to be damn near one of the best DVDs out. We’re taking our time with it, so it’s definitely going to be a classic DVD.

RTNY: I see you doing your thing…

RTNY: I always ask producers this, how do you safeguard against all of the bootlegging?
NJD: Keep it to myself. Like, every time I do a beat or anything, I have my own personal hard drive and I save it. I carry it with me at all times; I don’t let it out of my sight. A lot of people start getting bootlegged when they start burning CDs for everybody. Like, burn that, let me get a copy of that. I don’t do that. I do something and put it away in the vault until I need it.

RTNY: So, are you sure it’s no little intern running around the studio stealing CDs?
NJD: (Laughing) Nah, dudes like that, they know what is. They don’t want to catch that wrath. All the interns we have are family, like I said it’s tight-knit. I took cats out the hood and taught them Pro-Tools, they’re family, not some geek kids out of school that we don’t know. If I don’t trust you, you’re not going to be in my studio-period.

RTNY: Alright, now I have to ask you a real question. Everybody knows Game’s affiliation with the Bloods, are you affiliated?
NJD: I don’t wanna put myself out there. It was a lot of love when I went out to Compton, they embraced me real heavy. Me being a Puerto Rican kid from Jersey, I moved straight into a Blood neighborhood. They showed me nothing but love and respect, it was a beautiful thing [pauses] Man, fuck it, yeah, I’m Westside Cedar Block Piru, I’m not going to even front.

RTNY: That’s what it is, keep it real.
NJD: It was just the love, something I didn’t feel when I was back home. The West Coast is the origin of gangs. And when you’re a member of a gang, you’re a family member not just some cat off the street. They embraced me in every way I can think of. When my contract was up with Rodney, he went back to New Jersey and I was living in a drug house. I got evicted because the drug house got raided.

RTNY: Real talk?

NJD: Yeah, I was living with a homie, he got caught slippin and they raided the crib and evicted us. So Game took me to Compton, and that’s how it all pretty much started. At that point, it was getting shot at by every other gang but us, so I didn’t really have a choice. It was either roll with them or fuck around and get killed for being with them period.

RTNY: I’m pretty sure people will understand your situation. You had to do, what you had to do…you were in the streets, and you had to make a decision. I respect that.
NJD: Definitely.

RTNY: I think we pretty much covered everything. Let the readers know where they can get your music and keep in contact with you at.
NJD: Definitely, all the fans can reach me on mypspace/nujerzeydevil. I answer all my emails, that’s really me on there. You can contact me on any projects you want me to get on, any beats, DJing, or any features. Hit me on myspace, definitely get at me. Man, tha’s about it, look out for that new Game album LAX. And definitely look out for that Nu Jerzey Devil album, Heaven or Hell coming out late ’08.

RTNY: This was a dope interview, thanks for your time.
NJD: No, doubt. I appreciate you homie.

For more info on Nu Jerzey Devil visit:
www.myspace.com/nujerzeydevil
www.heavenorhellclothing.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm and is filed under Interviews.