Juelz Santana has lived a charm life by hip-hop terms. He came up under the tutelage of Cam’ron and Jim Jones, signed his first album deal with Def Jam records and has sold almost 2 million albums in total.
But all isn’t perfect in the wide world of Juelz Santana. Over the last year and half he’s gone through enough drama to make a lesser emcee fold it up and head home. Internet rumors of turmoil in his crew, Cam’ron claiming to have sold his contract and shake-ups at his label are some of the drama that has followed Juelz like twitter.
But Juelz isn’t your average the artists. A businessman in his own right, he’s taking all the rumors and side talk in stride. He’s currently preparing his third album “Born to Loose, Bred to Win” Juelz talks about his new album, his realtionship with his former crew and having Chris Brown on his new single
Tell me about the new album “Born to Loose, Bread to Win”
Juelz Santana: I’m gearing up. I’m getting warmed up right now. “Born to Loose, Bred to Win” will be the album. We‘re about to shoot the video for “Back to the Crib” I got another record called, “Mixing up the Medicine”. I got an amazing record with Lil Wayne.
I’m not going to do the drop the single and come out in 2 months thing. That’s what the label has to understand. I just ready to go. I just did a record for Banks album. I’m going to be on peoples ass. I just did a record for Mariah. I’m about to be on every single. Watch. I’m on niggas ass right now.
When you first broke on the scene you did it through mixtapes. Are you going to hit the underground again with another mixtape?
I got “The Reagan Era” which is the mixtape. I feel like my mixtape is going to be like an album. I’m probably going to drop 2 mixtapes before I drop the official album. I’m all about the feeling. I feel like as long as I aint out the loop and I aint gone to the point where you’re not hearing nothing from me, then I’m good. I’m going drop the album when its right. I just did a record with Lloyd Banks that’s for his album. I just did some stuff for Mariah Carey. You’re about to hear me on everything in a minute.
Cam’ron was talking about selling your contract and how the Dipset is over. What’s good with you and Cam?
Juelz Santana: I have no problem with Cam. Cam gave me the chance of a lifetime. He brought me into the game and I’ll never take that away from him. But as much as he’s did for me, I’ve over-paid my dues. I know it was love when it was genuine. I wish Cam the best and deep down I know he wishes me the best. I don’t have a sour taste in my mouth about it. We’re still Dipset for life.
Talk about your new single with Chris Brown?
Juelz Santana: Chris is my dude. He’s always been my man despite whatever he’s gone through. I had got a beat from Polow (the Don) and it had a reference of a hook on it. And soon as I heard it I heard Chris on it. And like I said before, despite whatever he’s been through before hand, it never effected my decision. This is my dude and I was gonna reach out to my dude. We shot out to Orlando the next day and we just put it down
That was actually my next question. Was it hard getting the feature passed through Def Jam?
Juelz Santana: I aint going front there were a couple of different people who had opinions. But at the end of the day, I’m my own boss. I’m a partner with Def Jam. LA Reid respects me. My project has nothing to do with anybody else’s project so at the end of the day I’m going do what has to be done. What happened or didn’t happened, it didn’t matter. I informed people in the building that I was going make the move. And I don’t mean it in now certain way when I say, ‘it is what it is” If another artists that’s up there wanted to make a move, but they couldn’t say nothing. I know Rhianna is a Def Jam artists. At the end of the day, this is how I feed my family. It cant be about holding grudges. If so, no one would work with anyone in the industry. There’s always going to be somebody who’s not going to like someone. Someone has to be that person who bridges the gap.
Follow Juelz Santana at twitter.com/realjuelzsantana and look out for the album “Born to Loose, Bred to Win” coming soon on Def Jam records
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