The Daily Swarm

Emusic Interview Via 17 Dots.com:

Do you have any animosity toward Dr. Dre?
Not at all. I actually thanked him for the opportunity. It was my choice to leave. I was in control of my destiny, and he was in control of his. I actually learned a lot from him — I got to learn what makes icons, icons. Watching Dre stick to his guns is what made me realize I had to stick to my guns.

How did he stick to his guns?
Dre always uses the formula he knows works. Even though people know that Rakim is more of a conscious rapper, Dre wanted me to bring the guns back out and talk about gangsta shit. Gangsta rap is his formula, but I did that already. I think the world wants to hear something different, which is what I tried to do with The Seventh Seal.

What did you get arrested for?
Guns, man. I loved guns when I was a little kid. I never sold drugs, but I was arrested with guns for the first time when I was like 11 or 12. After I became famous, I was arrested a couple more times with guns. It was to the point where I wouldn’t be caught nowhere without a gun. And, maybe in certain situations I needed it, if only to make me feel comfortable and have the swag to get by in a [tough] situation. Now you could say I grew out of them. After a while, you mature. I had to stop hanging out in some of the places I liked hanging out in, and stop doing things that I knew wasn’t good for me. Project, ghetto life is not good for a person that’s trying to live a positive life. I’m a family man now. I like being around my wife and kids a lot.

You had a bitter split with Eric B. but nowadays talk to him occasionally. Could you forsee a musical collaboration at any point?
Nah, I don’t think that’s going to happen. We kind of grew apart, to the point where we don’t speak much. I wish him the best, but I’m so used to doing things the way I’ve been doing them the last few years that there’s really no future with me and him. When we split up, it wasn’t a cool situation.

Could you elaborate?
After Don’t Sweat The Technique I [presented him with] a contract, but he didn’t want to sign the contract. So that messed up my situation — it held up my money for like six months. At the end of the day he could’ve avoided all of that by just signing the contract. So that’s why we ain’t together now. We didn’t get to blows or nothing so it ain’t ugly, but it ain’t nothing nice, neither.