|
Interview with Napoleon Part 2 of 2
Interview Date 12:15 p.m., April 16, 2003
Interviewee: Napoleon
Interviewer: Jon Peters
Transcription: Sharmeen, Young G and Jon Peters
****************************************************
Major Topics Include:
****************************************************
Jon - HitEmUp.com: As a Muslim in America, what are your thoughts on this war?
Napoleon: No comment. Hahaha, no comment. Allah the best of the judges, I don't really got nothing to say about the war man. I love America.
You feel me. I'm a muslim in America and to really be honest America to me is the best country, you know what I mean? You get the most freedom in America, man. And I don't think no...and right now, Islam is the fastest growing religion on earth and it's also the fastest growing religion in America, and I don't think no Muslim in America would say that America is not a good country. You know what I mean, because America is one of the best countries. And I'm proud to be an American Muslim, man. But with the war situation I really don't have no comment. Because it's deeper than what I know and it's deeper than what we all know...man so I know Allah knows the truth about everything, so. But all that protesting and all that stuff, I don't understand none of that stuff, you na mean when people protesting to stop the war cause you ain't stoppin nothing. Talking against the war, you ain't stoppin nothing man. You ain't doing nothing man, it's best to try to do something. But I leave that stuff alone, man. Allah the best of the judges bro.
Of course and it's alot of stuff I don't agree with Bush but right now I love America. It's one of the best countries you feel me?
Jon - HitEmUp.com: Yeah.
Napoleon: It's like some people might not agree with everything Saddam Hussein do.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: You mentioned that you wanted to comment on a post that was made on the message forum in regards to Pac's mention of Hussein in All Out?
Napoleon: Sharmeen said that, my sister Sharmeen said that people was on there saying that Pac said sometime I question Hussein. At that time he was talkin to Fatal, back in the day he wasn't talkin about Saddam Hussein you na mean. At that time, it was back in the day, he
was talking bout Fatal. But like I said man, you know, I'm just doing my thing. And I'm tryin to keep it crackin and everything looking Alhumdulillah for me. I don't knock nobody else you na mean, and I just do my thing hope everybody else do their thing. The Outlawz do their thing, I do my thing. Simple as that, man. Cause I'ma be alright regardless you feel me. It's like I'm set for life man. Everything is written man my life is already written. And that's the beauty of a Muslim. Everything is divine decree, so it's like preordained. Whatever Allah got for me I have to accept it you feel me. And whatever He don't want me to have, I just can't have. It's like nothing really...I don't really wear no jewelry and all that stuff no more, cause none of that amaze me man. You na mean, I still have a nice car, nice house. I still dress thugged out...man I don't want people to get it twisted I'm still Napoleon you na mean. It's just that a lot of stuff that used to amaze me before don't amaze me.
Like the clubs, and only time I hit the clubs is if my people, like the Diplomats was out here. I go to the club, hold em down, stuff like that but I don't really do nothing. You na mean, I basically focus on my music right now, more than ever, I never been this focused man. Like I'm talkin bout fo-cused dawg,
ten songs a day. I never did anything at that level before. And I swear man the other day I did ten songs in a day and I didn't write one of em down. I got it where I can go in there and just spit from the head and it come out good you na mean. And I never did it on that level before man. That's real and I don't drink I don't smoke, I got a clear mind. So I never been as focused on my music and that's important right now cause...the most important is the fans. And I want the fans to know I'ma give em what they want. I don't want my fans to think I'm not gonna give em what they want, that's most important. So I want the fans to definitely know I'm not gonna just come all the way to the left, I'm not coming out a whole another guy. It's just more...I really believe my fans...I really think they gonna love my music more than ever, I really think...they gonna be like surprised. Cause that's really important to me the fans, man.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: How is your faith gonna effect your music in regards to content and the direction your gonna take with it. Are there things that you're going to try and influence through your music?
Napoleon: Basically the way my faith gonna influence my music...is gonna be truth. Now that I'm a Muslim it's like I have to be the truth and I always spoke from the heart. But now my heart is open a little more na mean. Islam is the truth man. That's like a cat sayin...he rappin and in his rap he sayin "I was on the streets sellin drugs" and really was on the street selling drugs- that's the truth. Ain't nothin more truer than Islam. I talked to gangsters, the street niggas, I been there and I done that. All that is in my blood. It's just like in a gang, for example, you know how some people be a Y.G., a B.G., than they a O.G.? Well basically I was a Y.G., I was a B.G., I was a O.G., now I got Islam. That's the top man. Can't get no higher than having Islam. You na mean...because the Book, The Quran, it teaches you everything. Basically...it seem like when Allah wrote the Quran, it seem like the worst drug dealer in the world, the worst murderer in the world can get that and be like "Dang, this is a religion that's true and I don't have to feel less of a man...if somebody come and try to attack me, I can fight back." Because it's a sin in Islam when you turn your back on your enemy, and you can't turn your back on your enemy bro...you na mean...it's like now I feel I'm at that level. I'm at that top level man. I can talk bout the streets cause I really been there. I really done that bro, I really was on the streets, my family really was in the hood. I was in the poorest of the poorest. I grew up in a house, eight dudes sleepin in one bedroom, I can really vouch for that. I can really vouch for...half of my friends got locked up for selling drugs, half of my friends got murdered in front of me. Half of my friends that murdered people, I really seen that and done that, you na mean?
And everything I say in my music I will do or have done. You na mean, either I done it or I'm gonna do it. That's how Islam effected me. Everything I say in my music bro, every little thing I say man! Well, it's just that... like I said, to me ain't nothin more important than my fans. And when Sharmeen and my cousin Rab, they both out in Florida, you na mean.
They be touching on the internet and they be telling me, you know, get on there man cause your fans probably...you know, some fans upset thinkin you leavin the Outlawz and this and this and this...well I'ma be honest to the fans, the Outlawz never been the same since Pac died man. You na mean, and I had to come to it to realize that it'd never be the same! And now they just let people come in that...never be...never walked into the studio, changing lyrics! And just do all the stuff in front of your face, na mean? And we suppose to be brothers na mean? That's why I say they'll never be the same. The Outlawz ain't the same man, it'll never be the same after Pac died. And the funny part, I was the troublemaker in the group you na mean. I feel like I held the group down man. When they was struggling and it was people tryin fight the Outlawz, it was me and my people holdin the Outlawz down. To be honest with you, you know what I mean.
I always been like that man and then it just hurt me if I hear that the Outlawz running round saying he was the troublemaker and this and this and this. I don't know how true that is cause I dunno if I'm going wit rumors but you damn right
I'm a troublemaker. I was, so simple as that. Nothing I done in the past, I wanna take back...you na mean, nothing...I'm happy with it, my whole life up to now. Like I don't regret nothing, I don't wanna take nothing back, nothing I said to anyone...I'm not taking nothing back you feel me? Simple as that man. Basically, they doing their thing I'm doing my thing and it's deep but I ain't the type of dude that wanna come out and be like...diss my group. And do...you na mean? Just cause of the love of Pac, I will never get out and start trying to talk bad and kick the Outlawz back, just cause of the love for Pac to be honest with you.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: How did Pac's Death affect you as an individual and you guys as a group? Like you said things really haven't been the same.
Napoleon: Pac's death affected me man cause he was like the only person out there that gave me real love you na mean without my Grandmother...brothers and them. I never met nobody outside of my household that really gave me true love you na mean and Pac gave me a lot of true game and if it wasn't for Pac I won't be where I am at now. You feel me so it was just like he came and he was giving me attention as a brother and a father man that's just like say you become attached to somebody and they take that away from you. All my life I was used to that man. That's one thing ya na mean I really can't say cause in the Quran it says every soul shall face death everybody's bound to face death. I don't care what you think about right now, everybody finds their death it's a certain day a certain time and a certain second that everybody... even a leaf that fell of a tree it was written the time and the day that leaf fell of a tree. Every bug every flea, even if you walked and stepped on an ant by mistake it was written...The time and the second that you stepped on that ant and that ant had to die and that's the same thing with man. We all planned of death and we all got a certain time a certain date and it's already here. It's the date and time and everything is already here written and been written man. Allah... the first day He...the first thing He invented was the pen and he told the pen to write. 6,000 years later thats when he created heavens, earth, and Adam, Shaitan (the devil) and them so everything Allah is going to run it to is already written. People fail to realize that. So anybody running around scared of death or let death effect them like that to me they probably really don't know ya na mean they don't know the time taken the way Allah got planned for us. The Quran...I read the Quran at least once every two weeks or I try to read it a lot man you know. I go to Jumma (Friday prayer) every Friday and one thing it let us know that we gonna face Allah. Every soul shall face death man ya nah mean and we all part of it and we all gonna see God one day so it's simple as that. As a Muslim I live my life where basically I could die any minute ya na mean. So they say as a Muslim person you supposed to live your life like you gonna live forever or you gonna die any minute so you gotta make smart moves you gotta make smart business moves. The important thing, it ain't really business moves like right now I am trying to make smart life moves into the next life. This life right now is gonna get me into the next life ya na mean? You know I'ma be in Paradise forever or I'll be in hell forever and that's real so that's what I am trying to think. That's why I am planning my life and nothing else is important you feel me?
Jon - HitEmUp.com: How do you think Tupac would feel about the way his music is being handled?
Napoleon: I really believe Pac would be mad the way cats doing his music ya na mean. I really would think Pac really really would be mad just a lot of stuff if Pac was here wont be happening man. And even with Jay Z no disrespect to Jay Z ya na mean because he give it up... but for example if Pac was living... that wouldn't have happened. I am a be honest with you.
Edi and Kastro cleared that song to Jay-Z ya na mean and I think if Pac was living they wouldn't have cleared it or it never would have got cleared. That's why I feel it would never be the same since Pac died.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: That's the sad part about it for me is just to sit back and really look at what was and what he lived for and I look at the way the music is coming out now, and I realize you know, their trying to encourage peace and everything through his music, but it's almost like
underminding what he lived for at the same time.
Napoleon: That's how you gotta plan as a Muslim it's a sin if you don't write your will and if you don't write who is gonna take care of your worldly affairs after you die ya na mean. So that's one thing when I came back from Mecca man. I came back and I did everything and I let them know if I go right now, I'm secure with my death. Where... I'm secure where I know that people gonna have my best interest and all of the real estate stuff I own... my businesses, ya na mean my music my son ya na mean, my will... everything is straight man. I came back from Mecca man the first thing I did I took every test you can ever think of you na mean. I ain't gonna lie man I was like I'm bout to get life insurance...taking Aids tests... stuff that I used to be scared of to do. Alhamdulillah that everything came back clear you na mean. That's the main thing that I think that a lot of people don't realize that you gotta plan for your life man you really gotta plan. A lot of people are too scared and be like " I ain't gonna die " and you never know man and one thing about Islam, it teaches us that it's a sin if your walking around without your will made.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: Just getting back to the handling of Pac's estate for a second here, did
Pac have a will set up? What do you know about that?
Napoleon: Pac had the mind... Pac had the heart he had the spirit of a Muslim man Pac had his will Pac knew he was gonna die. Pac had the heart of a Muslim man you na mean that's why I call him Muslim. Pac was a
Muslim.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: If Pac had a will then why do you think his estate is being handled the way it is being handled now.
Napoleon: Man I don't get into that ya na mean. Everything really ain't being treated...like Pac his mom run it a lot... everything is straight ya na mean everything is straight with Pac. I am just talking about the music, his rhymes. I am sure his not gonna write in his will "Ok. I want this person at the studio... and I want this person to do that" ya na mean but I never looked at his will but I'm sure he left the will with his moms ya na mean.
Another thing...like a lot of cats... Daz and all these cats I hear are talking slick about Pac's mom. Her thing is, she could care less about the music industry you feel me she care less about the music industry. The only reason why she is in the music industry now is to make sure her son's music is put out ya na mean. She is leaving it up to Edi and Kastro a lot of the stuff ya na mean. Afeni is not in the music industry man she just wants to make sure... trust me she has Pac's best interest. She is making sure that, as much as possible, nobody is going to do Pac's music dirty that nobody is gonna do nothing like that. I am not gonna sit here and say that people is doing the music dirty, because she is the woman that...she ain't no rapper. She don't got time to be understanding. She is a mother man ya na mean she gonna accept Jay Z cause that's what a mother would do ya na mean. Cat's can't get mad at Pac's mom for clearing the clearance for Jay Z because she is a mother man. She don't got time... it's other people ya na mean. We might understand that cause we are on the street level but she is a mother ya na mean. So she is doing a great mother job with the music and with Pac man. And that's one thing I can't take from her. I heard Daz been talking slick man and I don't appreciate that ya na mean. I don't appreciate him, first of all even disrespecting a woman man... and I think he needs some respect man. Because she doing what she supposed to do man. She give a hell about the music...after she puts out the last Pac album she don't care no more because she is not in it for the music and she is not in it for the money. Her main thing is to make sure that her son's music gets put out.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: Ya I think a lot of people don't understand or don't appreciate the amount of work that actually goes in to
releasing these albums and you know personally I think it's great what she is doing but I think some of the people around her might not have Pac's interest in mind as much as she does.
Napoleon: Na It's stressful for her bro na mean to be going through that type of stuff man so you know Daz he needs to respect and watch his mouth man.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: Are there any other topics or anything that you want to cover or let fans
know?
Napoleon: Basically man I just want people to know I am gonna try to link some for the website something I got to put out their so people can get a taste
of the music. Look out for the solo album. I just want my fans to know I ain't forget about em man ya na mean. Like I said I'm always
gonna be an Outlaw. I might not be in the Outlawz but I'ma always be a Outlaw. It's in my heart man. I brought too much to that name.period. ya
na mean. I brought too much to that name man. When it was time for the dust kickin up if anybody...came to ya "who's kickin up that dust" they
gon say "the little short light skinned one." Ya na mean and I brought a lot to that name and I'ma always be an Outlaw I am just not in the group
anymore and I always love Pac...man we the same, I come from the same lineage as Pac man. So ain't nothin changed. I'm just branching off and
starting my own thing u na mean...and right now...I'm doing what Pac done to the Outlawz, I got my own little homies right now. I got people
from around the world u na mean. I got Muslims and such from all over the world that love me man that I'm tryin...I wanna please everybody na
mean. My fans gonna get pleased in America to the fullest na mean...my fans on the streets gon get pleased. I got fans in Saudi Arabia now...I got
people all over man... I gotta do music that everybody can relate to. I would never come out wit a record and go all the way to the left. na mean
I'll never do that...because that ain't me. I'm still who I am but I'm going by some Islamic lyrics now. Now that I have Allah and Allah is watching
everything I do, I would never sell my soul to sell no record. Simple as that. I'ma always be from the heart, if that work it works. That's what got
me this far man everything I wrote and everytime I spit it was from the heart. And I'ma always come from my heart and if it work, it work...if it
don't then Allah...everything happens...He got plans for me man like I said before...
If I sell three million records, Alhamdulillah. If I sell five records Alhamdulillah. Cause it's already written man. U feel me? So I'm tryin to let the
fans know...man I ain't forget bout em man. I'm still the same cat... I feel even more dangerous than ever because now I got that knowledge that I
never had in my life...na mean...I'm 25...I'm jus starting to get the knowledge...and now that I'm getting it...it's like all my life I didn't know it exists
na mean. So now...and it's fun and to be honest, I really feel like my life is really starting...my rap career is really starting. I really know how to do
the music now...I'ma always have the street's back man. No matter what man...cause I'ma always give the streets what they want. And
I'm always give my fans what they want. That's why they gotta let em know...say look man "to hell with what people say bout
Napoleon...I know Napoleon gonna come through...he gonna give us the music we want and that's it man." That's it man...and I don't feed into the internet rumors
and all that stuff man...I hope my fans don't either man but you know...just watch out for the album, I'll definitely get in touch with ya'll when I find
out the date the album gonna drop or when I sign a deal I definitely get on the air and definitely let ya'll know the deal is closed...you na mean and
what label it's with. For people in LA this week I think Wednesday they gonna world premiere one of the singles...people that's in New York and
Jersey...Philly look out for the song I did with the Diplomats...they bout to be on a mix tape...people that's out in Switzerland, I'll be out there in
June...na mean. And I think I'm going to Africa in August so I'ma be around man.
Jon - HitEmUp.com: Germany this summer as well right?
Napoleon: Inshallah. Inshallah...and I'll try to link some music man, matter of fact...fans on the Outlaw website man I'm trying to get in touch with the people that's running the Outlaw website...they don't return my calls...so you know...but I just want my fans to know on the Outlaw website ain't nothing changed man.
I just wanna give a shout out to the sister Sharmeen and to all the true Napoleon fans out there...when they was talking, starting rumors saying "he ain't doing it no more" I love ya'll for staying down and staying true with me man. I'ma definitely give ya'll what ya'll want. Definitely. I'ma definitely give the true fans what they want.
Return to Part 1 | END Part 2
|
