I was sitting down going over my notes for my interview when the director of Dirty States of America, James "Flx" Smith, arrived. This guy started off interning at MTV, living out of his vehicle, then made his documentary almost single-handedly. His face should be next to the word "ambition" in the dictionary. His DVD covers the true indie hip-hop movement in the southern United States. Currently, he's working at MTV, where he gets paid to be a TV host. He helped to coordinate this photo shoot with artists David Banner, Killer Mike, Fiend.
After everyone arrived, David Banner suggested walking across the street to the restaurant to do the interview. I approached the manager of the restaurant and asked if I might have a small back room to conduct my interview. Unfortunately he could not accommodate us so I figured we would just take whatever table was available. David had already taken a seat at the bar and ordered a drink. I sat next to him. I wasn't sitting long before some girl whispered into my ear "Is that your friend?" as she inconspicuously pointed to David. "Yeah, uh, my new friend, I guess. Go up and talk to him if you want." With an ear-to-ear grin she asked David Banner for an autograph and picture, and David was happy to oblige. Then before I knew it we were escorted into a back room with drapes drawn and several of the wait staff at our beck-and-call. (Obviously someone told the manager who these guys were).
David Banner is a rapper/producer out of Mississippi whose hits include, "Like a Pimp" with Lil Flip and "Cadillac on 22s". Killer Mike made his debut with Outkast then had a solo hit last year, "A.D.I.D.A.S." Fiend has worked with Master P and his last CD is Street Life. After hanging out with these guys on the day of the shoot I have to say that their fans don't follow them just because they are the hottest thing MTV has shoved down people's throat. It's all about the sheer talent that these artists exemplify. And just as important, they have persevered and stayed true.
CA&E: How do you think the perception of hip-hop has changed over the past few years, especially among the fans that were used to thinking of it in terms of East or West Coast?
David: I think people are able to hear a more well-rounded version of hip-hop now. You've got one cat working with another guy in Mississippi who might be working with another guy in Arkansas. It's so many artists working with each other with different points of view and backgrounds that comes through in the music.
CA&E: When this whole East Coast vs. West Coast thing was going on what were you doing at the time?
David: It was really a training period for me. During that time Fiend and I were cultivating our relationship and that got built to where we are today. What I think we learned from the East/West thing is Southern cats is about getting our money! We keep our beef with people in the streets.
Fiend: I ain't gonna say I never said I didn't like some guys and their attitude, but I'm into selling records. We sit down and form a strategy to sell records, which still is unheard of in the South. Now that's a problem. But I've seen some bickering goin' down with East Coast cats... I ain't down with that. Like 50 Cent would talk about his beef with other people on his records; we never knew what that was about... never in my life!
CA&E: So you're saying it's more like let's just all put aside our differences and make some money.
FLX: It's not about "let's all make money." It's more like let's just all be "men." You can go into the wrestling side of entertainment or you can go into the music side. We're coming from an environment where we were taught to respect each other. You're not gonna be able to talk about other people disrespecting them and have longevity in this business. But addressing the East vs. West, I think it was more about what the media blew up. I don't even think the artists bought into it so much as what the media did, asking stupid questions and reading into things. I'm never gonna ask a man about how he feels about another man. That's good journalism, but that's not the kind of journalism we want in the South.
CA&E: What do you feel makes the music in the South so distinctive?
David: Its soul! I think with the music of the South you can feel the beat. Louisiana music, you can hear the influence of jazz. Mississippi you can hear the influence of blues. It's like you can feel the spirit of our ancestors in our music. I think this is why people from here like Lil' Jon get criticized because other artists can't do what he does. It's like catching the Holy Ghost at church. You need that spirit to come through in music.
Fiend: I think it's that we can talk about our feelings. I toured with Snoop and there was a time when he couldn't talk about his momma. Now he can do that. You can spit it all out from the heart.
CA&E: Well you speak a lot about the spirit and church. Would you say this influences your music?
FLX: You're looking at black culture when you're looking at hip-hop. And the majority of those people were raised around the church. It's just artists going back to their roots and what they know. You may hear people cursing on some records, and if they want to do that they can choose to do so, but at the end of the day it's always going to come back to God.
David: I think we can also admit when we're wrong too. I was just thinking about what was said and some of the things I put in verses. I can admit I'm not perfect.
CA&E: How do you explain the explosion of hip-hop in the South.
FLX: I wouldn't say it's an explosion 'cause we've been doing this for years. I think it's that the media never paid attention.
Fiend: It's just the exposure we're getting now. Years ago it was just easy for media to cover what was close to them. Now they need something different. In the end good music is good music and the South just is what it is. Notice in rock they don't put a label on it like this.
CA&E: Why is that?
Fiend: It's just too complicated. But like with hip-hop we're not really the forefathers of it so we have to call it "down South"
David: If you notice, any connotation of the South is negative. For instance, there's Def Jam and Def Jam "South." It's because we don't want to take any of the power away from the reputation of Def Jam. But it's been tough. After people (record A&R) finally listened to my music I had people come up to me and say "I can't lie, when we saw Mississippi on the return address we didn't even bother to listen to you." Almost all music is controlled within a 15-block radius in Manhattan. It's like they feel no need to show respect.
CA&E: Who were your influences growing up.
David: Muddy Waters, Sting and The Police, Pat Benatar, 808 State. Thing about all contemporary music is it all starts from blues and the blues is where I'm from.
CA&E: Do you think Southern hip-hop is going to sustain its momentum?
David: Oh hell yeah!
FLX: We'll be bigger. I say that 'cause there are so many independents around here. I bet if you take all the independent artists in Arkansas and Alabama they put out more than half the records any major label puts out. We all work on each other's projects and even when the media moves on, we still generate enough minimum money to survive. That's why this area is stable.
David: I think one thing God has shown me is that through all this adversity I was taught skills. I never wanted to be a producer, but when I went to another producer looking for a beat he would always shoot me some B.S. But with us now all working on each other's projects, it's power. We are looking out for each other so that whoever is the next greatest thing they will demand me or FLX or Fiend be working on that project as well.
CA&E: Do you guys have audio systems in your own vehicles and do you use it to sample your latest mixes?
Fiend: MTX, JL Audio... it's gotta be something serious. But I like my friend's Alpine in his Benz.
FLX: Anything that can produce that "bump."
David: Alpine DVD, JL Audio amplifiers, Boston Acoustics speakers. I have three 12" subwoofers as well as a 10-inch monitor in the dash.
CA&E: In Dirty States of America quite a few artists were outspoken on their rejection of major labels. Why is that?
FLX: People want their money and they want it with less frustration. And say somebody in Topeka, Kansas can't get your record, you don't want to have to go through eight other people just to make that happen. And artists want the freedom to do whatever they want when they want. The future of this industry is more independents, and MTV and BET are going to have to play more indie artists 'cause that's where the money is at.
CA&E: What has been the reaction to your video?
FLX: Solid! It's been catching on like wildfire. A day doesn't go by I don't have artists and record stores asking me how to get their hands on it.
David: (Pushing FLX aside and joking) Let me say something... he can't keep it in stores. It's the best Southern DVD, period, and if you don't get it you're LAME!
CA&E: Do you see yourself as a documentary filmmaker or something else?
FLX: Not at all. No boxes... this is just something I felt I had to do first.
CA&E: What did you learn about hip-hop in the South during the shooting of your DVD.
FLX: That we didn't really care about hip-hop in the South but more about black culture.
CA&E: What will be your next project?
FLX: Well we got the David Banner DVD as well as a Fiend DVD. Mr. Mark's classy joints. I'm still hosting stuff for MTV as well.
CA&E: Do you think the fan support is stronger here in the South or elsewhere.
David: With Southern music there is a love and commonality locally. But I think with touring you get the chance to earn your respect away from home.
CA&E: Where's the evolution of rap and hip-hop going and do you see another regional movement happening?
David: I see it becoming an international movement and not just a regional movement. The South is a sort of summary of all rap that has come and gone and I think we're on the map now.
CA&E: But what is dictating the "flavor of the month"?
David: It's sort of like an "alley-oop." The guy that started it never gets the credit. But it's who's smart enough on the corporate level to believe in the music. But it's a double-edged sword 'cause most people that can take us to the next level don't like our music.
CA&E: Cars are a big part of the Southern culture. What do you notice most about how people modify their cars around here?
David: You gotta have that bump! People around here all listen to their music in their cars.
FLX: You got people in New Orleans right now putting speakers on the outside of their cars. In Mississippi, you got cats with chandeliers on the inside. In Florida you got cats ridin' in a '67 Chevy set up high like a truck that they could pull up to an Excursion and say "You ridin' small!" Wait till we get spaceships... people will be putting rims on those.
CA&E: For your video did you have a crew helping you or did you do it on your own?
FLX: I just shot it myself with a Canon XL-1.
David: He had two midgets in the trunk.(laughter)
CA&E: Who did the post-production?
FLX: Adam Bostic and Michael Sherman
CA&E: With the fan support you have here, do you have problems with kids downloading the music?
David: I can remember when Fiend first did his Jedi burn project (Fiend rolls eyes). It's funny about our people. You may not be technologically advanced until you need to hustle. I mean cats from the hood with no lights figuring out a way to burn a CD. But it's just one of those things we have to accept.
CA&E: Do you see it hurting your bottom line sales?
David: Oh yeah, but that just means we have to lower our bottom line now and accept that is just where you are.
FLX: And a real fan is gonna want that package anyway and be willing to spend the money.
CA&E: Do you guys read any of the car and car-related lifestyle magazines out there, and do you read them to keep up with what's hot?
Fiend: It's like we're still babies. If it's shiny with chrome and we see it, we'll want it.
David: With me and my cars I look for what people do in the streets. Just because some guy has some flash doesn't mean I'll stop doing what I'm doing.
CA&E: Any final words?
Fiend: Dirty States of America... don't cheat yourself, treat yourself! It's the South wrapped up in one DVD featuring artists such as myself and David Banner.