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Crime Mob - Hated On
Interview By: Claudio E. Cabrera
The art of making a crowd throw bows at each other, get crunk, and shake the club to its core has been lost. One group figured out how to accomplish all three of those before they were even signed. Crime Mob. The quartet had people in ATL buzzing years back when they shut down a club in the city. After that, Lil Scrappy came calling and they’ve scrapped their way to the top. Making history with one of the first ringtones “Knuck if you Buck” to go platinum isn’t enough. Female members Diamond and Princess are trying to upgrade to Queens, while Cyco and Jay are heading for the throne. The hottest group in ATL? I ain’t say it, everyone else is.
Nobodysmiling.com : All of you are under 21. I know Atlanta’s a big party city. What do each of you expect to do for your birthday’s?
Lil Jay : My birthday actually on January 12th
Nobodysmiling.com : Right around the corner. I guess you doing it big?
Lil Jay : Man, I might just hit up Strokers or something.
Nobodysmiling.com : How about the rest of you guys?
Diamond : Well I’m 18 and Princess is 19, so we got a ways to go before then. You know it’s definitely going down in the "A" though.
Cyco Black : I second Lil Jay’s idea!
Princess : How you plan on celebrating yours?
Nobodysmiling.com : I already had mines. My 23rd birthday is actually coming up so I might do a little something out here in NY. Back to you guys... So update me. How have you been handling the success? What have the last two years looked like for Crime Mob?
Lil Jay : What it is! Just grinding man. Doing these charity events and shows.
Cyco Black : We were out in Europe homey!
Nobodysmiling.com : Taking it international I see.
Cyco Black : No bigger way to do it. We got so much love out there.
Nobodysmiling.com : So the new album is dropping February 13th huh?
Diamond : Yes and the album is going to change the game. We keeping it crunk, but showing that we don’t only do that.
Princess : We grew as a unit this album. Versatility is what we were looking to display.
Nobodysmiling.com : The album drops one day before Valentine’s Day. Hearing “Knuck If You Buck,” I figure it’s not something you’d get your mate on that day.
Cyco Black : We ain’t got no love songs on it but what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a little Crime Mob.
Nobodysmiling.com : Your all originally from the new Hip Hop Mecca. What’s it like now considering your famous? Are people looking at you different?
Princess : Well, I cant lie, a lot of people we used to know have kind of turned on us. It ain’t the same once you in the limelight. People start acting different who you were once down with.
Lil Jay : We were ready for it all though.
Nobodysmiling.com : Speaking of that, tell me about the group Southside that dissed you a while back. What was your reaction to that song?
Cyco Black : I don’t even know who these people are. Just more haters adding fuel to the fire.
Princess : (Laughing) It’s funny how people just start dissing you for no reason. What did we do to them?
Nobodysmiling.com : Become famous I guess...
Lil Jay : Good answer (laughing)!
Nobodysmiling.com : I guess that’s why you called your album “Hated on Mostly.”
Princess : You got that right! We feel like we the underdogs. Crime Mob is young in the game and a lot of people don’t like seeing us shining. It’s expected.
Nobodysmiling.com :: Take me back to life in Ellenwood.
Lil Jay : Ellenwood was Ellenwood. It was home and even though it wasn’t in the best condition, we made do.
Princess : We all grew up out there and still show love to our part of town because it made us who we are.
Nobodysmiling.com : When did the love for Hip Hop begin?
Lil Jay : It goes back. I’ve been a fan since Eazy E, Dre, Snoop, Hov, Biggie. I’m just a fan.
Nobodysmiling.com : Considering that you’re a group, which groups did you look up to?
Cyco Black : Goodie Mob, Three Six, the list goes on.
Nobodysmiling.com : Any favorites?
Cyco Black : All of them.
Nobodysmiling.com : Do you feel your holding up your end of the bargain when it comes to keeping that great group tradition ATL has?
Diamond : We’re doing a great job so far. We write our own material. We’re multi gendered. A new breed.
Nobodysmiling.com : Why won’t Crime Mob break up like most groups?
Princess : We mesh. This is a group that consults with each other on damn near everything. We grew up together and even though we may argue, we always make up and that’s most important.
Nobodysmiling.com : Before you guys were signed, your performances were a thing of legend down in Atlanta. Why?
Diamond : We always Crunk. Whenever we do something it’s Crunk. Off the chain. Whatever you want to call it.
Princess : No special effects. We just are good at what we do and that’s getting the crowd hype.
Nobodysmiling.com : How did it feel once Lil Scrappy noticed you and then told you to open up for him on tour. Did it feel like your time had finally arrived?
Princess : It was a great outlet to get ourselves out there and we didn’t feel like we arrived yet, but we felt we were close.
Nobodysmiling.com : Lil Jon eventually signed you guys. What do you think he saw in you?
Diamond : Well, the whole Crunk thing was on the rise and we were huge reps of that and we were so young that he saw the potential.
Nobodysmiling.com : How involved is he in this new project?
Lil Jay : He isn’t as involved, but his presence is there.
Nobodysmiling.com : How did you come up with the whole concept for the “Rock Yo Hips” video?
Cyco Black : Dr. Teeth (Director) came up with the whole concept for the video. The whole Historically Black College thing is big down in the ATL with all the schools we got. The whole Crime Mob College thing is going on. We actually have a mobile fan club that if you join, you get a weekly voicemail updating you on what’s going on with us.
Nobodysmiling.com : I know there’s dozens of HBCU’s out in ATL. Did any of you ever attend one?
Lil Jay : Nah, we just been focusing on the music thing.
Nobodysmiling.com : So how is the new album? Spill it.
Cyco Black : We have a more mature Crime Mob album. Many more topics we speak on concerning the ourselves and the community. It’s diverse.
Nobodysmiling.com : “Knuck if you Buck” was the 2nd single to go platinum ringtone wise. How big was that?
Cyco Black : Most people don’t know so you have to inform them. It made us all feel good that so many people who have a necessity nowadays like a cell phone wanted their ringer to be that song.
Nobodysmiling.com : Princess and Diamond…What do you think of the state of female MC’s today?
Princess : It’s not as strong as it should be. We’re already at a disadvantage because it’s a male dominated game. I remember those who paved the way like Salt N Pepa, Lyte, Latifah.
Diamond : It seems some MC’s got kind of lax and focused on their looks other than skills.
Nobodysmiling.com : Atlanta is the new hot-bed of Hip Hop. Why is that?
Princess : It’s just the fact that we stick together. We help each other out. If one artist see another one struggling, he’ll help him out; throw him on a track or invite him to a video shoot. Don’t get me wrong it ain’t all peaches and cream but we mostly get along.
Related info: Crime Mob Rap City Freestyle
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