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Joell Ortiz - Not Your Average Joe
Interview By: Serge Fleury
 New York, New York, the city so big they had to name it twice. The Mecca of culture, the birthplace of Hip-Hop, and also the home to a large percent of Latin Americans. But when you take that percentage and add Hip-Hop to it, the numbers dwindle down dramatically. Even with Fat Joe predicting the forecast with rain showers, and El Presidentè himself consigning on Tru Life, the position for a dominant Latin MC has yet to be filled since the tragic passing of Christopher "Big Pun" Rios back in 1999.
 Although Hip-Hop is almost forty years old, and reaches so many people, the protocol is if you're not African American; then you're labeled a "race rapper." Terms like "white rapper" , "Asian rapper", or "Latino rapper" shouldn't exist in a culture that's color blind, but they still do. So as we enter new year, Dr. Dre's newest protégé, Brooklyn's own Joell Ortiz steps up to the plate.
Drawing huge comparisons to the late Punisher himself, Joell Ortiz captivated underground Hip-Hop heads with his true gritty New York signature sound. One of his most memorable records was an ode to Big Pun, where he went to a "Jackin For Beats" format and breezed through some of the hottest tracks Pun used before his passing. With only one mixtape and two record deals, (Aftermath Records and Koch Records) Joell Ortiz puts his best foot forward to make the conversion from "Latin MC" to just an "MC." And with Dr. Dre at the helm, he should have no problem introducing himself to a wider audience of people than just New York, the big city of dreams.
Joell Ortiz : Yo what's the deally!
Nobodysmiling.com : What's good with you?
Joell Ortiz : I'm chilling man.
Nobodysmiling.com : Well that's good to hear. So what can we expect from your album "The Brick (Bodega Chronicles)?"
Joell Ortiz : Well just bringing that feeling of Hip-Hop back. It's about the hungry Puerto Rican kid from the corner store in Brooklyn, man. Just rapping man, and having to deal with a lot of emotions. Some of it's anger, and some of it's happiness. This album has a lot of personal stuff on it too.
Nobodysmiling.com : How did the situation with Aftermath Records come about?
Joell Ortiz : Well my management had gave a CD to Dr. Dre's assistant, and his assistant called back from the West Coast and was like "Dre is digging this kid." At first it just kind of flew over my head, I was like "that's what's up, that's a good look." So a couple days later, we were on plane headed over to L.A., and then we were at Aftermath. At that point I didn't even meet Dre yet, we are all in the studio, and then he walks in, and I'm like "oh sh*t, its Dre!" [laughing]
Nobodysmiling.com : [laughing] I can imagine!
Joell Ortiz : [laughing] Yeah, yeah!! So I was like "oh sh*t, Dre!", "what's the deal man?" Then Dre was like, "I'm digging the music", and I was like "I'm digging them beats!" [laughing] Then we both were laughing and sh*t, and he said "I just wanted to make sure you ain't a knuckle head man; because I want you to be on Aftermath." It didn't take anymore than that, and just how it worked out.
Nobodysmiling.com : Since Big Pun's passing, why don't you think Latin rappers haven't had a bigger impact?
Joell Ortiz : Well Pun was GREAT, and great things don't happen often. There are plenty of Latino rappers that did their thing, but to get up to Pun's standards, you have to be incredible. Pun had it all, he had the flow, the delivery, and he had character, man. A lot of the Latino rappers didn't have those elements, know what I'm saying. People make comparisons about us both, and I'm flattered because like I said, Pun was great but those are some pretty big shoes to fill. But sh*t; I'm going to try my best to live up to those expectations. A lot of people know "Joell Ortiz" is going to make good music, that's what I'm about, and ripping beats. I'm not going to over think anything, know what I'm saying.
Nobodysmiling.com : So do you think Latin rappers are well represented now?
Joell Ortiz : Well I really don't like the whole "Latino rapper thing"
Nobodysmiling.com : I feel you on that
Joell Ortiz : Oh, I'm not knocking on you or anything like that but, people always are like "yeah he's real nice for a Spanish person." When people are listening to "Joell Ortiz" they are going to say "yeah he's just nice." Because I'm a fan with an ear to the music, I'm one of the people in the crowd. So when you hear it, you're going to relate to it, and me being Spanish won't even come up. It'll probably just be like "he happens to be Spanish." Right now, I think it's on my shoulders to take that whole tag off of being a "Latin rapper"; because all I am is a rapper that happens to be Latin.
Nobodysmiling.com : A lot of people think the spot light has left New York because of too many internal beefs, within the city, do you find that to be true?
Joell Ortiz : I just feel like there are a lot of New York rappers out here that think like they're bigger than what they really are, and they're not. There's a lot of egos, and New York has a lot of pride, and there are so many of us trying to do it on a new circuit. Like there are a whole group of up and coming MC's, you have the Saigon's the Papoose's and so on and so forth. In the South, a lot of up and coming rappers are helping each other out, and helping each other to reach to the top. I just feel like with New York, no one is really helping each other. Down in the South, dudes are doing records with each other, and doing beats for each other. Up here, when I run into some people they're like "yo what's the deal" and then there's a lot of fake hand shakes and hate. We don't need that right now, we have to come up and do the right thing. But we'll be fine man, we'll be fine.
Nobodysmiling.com : With all the other acts signed to Aftermath, are you worried about getting lost in the shuffle?
Joell Ortiz : Nah man, if I was worried about that then I wouldn't have did it. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for my whole entire life, and I don't plan on it slipping away. Dr. Dre is excited and I'm excited, we already started working on the album. We have a bunch of surprises, I don't want to leak anything. Just like you don't tell a kid what they're getting on Christmas [laughing]. But it's going to be great, I won't get lost in the shuffle (reiterates) I won't get lost in the shuffle.
Nobodysmiling.com : So what is going to separate you from all the other new artists coming out?
Joell Ortiz : Well you have to go back to the fact that I'm with Aftermath, it's that simple, know what I'm saying. So that's a hook and plus right there, and I don't point my records in any single direction. The way it is now, everyone needs a record for the club, and I don't follow that suit; I don't follow that layout. I just rip beats and rip songs out, and those are the records you'll hear from "Joel Ortiz." Even DJ's, right now they ask me for records, and they're like "I need something a little more dancy, like more up tempo." That's not the record "Joel Ortiz" makes, that's not the kid Dr. Dre signed. Dr. Dre signed an MC, and I'm going to continue MC'ing over Dre's beats, or over anyone's beats. Another thing that separates me is the fact I'm not fake, I'm a real dude. I'm always the same kid, know what I'm saying. You're always going to get the same feeling when you meet me, or when you see me, and my show game is crazy. Don't worry, Dr. Dre is going to show it to you guys
Nobodysmiling.com : Usually underground artists struggle to achieve mainstream success, how do you plan to obtain it?
Joell Ortiz : That coincides with the very last thing I just said. Don't worry about everyone else, you can't do that. You have to do what's been working for you. People get on the big stage and they choke up, not because they aren't ready for it. But they think the people think they aren't ready for it; know what I mean. Like when I get on that big stage, my presence is going to be felt because "Joell Ortiz" is going to be on that big stage. That's why I don't have a stage name, I just roll with my government name because it gets no realer. When I get up there, I blow it out, and I blow it out the way people want me blow it out.
When a lot of these underground artists get these type of deals, they go out and they switch everything. For instance, if you been ripping beats by DJ Premier and people love you for that, don't go to a major label and look for some poppy sh*t, know what I mean. Because now you just went out of your element, do what's been working for you. A lot of people are making these songs, and they aren't themselves. That's not what people liked about them in the first place. People like what they first heard, so you have to know how to balance. Someone like me, if I had a DJ Premier track for example, and I'm I'm ripping it, I'm not going to make a Jazze Pha track too appealing. So you can't switch it, because then you lose fans know, what I'm saying. Once that happens, you're toast so I don't do that.
Nobodysmiling.com : That's exactly what happens then people aren't really interested in you anymore
Joell Ortiz : Hell yeah, it's over man. [laughing] Because now you have the commercial mainstream audience and they're going to be like "ahh this is who you guys signed?" Then you have the people that helped you get there, and they're like "THIS N***A SOLDOUT!!" [laughing] After that, you're DONE dude!!! [laughing]
Nobodysmiling.com : How important do you think it is for unsigned talent to hit the mixtape circuit?
Joell Ortiz : The mixtape thing is really funny, because you don't want to do too much, and you don't want to do too little. You have to do just enough and watch the balance, I only put out one mixtape, "Who The F**k is Joell Ortiz." I've been pushing that same mixtape for two years. Some people put out too much stuff, before you really have a chance to breathe in the previous one, know what I'm saying. People want to keep dropping them every month, and that's not the way to do it. Especially when you don't have a major deal, and you're up and coming. You have to work the first one, so I've had the same mixtape for two years and I got two record deals one from Koch and the other from Aftermath. Plus I like to keep myself exclusive, you don't want to become the pest; and people are like "oh sh*t, he's on this sh*t again?" So it's a real delicate balance, but mixtapes do work. But the best advice to go on the internet dude, try to get on those websites and get in touch with the fans. Because until you get signed and become someone, that's exactly who you are; is a fan.
Nobodysmiling.com : Well there you have it' spoken by a person destined to do great things
Joell Ortiz : Yo man, thanks man thank you
Nobodysmiling.com : I'm glad we had a chance to talk, when I first heard you rhyming I was like "who is this dude?"
Joell Ortiz : [laughing] That's what's up, I appreciate everything man, word.
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