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DJ Envy & Red Red Café - I'm The DJ He's The Rapper
Interview by: Quinton Hatfield
 When was the last time The DJ and the rapper actually put out an album together. Yeah you probably can’t remember, because it’s been a while hasn’t’t it? In the history of hip-hop the relationship between the DJ and the MC has always been a close one. The DJ is the one who usually gives the artists their first shot in getting heard from the very beginning. Now it’s time for two of NY’s finest to bring that back with “The Co-Op” from the very own DJ Envy and Red Café. The two held each other down for many years on their come-up in the industry as it took much time for them to make their way. Now with “The Co-Op” now in stores see what Red Café and DJ Envy reflect on as they put their two heads together showing the love of how the DJ and MC gets down.
 Nobodysmiling.com : DJ Envy and Red Café tell me how it feels to be coming out with an album and what ya’ll like most about coming together to make this album?
Red Café : Coming together shows a lot of strength, it’s something that hasn’t been done in a longtime. The DJ and the rapper putting an album out together has not been done in about fifteen years. Were making history with this and we had it moving. Red Café already had his movement and to come together to make a super movement like this it just felt successful already. We succeeded in everything we reached out to do.
Nobodysmiling.com : Speaking on that how did ya’ll come together to get the situation done with Koch?
Red Café : Well Koch that was someplace were we wanted to do business. We liked the energy there, we just like the fact that they give their projects their all, and it was our decision to go to Koch. It wasn’t like it was the last resort. We had a lot of other different options, but it’s a real intimate setting up at Koch. We like the people they have on staff, Envy has a great relationship with them and we felt comfortable doing the project over there.
Nobodysmiling.com : Like you said before it’s been a while since the DJ and the rapper decided to do an album, what will make this project different from past albums like DJ Clues and everybody else?
Red Café : Well first of all I would say because we had our own success individually on the underground and in the street. Envy’s a genius in mixtapes and in radio. He’s done a lot and showed people what he’s made of already. Red Café, I’m an underground goat so we bringing two separate entities together which is “The Co-Op”. Were successful in our own right coming together, it’s totally different from a group back in the days that started together rhyming.
Nobodysmiling.com : The streets is definitely feeling the “Things You Do” record with Nina Sky how did ya’ll come with the idea for that song?
Red Café : Envy brought that record to the table.
DJ Envy : Yeah Trackmasters produced the track and the record felt amazing from the first time I heard it. I just thought this record right here was a smash and you just gotta put the pieces together. We came together and decided Nina Sky was a great voice plus with us being from New York we wanted to stay in our element and the rest is history. We went in the studio and knocked it out, took the Tina Thompson sample and we kept it pushing.
Nobodysmiling.com : DJ Envy, DJ’s get a lot of respect in hip-hop, so how important DJ’s are to the game?
DJ Envy : I think DJ’s are the most important piece. I think we break the music, make the music, and able to control situations. We control crowds, control clubs, and I think without a DJ an artist has no backround. Me and Red Café we came together and build a project that was both of our ideas. It’s the best thing to understand the importance of a DJ, I think in the industry people kind of forget about the DJ. They don’t really give a f*ck about the DJ and I think Red’s whole thing was he had to make sure the DJ was behind him before anything else. That’s what we established when making this album.
Nobodysmiling.com : A lot of people do say DJ’s are the street corner A&R do you feel the same way?
DJ Envy : Of course we are the street A&R. Listen to any album a DJ was behind whether it was a Fabolous album or whatever. Those are the ears to the streets and we are out there. We are in the clubs everyday, were in the strip-clubs, and on the grind everyday listening out. We kind of know what sound and what style is hot.
Nobodysmiling.com : So Envy let me ask you this, what goes into your mind before you decide to give somebody some love and play their record in the club, radio, or however you do it?
DJ Envy : Right now if it’s not Red Café you get no love, you get no air-play, you get nothing [laughs]! Really if it’s a hard record it’s a hard record I can’t deny it as certain records just have that feeling. When you hear a record the first time and you love it that’s that feeling. When you get an artist that goes “Just listen to it two times” that’s not that record, that’s not it.
Nobodysmiling.com : How feel about working with Red Café and supporting him while he’s trying to do his thing?
DJ Envy : I think Red Café is one of the best artists out there right now, actually I think he is the best artist right now. I don’t think nobody can see him lyrically and I think when you put two great minds together the ideas are just ridiculous. Being an artists is more than just being nice, it’s more than just having a swagger, it’s everything. I think Red has it, I think he has the swagger, he has lyrics, and he knows how to make music. It’s a lot of artists out there that don’t know how to make records and that’s what makes him probably one of the best rappers out there.
Nobodysmiling.com : Red Café I see DJ Envy has a lot of love for you?
Red Café : I got the equal amount of love for him man on the real man he’s a monster. You need to come out for one of his shows and you’ll see.
Nobodysmiling.com : Well ya’ll the two-headed monsters when you think about it, ya’ll got love for each other.
Red Café : There you go it’s Voltron baby.
Nobodysmiling.com : Talk about the album how did ya’ll come up with the title “The Co-Op”?
DJ Envy : Well “The Co-Op” represents a few different entities coming together and creating one conglomerate.
Red Café : Us coming together just made perfect sense.
Nobodysmiling.com : Red Café you have a lot of other artists in New York doing they thing. You got your Uncle Murda’s, Papoose, but do you ever think to yourself you the hottest right now?
Red Café : Papoose and Uncle Murda those guys have their own lane. I’m not in the same lane, I’m in a totally different lane. I’m in the far-left lane, those guys no disrespect to them they just in a totally different lane. If you listen to their music it represents who they are. When you listen to an artist that’s what you gotta listen too, you gotta say “When I hear this record can I identify with him”? Those guys have their own lane, they are no where near my lane. There ain’t been a hustler from the east coast since Jay-Z. Nobody is in my lane and there is no competition out there for me.
Nobodysmiling.com : How ya’ll both feel when people say New York is not at the top right now?
Red Café : 50 Cent just sold 670,000 can you say that again?
Nobodysmiling.com : You know when people be like east coast hip-hop is not the same, the south is running it so I’m just asking how ya’ll feel about that?
Red Café : That’s my answer, 50 Cent just sold 670,000. Jay-Z’s last album sold 700,000 as well. That’s the answer to your question right there, New York is selling the most records all the time.
Nobodysmiling.com : Besides the album what is next up for ya’ll?
DJ Envy : Were really into fashion and we have a few other acts were working on. We also have the DJ Envy solo album and Red Café solo album coming soon. Were just focusing on “The Co-Op” right now and in the next interview we can get into the rest of things.
Nobodysmiling.com : DJ Envy you have any mixtapes popping off next?
DJ Envy : Yeah, actually we just finished the mixtape. It’s Big Mike, DJ Thoro, and it’s hosted by the “Co-Op” me and Red Café. Also look forward to the “Co-Op” album October 9th.
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