The Rhapsody got a chance to sit down and chat with Freeway about his new album, Dame, Just Blaze, and his trip he took to Mecca. I have posted the interview in its entirety below.
Were there any songs you brought to 50 and Jay that they didn’t like?
There was one joint that Jay didn’t like with Paul Wall. I think he didn’t like Cool and Dre’s beat. The hook was from the “real n****s do real things" line that Jay used of Biggie’s .” It was kind of hot. I might have to leak that joint.
What would you say is one song that you left off the album that you would still like your fans to hear though?
“Step Back” by DJ Don Cannon featuring Lil Wayne. I wanted that to make the album, but we had a deadline and we couldn’t get the samples cleared in time. But it’s out in the streets and people love it.
Given that you didn’t have Baseline Studios to record out of this time, how was the process different?
It was a little different because I was traveling a lot. I was recording everywhere. I was at Larry Gold in Philadelphia, Zack’s Studios in Atlanta. When I did Philadelphia Freeway, I was locked in Baseline for weeks straight. I had to grow up and stand on my own and do what I had to do. Just Blaze did a lot of songs on the first album, but he’s so good that he could make it sound like 10 different producers. He was responsible for the “What We Do,” “Rock the Mic” and “Burnin’ Up” -- basically my career. I would go there and he’d have joints ready. In the beginning [of “What We Do”], all I wanted Jay to say was “Keep going, Free.” And then when I brought him in the studio to do that, he was like hold up, this joint’s crazy. So we sat down for 10 minutes, started vibing, and laid his verse. Then Beans [Beanie Sigel] came in and heard it and was like, “I gotta end that off.”
Why was it so hard to get with Just Blaze for this album?
There was a little bit of hostility between managers. I think my manager was a little disrespectful to his manager around the beginning of last year. I don’t really know the particulars, but I know it had to do with some publishing. He apologized, but after that, I tried to get at Just a couple times. I’m not saying he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t in a rush or it wasn’t a priority to him. Just is my man. We lived together for a month in Miami. I felt as though we had a good relationship. I spoke to him earlier this year [about it]. We’re supposed to be past it, but still nothing’s happened.
How come you decided to mention it on “It’s Over”?
I was just keeping it real. I’m not like, “F**k Just.” It’s all good. I just want to see him and talk to him [about it].
When’s the last time you spoke to Dame?
A couple weeks ago. I called him to see if he could come [to my listening session], and he said he was gonna try but he said he had some stuff to take care of. So, he told me to come to the office to let him hear the album.
Do you get the sense that Dame is bitter about the way things ended?
I’m sure he feels some type of way. Wouldn’t you? He just doesn’t show it. When I talked to Dame, he was like, “I’m good. I’m getting this movie money.” But I’m sure he probably does feel that way. I know I would.
Given that you had words for Nas when they [he and Jay-Z] were in the midst of their battle, was it awkward at all when he came on board at Def Jam?
Me and Nas just talked. I saw him at the “Roc Boys” video [shoot]. That was the first time I saw him [since the beef]. We didn’t even get into any of that. Then I saw him again at the concert the other night. We both were fans of each other. When his first album came out, I used to try and rap like him. But I had to represent for the family no matter what it was. I was a soldier so I was rocking out. I was glad to see them get together and get over their little hump. I remember we were in Philly one day and Nas came to perform a little bit after the beef with Jay was dying down. I was actually on stage before him. He was like, “Free, I know you in the building. You my brother and I love you, but I gotta drop this ‘Ether.’” [Laughs.]That was crazy.
So you used to rhyme like Nas?
Probably the patterns I was using and just the way I was rapping. A lot of Philly rappers got caught up in that whole Queensbridge thing when Nas was poppin’.
Would you say you still borrow flows?
Of course. Everyone does it. Sometimes you can’t help but to do it. You know I be jacking Jay. That’s the way I formulated my style and rap. I always had a lot of words I wanted to say and I would try to fit ‘em all in and it didn’t work. So it would change the flow patterns ‘cause I wanted to say more words than how a normal four bar or eight bar would go. Even Jay do it. It’s part of hip-hop.
Switching to something more somber, let’s talk about your cousin Raheem passing after his encounter with the police. Did you believe the official report that alleged he pulled a gun on the police?
I know my cousin. He wouldn’t pull a gun on cops. He loved his life. He’s got a daughter. The violence in Philly right now is crazy. The cops are so trigger-happy; they’re scared themselves. There are a lot of things going on that nobody has any answers for. You can’t blame it on the music or the movies. About a year or two ago, the mayor started this thing called Operation Safe Streets. So when the cops were busting the corners, hustlers who were selling drugs on the corner were doing other things to get their money and the violence escalated.
When Beanie got locked up in 2005, Beans’ mom spoke about State Property members not supporting him. Oschino responded like you guys were never contractually signed to be a part of State Property and made it sound like more of a business arrangement than a family-type situation. Did that surprise you?
We’re grown men and go through things. Different people have different things in their heart, and I can only speak for myself. Beans is my brother. I love him till the day I die. He did a lot for me. We’re close and we’re both Muslim. It lets me know it’s just a business. I remember when I saw him when he first got out and everything was all good. He asked me about the whole 50 situation and everything. A lot of things that happened between us were due to a lack of communication. This was our first time getting famous. People on TV and knowing you everywhere you go. Eventually people build egos, but when you get everybody together and sit down, it’s okay.
Shifting to your trip to Mecca, how long were you there for?
For a month. I stayed in Medina for two weeks and I went to Mecca for two weeks. I went there with some brothers from the musjid [muslim place of worship] that I go to in Philadelphia. I did the Umrah [pilgrimage to Mecca].
Did anyone recognize you over there?
Yeah, they recognized me. They were like, “We know you! You were on TV! Tell Dame Dash ‘Salaam aleikum!’” -- not knowing he’s not Muslim. It was crazy! I had on the robes. When I went over there, I fell in with a lot of the scholars and students of Islam. The whole time I was trying to be a rapper I didn’t know it was against the religion. ‘Cause all the time you’re rapping and writing, you can be studying and the fans listening to the music could be studying. When I put the album out some of ‘em was really hard on me and told me to leave it alone. Some other brothers were a little more lenient with me saying I could ease my way out.
Who did you lean on for advice in making your decision to continue?
I talked to Beans ‘cause he’s Muslim, too. I had a meeting with Dames and Briggs when I came back because they heard I might not be rapping anymore. They really couldn’t understand. After that, we went to some fashion show and nobody said anything else about it.
In a recent XXL, you talked about how with Islam, your good deeds can outweigh your bad deeds and determine whether you go to heaven or not. If you were to pass away right now, do you feel like you’d go to heaven?
I don’t know man. I just try to be good and do as much as I can. I pray five times a day. These are things I used to not do. In the beginning, I was Muslim, but I was smoking and running around like crazy. I’ve cut a lot of stuff out and there’s still a lot of work to do. But I feel like I’m on the right path. I eventually wanna raise my family and do the right thing. But [hip-hop] is my passion. There’s a lot of people doing things they’re not supposed to do. Like a Muslim working in a supermarket and selling pork. I might take a drink here or there, but I’m trying to get that down. I used to smoke [weed] every five minutes and I clipped it. I just got up like, ‘I can’t die like this because if I’m high and not doing the right thing, I know I’m going straight to hell.'
