VH1 provided a press room for some of the celebrities to attend and answer questions for reporters.
Here you will find the questions presented by WORDSnTUNES for these artists and their answers.
Regina King is an actress. She has starred in a number of major motion pictures, done numerous voice overs and most importantly starred in some key African-American features. Her movies include: Boyz N the Hood, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, Friday, How Stella Got Her Grove Back, a voice over in Boondocks and a number of other films.
This event is a tribute to old school Hip Hop. It was less about commercial entertainment back then. Now the SoundScan numbers determine all. Is old school Hip Hop a thing of the past or is there a place for it still?
There is always a place for it. It is the blueprint of everything we have. Things have changed over time. A lot of rappers do the same thing now. Back in the day it was more about lyrics, not about money. It was more organic.
Is it actually more difficult for the female MCs out there?
MC Lyte was an MC. She wasn’t a female MC, she was just an MC. There are some difficulties for us, but it also makes it more exciting. We are the trailblazers here.
Yo-Yo is a Grammy nominated female MC of the 90s. Her lyrics focused on a strong female presence and overall female empowerment. She has done a large part of her work with Ice Cube and was on his Amerika’s Most Wanted album.
East Coast Hip Hop and West Coast Hip Hop always had clear differences in their styles. Where do those differences lie now?
It is a one big whole thing. Hip Hop is so huge. It’s just a ball of goodness and confusion. I don’t separate East Coast and West Coast, I look at it as all one movement.
Remy Ma is a Bronx MC, who became famous as a part of the Terror Squad. After Big Pun died she has been doing mostly her own work.
How do you cope with the challenges of being a female MC, raising a kid alone and working on your new album mostly by yourself?
I am young, I am a female, I am black. It’s hard, but I use my best judgment. I learn not to get burnt twice. It is what it is. I executive produced [There is Something About Remy]. The label didn’t help me much with it. It didn’t bring the sales I wanted but I made my point and that was important. I got my style out there and I’m feeling confident heading onto the next step.
Talib Kweli is one of the most significant underground NYC rappers. He had worked with Mos Def as a part of Black Star in his earlier years.
Being the underground Hip Hop king, when you came into the game there were less people. Now everyone is trying to get a piece of it. Is it hurting or helping the movement?
The game has changed but underground Hip Hop has always been beautiful. Back in the day it was more about just doing Hip Hop. Now it’s more about the differences in it. People say: “I listen to ganster rap” or “I listen to conscious Hip Hop”. But it’s all one music, it’s a whole. That’s what’s important.
Thinking back to the Black Star days. Do you miss them and how did you change since then?
Those days are not over, they are not gone. Black Star is in effect, we do stuff with Mos all the time. We don’t have a new album out but it doesn’t mean that we don’t still work together. So there is nothing to miss, it’s very much alive.
DJ Crazy Tunes is Ice Cube’s DJ. He is also Dub-C’s brother.
How do you feel about the Southern Rap infusion?
I love Southern rap. All things change in time. East Coast had its turn, then the West Coast. Now it’s time for Southern rap to get the spotlight.
Dub C (W.C.) is a Southern Californian rapper. Part of the Westside Connection with Ice Cube he is well known for his artful lyrics and strong opinions.
What’s next for gansta rap?
There is no such thing as gansta rap. People called it such so we went with it but it was that real rap. What people need to do is put all this bulls— aside and focus on music. People should just make good music. It’s about respect for rap and keeping in mind where it came from. It’s important to know the roots. One thing that the game is lacking now is the work ethic we had in the beginning…
Now people go to clubs to hear what’s hot out there ‘cause the radio is not showing the proper facts. Before it would be you do something bad, you get booed and you go get your game straight. Radio does not have that. Bad music is pushed on the radio and it’s just stops being about music. It’s up to DJs to set it straight now.
How do you feel about Cube’s new album?
It is a great album. He took it back to the beginning. It’s the closest he could get to Amerika’s Most Wanted.