The Next Generation

Glasses Malone - Who Is Glasses Malone?

Glasses Malone:Who Is Glasses Malone? - For the past two years Glasses Malone’s name has been synonymous with the West Coast rap scene. In 2006, the Watts, California rapper’s buzz, created thru his independently released mixtapes, sparked a bidding war among various labels. In the end he decided to sign with Sony Records, who offered him a 1.7 million dollar deal.

Unfortunately, soon after the rapper’s signature on the paperwork was dry his label, and the subsidiary he was sign to, folded, forcing Glasses Malone to once again go the independent route. Many viewed the loss of his deal as a setback for the Watts emcee but he quickly silenced his critics, releasing two independent projects, White Lightning and the Electric Chair. These two albums only helped strengthen his buzz.

Thanks to his ability to stay on course, another deal would present itself. Glasses Malone would eventually enter into a joint venture with West Coast legend Mack 10’s, Cash Money Distributed, Hoo Bangin’ imprint. He also has his own independent distribution deal through Universal Records for his imprint, Blu Division.

Livefromthefrontline.com caught up with Glasses Malone to discuss his Hoo Bangin release, Beach Cruiser, how he hooked up with a Mack 10, West Coast hip hop and his relationship with Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. Reading is fundamental.

Us: First and foremost, for the sake of those readers who aren’t familiar with who you are and what you do, can you take a second to introduce yourself?
Glasses Malone: Glasses Malone aka Glass House aka the Pride of the Eastside aka the Hometown Hero, Glasses Malone.

Us: How did Glasses Malone get into the business of hip hop?
Glasses Malone: I got into hip hop because it was fun. I realized I could make some paper having fun and making music so I stuck with it.

Us: So if their weren’t going to gain financially from making music would you still make music or would you have chosen another career path?
Glasses Malone: I’d would probably still make music. The more music I make the more I realize this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m not one hundred percent sure why, or for what reason, but I can tell I’m supposed to be here, doing this.

Us: You hail from Watts, California, a rough neighborhood to say the least. What was it like growing up in Watts and how much of an influence does your neighborhood have on your music?
Glasses Malone: Too much, my whole style is influenced by Watts, California. All we did was bump West Coast and Southern music so that’s what you hear in my music.

Us: You’re signed to a Southern based label, Cash Money Records, but you’re a West Coast artist. How does a West Coast artist sign to a label like Cash Money Records? Do you think its almost ignorant to assume a West Coast artist wouldn’t sign to a Southern record label or that they’d automatically sign to a record label based out of the West Coast?
Glasses Malone: You have to go where the money is. I inked a deal thru Mack 10’s Hoo Banging Records. He felt like it was a good joint venture and Mack 10 knows his shit so I didn’t think twice.

Us: Since the whole East Coast, West Coast, The Notorious B.I.G vs. Tupac Shakur situation the West Coast, in my personal opinion, has had a hard time getting past their regions, in terms of sales, radio spins and the like. Do you think a West Coast artist has a fair shot in today’s regionally biased industry?
Glasses Malone: Of course were not going to get a fair shot. ( Laughs ) If you work hard everyone will respect your music, eventually.

Us: Lets talk worse case scenarios, for the sake of argument lets say you’re music never leaves the West Coast. Is Glasses Malone going to be satisfied never leaving the West Coast? I mean can you look back on your album and be comfortable getting only local love or do you have to touch other markets to feel fulfilled?
Glasses Malone: I would totally be satisfied. I’m good just being the shit in Watts, California.
( Laughs )

Us: Lets talk about the album for a second. The album is called Beach Cruiser, which strikes me as an odd name for an album, which leads me to ask the following question, how did you come up with the title?
Glasses Malone: I wanted my first album to represent what a Beach Cruiser represents. A Beach Cruiser represents the West Coast, that gangster lifestyle, its classic and its timeless. I don’t care how many GT’s, Dyno’s or Redline’s come out, people will always ride a Beach Cruiser.

Us: Give readers some more information about the album. Which artists are featured on the album, which producers did you work with on the album and when does the album drop, if it hasn’t already?
Glasses Malone: On the album I have Akon, Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Lupe Fiasco, Wyclef, Tyrese, Mack 10, Birdman and Rick Ross. As far as production goes I have everyone from DJ Toomp to the Bizneess to E.P scoring Beach Cruiser.

Us: One of the dumbest comments I ever heard made was by an East Coast DJ who shall remain nameless. He said, during an interview with you, and I quote, “ no disrespect to the West but you really don’t get too many lyricists from the West Coast” to which you answered “yeah”. Do you really believe there are no lyricists on the West Coast?
Glasses Malone: We have very few lyricists out here. A West Coast artists music is usually more gangster, less lyricism. Very few artists on the West Coast pride themselves on maintaining both.

Us: Tell me a little bit about this West Coast “super group” you formed with Bishop Lamont & Crooked I and the independent project you’re set to release, No Country for Old Men.
Glasses Malone: ( Laughs ) No Country for Old Men-tality is really what it stands for. We’re trying to usher in a new attitude on the West Coast. A lot of old school artists weren’t involved in our development like they should have been. That’s a tradition we want to break immediately. The new generation out West is a lot different then the old school, and that’s what the album focuses on. How the West, and the yo9unger artists, get down now. We’re more about unity. We support each other more then you’d imagine.

Us: Tell me what a Snoop Dogg or Ice Cube co-sign means to an independent or up and coming rapper from the West Coast. It has to be pretty important if not getting it prompted this kind of response.
Glasses Malone: That’s all it is. The perception is that old school artists don’t owe the new school artists anything. By the same standad, we don’t owe them anything either. Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube were viewed as the West Coast until the Game came on the scene. Neither of them co-signed the Game, none of them supported him until he was winning, straight up. Imagine if Eazy-E didn’t look out for Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, o if Dr. Dre and Suge Knight didn’t look out for Snoop Dogg.

Us: From what I’ve read the group was put together by Aftermath artist, Bishop Lamont, because he feels as if some of the veterans, most notably Snoop Dogg & Ice Cube, are “hating” on him. Do you feel as if the veterans are hating on you, I mean actually hating on you, or do you think these veterans are more indifferent to what you’re doing, not really co-signing anyone from the next generation of West Coast hip hop?
Glasses Malone: Hating on me and co-signing me are basically the same thing. I deserve it, I paid dues, I worked my ass off. Ice Cube hasn’t had anything positive to say about my career, and thru it all I’ve never publicly spoke out about it. I also don’t like how they’re treating Mack 10 and the whole Westside Connection situation. Regardless of the problem he has with me, the homie is doing some fuckery ass shit. Its only a matter of time before I explain how I feel on record.

Us: Don’t you think releasing such an inflammatorily named project is going to do more harm then good or do you think the time for talking has past?
Glasses Malone: This project is going to be huge, not only for the West Coast, but for hip hop period. We are three separate entities. We all bring different elements to the music, and to the business side of music. Together, this project can spawn so many careers, and so much great music. These old school artists careers are secure, their kids are good, their legacy is laid. Now its time for the new generation to build a new legacy, secure are families. This project gives new artists a chance to put their visions out for the world to see.

Us: Do you have a release date for No Country for Old Men?
Glasses Malone: I’m thinking the date the Civil War started ( Laughs ) or something like that.