Every member of Three Six Mafia could’ve been considered characters of their own. DJ Paul was the group’s brute. The lucid slickness of Juicy J eventually served well into solo superstardom. Koopsta Knicca oozed dread with every syllable. There wasn’t a more terrifying vocal stylings than the late great Lord Infamous. Holding her own in a clique full of men, Gangsta Boo provided the right balance of gangsta/horrorcore tropes and sexual tension. And then, there was Crunchy Black. Similar to Flavor Flav’s role in Public Enemy, C.B.’s wild antics were always flat-out entertaining. Hell, his integral role in the group even applied to that infamous Oscar win. Who doesn’t remember his closing verse on “Ridin Spinners” or his ability to G-Slide whenever possible? Most of the time, Mr. Darnell Carlton really felt like the group’s loose cannon. That same attitude got him into trouble including being shot and various run-ins with them laws.
Years of unrestrained antics caught up to C.B. in early April when he was arrested for possession of methamphetamines. Found guilty of misdemeanor drug possession along with time from a previous domestic violence charge, he currently sets behind bars at Las Vegas’ Clark County Detention Center. Time in jail is a setback for someone who’s been plotting a solo comeback over the past couple of years after his time with the rebranded Three 6 Mafia entitled Da Mafia 6ix. Those measures for using the momentum built from both 6ix Commandments and Watch What U Wish included building up his label Hard Hittaz Money Gang. Released in late May, HHMG’s Crunchy Black & Hard Hittaz Money Gang Presents: The BlackOut La Familia serves as a first impression. Calling shots from jail, C.B. has yet to let his lack of freedom foil his plans of relevance. Less than halfway through a seven month sentence, DX finally catches up with him after waiting for days on call. Makes sense, it’s jail and time in extremely precious. How precious? So much to where there were a few automated reminders of how much was left. C.B.’s manager even had to refill his time card once during the conversation. Thankfully, within that time, everything from fans giving him commissary money to his plans for HHMG were discussed.
Crunchy Black Explains Life In Jail
DX: Yo, what it do Crunchy?
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: Naw it’s all good, What’s going on with cha baby?
DX: Man, I’m good. I’m good. How you been holding up?
Crunchy Black: Oh man, I’m holding up all good. Gone let em know. I’m a hood nigga so this jail shit ain’t shit to me.
DX: What’s a typical day for you man?
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: Aww man they have us locked down all day man. I get out for about an hour, take a shower and call ya’ll and shit like that. You know what I’m talking bout? Then I’m locked down but it’s all good. You already know.
DX: While you’ve been incarcerated, have you talked to any of your peoples from Da Mafia or Hypnotized Minds?
Crunchy Black: Well, you know. I basically call my manager and my lil brother C-Beatz to keep in touch with them for my label and shit like that. Just making sure everything running. Then I talk to DJ Paul as well. You know what I’m talking bout?
DX: Yes sir.
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: So yeah, I talk to Dj Paul a lot. Me and him stay in touch. He’s making sure I’m straight up in here. Making sure I’m getting my checks and shit like that so I won’t have to act up for nothing. However, my little brother and them keep money on phone and keep money on my books and shit.
DX: So you’re running your label from behind bars?
Crunchy Black: Yeah, you know HHMG; Hard Hittaz Money Gang. I just felt like it was the time for me to be a grown man and do my own thang. I started the label when I left Three 6 and got the Oscar. I started the label then but, it’s just getting off the ground. As soon as I can get up out of here, I’m flying to New York and signing this deal with Sony. Soon as I sign this deal with Sony, ya’ll will start seeing a lot of magic from us.
DX: Deal with Sony? Do you have an official time of release yet?
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: They gave me six to nine months. I’m hoping its the six months because they didn’t give me my good time. If not, it’s going to be December 23rd.
[Automated Voice: You have five minutes remaining]
DX: Have fans reached out to you?
Crunchy Black: Yeah, I got some good fans man. They been right with me. Some of them putting money on the books. You can go to the books and see who put money on there. I like that. It’s basically been the Hard Head Money Gang and a few of my fans. I want all my friends to know it’s pretty much love. They always hold me down anyway. They buy all the magic that I put out and always represent me to the fullest. That’s basically the only thing I be asking them to do. I really don’t be asking them to send me no letter, money or anything like that because Hard Hittaz Money Gang got that. I just want them to keep my dream alive, keep on buying this music and keep on representing me.
AD LOADING...
DX: Considering everything you’ve gone through and where you are now, do you feel like you’ve been rehabilitated? Where are you right now?
Crunchy Black: Right now man, I’m looking for a whole big change. You know what i’m saying? Because I represent God all the way even though I was representing that Three Six Mafia. I represent God all the way. So, I’m looking for a change right now. When I get out of here, I ain’t going to talk to a lot of people. I ain’t going to answer the phone for you. A lot of people I ain’t messing with. Supposed to be getting their bills paid? I ain’t gone help them. I know God represent me and I represent God and he known what I’m talking bout. He understands why I’m making this change for and what I’m going to do. I don’t feel like he gone be mad at me because I told him I’m going to be one of the key players for him to make people who don’t believe in him, believe in him. So, I’m a looking for a change.
DX: Did you run into anyone that is a fan of your music in prison?
Crunchy Black: Ahh Yeah, most definitely. I ran into a whole bunch of fans in jail. Half of them in there did time with me. So, I ran into a lot of fans inside the joint and stuff who really liked my music and me.
AD LOADING...
DX: We’re reaching the 10th anniversary of Hustle & Flow which features “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp” which you along with DJ Paul, Juicy J and Frayser Boy won your Oscar for. You guys have any plans to celebrate?
Crunchy Black: I feel like let’s do it. I’m really representing this rap shit forreals. For everybody who need to hear the word, see how I got where I’m going or how I got where I’m at, I’m willing to come out and talk to them. You know? Let them know what the business is you already know.
DX: How do you feel about the film Hustle & Flow and what you guys did for the film? The music was extremely important to that so looking back how do you feel about that accomplishment you got for that?
Crunchy Black: Aww man you know I’m loving it man. I’m loving everything that I’m able to do because a lot of people don’t get to do the things that I get to do. I get to be me and plan a lot of things like plan up albums and every time we drop an album. If it ain’t platinum, it’s double platinum. So, I appreciate everything you know. It’s just love man. I love it all.
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black Talks Reality Television Show After Prison Release
DX: Have you been keeping up with the news and what’s been going on in general?
Crunchy Black: Well, the part of jail I’m in, I can’t listen to know music. It’s just a couple guys. Usually, they sing songs that they heard before they got locked up or whatever. I really can’t hear no music. So, I write a lot of hooks. I write a lot of songs and stuff like that for when I get out. Sony got me working on a new album and all that. They even got a reality show they gone do for me. I’mma call it “Room 1” because since I been in jail, I’m in room 2. Everybody who comes into room 1 be tripping like a mutha fucka for no reason. So, I’mma name the show “Room 1.”
AD LOADING...
DX: What’s the biggest thing that you miss about being free?
Crunchy Black: The biggest thing I miss about being free, is really just traveling the world and doing me. I miss my kids, family and the Hard Head Money Gang. You already know.
DX: How do you feel about the re-launch of Three 6 Mafia, Da Mafia Six?
Crunchy Black: I think it was a good idea to put it back together because, we had a lot of things going on that a lot of guys in the group didn’t appreciate and things like that. But, I think that was a hard group and we needed to be put back together. However, I feel like me leaving would make things a little better.
AD LOADING...
[Automated Voice: You have one minute remaining]
I got one minute but I’m be able to call you right back, so stay on the line and I’ma hang up and call right back. I got a few more things I want to talk about.
[Phone hangs up for his manager to place more money on Crunchy Black’s phone card before calling back and continuing.]
DX: You said there were some things that needed to be brought up.
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: Yeah, I just wanted to talk about the Hard Hittaz Money Gang right quick. As soon as I get out of here, we’re going to drop the City of God from Steady Grindin. We got “Money Ain’t nothing to Play With” from me. We got Homey G with his album, and then you know Da Mafia 6ix. I want everybody to check out Da Mafia 6ix. I’m not a hater at all, I always loved the guys in the group. Even Juicy J for being my boss and teaching me how to run a business. I want everybody to check out that 6ix Commandments, Watch What U Wish, and The Reindeer Games project the Killjoy Club which is ICP[Insane Clown Posse] and Da Mafia 6ix.
We got the new CD out and it’s a double CD but it doesn’t come together. We just named them the same thing. CD1 and CD2 which is Blackout:La Familia and we got CD1 out right now on iTunes. You can pre-order CD2 right now and we want a lot of people to go pre-order this CD because if you do, we got some special shit for you. After someone pre-order it or most of those who pre-order the CD, they’ll get a t-shirt and if it’s cold, we going to send you a sweater with the CD cover on there.
Crunchy Black Talks YG: “I got shot in my mutha fucking head but God was on my side so I hope he got God on his side.”
DX: Nice fan service.
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: Yeah, but most definitely you make sure you give lil brother yo information. I know he probably already got it, so he can shoot you one ahead of time so you can rock it before everybody else can rock it.
DX: I appreciate the love man.
Crunchy Black: Naw, it’s love all the way around. I appreciate you and giving us a shout out and doing this interview with us.
[Automated Voice: You have five minutes remaining]
AD LOADING...
DX: Outside of artists within Hypnotize Minds, has any other rapper reached out to you?
Crunchy Black: Well not a lot of rappers have reached out to me in jail but you know, I got that Crunch Time album ready to go. I didn’t put that album out because I wanted to do it with a major label so I got the major under my belt through Sony. So I’mma drop that Crunch Time and I got Petey Pablo on a song with me called “Bang A Hoe.” You gone love that joint and I just sent that to Sony. Then, I got KC from Jodeci and the Ying Yang Twins on this other track and I just sent that to Sony. There’s this other track that I did with Big Jizzle from the Franchise Boyz called “Put In Work.” I basically reached out and they basically reached out. A lot of the old school rappers because the new school rappers, they just talking. They ain’t really nothing like we was doing. I don’t dislike them and I don’t hate em and some of them I bump their music. But, you know back in the day we did what we did what we talked about. Not to say you got to do what you gotta do what you talk about but, a lot of these guys these days, they just singing and doing songs just to be doing them. I fuck with Lil Wayne, real big too and I got a joint that I’ma do wit him. I got a joint I’mma do with YG who’s from the West Coast.
DX: YG? Hmmm. Did you hear about him getting shot some weekends back?
Crunchy Black: Naw, I didn’t know. Damn man, I ain’t hear that man that’s fucked up. Is he alright?
AD LOADING...
DX: Yeah, he’s alright he’s not talking to the police and shit but he’s alive.
Crunchy Black: I was just finna say. I thought you said he was dead. I was like fuck naw.
Let him know we gone end this interview but it’s much love when I get out we gon do what we said we was going to do. And it’s much love. I hope he feeling better because you know I got shot too. I got shot in my mutha fucking head but God was on my side so I hope he got God on his side.
DX: Thank you so much for your time.
AD LOADING...
Crunchy Black: Naw, it’s all good. I want ya’ll to look out for this documentary called the Untold Stories Of The Underground Music Scene I’m working on. You already know Hard Hittaz Money Gang and a big shout out to the ICP brother.
