HipHopDX.com recently sat down with former Shady Records artist Bobby Creekwater to discuss his split with the label, as well as what he has planned for the future.
In a 2008 interview with DX, the rapper made the following statement: “Everything’s beautiful, man. [Eminem]’s working on his next project, and everybody’s getting’ geared up for that. So everything’s beautiful.” Creek continued, “I’ll say this: everybody over at that label takes music seriously. They’re perfectionists, and they understand that first impressions are everything. If our projects take a little longer than people would like, just know that we’re making impactful [sic] music so we can make the impression we need to make. The music is going to be worth it for the fans – the wait will be worth it.”
Speaking on what he had said nearly two years ago, Creekwater said, “Obviously, I view that statement differently now. It’s one of those things where you can’t predict the future. Things happened that were out of my control. At the particular time, that’s the way I saw things – in a positive light. I was optimistic. There were certain things that I didn’t know at the time that I know now. There were certain things I had to go through to bring me to this particular point. The way I look at it now, it was a necessary thing. I wouldn’t take it back – I wouldn’t change anything, because it brought me to this point, and it made me stronger.”
Bobby Creek also explained his perspective as an artist signed to Shady Records during a period of turmoil that included Eminem’s much-publicized drug addiction, and the departure of artists such as Stat Quo and Obie Trice. “It was unfortunate. It was an unfortunate thing that a cast that talented, and all the plans that we had, didn’t come to fruition. As far as [Eminem] is concerned, I can’t possibly speak on what he was going through at the time. I do know that the industry, and this game, has a lot of pressures, and the higher up you go, the harder it gets. I’ve never been that high, so I couldn’t begin on speaking on the pressures. Being responsible for a label, and being responsible for artists and their dreams. I can say this: it’s unforunate that a cast that talented didn’t get their shit off.”
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“To be honest, I was definitely worried about my status as an artist,” elaborated Bobby. “This is what I love. This is what I do. This is how I feed my family. There’s always that worry, that feeling in the bottom of your stomach. [But I knew] it was something I had to go through to get to the next level. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I didn’t get frustrated at times or what have you. But that’s normal.”
Creekwater continued, explaining that Interscope Records’ priorioties didn’t match his own. “It was just one of those things where politics were getting in the way of creativity, and I decided it was time for me to move on to a situation where I could continue to be creative and not have politics get in the way as much.”
“Interscope had to pay bills. So they had to go with what they knew would pay the bills: Em, [Dr.] Dre, 50 [Cent]. It was a situation that cause me to…sit still a little longer than I expected, or what I planned for. It was one of those things where I had to go off and create other opportunities for myself, and they were very understanding. They didn’t hold me up. They understood my plight, and let me go on my way.”
But although Creek is no longer signed to the label, he insists the split was amicable, and that he was able to retain the recordings he wanted. “We worked out what needed to be worked out as far as the music was concerned. Everything that I wanted, I was able to keep. Like I said, they were very fair as far as letting me do my thing.”
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Aside from telling DX that he has maintained relationships with the majority of his former label mates, and that he intends to record with some of them in the future, Bobby Creek also spoke about his future, revealing that his debut album would no longer be titled A Brilliant Mistake. “I’ve had new ideas and been inspired in new ways. A Brilliant Mistake won’t be the title of my first release anymore. I’ve since taken a different path and seen new things, formed some new opinions.”
When asked whether or not any of A Brilliant Mistake‘s originally intended tracks would maek it onto his as-of-now-untitled debut, Creek said it was possible.
Finally, Bobby Creekwater discussed his own label, BGOV “BGOV is my attempt to showcase great, even if it’s different,” he said of his own imprint, for which he says he take a hands-on approach in finding artists. “I’m into music. It’s my whole reason for being in this. I have my hands on the music side more than the business side. I surround myself with people as far as business is concerned. They love the politics and the business of it as much as I love the music. It’s a beautiful marriage. It works.”
Artists currently signed to BGOV include Mykel, who has appeared on a number of Creek’s songs in the past, and Jimmy Swagger.
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