Yesterday (December 10th) Allhiphop passed along the rumor that former No Limit and Ruff Ryders artist Fiend had finalized a new deal for himself with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label.
HipHopDX spoke to Fiend yesterday to see if the rumors of his signing with Jigga are actual fact.
“All I’ma say is throw ya Roc signs in the air, throw ya diamonds up,” replied the man who took his rap moniker from the classic Eric B & Rakim cut, “Microphone Fiend,” when asked how his recent talks with Hova should be reported.
But, when asked for official confirmation of his signing with Roc Nation, “Mr. Whomp Whomp” clarified the rumor that a deal is done by saying, “It’s not necessarily confirmed just [yet]…So, let’s just say I know my man Jay been listening and been a fan like I been a fan of his…I’m not gonna say that like the ink is dry and a check has been deposited or nothing like that…That [rumor] was just I guess like some type of leak out of great things to come period.”
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While coyly trying to avoid completely letting the cat out of the bag, the gruff-voiced verbalist did confirm that he and Jay-Z have indeed been building with one another of late after Hov reached out to Fiend a.k.a. Sleepy Eyes Jones, and maybe surprisingly to some not the other way around.
“No one really has a line on Jigga like that [to get at him],”Jones keenly noted. “Me and Jay-Z respect each other [though]. You’d be surprised who your peers are.”
In the rumored report of his inking with Jay-Z and Roc Nation it was stated that Fiend’s former Ruff Ryders labelmate, and current Roc-A-Fella artist, Jadakiss coordinated the union between Jones and Jigga. But while during his conversation with DXFiend didn’t specifically note whether or not ‘Kiss played a role in facilitating his current dealings with Jay, he did make it abundantly clear that he and Jadakiss have maintained their relationship since they first began working together seven years ago.
“I fuck’s with Jada heavy,” said Fiend. “I produced on the first Jadakiss album [“What You Ride For?”], and also have production on his [new] album [on] a track featuring Young Jeezy [“I’m Somethin’ Else”].”
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Fiend’s production and songwriting credits have grown in recent years unbeknownst to most. With the assistance of his business partner/manager Mousa, he has amassed a lengthy resume of rap hits that have bore his fingerprints in one way or another via his Crack Alley Music. Most recently C.A. contributed to affiliate Rodnae’s production on “DontGetIt,” the stirring Nina Simone-sampling closer to Lil Wayne’s triple-platinum, and now 8-time Grammy nominated, Tha Carter III.
Freelancing for various artists on various labels, “Captain Hook,” as Fiend is known to some in the music biz, has been spending the last few years as a “Street A&R” primarily for Atlantic Records.
A creative consultant of sorts, Fiend assists artists with the production of their tracks or the writing of their hook (in some cases entire verses), or does both. It has been previously revealed by other media outlets that Fiend has at different times been the musical guide behind Hip Hop peers Trina, Twista, Trick Daddy, B.G., Paul Wall, and even a few R&B acts including Trey Songz and Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls.
“I’m trying to pull it off on the production, rhyming, [song]writing, R&B,” said Fiend. “I been doing all this shit.”
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The New Orleans native is presently adding his magic touch to the upcoming sophomore album from Hurricane Chris, Trill Entertainment’s youngest-in-charge, 12-year-old Lil Trill, and Cash Money CEO Baby. The two onetime members of rival N.O. labels recently knocked out a handful of new Birdman songs.
And soon, if all goes according to plan, Fiend will be assisting a former No Limit comrade as he attempts to resume his recording career following a lengthy stint in a Louisiana correctional facility.
“[He’ll] be home real soon,” said Fiend of Mystikal. “He’s four months short [of his release]. And it’s already [been] discussed how we working, and what he doing as soon as he come home. And I guarantee you, 100% guarantee you, you gonna see some Fiend/Mystikal collaboration.”
Unfortunately, one collaboration of No Limit artists fans of the once mighty label won’t see is the reunion tour that was reportedly planned to start before the end of ‘08 and was to include Fiend, Mia X, Mr. Serv-On, and Mo B Dick performing past hits from their stints as No Limit soldiers during the mid-to-late ‘90’s.
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“I can’t confirm that,”Fiend replied when asked about the reported tour plans. “Man, [starts singing ‘wait ‘til I get my money right’]. Mia is like a mother, big sister. Serv, it’s all love. Mo B, it’s all love. It’s all love with everybody, but man, if the money ain’t right my manager ain’t ‘bout to fuckin’ call me.”
Even with the reunion tour now on ice, Fiend may still be revisiting his No Limit past soon, specifically his platinum 1998 debut for the label, as he told DX he is flirting with the title There’s One In Every Family 2 for what will presumably be his first full-length for Roc Nation.
And with his return to the national radar, Fiend should find the respect with a new generation of fans he may not have received from the masses a decade ago, many of whom saw No Limit as merely a movement of the moment whose artists would have no real staying power. But from his classic solo single “Talk It Like I Bring It” [click to watch], to his new Lil Wayne assisted buzz cut “Gangsta Muzik” [click to listen], one of No Limit’s true talents has managed to outlast his detractors and is now setting his sights on bringing back that rowdy energy to a comatose Auto-Tuned rap arena and dropping his signature ‘whomp whomp’ announcing that Fiend is back on the scene.
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“Niggas don’t talk like this here [no more],” he observed of his current competition. “It ain’t happened like this here since the last time you heard ‘R-E-N spells Ren but I’m raw.’ Look, Tip the king, but there’s a pharaoh in this muthafucka, ya feel me?”
