S. Samuel
G-Unit's Tony Yayo has called out his former record label, Interscope, and accused the company of blackballing 50 Cent's projects.
Yayo says he began to notice Interscope’s lack of involvement when the Unit’s Terminate On Site album dropped in summer 2008.
“I feel like Interscope was trying to blackball me,” Yayo explained in an interview. “But to each’s own, man, like, when T.O.S. came out, I felt like it was a classic album, T.O.S., but I felt like, a lot of stuff I was starting to learn about the [rap] game, like, why wasn’t our album up two weeks ahead of time on iTunes? You know what I’m saying? It feels like there’s always something messed up, I felt the office up here, G-Unit, was doing more work than Interscope. That’s why I feel like I was getting blackballed.” (True Stories Radio)
Earlier this month, Yayo pointed out the advantages he has since parting ways with the company.
“If I was still on Interscope, I would say I would probably have to wait a long process to get my mixtape on iTunes,” Yayo explained to DJ Green Lantern. “And now my mixtape’s on iTunes, go pick it up — I get my bread faster instead of waiting on the label to make moves for me. Them days is dead…We’re gonna drop these independent records this summer, it’s more money for me anyway, so, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s the do it yourself [era]. Eh yo, all those Hype Williams days are over. N*ggas used to spend half a million for a video. Now — my videos are done in five minutes.” (DJ Green Lantern TV)
The Unit’s Lloyd Banks previously explained why he broke away from Interscope Records.
“I was ready to make a move,” Banks said about leaving the powerhouse label. “I’m a brand-new engine. If anything, it’s their loss. It’s been a dark shadow cast upon that. That’s why you hear [Funkmaster] Flex on the radio [boycotting Interscope], because it’s an aura created around that machine, and the artists automatically get smacked in the head…I felt it’s time for me to go somewhere where it’s not biased and I get a fair shot. There’s a lot of stuff on the table right now. You don’t wanna speak about it until it gets ironed out all the way…Everything happened for a reason. I feel like I’m so blessed because of my work ethic and how easy the music is coming to me. It feels so good to be an independent artist with a brand. I have direct deals with iTunes and things of that nature, where it’s direct money coming to me. It’s 50 percent of me that’s not pressed to be on a major.” (MTV)
According to Yayo, 50 Cent will be releasing his upcoming solo project.
“Everybody all knows, me and [Lloyd] Banks are not on Interscope anymore,” Yayo explained in an interview. “We’re not on a major anymore. Me and Banks are dropping two albums in the summer independently, through a deal that 50 [Cent] is conjuring up for us. It feels good to know that I have no red tape put on anything…If I had to deal with Interscope, I’d have to deal with the label and they’d have to sign off. Now I can do what I want. It’s exciting to work with new guys. Some of these kids shootingvideo are [teenagers]. It’s new energy. A lot of these labels need new energy – people who are willing to bust they butt, go in and do what they’ve got to do.” (Hip Hop DX)
Check out Tony Yayo speaking on Interscope Records below:
