Infamous Mobb Interview
March 2004
Infamous Mobb consist of Ty Nitty, Twin Gambino and G.O.D.father. Hailing from Queensbridge, and heavily affiliated with Mobb Deep, IM3 have been in the QB Rap scene for nearly a decade. On April 20th, the group release their next album "Blood Thicker Than Water" which comes with an exclusive DVD featuring Queensbridge footage and artist documentaries.
MVRemix: Tell me about "Blood Thicker Than Water"...
Twin Gambino: Essentially it's a CD with nineteen hot songs and there's a DVD that's two hours. There's nine videos, documentaries with Prodigy, Alchemist, Noyd and Havoc. We're just showing them [Infamous Mobb fans] around the hood.
What was the purpose of filming a DVD to accompany your album?
G.O.D.father: Just to give 'em a visual. Let 'em see who we are and what we do.
How did you hook up with Jordan Tower (their DVD director)?
G.O.D.father: We hooked up with Jordan through Landspeed [distribution]; Bob Perry introduced us together.
MVRemix: In your opinion, did the greatest rapper of all time die yesterday (March 9th)?
Twin Gambino: The greatest rapper of all... it's B.I.G.! Of course! Of course, you know that...
Would you cite him as one of your inspirations?
G.O.D.father: We was on tour with Biggie when we first started off. With Mobb Deep in '96. We was on tour with Biggie wildin' with Junior M.A.F.I.A. and all that... It ain't like we new to this. We've been doing this for a while.
MVRemix: So when you did first start out, who inspired you to actually get material done - to go on and complete music?
Ty Nitty: Back then, Mobb Deep inspired me one hundred percent. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't even be here.
What was it about Mobb Deep that caused you to be inspired?
Ty Nitty: Because we was around them 24/7. All of the albums they did from "Hit It From The Back," "The Infamous," "Juvenile Hell." We was right there. We recorded with them. We had to get a cheque. There's too much money transactions going on. We had to get some of that paper son.
MVRemix: I read that G.O.D.father used to write most of the rhymes and now you all pen your own stuff. How do you feel your material has improved as a result of that?
Twin Gambino: Because I can get what I was feeling inside out.
Ty Nitty: Basically when G.O.D.father was writin' it, that was G.O.D.father's brain. But being around the ghetto all the time, we'd understand each other, so we knew how to say it. Now, it's coming from our brains so it's much better. It feels better.
MVRemix: What motivates your creativity?
Twin Gambino: Money! Money!
Ty Nitty: I've got two kids.
Twin Gambino: Bills!
G.O.D.father: We've got to live son. Live the legal life and do this shit right here.
Yeah, so if I were to ask what your goals are with the music. Would you just say the wealth or is the creativity and longevity also a factor?
Twin Gambino: If I was to come out with an album tomorrow and it'd blast off and I'd make $20,000,000. I'd quit! Haha. It's wealth man, of course!
MVRemix: Do you have any non-musical aspirations in terms of writing or maybe a different profession?
Twin Gambino: I wanna get into a different profession but, right now I'll do music. I definitely like the feeling when I get the music done. I definitely wanna do something else in the future.
MVRemix: This is a kind of outlandish question, but what do you reckon is the "meaning of life"?
[pause]
Twin Gambino: Enjoying life. Having fun man. Not going through stress all the time. That's the meaning of life.
G.O.D.father: Taking care of your kids... dealing with your responsibility.
Twin Gambino: Yeah! Seeing your family grow up and seeing your family have fun.
Ty Nitty: We've been through the struggle, now we're trying to live the good life.
MVRemix: If I go to a store and see an Infamous Mobb album amongst many rap albums, why should I pick it up over theirs?
G.O.D.father: 'Cause it's gonna give you the truth. It's gonna give you the raw deal. We ain't playin' no games. That's why we chose to give y'all a DVD this time with it. We're trying to give you a visual of what goes down.
MVRemix: So tell me about the label IM3 and the fact that you're going onto solo ventures as well...
G.O.D.father: IM3 is the Infamous Mobb. Infamous Mobb 3 minds combined. We're working on our solo projects, but...
Twin Gambino: We're basically doing it because people want to hear us on solo albums. They're all like "Twin, you've gotta do a solo album!" "G.O.D., you've gotta do a solo album." You know what I mean? That's why we're workin' on it - because people wanna hear it.
MVRemix: In your opinions, is the glass "half full" or "half empty"?
[the question is properly explained]
Twin Gambino: [laughing] It's half full. Haha.
G.O.D.father: Ain't nothin' in the glass, we drank it. Haha.
[the group laugh]
MVRemix: What are the best and worst aspects of your careers in rap? What do you love and what do you hate?
Twin Gambino: I love the shows! The energy, and how the people respond to your music. That's one thing I love, and then the second thing is the money.
Ty Nitty: The money is feeding our families!
G.O.D.father: It's feeding other families, you know what I'm sayin'?
Ty Nitty: The legal way, not the illegal way.
G.O.D.father: It's opening up jobs and stuff.
MVRemix: Is there anything that you've got coming out that we've not yet been informed about? For instance, guest appearances on tracks or compilations etc.?
G.O.D.father: Nah, right now we're basically trying to concentrate on what we're doing. We keep it within the family. Alchemist... If anything, on the new Mobb Deep album, expect to hear songs on those. We've got Flame Killa, he features on our album. He's coming out on IM3 Records.
Twin Gambino: My man Iron, Dog.
G.O.D.father: So we're working on other projects also.
MVRemix: What puts a smile on your faces? With your music we always hear this serious vibe, sinister thoughts. But what makes you smile?
Twin Gambino: Seeing my son's face every day.
G.O.D.father: Seeing my daughter's happy.
Ty Nitty: Again that makes me happy, that's it.
MVRemix: Predict your next year.
G.O.D.father: Next year we'll be going on tour to Europe. We'll be puttin' out another two albums. Put our artists out. We've got a movie coming out ("Blood Thicker Than Water"). "Murda Muzik."
"Murda Muzik" is actually coming out?
Twin Gambino: That'll be out April 27th.
G.O.D.father: It's coming out through Koch.
What's the subject matter for the movie, "Blood Thicker Than Water"?
G.O.D.father: The main plot of the movie is that you can't play both sides of the fence. It's either one thing or the other. You on the block, you hit the block. You do your thing. Or you're rapping, you're in the studio. It's either, or.
Was it written by one of the members of the group or someone else?
G.O.D.father: It was written by Prodigy from Mobb Deep.
And the three of you act in it?
Twin Gambino: Yeah, definitely. We all the star in the movie.
MVRemix: What's your favourite alcoholic beverage?
Twin Gambino: Ole English!
Ty Nitty: I like Absolut. I like Malibu. I like a lot of things.
G.O.D.father: Brown water and Hennessey.
MVRemix: If you had to decide between Coke or Pepsi, which would you go for?
Twin Gambino: I don't drink soda.
Ty Nitty: I like the Vanilla Coke.
G.O.D.father: Both.
Ty Nitty: Vanilla Coke lightly. I drink Henney Daquiri.
G.O.D.father: Haha.
MVRemix: Have you been concentrating at all on the US Election?
Twin Gambino: You know who gonna win!
[the group laugh]
Twin Gambino: You know who gonna win! I want what's his name to win... Jim Carrey (John Kerry) to win. But you know who gon' win.
G.O.D.father: Same thing that happened in Florida. It's the system.
Twin Gambino: I predict that George Bush is gonna win and we're gonna go to war with North Korea.
G.O.D.father: How's that for a prediction?
That's not a bad one...
Twin Gambino: [chuckling] That is a bad one! You know that's a bad one!
[Ty Nitty and G.O.D.father heckle Twin Gambino]
Twin Gambino: Aww come on, you know I know that. I been readin' that stuff.
Ty Nitty: I know... they won.
MVRemix: Who would you like to work with that you haven't already had the opportunity to do so?
Twin Gambino: I'd like to do a song with Jadakiss of the LOX.
Ty Nitty: As far as production wise, I wanna rhyme on one of Dre's beats.
MVRemix: Could you die today saying you'd lived or do you feel there are certain things you still have to accomplish?
Ty Nitty: No, not yet. No.
G.O.D.father: There's a whole lot more we've gotta accomplish.
Ty Nitty: I can't go yet, not yet.
MVRemix: Which movies have made the greatest impact upon you?
[In unison] Scarface! [Emphatic laughter follows]
Twin Gambino: Definitely!
I'm assuming you've seen the "Godfather" films...
Twin Gambino: Of course.
Which is your favourite?
Twin Gambino: The first one.
G.O.D.father: One.
Ty Nitty: Part one, dog.
Twin Gambino: I also love "Casino" and "Goodfellas" too.
MVRemix: Do you have any last words you'd like to put to your fans or potential fans that are gonna be reading this?
Twin Gambino: Look out for the IM3, "Blood Thicker Than Water".
Ty Nitty: And look out for a lot of hard, good music from Infamous Mobb comin' as a group and solo artists.
G.O.D.father: IM3 Records!
Ty Nitty: Look out for IM3 Records and our artists, 'cause we got a lot to say.
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