Interview w/Beanie Sigel
By: Justin Weleski

Beanie Sigel! The name rings major bells in this city as one of the most consistent and influential rappers of what we call the 2-1-5. We recently met up with Beans at Dre & Vidal’s studio while he took a break on recording the new State Property album along with Freeway, Peedi Crack, & Young Chris. With this opportunity to interview such a major player in the music business, we went all the way back to his graffiti days, to the times when he and Black Thought were rhyming partners, to the current street violence that plagues our city. Make sure you support and purchase the new album The Solution Click HERE

215: I heard before you were known as Beanie Sigel the MC, you were mostly known as a graffiti writer. So who were some of the writers you rolled with back then?

Beanie Sigel: Da 5 Squad, CHAKA, SPLASH, SMACK, and before that, TET- The Evil Team; BOBBY SAT, JAPAN, & MED

215: Wasn’t you and Black Thought a group back in the day?

Beans: Yeah, in elementary school and we was mad young then. We just did it after school, during recess. We even had a talent show back at McDaniels elementary school. So we was a ‘lil group for a minute back in the day, with the break dancing, the graffiti writing and all that. So yeah, that was my first rhyming partner

215: So why did it take you until Adrenaline to finally get on a Roots record, because they had three albums before that?

Beans: Well Thought always stuck with the rap, and I got passed it as I got older and started to get into other things and left all that alone along with the graffiti. And then it came back to me, and when it did I linked up with Malik B. and he brought me down to the studio with me, him, and Scott Storch. We was just playing around in the studio with Scott on the keys to what people will know now as the Adrenaline beat. And me and Malik just started rappin’ to it, and they recorded it and was just something they had, and I recorded it maybe six months before I ran into Jay and got signed to the ROC. So they actually took the verse that me and Malik had did and made a song around it

215: Now was Adrenaline or Reservoir Dogs your first song?

Beans: Well Adrenaline was the first song I ever recorded but it wasn’t a song, it was just me freestyling on a beat. And Reservoir Dogs was the first time anyone ever heard me, on Jay’s album. And so after that The Roots decided to use that freestyle over that piano melody that Scott did, and actually constructed the song around that freestyle. So then they reached out and had me come back into the studio and they had me shorten it to become a song.

215: A lot of artists in the game throughout history have always done a ton of features for the need to be in the consumer’s ears & eyes constantly. But you rarely do music with anyone. So what’s the reason for that?

Beans: Well all of my music I take really personal, so there’s only a few people in the business that I feel that can be on the same vibe or zone that I be in. Like you’ll always hear Scarface on my album cause I grew up playin’ his music, he’s my favorite MC and we just vibe. I don’t like to do a lot of features because I like to give people me on my albums. Now I’ll do a feature on someone else’s album, well rarely that too, but I sometimes do it, but I just like to give people me in my music.

215: Your one of the few MCs I’ve seen to give Scarface his respect due early on, even before Houston or the South blew up. And you guys have a really great chemistry together. So have you ever thought of making a full album with him?

Beans: Yeah, were actually in conversations now heavy about doing The Mac and Brad album.

215: When riding the L train a few years ago, you couldn’t step on that train without seeing at least one person rocking State Property clothing. So was the line that successful in other places? Or did Philly just embrace it as hard as they did?

Beans: Well I guess me just being from Philly, it was really big out here and in NY. And it could have been bigger but it was the other brand. I guess you could even say it was the Chaps of the Ralph Lauren. So it could have been bigger, but Rocawear was the main focus at the time, being it was under that umbrella. But State Property was everywhere and to this day people still want it. But there was a couple decisions made about the clothing when I was away that I wasn’t really particular about. So right now we’re trying to work those things out and bring all of it back with the clothing line and with the group.

215: So were you involved with a lot of the designs and the direction it took?

Beans: Yeah, most of them. And I actually wished some of the color schemes could have been a bit brighter sometimes. But it was a clothing line that I wanted to design that you could wear on the block or if you wanted to go to the party and even go to work in it, because it was even rugged enough to be on a construction site. One of my slogans I had on a tee was “Engineered from hard work.” I wanted it to be a line that fit everything. We even had the cargos for the skateboarders and all that.

215: As men, we obviously mature, but why did you decide with this album to allow your music to mature with you? Because many, many successful and respected rappers still keep their music youthful and to the formula they started with? Ex: 50 Cent, Ghostface, Redman, etc.

Beans: Well my thing is to show growth, period, in everything I do. Cause I know I ain’t gonna be able to do music forever, so I wanted to make that forever music that’s gonna be around forever. As you grow your music grows, and I don’t want to be stuck into mind frame because I ain’t that 20yr old kid who’s still in the streets doing that everyday thing. That’s predominately where my music came from and I’m still around it and in tune to things but within my personal life I’m going through changes so to me that’s real music; when you’re honest and give people yourself, because when people buy music, they buy into that person. When I changed the music changed with me and people can see the growth of where I was 10 yrs ago until where I am now, and what I’m thinking. Because before I was just Beanie Sigel the rapper, now I’m Beanie Sigel the business man and I got a lot of business ventures, so with the maturity and growth I want to showcase that with the music. When people first started listening to my music they was 16-17 years old in ‘98, well now they’re 26-27 years old. They heard all that 10 yrs ago. Those same people grow with you and I don’t want to give them the same thing. I’m also not straying away from it, cause there’s new 16-17yr olds who are listening to the music.

215: How did you hooked up with Dre & Vidal? And why did you choose to have an R&B producer’s work make up the majority of your album?

Beans: Mainly because I look at them as musicians as oppose to producers. They’re great producers but they’re musicians who can play. An idea will be in my head and instead of sitting down with a producer for hours and they go searching through the crates to find that sound & record that I’m trying to explain to them I can just tell them (Dre & Vidal) and they can just play it. It’s like a marriage. I picked them because they play every single instrument. And if you followed my career you’ll notice that my music has always been very soulful music. Yeah, I’ll do a party record here and there but the majority of my records have had that soulful sound since day one. So what other great producers should I work with besides these two musicians from a town like Philly? I think Philly has some of the best musicians in the world.

215: Now you mention you like to make very personal music. But even with a new album out you’re the only Roc-A-Fella member that never spoke out on the break up in their music. Why did you choose to NOT vent that out?

Beans: I started to… I have the records; I just didn’t put them out. After I started to record the new album I just didn’t feel a need to include that in there. It’s a problem to this day that can’t be solved on how I would selfishly wanted to come out and beef with the whole Roc-A-Fella situation and then try to come back together with everyone and I don’t think that’s possible, so the music I made was just my opinions and I don’t see us all coming back together as far as Jay, Dame, Bigs, State Property, the whole crew and being a big family again like we were. It was irrelevant.

215: With the most recent anti-Jay Z stuff that’s floating out there, do you feel the same way, or are you going to give the big man another chance?

Beans: It’s not about me giving Jay another chance. I just think Jay came to a point in his career where music isn’t his number one priority right now, it’s not a passion. I think he’s grown to the point of the businessman and entrepreneur and other adventures that music just isn’t it for him, so he’s moving on and that’s his choice. So it’s not about giving him another chance on the music if he’s just not going to do it.

215: Now I recently saw you guys perform at the Arts Garage a few weeks ago at the White Tee’s, White Belts party. And as someone who goes to concerts all the time, it looked to me as if you guys just got done doing a 15 city tour. So was that even rehearsed at all?

Beans: Nah, and actually the show was a Freeway show. That same day we had a State Property meeting about the group, about Jay leaving Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella period. And I’m not sure if people know or not, but there’s no more Roc-A-Fella Records. So we just sat together and talked about where we was gonna take our futures and careers. The meeting came out successful. Everyone agreed that as a unit we’re more stronger than as individuals, so we’re moving forward. And we had to end the meeting a ‘lil early cause Freeway had a show. So I told him that I would come down, and Peedi was coming down. And Sparks and Chris had to leave out of town for something. So we just headed down and put the show together in the car and figured out what songs Free had in the machine and we just came out and did our thing.

215: So with that, are you guys planning a tour anytime soon?

Beans: Nah right now were working on the new State Property album and I’m looking through some scripts for State Property III the movie. And then hit the road hard, because with all of us together we can deliver a non-stop two hour show.

215: With a core fan base already in tact, would you ever consider going indie label?

Beans: In this part of my career I think indie would be the best thing for me as far as money wise. With the records, I sell to 600,000 fans I got buying records. Which didn’t happen this time with the album being leaked online 26 days before the street date, so you can imagine how that feels. But with the business being so low and the decrease of over 50% in sales, I average about 600,000 copies from The Truth to The B Coming. And with a 50% decrease, that’s 300,000 copies. Now to go onto an indie label getting $7 an album, I’ll take that 300,000 x 7 all day. So make a couple millions dollars off the sales you won’t see on a major a label at all. You would just hopefully go gold just to get out on the road. But to actually make money off your album sales and hit the road at the same time, I think indie would definitely be the best thing.

215: In a city that has a lot of history of corrupt police; do you ever feel they were after you due to your music content and the notoriety of just locking you up?

Beans: Yeah! Why not? This goes back to even as a juvenile. I was in the street doing things, and the police who knew me then now have children and nephews who grew up. None of them particularly took a liking to me and the guys I hung around with at 21st & Sigel. They see this kid come up almost lawless, in they’re eyes, selling drugs on the corner and getting into things. I even had an incident with an off duty police officer who got shot, I got shot, and another friend of mine got shot. They see this guy, who never did a day in jail and was never convicted of any crimes, but had been arrested numerous times for guns and drugs but every case acquitted and never been convicted. And turns around, you know, off the scene for a few years, and now when they see him, he’s driving past in a Bentley that’s his, and another Bentley following him, filled with females, that’s also his. And don’t forget the houses, the cars, the money, and now he’s on TV. Now he’s successful. They’re just like “that motherfucker,” nahmean, and they’re still stuck working their job and it’s a resentment to see that from their position as officers of the law. It’s their job to arrest “guys like me.” They see the same guy who they pursued for years, tried to arrest him, and now this same guy has obtained everything that one could possibly obtain, as far as materialistic things go, that the average drug dealer put their life on the line everyday for. I didn’t go that route. I wasn’t a major king pin drug dealer. I just did what I had to do to get by. They see me leave that life alone and make money legally but still making it off the lifestyle I used to live. They hear me talk about it as if I’m bragging about it. “I did that, did this, look at me now” so who wouldn’t want to bring Beanie Sigel in cuffs to there district and say “yo sarge, look who I got.” The same goes towards OJ Simpson or a Jay Z…or anybody. So of course it’s targeted. And a lot of things I’ve been accused of have been targeted. Like the rent-a-car wasn’t returned on time. They said I stole a car, was reported stolen, kicking in doors of properties that I own, my mothers house, and my house as if I know where Bin Laden is at. The whole police force for a rent-a-car that wasn’t returned on time that I’m still being charged for on my credit card. That result got equated in a preliminary hearing. The people came in and said, “Nah, we ain’t pressing charges on him.” But they took it the extra step where as all they had to do was contact my lawyer with any other case I had and say they got a warrant then go down there and handle it. Straighten it out. But they do things and they call the media first, and say “we got a warrant for Beanie Sigel and about to go do this…bring the cameras!”

215: Then why not, at this point, move out of Philly for good?

Beans: Where am I gonna go? Police are everywhere.

215: Yeah, but as you said you got people who were cops seeing you come up on the streets who have that resentment against you.

Beans: But it isn’t the same people. You got to figure when I was 20yrs old doing that they were 30-40 years old. They’re now 50-60 years old.

215: Yeah, where as now some of them may be lieutenants, sergeants and the main guys in charge?

Beans: Yeah true and it could trickle down. But were also not just talking city police, were talking about state and federal police. The feds is the feds. They everywhere. So where do I go. My name is still going to be my name no matter where I go?

215: You recently did a PSA on FOX news to ask kids to stop the violence, but along with you speaking to them, which helps, what else do you feel needs to be stepped up or done to help stop this violence?

Beans: Exactly what I said in the PSA. [Fox News] called me to do it because they figured they needed someone who these kids would listen to. And I felt kinda funny doing it because I understand the problem but these are the same people who ridicule me everyday but yet they’re asking ME for help? They feel as though that I’m the only one that these kids will listen to; which is true. You look at any average homicide and it’s coming from anywhere between 14-25yr old. They’re more likely to listen to a Beanie Sigel than they would to the mayor, a councilman, a police officer and so on.
Now why would they listen to me? Because they can relate to me better than they relate to a suit and tie. To get to the people you got to be a part of the people. These same people see me in the streets, in the Chinese stores, in the clubs and they see my face on TV. They see me everyday. I’m just a normal person who happens to be a celebrity or successful and think that I so call keep it real because I’m still in the hood everyday. And they just can not relate to a suit and tie telling them this and that. So these kids look at that like; “what do you really care about other than another vote?” And they don’t see or understand why this is going on and why these kids got to carry a gun. Most the time kids don’t even want to carry they have to because others are doing it. So it’s either you got a gun to survive the day or you don’t have one and you’re dead. It’s to the point where they need it. So [Fox News] needed me to say it and it makes me mad because these are the same people who are so quick to say that it’s my music that is the cause of the violence. I don’t understand that.
So I did the PSA and exactly what I said is what needs to be addressed; the poverty out here is crazy. These kids are illiterate and not going to school because they see it as a waste of time when they don’t have no food in the refrigerator. Instead of sitting in school for 6hrs they can be in the streets making money to help feed they’re family. So you got these little kids forced to be adults at such an early age with the mom on drugs, the dad locked up. So it’s up to the kids to raise the money, do the dishes, make dinner for they’re brothers and sisters and keep the lights and heat on in the house. So we got to find a way to educate the kids and a way to keep them in school. We got to figure out how to incorporate the current times and trends into the board of education. Because you got these little kids who will school you on computers, video games, and myspace but yet it’s a privilege in the hood to have computers in a school building. The education system needs to learn how to incorporate their teaching into today’s trends in order to keep the kids attention span. The shit gotta be fun now days to keep them there. And on top of that they need to start getting these kids jobs while they’re in school. It’s to the point where it should be mandatory that when the city gets these big union jobs that they should hire x amount of students and teach them the work. Now you’ll have a large group of troubled kids not only learning a trade they go to school for but they’re making money, staying out of trouble, and working on their future at the same time. The education system needs to start doing stuff like this in order to stop this violence. Because the source of the problem is poverty and education. The murder rate is up because the crime rate is up. You first have a robbery and within that robbery comes the homicide. Because if you don’t got what I’m coming for, or don’t give it up, it turns into a homicide. So we need to address and recognize these issues first.

215: Now looking back at the State Property movies which were very violent and with you making a new one is the movie going to reflect what we’re talking about now and the recent maturity in your music?

Beans: Nah, I don’t think so. I’ll keep them the same. It’s entertainment. It’s movies. It’s what people have to understand is that we get targeted for the type of music and movies we make but I’m no different than Denzel or Will Smith. It’s entertainment and Hollywood. It’s sex, money, murder, and drugs. And they praise these movies in Hollywood.

215: Ok, not to cut you off, because I always defend rap music to the death because a lot of it is just a play on words over a beat. But when looking at urban movies like Boyz N The Hood and Menace II Society; it’s a visual story line within a movie that is marketed, targeted, and advertised to a demographic that is dealing with these same problems that’s in the movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger movies aren’t marketed to the hood. How can you compare the two?

Beans: It’s the truth…. You see we get targeted because we incorporate the truth and the reality. Now we know the Terminator is so violent, they’re blowing up things, but it’s a robot doing these things. But this is reality that we dealing with. So all we’re doing is showing the reality to it. And it’s your choice, whether or not to walk that path, because when you show someone the outcome of something 9 out of 10 of them they don’t want to do that. There’s a lot of people who saw Boyz N The Hood and reflected off of it and saw their own life and didn’t want to go down that path. Because you have to look at the message that’s in Boyz N The Hood. Of course there was a lot of shooting and there was a lot of killing and all these things that’s also in Menace II Society but the guy got to the point where he was fed up and was done with it. He was on his way out. He was moving with the girl and taking the lil’ kid and they was about to leave and be done with the life.  But a situation that he did previously came back to haunt him before he had a chance to escape. That’s the message really behind that movie. At the end of it you see what happens at the end, the good guys always finish last. So there’s a reality message to show the urban youth to what can happen, and shows the youth that he waited too late to make that transition. Are you going to wait too late to make yours? So we show that. What Hollywood do is they show you the movies with the killings and the glorify it and there’s always a hero. There isn’t no hero in Boyz N the Hood or Menace II Society. There’s heroes in Hollywood movies with the guns killing up the Indians and terrorists. He’s a hero. He’s an American legend for that. At the end of the day all it was is violence. So where’s the morals and message behind all that? There is none, it just glorifies violence and killing the so called bad guys. So we can target our audience but we have morals behind it in showing the youth to what really happens. And you ask anyone in America what they’re favorite movie is, they gonna say The Godfather. Sex, money, organized crime, murder, drugs all in that movie, and there looked upon as heroes. But the movies we do we get blamed for the violence, it don’t make any sense to me.

215: You’ve recently been working on the MPC. So how’s that going?

Beans: Well I’ve been playing around with it trying to do a little something.

215: What are some of the producers that you look towards for influence?

Beans: Well I got Dre & Vidal teaching me some things.

215: With already worked with some of the music’s elite who haven’t you done a song with and would like to?

Beans: Man let me see (takes two minutes) - Lauryn Hill

215: What’s next for you? Tour? Movies? Etc?

Beans: After we get the State Property album done, we’re gonna see where we want to take it. Whether it be an indie or get a distribution deal. And then the movie. And start pushing the brand to the level of back where it was at and be that dominate group in hip hop like we once was.

215: Any last words:

Beans: I got love for everyone who got love for me.

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