Former Bad Boy recording artist Yung Joc is the latest rapper to join the Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta cast. This past Monday (May.5), Joc made his debut on the new season of the drama-filled reality show, and VIBE caught up with the rapper in New York City to get the 411.
VIBE: What was it like to be going through all these different situations in front of the camera?
Yung Joc: What is it like because we’re definitely still filming. To be honest, I have mixed vibes on it because it’s kind of hard to say you can forget that the cameras are there but whenever you’re dealing with something and someone and you’re engaged in whatever it is that you guys are discussing or going through you can forget because you’re trying to get your point across to the other person you’re dealing with. I mean, its cool. Its always weird. It’s really weird though because you never know what you are walking into, let’s just say that.
Right, and sometimes emotions can take over.
Yeah! Not even just that, misunderstandings. You gotta understand that camera, the idea of what you are doing on a reality show. So you may be grounded and you may have a positive vibe or you just may be neutral and that other person is looking to gain whatever they may gain from anything they do that’s kind of just outrageous, outlandish, unorthodox. It’s kind of like you don’t know what they’re up to. When you’re watching reality TV and someone is having a conversation and that person throws a plate full of food like, what? Like, was this your plan to do this?
So, do you think cameras influence the way people act or what they are doing?
Yeah. Its a natural –its human nature. When there’s attention focused on what you’re doing or what you’re involved in you may react differently. Everything you do may be a little different. Think about it. Right now you and I are having a convo. If either one of us realized that someone is watching what we’re doing it could make you not wanna talk about it anymore. It can make you walk away or it could make you turn up because it’s like I gotta audience, let me give them a show. It’s weird at times but you know, it is what it is.
Will you be in a lot of episodes?
You gotta watch. The way that goes its kind of like–the show hasn’t even started yet so I can’t say too much about whatever is or what’s not.
Did you get to interact with a lot of the cast?
I can’t say that either.(laughs). You never know because you don’t know how it’s going to unfold so…
Who did you know before the show?
I knew a lot of those cats. You talkin’ ‘bout Scrappy, Rasheeda, Kirk, Stevie J, even from K. Michelle to Rich Dollaz. A lot of them I’ve already know before.
Were they acquaintances or friends?
Stevie J, he and I we’ve done some functions together. Matter fact we hosted a function together. He was on stage with his band and I actually grabbed the mic and was singing. I wasn’t rapping I was singing. It was very entertaining (laughs). Of course I been knowing Scrappy forever he’s always been cool with me. Rasheeda and Kirk always been cool with me. K. Michelle we were label mates. Rich Dollaz worked at Bad Boy so he was one of my reps over there and me and him have a very, very good relationship.
So you didn’t feel too crazy about it once you came on to the cast since you knew some people already?
Right but to be honest with you that don’t mean nothing. That don’t mean nothing ‘cause –let’s just say this. Put in the right or wrong situation either way there is always gonna be an outcome and human error is very very very very prevalent in any situation. Every moment you’re living human error is there, you know what I’m saying? You don’t know how someone is feeling today or what they are going through . You don’t know what the last five text messages that came through their phone. So they may already have that chip on their shoulder. They may already have that edge. You just don’t know, man. I think that’s what makes this fun because you don’t know what’s gonna happen.
Makes it interesting.
Yeah it keeps you on your toes.
Did you know Mona Scott before the show?
Well I had met Mona before I joined the show.
What was your perception of her before you joined the show?
She was cool. I could tell she was about her business. It wasn’t no games for her. She comes from this world of music itself and managing artists and things of that nature. So her aggression is definitely there. She didn’t over do it. She was always cool when I seen her. Always has a pleasant smile but you can tell she is about her business.
What’s she like on the set?
I’ve never seen her set. She’s hasn’t been around me during filming. I’ve never seen her on set.
So what really made you do the show?
Dealing with Karlie and the idea kept coming up and I was like I don’t know, man. I was just like I don’t know how I feel about reality shows. I was just like I don’t know if I really wanna do that. After awhile just talking to my dad and my friends and other peers it was kind of like pray about it, if it’s meant, then do it.
What was that piece of advice that made you want to do the show?
My dad was like look at it like this: they can only edit what you give ‘em. I was like you know that makes sense and then he was like you know that you wanna be in that world, you know that you want to be on TV because you know,I do want to act. This is something that I am going to take more seriously. He said it could be an eye opener for you in regards to what you want to do in your future. So I talked to pops about it, my moms about, my siblings, prayed on it and now I’m on the phone with you talking about it.
How did it affect you and Karlie’s relationship?
You know what, if people watch the show they are gonna find out.
I saw in the trailer she was mad about something. I forget what. Will we see a lot of that.
Yea.Uhhh I don’t know. I’m gonna be seeing it when ya’ll see it.
Right and then you guys are still filming so–
(laughs) Unlike if it was a show, unlike if it was a regular sitcom or show you’re an actor and you kind of know what the outcome is gon be. Because you don’t know the outcome I think its smart to not to try to do people wrong because nobody’s gonna be your friend. The producers are not gonna be your friend so if you do something to somebody and they look crazy just know that there’s always the anticipation of that person always seeking revenge. So its like eye for an eye because at the end of the day the producers want what’s gonna be good for TV. I can’t really say how it affected our relationship just know that when the show starts you will know exactly what’s been going on.
Ok so I’m gonna jump right into the music. I heard the single today. Who produced it?
Kristos.
Who were the other two artists on the song, D-Dro and AE200?
AE200 is a young guy I know out in Atlanta and D-Dro is my Haitian partner. We came together and did this record just on a fly one night. I was like I kind of like it and everybody that heard it was like ‘I like it.’ But I was getting more women to say they like it. That was weird. Not weird, but you know what the real title of the record is.
You didn’t expect them to like it?
I’m not saying I didn’t expect them to like it because you definitely want females to be fans but I didn’t think that would be a first choice, you know what I’m saying?
What’s the name of the album going to be?
I’m trying to narrow that down now to be honest with you. I been tossing up a few ideas in the back of my head. I’m possibly thinking about calling it New Joc City 2.
Is there a release date?
I’m actually in New York at the label right now. We got meetings all kinds of stuff going on so I’ll be finding out that type of information out shortly.
Any collaborations?
Well because I don’t have a completed product I can’t say the album is done.I can’t say who is on it. I can tell you the people I’ve worked with but I can’t tell you who is on the album because when it comes down to the finalized project that song with that artist may not make it on the record.
What producers have you worked with?
I got to work with a lot of producers. I got to go in with my guy Cheese Beats. He did one for me Wale and Jadakiss and Meek Mill. He just did “Back to Ballin” for Wale and French Montana and he just did the Migos new single. That’s one of my close friends. I went in with Dun Deals. He did the Stoners and Hannah Montana record and I got back in the studio with Nitty too. B.O.B just produced a record for me. B.O.B produced a record for me that I really like.
Is it going to make it onto the album?
I think it may make it actually because it feels good. It’s a good record. He produced a record for me called “Loaded”.
I wanted to talk to you about your hiatus because the people haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been doing?
I’m gonna tell you what’s crazy. I may not have been mainstream but I ain’t been gone and I haven’t been very viral in my approach. But I’ve been working for quite some time and been working on things that have been quite successful. They just may not have been directly on the forefront of music. Its like you’re actually interviewing me but you’re not the face of the magazine you see what I’m saying? You still have a job. I’ve done publishing deals. At one point I was filming videos with my production company where we were doing music videos too.
Which music videos?
I’ve done all types of music videos from Waka to Gucci. A lot of different artists in Atlanta. The weird thing about me is that because I’m so laid back and humble there’s times where those moments where I’m supposed to turn my star on I’ll be more chill and don’t wanna be doing too much but sometimes that what people like to see when it comes to rappers.
What’s the name of your production company?
Hustlenomics. Hustlenomics is one of the labels that I started and I had a discrepancy with a guy who after I named my album Hustlenomics he went back and created a magazine called Hustlenomics. So we had to go back and forth to court about that and I had so much stuff established under that name and I don’t know how, considering I had it longer than him but some type of way it was a crazy kind conflict and they ended up telling me I couldn’t use that. But everntually he went out of business so I was able to use the name again. Its over so I had named the film company Hustlenomics.
So what are some of the music videos that your company produced?
We did one for Gucci I think it was called “Fast Lane”. I did one for Waka and this artist out of San Francisco or San Diego, I just know he is from the West Coast. I can’t remember his name. I don’t remember the title of the song.
When did you start the company?
Like 2009. I also had someone under me in the production company and we filmed a fitness kid DVD for the little kid CJ the workout kid. He was like nine at the time and he had a six pack and he was all cut up. I bought a guy and on and we did the gig through my company but he didn’t do a great job to me and I didn’t love it so I refused to put name behind it and I backed away from it. They didn’t like it either so they went to another company.
Did you any other business endeavors or other ventures while you were away from music?
Yea but nothing really notable or worth talking about. Just some little side things but nothing I wanna discuss.
Did you pick up any new hobbies?
Well, you know one of my aliases is flatman because I was one of the first cats in Atlanta that had a lot of my cars flat colored, you know the flat colored paint. I was one of the first people in the city to have that color. So I had a flat white and blue camaro and I had a flat red corvette and once I got one of my partners, Big Cory, we started painting cars. That was the one I really didn’t want to talk about but you got it out of me anyway. Haha you’re good. It was just a hobby. It actually turned into a decent little profit once I started learning how everything was going. It was fun.
I remember you said you wanted to act. Are you making any steps towards an acting career?
Its kind of crazy because music has always been my first passion but secondly it’s always been drama because in the school I went to I was always trying to be in drama. I did that and also after high school and even while in high school I hooked up with this playwright by the name of (??) in Atlanta and he put on a lot of plays. I think I may have done ten plays with him. So that’s always been a passion of mine. So I think at this point I’m really ready to pursue it.
Any particular kind of movies you would want to do?
I can do any kind of movies. I can do a drama, I can do a comedy. I can do an action flick. I believe I can do it. I feel that good about it. Honestly its one of those things where people meet me and they’re around me and they are like man you missed your calling and that shit always make me feel some kind of way because you met me when I was professionally being a rapper so don’t say that that wasn’t my calling. Don’t say I missed my calling just say man this is your calling. Just say that.
You’re from Atlanta so Tyler Perry is out there so maybe you could hop on something with him.
Yea and I actually been talking to a few different agents so I’m definitely going to holla at the homie. He at the crib. I’ve been shooting a lot of different skits and stuff with STFU Shut the Funny Up in Atlanta. So we’ve been doing a lot of little skits where they bring in comedians or other actors, actresses or other entertainers, athletes or whatever and we just been shooting a lot of different comedy skits and what not. I’ve been working. Everything isn’t a sealed deal so I kind of didn’t want to talk about them but its other things on my plate. I don’t mind speaking things into existence but the way they are set up its kind of my best interest not to speak on it
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