By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Followers of the gangsta rap movement should be very familiar with Big Hutch, also known as Cold 187um. Introduced in 1989 as the leader of the legendary group, Above the Law, Big Hutch went on to become a hip hop legend. In this new hip hop scene, everyone should have learned one thing, there is more than enough room for everybody.
Every year since 2010, Big Hutch has returned with a new album. This year, however, Big Hutch has plans to release two new albums before the end of the year. The first project is Live From Hell’s Kitchen, his sixth solo release in which he has plans of pushing later this summer. Also in the works for Big Hutch is a compilation project called The Next Big Thang that will feature several up-and-comers in the game.
Big Hutch has been hard at work on his own projects, but has also helped with others. Recently, Big Hutch reunited with former Ruthless Records label-mate, Kokane. The two worked together on Kokane’s Shut Da F#@! UP and Cut Da Checc, with Big Hutch appearing on the track entitled “These Dayz.” All has not been perfect in Big Hutch’s world, however, as he has called Tyga out over his usage of “187” in recent months.
Read the entire interview below:
How long have you been working on Live From Hell’s Kitchen? Actually, I have been working on it for three months now, off and on. I am still putting things together for it and it is going to have different layers. I am fusing different kinds of music together, but nothing too crazy. However, crazy is normal to me (laughs).
When do you plan to release the project? We are looking at October, right now. The thing about the Hell’s Kitchen record is that it is time consuming because I have a lot of songs, so I am pacing myself. I will probably begin recording the record in August.
You have dropped a project every year since 2010, is this intentional or just a coincidence? Well, it is just a coincidence. I like to continue working, promoting my brand and my label. I want to continue the legacy and I do that by continuing to work, if you do not use your muscle, you lose it. But, I have exercised and built my company in a way that we can keep it going. I feel like I need my projects to come out in a timely fashion. I think Hell’s Kitchen will be the longest in-between music played. I have done Only God Can Judge Me, The Only Solution, and more year after year. But, I am spreading myself out, focusing on the boom bap on this record and staying busy with the music.
Do you feel it is important for artists to release albums once a year? I think it is important to let people know where you are as much as you can and as much as your heart feels like doing it. I look at it like this, if you want to say something every year, say something every year. Lay back and do you and make sure you are growing with each project. If you want to put out a project every year, put it out, if you want to wait, you should wait. But, if I am working on music and it takes five years, it could be a masterpiece, but I don’t think you should sit on things, every day is a growing process. It is possible to grow out of ideas and you don’t want to be talking about topics that played out two years ago. If you have an outlet to put things out, go for it. In retrospect for all that, if I am artist who is all over the place, I would take a step back to allow myself to grow within and then come back to avoid over-saturating the game. You have to have a little room to grow and to stay relevant to what is going on so you stay connected with your fan base.
You have another project in the works featuring some up-and-comers, called The Next Big Thang, can you tell us more about that? The Next Big Thang is a project where I am hand-picking a bunch of groups and artists in hip hop and rock. I came up with the concept for The Next Big Thing because I have seen some groups coming up who are hardcore who did not have a lot of push behind them. So, this record will showcase the talent of these projects and I am showing them off. This will be an ongoing project that will feature a lot of up-and-coming artists. I want to release one every quarter after I release this one. A person can approach me about getting on this artist on the street with their record and I will place it on there. This is also an outlet where I may help artists get connected to a distribution deal, I will be their networking pipeline.
What was it like to work with Kokane again? It is always incredible, he is a great guy and he is my cousin. Of course, it was great to work with him. We are working on some stuff for a collaboration album and we are also working together on his own solo project, but we have done so many records together over the years that we have created our own sound. Working with him is like coming back home to the mothership, so I want to work with him as long as we can continue it.
How do you feel about your track with him, “These Dayz?” I love it, I love “These Dayz.” It’s funny, we cut that record while we were grooving over the phone. I cut the record and he laced it up. Technology is crazy, we had that vibe, but we connected through Facebook, Twitter, and email, but we still had it. It is hard to get that vibe these days, so I love it.
Can you explain what is going on between you and Tyga? One thing about it, there is not anything going on. With me being the original 187, what I do not like is when cats come along and emulate classic ideas. In retrospect, they do not pay homage to the originators. I do not want to be made out to be some groupie guy doing some weird shit. 187 is what I branded and brought into the game. So, this is not any beef, this is just me saying that we did not do corny shit. What we did was something serious and then he flips it and says anything on it. Come on man, you going to be Notorious Tyga? I don’t like it. He’s not 187, just be Tyga, Tyga Murder or something. I am the 187 in the rap game, this is no beef, this is just me making the statement. The media made something out of it, but it is cool. But, guys cannot just go around saying 187. That is like taking fried chicken and popping it in the microwave and saying you cooked it. I have no beef with him, I think he is a talented kid, but that does not give him the right to go out and claim a style he did not originate.
Are you open to sitting down and talking with him about your grievance? The thing about it is that I do not mind sitting down and talking to him about it, but my point is the same, don’t do that. The point has already been made.
Alright, can you leave us with your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so fans can follow you? Oh yeah. Reach me on Twitter @OGBigHutch, also OG Big Hutch on Facebook, and the same on Instagram.
