The RAMPAGE Interview

Interview by L.D.Williams Jr

DCMM: I am here with Rampage 

Rampage: First Lieutenant of  the Flipmode Squad. CEO of Deep Freeze. First and Foremost I would like to big up Flipmode Squad you know that is my family forever, but Deep Freeze is the movement you know I got a new album called The Ambush. I am working on that right now.

 DCMM: First question before the Flipmode Squad and everything else who were some of your earliest musical influences?

Rampage: Grandmaster Flash, Sugar Hill Gang, all the old cats. Kool Herc, Red Alert, Marley Marl, Mr. Magic that is what I used to listen to growing up in the 80s me and my physical Busta Rhymes.

 DCMM: When did you decide that you wanted to pursue hip hop as a career?

 Rampage: Well me and my cousin Busta Rhymes again in Brooklyn. Flatbush, Brooklyn, growing up on the block  playing skullie and stealing bikes listening to Mathematics and old school hip hop that inspired me a whole lot. In the summer of 82.

 DCMM: Summer of 82? You really got into it when hip hop was in its infancy then.

 Rampage: I was really listening to all of the influences and following my cousin Busta Rhymes.

 DCMM: How did your situation with Electra come about?

 Rampage: My situation came about because rolling with Busta. Sylvia Rome stepped to Busta and was like I am trying to sign Rampage and about 96 I got a deal after Woo-Ha.

 DCMM: So in 1996 you got signed to Electra and is that when your 1997 debut started to come about?

 Rampage: Which is Scout's Honor…By Way of Blood which is executive produced by Busta Rhymes.

 DCMM: Looking back that debut came out in 1997 can you appraise what the music business is like in 2008 and how it is different.

 Rampage: The music business you have to be able to go with change. If you are not able to go with change then you do not need to be in the music business I am the dude that can go with change. Every year that pass you have to go with change so I am about change. The difference between the music now and then at least for me you know I have more creative control and there is more things I can do you feel me.

 DCMM: You have more creative control because you have your own brand Deep Freeze.

 Rampage: Deep Freeze Entertainment that I started a couple years ago. I got an independent distribution that is linked to R&B distribution out of Texas. The independent game is better than the major game because you are making seven dollars a record you know that shit is real frosty.

 DCMM: Explain what other the facets of the game that makes it better outside the seven dollars a record what else makes it better to be an independent.

 Rampage: Well what makes it better is because you can see your money back better instead of being on a major label you did a million records you make ten million for the label majorly but if you did fifty thousand at seven dollars a record you made yourself some change. It is a great difference but there is more grinding independently than a major you've got to be face to face with everybody you can't sugarcoat nothing you got to be in a writer's face instead of your promotional department saying you have an interview. You have to grind a little more harder independently than when you are on a major.

 DCMM: Let's talk about your independent brand Deep Freeze Entertainment. You got the independent album that you dropped in 2006 now we got The Ambush that is coming this year right?

 Rampage: I am dropping an Ambush 1 and 2.

 DCMM: In 2008?

 Rampage: Yes Sir

 DCMM: Ok more music is always good at least for me it is.

 Rampage: The difference between this one and the last one I made some money I did a lot of touring and It kept me on the road. That is what you have to do independently, you have to stay in everybody's face. You know you can move 40,000 records at seven dollars a record and you are making some money but you got to put back into yourself. Right now I am buying me a tour bus off of the 2006 album the Have You Seen album. I been on the road touring on the Ambush tour with Rah Digga so I am going to invest in myself and buy me a tour-bus.

 DCMM: It seems like based on talking to other artists and talking to you it seems like you have a pretty high business acumen….

 Rampage: Why because I have been in this game well over 15 years. I am the type of dude where if you are not on your game then you lose. I've been in situations where I lost but this time around I can't lose no more because I know the game, I know the floor, I know the blueprint and I know what I want to do and I am pretty much focused on what I need to do.  Not to say I wont do anything majorly with any major labels I'm open to anything money is money business is business but at the end of the day I love my freedom of me being independent of me being independent I got the Deep Freeze radio station y'all can log onto it's Deep Freeze radio for independent artists that want to be heard that is why I started the station and I started the communication for artists that want to be heard on a major station I got the number one station on the internet called Deep Freeze Radio. I'm making it the number one station because I am putting on celebrity hosts and celebrity DJs that is the difference between my radio station and everyone else. It is called entertainment if you don't entertain then no one wants to be apart.

 DCMM: Deep Freeze Entertainment is a label also right? 

 Rampage: Yeah I got the label. I got an artist by the name of Judge. I got another artist out of North Philly called the Big Citys, I got another artist she is nine years old Baby T. I got another artist out of Albuquerque I got like five artists that I am putting out under Deep Freeze R&B.

 DCMM: And when can we expect a compilation because it seems like you have a solid team….

 Rampage: Actually, nothing is going to come until I finish the Ambush album I got Jaime Kennedy, Chuck D, Rah Digga, Baby Sham, Flavor Flav I got a couple people on this Ambush album. I got a couple of fresh producers. One of my main producers is Felony Music and another one of my main producers is L-Beatz. I got another producer named Matt G. I got fresh new producers if you don't have fresh producers then your shit won't stay fresh.

 DCMM: You talked about L-Beatz and Felony Music is there anybody from the DC area that you are working with right now?

 Rampage: I am working with my man LX you know. Lx that's my dide forever you know I am willing to work with anybody man anybody that wants to get with me directly they can hit me up all the producer that wants to submit beats for my new album hit me up at rampagemusic@gmail.com. Hit up my MySpace, my MySpace I'm at 1.8 million plays and I get five to six thousand hits a day. I am at 800,000 views so you know I ain't even leak nothing yet but Pump Up the Volume.

 DCMM: It seems like you are putting in a lot of work.

 Rampage: I am still hand to hand going to see every DJ in every country. I got a network base of over 40,000 DJs for my Deep Freeze DJs you got to know how to market yourself if you do not know how to market yourself then you can't move.

 DCMM: How are you handling this…

 Rampage: I'm enjoying it yo I'm saving some money and I am about to get a tour bus so that is me investing in myself I take the money I make invest it in foreclosed houses and I'm trying to invest in a tour bus so that  when it is time for me to do shows I am jumping on my own tour bus. That is another thing Busta Rhymes taught me you got to buld your own thing and just keep it moving nobody can't tell you nothing. Instead of putting a chain around your neck I rather invest in a tour bus or put a house on the block if you don't give back then you are not successful. I'm handling it pretty well and this Ambush album is going to be really big for me I am going to set a tone for all of the independent people.

 DCMM: Ambush 1 and Ambush 2 do you have a release date?

 Rampage: No I'm still recording.

 DCMM:  Is there any other ventures that you want to get into we know about Deep Freeze Radio which sounds crazy I'm definitely going to log on to it immediately.

 Rampage: Yeah log on to it when you get off. Right now I am just in programming but I am looking for all deejays and veejays that want to be apart of a new station come join me. All I need is a mp3 at rampagemusic@gmail.com let me know what you can do your picture and your bio you know I am going coast to coast with my communications. Also, I did the station so that I could launch the tour the Ambush tour featuring me and Rah Digga called Communications man I'm on my Russell Simmons right now.

 DCMM: Looking at the grind right now what is the next thing you are going to do as far as Deep Freeze and expanding the brand.

 Rampage: I'm actually about to get into movies so I got a couple of offers for a few movie spots so when those come through I am going to take those slots. I took a couple of acting classes so I really want to be in the movies because movies are bigger then the music but at the end of the day I am straight from Flatbush, Brooklyn to the fullest. I got to keep it real to my sport so when I decide to make the transaction I just inked an endorsement deal Game Automotivesw out of Arizona and Chrysler I will be the official voice person for Game Automotives. I'm also doing a television show it's not like Pimp My Ride but I'm Pimpin peoples ride as well. Pimpin out celebrity cars that's what I do I know how to put the right rims on the right trucks you know that's what I do so I am working with GAME automotives out of Arizona so you know I got a lot of big things running. I am about to jump on this Ambush tour that's why I'm looking to get this bus, put a bus together so when it is time for me to roll I don't like to fly too much I can drive to it.

 DCMM: It seems like you are working hard…..

 Rampage: I'm working hard man I feel blessed everyday and I stay full of energy. If you do not have any energy then you do not need to be in this game. It is called get in where you fit in I am in where I fit in and if it is something that I can't control then I can't do it.

 DCMM: What is a typical work day for you?

 Rampage: My work day is dealing with my artists I'm on the phone all day the accountants and the lawyers stacking my papers investing in the houses. In the studio I do not write I just go in the studio and record. You know, I'm dealing with all my producers L-Beatz, Felony Music, Mack G just dealing with my producers just getting fresh records. It starts at six in the morning until about 12 they say if your phone is not busy then it means you are not busy.

 DCMM: It seems like your phone doesn't ever stop.

 Rampage: I am trying to get people to jump on Deep Freeze Radio I am trying to do a whole bunch of things. I'm all over the place I am like a satellite in orbit.

 DCMM: It seems like you have a lot of things going on you have got the radio station which I am definitely impressed with. Shout the weblink where they can check the radio station out at again.

 Rampage: It's www.deepfreezeradio.com again it is www.deepfreezeradio.com it is a 24 hour hip hop station we do urban hip hop, reggae, R&B, old school, new school true school whatever school you from we do you shouldn't have to pay for radio, radio is free.

 DCMM: How long do you want to be on the road for? (with the Ambush tour)

 Rampage: I'm trying to be on the road with this Ambush tour all year until the year is out.

 DCMM: So you are going to close out 2008 on the road?

 Rampage: Yup, I want to that is my goal I want to work past New Year's and Christmas.

 DCMM: I'm going to close the album real soon I am already 350 songs deep. It is all about listening to mixing and fixing a couple of words and stuff like that on the album getting a couple more features.

 DCMM: Let's talk aboiut the DC Scene is there any advice that you could give: 

Rampage: I tell new artists everyday read these contracts make sure if you do not have a major deal you do not have to sign a management contract. Make sure you know what you are reading, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into, make sure you have the right material, in order to enter the league of the game. You got to apply yourself more you can't just say you can rap it's not just about rap you got to know how to make a record. You got to be marketable, you got to be sellable, you got to know how to market yourself if you don't know how to market yourself then you don't need to be in the industry.

 Get at Rampage:

 rampagemusic@gmail.com

www.deepfreezeradio.com

www.myspace.com/lieutenantrampage