This guy doesn’t really need an introduction (if you disagree with that statement, then I don’t believe you were ever Hip-Hop in the first place. Here’s the damn Wikipedia). The guy formerly (or still currently?) known as Noreaga as well as 1/2 of the legendary group Capone-N-Noreaga was actually cool enough to take a break out of his gotdamned birthday in Las Vegas to sit down with JukeBOX. The Lefrak City, Queens emcee also currently has an upcoming album in the works with it’s first single (‘Nutcracker’) in current rotation. He says the pleasure is all his, but in no way can we agree with that coming from the legend that he is. Check out the audio of our phone interview and then feel free to hit the jump for the entire read.
N.O.R.E.: You know, I got my man ?Down Leezee?, know what I’m sayin’, who…me and him really basically come up wit’ it, he comes up with most of the bozo slang, I come up wit most of the ?slamatron? slang, and we put it together…you know, I’m just always the kinda person who travel, from Lefrak to Queensbridge to 40 Projects to The Bronx…it’s just a combination of both…all those things, and that’s how we come up with the slang, know what I’m saying?
Aight, beautiful, that’s a bet…so, could you tell us how did the deal with IceH20 come about, and are you also signed on the label as a solo artist or is it just you as a group with Capone?
Nah, it was just a one off, it was just a one time album thing, everything was cool, you know what I’m saying…I think everything was pretty cool, it’s just you know…you get it and it’s time to move on. As far as my solo thing, I’m just doing my solo thing on my dolo, you know what I mean?
Stamp.
It was a great experience, and it’s time to move on, you know? All love.
Alright. Ok, well let’s get to some solo questions then…the first thing is, we noticed that you had the album that you’re coming out with, and correct me if I’m wrong, it was originally called N.O.R.E. Part 2 and we see that you changed it to S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G. and we were trying to figure out…it looks like it’s an acronym, if you could explain that a little bit?
Yea, absolutely. I have a meaning for it but I’m not gonna reveal my meaning for it, I wanna actually see what the fans are gonna come up with. We’re gonna have a contest on 57thave.com…and we’re gonna have the fans submit their meanings of it, you what I mean? …And even if it is called S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G. it’s gonna be S.U.P.E.R.T.H.U.G.: N.O.R.E. Part 2. [Jon’s note: As of recently we checked to see that the album is indeed now titled N.O.R.E. Part 2: Born Again]
Okay. Aight, cool…we saw some pics with you and Macy Gray in the studio some time ago, and we wanted to ask how did you hook up with her for the album and if you could tell us, you know, I don’t know if it’s too early to ask, as far as any features you might have on the upcoming album…
Well right now you definitely got Macy Gray on the album, it was a honor…I actually gotta give it all up to my producer, Caviar, I [told] him I needed a chick on the hook, and I thought he was gonna call a hoodrat from the hood and he called Macy Gray, and Macy Gray came to the studio like a real O.G., laid down the hook, killed, you know, smoked, drank…you know…and it was just wonderful to know that there’s other people that exist in the world that’s just as humble as I am. So, it was a great experience, it was great meeting her, and we did a classic record and I can’t wait to come out with it.
N.O.R.E. Announces New Solo Album
Aw man, we can’t wait to hear it either…when can we expect the album to come out? Ot is it still a tentative release?
Well it’s definitely a tentative release without a release date right now, I’m probably aiming at, you know, the first quarter next year, who knows. We got that single out there crackin’ right now, for ‘The Nutcracker‘. Get ‘The Nutcracker’ or go crack your nuts, know what I mean?
(Laughs) Okay, aight, what um, I guess I don’t know if this is also, we just wanna ask, to make sure…are there any artists that you have on your dream list that you might wanna collaborate with that you already haven’t? ‘Cause, we know you have a long history of gettin’ down with a lot of artists old and new, is there anyone that you might want on this album, or anything that you might be able to talk to us about?
Uh, well, I guess [Dr.] Dre has always been my dream collaboration, but I [was able to] be in the studio with Dre during The Firm album, and, you know, he’s so incredibly hard to contact, you know what I’m saying, I think it’s easier to get Obama on the phone right now then to get Dre on the phone…
(Laughs)
…so I think my next best [collab] would be Drake, you know what I mean…
That would be big…
I want the R&B side of Drake, I want him to come sing a hook, like Teddy Pendergrass…
Oh, aight, cause…call me crazy, when I ask a lot of artists, it’s like they always wanna hear the more Hip-Hop side, so you’re one of the few that actually wanna get a little bit of that R&B flavor, so that’s definitely respected.
Absolutely, I wanna show the grown-up N.O.R.E. on this album, know what I’m saying.
Right, I like that, okay.
…I got Masspike Miles on the hook, it’s not all singing, it’s singing but it’s singing the hood culture. I wanna explore, I wanna show people I grew up, you know last time N.O.R.E. album came out was 1998, you know…last 10 years right now, so it’s about time I show my growth, as an artist, as a human and as a man.
N.O.R.E. x Neptunes – Oh No
Aight, so N.O.R.E. so what do you feel like has changed in the last 10 years in the game? Like, as far as business and production and everything like that?
As far as business and production, you know production, producers get hot, they get cold, they get hot again, you know what I’m saying…as far as the business, the business is crazy, when it involves the internet, I love the internet, as far as…when I come out with a record, like I’ma drop a freestyle tonight, and y’all gon’ have it tonight, you know what I’m saying. As far as that goes, I love it, but as far as the download thing, I hate it…so, [with] the difference and changes, you just learn how to deal with it, you know, learn how to adapt with it and learn how to swing the way the swingers swing it, you figgasmell that?
Yea, I dig it, you gotta a site we can get that link on, for the freestyle you’re dropping?
Absolutely, that’s 57thave.com…it’s where you get all the exclusive N.O.R.E., CNN, Capone, Imam Thug…if you wanna get the exclusives from Thugged Out Militainment, that’s where you fo 57thave.com.
It’s definitely be on our site tonight, soon as you drop it.
Okay, okay.
N.O.R.E. – XXL Interview
Um, quick question, and of course, tell me if I’m wrong on this, we heard, and I don’t know if you’ve already done this, that you were going to recreate a Gang Starr classic for 2011, is that true, and if so, could you explain that to us?
Yea, well, I was hanging out with DJ Premier one night, and I was like yo, I always kept Premier–I was always non-selfish when it came to Premier and Premier’s production, I always kept it sacred with CNN, but this time around I wanted to [work with] Premier for my solo, so what happened was we did his radio show, he came downstairs and he came in my car, and I played him most of the tracks that was on my album, and he heard…cause I’m trying to make a whole album full of uptempo…and if it’s not uptempo, it’s still club. So the whole album for the club, I’m trying to make the whole album, so the DJ can play the whole album…pick number 1, pick number 9, pick number 5, pick number 13, pick number 15, and they all bang in the club. So when Premier heard it, he said ‘Man I could do another Dwyck‘, and I said ‘Holy moly guacamole’…
(Laughs)
…so, we’re on a quest right now, me and DJ Premier, we also doing a contest, I believe we’re gonna do that contest with XXL, and we’re gonna see what features should be on Dwyck Part 2, absolutely.
Mobb Deep x Capone x Noreaga x Tragedy Khadafi – LA, LA
Ok…to try to close out on a few more questions, just to speak on Prodigy for a bit, have you…I don’t know if you’ve ever been to visit him or anything, and if so, if you could tell us how he’s doing, and, you know, what’s going on with him, is that okay to talk to you about?
Absolutely, I have not been to go see Prodigy, I’ve always sent my love, I try to reach out to his wife and things of that nature, I speak with Alchemist all the time…but me personally, physically, I have not been able to go and see Prodigy. But a lot of people know I didn’t go see [Capone], but when ‘Pone came home, he came home to a mansion, he came home to a limosine, he came home to a tour bus, he came home to two mink coats, you know, that’s how I do it, you know what I’m saying? I’m a person who did time myself, and I don’t really like going back to jail, you know what I mean?
Yea.
Word, so…when a person comes home, I take care of ’em, that’s just who I am, it’s my human nature, Michael Jackson.
I can fully understand that. Okay, you spoke on Drake and a few others, were there any new and upcoming artists that you are feeling that you might be listening to right now?
Well right now I’m listing to [Shawn Chrystopher], I don’t know if y’all heard of him, he’s a new artist, you know, I put him in the Big Sean, Drake slash Soulja Boy category, does his own beats…and the kid is crazy, he sent me a beat last night, I went in on it, I did it, so you know I’m listening to him, I’m listening to who else, I’m listening to…I’m still listening to Kid CuDi, you know…I be spaced out sometimes, spacely sprockets, you know I’ll go to the moon with Kid CuDi.
Classic.
Who else…that’s about it, man, I’m listening to Drake, listening to Lil’ Wayne still, listening to that Fat Joe album heavy, but you said new artists, I think I’ll hang with artists…
Actually, no–we would love to know what you’re hearing, new, old, classic, you know…I really shouldn’t have said new artists in specific, but we were just trying to see who you were listening to period.
Well right now I’m listening to that Rick Ross album, I’m listening to that Fat Joe album…I’m listening to…I got Bun B album, but I’m ashamed to say I have not listened to it yet–
Aw, man, you gotta definitely check that out brother, most definitely. Great album.
Yep. I’m into everybody, man. Pause.
(Laughs) Aight bet, to be more specific, I don’t know if this is a hard question to ask, but…if you could think of the top track–even if it’s your own music–what’s the number one track that you’re listening to, or what’s your favorite track right now, period?
My favorite, it depends…in the club? Or just…
Overall, in the club, in your car, in your bedroom, period.
In my car, it’s that Drake and Nicki Minaj [called ‘Up All Night’].
Okay, alright.
But in the club, I can’t even front: “I go hard in the motherfuckin’ paint, nigga…” [referring to Waka Flocka Flame’s ‘Hard In The Paint]
N.O.R.E. x Nina Sky x Gem Star x Daddy Yankee x Big Mato – Oye Mi Canto
(Laughs) Ay, we agree with you on that fully. I guess we’re gonna close off with a couple of questions, just to see…me and my brother, personally, we’re big fans of the Reggaeton culture…I didn’t know if we could check with you on if you making, are you planning on going back into that genre at all or are you just going to stick with Hip-Hop at this point?
Naw, I’m definitely just sticking with Hip-Hop, I had a great time with Reggaeton, it was a lot of beautiful things that we saw, lot of beautiful events, a lot of activities, so I got it out my system, you know what I mean, and it’s back to the roots, like the group from Philadelphia, you know what I mean? Back to the roots…and I got something to prove, you know what I’m saying? So I have to prove what I want to prove again, you know…and until then I won’t even think about doing any type of [music].
Aight N.O.R.E. so our last question is…so what’s your vision of N.O.R.E. from here on out, what do you wanna accomplish from 2010 on?
I wanna cater to the grown audience, and well as the young audience, and I wanna find that medium, you know what I’m saying? With the grown audience…I’m about to be 33 on Monday…September 6, 1977, your boy N.O.R.E, I’mma be 33, baby, you know what I’m saying, so…I wanna cater to the people that’s 33, but I also wanna cater to the people that’s 22, to the people that’s 19…my whole goal is to find that medium, you know…where I could have people that’s my age saying, “that boy is bad”, and I could also have the young boys saying, “Slime got his thing together”, you know what I saying? That’s just what it is, I’m just trying to find a medium, know what I mean? That’s why I’m not rushing this album in no way shape or form or fashion…I usually do 5, 6, 7 tracks in a day, I’m a real…I LOVE working….I’m not bogus at all. And…at this time, I’m not rushing the work…I’m sitting back, reflecting, because that’s what’s all on my mind, I just wanna seek that medium, and once I find that medium, these people are in trouble.
Ay N.O.R.E., this isn’t really a question, this is a comment, like, when you said back you wanna make this upcoming album an album you can just play straight through…when you dropped that first solo album, and your second, that’s how I used to listen to your albums…just throw it on, I’d just listen to it straight through, every song was just a BANGER. And I have a question, do you plan on working back with some of your old producers that you worked [with] on your first three albums?
Of course, you know I got Pharrell on here already, already got him…
Oh that’s great.
I’m about to put an APB out on Swizz [Beats] and Alicia Keys, because I can’t find Swizz right now…
(Laughs) I wonder why…
…Can’t close the album without Swizz…but yea, I’m going back to them, I spoke to Scott Storch, me and Scott Storch are getting back together, I come back from Vegas on Tuesday, I’ll be with him on Wednesday, I’ll in the studio with him…so, um…I’m definitely going back to the old producers but I’m definitely not saying no to nobody new, nobody without a name, and all that…I’m open to what’s hot, I’m not open to who got the name, I’m open to what’s hot, hot, it’s more than likely I’ll be giving you a phone call.
Download his latest single, ‘Nutcracker’ – iTunes
