By Samantha Luck for JukeBOX.Chicago’s own G.L.C. made it on two of Kanye West’s Grammy-award winning albums, The College Dropout and Late Registration, with verses on “Spaceship†and “Drive Slow,†respectively. He could’ve called it quits after such a feat. But that wouldn’t be the headstrong, determined G.L.C. we’ve grown to know. Rather he’s using his past accomplishments and detriments to fuel his future and showing us who G.L.C., the rapper and businessman, really is.
JukeBOX.: Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what got into Hip Hop music.
What does G.L.C. stand for? What’s behind that name?
Man, G.L.C. stands for Gangsta Legendary Crisis. It’s basically a reflection of my life. You know. Eight months I learned to walk, couple days after I learned how to walk, my dad died of a heart attack. He was gone. Then at the age of 12, I lost my momma to cancer, then at 14, I died and came back. Diagnosed with diabetes, they lost me for a few seconds. They resuscitated me and I was back. Then throughout my teenage years, I was in a street organization from my childhood through my teenage years. I was often being a pallbearer during my teenage years. Then I messed around and lost my house in a fire, caught a case, going through a lot things that really could’ve had a guy in a detrimental situation. Could’ve had you in bad shape, but at the end of the day, I persevered through it and therefore I became legendary. And I’ve been a gangsta through the street organization that I was apart of, Growth and Development, which has been led by a great man by the name of Larry Hoover. And man, I am the manifestation of “do not become a product of your environment but instead make your environment a product of you.†That’s what my name means. Chu’ch.
Wow. Let me take a minute to reel that in. That’s great, brother. Stamp on that.
Yessir. I have no dispute with that whatsoever. If you can tell us, what artists did you grow up listening to that may have led you to create the music that you‘re creating now?
My style is influenced by 8Ball & MJG. It’s influenced by UGK. It’s influenced by OutKast. It’s influenced by Scarface, Spice 1, Mc Eiht, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, all the greats. All the greats that came before me. Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T in his prime. You know. It was like some really bad guys. Sir Mix-A-Lot talking that pimpin’, Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, Twista, Psychodrama. It’s a lot of people that I grew up embracing and at the end of the day, I would pretty much say that their music played a bit part in raising me so I was definitely gonna be influenced by them.
　
I’m glad you said Psychodrama. People who really listen to the music from your area know who they are. That’s a talented group of artists that I always listened to myself, so that’s cool to hear you say that. Could you tell us, how did you and Kanye meet? Did ya’ll meet later on or did you know each other your entire lives?
We’ve known each other for quite some time. We met through a mutual friend [in grammar school]. Even in grammar school, Kanye was making beats. I was back then trying to get on as a rapper. I didn’t have no direction, but at the end of the day, I met a guy who had some cold ass beats and his name was Kanye West. We got together. Everything came out fresh.
Can you tell us about the World Record Holders that we saw? There was an album that came out. I don’t know if you can tell us how that came to fruition? And if ya’ll might get together and do something in the future?
At the end of the day, man, who knows. Ain’t no telling. The World Record Holders was young men and young women with dreams and wanting to be something. We all aspired to be great. Young kids with a vision and a little bit of talent and we put it to work. We built us a buzz in the city and it got us pretty far. In the city, it’s only so far that you can go. There’s a whole lot of room to grow.
What upcoming projects do you have and when can we expect that album or maybe a mixtape so we can get more of your music?
I got a new project that just came out with DJ Fierce out of Chicago. He’s a heavy hitter and he’s one the all-time greats out of the Midwest. The name of the mixtape is Respect My Come Up. Vol. 2. The Ism. It’s all over the Internet, you can find it on my website, GLCity.com. I’m also on Bun B’s album Trill O. G. I’m on the deluxe edition. I’m also on the Outlawz album, the great group that performed alongside the late great Tupac Shakur. I’m also on KiD CuDi’s new album, Man on the Moon 2. Due out October 26.…I got about 7 features on different people’s projects. Man, it’s been a beautiful thing, man.
You did a song with Shawn [Chrystopher] called “I’m Good.†How did that song come about?
I met Shawn in Southwest. I saw [him] perform and he did pretty good. I was like let me gon’ head and manifest with this playa so we can gon’ head and win.
When can we expect to see you performing in D.C.?
Ahhh, man. You’ll see me in D.C. as soon as I’m booked. As soon as somebody says, “Yo, we need G.L.C.†They book me and they get me there. I’ma come there and manifest even if I gotta drive. I just left D.C. I had a great time there too. I went to the Commonwealth and they showed a playa great love. My man Judah’s from D.C. I just did a record with him. He’s one of the [Grey Goose] Rising Icons.
Yeah. We’re friends with him as well. That’s a talented producer. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve done with him.
Ahh man, that’s a reputable dude. He’s a great guy, man of honor. My man Shawn Beezy in D.C., he showed me great love when I came out there, and the first track on my new mixtape that I just mentioned is produced by a young kid from D.C. by the name of Adam, he got a last name that starts with a B, but it’s crazy and I can’t pronounce it real good.
We wanted to know if we could get a take on what you think about the whole thing between Wale and CuDi. We know they were good friends. And we love both artists. Just hoping that that could get resolved soon. We don’t know if you could speak on it.
At the end of the day, man, I’m a grown ass man and I don’t do no rap beef shit. If you gonna clown on a nigga, you not gonna put it on a record for real. I know CuDi’s my friend and he’s a great guy. I don’t know Wale. I met him before and he seems like he’s a nice guy. At the end of the day, it’s Hip Hop and in Hip Hop, you’re gonna have rap battling and things of that nature, that’s part of the culture. That’s what it is. I don’t see it escalating to anything more than that. The first time I heard about that I was in D.C., and a guy named A Plus told me about it and I hadn’t heard about it. Then I just forgot. But, it’s minor, man…I come from the streets of Chicago and in the streets of Chicago, if you got a beef with a motherfucker, you don’t go public.
I can agree with that.
Through the grace of God, man, I’m excited, brother. I just did a deal with EMI. It’s a deal that ain’t never been done in history. It’s a distribution deal with an artist that’s never put out an album before. No sales history. I got my own company, Get It Man Entertainment and I’m distributed by EMI. I’m on the road right now, going from city to city spreading this Love, Life & Loyalty. That’s name of my album. Don’t get it for me, get it for yourself. Chu’ch.
And congratulations on that deal.
Out of all the new artists that Kanye signed, who are you looking forward to working with the most?
Just to let you all know, since 2006 I haven’t been signed to Kanye. Kanye is my friend. That’s my brother. He’s my ally. I am not signed to Kanye’s company. I’m signed to my own company, Get It Man Entertainment. But G.O.O.D. Music is my family so at the end of the day, I just gotta say that I believe the moves that Kanye made are going to be great for his company. I think that he’s making a great business decision and they’re gonna win. I’ve always been a fan of Pusha T. I always thought he was super cold. And so through the grace of God, man, who knows we may go ahead and grow and develop together.
GLC x Kanye West – Big Screen
Good talent always comes together at the end of the day.
Yessir. I was just fortunate enough to not have to be in a position where I would have to sign an artist deal just due to the fact of me learning the game from Kanye and seeing how he moved, how he developed his company. He put his first album out and then he was given a distribution deal through his label, through Sony. I haven’t put out an album yet and I was given a distribution deal from my label before I put an album out ‘cause I learned a lot from him.
