Boosie Badazz: 'I Just Want People to Respect Me As A Legend'
On April 22nd, Boosie Badazz revealed the tracklist to his upcoming sixth studio album Touchdown 2 Cause Hell. Boosie has been working hard to recapture the spotlight of his formidable years, even when his hardcore fans supported him every step of the way.The follow-up to two official mixtapes—2014’s Life After Deathrow and his Bad Azz Music Syndicate mixtape Every Ghetto, Every City Vol. 1—is one of the many anticipated albums in 2015. Nearly five years since his last LP Incarcerated, Boosie is ready to tell his comeback story to the whole world.
While the album officially drops on May 26th, the Trill Fam leader invited a selected group of journalists, bloggers, and industry insiders last night for a listening session at Atlantic Records. He revealed a five-part documentary series on his musical journey after prison coming out on WorldStarHipHop next week, where he previewed the first episode to an excited audience. Then, he went through selected songs in random order, explaining the meaning behind them and what the listener will experience.
Our favorites:
“Windows of My Eyes” – A song he wrote in prison. It’s what you see in his eyes.
“Mr. Miyagi” – Boosie’s music also serves as a learning tool. “My music, you learn from it,” he said. “You a real fan, you learn from what I’m telling you. I’m a teacher.” The hook—which has Boosie screaming “Mr. Miyagai with this real shit!” over bombastic production—is a hard record with immense energy.
“Hip Hop Hooray” – He’s not a fan of the rap game’s antics today. And he’s calling it out.
“Black Heaven” feat. Keyshia Cole – This song was inspired by ‘Pac’s “Thug Mansion.” It lists many of the powerful black figures and musicians who have passed away. Boosie sings that they are looking down at us in heaven.
“I’m Sorry” – It’s a confessional song that finds him apologizing to his mother. He admits that its the best song that reflects his time after prison.
Touchdown 2 Cause Hell sounds like vintage Boosie: unapologetically gangster music with no fear. We spoke to Boosie about how his album stacks up against the competition, his reasons for pushing the release date to next month, and how recording with Young Thug got him on his bonus track “On Deck.”
BET.com: What do you want fans to get out of this album?
Boosie Badazz: I just want people to respect me as an legend off this album. I want people who might just got on me when they heard ‘Free Boosie’ to go buy this album and see why people were saying ‘Free Boosie.’ I want people to listen to the whole album and really comment on what you think is a good album. I just want people to buy it. I want people to buy it, and the music is gonna do everything for me. I guaranteed you won’t have to fast-forward any song.
How do you feel it will line up with other competition?
I feel like it’ll line up with other competition in its own category because my music is not like those other people. They wouldn’t be looking at it [like competition]. They be like, ‘I’m on that Boosie. Period.’ They wouldn’t be looking at it as competition because it’s not talking about the same thing.
Do you feel anyone is in your lane right now?
Nah, I feel like nobody in my lane because sh** because I’m still booked four-five days a week. When people in your way, you not booked like that. If promoters steady packing venues, I’ma stay booked. I leave tomorrow for eight shows in a row, eight nights in a row. Eight shows, four afterparties. That’s a blessing, man.
The album got pushed from July to September. Then December to May of this year. Was it your decision to push it back?
Nah, I been have my album turned in. The music is the easy part. The business is the hard part. When you are dealing with producers, trying to track them down. Other people might say, ‘Oh, it was a swap.’ And when you back and the lawyers saying this and that. Business plays a lot of part in this. The music is the easy part. Now, I see as me being the first time in this position how the business is crazy.
You promised Touchdown 2 Cause Hell was going to be the best double-disc album since ‘Pac’s All Eyez On Me. Are we ever going to get the second part?
I got a surprise for you. iTunes got five extra songs. Five-six extra songs. So really, you gotta buy both of them because it is a double-disc. I had to give them something extra. I gave you the 17-18, plus the extra six. Damn, 23. Nobody is doing that.
You recorded a song recently with Young Thug called “Can’t Tell” off Barter 6. What do you think of Thug?
That’s my boy. Young Thug making hits! You know I gotta [have] one with Young Thug. He a street dude. I’m with anybody trying to blow. That was just me being in Atlanta passing by the studio. Him and T.I. in the studio. ‘Ni**a, let me get on that track! That motherf**ker riding!’ That’s how it is in Atlanta. It’s a big music scene. I was happy I got on it. He’s on my album too.
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(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for BET)
