BIG NOYD RETURNS WITH “ILLUSTRIOUS” NEW ALBUM
By Khalid Strickland a.k.a. Dirty Angel
Don’t avoid the Noyd…
Although he’s a seasoned veteran in the hip-hop game, rapper Big Noyd is just as driven now as he was when he debuted on Mobb Deep’s classic album, “The Infamous”, in 1995 (actually, he was also on their very first LP, “Juvenille Hell”, in ’93. But “Infamous” was Mobb’s true breakout album). Noyd’s memorable verse on the song “Give Up The Goods” catapulted the Queensbridge rapper into stardom and earned him his first solo record deal. He would go on to release three well-received solo albums and contribute verses to all but one of Mobb Deep’s LPs. Noyd’s latest album, “Illustrious”, is in stores right now, courtesy of Koch Records. The album is executive-produced by Lil’ Fame (of everyone’s favorite Brownsville duo, M.O.P.) and features fierce lyricist Joell Ortiz, R&B siren Kira and reggae artist Serani.
Being that I’m a lover of hardcore, street-saturated lyrics and brass-knuckled beats, I really enjoyed “Illustrious”. Lil’ Fame, who also goes by the moniker Fizzy Womack, shows versatility throughout the four tracks he produced for the album. From the laid-back, bass-heavy “Things Done Changed” to the kinetic, smack-you-in-the-face beat on “Back Up In This B***h”, Fame’s full repertoire is on display. You can tell Fizzy paid close attention to DJ Premier during their many studio sessions. Other producers on “Illustrious” include Ric Rude, Street Radio and Prince & Machavelli.
I hooked up with Big Noyd at Koch Records and kicked it with him about his latest project, Mobb Deep’s G-Unit affiliation and his thoughts on the current state of hip-hop music.
Dirty Angel: You’ve been in the game for some time now. You’ve got a lot of memorable verses on a lot of memorable albums. What’s “Illustrious” going to add to the Big Noyd catalog?
Big Noyd: This one right here is pretty new because I was working with Fame from M.O.P., so that alone… just the production alone… is out of my element. It’s not the Mobb Deep sound; the Queensbridge sound. I mean, it’s still that gritty, struggle hip-hop, but just that alone… it’s a different sound. And working with Fame is good ‘cause it’s just a lot of energy. I knew him for a while, but I never really did music with him. So I got to know him as a person and he’s a cool dude, so that’s one of the basic different things from my last LP.
Angel: What do you hope to accomplish with “Illustrious”, whether that’s finally, artistically or whatever?
Noyd: Well, definitely artistically… because like I said, it’s a different sound. So this way I can carry on for at least another two albums before I start working with other artists. Hopefully this will make enough noise to carry me to be able to put out an artist in the next year and a half or something like that. This way, they appreciate this music and see where I’m going with it for the future.
Angel: So why’d you choose to work with Lil’ Fame? How’d that collaboration come about?
Noyd: Actually, Koch got a studio… actually, Bob Perry… in Brooklyn. And I did one song with (Fame). It came out so hot it was like, “Yo, let’s do a couple of more joints”. Then before you know it, we was like eight songs in already. So it actually just happened.
Angel: Hop-hop fans tend to have short-term memories at times. Do you feel a need to re-introduce yourself to the audience out there now?
Noyd: Even if I didn’t have to, I want to ‘cause it’s a different sound; it’s a different Noyd from the first time I came out with some music. I’m a little older now. So I want to come out like a brand new artist in a sense. I know the industry, they know me, but the fans done changed by now from them hits I’ve been on; the stuff I did with Mobb Deep, the stuff I did with 50 (Cent) before he even blew up. They probably don’t even know I was on them songs… the people that listen to 105 (FM) or BET; they probably wouldn’t even recognize me from that, so… it’s kind of cool to come out as a new artist. I got the insight in the industry as being in the game for a while. But as far as the fans, a lot of them don’t even know who I am at this point.
Angel: Since your career began, technology changed. The way people listen to their music, the way people get their music is different than before. There’s an even wider audience around the world. Are there any differences as to how you approach making an album now, as opposed to how you used to make them when your career began?
Noyd: Not really, man. ‘Cause all I do is eat (and) sleep rap. You know what I mean? Like, when I’m not even working on an album I’m in the studio. So basically I just hear a new beat, hear something I like… the best part is working with producers even they’re known or not known, just the sound alone. Basically for me making an album is all the same. I just get up, do like 30 songs, pick the best 15 out of them 30… put some skits together.
Angel: You’ve got a lot of memorable verses and my favorite in particular is the one “Streets Raised Me” on (Mobb Deep’s) Murda Muzik. “This is something you feel, n***a, like the theme song from ‘ Hill Street Blues’ / This is real, this is ill street news…” What was poppin’ off with you at the time, man? What inspired you to lay that verse down because that s**t was tough.
Noyd: A lot of people from the hood thought I was talking about Havoc’s brother because at that time he committed suicide, and he had a little sister that he left behind. But it was some of that in there, but it wasn’t particularly about him. It’s just that was what was going on at the time. If you listen to that album, that album’s kind of dark. ‘Cause there was a lot of stuff going on with Havoc’s brother and stuff like that, but that’s just what I was feeling at the time. It wasn’t nothing particular, but that was just the vibe at the time.
Angel: Did Mobb Deep’s G-Unit affiliation trickle down to you in any way? Did the affiliation with G-Unit ever help you or did it not affect you at all?
Noyd: Nah, it ain’t affect me at all. I got a lot of people who hit me up on the MySpace and the web, like, “Why you not on (Mobb Deep’s G-Unit produced album) Blood Money” and this kind of thing. But a lot of people don’t know that even before they got with G-Unit, Mobb Deep was in a situation (where) they was kind of hurtin’. They put out an album with Jive, I believe, that didn’t do well. Everybody was standing on their own two at that time; Everybody doing what they got to do to eat, feed they family and deal. When we was able to come back to the table, we do what we got to do. So, that’s where we at now, you know what I mean? I didn’t make the G-Unit album because I was out doing certain things. And plus, 50’s a businessman. I guess he looks at it like, “Why put Noyd on this album that may go platinum, he’s not signed to G-Unit. Yeah, he gets on this verse blowin’ up on a Mobb Deep song, here he go getting a situation somewhere else on the strength of G-Unit. He’s not signing no papers”. Which I respect… its business. But I didn’t take nothing personal, like… Mobb Deep is family before rap; ain’t got nothing to do with rap. We used to share the same crib for five years. His mother and my mother is family. So the fans may look at it like, “Why you not on Blood Money”, but our relationship goes way further than that, so it’s nothing.
Angel: Speaking of Mobb Deep, Prodigy’s going to be serving his 3 & ½ year bid (for gun possession) soon. You’ve paid debts to society in your lifetime as well. Do you think there’s any way Prodigy could work this bid to his advantage?
Noyd: Yeah, definitely, man. Because first of all, his health; he’s not going to be in the street running around drinking, doing a lot of smoking and stuff that he’s usually doing. You know, getting the proper rest that he’s going to be able to get. Just hopefully, man, knowledge wise… just picking up some more books than he probably would do being in the streets. Getting more knowledge and coming out a better man hopefully. It’s easier said than done ‘cause once you get in there, there’s no telling what could happen. It’s a whole ‘nother world in there, you know what I mean? But, there is a chance where he could not get in with the crowd that don’t got nothing to live for. Even though he’ll be in there for a minute, but I still believe his career as an artist…. He’s still got a chance to do his thing. Like you said, he’s been in the game for a minute and he’s a legend almost, already. So, I think he can use it to his advantage, come out and write a lot more rhymes. He might have the tracks, the beats and stuff like that, but he still got music. He still can send some kind of music to the streets, so hopefully he can use that time to better himself.
Angel: So will you do more acting in the future? We saw you play the lead in “Murda Muzik: The Movie”. Is that a passion of yours as well?
Noyd: Hopefully, I enjoyed it a lot, making the “Murda Muzik” movie. That’s the first script I ever really did. It was really easy for me ‘cause it was close to home. If I was to do something I’d like to do something out of my element, like playing a crackhead (laughs)… something that’s completely not me, you know? Just to see if I’m capable of doing it, show the skills. Hopefully something will present itself.
Angel: As an artist who’s been in the game as long as you have, are you satisfied with the way things are going in the hip-hop industry… business-wise and artistically?
Noyd: You know what, man? A lot of people (saying) hip-hop’s dead and all that, man, but I don’t knock what’s going on now. It’s just a different element at this point with rap, know what I mean? A lot of songs come out now, you hear it, you got to dance to it. That’s not me, but I enjoy it too. You’re not going to catch me doing it as an artist, but when I go to the clubs I enjoy that music. It’s all good, you know what I mean? I got a daughter that’s nine, she likes music that’s on radio and that makes me like it. So it’s all good, I don’t mind, man. As long as we can keep it real, it won’t be like disco at one point, when rap is just completely over. Hopefully that will never happen. If there’s something that we’re doing wrong now, that it might become that, hopefully we can change that now ‘cause rap needs to stay around forever. ‘Cause it’s more than just music, it’s hip-hop, you know what I mean? It’s graffiti, it’s a style of clothes, it’s a style of life… being. So hopefully it’ll only get better.
Angel: At the very end, when all is said and done; whenever you decide to hang up your mic and people look back at your extensive catalog, what do you want people to say about Big Noyd?
Noyd: Hopefully, it goes on beyond being an artist. I’ll be able to turn into a businessman. Not only that he rapped, he had ill verses, he’s a cool person. And one of the things that I shine more… I don’t suck as a lyricist, don’t get it twisted. But my element is more performing on-stage, that’s what I bring to the table of hip-hop. Like, I’m a performer more than anything. So hopefully people respect the shows when they come out; I give good energy. And then (they’ll) like the music but hopefully they’ll see me grow from just, “He came all the way from the hood in Queensbridge and made something out of nothing. He became an artist to this entrepreneur” and get it poppin’. Hopefully I can get another artist and give back and just keep it going.
For music & info on Big Noyd visit www.myspace.com/therealbignoyd.
For more stories & work by Dirty angel visit www.supremearsenal.com and www.myspace.com/blackpacino.
