[Interview] Sheek Louch - The Silver Lining [Soundslam.com Interview]

The Silver Lining

Artist: Sheek Louch
Interviewer: RJ Walker

The year is 1998. The radio is filled with the sounds of "All About the Benjamins" feature Puff Daddy, Lil' Kim, and then unknowns The Lox. The Lox were at the top of the rap pyramid right out of the gate. They seemed destined to be the next big thing in rap or a blip on the radar, depending on your perspective. The de facto assumption where that The Lox, Styles P, Jadakiss, and Sheek Louch, were to fill the void vacated by Notorious B.I.G. sudden departure.

Ten years later and the Lox, a by extension, their own silver backed gorilla, Sheek Louch, are a thought of as veterans instead of the upstart newcomers. Neither a supernova nor bomb, Sheek has led an interesting career, as a member of Lox and as a solo artist. He has been a part of the difficulties on the business side of the game with former mentor P-Diddy and been accused of similar sins by his own protege, Jae Hood. He made hit dance songs, but is more comfortable dropping gritty street gems.

Soundslam had the pleasure of talking to Sheek Louch. Much like in his rhymes, Sheek never held back on answering any questions. He seemed to have a comfort label not enjoyed by others in the game. He talked about his new upcoming album, Silver Backed Gorilla, and the plans for D-Block and his homies in The Lox.

Soundslam: I wanted to ask you a little about your place in the game. In rock music you have prestige acts, or acts that are there for their cultural cache or importance. Do you feel like you are there now?

Sheek Louch: I feel like one the greats right now. One of the pioneers, one the best who did it.

Soundslam: Why do you feel you, and by extension The Lox, have not gotten that acclaim?

Sheek Louch: We got that respect in the street and in the industry. In the underground, we got the respect no matter where we are. Now it if you get to where it's financial or as far as it get to making moves, we growing. We're growing a far as publishing and knowing what's going on. You got songs that they're still playing to this day.

Soundslam: You still can't escape "It's All About the Benjamin's" right now?

Sheek Louch: Exactly. Once you get to that part of the game, some artist get in the game and made 58 million. I'm exaggerating of course, but you know what I'm saying.

Soundslam: Do you think that is just an issue with rap, that they don't respect rap as a music?

Sheek Louch: Everyone from white media, to white America, put rap in everything from everything to cereal ads to car ads. They respect it, they no that it's very marketable. They know it gets that money. We just have to look out for our behalf.

Soundslam: What's the name of the new album?

Sheek Louch: Silver Backed Gorilla. They call it the concrete jungle out here and I'm one of the biggest dudes in that jungle.

Soundslam: How did you come up with that name?

Sheek Louch: You watch the nature channel or Geographic, the silver back isn't bothering anyone, he has his kids jumping around him, but mess with him and he going to get you.

Soundslam: What are some of the people you got on the album with you?

Sheek Louch: I got my man Big Bully on the album , an up and coming D-Block artist. Of course, my Lox brother Jada and Styles P. We got a mean Lox joint on there called "Get It Stronger", it's retarded. I got Dipset on the album, Jim Jones and Hell Rell. That's going to shut down everywhere on that straight hardcore. I got my man Bun B on the album, I got The Game, I got DJ Unk from the ATL, and Fat Joe.

Soundslam: Do you think you got all these guest on the album because of the respect you got in the game right now?

Sheek Louch: Yeah, definitely and those was the people that I wanted to work with. But definitely as respect level. All these people, we didn't do no work financially. They didn't ask for a nickel. They came to our studio or we came to theirs and we cleared it down. A lot of these people we speak even when it's not about music.

Soundslam: Who are some of the producers on this joint?

Sheek Louch: My man Buckwild, I got Bennie Idol, Red Spyder, shout out to Red Spyder, he's got my single "Good Love". We got my man Dame Grease, Divine. I always miss a couple of people.

Soundslam: What kind of records sales do you expect from this album?

Sheek Louch: My swagger on this new album, I know what I'm doing is fire. I don't have a joint to get on Hot 97, this music is crisp and has that swagger as far as the productions and the concepts.

Soundslam: This album is being released through Koch. Do you see that as an advantage or a disadvantage?

Sheek Louch: Advantage, advantage big dog. No disrespect to any other majors, but right now it's down on sales. I'm not going into SoundScan and all of that. You got people with million dollar budgets selling one hundred thousand. We got these hard working labels such as Koch with quality artist over there and they're all over one hundred thousand because the streets are loving it. It's crazy when you got all that money behind you and you can't do nothing. I can't blame the majors or the indie, it's hard. That doesn't mean people don't love your music. They not going to the store to buy it when they could get it on a quick download or by LimeWire.

Soundslam: Does this bother you?

Sheek Louch: It bothers me a lot. I wish we could knock all this out, but this has been going on for a long time. I wish it was a little different.

Soundslam: With all the downloading, are you investigating other revenue streams?

Sheek Louch: No, I just keep going for my core audience and the people who are going to support. I keep it in the streets. I trying my hand in movies, I trying open some car washes. I'm just learning man. But I'm still going to keep that music coming and sign new artist. We have a strong relationship with a lot of new artist.

Soundslam: Talking about artist on D-Block, there was a little problem between you and Jae Hood. Could you touch on that situation a little bit, man?

Sheek Louch: A little problem came up with why we didn't put the album out. It was delayed a long time and that was what it was about, rightfully so. It can be frustrating, especially as a young man with your friends in your ear and all that. They go "oh, you would've sold a million records and all that". The way he went about it was cowardly and he's a sucker for that. Honestly, we never argued with Hood, no beef, no tough talk. Then I seen the little video, packing all crazy. He's really trying to see me.

Soundslam: So he put you on front street a little bit?

Sheek Louch: Hell naw, not at all because everything was true. At the beginning, I was like man it has been on it for Hood. Jae Hood know it and every brother around him know it.

Soundslam: You and your cohorts from the Lox have been in beef with G-Unit and others in the industry. How do you feel about these challenges?

Sheek Louch: You ain't hiding if you ain't coming out. I'm not talking about the Hood situation and all that. You got to have room for that. People have always been battling.

Soundslam: Do you feel like people have to challenge you to get to that next level?

Sheek Louch: I think some people make it like that, instead of making great music. I got to talk about someone, I got to do a 50 diss. Every time I go out I have to have someone else's name in my mouth. It's better to start out with a hot joint. But controversy, I guess it sells.

Soundslam: You know what they say, any press is good press.

Sheek Louch: But a lot of these guys in the middle of this controversy they got to show their face. You're going to be seen.

Soundslam: What are the plans for D-Block?

Sheek Louch: The plans are to drop this Silver Back Gorilla album immediately, after that we're coming with D-Block compilation album, No Security. We got a lot of new artists, Big Bully, Don D, PY, AP. We got to support the dudes we're trying to put out. We started to record a new Lox album Lift Up and Celebrate, we going to mash you with that one, finally. I apologize for the wait. We're going to keep it moving.

Soundslam: As far as the Silver Back Gorilla album, what do you want to do as far as record sales.

Sheek Louch: Really, I would love to do a hundred thousand. I more than great with those sales. More than anything, I want the fans to love it.

Soundslam: It seems like you're gone back to the essence of who you are as an artist. Everything seems to be a hard hitting street tale. Are you forgetting about trying to do club songs or does that just not interest you anymore?

Sheek Louch: Naw, I mixed it up. I hit you up with a straight hip hop "Two Turntables and a Mic". One of my favorite joints on there is "Don't Be Him". I'm not dissing anybody, but I'm telling people that we don't need another Sheek Louch, we need you. My single, called "Good Love" is on fire right now. We're bumping right now, the Silver Backed Gorilla.

Soundslam: I was listening to an interview you did on XXL last night. You were talking about ring-tone rap. But you have DJ Unk on the record, who could be considered a ring-tone rapper.

Sheek Louch: I was talking about people who strictly come out with one song, who don't think about a whole album. They just want that one song. What happened to the other 12, 13 songs?

Soundslam: Why do you think kids don't put that much into their craft anymore?

Sheek Louch: Because they're lazy. If B.I.G was here or a lot of other people, motherfuckers would have to be one their A-game. Also, I blame the labels have created the culture of these one lane dudes, we don't care about anything else.

Soundslam: Do you think that kids don't respect the game?

Sheek Louch: Whoever is with them aren't steering them in the right direction. I'll write a dance pop song, get a ring-tone, and I'm good. They respect that other people are listening and judging their actions.

Soundslam: You've been in the game almost ten plus years. Do you think these kids have any concept how to keep a career as long as you have?

Sheek Louch: I know for a fact they don't. They don't plan to have longevity. That's very important. The same people, you check their next song, it's not all that.

Soundslam: How do you think you have stayed relevant in the game so long?

Sheek Louch: On the strength of being out there, touching the people literally. Putting out mixtapes, jumping on songs, going to the radio. It's being seen and being hot. You got to feed the streets and got to feed the people.

Soundslam: Were do you see your career going from here?

Sheek Louch: Putting out so much music I can't think no more. I going to put out a lot of good music and bring out more good artist. This is all we do. I going to look at scripts as we speak.

Sheek Louch: To do them. I don't want them to be afraid to try a different kind of record. Don't be afraid to switch that pattern up.

Soundslam: What do you want your legacy to be?

Sheek Louch: That Sheek was a stand up dude. That he put it down heavy. He never let it down when it came to making good music.