MC Eiht Praises Kendrick Lamar, Recalls DJ Quik's "Clever Line," And Tupac's "Menace II Society" Days

Exclusive: MC Eiht reflects on co-starring with Kendrick Lamar on "m.A.A.d city," his infamous wax war with DJ Quik and how the Hughes brothers plotted to fire Tupac from "Menace II Society."
This statement is not intended to offend fans of A$AP Rocky, but the most impressive Hip Hop release thus far of 2013 arguably belongs, not to an upstart Harlemite with a Southern swagger, but to an O.G. Westside rider with an East Coast-esque technique.
Thanks to relatively unknown Austrian producer Brenk Sinatra’s slinky smooth production, and the aforementioned veteran’s fit-like-a-glove delivery guiding each tantalizing track, MC Eiht’s just-released EP, Keep It Hood, is indisputable proof that 40-plus emcees can indeed compete on the contemporary Rap landscape.
Unlike the too often uninspired relics from the 1990’s who have desperately resurfaced in recent years to starve off irrelevance, MC Eiht has quietly been amassing his credible comeback one hypnotic headnodder at a time. Thanks to his three-part DJ Nik Bean-helmed mixtape series, Allstarz & Strapz, and an accompanying collection of eye-catching videos to showcase he and Brenk’s tag team efforts, Eiht has reemerged with a rejuvenated sense of purpose and passion over the last few years.
But it was without a doubt his surprising cameo on the joint title-track to Kendrick Lamar’s formal debut this past fall that cemented the return of one of South Central’s original street scribes.
Kendrick’s stylistic forefather in many ways, the onetime frontman for the second most successful group to ever emerge from their notorious stomping grounds, Compton’s Most Wanted, too narrated his tales from the hood atop laidback, oftentimes Jazz-tinged, tracks as he smartly navigated complex social issues with ease—while also taking to task the smarmy Sherane’s of his day.
During Eiht’s recent in-depth interview with HipHopDX, he candidly revealed his initial ignorance to the new king of Compton (and subsequent conversion into a K-Dot fan.) The onetime rival of fellow Hub City legend DJ Quik also bluntly divulged to DX his initial response to Quik’s sinister “Dollaz & Sense” diss, and further detailed how the then archenemies’ dangerous war of words on wax spilled into the streets and tragically claimed a life. The co-star of the classic hood-film Menace II Society concluded his history-filled conversation by providing his fondest memory from filming his role in the defining coming of age story for a gangstafied generation. The CEO of his own Blue Stamp Music Group, (and affiliate of the legendary DJ Premier and Preemo’s Year Round Records), additionally revealed how an N.W.A. member nearly nabbed the role that showcased Eiht’s unique personality and vocabulary to the world, how Tupac’s initial role was deliberately sabotaged by the film’s directors, and why Menace is must-see viewing for Eiht’s son.
The Q&A below is a must-read for anyone of any age looking to learn more about the man Kendrick called on to stamp his debut an official piece of West Coast Hip Hop history. Gyeah!
How DJ Premier And Brenk Sinatra Fit In With MC Eiht’s Musical Influences
HipHopDX: “The Reign,” “Where U Goin 2,” “Blue Stamp,” this whole EP is jammin’. Brenk is ill, but you know folks still wanna know what’s up with you and DJ Premier and the Which Way Iz West album.
MC Eiht: Premier’s a busy cat. He’s supposed to have been doing records with everybody. Nas, everybody been wanting Premier to do a collaboration record. It’s not that he doesn’t want to; it’s just that he’s got so much on his plate. So you gotta be one of them patient cats. I been knowing Premier for over 20 years, so the patience is there. Premier is producing four songs on Which Way Iz West. We got one done; a song I did with original Compton’s Most Wanted [members] Chill and Bam. So we got three more songs to do. I’m doing a song with Bumpy Knuckles.
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