Dubcnn: What it do I’m here with Fashawn.
Fashawn: We chillin’ out here in Los Angeles. Westside, Wiz Khalifa’s on right now. Deal or No Deal Tour. Just got off tour. Shout out to Brother Ali, Break of Dawn tour in North America. It’s good to be back in the West Coast, believe that.
Dubcnn: First off I want to congratulate you on the XXL placement on the top freshman list on the cover. That’s a big achievement.
Fashawn: It’s very cool man. That’s a very prestigious publication. It’s a big salute from XXL, I was happy when they gave me an XL on my album - that was dope enough for my album. First cover for anything.
Dubcnn: You’re re-releasing the album Boy Meets World with some extras right?
Fashawn: Yeah there’s actually a DVD is over an hour long. It’s just me performing at my album release party in my hometown. It’s incredible. It’s the biggest show I’ve ever done. The whole city came out for my show. It’s dope I just performed records off my album. I also had a camera dude following me the week my album dropped - I was on tour with Ghostface. The week was incredible I just turned 21 the week my album dropped, just footage of me on my birthday hanging out. It’s just a deeper look into my life.
Dubcnn: A lot of big milestones happening at once in your life. How was it like to drop your album, go on tour with some really big artists, see the world, and just do a bunch of really cool stuff and only be 21.
Fashawn: All that stuff is amazing. I don’t know I still have so much more stuff I want to do. I’m barely getting started. Maybe someday I’ll be “wow” but not now. It’s crunch time and I’m grinding. Grizzly City 3 coming, Ode to Illmatic coming, Ecology 3 coming. I’m focused. I still got another half of the world I gotta see; food I’ve never ate.
Dubcnn: Tell us about this tour with Wiz. You guys are really puttin’ it down. Two independent artists, no major label and you have this house packed. Lots of fans.
Fashawn: I think that alone says a lot. No major label. Two independent young cats who built a foundation from the ground up. I really got a lot of respect for wiz Khalifa. He’s not that much older than me, he’s 22. He’s a cool cat, real fun. This is one of the funnest tours I’ve ever been on. Independent rap.
Dubcnn: What cities have you hit so far and what are you hitting after LA?
Fashawn: This is my second date. We was in Pomona last night. We in Los Angeles tonight. I think were headed to San Diego tomorrow night. We’re hitting all the Sans - Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo. The West Coast. I’m done with this tour on the 15th. It shall be interesting.
Dubcnn: Last time we talked to you, you talked about how you were getting some props from some big people in the industry- big producers, big artists. The list is huge – Large Professor, Alchemist, Planet Asia, so many dudes. Have you seen more people gravitate towards your music after that XXL cover? Getting more exposure?
Fashawn: Yeah I find myself signing more autographs now. Kids recognize me, now don’t know One Shot One Kill or what The Antidote is, they just know the cover. Especially in my hometown. Because everyone reads XXL, as far as the hip-hop community. It’s helped a lot, as far as putting a face to my legend and this legacy I’m leaving. It’s great.
Dubcnn: So tell us what you got cookin’ in the oven. What are you doing to make the legend bigger?
Fashawn: Ode to Illmatic, it’s me paying homage to one of my favorite artists, one that I tend to get compared to a lot, Nasir. Ode to Illmatic is a free mixtape I’m putting out there, something that I was working on. I really take it seriously and can’t wait to put it out there. Grizzly City 3 – the trilogy to my previous mixtapes that I started with. I started with, Grizzly City 1 back in ‘06, put out part two. Actually did some songs from part 2 tonight Grizzly City 3 is coming. The Ecology, executive produced by DJ Khalil – some of the illest in the game. I’m reaching out to Black Milk, Exile of course, Alchemist (smiling). I’m just excited to get started on that project. As soon as I get back from tour, I’m in the studio working on that project. I can’t wait. 2010 is already busy as fuck.
Dubcnn: Talk about some music. You talk about Nas, obviously a big influence of yours. What kind of albums are you looking out for that are about to drop? I know he has that Distant Relatives coming out and some other stuff. What are you looking for as a fan of hip-hop?
Fashawn: I’m looking for Guilty Simpson’s project, that’s dope. The next Lupe Fiasco project. Carter 4, that’s gonna be great for hip-hop. I wish Tupac would be resurrected, that would be great, l bet he probably has some stuff coming out. I’m waiting for Nipsey Hussle’s album to drop, South Central State of Mind. Waiting for all this good music to come, I can’t wait for it to come. Wiz Khalifa’s album is dope Kush and Orange Juice, I have that, it’s dope.
Dubcnn: Before we sign off, tell us where we can find your latest stuff online.
Fashawn: You can find my stuff on any given blog. You can find my stuff on Dubcnn of course. If you’re not on Dubcnn upgrade your life. You know my site fashawn.net. Or you can go to the store and buy some. Until then free mixtapes, I’m not gonna do you like that. Type me up, I’ll be there for your ipods, your ears and your speakers.
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Related Media & Links
Fashawn - Album Release Show (Video)
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Fashawn // Exclusive Video Interview // Dubcnn
Press Play to stream footage (Fast Connections Recommended)
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