Big Noyd Big Noyd has made his impact in the hip-hop world today through his street lyrics, stage performances, and most recently, acting. Down with Mobb Deep since the giddy-up, this Queens native is no stranger to realness. Go get his new album “On The Grind” and check out this exclusive WHO?MAG article…
Interview by Rob Schwartz
WHO?MAG: You’ve been down with Mobb Deep since the jump. How have they influenced your style? Big Noyd: We come from everyday chilling. One night we might be on the corner drunk or weeded up and someone might say something crazy and it will become a new word. And for our style, like we influence each other.
WHO?MAG: Tell me a little something about your involvement with the Murda Musik movie. Big Noyd: I played a big role. It’s really based on me. It was written and produced by Prodigy. It’s about real events even though it’s a fictional movie. It’s stuff that really happens, but we just put our own twist on it. I play the star role. My name is Fresh in the movie. It’s basically about guys coming up in the ghetto trying to rap, but everything that’s good ain’t gold. It’s like he’d start rhyming and it’s all love but all the jealousy and drama that goes on in the hood before he got his record deal. Now he’s trying to get out the game like Al Pacino, but the game keeps pulling him back in. Basically it’s me trying to get out the ghetto, but everyone’s still pulling me in. Basically, it shows you what it’s like being a rapper. It’s the first movie ever shot in Queensbridge also.
WHO?MAG: Do we sense an acting career in the near future? Big Noyd: Hopefully, I got the management looking out and trying to get me anything that comes my way, if it’s either independent films, major films, or whatever. I definitely like acting. I like learning about camera angles and what goes on behind the scenes of making movies. When I watch movies now, I look at them in a whole other perspective, since I know more about the behind-the-scenes stuff now.
WHO?MAG: Recently you will be touring nationwide for your album release. What kind of preparation do you do before you perform? Big Noyd: I’ve been doing this for a while, so it’s really easy for me. I think that’s what I bring to the table as a rapper . Some rappers are hardcore lyricists and some producers make beats and they can rhyme. With me, I’m a performer. When I get on stage, I’m a whole new person. I consider myself the Busta Rhymes of a group because I bring a lot of energy to the stage. When I began touring with Mobb Deep, energy was one thing that I definitely bring to the table. In fact, they didn’t like doing shows without me because of my energy. I can rock a crowd easily.
WHO?MAG: “On The Grind” has some stellar production by Havoc and Ric Rude. Do you plan on getting into your own production in the future? Big Noyd: Definitely. I actually co-produced one of the tracks, so I’m definitely looking into having artist of my own because we’re doing this on our own. We got distribution straight from Caroline, ain’t no Koch or anyone like that backing us. We got straight one-on-one with the distribution company.
WHO?MAG: How does an upcoming artist go about getting a record deal? Big Noyd: Right now I am on Monopolee Records which is my label. They put up the money, so we’re partners. Basically, from experience, I never went looking for a record deal. I don’t consider myself a rapper, but a hustler. I never made a demo or shopped my music. I was signed to Tommy Boy and that was based off of performing. I did a show with Mobb Deep along with Total and Faith Evans and killed it. The A&R from Tommy Boy saw me perform on a Saturday and that Tuesday, I was meeting with the people from Tommy Boy. Now that I am doing my own independent thing, I am not looking for a record deal. I’m just looking for a census. But anyone with a demo looking for a deal should hit anyone from an intern to a CEO and keep pushing to someone who can listen to your shit. Also get a good lawyer because they can usually get your stuff straight to a CEO of a company.
WHO?MAG: How long did it take you to record your latest album? Big Noyd: This one was pretty quick. It was about four months, maybe a little less or a little more. Only because there were a few songs that I wanted to use that I couldn’t get clearance for from Mobb Deep. When I finally got the clearance, it was too late to use on my last album, so I used it for this album. So a couple of songs on this album were already done. Plus I work a lot. Even when I am not making an album, I’m always working. Like most people get up in the morning and play basketball or go to work, I get up and go to the studio everyday. This is why it doesn’t take me long to write and put a project together.
WHO?MAG: You have a reputation of having some of the most realist lyrics out there. What influences you to write? Big Noyd: The thing is people in the street come up to me and are like “are you Noyd” because I never really had a video out . I consider this to be my first album out because during the first one with Tommy Boy, I had trouble with the law. By the time I got home, they got sued and went under. This one I am doing on my own. It’s me really putting all the music together and promoting. First I am a fan of hip-hop, so I know what people want to hear because I know what I want to hear.
WHO?MAG: What does the future hold for Big Noyd? Big Noyd: I’m taking the world by storm. I’m taking my label off the ground with my new album which is “On the Grind” which dropped January 25. I am probably going to drop another album with one of my artist real soon and make a buzz and try to make my company the next Koch.
