bushwick bill interview (issue 1 revisited)

so, we thought it would be fun to post some old interviews from past issue.

Starting it off with bushwick bill in issue one.

this was definitely one of the most fun we have had doing an interview.

1 a.m. downtown houston 2007.

How did you start your rap career?

I started while I was doing youth ministry. I met a minister in Bushwick, Brooklyn and he had an out-reach program for the youth that I got into. I traveled a lot in there, and that took me to see family in Houston. That is where it all fell into place.

So, is that where the name Bushwick Bill came from?
Yeah, I’m originally from Bushwick. Brooklyn.

How did you go from being a youth minister from being a member of the Geto Boys?
I was really dramatic because I was in bible school for four years, came to Houston to visit my sister, then two years later I was a member of the Geto Boys. Because I stayed here a bit longer than I expected, I took a job working as a bus boy at a club. Throughout the night I would start breaking, locking, popping, that type of thing, and this dude Little Jay, kept coming by to check me out. The crowd would clear the floor and watch, so he decided to hire me as the hype man for the Geto Boys. I got on the first album, and by ’89 he said he thought I could rap. I was always in the studio when they were working on the album, and by that time a few guys have already quit the group, so I guess he thought this was a good time. John Vito, who also taught Scarface, said he could teach me, and before you knew it I was Bushwick bill the rapper.

It looks like you took a 360 with your career, focusing more on uplifting messages; what brought this on?
Like I said, when I came here I was in bible school, so I wasn’t a stranger to God, it’s just that when the fame hit, it overwhelmed me. I saw so much fame, so many women, so many drugs; I completely turned away from God.

Do you think you will reach more people with your new message than earlier in your rap career?
Most definitely. If you look at those songs, I was always depressed and never really focused. I never really lived my life for God. I tried to kill myself when the label wouldn’t give me $500. I didn’t understand that when you put out a record, distributors hold that money for a certain amount of time, then they give it to the label, then finally the artist. I didn’t understand any of that, so I figured, what greater love than give your life for your mother. I thought that if I killed myself, that my mom would get the insurance money, but because I was 18 it was up. God spared my life in spite of my ignorance. I didn’t really want to die, we were famous, putting out records and had videos out; I figured, if I couldn’t come up with $500 what was the point of living. Of course, I was drunk of quite a few things, and later found out that the weed I had been smoking had formaldehyde on it. All of that really influenced my thinking. All day I was trying to figure out how to kill myself.

How close were you to death?
They had pronounced me dead until they tagged me. When I came to I was in the morgue being pushed into that drawer thing, when I sat up telling them I had to pee. The mortician and the police officer, who I accidentally peed on as he was running out of the room, were totally tripping out. I wasn’t supposed to be alive. I was pronounced dead on arrival.

I have to admit, that’s pretty intense.
But its real life. Go to Ben Taub, and they will have the story on it.

Do you still keep in touch with the old crew, Rap-a-Lot or the Geto Boys?
I’m not against Rap-a-Lot or the Geto Boys, but I know I don’t want to make any more music disrespecting women, glorifying street violence, or any of that. I’m tired of sending that message, knowing that kids are looking up to me and thinking that’s the way to go. Today’s music is all about cars, jewelry and how many women you can get. I just don’t want to do anything negative. I want to make positive music that actually teaches kids about life.

So, you don’t see any more Geto Boys albums in your future?
If they asked me to do another album, it would have to something like the song, ‘Leanin’ On You,’ like we did on The Foundation album. Songs about God are the only ones I will appear on. Or like ‘The World is a Ghetto,’ it has to be a substantial issue. It can’t just be another song about the hood, glorifying negativity.

Was there anything in particular that changed your views on rap?
It was an ongoing thing, but in one show in Indiana, I saw one kid just get stomped. That made me cry. Music is supposed to be something of love. I remember we were doing, ‘When It Gets Gangsta,’ then the people tried to get gangsta and stomp a kid into the ground. I guess he threw up the wrong sign or something. I just stopped singing and made them turn on the lights. It just so happened to be the promoter’s nephew. I know if I had said anything, he would have died. That would have to be my turning point; I called my publicist and long time friend in tears. I couldn’t understand why no one cared when I tried to stop the show. I don’t want to make any more music that incites those types of feelings.