Although he has had his hand in many projects -- he is one third of BLKHRTS, a Jewell Tyme affiliate, and manages his own several solo projects -- Fuck F.O.E. has been a long time coming. Originally recorded and finished last summer, the original joint is finally here, mixed by DJ Ear Attent, as well as a remixed version by Qknox.
In honor of the release party this evening at Shag Lounge, today, Friday, Februrary 18, has been declared National Fuck FOE Friday. We caught up with FOE today right after he (true story) "choked a nigga out in the backyard," as he put it, to discuss the bevy of DJ changes and challenges -- all of which equate to one jurassic "Fuck FOE!" he says -- and to find out why the sound of everybody saying "Fuck FOE!" is music to his ears.
Westword: What's the story behind the original concept of Fuck FOE?
FOE: The concept behind the original shit is that I really wanted to do some club shit because I'm not really a club type nigga, but I wanted to try it. You talk to DJs and shit, and the first thing they tell you is they're not gonna play your shit if it's not a club record. I'm not a club record type of maker, but I think I can make club records because I think I can do anything. I wanted to do a club mixtape type shit, where most of the beats were geared toward club shit. Something I could have Ktone or KDJ or Top Shelf, more of the urban deejays to play and shit.
But that's not what happened. I have been done with this project since last year in July. It was finished last July, and it was given to Sinafold around that time, and I don't really know what the fuck happened. I'll just take it as it was a "Fuck FOE!" moment, but basically I never got shit from him. Nothing ever came of it, and it was already September and there was nothing, and I hadn't gotten anything. It was an unfortunate "Fuck FOE!"
Sinafold was supposed to mix it?
Yes, and more. When I initially did the album, I even did parts of songs that had his name in it. I had talked to him, and it was formulated around that nigga.
Did you have to change those parts?
We just didn't use them. That's why it's good to always have a capellas because you don't always need to use everything. It was kind of fucked up. I was sitting on a whole album, so I had talked to Qknox, and I had been on Twitter saying I had a capellas if anybody wants them. He said he'd take the whole album.
I sent it to him that night, and this motherfucker, within two weeks, came back with a whole new different sounding album. It sounded nothing like Fuck FOE, and it was beautiful. Qknox is a fucking beast. There were songs from Fuck FOE that I was releasing, like a new song daily. I was stuck with the project, and I had asked DJs, and in my opinion -- this may not be the truth -- but, in my opinion, DJs don't fuck with me.
I'm not complaining. I don't have a problem with it, and we're gonna continue making music, but it was hard to find a DJ to say, "I'll do it." Even after Sinafold had fucked me over, I was still waiting, and I had put it out there, and nobody was hitting me up. I hit up Top Shelf, and KDJ, and Ktone, and Chonz, and Bedz, and you name it. I hit them motherfuckers up. I hit up everybody for it.
Whether they didn't get the message or time was an issue -- but like I couldn't get a deejay to fuck with it, and finally Ear Attent said, 'Fuck it. I'll mix it for you.' He was my saving grace, because the DJs wouldn't fuck with it. I don't know if it was the title, or my shit talking. It could have been a lot of timing issues. It was kind of like I was asking them at the spur of the moment type shit. It could be whatever it was, but I didn't get a response back from any of the DJs I hit up. I know I just named a couple, but I hit up way more than just them.
Is that how you feel? Like that's the premise for Fuck FOE?
Really a lot of the way I came up with Fuck FOE is because a lot of niggas say it under their breath, so I figured I'd say it, and I might as well say "fuck FOE" first and start that trend and make it easier for them. Niggas be afraid to say what they want to say, so now they can say "fuck FOE!" and say it like they're joking but they're really meaning it. I'm giving these niggas an out so they can feel comfortable with saying "fuck" me.
And what about It Sucks to Be You?
I feel like this album is on some totally different shit. He took Fuck FOE and made it into a phenomenal album. Why I say "it sucks to be you" is because he hasn't done that shit to their album. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the first niggas he's done this shit for. It's gonna pick up because he's a beast. I'm sure he's gonna remix everybody's album in Colorado, but right now, it sucks to be them because it's only me.
What are you going to do for "National Fuck FOE Friday"?
I'm gonna try and do an all day campaign, maybe with free T-shirts and goodie bags and CDs before the party. We had a little venue change, but it's cool. The party is at Shag Lounge now. I just wanna have a party. A good old party vibe and just listen to music. I don't want people to feel like they have to watch a live show. I just want people to come and have some drinks and have a good time.
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