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Warlocc: Whut up Duke, please do a quick introduction for those who don't know you yet.
Duke: This is Duke from The Darkroom Familia. The hardest, most realest fucking Latinos in the world.
Tell us about your label, who's on it?
Our label is full of Latinos from all over Northern Cali. Oakland, Stockton, Tracy, Hayward, and many more cities. Our most famous rappers include: Duke, Sir Dyno, Crooked, Oso, K.I.D., Young D, Unknown, Young G, Dub and many more.
Let's talk about the Darkroom Familia. Who founded it and when?
Darkroom Familia was founded by Crooked, Dyno and me. We put out our first shit in '88, when we were 16 year old kids, now we're in our early 30's. We're Veteranos of the streets and of the rap business. We've met many artists from the Bay Area and toured with many artists too. We have worked with Too Short, E-40, The Luniz, JT The Bigga Figga, San Quinn, Messy Marv, 11/5 and many more.
Can you tell why the DRF is seperated right now?
DRF in not seperated, we're retired. We will always be DRF, till the wheels fall off! We just finished a new album called "Crooked, Duke Dyno - Return Of The Living Vets". It will be out in about two weeks. It's the hardest shit we've ever done. It's the last album that Sir Dyno did before he went to prison.
What's the situation with Sir Dyno? What did they charge him for, how long he'll be locked up and how's he doing right now?
All I can say is that he's locked up. Sorry. We hella miss him though... He's our real good homeboy. He's doing good, and doing his time like a man. That's what matters.
Is it possible to visit Dyno in jail? Will he ever rap again?
Yes it is possible to visit Dyno. He usually uses his visits for family and his kids. I can't talk about the case, but I can tell you it's fucked up. That's my boy and I miss him a lot. Because of all the shit that has happened he doesn't want to continue to rap. All he's focusing on is trying to do his time and get out. We had all retired anyways before all this happened. This Crooked, Duke and Dyno CD wasn't coming out of retirement for us, we just wanted to prove that the old Vets can still do this shit. It's also nice to know that if we stay retired we went out with an album like that.
What are you workin on right now, who's coming up?
"Return Of The Living Vets" is the tightest shit we've ever done. It also features all the homies in Darkroom Familia. We got a lot of new young cats that we're putting out. Kids that were our age when we started. Unknown, Young-D, Young G, Venomous and a few more.
Will there ever be another "Darkroom Familia" album, including all members?
I don't know. Right now the group is retired. I like it that way. It gives us more time to focus on the new young hungry cats on our label. But you never know. Depends on how we feel. It has to be decided by Duke and Crooked and Dyno. It would take all three votes.
What do you consider your best work? Which albums people should go for and check out first?
The best album we ever did is the new one, Crooked, Duke & Dyno. There's never been anything like it. Just full of straight Game. As far as all the other albums, I love them all, they're all classics.
Which one's the best so far of DRF?
"Homicide Kings" by the Darkroom Familia, we were at our strongest point there.
With all those features on many DRF tracks, how do you decide who gets on the track and who's gonna get it on his album?
Well, when we're working on someone's solo they'll say "OK, I would like Crooked on this cuz this is a crazy ass hardcore song". So we ask Crooked to drop a verse for them. If someone's doing a pussy song, they'll usually want me, Duke. We all like to support ourselves. Everybody wanted to be part of the Crooked, Duke & Dyno album. It features all our homeboys and it's the tightest thing out. I just got copies this week. That's all I'm bumpin' in my ride.
What equipment do you create your beats with?
We used to record on Tascam 4 tracks when we stared now it's all digital on pro tools and logic and computers.
You've done a couple of movies about the streets & the game. Do you have any new concepts or movies in the making?
Yeah, we just finished a new action/gangster movie called "Illegal Business". It's the best thing we've done so far. It'll be out early next year. We also just signed a deal to shoot two movies for a big Hollywood company. The first one is a horror movie and the second is a comedy. They will both be out next year. Also earlier this year we released a "Jackass" type of DVD called "Going To Hell" starring Wee-Man. In the U.K. it's called "What Wee-Man did next". That shit is crazy and funny as hell.
Do you have favorite actors you'd like to work with?
Our favorite actors are Sean Penn, Michael Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Jan Michael Vincent.
What does a common day in the life of Duke look like? Do you think there's a different lifestyle between Central Valley and the East Bay?
You have to understand that I'm an adult in my thirties, with a family. A typical day for me to work and handle my business, and provide for my family. But back in the days my life was all about kickin' it with the homies, going to parties, going to fucking jail, getting harrassed by cops, fucking fine ass groupies, signing hella autographs, and every fucking Monday the entire Darkroom Familia would get together and eat at Red Lobster. We all love CRAB. I guess our life would be the same anywhere.
What's your opinion on the success of Eminem and 50 Cent? I mean, you dissed a lot East Coast rappers (like Puffy), so what do you think of 50?
Well, I'm from the Bay Area, This is were independant rap started. All the words that those assholes use, they stole from us. Anytime some asshole says, Playa, or Playa Hata, or fashizzle, or Game, or pretty much any slang term, it all came from Northern Cali. It's fucked up man, we never get any credit for changing the Game. I don't like rap from anywhere else.
How do you feel about Dr. Dre?
I only liked N.W.A., I don't really care about Dr.Dre.
Do you think Chicano Rap will ever blow up or will it continue to be the underground movement that it has become in the last decade?
It will always be underground. We were the first ones to take it were it was. A lot of muthafuckas don't give us credit for paving the way for all these fools that are out now. We've been doing this shit since '88, like I said before. We were the first to do a Latino rap album all in spanish, now you got all these biters. We were first... Los Traficantes de Darkroom Familia.
Why do you think it is like that?
True Chicano rap is from the streets and for the streets, so I don't think it will ever get big.
What kind of music are you bumpin right now?
The new album. I only bump Darkroom or older Bay Area rap, like Mac Dre, IMP, Cellski.
Do you care about politics?
Yeah, I like George Bush. I can't stand Kerry. I can't stand people that are against the war. We got rid of an evil dictator and people around the world are talking shit. But they want the oil. But they won't help rebuild iraq. Bullshit.
Some last words to all the DRF fans worldwide?
Thanks for all the years of support. We are nothing without our fans. If you want to hear real shit from the streets that we came from, keep bumpin DRF, if you want to hear bullshit and be a sheep like MTV wants you to be then keep listening to the radio. Peace!
Warlocc: Whut up Duke, please do a quick introduction for those who don't know you yet.
Duke: This is Duke from The Darkroom Familia. The hardest, most realest fucking Latinos in the world.
Tell us about your label, who's on it?
Our label is full of Latinos from all over Northern Cali. Oakland, Stockton, Tracy, Hayward, and many more cities. Our most famous rappers include: Duke, Sir Dyno, Crooked, Oso, K.I.D., Young D, Unknown, Young G, Dub and many more.
Let's talk about the Darkroom Familia. Who founded it and when?
Darkroom Familia was founded by Crooked, Dyno and me. We put out our first shit in '88, when we were 16 year old kids, now we're in our early 30's. We're Veteranos of the streets and of the rap business. We've met many artists from the Bay Area and toured with many artists too. We have worked with Too Short, E-40, The Luniz, JT The Bigga Figga, San Quinn, Messy Marv, 11/5 and many more.
Can you tell why the DRF is seperated right now?
DRF in not seperated, we're retired. We will always be DRF, till the wheels fall off! We just finished a new album called "Crooked, Duke Dyno - Return Of The Living Vets". It will be out in about two weeks. It's the hardest shit we've ever done. It's the last album that Sir Dyno did before he went to prison.
What's the situation with Sir Dyno? What did they charge him for, how long he'll be locked up and how's he doing right now?
All I can say is that he's locked up. Sorry. We hella miss him though... He's our real good homeboy. He's doing good, and doing his time like a man. That's what matters.
Is it possible to visit Dyno in jail? Will he ever rap again?
Yes it is possible to visit Dyno. He usually uses his visits for family and his kids. I can't talk about the case, but I can tell you it's fucked up. That's my boy and I miss him a lot. Because of all the shit that has happened he doesn't want to continue to rap. All he's focusing on is trying to do his time and get out. We had all retired anyways before all this happened. This Crooked, Duke and Dyno CD wasn't coming out of retirement for us, we just wanted to prove that the old Vets can still do this shit. It's also nice to know that if we stay retired we went out with an album like that.
What are you workin on right now, who's coming up?
"Return Of The Living Vets" is the tightest shit we've ever done. It also features all the homies in Darkroom Familia. We got a lot of new young cats that we're putting out. Kids that were our age when we started. Unknown, Young-D, Young G, Venomous and a few more.
Will there ever be another "Darkroom Familia" album, including all members?
I don't know. Right now the group is retired. I like it that way. It gives us more time to focus on the new young hungry cats on our label. But you never know. Depends on how we feel. It has to be decided by Duke and Crooked and Dyno. It would take all three votes.
What do you consider your best work? Which albums people should go for and check out first?
The best album we ever did is the new one, Crooked, Duke & Dyno. There's never been anything like it. Just full of straight Game. As far as all the other albums, I love them all, they're all classics.
Which one's the best so far of DRF?
"Homicide Kings" by the Darkroom Familia, we were at our strongest point there.
With all those features on many DRF tracks, how do you decide who gets on the track and who's gonna get it on his album?
Well, when we're working on someone's solo they'll say "OK, I would like Crooked on this cuz this is a crazy ass hardcore song". So we ask Crooked to drop a verse for them. If someone's doing a pussy song, they'll usually want me, Duke. We all like to support ourselves. Everybody wanted to be part of the Crooked, Duke & Dyno album. It features all our homeboys and it's the tightest thing out. I just got copies this week. That's all I'm bumpin' in my ride.
What equipment do you create your beats with?
We used to record on Tascam 4 tracks when we stared now it's all digital on pro tools and logic and computers.
You've done a couple of movies about the streets & the game. Do you have any new concepts or movies in the making?
Yeah, we just finished a new action/gangster movie called "Illegal Business". It's the best thing we've done so far. It'll be out early next year. We also just signed a deal to shoot two movies for a big Hollywood company. The first one is a horror movie and the second is a comedy. They will both be out next year. Also earlier this year we released a "Jackass" type of DVD called "Going To Hell" starring Wee-Man. In the U.K. it's called "What Wee-Man did next". That shit is crazy and funny as hell.
Do you have favorite actors you'd like to work with?
Our favorite actors are Sean Penn, Michael Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Jan Michael Vincent.
What does a common day in the life of Duke look like? Do you think there's a different lifestyle between Central Valley and the East Bay?
You have to understand that I'm an adult in my thirties, with a family. A typical day for me to work and handle my business, and provide for my family. But back in the days my life was all about kickin' it with the homies, going to parties, going to fucking jail, getting harrassed by cops, fucking fine ass groupies, signing hella autographs, and every fucking Monday the entire Darkroom Familia would get together and eat at Red Lobster. We all love CRAB. I guess our life would be the same anywhere.
What's your opinion on the success of Eminem and 50 Cent? I mean, you dissed a lot East Coast rappers (like Puffy), so what do you think of 50?
Well, I'm from the Bay Area, This is were independant rap started. All the words that those assholes use, they stole from us. Anytime some asshole says, Playa, or Playa Hata, or fashizzle, or Game, or pretty much any slang term, it all came from Northern Cali. It's fucked up man, we never get any credit for changing the Game. I don't like rap from anywhere else.
How do you feel about Dr. Dre?
I only liked N.W.A., I don't really care about Dr.Dre.
Do you think Chicano Rap will ever blow up or will it continue to be the underground movement that it has become in the last decade?
It will always be underground. We were the first ones to take it were it was. A lot of muthafuckas don't give us credit for paving the way for all these fools that are out now. We've been doing this shit since '88, like I said before. We were the first to do a Latino rap album all in spanish, now you got all these biters. We were first... Los Traficantes de Darkroom Familia.
Why do you think it is like that?
True Chicano rap is from the streets and for the streets, so I don't think it will ever get big.
What kind of music are you bumpin right now?
The new album. I only bump Darkroom or older Bay Area rap, like Mac Dre, IMP, Cellski.
Do you care about politics?
Yeah, I like George Bush. I can't stand Kerry. I can't stand people that are against the war. We got rid of an evil dictator and people around the world are talking shit. But they want the oil. But they won't help rebuild iraq. Bullshit.
Some last words to all the DRF fans worldwide?
Thanks for all the years of support. We are nothing without our fans. If you want to hear real shit from the streets that we came from, keep bumpin DRF, if you want to hear bullshit and be a sheep like MTV wants you to be then keep listening to the radio. Peace!
