Like a plethora of artists that came before him, Eastwood learned the hard way that Death Row Records was not a place where he could succeed. After riding with Suge Knight and company, Eastwood finally left Tha Row last year in order to get his career back on track. With his debut album sitting on the shelves with no apparent release date, Eastwood knew he had to do something now, before it was too late. After being a free agent for the past year, it wasn't until Game came knocking on his door that Eastwood finally decided on a new home. Game and the Black Wall Street family recognized Eastwood's talent and singed him immediately as a solo artist. In addition, Eastwood has aligned himself with Game and former Mack 10 protégé, Techneic to form a new West Coast super group entitled The M.O.B.. While his career looked bleak for a minute, now Eastwood is finally ready to take the next step and become one of the West's next superstars.
AllHipHop.com: I see that you are off Death Row now and recently signed with Game and Black Wall Street. So how did that come about?
Eastwood: I was actually the person who gave Game's demo to Suge, so I have known him for a while. I was looking out for him on this Rap s**t, but don't get it twisted, I'm not taking credit for his career or anything like that. But I helped him get his demo to Suge, and got him in front of Suge, but somehow the business didn't work out. We always remained buddies though, and we kept in contact. Then I left Death Row about a year ago, and there wasn't really anything wrong over there except that the business was bad for me. So I needed a better home, and eventually Game found out I was off Death Row and just reached out. He was like, "N***a, let’s get money, I got you. I feel like you one of the realest n***as on the West Coast, and I want you to ride with me.” So I'm riding with Game now. I respected him on a whole different level after that, because I was doing bad at the time. I have three kids, and I signed a f**ked up deal, so the whole thing was a wake up call. Because when I signed my first deal, I signed to be where I am now. So now I am seeing s**t in this Rap game that I ain't never seen before, and I been around this game for awhile. This is just a whole different side of life, when you can be with your n***a, eat in this Rap s**t, and be respected. So it’s a whole new side of life and it feels really good. I'm happy now, I'm getting money, and I'm doing what I do.
AllHipHop.com: What happened between you and Death Row? Why was the business bad?
Eastwood: Everything was cool over there, but there came a time when I had to make a decision. Either I am going to stay here and go against a lot of motherf**kers who are in my corner or helped me from the jump, or I can roll, be smart, and get my business hand up. It’s nothing personal, just business.
AllHipHop.com: What did Suge have to say about that? Eastwood: I don't think Suge is trippin', but if he is, more power to the dude. I hope he gets his mission accomplished with whatever he tries to do. But other than that, I don't know. I hear he ain't trippin', then I hear he is trippin', but personally, I don't think he's trippin'.
AllHipHop.com: Basically the entire roster is gone at Death Row now, and nobody came away with any of their albums being released. So why has no material, except for Pac's, ever been released in recent years?
Eastwood: There is a lot going on in the industry to where people are scared to deal with dude. We were kind of blackballed, so we never got a chance to put anything out because people were really scared to do business with dude. So that kind of reflected on me, that’s another reason why I left as well. I didn't see my project coming out any time soon with the way business was going.
AllHipHop.com: Any all the recording you did?
Eastwood: He can have that s**t, man. He can have it and do whatever he wants to do with it. That's his s**t, and it will stay over there. I am going to do all new s**t with a fresh brain now. Its like when you are in jail, and when you finally get out, you inherit all that game you learned in jail. I inherited it all and now I'm going to spit this s**t at the world, because that's how I feel. Its going down now and ya boy is about to make it happen. I'm making all new material now.
AllHipHop.com: Now you are part of The M.O.B. group with Game and Techneic, correct?
Eastwood: Yes sir, its M.O.B. - Money Over Bitches! This is the new West Coast, and we are getting ready to step it up for the next generation. It’s like a new Dogg Pound thing, but its Money Over Bitches with me, Game, and Techneic. Techneic is from Long Beach, Game is from Compton, and I'm from L.A./Inglewood. That is why my name is Eastwood, for the east side of L.A., then I moved to Inglewood, so I got love for both sides.
AllHipHop.com: Are you guys working on the album now?
Eastwood: Yeah, we are working on it right now. We just finished up a mixtape for the streets, it has 25 songs on it, so be on the lookout for that. It’s called “Game Time, featuring The M.O.B.” Other than that, we are working on the album as we speak.
AllHipHop.com: So The M.O.B. album is going to come out before your solo album?
Eastwood: Yeah, I think the Mob album is coming out before my solo album.
AllHipHop.com: I read that you are a Crip, and “M.O.B.” is a Blood reference, so how does that work out?
Eastwood: I'm not even a Crip, homie. I don't gang bang, and I never have a day in my life, but I thug to the fullest. That's why people label me whatever they think I am, because they don't hear me yelling Blood or Crip. So they are going to label me because I fuck with gangsta's, I get down gangsta, so I must be a gangsta. But I don't bang, I'm just a gangsta.
AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts on the West Coast unity that Snoop is trying to push?
Eastwood: That was a beautiful thing! That actually helped my situation a lot, because it came down to making a decision. What was a n***a going to do? Was I going to stay down and kick it? Or stay on Death Row, say f**k everybody, have a “f**k everybody” mentality, and not really do business? So it was a beautiful thing that we all got together and made it happen. It cleared up a lot of the beefs that I had with people on the West. Now my kids can eat, and they don't have to look over their shoulders. I'm not trying to make it no harder for my kids.
AllHipHop.com: How did you resolve all of these beefs? Did you have sit-downs and things like that?
Eastwood: Hell yeah, we sat down, chopped it up, and got all our s**t out like men. We listened to a real message. Snoop talked about some real s**t, so it was real big.
AllHipHop.com: Do you and people in the West look at Snoop as a leader? Or was he somebody to just bring it all together at the moment?
Eastwood: Snoop is definitely a leader, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to bring us all together. But the West Coast is full of leaders, because we all are. But Snoop does his thing, and has been doing it for the longest, so you can't do nothing but respect that. I have a lot of respect for Snoop for holding the West down for so long.
AllHipHop.com: Do you think this whole unity is realistic, and in the long run it will work out?
Eastwood: Yeah, I think in the long run it will work out for the mature people. If the homies can be matured enough and say "This is a real big movement, lets step up to the plate and be men, and be real soldiers about this s**t. I'm not going to hate you because you ballin' and my rims ain't spinnin'. And I'm not going to hate you because you are getting paper and I ain't. Just show a n***a how to do it." So if that can happen, then I think it will work. But you are always going to have some knuckleheads around who are going to want to start s**t. Hopefully, those n***as get weeded out, and that's that.
AllHipHop.com: Yeah, because with the situation that occurred between Spider Loc and Yukmouth, I know some people were like, "What happened to the West Coast unity?"
Eastwood: Yeah, I ain't got no comment on that. To me, I think it could have been handled better, but I don't have a comment on that.
AllHipHop.com: Now that you are with Game, does that me you and G-Unit are going to have conflict now?
Eastwood: I don't know what it’s going to bring, but if it do, it do. They could bring it, with the way that some G-Unit n***as are responding back to Game. And if I'm riding with Game, then I'm riding with Game. If n***as ride with 50, then they gotta ride with 50.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have anything else going on in the future?
Eastwood: S**t, hell yeah. After we go diamond on The M.O.B. album, I'll go diamond on my solo album. Then I can open up my own dynasty, which is Self Made Records. So it’s my label, Self Made, along with Black Wall Street.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have a name for your solo album yet?
Eastwood: Na man, I have changed the title about nine times already. I wanted to hit them with The Life After Tha Row, but my boy Crooked I hit them with that for a DVD. But I'm gonna hit y'all with something, probably Born To Be Hated, or some s**t.
AllHipHop.com: I see that you are off Death Row now and recently signed with Game and Black Wall Street. So how did that come about?
Eastwood: I was actually the person who gave Game's demo to Suge, so I have known him for a while. I was looking out for him on this Rap s**t, but don't get it twisted, I'm not taking credit for his career or anything like that. But I helped him get his demo to Suge, and got him in front of Suge, but somehow the business didn't work out. We always remained buddies though, and we kept in contact. Then I left Death Row about a year ago, and there wasn't really anything wrong over there except that the business was bad for me. So I needed a better home, and eventually Game found out I was off Death Row and just reached out. He was like, "N***a, let’s get money, I got you. I feel like you one of the realest n***as on the West Coast, and I want you to ride with me.” So I'm riding with Game now. I respected him on a whole different level after that, because I was doing bad at the time. I have three kids, and I signed a f**ked up deal, so the whole thing was a wake up call. Because when I signed my first deal, I signed to be where I am now. So now I am seeing s**t in this Rap game that I ain't never seen before, and I been around this game for awhile. This is just a whole different side of life, when you can be with your n***a, eat in this Rap s**t, and be respected. So it’s a whole new side of life and it feels really good. I'm happy now, I'm getting money, and I'm doing what I do.
AllHipHop.com: What happened between you and Death Row? Why was the business bad?
Eastwood: Everything was cool over there, but there came a time when I had to make a decision. Either I am going to stay here and go against a lot of motherf**kers who are in my corner or helped me from the jump, or I can roll, be smart, and get my business hand up. It’s nothing personal, just business.
AllHipHop.com: What did Suge have to say about that? Eastwood: I don't think Suge is trippin', but if he is, more power to the dude. I hope he gets his mission accomplished with whatever he tries to do. But other than that, I don't know. I hear he ain't trippin', then I hear he is trippin', but personally, I don't think he's trippin'.
AllHipHop.com: Basically the entire roster is gone at Death Row now, and nobody came away with any of their albums being released. So why has no material, except for Pac's, ever been released in recent years?
Eastwood: There is a lot going on in the industry to where people are scared to deal with dude. We were kind of blackballed, so we never got a chance to put anything out because people were really scared to do business with dude. So that kind of reflected on me, that’s another reason why I left as well. I didn't see my project coming out any time soon with the way business was going.
AllHipHop.com: Any all the recording you did?
Eastwood: He can have that s**t, man. He can have it and do whatever he wants to do with it. That's his s**t, and it will stay over there. I am going to do all new s**t with a fresh brain now. Its like when you are in jail, and when you finally get out, you inherit all that game you learned in jail. I inherited it all and now I'm going to spit this s**t at the world, because that's how I feel. Its going down now and ya boy is about to make it happen. I'm making all new material now.
AllHipHop.com: Now you are part of The M.O.B. group with Game and Techneic, correct?
Eastwood: Yes sir, its M.O.B. - Money Over Bitches! This is the new West Coast, and we are getting ready to step it up for the next generation. It’s like a new Dogg Pound thing, but its Money Over Bitches with me, Game, and Techneic. Techneic is from Long Beach, Game is from Compton, and I'm from L.A./Inglewood. That is why my name is Eastwood, for the east side of L.A., then I moved to Inglewood, so I got love for both sides.
AllHipHop.com: Are you guys working on the album now?
Eastwood: Yeah, we are working on it right now. We just finished up a mixtape for the streets, it has 25 songs on it, so be on the lookout for that. It’s called “Game Time, featuring The M.O.B.” Other than that, we are working on the album as we speak.
AllHipHop.com: So The M.O.B. album is going to come out before your solo album?
Eastwood: Yeah, I think the Mob album is coming out before my solo album.
AllHipHop.com: I read that you are a Crip, and “M.O.B.” is a Blood reference, so how does that work out?
Eastwood: I'm not even a Crip, homie. I don't gang bang, and I never have a day in my life, but I thug to the fullest. That's why people label me whatever they think I am, because they don't hear me yelling Blood or Crip. So they are going to label me because I fuck with gangsta's, I get down gangsta, so I must be a gangsta. But I don't bang, I'm just a gangsta.
AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts on the West Coast unity that Snoop is trying to push?
Eastwood: That was a beautiful thing! That actually helped my situation a lot, because it came down to making a decision. What was a n***a going to do? Was I going to stay down and kick it? Or stay on Death Row, say f**k everybody, have a “f**k everybody” mentality, and not really do business? So it was a beautiful thing that we all got together and made it happen. It cleared up a lot of the beefs that I had with people on the West. Now my kids can eat, and they don't have to look over their shoulders. I'm not trying to make it no harder for my kids.
AllHipHop.com: How did you resolve all of these beefs? Did you have sit-downs and things like that?
Eastwood: Hell yeah, we sat down, chopped it up, and got all our s**t out like men. We listened to a real message. Snoop talked about some real s**t, so it was real big.
AllHipHop.com: Do you and people in the West look at Snoop as a leader? Or was he somebody to just bring it all together at the moment?
Eastwood: Snoop is definitely a leader, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to bring us all together. But the West Coast is full of leaders, because we all are. But Snoop does his thing, and has been doing it for the longest, so you can't do nothing but respect that. I have a lot of respect for Snoop for holding the West down for so long.
AllHipHop.com: Do you think this whole unity is realistic, and in the long run it will work out?
Eastwood: Yeah, I think in the long run it will work out for the mature people. If the homies can be matured enough and say "This is a real big movement, lets step up to the plate and be men, and be real soldiers about this s**t. I'm not going to hate you because you ballin' and my rims ain't spinnin'. And I'm not going to hate you because you are getting paper and I ain't. Just show a n***a how to do it." So if that can happen, then I think it will work. But you are always going to have some knuckleheads around who are going to want to start s**t. Hopefully, those n***as get weeded out, and that's that.
AllHipHop.com: Yeah, because with the situation that occurred between Spider Loc and Yukmouth, I know some people were like, "What happened to the West Coast unity?"
Eastwood: Yeah, I ain't got no comment on that. To me, I think it could have been handled better, but I don't have a comment on that.
AllHipHop.com: Now that you are with Game, does that me you and G-Unit are going to have conflict now?
Eastwood: I don't know what it’s going to bring, but if it do, it do. They could bring it, with the way that some G-Unit n***as are responding back to Game. And if I'm riding with Game, then I'm riding with Game. If n***as ride with 50, then they gotta ride with 50.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have anything else going on in the future?
Eastwood: S**t, hell yeah. After we go diamond on The M.O.B. album, I'll go diamond on my solo album. Then I can open up my own dynasty, which is Self Made Records. So it’s my label, Self Made, along with Black Wall Street.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have a name for your solo album yet?
Eastwood: Na man, I have changed the title about nine times already. I wanted to hit them with The Life After Tha Row, but my boy Crooked I hit them with that for a DVD. But I'm gonna hit y'all with something, probably Born To Be Hated, or some s**t.