Rude aka Darcey of IF Records speaks out (exclusive interview)

Today I am very pleased to introduce you to a man who has had a major role at Iron Fist Records. Most of you probably know him as Rude of IF. He actually is the man who allowed me to interview RIP Big Proof a few months before he passed away for Detroit digital hip hop magazine, ILL Magazine, in 2006. When we first started talking to each other, in 2005, Rude aka Darcey was working at Iron Fist Records as the label’s promotions director.
Rude reveals us a lot of details about himself, the brilliant emcee RIP Proof, the prevailing tensions at Iron Fist Records, and much more! I promise you a very interesting read!
Isabelle
1.Most people know you as Rude of Iron Fist Records. What is the story behind your nickname?
Well I got my name from the WWF star ravishing Rick Rude. Over time, I just shortened it to Rude and stuck with that since then. But I have a few others like Darcey is the most known.
2.How did you meet RIP Big Proof?
I first met Proof late 01 when they were still holding battles at St Andrews. He was one of the judges. He was telling me about his label he was starting up called Iron Fist . So from then I kept seeing him out and he was like I want you to work with us. I was geeked like hell yeah I’m with it.
3. What motivated you to get involved in the music industry?
I wanted to get in the music biz after watching the Rocafella movie backstage. My cuz Famous was always telling me that I had the Damn Dash mental mind frame. I been around music for the better part of 12 years dating back to 95 in Milwaukee. With my boys Wonder and Insight, we started doing lil mixtapes an from there started working on getting our weight up. From there I moved back to the D and been doing it since.
I worked with a few guys before linking up with Proof. All of it was training for what was to come in the future.
4.According to you, is it an advantage to come from Detroit when you belong to the hip hop community? If so, why?
-Naaah I wouldn’t say that good music is good music that’s universal.What I see as the problem with the Detroit scene is there isn’t any unity, PERIOD. Everyone wants something for nothing. I mean yeah its a few cats that are trying 2 hold it down such as Ya Young Mase, DJDDT, Eclass, Young Rj, but ya still have the crab in a bucket syndrome where as noone wants to see you doing better than them. If you rapping an been doing it for a min an still haven’t seen anything come from then maybe you should rethink that an see if its the right choice. Pride is a muthaphucka .
5.When did you meet Purple Gang, Woof Pac and Supa Emcee?
-Well I been knowing Flame and Famous going on close to 10 years we were all at this flea market on Denquinder I was selling boot… uhhhhhh cds… yeah cds lol I started out. It was a booth in the spot where I was at so I started giving Flame an Famous extra time in the booth before and after the place was open doing production for them an from there we been down.. I met the rest of the guys who would later become the Purple Gang like a year or so later. I had heard of Supa threw the battle scene it wasn’t until he an Woof Pac came to Iron Fist that I got to know them on a personal level.
6. Not only did Proof s tragic death affect family, friends and fans. His death is actually a huge loss for the hip hop community. What is your personal view on the tragic event?
Well my personal view on the whole thing pretty much is just like this. Proof was a staple in Detroit hip hop he brought a lot of people together who normally wouldn’t do on they own. When P was killed it just seemed that people forgot about that an all bets were off. Ya really started to see people real intentions. Greed an egos came out an it started 2 get funny…
7. As a promotions director at IF Records, what major difficulties did you deal with?
Mainly just knowing how to relay ya point an be open minded at all times ( sometimes I didn’t ).You have to be able to think quick prepare for anything cuz at any moment things could change an you have to adjust to it.
8. From what I understand you left the label. Could you tell us about within a few words? What exactly happened?
I consider myself a loyal dude an I tried to hold on with the label as long as I could. At first it was just lil stuff people getting in peoples ear starting stuff. Then it just got to the point where is was just not a label anymore. The office was turning into a playpen an no work was being done more and more groupie chicks started getting in peoples head blowing they heads up to the point to where they turning their back on what Proof left. He always said before every meeting yawl are my kid s future, I’m investing in yawl for my kids. The final straw was when disrespectful (1st born) jerks started coming at Proofs wife an not giving her her respect. Niggas( Killa Kaunn) started trying to sue her over money that was never theirs- just whack shit. Just got 2 the point where I was like I can rep Proof without the bullshit yawl doing, so dipped.
9. What are currently the problems/ tensions the label is facing?
Well as it stands right now from what I know them boys are down. As I said before pride is a muthaphucka part of being a good leader is being a great follower. I know for a fact that the Shady Camp isn’t messing with them then ya got the Shady diss track that came out last year. People have the wrong idea about myself as well as anyone who left the label and because we’ve been silent about this whole issue they just run with what they hear. I mean like for real within this last year its been hella stressful for the kids but we warriors got trained by the best. I see the tention and so on when we come somewhere an at any given time it can really go down. Niggas tried jumping us for doing us an not helping them hell like 3weeks ago shit popped off where it coulda went bad. ( good looking Hex, Violet). I look at it like this whatever go happen go happen. Nigg@s just wanna try an silence us up cuz we know the truth. We don’t come to the club for drama so why ya got ya mean face on all the time.
I smile and at the same time I’m still cool wit some peeps like Drummer B, Supa I speak to him styles, I holla. I just seen Moe Dirt the other day. Its just the kind of people I have a problem with, to them I say suck ballz an have a great time trying to get on lol
10. A few words about RIP Proof s legacy. According to you, who is the most qualified at IF to represent and to carry on the brilliant emcee s legacy?
Honestly I don’t see anyone that’s there now as capable 2 carry it on…True, you got some skilled emcees, but that’s just 1% of it . There’s more to it than that. P wasn’t just a artist he wore many hats an could know what he’s doing. Take what ya learned an move on. As far as the leadership I don’t see them trying 2 make anything happen except use P name. Not one buck has been sent 2 his family from Iron Fist not 1 slug ever came from any cds sales, tshirt sales, shows in Proofs honor that’s the bullshit.
Now the BIGPROOF4EVER shirts they show that love that goes straight to her. Wanna be real do the right shit oh yeah while we at it how about you turn them gliffs an hard drives over to his wife its just a lotta stupid shit people don’t know
11. Can you enlighten us a little bit about the status of the label right now?
Naaaah I think I said enough on that an I’m sure its gonna get taken whichever way they wanna take it. I’ll tell ya this we got the warpaint on right now. T Flame and Famous The Inheritance is cooking souls right now an Back 2 Business is done. The Idash Listen project is doing well and getting great responses threw out the city as well as elsewhere along
with solo projects coming from Zoe, Hash, Reag set to drop soon. Got my homie Murphy from down under who’s putting the final touches on his mixtape called Training Day. Mike Lova is getting sick on the beats outta the Eastcoast, Nferno working on his project so look out for that one, my Take No Shorts team Fresh 2 Def got something cookin and yola(freestyle king of the milw). I got a mixtape dropping soon called Boss Up Or Man Down ( I’m not rappin) a internet show that’s in the works that’s gonna spotlight what we doing an some fried stuff just giving the people what they want. Just grinding an its gonna show in our work.
Copyright2007 by Isabelle Esling
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