An Impromptu Car Phone Conversation with Russell Simmons
from Grand Royal Magazine #1
Russell Simmons and us go back a ways. As you probably know, though, when it came time to get paid, Russell dipped with the money. But we're not the type to hold a grudge, and plus, Russell's always been a snap. The type of guy who isn't afraid to do the ill shit like tell Hurricane that he's gettin' "a tombstone over his dick" (i.e. a big belly). So one of the first ideas we had for the magazine was an interview with Russell. Not just any old interview, but a "live" conversation with him in his element, on the car phone, while tooling around town in his bullet-proof white Rolls Royce. On Saturday, August 14, at around 7:00 p.m our time, 10:00 p.m his time, Mike gave him a shout and sure enough he picked right up after the first ring. Naturally, we didn't tell him we were taping the conversation because then it wouldn't be "live," now would it?
RUSSELL RUSH: Hello?
MD: Yo nigger what's up? [slight pause]. It's Mike D.
RR: What up, nigger?
MD: What are you doin'?
RR: I'm on my way from this HBO screening to the party that they're having out here in the Hamptons.
MD: Oh that's what I heard, you been out there each weekend. What's that about?
RR: It's about, you know, being fake. You know how I am. You know how fake I am Mike D!
MD:What're you doin'? Hangin' out with a bunch of fake whiteys?
RR: Naw, I was hangin' out with the Princess of Malaysia. I'm sitting next to Veronica Webb-
MD: Uh-oh
RR:-Andre Harrell is in the back seat, [faster, like Chick Hearn], we're driving my white Rolls Royce, with the curtains. Frontin', you know. You know my thing.
MD: What's up with the Princess of Malaysia?
RR: You know, one of my hoes and stuff. I be frontin'.
MD:So what else is goin' on?
RR: Huh?
MD: What's really goin' on?
RR:What's really goin' on? Nothin', really. We're just trying to restructure our deal with Sony in music. And we got a good film deal closing, where we can just greenlight our own movies.
MD: That'd be cool.
[At this point Mike D and Russell go off on a five minute tangent discussing the schmatte trade. We tune back into the two moguls' discussion as Russell turns to one of his favorite topics, George Michael]
RR: Sony are building all these signature stores across the country-they better just keep George Michael's shirts in there. They can't put my clothes in there.
MD:So what's up? I heard you signed George Michael.
RR: [Laughs]. No, I signed Johnny Cash.
MD: Aw that was it! What's up with Rick signing Johnny Cash? I heard he's doin' an album called Back To The Old School with Johnny Cash.
RR: Heh, really? No!
MD: Yep. Johnny Cash and Just Ice.
RR: What's this ad he has in Hits magazine about "Real R&B and Rap From Seattle?" I'm sure there's one or two groups that come out of it. Mix-A-Lot's not -I don't know.
MD: Yeah, they probably got something up there. So what's up with the funeral of Def, though?
RR: I don't know, he wants me to come out and speak, heh-heh. What am I gonna say?
MD: Glen just told me that Rick said it's real important for him and he wants us to be there. I told him if he's gettin' rid of it, maybe I can pick it up.
RR: Heh-heh. I can't understand what he means by that. Why is it OK to be American Records, but Def American is corny? And why is it OK that hip went out of style, too? What? you know?
MD: But the best is the press release that said something about Def "losing its cutting edge." What the hell does that mean?
RR: It means that, you know, Def is corny. And it IS corny when you sign Johnny Cash! And when you fuck around-
MD:I guess Johnny Cash can't go out def, huh?
RR: How's your new album comin' out?
MD: Good! Actually we got some alright hip hop shit goin' on.
RR: Make some real, you know, crazy ass hardcore hip hop. Crazy! Just silly.
MD: Yeah.
RR: I mean I don't mean silly-you know. The real Beastie Boys shit but hardcore with a dope chorus and sell five million records and-even if you don't sell, you know, just one time. Just for the fun of it. Cos I know you can do it. Make yourself, you know, "Hold It Now, Hit It" [Even Russell laughs at this]. One time.
MD: No, we got some shit, but the only thing I wonder about is if people are ever gonna git with it. Cos if you look at east coast, what people are listening to, they want shit that we we're doin' then. They want Redman doin' the most violent record ever. We can't do that...
RR: Naw, but you can do the most funny, violent record ever!
MD: [Pause]
RR: [Sing-song voice]: "Smash Your Glasses!" Know what I'm sayin? "Smash Serch's glasses!" Who said that?
MD: So what's up with Serch?
RR: I don't know, but he played me a dope album, and I'm gonna tell him if he don't get back with Pete Nice, he can keep it. It's a good album. It sounds so New York, it's got jazz influence. The vocals are good, and the choruses are good. Just don't know who wants to buy a Serch record.
MD: Yo-you know who was dope though, was Q-Tip and them at the Palladium Show.
RR: Yo I heard their record's great, I haven't even heard it. Lyor's got a copy.
MD: I tell you, my honest opinion, out of anybody, they're the only group I trust to take the whole thing.
RR: Well I got a Warren G record comin' in that's great. I love the stuff he's been playin me-not his own record, but everything he's produced for other people, it's amazing.
MD: Well he did Snoop's album, right? Or did Dre do it?
RR: He didn't do that much of Snoop's album. I know he's on it. Then I got my South Central Cartel record, which Sean doesn't believe in, but I love. I LOVE my South Central record. Erick Sermon just came out and everybody loves the record. I got a new Slick Rick-
MD: Alright-
RR: Public Enemy are finishing up. Terminator X record. Everybody says Whodini's record's really good, I haven't heard it-
MD: Whodini!!
RR: Whodini's on the Terminator X album.
MD: Wait a second. You're still managing Whodini?
RR: No but Larry Smith and Hank Shocklee collaborated to produce a single from the Terminator X compilation.
MD: [Hearing laughter in background] What did Dr. Jekyll say?
RR: Dr. Jekyll's in the back-he says he's got seven new pages in Vanity Fair came out today.
MD: There's seven pages of him in Vanity Fair? That's terrible. As long as he's fully clothed, though, that's alright. Cos you keep appearing in bikinis.
RR: Just one. By the pool. You know, he's cool. He's got a bikini on and a bunch of naked girls. It's like a livin' large picture. You gotta get a picture of that for your wall!
MD: Heh! Alright so yo, I was just checkin' in, see what's goin on.
RR: Alright, peace.
