Everyone Loves You When You're Dead. Neil Strauss
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Название: Everyone Loves You When You're Dead
Автор: Neil Strauss
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Музыка, балет
isbn: 9780857861214
isbn:
Overheard on Avenue B, two men talking:
“Just because I killed someone doesn’t mean I’m an expert.”
Overheard on the same block, a man talking to a woman:
“I’m not a jealous guy, I’m just violent.”
Overheard on East Seventh Street, a man talking to a lamppost:
“I’m gonna break your face, sucker.”
Overheard at the Odessa Restaurant near Tompkins Square Park, the owner talking to an anarchist squatter:
“I think you guys should go start another riot for me. I need the business.”
Overheard on Avenue A, two well-dressed white men talking:
“I’m not a racist or anything, but have you ever beaten up an African-American?”
Overheard at the bar 7B, two women talking:
“He’s a total fox, so I love him. But he completely has no personality and doesn’t speak a word of English.”
Overheard on a building stoop on East Sixth Street, a man talking to the apartment supervisor:
“You can’t always go calling the coroner ten hours afterward.”
Overheard in Tompkins Square Park, two homeless men talking:
“What’s the point in pretending like I’m sane anymore?”
Overheard on Avenue D, two men talking, and I don’t know what this means but it’s scary as fuck:
“I don’t take a life, I bury a soul.”
By the time I realized the situation I was in, it was too late because we were already on the highway in my cheap, well-dented Pontiac. The situation was this: Sixteen months ago, Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting while in the passenger seat of a car. Ten months ago, Biggie Smalls was killed in a drive-by shooting. And one month ago, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records, angering perhaps the most dangerous man in rap, the label’s imprisoned president Suge Knight. So driving around Southern California with Snoop Dogg riding shotgun was, well, just stupid. Unless you wanted to die.
What label are you gonna find to put out this new record?
SNOOP DOGG: No label will want to put it out. That’s why I’ve got to do it myself. If I get some distribution, I would take it. But this album right here is so on the edge that the average record label wouldn’t want to put it out because of certain shit I say and the way I say it.
Snoop starts rolling another joint in his lap.
You’re talking about that “Death Row Killa” song?
SNOOP DOGG: Mm-hmmm. (Sings:) Death Row, snitches wanna be gangstas / You niggas is bitches / Death Row, snitches wanna be gangstas / You niggas is bitches / Death Row killa / Death Row killa / Fuck all y’all.
He bends down until his head is almost in his knees, and surreptitiously lights the joint.
What do you mean by “snitches”?
SNOOP DOGG: I’m just knowing there are some snitches around Death Row. That’s why there’s niggas in jail. That’s why there’s niggas getting looked at real funny by the FBI. ’Cause niggas is telling on niggas. I don’t give a fuck about niggas snitching on me because I ain’t doing shit wrong. I smoke my chronic, what are you gonna do? Take me to jail for smoking chronic? I’m down to go to jail for that shit.2
What do you think’s gonna happen once that song comes out?
SNOOP DOGG: I’m gonna make a whole lot of money off this album. I don’t need them.
You’re Death Row’s biggest cash cow, so aren’t they fighting or trying in some way to keep you from leaving the label?
SNOOP DOGG: They’re not trying to take me to court and I’m putting out records right now without their permission, so they must know they can’t beat me in court. But it ain’t about that. It’s about all I asked for is what I asked for, so let me move forward. Don’t hold me down because you’re locked up and you feel everything is against you. I’m not against you, homie. I just gotta take care of my family and Death Row can’t provide for me right now.
What did you ask Death Row for?
SNOOP DOGG: A lot of shit. Man, I ain’t never been accounted for. At all. As long as I’ve been rapping for Death Row Records, they never accounted for me. I never received statements on my money or none of that, man. They bought a nigga gifts and shit.
What gifts did they get you?
SNOOP DOGG: A Rolls-Royce, a penthouse suite on Wilshire, a motherfucking Hummer, gold chains, Rolex watches, diamond earrings, hotel suites, anything a nigga wanted. Anything to keep your mind off your money. They bought me this and bought me that instead of giving me my motherfucking money. [. . .]3
Didn’t Death Row freeze your assets because of it?
SNOOP DOGG: Man, they haven’t paid me since October. That’s why I don’t give a fuck about Death Row right now. I don’t give a fuck about going on the record. I’ll say it on TV and in public: “What y’all niggas gonna do to me? I made y’all. Nigga, I don’t wanna wear your jacket no more. Y’all should just let me go. If you had let me go, I would have never said, ‘Fuck Death Row.’ But y’all don’t even wanna let a nigga go. You wanna hold onto me like I’m a slave or some shit. This is 1998. This ain’t 1898.” [. . .]
When Dre left Death Row, did he ask you to go with him?
SNOOP DOGG: No, he didn’t ask me to leave. He didn’t say nothing. He just packed his bags and left. If he had asked me to leave, there would have been some violent shit, ’cause niggas will be niggas. But, I mean, I had fun and shit on Death Row, man. I can’t say I didn’t. I just hate that it ended like it did, man. I can truly say to all the little rappers coming up in the game: Money is a motherfucker and don’t believe the color, know what I’m saying. You might see a black record label and be like, “I’m gonna sign with this label ’cause they ain’t СКАЧАТЬ