| Many people were
affected in different ways by the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
While some may think it only affected those in that particular
area, people were affected all over the world, some worse
than others. Even if you didn't have family there, it still
managed to tug at your heart. That would definitely be the
case for Goodie Mob member Khujo. Being in the music industry,
like many, Khujo was expecting to hear various artists teaming
together and making music that would convey their thoughts
and so forth in regards to the matter at hand. Needless
to say, despite the many benefits taking place, as well
as the many artists that have contributed to the cause in
one way or another, there haven't been any songs relating
to the issue. That's where Khujo comes in. In a matter of
hours, he put together his own tribute of sort, entitled,
"Hard To Forget", and has since been pushing it
to various radio stations and formats in an effort to get
airplay. We had a moment to talk with him about the song,
as well as the process and problems he has encountered in
his effort to promote the track. We also spoke with him
about his many ventures and projects, including this year's
"Lumberjacks" release with felloiw Goodie Mob
member T-Mo, as well as the long rumored reunion of Goodie
Mob as a whole.
What' going down man ?
Khujo: I'm just at the house, coolin
out man.
Well first off, thanks for takin
the time out today for the interview.
Khujo: Aww, no problem man.
Besides seeing everything goin on,
what was the motive behind the song for Katrina?
Khujo: Well here, it's kinda crunked
out in Atlanta, and it's nothing really here on the radio
torelate to what's going on. Being that I'm from the Goodie
Mob and I'm in my position, I felt like it was time for
us to take the matter into our own hands. If you wanna hear
something better, you got to do it yourself. I felt like
it's been time, not only for this type of song, but time
to take matters into our own hands and get the music out.
You got the people on the radio saying they down with this
and that, but they are fronting.
I'm seeing a lot of it man, and so
many artists are doing this and that, but some of them,
I feel like they are doing it to make publicity out of it.
Khujo: Exactly. They got a benefit
going on down here, with a host of respected emcees, but
it's not one song talking about what's happening. So I've
been calling the radio stations, trying to get this song
on the air, and they keep giving me the run around, and
I know it's because people are paying to get their songs
played.
I know exactly what you mean man.
I actually used to work in radio, so I've seen a lot of
it. I know exactly what you're talking about because I've
seen it myself.
Khujo: Right, and it seems like a
no win situation. So you have to print it yourself and put
it in their hands yourself.
So what are you doing to get the
song out there?
Khujo: Well, yesterday, Minister
Farrakhan came into the city for a convention, and we were
able to set up a booth for like $100 and we were able to
give it to the people hands-on. Basically, we set up a table
full of cds, and the music got out to the people. It worked
out, and it presents a whole new situation.
So do you have a problem with me
putting the song up onto the site for people to listen to
it and even download?
Khujo: No, not at all, because that's
what we want is for people to hear it.
What I thought when I first heard
it, was that it could have been even stronger if it was
a collaboration between a bunch of artists from the south.
I think it would have been able to reach a broader audience.
Khujo: Yeah, and actually, I was
riding down Interstate 285, listening to the radio, and
I heard T.I. talkin. I called up the station and asked him
if he wanted to do something, and he was cool with it, but
it's so much red tape. We just ended up going to my dude's
house because he's got equipment in the basement, and a
girl actually did the beat. She's the one singing on it.
So I'm like, that's how things happen. I figure it's a situation
where we have to do it first, and then maybe after that,
other people will jump on it.
Also, I wanted to talk to you about
your group that you've been in. I'm wondering, what happened
with The Lumberjacks release? I know it was on Koch, and
they are independent, but there didn't seem to be any promotion
at all for it. Why was that?
Khujo: I don't think they really
know how to work a record in the South. It was kinda like
that. The only person they have that's on tv and radio is
Jim Jones.
He definitely knows how to get himself
out to the people without the label though, and he already
had a huge following before getting with them.
Khujo: Right! He has that capital
and money to make it happen. Since this ain't a major deal,
they really could not facilitate what we wanted. We wanted
to do this video for a song that Organized Noize produced
called "The Coming", and we also wanted to do
a video for "Murderin The Muzik". Not only like
videos, but also like small movies, but the label could
not really do that. So since we knew they couldn't do it,
we just had to push it from the street. It's been out since
January, and so far, it has sold about 7,000 copies, and
that was with no airplay, just on the strength of who we
were. No radio play, no video, but just hands on. Going
straight to the people. A lot of people don't know it's
out though. The label only sent out like 17,000 copies.
We did that record for only about $35,000. That just showed
that we could do an album and put it together for next to
nothing. But [it takes more] in order for it to be a success
like "Mutant Mind Frame" and Goodie Mob's "One
Monkey Don't Stop No Show", both of those did over
50,000 copies. It was with minimal radio play and one video.
So at the time, Koch was the only people that really wanted
to do business with us. A lot of people were like, "no,
because it's not the full Goodie Mob", this and that.
But I feel like it's all about the continuation. Groups
like Parliament, & Earth, Wind, & Fire, they don't
have all of the members, and they are still successful.
So I just really couldn't understand how they were doing
it. So that's why we went with Koch, but if everything goes
according to plan, we're trying to do some things with Big
Boi & The Purple Ribbon Allstarz.
Man, I talked to Big Boi a few months
ago, and I was telling him the same thing, and that you
all [Goodie Mob] should be with his label, because all throughout
your careers, everyone has seen you all together. Of course,
he was in total agreement as well. It seems like it would
be a no-brainer. That also takes me back to the idea that
they all would have been great on your song about Hurricane
Katrina.
Khujo: I think we could have done
it too, if we had not been involved with Koch. Because of
that, we had to wait until the contracts were exhausted.
SO basically, they had to keep going on without us. But
who knows, maybe down the line, we all could do a new song
in regards to what's going on with the hurricanes.
There's been so many rumors about
Goodie Mob actually reuniting in entirety. How true is that,
like, is it really in the plan?
Khujo: Oh yeah, that's most definitely
in the plan. As far as us doing some music, I wanna say
before the end of the year. Gipp & Cee-Lo got some other
projects they are doing, but after those, we can come together
again as a collective.
I know a lot of people would look
forward to that.
Khujo: Oh yeah, that's the talk of
the net and everything. I'm excited about it too, and I
can't wait to put the blueprint down for what we will do
and how we will come. I don't think we ever just got in
there and did that.
What else is going on with you right
now ? Have you started working on any other new material?
Khujo: Oh yeah, me and T-Mo got like
a mic cd that we're getting ready to do. We'll have solo
cuts, and then songs that we did together. We got two full
length songs with all four Goodie Mob members, so we're
just trying to get that out. I'm in the process of doing
a mixtape myself as well.
Is there a website at all for you
guys?
Khujo: Yeah, it's at www.khujogoodie.com,
and we still have www.thelumberjacks.net.
Will these mixtapes sell through
your websites?
Khujo: I believe so. I think that's
what's going to be done. I got a dude name Charlie Braxton
who does a lot of write-ups on our stuff, and he hipped
me onto some people that service mixtapes and whatnot.
That's cool, because being here in
Cleveland, and you guys are there in Georgia, when you put
those out, it's hard for us to get it here when it's not
in stores.
Khujo: Right, so I think that's why
they will probably be done like that.
Are there any kind of final comments
at all ?
Khujo: I just wanna give much love
to the people that have been supporting us since we came
out, because if it wasn't for them, people wouldn't know
who Goodie Mob was, or who Khujo was.
www.khujogoodie.com
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