DJ Green Lantern is the man behind various hits like Ludacris's "Number One Spot", D-Block's "Mighty Mighty D-Block", and a slur of mixtapes that have been cirulating the streets for years. Originally from Rochester, NY, this guy received his stripes from putting out a lot of unheard and new underground artists to the scene. After scoring some random production deals he ended up working as the official DJ of Interscope records and Shady's Aftermath camp. Eminem is getting ready to go on the Anger Management 3 Tour, and all of a sudden he is left without a DJ. Em's record spinner, DJ Green Lantern, not only resigned from his tour post late last month, he left the whole Shady family. Confusing? Well, the street DVD "The Come Up, Vol. 5" is at the heart of the conflict. Green has his own interview on the DVD, but that's not what landed him in hot water. The DJ actually split from Em and company because of a Jadakiss interview. In a separate segment, Jada was being asked about his beef with 50 Cent when Green coincidentally called him. The two spoke about their wins at the previous night's Mixtape Awards (see "Jadakiss Named Artist Of The Year At Mixtape Awards"), as well as discussing the 50/ Jada/ Fat Joe battle (see "Jadakiss Looking Forward To 'Airing 50 Cent's Ass Out' "). Jada had Green on speakerphone, and unbeknownst to Lantern, rolling cameras picked up the entire conversation.Green Lantern believed that 50 Cent would be upset by the talk, so rather than put Em in the position of choosing between the DJ and 50, the producer of Ludacris' "Number One Spot" left on his own. No longer affiliated with Sirius hip-hop channel Shady 45, the DJ now hosts the syndicated radio show "Mixtape Radio."While Jadakiss could not be reached to speak on the subject, Green Lantern and "The Come Up" producer Fendi had plenty to say.MTV News' Rahman Dukes got the whole story from DJ Green Lantern.
MTV: What exactly happened in this situation stemming from the DVD?
Green Lantern: Basically, I was recorded without my knowledge, speaking with Jadakiss about his response record to 50 Cent. ... There was a rumor going around that, in the conversation, I was giving Kiss inside information on what 50 was going to do. And that's really why I'm saying anything, because that is absolutely false.I will admit to the fact that I was speaking to Jadakiss, somebody that was in a rap battle with 50 Cent, but at the same time, Jada's my dude. I've worked with him for years, so it wasn't nothing for me to be talking with him. The inappropriate action on my part was when I'm commenting on his song, telling him, "That's a jab. Where's a knockout?" ... That was some bullsh--. It really looks like I wanted to take 50 Cent out, and there really isn't any feelings toward 50 Cent on my part, even though it looks like that. ... If I'm Green Lantern from Shady/ Aftermath and I shouldn't be commenting with Jadakiss on his song going at 50 Cent, at the same time I'm also an individual that has a relationship with this guy.
MTV So what would be the problem?
Green Lantern: Choosing to put the conversation on the DVD created an unfortunate situation. We have conversations with other people on the phone where other people's names are mentioned that you still mess with, but you wouldn't want that to go to the world. I didn't want to create a tension between Em and 50 with Em going to bat for me and all that when it's a crazy situation. For what? I'll just be out.
MTV: Have you seen the DVD?
Green Lantern: I saw it like two weeks ago, and I immediately put things in motion as far as notifying the powers that be and then trying to reach out to people, letting people know as far as Shady and what not. That's what you would do in that situation. I would want you to hear it from me rather than anybody else, because I know you're going to hear it.
MTV: What is your relationship with 50?
Green Lantern: I have no relationship with 50. I never really did. We were just kind of, "What's up?" you know? I might have had one- or two-minute conversations with him the whole three years. He does him, he goes all around the world and does his shows, his whole thing. I don't even want to comment on 50 Cent, because I don't even know him.
MTV: Did Eminem try to prevent you from leaving because you're part of his success?
Green Lantern: Nah. I think he knew it was that big. Before he even talked to 50, I told him, "Yo, listen. He's gonna tell you to get rid of me. He's going to say, 'Cut the grass and get the snakes out.' That's just what it is, how it looks on the tape." This is a mutual thing. It's a mutual break, a clean break down the middle.
MTV: Do you see a time when you rectify things and go back to making music with Shady?Green Lantern: I can't see that far into the future. I know that I just really want to hear what Jadakiss has got to say, though. I know I've got my own theories, but this ain't even like me to be talking. This is personal business. I don't want to seem like I'm talking on the Internet about things that's personal. It's personally got to get handled between me and him. Whether we work together or not, people are gonna see it.
MTV: It seems like you tried to stay neutral though the whole situation, because you never played any of the dis records.
Green Lantern: I thank you for that. I always wanted to put that out there. I felt like people would think it was petty, but I made it a point not to play any of those dis records.
MTV News' Shaheem Reid spoke with "The Come Up" producer Fendi and heard his side of things.
MTV: OK, Fendi — let's air it out. What happened with the whole Jadakiss and Green Lantern fiasco?
Fendi: Green Lantern is my man. I f--- with Green Lantern. I would never ever do nothing to f--- up Green Lantern's career. That n---a helped me. I got artists. I know better than to put a DJ against the wall when I know he helps me. Jadakiss is doing part two to the interview where he's talking about 50. [In the middle of the interview] Green Lantern calls Jadakiss' phone. Kiss don't know what Green Lantern is about to say on his phone. He put the n---a on speaker, like 'Yo, my n---a Green Lantern is calling me.' He's just adding to his interview. First thing Green says is, 'You hit him with a jab. Where's the knockout?' Kiss already has him on speaker. Green was like, '[G-Unit]'s mad ass n---as. This is hip-hop.' It was Green Lantern who contacted G-Unit with, 'Yo, I did a DVD. It's about to come out, and I look f---ed up on it.' He alarmed them.
MTV: So if you have the man on tape and he doesn't know, and you think he might look a little crazy on there, why not just edit it out?
Fendi: The point of the story is that Green called Jada and he started yapping at the mouth. Green felt that I could've edited it out, and you're right. But when you think about Green Lantern, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?
MTV: Shady.
Fendi: You don't think about 50. I'm not thinking it's gonna be as big as it is. That sh-- is huge. I didn't think to edit it out. Plus my editor is one of them braniac n---as where he takes the words Green was saying, he has the words coming up on the bottom [of the screen]. You would think you was watching a subtitled Japanese movie or something. Now Green feels like, 'You and Jadakiss set me up.' I'm not speaking for Jadakiss, but he had no intention of violating Green Lantern. Green Lantern did all of that himself. Green Lantern called Jadakiss.
MTV: Have you talked to Green Lantern since all his happened?
Fendi: Green Lantern was calling me like 'Yo, Fendi. That's f---ed up what y'all did. You did me greasy. You was just being greedy.' I'm not a DVD n---a. Smack [of "Smack DVD"] is a DVD n---a. I'm just a n---a who had some footage of Biggie. I felt it was an outlet for my artist Gravy to win, but I don't eat or sleep for DVDs. I just have some exclusive footage, and now I'm winning. That Green Lantern sh-- was some sh-- Green brought on himself. My DVD was already going to be hot before Green Lantern called.
You knew there was no way Eminem was going to tour without a DJ. So when Green Lantern left the Shady camp a few weeks back amidst the controversy he caused with his appearance on the street DVD "The Come Up, Vol. 5," it was only a matter of time before a new turntablist filled the vacancy (see "DJ Green Lantern Explains Eminem Split").That time is now. Producer Alchemist, a frequent collaborator with Mobb Deep, has been given the nod by Slim Shady."It's a real step up for me. I'm excited, to say the least," Alchemist said Friday (May 13) in New York.Alchemist is managed by Em's manager, Paul Rosenberg, and Al's brother Neil also works with Rosenberg. The two recently called a meeting with the producer and offered him the position on the Anger Management 3 Tour, which he gladly accepted (see "Eminem, 50, Lil Jon, G-Unit, D12 Team Up For Anger Management 3 Tour This Summer"). Although fans know Al largely from his production work for such artists as the Mobb and Jadakiss, he's been a DJ for years."From day one, before getting with Mobb, I used to roll with Cypress Hill," he said. "I used to roll heavy with Muggs, setting up the turntables, getting that onstage experience for years. Moving to New York and getting down with the Mobb, the last three or four years, I've been doing shows with them, just experiencing the adrenaline and the rush."Al said he's also prepared for a role that may be more than just spinning records. Just like Green Lantern, he may be called on to give his input on how the show should go."I'mma play it by ear. This is Em's show. When it comes time, I will have my creative ideas, [but] I will also follow Em's ideas," he said. "I'm quick. I know Em's a perfectionist, and so am I. We both try to make things better. I already know all his and D12 and Obie Trice's music, but I'm studying it so I can know [the songs] like I know the Mobb stuff. I'm ready. Once I get my script, I'm on it. I'm taking this real serious now. I want to be the best DJ I can be, just like I want to be the best producer I can be."Going on tour doesn't mean Alchemist is going to slow up on beats, though. He says he'll have plenty of time to do both."Anybody who knows anything about touring knows there's a lot of downtime, a lot of long tour bus rides. I'm already loading up for the drives. I'll have more than enough stuff to do. Creative people vibe off each other. If I'm in a circle where I see Fif and Em and Jon everyday, that puts more juice into me. I remember when I was on the Smokin' Grooves Tour with Freddie Foxxx and Gang Starr. I was making beats on the back of the Cypress bus. I remember the energy. This is gonna be the 2005 version of that."Twista, Sheek Louch, Scarface, Tony Yayo and Pharoahe Monch are among the MCs he has already worked with. Lil Jon has also approached him about working with Lil' Scrappy. Meanwhile, Al and Mobb Deep are going to keep flooding the mixtape circuit because of their competitive natures."I been just dropping joints on the streets. To the mixtapes, to the DJs," he said. "To me, that's what's it's all about. Instead of me waiting to compile a bunch of joints, make an album and do numbers first week, through this period of time when I don't have an album, I want them to feel like these guys are the truth. Me and the Mobb have so many joints. We dropped this joint called 'I Got This.' I don't know what we're going to do with the record, but for now it's just a record to represent us for the summertime. If I have to take a little loss and just give it to the people, it serves its purpose. When I hear something hot on the radio, I feel like I gotta drop something next week." Basically to sum this story all up Green Lantern got caught out there trying to be an insigator. What a fuckin' dip shit.
The way real men water ski. Next year, Lake Gizzorge...Knuff Said! Buuwhut?
FREEZE...MUSIC PLEASE!
The new Necro and Ill Bill "Street Villians Vol. 2" soon to hit stores across the U.S. He has also lived up to his own expectations releasing 12 albums in 12 months. Downloaders will be beaten to death with street signs...Survivors will be shot in the head.
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Peace...I'm outtie 5000.
