Young Buck Talks 50 Cent & Moving Forward With His Career & Life

Young Buck turned himself into the Yazoo City Medium Security Federal Prison in Southern Mississippi on Monday (August 6) to begin his 18-month sentence on weapon charges. Just a few weeks prior to that, Buck exclusively spoke to XXL while on house arrest. Here, in Part II of the interview, the former G-Unit rap star talks about being a victim of a drive-by shooting, the last time he spoke to 50 Cent and still being open to a conversation with ’Fif, being a free agent and interest in signing to Rick Ross’s MMG or Cash Money, where he originally launched his career.—Mark Lelinwalla

As if the weapon charges and bankruptcy weren’t enough, you and your lady were the victims of a drive-by shooting this past March. Take us through that.

Yeah, that was wild.  You know, the main part of it being the most shocking to me is because it happened at home. I don’t believe in having security guards and things. You know, home, I wanted home to always feel like home, man. At home, I’m the individual that you may pass, and see me at the carwash or in the projects, man, or you know, I treat home like that. So, that situation was more or less shocking ’cause it was at home and there was no real confrontation behind it in the club that I was in. I was actually stopping through and enjoying myself. A few words was had at the time by my baby mother and another female and I just basically got in the middle of it, calming them down. So, I walked away from that situation not feeling like there was no threat. I definitely didn’t feel like nobody would be shooting at me. I’m blessed to be here, to walk away from it with my life. My girl at the time, was in the car, she walked away with a little wound, but at the end of the day we walked away with our lives. I’m thankful for that part and I just vow to not put myself in those positions, where you could be hurt. I’m working on taking myself outside of those environments, where potentially bad things could happen.

People were really surprised to hear you on Whoo Kid, not too long ago. What’s your relationship with 50, if any? What do you think about him and Banks not talking in months?

I guess we don’t have no hard feelings for none of them cats. I definitely don’t have no hard feelings with Whoo Kid or nobody. I admit that I’m not good with thinking before I speak. I admit that. My thing is, I was never even granted the opportunity to even speak to 50. I spent weeks and weeks and Sha Money even went trying to get me on the phone or even have some kind of conversation where me and 50 could try and justify everything.

Would you still be up for that convo with 50?

I mean I’m about to go to prison at this point, so I don’t know how useful the conversation could possibly be. My thing is if this ain’t gotten all blown out of proportion at this point…all it ever really took was a one-on-one conversation with 50. Fifty wasn’t open to it, and I don’t know if he was even open to it at the time, but I’ve done every and any possible thing that an artist could possibly do to try to reach out. I always looked at 50 as a brother. If that’s the decision that 50 had chose to make me no longer apart of the group G-Unit, but still an artist to the label, then that’s his decision. But up until this day, man, I still haven’t spoken to 50. I haven’t spoken to 50 in six years, man, in no kind of way. I haven’t seen 50 in six years, let alone spoken to 50. I have no hate in me, believe it or not. I don’t really see 50 indulging in the riff raff. I think he’s more focused on his movies and music and his career. That’s where my head is at. I’m open to speaking to dude at any time he ready. I been ready. That don’t mean signing back to G-Unit or coming back to G-Unit. It’s just the closure on things with me and him. I wish him the best and I hope he wish me the best at this point.

Just to set the record straight is Young Buck a free agent right now?

I’m free as a bird and whatever label chooses to come my way or wherever I do end up laying my hat is where my next home will be.

We seen a freestyle video you put out, in which the MMG logo flashes at the end. Would you consider signing with Rick Ross?

I definitely like what MMG is doing over there man, I got a lot of love for them cats over there. I always had a good relationship with Rick Ross as well as Meek. MMG, they have a real push for what they got going. I came out with Cash Money too and just to see what those guys is doing what they doing is great. Baby is a guy that’s reached out and been supportive throughout my situation, as well as Rick Ross. I just recently spoke to Warren G and Snoop Dogg as well. It’s like this—the height of Buck, is coming out this penitentiary. I’m free now. So, I’m interested in seeing who sees this diamond in the rough. Even if someone doesn’t see the diamond in the rough, then I’ll be my own diamond. But at this point, my thing is that I’m free, I’m looking for a home, and ready.

How much music are you sitting on right now?

Honestly, I could drop a record every month for 18 months if I chose to. I’m kind of loaded. You got like five, six years of me not being able to actually drop a real project other than mixtape material. I’m a guy who literally does two to three songs a day, so you can imagine my archive. I have a problem with which records I’m going to pick to do the album. I’m beyond ready. One thing I do cherish from 50 Cent was after he got shot, his biggest fear was losing. He went through one of the most devastating things in his life and came back. That’s my approach. I’m looking to do everything to get back to where I’m at, because music is my life, man. I’ve only been able to release two world-wide albums, man.

That’s pretty incredible, ain’t it?

It’s incredible…for a person to still be relevant. The music is not only my life, but I’m damn good at this shit. Whatever is at the end of this rainbow, I just got to get there. It’s got to be a pot of gold. I keep everything real with myself and I keep God first. That’s my whole overview of my situation because I been put my situation in God’s hands a long time ago. My situation started in God’s hands, from the very beginning, and I just felt like, when it got to the point where I realized that some of the fights and battles is beyond me, I do what you should do, and other men—let God handle it.