Mannie Fresh Says he’s too Old for Bling

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  37 Comments

While out of the spotlight for the last several years, former Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh has matured a lot. XXLMag.com recently caught up with the seminal New Orleans beatmaker and apparently he’s ditched the “bling” from his wardrobe.

When asked why the change in style, Fresh blamed it on his age. “I’m a grown man,” he said. It’s like if you go to a club now everybody got on a chain and watch and look like a rapper. I’m not saying nothing’s wrong with that but I’m at a different place in my life. I’m looking at longevity and saving my money. I don’t want to be a VH1 special like that dude is flat broke walking around acting like he 18.”

Known for helping to introduce the bling craze in hip-hop—MF produced the mega popular “Bling Bling” for B.G. in 1999—XXL inquired if he felt responsible. “I think music is not education no more,” he replied. “You had variety when we did this. You had Public Enemy, Slick Rick and N.W.A. Now it’s all about getting money. To a certain degree hip-hop was our teacher and if it’s teaching one thing then that’s all you’re gonna get.”

For more from Mannie Fresh be sure to peep his full feature on XXLMag.com. —Elan Mancini with reporting by Souleo

Tags:

  • kam

    This is not exclusive news……..

    • Mikey F Baby

      exactly what I was thinking. slow ‘news’ day

  • stuckfresh

    Come on fresh? Just make hot beats and shut the fuck up!

    • The Decatur Dictator

      He’s talking real talk dude, rappers are a bunch of followers…go get the chain, the oversized clown looking watch, the benze and act like you are rich. Don’t you know that 98% of these “rappers” are broke? The get a 50-75k advance (meaning you must pay it back against future earnings), then they spend 100k on jewels, cars and drinks for everyone at the club…Is that smart? NO, dumb as hell. Rapping is like being a running back in the NFL, you better save your money son, it will be a short career for most. He was being real-too bad your not smart enough to see that.

  • venemez

    A.K.A I can’t afford bling anymore.

  • vhingrhamesonyo’momma

    dave chappele voice “I’m B-r-oke biaaatch”!

  • mike4282

    He’s JUST NOW realizing this?!

    Hip Hop overall sucks right now and HE may have had a part in it.

  • http://www.bboycult.com $yk

    I know y’all are clowning son, but he’s speaking some real here…

    “I think music is not education no more,” he replied. “You had variety when we did this. You had Public Enemy, Slick Rick and N.W.A. Now it’s all about getting money. To a certain degree hip-hop was our teacher and if it’s teaching one thing then that’s all you’re gonna get.”

    “I’m looking at longevity and saving my money. I don’t want to be a VH1 special like that dude is flat broke walking around acting like he 18.”

    ^ Jewels

    • these posts are racist

      co-sign. I find it amazing that people value being consistently ignorant over a clear sign of growth…”you weren’t saying that when you were doing [x]“. So what, he’s saying it now, and truth/wisdom/honesty does not have conditions. It is not dependent on a precieved sense of consistency…consistency for the sake of being consistent, is the most ignorant thing of all.

      • The Decatur Dictator

        I co-sign 100-so if you realize that there is a better way, do you continue to practice the ignorant? No, you mature as an individual as a man, and the new jacks coming in should take notice to some that has done it, lived it, and got a shirt. Save ya money, be professional, stay out of jail, and make quality music. Everything else is ignorant and bafoonish. Thus…”rapper “X” sold 91,000 copies his 1st week out”. Man, 5-10 years ago, that meant you were a failure and your career is over.

        • http://www.bboycult.com $yk

          “Man, 5-10 years ago, that meant you were a failure and your career is over.”

          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  • DownSouth

    One of my all time fav producers. To me, him, KLC, and Timbaland are some of the best producers when it comes to programming drums. Even tho Mannie produced Bling Bling, he has never just been much of a stunta. You can tell he was just making tight beats and having fun.

    DOWN SOUTH!!!

  • http://www.jamal7mile.blogspot.com Jamal7Mile

    And another one sees the light…

    Can’t wait for some more crap to officially get played out/outgrown by the masses. Blond wigs, tight jeans, coonery, sizzurp-dumbed down rhymes, face tats… you’re on notice.

    • The Decatur Dictator

      Preach Preecha! I’m tired of the coonery dude, it crazy. No better than jimbo dancing on stage for “the man” to earn the lowest wage of anyone in the business.

  • Freeman

    “I think music is not education no more,” he replied.

    You right if you use a double negative in a sentence like that how could it be education my dude.

    Mannie should said I think music is not education ANY more.

    Step ya country grammar up bruh!

  • projecthallwaypisser

    this fool has always looked funny as hell… like a monkey or somthing.(probably got more hoes than a muhfucka though)cuz we all know, hoes love money.

    • geico lizard

      Rush Limbaugh is getting married for the 4th time so that proves women will marry/screw any man for money.

  • meche

    I understand him sayin dat but he was da main nigga flashing back in da day!!!Hell he even started it!!!!l.o.l.

  • The Decatur Dictator

    Furthermore, the culture of rap is the only one where there is no creativity man, everyone basically wears the same kind of clothes (less the tight jean fad, and even that has a followers mentality)-produces the same style of rap music, recite the same type of lyrics…I swear man, is everyone always in the damn club? All we hear is who’s in the club…damn! And who is still selling dope? Man, that is played out, I’m don’t why dummies are still referencing that in their raps…Step Yo Game Up! Geesh, mindless,spineless,bottom feeders. Ayo, Que the benz on 20′s, get Katt Stacks, put on your chains (even if they are rented),get out your gorilla watch, pull out the white t, and lets make our new video…..ni&&a’s stay playing they self. That’s why folks ain’t buying it, you only buy what you value.

    • http://www.bboycult.com $yk

      ^ the homie is going in!

      Last nite I was smoking & building with one of the youngin’ homies (I do this on the reg), and I pointed out to him how AA’s don’t know how to manifest prosperity, we become the ultimate consumers instead of the vested providers.

      Son gets a new pair of Jordans every other week or week, but has nowhere to lay his head. I had to show him how his Nike investment is actually his rent.

      And I told him I’m gonna show him how this fail is his fault…

  • http://www.emcdl.com EmCDL

    Why ya’ll bugging? When did he make Bling Bling??? Like in 1999? Dude was young and was trying to get that money at the time….got caught up in the hype. He’s grown out of that now and trying to build up his dividends while perfecting his craft. How you gonna hate on a brotha because he’s growing up?…..??????

    Keep doing ya thing Mannie….

  • Pingback: A Kid Named B » Blog Archive » XXL Mag: Mannie Fresh Says he’s too Old for Bling

  • Pingback: XXcLusive: Mannie Fresh Says he’s too Old for Bling | Knowledge Valley

  • http://www.bboycult.com $yk

    Quick fast…

    Do y’all really think big jewels means big $? I bet you Em’s little ass chains cost way more than Gucci’s!

    Anybody in the know even knows these guys rent or charge the jewerly to the game! When TVT Records fell off, they listed Lil’ Jon’s chain & fronts as collateral! If someone else bought the company, Jon has to give up the jewels!

    And besides they’re casting gold in 8 and 10 karats. There’s more copper, zinc, & nickel in that than gold! That clanky, tinnish sound you hear means flawed, compromised product!

  • swype-matic

    i thought i was the only one that new that. All these rappers goin’ to TV Johnny/Jacob or whatever don’t know a damn thing about the clarity and shit like that in diamonds. All they see is somethin’ that shines, tap dance, then buy it. SMH, it’s pretty sad.

  • http://thieeeeeee.com denny

    fuck u crip bitches ima thug u hoes

  • Fireforreal

    I like hearing that shit because Loke at Jay-z,Nas,Eminem,Ice cube etc… There all well respected and rich vets who have waaaaaaaaay more money than damn near every rapper who came out in the last 5-10 years but they don’t flaunt there shit like that. You may see them with a normal size chain and a nice watch but not these dumb ass pendants and 4 chains that don’t even look real. The dudes with the most bread don’t floss like that because they put more money into investments instead.

  • cuss

    bottom line its a smart move better late then never i say

  • http://www.myspace.com/slotchmusic ms_spittuh

    Ahh Mannie…I used to try and make beats like Mannie…then 6 hours later I realized that I sucked at it (lol)…

  • Escobar9300

    Man, there is alot of hate on here. How you gonna hate Manny Fresh for keeping it real and saying that bling shit is for busters? He realized that shit is mad childish and isnt productive in any way. Props to Manny.

  • qwerty

    mannie didn’t even wear bling when cash money was hot

    “nigga still rock white teeth up in his mouth”

  • http://dealwithwhites.com/family David Goldberg

    Damn.
    That was hardcore true spit.

    Even he said we had balance.
    Wow.

    Yo I got an instant newfound respect for dude.

    Peace to y’all over here.

    • http://www.jamal7mile.blogspot.com Jamal7Mile

      Peace to Black_People_1!!! Maaaan, I got mad respect for you and the knowledge you drop over at AHH! Good to see you ’round these parts brother. In fact, I think I’m gonna check those beats out that my fellow Detroit cats are raving about at your site. PEACE!

  • dolo

    yea big ups for seeing the light..remember the big tymers song Im Still Fly.. ” Can’t pay my rent cuz all my money’s spent, but thats alright cuz im still fly!!”.. Jewels depreciate.. ask pun’s family about chains

  • http://dealwithwhites.com/family David Goldberg

    Ay Jamal, what’s happening good bruhva.
    It’s just by chance that i made it back here today.

    thanks for showing love.
    y’all inspire me you know?

    ay yo, i don’t think i’ll get notices when new comments pop up here. but you can always catch me over on ahh and definitely at my site.

    peace man.

  • http://illmuzik.com/coldskilzs coldskilzs

    New bangers posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    illmuzik.com/coldskilzs

  • M.C.Denny Dee

    He is right, and we want to thank Mannie Fresh for stepping up and saying it, although it really doesn’t matter how old you are in our music, but how good you are, and we do miss you fresh so lets get back into making examples for those hip hop family members on the elementary level, they are still our supporting family members.