Black Rob Talks Life After Jail and Bad Boy, New Music

Black Rob signed with Bad Boy Records in the late '90s, adding his name to an impressive roster that included Ma$e, The Lox, and Puff Daddy. After the tragic death of the label’s signature star, the Notorious B.I.G., Rob and the rest of Bad Boy kept the label alive with a slew of hit records including Rob's smash “Woah.”

After BR’s debut album, Life Story, dropped in 2000, the spitter became sidetracked with legal problems which landed him a five-year sentence for a 2004 grand larceny charge.

Having been home for a year now and off parole, the former Bad Boy is ready to get back in the studio and record his junior effort, Game Tested, Street Approved, which drops on July 26 through Duck Down.

XXLMag.com caught up with the Harlem native to speak about his troubled past, the Bad Boy days and his return to music. —Nicole LoPresti

XXLMag.com: How does it feel getting back in the studio for Game Tested, Street Approved?

Black Rob: The process was a little different 'cause it's not on a major label but it took the same time. It was more like us putting a bunch of songs together. There’s not a lot of Bad Boy stuff on there. It’s something totally different.

When you say "different from the Bad Boy days," what do you mean?

This is just me and how I am feeling. I don’t have to answer to anyone. I just feel everything I’m saying right now is really relevant. And I can do whatever I want with my music. I address some real shit.

What are some of the things you talk about on the album?

I mean, I dib and dab in the Bad Boy subject but I’m not pin-pointing anyone. If the shoe fits wear it. I’m not trying to cause a war 'cause it’s not even worth it. I feel like at the end of the day I'ma be BR regardless of Puffy and Duck down.

So, is there a beef with Bad Boy?

There was never a beef. There was a misunderstanding. [If] they want it to be a beef, that’s for the critics to say. People that know Puff, know me. It’s never gonna be no beef cause we grown men and it would come to a head. I had to clear the air.

The air is cleared then? Things with you and Diddy are cool?

Yeah, everything is AG with me and Puff.

Do you have any appearances by your Bad Boy family on this album?

Buckwild. Pete Rock. Erick Sermon. People that followed my career and really help me make records. I’m not dealing with too many new guys. I can’t really say any [other] names right now but I got them on there.

Your lead single off Game Tested, Street Approved is “Make It in New York.” What does it mean to you to make it in New York?

To make it in New York means when you can get your family out of here. If you’re coming around the hood visiting then you made it.

Now that you’re on Duck Down, do you ever miss the Bad Boy days or are you over it?

I mean, you could never get over it. You can ask any artist that is 70 years old why they still do it and it’s because they love the fans and they love the hype. I could never feel over it but I do feel like it was time for a change. Who knows, there is still a card sitting for me on the table at Bad Boy. It’s a win-win situation. I’m a grown man, only kids sit down and think about hatred. I did the hatred thing back in the day. It’s time to rise up and that’s what I do.

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In the Bad Boy heyday, how crazy was it?

That was so crazy. You had to like be poppin’ E, drinking red bull, drinking Hennessy in order to stay up and work with these people. You’re talking about 25 hour days. We get on stage at 1AM then we are going to party and then the studio. You can imagine four or five years of that.

Can you believe that it’s been 11 years since “Woah” came out?

When you play it 'til this day it’s a banger. When I first heard “Woah” in 1998 or 1999 I didn’t think it was going to be such a smash. I’m from the era like the '80s when people flowed to the beat and let it go. When I heard this beat I knew I had to switch it up.

Do you hope to recreate “Woah”again?

You gottta move on in your life. If you keep eating steak everyday you won't want it. Put some Sazon on it, put some mayonnaise on it. But we have some feel good records on here too. I’m telling you people are going through the same shit I’m going through. I got people in Alaska telling me that on “Quiet Storm” my mother did the same shit to me. I guarantee you the records we making people are going to understand.

In ’09 you did an interview with XXLMag.com where you said this would be your last time going to jail.

I’ve been out here for a year. I don’t even report anymore. I’m off of parole. I’m a free man. I gave them cocksuckers five years of my life.  They not getting no more. I don’t care, you’re not catching me dirty. Never. It’s just a beautiful day. My kids are good. The females are good. Different females from back in the “Woah” days but still all good.

While you did your stint in jail what did you do to stay productive?

A lot of reading and working out and keeping my focus to the task at hand. In order for a brother to keep his sanity you have to be on some positive shit. The shit that I seen up there... or that people say. Asking me about Puffy. What the fuck you asking me about that for in jail? I’m game-tested.

What does “Game Tested” mean?

It means a lot to me. There were only about 10 MCs back then that really made it in the streets, too. They game-tested it and the streets approved it. I was everywhere out here except a coffin.

How’s it been being on an independent label like Duck Down so far?

We are probably going back to the majors more than likely. If not I’ll put my own shit out. Shout to my man G. Dep. People be counting him out but all jokes aside, if my man come it’s a problem. A lot of dudes are in trouble.

I know you’re both from uptown. Do you talk to G. Dep?

BR: I can’t visit him cause I have felonies. I mean G. Dep is a strong individual, the strongest individual I know. I respect the man. He calls me everyday and spits something for me. If he gets another chance, I know he’s not going to fuck it up. If he gets a second change… they gonna let him go. They can’t prove that. Back in the days, I think it was around 1999 0r 2000 when my album came out, Busta Rhymes said to me, “You have a horseshoe in your ass,” cause no matter what I did I always came back. I’m going to show them this time that I have a horseshoe again. Before you count a brother out, give him a fair chance. Especially if he has heart.

Do you have any guest appearances, other than the Bad Boy fam, on Game Tested, Street Approved?

I’m gonna throw one name in the air. Joell Ortiz. He’s official tissue. I respect him. But really, I went in there and vibed out by myself. I really didn’t look for a lot of features.

It was a different time period now vs. when “Woah” came out. With the impact of the internet and overnight hits, are you prepared for that?

I dib and dab in the internet, but I’m not trying to get too crazy on that. I hit it and quit it. I don’t really do that. Maybe in the future I will. Right now, all I’m doing is making music.