thaFormula.com - How has everything been so far and what's it like having that first official release?

Joell Ortiz - I'm feeling good and I'm in a good state of mind. It feels good to have my first release. It's doing what it's supposed to do. It's shaking the masses up and people are saying that I'm bringing that real Hip-Hop shit back you know that real talk. I'm having fun and I'm looking forward to my Aftermath venture.

thaFormula.com - What's the first thing you have realized from releasing an album for the first time that maybe you didn't think would happen or didn't think it would be like?

Joell Ortiz - It's kind of everything I thought it would be man. The fans are supporting, my numbers were pretty decent, the people are calling for more shows, they wanna see me appear on more mix tapes so the buzz is up and a lot of people were really happy about the album. One thing that was kind of surprising was that I had 1 or 2 write-ups that I didn't agree with but that's gonna happen. It comes with the territory and I'm not gonna sit there and dwell on that. But everything else has been great.

thaFormula.com - For many people, the "Hip-Hop" video brought a sort of nostalgic feeling of the days of real Hip-Hop, how does it feel to hear that?

Joell Ortiz - It feels good, but at the same time I say it surprises me because at the end of the day, I'm not trying to run an angle and say "I'm the next Hip-Hop dude" or "trying to bring the Hip-Hop back". I'm just trying to rap. I just want to rip beats the way they used to get ripped back in the day. When I was a little kid trying to come into these rap battles and stuff like that, the object was to be better than the next man. So when I approach beats, I don't approach them the same way a lot of people are now you know? Trying to make catchy choruses and radio friendly records. I just want to rip a beat better then the next man. So when they tell me all these things about "Hip-Hop savior" and me "bringing it back to that real stuff," it applies to me but its not what I'm trying to do. I'm just trying rap, but whatever label they give me, I'm gonna ride with it.

thaFormula.com - What are your thoughts on the bootlegging and downloading issue now that you have actually dropped your album? Do you see things differently now that you have an album out?

Joell Ortiz - I already knew what the bootlegging would do. I already took that into account but it is what it is. You cant stop it, it's gonna happen and sometimes it helps man when you have a good album. I mean at least they go, "yo he's crazy you feel me?" So it doesn't hurt as much, it only hurts scans but as long as I could get more fans from it, I'm alright with that.

thaFormula.com - There are so many artists that get signed to Aftermath man, what separates you from every other Aftermath artist?

Joell Ortiz - First and foremost I'm Latino, I'm Puerto Rican and I'm bringing that whole following with me to Aftermath. The whole Latin community embraces me and loves me. That alone with what we just spoke about a second ago about my song content and the way I choose to go against the grain and not make these radio friendly pop kind of records or whatever, that all comes into account. (Dr.) Dre is excited, I'm like 10 songs in on the album right now. I just came back from Atlanta with Jazzy Pha like a month ago and I'm heading out to Miami to see if I could hook up with Salaam Remi and a couple of other artists. I just did a record with Smokey Robinson so we're all excited with what's going on. As far as me being different, we're all different, every person is different. My approach is just a little bit more solid and a little bit more real then some other people, but they are all my label mates, they are all good people and they will probably be on my album.

thaFormula.com - Why do you think we haven't seen any major, huge Latino rap artists like Cypress Hill and Big Pun come around again?

Joell Ortiz - I can't really answer why it hasn't happened, I just know it hasn't happen and they are excited about me. They think I can be that thing that happens again. I'm flattered when I get comparisons to dudes like Big Pun and stuff like that because that dude was a icon, a legend and a pioneer in my eyes and someone that's in my iPod to this day. But you know yeah you're right, we haven't had the light represented outside of like Fat Joe for a long time, I'm ready to take the job, I'm ready to empower my people, give us a face out there again outside of Reggaeton. I'm ready for the job and everything that comes with it and I'm so happy that a Latino like myself is getting a chance to be the face of our heritage.

thaFormula.com - With the way record sales are today and the bootlegging, downloading etc., how do you gauge how popular an artist is or whether you have done good or bad?

Joell Ortiz - Well I'm gonna tell you how I would figure it out. You figure it out through the Internet. On HipHopGame I have got to be like a top ten artist. I've given freestyles after freestyles and got comments and views and profile reads. Myspace.com, etc. is where you find out. But you will also find out when your name is on a bill. When your headlining a show and it's sold out and the line is around the corner, that's when you see how popular you really are. Because these numbers will tell you a lie. It's not the same dude. Ring tones is bigger then albums right now. Labels are separately giving deals for that just because they know that's where they are gonna earn so you cant judge through scans. So when you got a solid fan base like I have and I bring them over to Aftermath and gain another fan base because of that, man I can't see myself doing 100,000. I know exactly what you mean though. It's a funny game right now, but you gotta keep your head up, make the music that you make and see what happens.

thaFormula.com - So as a artist coming up today like yourself, what should be your main source of income, what are the angles in 2007?

Joell Ortiz - My main focus is definitely shows. I do like at least 2 or 3 shows a week if I can and that's how I earn. It's not much, but it's an earning and it's a lot better then where I came from. So I do shows cause those are two birds with one stone, you know I get a little bit of money and I gain more fans and I keep people saying "yo this kid works hard." So my angle is shows. I don't do many mix tapes, I like to be exclusive. Like if you see Joell on a mix tape it's like "oh shit Joell is on a mix tape!" I don't do it man cause I don't like to over saturate myself or have people like "damn he's on everything" because sometimes that can hurt you. So I don't do many mix tapes, I don't make many appearances, but I will do a show in a heartbeat and that's how I earn.

thaFormula.com - Is the ring tones in something that you have gotten into?

Joell Ortiz - Yeah, I think it's become a standard. I think it's a thing that has to happen so me and my lawyer right now were talking about two records on my album which they want a ring tone deal. We will see what happens, but like I said that's not something huge to me, but it's huge to record labels now so I got to abide by it.

thaFormula.com - If there was no money in Hip-Hop Joell, would you still be doing this Hip-Hop thing?

Joell Ortiz -Ah man of course. I really, really like busting people's ass over beats. I'm a competitive dude. It ain't gotta be money, it would just be something like playing ball. I know I ain't going to the NBA but if I play ball I try to score and hold my man. It would be the same thing dude, I would be out here trying to be the next nigga rhyming.

thaFormula.com - How many doors were slammed in your face before you got your Aftermath and Koch deals?

Joell Ortiz - Quite a bit homeboy and it was discouraging because it was for reasons outside of music. Weight issues, I didn't have that look, one label told me "you don't have that twinkle in your eye." That was the funniest one because I came from the bottom, from the projects in Brooklyn. So if there was a twinkle my eye I was probably looking at somebody's chain like "that's my come up." But it's discouraging as a kid you go in there with 8 solid songs on your demo, you know what your playing is fire and they looking at you and denying you because of your looks. When your a kid writing rhymes you think that that's what it is, that rhymes get you where you wanna go if your pretty good at it. But the nature of the business is that they are trying to sell you, they are trying to sell the person. Rhymes are a small part of this business homeboy so with that said, I'm in the gym now (Laughs) getting myself ready for my release just so I can be healthy and I look good up there and I do the right thing.

thaFormula.com - The difference between your album on Koch and your album on Aftermath will be what?

Joell Ortiz - A couple of Dre beats, some other producers and that's it man. I'm the same kid. I only know how to rhyme one way and that's about reality. It's gonna be a dope album. "The Brick" is dope and that's why I say it's gonna be like "The Brick" because "The Brick" is dope and I'm really happy with how that came out and I'm gonna be happy with how the Aftermath one comes out and so will the world.

thaFormula.com - Is your current album "The Brick" more on a mix tape like level and is it something that just scratches the surface of what the Aftermath album will be like?

Joell Ortiz - Well it's a mixture of both. It started out as a mix tape that I ended up loving and I started adding records that I did put time into. Either way every product that I put out, I put something into it. So it was definitely in there. So I'm happy with it, everyone is happy with it and every project I do I wanna make better. So look for every project from Joell Ortiz to be better then the last one. That's my challenge because you got these artists that never could top their first albums and that won't be me.

thaFormula.com - So to close it out, just break down the new album out now ("The Brick") and what should people expect when hearing it for the first time?

Joell Ortiz - When you listen to "The Brick" man your gonna get a breath of fresh air. I'm a fan first man so I was excited. I'm not tooting my own horn, I'm just a fan first and I was happy. I got features with Ras Kass, Immortal Technique, Styles P, and Akon. I bring the pioneers out, Big Daddy Kane is on my album. Production wise, I got Showbiz, Alchemist, Domingo, my dude Hecks, DJ EMZ, V.I.C.. Everybody that I just named came together for one thing and one thing only and that was for us to make a great Hip-Hop album and I think we accomplished it and if your a fan out there listening and you're not excited, I feel you because I am the same way and I think this one might make you press the rewind button again. It dropped April 24th and if you don't have it yet, listen out.

thaFormula.com - And with the Aftermath album are you pretty much bringing back the same producers to the mainstream?

Joell Ortiz - Of course, I'm gonna bring back some of them. I'm a fair guy. Everybody gets a shot to make the album dude. Send in the beats. If I like it it's fire, I lay it down and we see what happens. Nothings gonna change dude. You are who you're around and once you start mixing things up, you get a new family around you and things don't work out as well. So I want my same team around me and I want them to come on this ride with me. So they are gonna send in their beats, I'ma rhyme and time will tell.

thaFormula.com - And legend wise is there anyone that you would like to have on your album that you haven't yet?

Joell Ortiz - I'm gonna have to try and put (Kool) G Rap on the album man. We have done stuff before and I think it's only right that he gets on the album man. I don't want to tell you all what's under the tree before Christmas, but I just might bring out all the legends..

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