ThaFormula.com - Why has it been so long for The Hittman album?

Hittman - Man, Just sittin their trying to create a masterpiece.  I didn't wanna rush nothin.  It took Dre like 2 and a half years to do his album and I wanted the same time spent on mine. 

ThaFormula.com - Are you gonna be on The Wash Soundtrack?

Hittman - Nah, I didn't submit nuthin for that.

ThaFormula.com - Why is that?

Hittman - Because I been really to busy into my own album.

ThaFormula.com - So what is the schedule for your album. When and are you still droppin on Aftermath?

Hittman - So far yeah, uh sometime in Spring or Summer cause that's my favorite time.  

ThaFormula.com - Was the verse you layed down at the end of the "Forget about Dre" video with the different beat a whole track?

Hittman - Yeah,  That's a song called "Last Days" on my album.  I continue that verse actually and theirs another verse after it.   

ThaFormula.com - So as far as your album goes, what's going on production wise?

Hittman - Production wise so far has been Mell Man, Dre, Battlecat.  I plan to get something from DJ Quick, a couple from The Soul Aquarians, uh you know Jay Dee from Slum Village and whoever else may have some heat.

ThaFormula.com - As far as guest on your albums, who do you got?

Hittman - So far it's been Knocturnal, my label mates Truth Hurts, Eminem, Dre, Devin will probably be on somethin. I want to do, not actually Exxplosive part 2, but the same people that was on that song and like do some brand new shit.

ThaFormula.com - How was The Up In Smoke Tour for you?

Hittman - It was incredible. A good experience.  I learned alot, I saw alot.  It gave me more fuel for my album.  

ThaFormula.com - Your album not droppin man, has that been your choice , Aftermath or what?

Hittman - It's been Dre not hearin the single. He likes all the shit on there, but as far as the singles go, ain't nothin.  They been holdin it up because of that.  

ThaFormula.com - I thought "Last Days" was a perfect single to set off the album.

Hittman - Damn, you, so did I.  But he's ultra critical, you know what I'm sayin so he liked it then but then shit changes.  

Ben Baller - Schedules are crazy conflicting over there right now.  Rakim should have already been dropped.  Obviously Dre is workin on his new Detox album.  Eminem can work on his part himself and then have Dre do the other part and it's just kind of similar with Truth Hurts and whatever else and it's tough to get in there.  Their is no animosity and it's not like Aftermath is doing something wrong.  I think Aftermath is smaller then any other label you could possibly imagine as far as major corporations go.  Were talkin like one President, one general manager and basically a bunch of assistants for other people.  

Hittman - And plus the way Dre works, he's the cleanup man. Like you go handle all your production elsewhere and I'll listen to it and add on to what you got and mix it. 

ThaFormula.com - What I don't understand is why it's been two albums that have dropped in the last few years on Aftermath.   After The Forget about Dre video dropped, people were talkin and it seemed like the perfect time to drop the Hitt album.

Ben Baller - I thought so too and I thought The Ackrite single would have been perfect.  if they would have dropped the Ackrite single after 2001, warm it up, bam into "Last Days". But hey you know.

ThaFormula.com - Hitt, were you there when the first Aftermath compilation dropped? 

Hittman - Nah, I didn't come into the scene until April of 98 and Eminem was like 5 or 6 songs deep into the Slim Shady album.  They had numerous tracks for 2001 but it was the same type of thing.    Dre wasn't feelin it one day and wanted to add some elements then realized that we needed the old crew too.  We can't have this album without Snoop, Nate, and all that.  It should be us combined with the Old School artists.  Then we went to Reno and just buckled down. We were there all at once.  

Ben Baller - It's true, plus I was one of the main reasons why Mel Man stayed cause at the time when the label was going through it's transition, everybody had gotten dropped basically.   The compilation was like a demo. All these artists were signed basically to like a demo deal.  From RBX to Who's Who, and a bunch a groups. Bottom line is the shit sold 1.5 million records and The Firm went platinum.  Their are some archived tracks that we did with The Firm that are off tha hook, but some of the stuff didn't coincide cause some of the producers had problems.  I know with Mel and Dre and Kamara who is not just hip hop music. He actually orchestrates 50 piece 60 piece philharmonic bands.   Dre's got his musicians tight.  But with The Soul Kitchen their was alot of problems and complaints from different producers and it just didn't work out.

ThaFormula.com - Hitt, why were you on the album so much. It made me think you were about to drop. 

Hittman - Man, That's just how I place myself.  What happened is, Eminem's album did so good and then "Forgot about Dre" really had everybody sayin Oh Shit! so they rushed to put that album out.  Then the tour came and it was like "Oh, we got to promote this shit".  Then we get back home and he had to executive produce Xzibit, he had to mix Snoop's album.  Then it was Grammy time and he wins producer of the year so he gotta go out and be producer of the year.  So all that time I had to go out and fuck with the other producers.

ThaFormula.com - So how do you live during that waiting period as far as money goes? 

Hittman - Shit, basically off of 2001.  I'm cool.  My publishing is mines and all other money so I'm chillin.   

ThaFormula.com - So that's why their's no problems with when your album is droppin? 

Hittman - No not at all and I mean I could easily do shows and when shit starts gettin low, Ben is my DJ and we can go all across the country and get busy.  Plus I can easily round up Nate Dogg, Kurupt , and went on a small thing on the West and hit some Southern parts.

Ben Baller - It's not just Hitt though.  Rakim was supposed to drop 5 or 6 months ago.  He is a signed Aftermath artist.  No disrespect to Rakim though, but my interest is on Hitt's album.  We just trying to get this movin.  We got this promo "The Murda Weapon" and whatever else.  It's just like a local promo and uh Hitt did a song with Rakim and Dre. 

ThaFormula.com - What happened with that track? Cause I remember hearin it, in fact wasn't that The Watcher remix?

Hittman - Dre just probably let it slide or maybe it will be The Watcher part 2 or some shit on Detox.

ThaFormula.com - Now how many songs like The Watcher remix never get heard?

Hittman - (Laughs) Countless.  You know how they say Prince in the back of his house he's got a lake and their's just pounds of cd's. it's the same way and it be awesome shit.  Everything is like a democracy.  If three people be like, "I ain't fuckin with it".  

Ben Baller - Man I got Golden State Warriors shit over the Been there, Done That tango beat.  I got Nas, Dre, I mean I got so much shit.  I got so much shit dog, I got soundtrack shit.  I mean we were supposed to do the American Pimp soundtrack, but we turned it down.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah what exactly happened with The American Pimp Soundtrack?

Ben Baller - Their was no money man.  Dre told me this once.  "Anyone who asks you for me to do a track for them, tell them that they have to give me something that's equal to what I'm doing for them".   

ThaFormula.com - So not putting a song on The Wash soundtrack was your choice?

Hittman - Well at first, that was supposed to be Dre and Snoops make up to break up type album and in a rush they just started puttin songs on there and I was like if my shit ain't a single, I'll just hold back.  I done gave alot already and they weren't singles so let me just hold out on my album.  

ThaFormula.com - Yeah, because I thought The Watcher Remix was gonna be on The Wash album.

Hittman - Yeah, it was supposed to be on numerous things.  At first, he was just gonna drop it like out if nowhere and just show these are the two commin for this year.  He's in such high demand right now, that other shit is just to the side.

ThaFormula.com - So what's is the Aftermath roster and where do you fit in it?

Hittman - Shit, I know m, Truth, and Rakim are his next priorities, and the Detox album.  That's the four things in the mix.  I know their is alot of new recruits and I haven't met everyone.

Ben Baller - Realistically, in my eyes, I think more people are wanting to hear Hitt then they a Rakim.  Now no doubt you wanna hear Rakim and Dre together and Truth, no one even knows who Truth is except for the industry insiders.  Hittman wrote Next Episode, wrote this shit, wrote that and made some noise.  But realistically I think it's up in the air between the Hitt and the Detox.  But the Detox is gonna take a long time.  I know he's workin on it now and he's got shit, but it's gonna take a minute.  

Hittman - So my shit will basically be the forecast for the Detox album.  It's gonna kind of go in the way of Slim Shady Lp, then 2001.  Then the next year Marshall Mathers LP.  It will probably go my shit early spring, then whenever Dre drop his shit, then a little bit after my next album.

ThaFormula.com - Is the a limit to where you are willing to wait and just say that's it or are you willing to just wait till whenever it drops?

Hittman - When it gets closer to the Detox and my shit ain't out, then I just gotta weigh my options.   

ThaFormula.com - Have you had other labels approach you?

Hittman - Yeah, every label. Everyone, but I'll probably go get my own situation cause I feel like I seen enough and I know enough.  What I don't know, I'll put people in position that do know.  

ThaFormula.com - What's the deal with the whole CJ Mac thing. I know he dissed you. Why? 

Hittman - What it is, is he thought the song "Bitch Nigga" was about him and it wasn't.  I never heard of the guy.  I never heard of his music.  Other people had to tell me.  So I was just like who is this guy, you know what I'm sayin.  

ThaFormula.com - When you guys recorded he Watcher remix, were you all in the studio together? 

Hittman - Rakim was out there for a hot second and so his part was laid.  So me and Dre fucked with it.  At first he was like you ain't gonna believe this and just played Rakim's part and I was like "Oh Shit".  That shit got my juices flowin, you know what I'm sayin.  That shit sounded like lyrics of Fury part 8 or some shit. 

ThaFormula.com - So who actually produced that track? 

Hittman - Basically, Dre and Mell if I'm not mistaken. 

ThaFormula.com - So when they are in the studio, do they produce the tracks together? 

Hittman - It depends.  Sometimes Dre will program the shit and Mel will start scratchin like "Ooh, you should add this noise".  Then niggaz start playin the bass.  They like L.A. Reid and Babyface was in the nineties and shit.

ThaFormula.com - Are you bringin in your people on your album?

Hittman - Yeah, my cousin is one of the cats that's gonna be on my album.  My other man Stuntman, he rhyme and do beats and that crew is called the Max Faction.  That shit is gonna be like some totally different shit then my album.  It's gonna be like some N.W.A. hardcore pimp shit meets fucken Slum Village type beats.  It's gonna be a real wild fusion on there. 

ThaFormula.com - What do you think you will be labeled as when you drop?

Hittman - I just tell people don't try to expect nothing.  Just buy it cause it's gonna be shocking.  Cause just when people think they know me, that's when I change face.  I'm kinda like Sub - Zero.  You'll see a skeleton face when my album drops.

ThaFormula.com - How serious is the beef between Aftermath and Death Row?

Ben Baller - No comment from me.  I'm not gonna get involved in none of that.

Hittman - I can't tell cause I haven't came across them.  I don't even think double on it really man.  But it's territorial actually.  They be in parts where hey it ain't cool to go in there basically.  I wasn't a part of none of that shit.  I was a fan when all of that bullshit went down.

ThaFormula.com - How did it all start for you guys at Aftermath?

Ben Baller - Well I was there from day two cause I was signed under contract at Priority as Executive A & R on there.  Everybody has heard Dre left and was trying to start Black Market records, but Black Market records was already taken.  So he started Aftermath and I broke from Priority and told Dre's right hand man Bruce that I wanted to fuck with them.  So I basically was there from day 2.  After the compilation dropped, we were working on an album for King Tee.  I was his A & R and the album was called "Thy Kingdom Come" and to be honest with you, the album was fucken bangin like a muthafucka.  From there I have no clue what happened and there's alot of stuff I can't get into because I signed a confidentiality agreement with Dr. Dre.  But I'll say this at least, Dre knew how to treat muthafuckaz man.  We had dinners, we had meetings.  We sat down like we was a muthafuckin mafia.  Every thing was beautiful, but you know obviously you gotta sell multi million dollar records and so the house got cleaned as far as employees and whatever else.  It was a smart move cause Interscope was handling all the other business, so all he needed was a point person.  

Hittman - When I came, there was these two guys I know who had a production company.  One of the guys was trying to get a job at Aftermath.  He talked to Mel and Mel was like, "I don't know if their is jobs, but you can get a finder's fee if you bring us this short stocky cat".  I came in rhymed for Mel, Eve was in there, Lord Finesse and all type of muthafuckaz.  Every beat they would put on, I'd just hang with it.  So Mel got on the phone immediately and told Dre "You got to fuck with this nigga tomorrow".  So he stopped Eve's session and I come up in that shit. I start rhymin and he stops me mid sentence and says "that's all I got to hear".  So that was in April and from April on I would come around and fuck with him.  "Big Egos", "Bitch Niggaz", and all that shit was basically my demo songs.  And from there I got signed on July 8th of 98.  Eminem was in Detroit most of the time doing his shit.  The first time I met him was in Reno when him an Dre did "Forgot about Dre".  Last Emperor was there when I first came too.

ThaFormula.com - What happened to him.

Hittman - You really don't ever know.  All you basically know is your situation.

ThaFormula.com - So what happened with Eve?

Hittman - As far as I know, she wanted her album out like yesterday.  So Dre was like "Shit, let me talk to Jimmy and see what I can do, cause I'm really trying to concentrate on my album".  So they worked it out, she fucked with Ruff Ryders and shit, it probably worked out better for her.  

ThaFormula.com -So does Jimmy Iovine have control over everything before Aftermath does?

Hittman - He's the chief of all labels.  It's like this.  Timbaland, Dre and all the producers that he hires are his ears.  So once they come in and say "Jimmy this shit is bangin", that's all he needs.  But he don't have to hear it cause he trusts there ear.  But Dre does whatever he wants, but if I had me a deal, Jimmy has the final say.

ThaFormula.com - How did you get on the Hurricane album?

Hittman - On my way to Aftermath, I met so many cats.  My old manager Bud Carson, he used to hang out with the Beastie Boys and as a matter a fact his brother is married to Faith and so these are a whole circle of other cats.  During that time I met Hurricane  and all them dudes.  So one day he just called me and said "Yo, you wanna spit on this shit".    

ThaFormula.com - How long have you and Ben been together?

Ben Baller - Almost two years. When me, Mel, and Hit get together, we just are fucken ignorant.  At the Grammy party where Dre won producer of the year, we took that shit over.  I'm at a party and I tell the DJ excuse me for a second and he can't do a damn thing or he will get smacked.  I get on the tables and then yell this is Aftermath entertainment.  We had the dude from Access Hollywood, the dude from the Neptunes,  Mandy Moore, and blah, blah, blah.  And we were like this is Aftermath Entertainment muthafuckaz, then Mel Man got on the mic and started talkin crazy shit.  You got Pharell from the fucken Neptunes getting knocked over by Mel Man.  With Mel Man saying, "oh, Pharell what's up, I didn't even know it was you".  It was a takeover with the finest bitches in the world right in the middle of the grammy party.  Everybody stayed the fuck out of our way.  

Hittman - Me and Ben are the hip hop Rush Hour.

ThaFormula.com - So Ben, where can people catch you spinnin at right now?

Ben Baller - I'm supposed to be at Las Palmas every Friday night which is like an upscale jiggy type crowd.   Like tonight if you go up in there you gonna see all the Lakers, Chris Tucker, Leonardo Dicaprio, and a bunch of celebrities.  Every Saturday you can catch me at the Dragon Fly.  I been at the Dragon Fly for about 4 years.    

ThaFormula.com - How many tracks have been completed for your album Hitt.

Hittman - At least 20.  

ThaFormula.com - So basically the album is done? 

Hittman - Yep, it basically has been finished for a few weeks now.

ThaFormula.com - How many Dre and Mel tracks should people expect on the album. 

Hittman - Like 5 to 7 tracks.

ThaFormula.com - Did Dre want to produce the whole album, or was it your choice to just get 5 or 7 tracks? 

Hittman - Well, he doesn't do anybody's whole album. He's the finisher and shit.    

ThaFormula.com - So why is it that Dre doesn't produce whole albums for anybody? 

Hittman - Cause he's so critical, that probably it would take each person's shit too long.  Cause he's ultra critical with his shit.

ThaFormula.com - When you and Dre get in the studio, how long does it usually take you to record a song?

Hittman - Oh, as far as a song.  Shit, probably like an hour.  We know how each other work now.  The first beat that Dre does, that's the skeleton.  It could sound complete to the world, but that's just his first phase.  He layers shit you know what I'm sayin.  And he don't do it the first day cause every time you come in there you feel something different.  He will have musicians play all the way through.  He may just keep one guitar riff and all the other shit is trashed.  Then a couple of weeks from now, fuck with it again.  

ThaFormula.com - So what's the biggest difference between workin with Mel and Dre.  Is there a difference?

Ben Baller - Seasoning man.  I don't care.  Mel is my man and I got Mel's first beat put on Aftermath.  Mel's first fucken thing was Fredro Starr and then after that he had 2 songs make The Firm album.  Mel is a true hip hop muthafucka.   I'm talkin from Large Professor, Pete Rock, etc., Mel is a hip hop history kid.  

Hittman - And that's how me and Mel  clicked.  Also the difference between Mel and Dre is, with Dre I smoke more and with Mel I drink more.  That's it! 

ThaFormula.com - So what do you guys say about all the people out there that say Dre is not a real producer?

Hittman - Look at everybody that said and tried to do their own shit.  Everybody in 95, 96 and 97 was talkin shit, so he stepped away from the game and said do your shit then.  Then here I come in 99.  I'm the producer of the year and you can't fuck with me.  That's just that.  It speaks for itself.  

Ben Baller - From King Tee's album and from other albums and whatever else, I've seen Dre put together a masterpiece.  He locks out sessions and he don't like anybody who ain't involved in the studio.   I've seen him put together a beat.  I've seen him put together shit old school style with the SP 12.    

Hittman - He sequenced 2001 in 45 minutes.  It took all that time to compile all the shit and once in Pro Tools, boom!  That's really when I saw what he does and why he gets all his props.  I was like "Oh shit".  Im sittin their like "It's done".  He's like "Yeah, we can go".  "Let's go listen to this shit".  

ThaFormula.com - Do you think it's just hate?

Hittman - Of course cause I had hate when I was trying to get signed.  Muthafuckaz was like "Yo, you got to sound like Snoop" or "Yo, you don't sound like Pac".  So I had hate for them.  But they so powerful, the labels are only lookin for the most powerful shit at the time.  So I'd say it's more frustration then hate.  

Ben Baller - The hard facts state "Let me Blow you mind" by Eve saved her album.  Basically Dre saved her shit.  Mary, she didn't go back to puff.  She didn't go to Timberland or Chucky Thompson.  She went to Dre and Dre crunked her single.  That shit is one of my top bangers still in the club.  Me and Hitt were there when he was mixing down "Sally" from Bilal's album and I was like "Jesus Christ".  No R & B artist has a song like that.  

Hittman - The sound of that album, uh don't be confused if my shit got that sound.  I like prettier music and let my voice contrast.  

ThaFormula.com - How big of an influence does Scott Storch have on things?

Hittman - He gets down.  It's like a vibe thing.  Dre be on the drums.  Scott just comes in and gets on the keyboard. I call them the walking crates cause they are like records walking around.  

ThaFormula.com - Cause alot of haters out there like to say that Scott is behind the whole Chronic 2001 and Bilal sound.

Hittman - Nah, he was there on "Big Egos", he was there on "Housewife", "Still DRE", and one other thing.  Dre moves people in and out, so the sound changes up as far as the musicians go.

ThaFormula.com - How did Lord Finesse get involved in Chronic 2001?

Hittman - Well, Mel and Lord Finesse do record shopping and all that type of thing.  So he was just around in the same circle and he just happened to play some beats, and Dre was like "Damn that shit is sick".   

ThaFormula.com - How was it being on stage in front of thousands at The Up In Smoke Tour?

Hittman - Man!  The first night was horrifying.  I'm used to the Roxy and the House Of Blues and that kind of shit.  So that shit just fucked me up for a minute.  That shit was unreal.  Sometimes I sit down and just zone on that shit.  The energy that you get from up there I can't even describe.  

ThaFormula.com - Is DJ Premiere gonna be producin on your album? 

Hittman - I plan on him being on the album.  I was listening to some Devin shit cause he was on the bus with me during the whole tour and Primo hooked up one of his beats.  I was like "Oh Shit", cause I liked it already but when I heard what Primo did to it, I was like "Oh Shit", I need the same shit.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah we got a chance to sit and chill with Devin in the studio and he played that and about 10 other tracks for us that were incredible? 

Hittman - Too me, that's the sleeper.  Cause his album is like a break from all the other shit.  It's more refreshing, that's why I like Devin's shit.  

ThaFormula.com - So basically it all came down to September 11th just messed everything up? 

Hittman - Man!  Everything was on halt.  Aalliyah fucked everybody up and that shit was just a double whammy.

ThaFormula.com - So was there another tour planned? 

Hittman - Yeah, it's fucked up too cause our plan was to go overseas around this time.  So that shut shit down also.  We were just going to record on the road. Basically, next year yeah, everybody is just trying to kick out there shit so we can do it again.  And it will be promotional tours and some big shit.

ThaFormula.com - Do you plan on puttin Ren on your album? 

Hittman - I wanted to do a song that switches off like Me, Ren, and Tray Deez.  Just some lyrical type shit.  Oh, and King Tee.  When I talked to Ren on tour he was with it, so it's just a matter of hearing the right beat and gettin everybody together.  I'm a definitely suggest that Ren be on Detox.

ThaFormula.com - What's the deal with the Detox album.  Is their any truth to the rumor that Daz is gonna be workin with Dre on Detox? 

Hittman - I don't know about that, that's just a rumor.  I haven't even heard nothin like that.  Detox is in the infantile stages right now.  We just listening to music right now.  We just take it day by day.  I got one beat that is probably gonna be me and Dre and that shit is written.  It's just a matter of me playin it to him and see what he like and what he don't like.  

ThaFormula.com - Has any tracks been done for the Detox album yet? 

Hittman - Yeah, he played me like ten beats and has given me the concepts.

ThaFormula.com - So the Detox album is really gonna go down? 

Hittman - Yeah, it's just that it's spontaneous with everything else that's going on.  Like something that I may get on, he'll listen to it and be like, fuck it!  "We gonna put that on your album".

ThaFormula.com - How many tracks were left off of the Chronic 2001 album? 

Hittman - When I came there, they had 100 beats.  Some had hooks, some had singin on it.  Some had a whole song.  

ThaFormula.com - How come your verse on the original "What's the difference" was taken off of their? 

Hittman - I took my own verse off cause there was another song that me and Dre did that I thought was better then "What's the difference".  But it was my own personal protest and that's why Xzibit was brought in.

ThaFormula.com - So total, 100 beats were left off of The Chronic? 

Hittman - Yeah, probably more.  When I came they had 100 beats and some of it was the shit that made it, but alot of beats just lay by the wayside.

ThaFormula.com - So again, when should people expect the Hittman and Detox album? 

Hittman - My shit, like I said you should expect in the Spring or summer.  I really want summer to be honest.  Dre will probably drop late summer or early fall if it's done, but it depends on how fast he moves.

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