2NR: I understand you won a 2003 mixtape award. What was that about?LB: Yeah that was for artist of the year. 50 actually won it the year before me.
2NR: Was there a feeling?LB: That was my Grammy.
2NR: Like a street Grammy.LB: Yeah because at the end of the day that's where I built my street buzz. If the hood ain't feelin' you they are gonna let you know. I can remember walking and putting in all the groundwork. There's a lot of different artists, especially from New York, that're on the mixtape circuit so to stand out among hundreds of artists it takes a lot of work and dedication-and I put that in. I came out with the award and that shit is hangin' over my bed. That shit is my Grammy.
2NR: How many tapes did you put out before that?LB: I put out three Best-ofs but there were numerous CDs that bootleggers put out-so there's anywhere from 50 to 100 of those.
2NR: What do you feel about people bootlegging?LB: If you can't beat them you join them. You gotta think of the bootleggers as your own personal street team.
2NR: What do you feel about the money that you're not making?LB: Well the album hasn't dropped yet so I'm not feeling anything. But like I said they're the ones that built the buzz to help me get a record deal. I know I can't win and I have a relationship with the bootleggers. I'm pretty sure that it will be bootlegged but I hope the album comes out shortly after the bootleg! My feelings are if you buy the bootleg people would rather have the real thing. People get it now because they can't wait. When they find out that it's a quality album they're gonna go out and buy the real thing anyway.
2NR: People add a DVD or CD as a bonus. Will you have that? LB: Actually there's going to be a bonus CD. I have two different CDs going out period. There's a limited edition version with entirely different artwork. Not only that, you'll get a bunch of different videos that I've done-you'll get the "My Buddy" video that was never released. You'll see a lot of behind the scenes footage. Also there are extra records that didn't make the album.
2NR: What are you're three rules of business?LB: One, learn how to separate business from pleasure. Two, you have to change people, places and things. Everybody is not ready to do business the same way you do it, or at the same time as you. Three, you have to be a great judge of character. You will make bad business decisions if you are not a good judge of character. You have to be able to read people as well as yourself. Knowing is half the battle. You have to know what you're prepared to do and what you're capable of doing. If you know that you're not prepared to do a show in front of 50 thousand people but do the deal-you get up there for an hour show and can't do it then you get sued. Knowing is half the battle.
2NR: What was your favorite car before you made it?LB: There was none. I'm glad I did make it.
2NR: Now?LB: I got a lot now! Personally I have one-a 600 Mercedes. I got all of 50's cars. Whatever he gets I drive.