Archive for May, 2009

Andre Berto: Young Lion On Deck

Posted: May 20, 2009 in Fight Interviews
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It’s an exciting time in the welterweight division for boxing fans. With the return of former boxing pound for pound #1 Floyd Mayweather, the weight class adds his name to a list of big names which includes Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, and Manny Pacquiao. The one name you don’t hear as often is undefeated young gun Andre Berto, who defends his WBC portion of the welterweight title this coming Saturday (May 30) on HBO (9:45 EST) against hard-punching Juan Urango. At 25, Berto finds himself not mentioned among the proposed “super fights” of division, as the established vets look to cash out through careful matchmaking.

But time is on Andre Berto’s side. And less than four years into his career, the Haitian star is reaching a level where even the older superstars won’t be able to ignore him much longer.

Ismael AbduSalaam: First champ, thanks for making time while in training camp for the May 30 fight.

Andre Berto: Oh no problem man I appreciate it.

Ismael: This is your third defense of the WBC title. How has your training been going?

Berto: Training camp is going real well. I’ve been trying a lot of new things in this camp I haven’t done before. I brought some other members to the team. This is probably the best training I’ve ever had. It’s been hard and intense. I’m definitely in good shape.

Ismael: Juan Urango’s a pretty dangerous puncher, at least at 140 pounds. We’ll see as he’s moving up in weight now for this fight. And you know some of your critics have been questioning your chin because of the one knockdown last year. When you’ve been reviewing the tape of Urango, what have you been focusing on to nullify his punching power?

Berto: Like you said, he’s a really strong puncher at 140. We’re gonna see whether he’s going to bring that up with him to 147. We’re working on a lot of different things. His best punch is the right hook. We worked on going away from that, moving when we have to. But at the same time, I’m a big puncher too at 147. I don’t feel that he’s ever fought another big puncher. I’m just as strong as he is. So I’m going to test out his chin also.

Ismael: Your January fight with Luis Collazo was a Fight of the Year candidate. You showed a lot of poise in that bout even though there were a lot of rough patches. Was there anything new that you learned about yourself as a fighter going through those tough 12 rounds?

Berto: Yeah, a lot of what I saw is that I have the stamina and the heart. And that I can keep my composure in rough times. I went into that fight for the first time in my career not really prepared like everyone normally sees me, physically and mentally. We had a lot of things going on through camp. I pretty much came into that fight at a 50% range. People who really know me could tell. But at the same time it still showed a lot that I was able to show a lot of poise and heart. I answered a lot of questions for myself.

Ismael: Before Shane [Mosley] fought Antonio Margarito, it seemed like HBO was trying to push him into a fight with you. Do you think that’s going to be difficult now with Mayweather and Pacquiao back in the mix at 147?

Berto: It’s all good, though. It’s more competition for us in general. I’m not too much in an extreme rush. I’m the youngest guy in the top group and I’m world champion. Eventually everything is going to come back to me. [The fights] are going to be there for me. I don’t look at it like a fight is being taken away from me. Its more fights getting prepared for me in the future with a lot of big names.

Ismael: You’ve been self-critical of some of the defensive lapses you’ve had in past fights. Where do you see yourself at now as far as your defensive skills? Berto: I believe in every fight, people have seen me grow and evolve as a professional on nationwide TV and HBO. I’ve had half of my career fights rated on a television scale. So people can see the progression when it comes to the defense, speed, and being poised in there. I’m being more of a professional fighter. In every camp I try to work on a lot of new things. When you stop learning, you’re pretty much stuck. I’m my biggest critic.


Ismael: On that note, I think a lot of people forget that 4 years ago you were still an amateur fighter. What has been the biggest adjustment from moving to a professional?

Berto: I pretty much always had a professional style in the amateurs. The toughest thing is just to stay composed throughout 12 rounds. You get used to just going 4 rounds and throwing as many punches as you can throw and be aggressive. The main thing for a lot of amateurs turning pro is to take your time and set up a lot of your shots. I believe with me that has been the toughest thing to get used to. But like you said, people do forget I’m 4 years in. There are a lot of high expectations. But you got to keep working.

Ismael: I remember early last year, around January or February, you had a fight on the table with Zab Judah which he ended up turning down. Today of course you’re now a bigger name. Zab is still where he’s been at the last few years but is still a name opponent. Do you think that is a fight that you’d still be interested in, or do you feel you’re past that point in your career as a champion?

Berto: Zab is always in the position he is because of his name. He can be put in that spotlight [because] he’s a dangerous fighter even though he’s lost a lot of big shows. He seems to fall when under the big lights. But he’s still a dangerous fighter for anybody. It depends what he continues to do. If he beats some more real fighters it can definitely be a fight that’s possible for us. But we are looking at bigger fights.

Ismael: What you had Cosme Rivera fight, everyone seemed to focus on the knockdown. What I focused on was that even though it was your first knockdown, you didn’t seem hurt but more disappointed that you got caught.



Berto: Definitely!

Ismael: Was it just a matter of you getting careless because you controlled the majority of the fight?

Berto: That’s exactly what it was. I was just getting too comfortable in there, and thinking after a few rounds he couldn’t do anything to hurt me. I walked into a punch I didn’t see that shot me back down to reality. I can’t get mad at it. Everybody talked about it, although I made every other round. I kind of took it to heart but I had to sit back and realize the scale that I’m on, the high expectations everyone has for me. So I can’t be upset about it. This is the plateau that I’m on. So I have to be thought of that way. Every mistake I do is going to be pinpointed and blown out of proportion. But it’s either that or people not caring about your performance at all. It keeps me sharp and motivated.

Ismael: I know you’re a big boxing fan as well and try to catch a lot of the fights. Were you able to catch the Miranda-Ward bout?

Berto: Yeah, I talked to Dre Ward the night of that fight.

Ismael: What did you think of his performance?

Berto: I think he did well. He came out of the same class as me, 2004. He showed a lot of poise, versatility, and he showed it against a dangerous opponent. He got cut in the first round and still had that dog in him. A lot of the young guys nowadays, once that test comes in a knockdown or cut, they’re not able to come back from that. I believe he showed a lot of characteristics of a true champion.

Ismael: I wanted to get your take on an upcoming big fight from your division in Joshua Clottey and Miguel Cotto next month. How do you see that fight turning out?

Berto: It’s going to be a tougher fight than a lot of people expect. A lot of people think Cotto will win and beat him easily, [but] Joshua Clottey is a tough kid. He has a pretty good defense, and he knows how to work off his defense. It’ll be interesting to see who shows up as the better man that night.

Ismael: Of course everyone has been talking about what happened with Pacquiao and Hatton earlier this month. I do remember when Margarito beat Cotto last year, you were one of the few people that said ‘yeah he looked good, but he’s still beatable.” I wanted to get your take on Pacquiao because now everyone is looking at him the same way. Are there any holes you see in his game after observing his last couple of fights?

Berto: Pacquiao is one of my favorite fighters right now. He’s tremendously exciting. But it takes a certain type of fighter to get to him. He has good skills. He has tremendous feet placement and accuracy with his punches. The guy that gave him the best fight was [Juan Manuel] Marquez, who’s very good fundamentally. A lot guys who think they’re going to bully Pacquiao are the guys who end up getting knocked out and seeing the lights after few punches. It’s going to take a smart, fast fighter, and somebody good fundamentally to handle Pacquiao.

Ismael: You’ve fought as much as 7 times in one year. As you know when you become more elite you’re lucky to get in 2 fights a year. This is your second fight this year on May 30 with Urango. Are you planning to fit in at least one more fight for 2009?

Berto: Definitely! If everything goes well on the 30th, I’ll be right back towards the end of the year. I’ve been hearing rumors that HBO wants another title bout this year. But we have to pick one fighter at a time. We’ll continue to get back in there and have exciting fights.

Ismael: I heard a rumor that you’re a really good spoken word poet…

Berto: [Laughs]

Ismael: I was interested in hearing that because a couple decades ago that was Muhammad Ali’s thing going into fights. Was that something you ever thought about incorporating into your press conferences?

Berto: I’m not really sure. I like spoken word; it’s pretty much something I really love and am a fan of. I’m a fan of the power of words and the way poets put together their words. I’ve done some spoken word situations in my off time or in training camp. I usually keep it to myself or for friends. It would definitely be something different to incorporate into today’s boxing world. Most fighters have a little niche or something while in training camp to keep them calm and level headed. Spoken word is definitely one for me.

Ismael: You have several family members who are professional MMA fighters. Do you see any attributes that both sports can learn from each other, at least in the realm of promotion?

Berto: Yeah, my thing with MMA right now is they’re out there with marketing and promotion. With boxing it has been around for so long. We have die hard fans. I believe we’ve eased off of marketing and promotion unless it’s a really huge fight like De La Hoya, Mayweather, or Pacquiao. But all in all, both sports are good. Boxing has a lot of traditional history, and boxing will always be the #1 combat sport no matter what other sports come around.

Ismael: I know you’re really good friends with T.I. What other Hip-Hop artists are you feeling in today’s game?

Berto: I like my man Yo Gotti. Definitely my man Tip. Gucci Mane is definitely doing his thing on the streets. My man young Drake is the new sensation right now. I’ve been listening to a lot of his stuff and he’s going to be a problem. I had a conversation with my man Jay-Z after my last fight. I’ve always been a huge fan of his and he showed a lot of love and stated he was a big fan of me. I’m into a lot of real artists that really get that love not just from fans but from the streets. Those are the guys I’m really feeling right now.

Ismael: Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters have strong legacies in boxing. I’ve gotten the impression you really want to establish that for your native Haiti with building boxing gyms. With the visits you’ve made out there, do you feel the country has a lot of national untapped potential?

Berto: Definitely, the first trip out there we got a huge response. Our hotel had a huge gang of fighters just out there to show us that they just needed that help to get out there. It was an inspiration that they’ll hopefully be able to follow in my footsteps. It’s a huge untapped market when it comes to everything, not just boxing. In the next year or two I’ll be able to establish something out there. And when 2012 comes around we can have a real efficient boxing team from Haiti. That’s the plan.

Ismael: Thanks for your time champ and best of luck this Saturday.

Berto: I appreciate it my man, anytime.

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Conversation with Raekwon: The Cuban Linx II Interview

Posted: May 19, 2009 in Music Interviews
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 Admit it, last year before Cuban Linx II dropped you were skeptical Raekwon could deliver. I know I was. Despite the promise of several leaked songs, in mid-2009 I wasn’t convinced Rae would be able to do justice by his 1995 masterpiece. But following this interview the Chef converted me. There was no hesitation in his voice or thoughts when he explained to me why this sequel’s production, lyrical presentation, and theme would satisfy all fans of the original. Only thing missing was that “Verbal Intercourse 2″ I inquired about.

 

The wait is nearly over. After four years of work, and fourteen years of fan anticipation, the Chef has finally confirmed an August 11 release date for Only Built for Cuban Linx II (EMI). The journey was not without much adversity. Two high-profile executive producers, Busta Rhymes and Dr.Dre, dropped out for still undisclosed reasons. And with Dre’s departure, it also marked the loss of Aftermath’s strong label support. But Raekwon persevered, and found success brokering a joint venture between his own Ice Water Records and EMI.

Now, judgment day will soon be upon us. Will Raekwon be able to capture the essence of his 1995 masterpiece, or will fans be treated to another respectable, but ultimately disappointing solo offering from the Chef?

Ismael AbduSalaam: It’s been over 10 years since the original Cuban Linx album. Of course in that span you’ve grown as a man and an artist. With those realities manifested in your current life, how did you approach the sequel as opposed to the 1995 original?

Raekwon: I just went back in there and basically visited my roots again by listening to the first album. It ain’t really no method to my madness, it’s just me still having the passion to make that kind of music. A lot of people wanted me to go back into that cocaine story, drug life world again. To me, that’s the easiest sh*t for me to do. I’m an artist who wants to constantly grow and come up with more creativeness. So for people to say they love that [Cuban Linx] vibe, style, the Chinese/karate flick sayings, the eerie sounds, I just put all that in my memory bank and really went back out there searching for that production. We came out successful with what we needed.

When we made the first Cuban Linx album, I remember having beats on there that were 4-5 years old, that I held onto like ‘I’m gripping these shits right here! I don’t give a fuck if they’re 10 years old, I’m keeping these right here!’ And that became the same journey on Cuban Linx II. People love that new “Wu Ohh,” that beat is like 4 years old, b! But it sounds so fresh and so right that it still sounds new. I guess shit happens for a reason. That showed me I was on my way to making a classic. I’m from that era that we work hard to make great music.

 I took my time out to make sure I really did some soul-searching as far as the production side to really come up with making a classic. And I feel that it’s a classic off top. It ain’t no sh*t that you’ll say he tried to evolve with today’s sound. It’s what you want if you know who I am.

Ismael: Like you mentioned with “Wu Ohh,” you also have that classic RZA Wu Tang sound on “Criminology 2.” How was the chemistry with Dr. Dre on the songs you two worked on for the album?

 Raekwon: Dre is a great friend. We met one time and had good chemistry. He gave me his word that he was here for me and wanted to be a part of this project. And once a man gives you his word, that’s all you can stand on. So we made some heat and that was that. As far as going into anything else [business wise], that started happening after the chemistry had been made. And when everything didn’t pan out, we didn’t let that supersede our friendship or our business ties. I just wanted to make sure the brother was on the album and had the opportunity to get in on this Cuban Linx shit.

 I respect producers whether they’re a new jack, or someone who paved the way like Dre. It’s just about coming up with that proper chemistry that I feel is the truth. And that’s what happened [with Dre]. This was that classic world I wanted to be in. After I finished, I was like ‘this is some shit right here.’ People are really going to love this one.

 Ismael: When the original came out, you laid a modern blueprint on how to approach a cinematic album for your contemporaries in Nas (It Was Written), Jay-Z (Reasonable Doubt), and B.I.G. (Life After Death). Although the LP helped in creating a lot of memorable music, where there any Cuban Linx inspired trends that you disliked?

 

 Raekwon: One thing about me, I don’t really judge nobody’s shit like that. A man is going to make whenever he feels he likes. I can’t sit there and say a nigga stole anything from me. You make your shit, I make my shit. That’s why I made my tape purple. I wanted n*ggas to know the difference between they shit, and my shit! Going through hearing nigga’s shit and seeing that they may have used the terminology the way we used it, I still wouldn’t say anyone is near close to me. Just when you think you’re close to me in the race, I’m gonna fly and hit the turbo boost on you. All I can do is just worry about what the fuck I gotta do and when my time is to come.

I learned from nigga’s in the early 80’s, don’t get me wrong. We all learn from each other. At the same token I still got to make my path for me. I can’t really say anybody’s product is something I got to be pissed about. You Burger King, I’m McDonald’s, nigga. It is what it is.

 Ismael: Your last album was in 2003 but you’ve remained extremely busy, especially over the last year and a half. In that span, you’ve worked with Doom, Ill Bill, Big Boi, The Game, and a bunch of other artists. So looking at the industry today, who are other artists you look forward to working with or have worked with for this album?

 Raekwon: It’s a lot of people I’d love to work with. I’m in the zone where I got to prove to people that I can hold my own. It’s more exciting for me to work as an artist that’s in a creative zone right now. I don’t want to base my sh*t off who I’m working with. I work with people according to personality and if I respect your art. You don’t have to be a multi-platinum artist for me to be a fan of you. You can be an up and comer, but if I feel you got it I’m fucking with you.

 Prime example is the cat Nipsey Hussle. He’s new, but one day his CD got inside my car. Before you know it I heard a line in his verse where he said my name on some big up shit, saluting me. And here I am saluting him as a good artist. It showed me that there are still people out there who get busy.

 I want to work with some of the OGs in the game, too. I feel like paying respect to the ones who did it before us is due. You can’t forget these cats. Just looking at the some of the producers I worked with on the album like Eric Sermon and Marley Marl. These are dudes that I grew up on that I really loved what they were making. They were making heat and classical music. It’s all about respecting my origins.

 Ismael: That philosophy pretty much defines why you reached out to Outkast for “Skew It on the Bar-B.” You were one of, if not the first NY emcee to really embrace the burgeoning mainstream Southern movement in Hip-Hop.

 Raekwon: Yeah, I was the one that opened that door for those South kids to come through. Anybody will tell you that. When the South was down, Rae was there for them. A lot of shit that I do, it just happens. How that Outkast shit jumps off is I’m pushing through the mall in the A, and I see the kid. And its like respect, kings respect kings. And we just got in the studio, I liked the niggas as individuals, and they looked at me the same way. We made history. I don’t go after who’s gonna help me on a marketing level.

 Ismael: You’ve blessed us with a “Criminology 2” that captures the aura of the original. Is there any chance of us getting a “Verbal Intercourse 2?”

 Raekwon: Thank you. We did the “Criminology 2” because I felt that was a beat that I really loved. When me and Ghost did that one, we were like “we want to start fights in the club.” Not trying to promote violence, [but] you how you’ll be at a club and a fight goes down? And the music is still playing? That’s the vibe I got from “Criminology.” [The sequel] was just a bonus to let everyone know ‘yo, get ready.’ We’re still in our zone, we haven’t missed a beat.

 Regarding “Verbal Intercourse 2,” Nas said he’s gonna be on the album. We’re still working on catching him. But if it’s not “Verbal Intercourse 2,” we’ll come up with some new chemistry. And I think that’s the most important thing, to revamp that and bring it back to life. These are my dudes from back in the day, like Mobb Deep, Nas, Fat Joe, and Big Pun, God bless the dead. You never know what’s going to happen. Rae’ still got to move on as a general.

 Ismael: On the last Wu album (8 Diagrams), you and Ghost really didn’t care for where RZA was taking the production. When you hooked back him for your project, where there any issues with getting the sound you wanted from him? Or did everything flow like the original Cuban Linx?

 Raekwon: One thing about RZA is he’s like the Wizard of Oz. He’ll give what he feels like giving you, but he has other shit that he doesn’t really admire too much because it doesn’t represent his growth and development process. I knew he already had it; it’s just hard to get him to go back into his bag of goodies because he’s so used to dealing with another bag right now.

 So that was the situation with the first album. I felt like ‘yo, I want this sound.’ But he was like ‘this is going to be the new sound!’ So now it happens to be a want situation. RZA is the type where you’ll ask for this, and he’ll give you something else. But he always has what you want [laughs]. You may have to search for a little bit, do some soul searching, but you’ll find what you need. That’s why happened on Cuban Linx II. I got what I needed from him for my shit.

 [On 8 Diagrams], whatever else he wanted to grow on, we weren’t crazy over it. And that’s the whole thing people took out of context. No one tried to take anything away from RZA as a producer. It was more or less you can’t be selfish, and have to work with everybody’s ears and eyes on something. Him being the dude that he is with mad platinum albums, some niggas be super cocky. ‘I don’t wanna hear nothing, I got this.’ That’s what happened in that situation.

 Ismael: I talked with Funkmaster Flex last year, and we discussed how in 1995 you, Nas, and B.I.G. were viewed as the top artists out of NYC. And of course around this time is when the mythical “King of New York” title began to take on a tangible form. But out of the three, you were the only one that never really fed into that competition. Why did that race never really appeal to you?

 Raekwon: All that right there my nigga is just egos jumping off the curb. If you’re a king, you’re a king. I never really jumped into that world because I didn’t have anything to prove at that time. My music was speaking for itself. Everybody wants to be on top, when they’re on top. I want to still be able to walk amongst the people, instead of being looked at as ‘yo, you can’t touch me.’ I always like to be in the mix. You got some dudes that feel like they’re so high; they can’t come back down to reality. I didn’t want to fall in that position, because I’m really a street nigga. I really come from this and live it. Everything you hear, see, or witness from me, it’s because of my struggle. I never let myself get super-ego’d up just because I had a hot fucking album out. I’m always going to be grounded and respecting people who helped my career and life.

 But I am a silent king. I don’t do a lot of bragging and boasting. It’s like when you come into a club and see a nigga flashing all this money, just to show a bitch he got money. Some bitches don’t like that shit. They’re like ‘real niggas don’t show shit.’ That’s the same motto I have in regards to being a successful artist. I don’t have to be in the flyest V, you might catch me in a rental, b. I’m still live, though. I can have one chain on and the nigga next to me can have 1,000 chains on. The most important thing is to be you and stay grounded.

 I love the fly shit. But that don’t make me.

Ismael: There comes a time for everyone when they realize their generation’s culture has become a thing of the past. When you look at Hip-Hop in 2009, have you felt or are starting to feel that when you analyze today’s Hip-Hop culture?

 Raekwon: Hip-Hop is about us showing each other growth and creativity. I don’t really get that too much anymore. There are so many fans out there; they’re not even fans anymore. They’re rappers! Me and my people had a discussion about how sales are so important to fans right now. ‘Oh, this dude only did 100,000. This guy only did 40,000 or 130,000.’ When the fuck did fans start paying attention to that shit?! Does it make a difference? Let’s talk about the music, man! The fuck niggas is worried about everything else for? That’s the shit that makes me weary with the game right now. It’s just a hot mess.

Every generation goes through its own trends and shit. All that shit is not important. It’s about making good and authentic music. You can’t base an artist’s merit on sales. Everyone is not going to be a 5 million seller. When I came in the game, I didn’t give a fuck about none of that shit. I was coming to get my respect. I wanted to hear people say ‘he gets busy, he puts it down, he can rhyme.’ But now, these artists they get big headed because they sell millions. It makes you a fortunate cat, but it doesn’t make you that nigga. I’m just old-fashioned, I want niggas to really earn it.

 It’s just like how boxing is fucked up right now because we ain’t got no real live heavyweights. Who’s an [American] heavyweight right now? We ain’t even fucking got one! It’s fucked up to me. That’s the shit we got to pay attention to [in Hip-Hop]. The art is special. When you get a golden child you want to feel like he paid his dues. Not like he got help for another artist to blow up.

 Ismael: No matter what, the great music will stand the test of time, regardless of sales.

 Raekwon: Exactly! I think that’s the most important thing. You can make a good album, but will it stand the test of time? Will a motherucker pop it in 10 years from now? Same thing with Cuban Linx. When I made that album, I didn’t think people would still want me to come with a part 2. There are about 2 rappers out of 2,000 that people want a sequel to one of his classics. That’s incredible. I feel honored to be in that box. People really paid attention to what I’ve done. That’s what it’s all about. The people are saying ‘We know [Rae] has it in him to do it again, and we know he’ll do it.’