The Clipse don’t want to leave the streets, but they have recognized that it’s time to get into that next realm of their career. So we won’t be getting a mixtape from the brothers for a while — it’s time to do it officially. “I think it’s about time for us to really focus on the music-business side of the game,” Pusha T said when we asked if the just-released Re-Up Gang LP and the upcoming Clipse album Till The Casket Drops would be their last output for a while.
“I think we been doing a lot of street-oriented, underground catering. I think now the people wanna see the Clipse in a different light. Not even in a different light … but people who champion and scream for the Clipse, they always scream, ‘I think the Clipse is better than such and such.’ But then they would be comparing mixtapes to people’s commercial albums. It’s like, ‘Yo, it’s time to put both on the same plane.’ ” “It’s time to be exposed to a wider audience,” Malice delved further. “We do what we do and always stay true. That’s just the chemistry of the Clipse: stay true to what we are.”
MTV
The quest for a wider audience meant using a wider array of producers for both the Re-Up LP and Till The Casket Drops. Timbaland, Danjahandz, Kanye West, Just Blaze and Swizz Beatz are all expected to contribute, while The Neptunes, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Sean C. and LV, DJ Khalil, The Runners, Dame Grease and Reefa have already turned in beats. “It’s gonna show our versatility as well,” Malice said. “I think we’re gonna open up to a wider audience, but keep our same fans too.” With so many signature sounds on one record, the Clipse say they’re going to count on the producers to keep a cohesive mood rather than trying to figure out similar beats. “If you set up the album in the sense of moods,” Pusha said, “I can get some of that soul and some of them drums from Sean C. and LV. I can get some of those stories from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. I don’t know what I’m going to get from DJ Khalil. He has something crazy. You can tell they are bringing their A-game to it.” “You can always rely on The Neptunes to come with that old school [sound],” Malice weighed in.
And if you haven’t heard the Re-Up record yet, don’t be fooled by the lead cut “Fast Life,” on which just the brothers from VA rap. The Clipse definitely give shine to Sandman and Ab-Liva. “You’re gonna see a whole bunch of family records,” Pusha added. “Everybody is damn near on everything. It’s a platform to showcase everybody and their own individual movements. I want this to be a diving board, the Clipse jump-off. Sandman, Liva, everybody springboard off the situation and keep going.” “We got a song called ‘Money,’ that’s a great club banger,” Ab-Liva said. “I think it shows us in a different light — partying and having fun, but the way we do it. It’s one of the greatest things when you get around cats whose talent level is so high, you gotta bring your A-game. I know they’re gonna bring their A-game. It’s great chemistry.”
*mtv.com
Clipse – Till The Casket Drops (2009)
Producers & Guests: The Runners, Swizz Beatz, Rick Rubin, DJ Khalil, Sean & LV, Justice League, Dame Grease, The Neptunes, Danjahands, DJ Khalil, Reefa…