DG Yola Interview

• Artist: DG Yola
• Label: Hittaftahitt/Powerhittas/Asylum
• Be on the lookout for: Gutta World (Nov '07)
• Artist Website: DG Yola

  Email this page to a friend

50 Cent was shot nine times; he followed that up with a debut album that sold ten million copies worldwide.  This past March, while sitting in his car at a red-light, Atlanta rapper DG Yola was shot during a failed carjacking attempt.  Ironically, the single that his label Atlantic Records was pushing at the time: “Ain’t Go Let Up.”  Recovered and back on the grind, Yola looks to release his debut album, “Gutta World,” sometime before the end of 2007.  During an interview with DJBooth’s DJ “Z,” Yola talks about what he remembers from that near fatal evening, what it would take for him to move out of the hood and why he bum rushed the stage at this year’s Ozone Awards.

DJ Booth:  What’s goin’ on, y’all?  It’s your boy ‘Z,’ doin’ it real big, and joining me inside the DJ Booth is a man who considers himself great.  Signed to Atlantic Records and anxious to unleash the story of his ‘Gutta World,’ rapper DG Yola.  How you doin’?

DG Yola:  Yo, what’s goin’ on, Z? 

DJ Booth:  Man, what’s goin’ on with you?  That’s what everyone wants to know.  Of course, earlier this year you were shot in the face during a failed robbery attempt while waiting at a red light – what do you remember from that evening and how are you?

DG Yola:  What I remember was the sight of somebody tryin’ to carjack me – pulled up on me, told me to get out the car.  I was like, “Naw,” and I hit the gas, and then a gunshots went off.  That’s all I can remember.  Then I drove myself to the hospital, and, from then to now, I’m doin’ pretty good.  I’m talkin’ again.  I dropped a couple of songs, hot songs – a whole lot of new hot stuff.  Everything good.

DJ Booth:  At any point during the recovery process after you were shot, did you consider that you might have to go an alternative route and that you couldn’t rap again?

DG Yola:  I ain’t never think of it like that; you know what I’m sayin’?  I’m a strong male, so I was like, “I’m gonna bounce back.”  I didn’t know how long it would take.

DJ Booth:  The irony is that an artist like 50 Cent got shot nine times and sold ten million records – what do you think the experience that you went through will do for the start of your career?

DG Yola:  I don’t know.  I’ll tell you, everybody situation different.  But ever since that happened I’ve been getting a whole lot of love from the streets.  Really, I just need for my album to come out.

DJ Booth:  You grew up in the hood, lived on the streets, went from home to home growin’ up. After an incident like just that took place, would you ever consider completely removing yourself from the only environment you’ve known?

DG Yola:  I’d say yeah, if I had the opportunity to leave the hood, I would leave, but my money would have to be right.  I come back and help a couple of my associates do their thing.

DJ Booth:  Definitely.  All you need is the album to drop, right?

DG Yola:  Yeah, that’s all I need.  I’m goin’ platinum – I know I am!

DJ Booth:  DG, right around the time of the shooting, your single, “Ain’t Gon Let Up,” was starting to really bubble.  How do you plan to pick that steam back up?

DG Yola:  Well, really you know I’m hot, man.  It’s really easy for somebody like me – I just gotta keep my ears to the street, keep everything poppin’ and I’m gonna be good.

DJ Booth:  Originally, your album was slated to drop in June.  It has since been pushed back for obvious reasons.  When do you now expect, “Gutta World,” to see store shelves?

DG Yola:  I’m tryin’ to shoot for November. 

DJ Booth:  Do you think that Atlantic Records is on board with what your camp is tryin’ to do at this point?

DG Yola:  Sh*t, I don’t think so.  I don’t know.

DJ Booth:  What do you think it’s gonna take to make sure that that marriage is in place so that there’s no problem?

DG Yola:  If I get another single poppin’.

DJ Booth:  DG, in your bio it says that you feel real music is missing, like how ‘Pac did it.  Now, as great a rapper as ‘Pac was, it’s been noted that he was very hypocritical during his short-lived career.  He would tell men to treat women with respect on a song like, “Changes,” but flaunted his sexual escapades on a song like, “I Get Around.”  Do you feel that you can tell stories similar to ‘Pac, without doing the same thing? 

DG Yola:  Yeah, I can tell stories about what I know, and describe what I’ve been through, you know what I’m sayin’?  I can do that.

DJ Booth:  What kind of stories can we expect you to tell on this album, “Gutta World”?

DG Yola:  You know, I’ve got several stories, about my country, and just like everything country.  I’m in the back of your head, what you gonna do today?  You know, so I got stories about how to be fly.  I got stories about women, stories about haters – all kinds of stuff.

DJ Booth:  A lot of artists, they all talk about somewhat of the same things – how can you tell the same story but differently, in your own words?

DG Yola:  ‘Cause everybody can’t do what Yola do; and everybody’s not great.

DJ Booth:  During the Ozone awards, not too long ago, you were called up on stage by my man T-Pain to perform for the crowd after your first attempt was cut short.  What exactly happened that evening?

DG Yola:  Really, I just got tired of watchin’ everybody perform.  And I was down there, and we were like, “Sh*t, well nobody gave me no record hits, so I ain’t gonna take it.”

DJ Booth:  How do you think the response from the crowd was?

DG Yola:  They were nice, man, they were beautiful.  The crowd was anxious to get Yola.

DJ Booth:  [laughter]  Yola, how can everybody find out more about your brand new album, “Gutta World,” and what you have goin’ on?  Give everybody a website.

DG Yola:  You know, you can go to my Myspace, myspace.com/yoladagreat, so you can catch me right there.  Got all the latest stuff on the website – new songs and everything.

DJ Booth:  Great.  I wish you nothin’ but the best of luck with this brand new project, and into the future.

DG Yola: Okay, I appreciate you, man.

Total Comments: 1