Fiend – T.G.I.Fiend

Interview By: Tyrone Davis

Artists come and go but some stand out and you remember and respect them forever. Twenty4Seven Magazine was given the opportunity to interview the man they call “Fiend”. Coming from one of the most prominant camps in the music business, the former No Limit Soldier tells us what’s new in his life and where he has been over the years.

Fiend 4 Da Money! What’s been up with you?
I have been ghostwriting, producing, managing a label, and recording with our artist on Fe. Street Customs. More recent project I produced was Jadakiss featuring Young Jeezy “Something Else” and Hurricane Chris “I Want It”.

How and where did you get your start?
I got my start right in the hood, Hollygrove the 17th Ward. Some cats out of my neighborhood gave me a chance to spit on their album about the passing of my brother and it was on from there. There are too many people to thank for my start, so I thank them all.

Most that know you, remember you from the No Limit days. Though a lot of the artist seemed to have disappeared after leaving the label, you managed to remain busy over the years. Please explain some of the moves you made.
I just kept making music, producing, and working on other projects. I got into producing on a national level and even produced on Jadakiss’ first solo

project. I also put out a gang of independent projects like, Can I Burn 1 and 2, Headbussaz (a joint project with Three 6 Mafia), Go Hard or Go Home, The Addiction, and a few other mixtapes. All of the projects sold well over 450,000 units.

What happened with the Ruff Ryders situation?
We encountered a family situation and had to deal with it. Brother Dee was injured; I was in jail and spent a lot of money on a lawyer. We needed each other and had the weight of the world on our shoulders. We’re still a family today, but it just seems like I blinked and years went by trying to recover.

How did you link up with Three 6 Mafia for the “Headbussaz” project?
They had a concert in New Orleans; my manager and I went and linked up with old friends. We started talking about collaborating and how it would be to work together and we did just that. We completed a CD in just 3 days and instantly the streets were trippin, a win!

New Orleans has its own sound and the artists from there have been very successful over the years. Today’s artists seem to all come from the same place. Do you agree and how do you feel about today’s music as a whole?
Yeah, we do have our own sound, but sometimes we are not all alike. Different areas have there sound and I acknowledge and respect it.

“There’s One in Every Family” is one of my favorite albums and I still listen to it like it came out yesterday. At the time, did you think you were putting out material that would still be listened to over 10 years later?
As a young black man, the future is seen only in your dreams and not with a plan or purpose. I didn’t really, but I wasn’t recording BS so you can say emotion and reality in the music made it last the test of time.

What was it like working with the other artists on the No Limit roster? Being that so many projects were released in a short period of time and a lot of the core artists were being featured on most of the projects. Was it easier or harder on you having to put out so much material and was there ever competition amongst each of you?
It was the shit, it was easy and even though it was a lot of us, there wasn’t any competition. We just smashed on the world like true soldiers and knew the people would love it.

I mentioned your old label mates earlier. There have been a few who have gone through some things over the years. Mac, Mystikal (recently released), Kane and Abel (released), and C-Murder being incarcerated and the death of Soulja Slim. Slim mentioned the roster changes in “My Jacket”. How do you feel about how everything turned out and do you have any regrets?
I regret all of my people having to go to jail and have their freedom taken away, its horrible. I wish Slims’ momma and the family some peace knowing he is with God.

How did Hurricane Katrina affect you and were you down there during it?
Yes, I was there. I was affected along with the family, friends, and love ones. We all had to start over again and even though I wasn’t in the trenches, I was able to assist 34 people for a year living with me.

You are independent, correct? Would you ever go major again?
Yes, I am independent. A major change in my life and everybody around me would have to occur for good for me to go major again.

Do you think the internet is better for an artist or is it a problem considering the bootlegging/downloading?
I think it’s good and bad; good for anyone trying to get in the business today. The first time artist trying to create that buzz can be spotted easier, everybody is using the internet these days.

What is up next for Fiend?
I’m dropping a new project, T.G.I.Fiend. Currently, we are introducing artist to include; Corner Boy P, Succeed, and Paradox. I’m also starting more companies, such as Fiend4damoney.com for distribution of films and music.

As a fan, I want to say I appreciate you and everything you’ve brought to the game. How can you be reached if anybody wants to book you for a show or a collab?
Thank you. They can reach us at: stcustoms@gmail.com, clickatme2@gmail.com, twitter.com/fiend4damoney, facebook.com/sleepyjones, and myspace.com/fiend.

Any last words?
Check out my website www.fienddigital.com for all my new and old releases of albums and mixtapes. Also, check me out on allhiphop.com and worldstarhiphop.com.

Uno and 3 Zero’s, It’s ya neighborhood Hero!

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Twenty4Seven Magazine Twenty4Seven Magazine is a monthly digital and quarterly print publication founded in 2009. Though we cover a little bit of everything, our primary focus is urban entertainment and lifestyle.

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