Spoon: What’s going down, how have you been?

TQ: I been good man—I got a new album coming out on August 31st, its called “Listen”

Spoon: So I’ve been wondering what’s going down with you, every time I turn around you’re on a new label!

TQ: It’s all about finding a good partner - sometimes it’s trial and error, sometimes you make a mistake and pick the wrong partner, sometimes you pick one that may not be suited for what you need. It’s a marriage, you gotta find the one that’s right for you, for me it’s just taken a while.

Spoon: That’s my next question—earlier in your career you came out screaming “Westside Till I Die”, then you signed with a label down south in Louisiana—so was the southern vibe not working for you?

TQ: It wasn’t anything to do with the south or the west it was the business aspect, I was with people who didn’t believe in hustling the way I believe in it. I mean that’s what it’s about. I had a three-year deal with an option for a fourth and I opted out.

Spoon: Like Karl Malone?

TQ: Yeah, ain’t nothing wrong with it you gotta find what’s right for you, I mean I’m Gary Payton

Spoon: So who did the production on this album?

TQ: Me, I did most of the beats, Manny fresh did a couple joints on there.

Spoon: So you and Manny have a good relationship - musically?

TQ: Oh definitely the music has always been good, we make good music together period, baby and slim knows that too.

Spoon: So have you had any surprises working with an independent label?

TQ: The love surprised me, I was ready for war, and I mean I thought I’d be struggling the whole way. But knock on wood, but every one who’s heard me has lent a hand and pitched in to make sure they can see me get there. I mean it’s a bold decision to do this all by myself and come out and do it on my own, so people helped out. Sometimes you need that extra push when it’s genuine when it’s from other people in different places

Spoon: So I hear you are launching your own label, will you be rolling out with a full roster or are you focusing exclusively on TQ?

TQ: Well I gotta focus on me first, but it will be a full service label, I mean I got worldwide distribution through WEA but the focus right now is on me, because I gotta take the first step, once that step is made I can do whatever, no telling.

Spoon: So there’s nothing in the pipeline right now?

TQ: Well I got this cat out of Richmond California, this rapper right now, I built a history with a cat named At Will from the bay, I’m looking at him right now I mean we do music together and it’s super hot, but I gotta get it off the ground first because if I don’t I can’t offer anything to anyone else

Spoon: So what’s in your CD player right now?

TQ: It’s still Tupac…

Spoon: I’m waiting for the new album

TQ: I know (laughing) I mean it’s going on ten years and he’s still a decade before his time because California love and dear mama give me a feeling nothing on the radio can right now. Which is why us new music makers need to say why can’t we make records that can contend with what our kids will be listening to when they get to be our age. I dig deep, I listen to real shit, like Anthony Hamilton, Tupac, and Prince, people that dug deep. Real artists you can feel what they are going through, those ones lead the way.

Spoon: Yeah that’s one thing I noticed when you first started—you had an RNB sound but you were still street—since then there have been some people who broke into the game that have mimicked this style—what do you think of them?

TQ: It makes me feel like an O.G. because they didn’t do that before I did, they might have wanted to, a lot of them were scared before I did but they didn’t I mean it’s about reality. Why can the rappers only be the ones to talk about what they see in the street?? I think that my records made it okay, ask any one of them if they hear my records and they say yeah, I feel good about it, more then anything. When I’m out they come to me and say you’re nice and they love the music

Spoon: Ain’t anything better then that eh? So down the line where do you see yourself? RNB got a longer attention span so a lot of cats tend to grow up with the music or put on a “younger” look, like the Isleys who used to be grown folks music but then they “younged” down. Where do you see yourself going with time??

TQ: That’s longevity, anyone who loves what they do it’s about longevity, and myself it’s the same thing. I want to see how far my fans let me go because I think that there may be a lot of them that don’t’ have the complete picture yet, it’s a whole lot bigger then what they know, I wanna see if I can get it all across, you never know, I mean music goes through a lot of changes, what people like changes, as time goes by so we’ll see.

Spoon: So are you trying to be the elder statesman of RnB or are you going to go behind the boards and be like Quincy Jones just killing ‘em?

TQ: Probably the last one (laughing) furreal, I mean I like to make music, performance is life vacation, where I go to have fun, but after a while you grow out of fame and wanting the spotlight, but you never grow out of just making music, I mean I’m in my zone. I get in my zone anywhere, in the bathroom, closet I mean I’m on the tour bus and I’m in my zone, I make some shit then I love it then I play it and other people love it, aww man it’s the greatest

Spoon: Thanks a lot for your time, any last words about the new album?

TQ: It’s called “Listen”, the website is Thugpoetry.com, it was started by the fans and I had nothing to do with it - they did it, everything on the site they came up with, it’s scary - I read the site and had to give them props, I didn’t name it I didn’t have nothing they did it - it’s thorough. The name of the first single is “Right On”, it’s at radio and video, hit up BET and request the video, I’m back, it’s good to be home and see the sunshine say goodbye to the rain baby…”