The world was once in the palm of Boosie Badazz’s hand. Everything from his scene stealing verses on Foxx’s “Wipe Me Down” and Webbie’s “Independent” to significant co-signs by Young Jeezy along with Scarface, the Baton Rouge rapper clearly had his chance at Southern rap’s royalty. His world came crashing down from all around him as Boosie Boo spent nearly five years in Louisiana State Penitentiary facing everything including a murder charge and probation violation for drugs. By the time he finished his sentence, attention due to an aggressive fan-based “Free Boosie” movement escalated his profile even further.
Then again, would years behind bars make Boosie rusty? If 2014’s Life After Deathrow meant anything, arguably so. However, that mixtape served only as an appetizer. A year later, that answer is fairly obvious through Touchdown 2 Cause Hell. DX reviewer called the Trill Entertainment artist’s sixth full-length studio Touchdown 2 Cause Hell a fine return to form. “The end result is an album that is as much a wild party as it is brutally honest,” Marcus Dowling. “In achieving each of these goals without feeling too much like it’s placating Boosie’s lifelong fans or pop radio expectations, it excels in walking a fine line and being a tremendous listen.” One listen to Touchdown 2 Cause Hell and the artists who formerly went by Lil Boosie is in a league of his own. While most rappers have difficulty regaining their footing after long-term incarceration, Torrence Hatch is better than ever.
In a quick, momentary phone call, B.O.O.S.I.E.B.A.D.A.Z.Z. discusses the difficulty of staying out of prison post-release, cutting down the tracklist for Touchdown 2 Cause Hell and if the world will see another collaborative album with Webbie.
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Boosie Badazz Talks Reestablishing & Growing Fanbase
DX: How are you doing health wise?
Boosie Badazz: I’m alright, I’m alright.
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DX: You’ve been open about life as a diabetic. Is it hard keeping that in check with your lifestyle?
Boosie Badazz: Yeah, sometimes it is. I don’t be getting much sleep on the road. I just have to watch myself.
DX: Some artists have a difficult time staying relevant after prison time. However, you’ve gotten even better. What do you attribute that to?
Boosie Badazz: I attribute to that is that I always write music while in prison. When you go to prison, sit around and you don’t do any music; it ain’t going to be in them like that anymore when they get home. They’re having to get home and shake back. If you stay writing, you’re always going to get better.
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DX: Has your fan base grown since being released from prison?
Boosie Badazz: Me as an artist means me instilling what I go through and how I’m living. Me as a person is a hardworking man with a family. But, hell yeah, I have more fans. Jail ain’t make me, I had hundreds of thousands of fans. I’ve been in this music game since before 2005, 2006 mane. I been doing this. I hope this album makes people open their eyes of why people were shouting “Free Boosie.” The reason was because they wanted this music. That’s why they were saying this. People were saying my fans were going too far saying “Free Boosie,” but, hell naw when they missing that shit. I’m just bringing it back to them.
DX: Before prison, your issues with Trill Entertainment were reported. When was the moment you and the label reconciled?
Boosie Badazz: We renegotiated the contract. We sat at the table with Atlantic and they gave me what I wanted. Then, we were able to move on from there.
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Boosie Badazz Explains Cutting Down “Touchdown 2 Cause Hell” to 19 Tracks
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DX: For someone who had around 500 songs written while in prison, how did you filter that into the Touchdown 2 Cause Hell’s cuts along with whatever was recorded afterwards?
Boosie Badazz: Well, it was hard to do but, I hadn’t laid all of them. Out of the 500 songs, only around 100 or so were done. I’m not going to lie, it was hard picking songs. First, I was going to go with a double disc but that was going to mess up my check so we kept things down to 19. Everybody gave me love and said it was a classic. I’m happy about that.
DX: Let’s talk about Touchdown 2 Cause Hell’s producers. Was it challenging keeping up with the production of right now in comparison to before hand?
Boosie Badazz: It’s wasn’t like that with me. I just made some phone calls to producers and asked them to send me some beats. That’s just how I make my music. I don’t have my ear go into the sound of everybody else or how people going with rhythm. Then I’ll be sounding like everybody else. I just go into the studio, lay the music down and do me.
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DX: You’re considered really the biggest rapper to emerge out of Baton Rouge. From your perspective why hasn’t anyone been able to take the mantel?
Boosie Badazz: I don’t know man. Boosie is just different. Can’t say I don’t do anything for my city because I give back every year. I took care of the city and people know that. Not only that, my music has just been the best. That’s why when I was gone, nobody could step up to the plate. I’m the king.
Boosie Badazz Says He Strives To Becoming Legendary Like Pac and Notorious Big
DX: Coming from Baton Rouge, you’re known as the people’s champ. What do you think rap’s history books will say about you five, ten years from now?
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Boosie Badazz: I’d be a great by that time. I’d be one of those guys in the game that’s legendary. Hopefully, I can be like Tupac and Big.
DX: Touchdown 2 Cause Hell has two Webbie features. Will there be another collaborative project with him along the lines of Ghetto Stories and Gangsta Muzik?
Boosie Badazz: Yup, Yup, we got something in store. Right now, I’m just focusing on me. I’m also trying to drop another album six to seven months from now. I’m here to make money and give people this real music.
DX: Is it hard staying out of trouble with the police or your parole officer considering the environment you come from and life as a rapper?
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Boosie Badazz: I live in Atlanta now, but it’s hard because I’m on parole man. These people be tripping about me traveling and it’s just wrong. This is how I feed my family and it’s crazy. Yeah, they change their rules and stuff. Like how am I supposed to make my money? I do clubs, bars and stuff man. That’s a part of the lifestyle. They don’t let rappers go places once they get out of jail when traveling is how we make money. It’s not like construction work where you go to work and just come back home.
DX: Do you feel that the powers at be want you back in jail?
Boosie Badazz: Sometimes, I do. I swear I do.
