When rap history revisits the Ruff Ryder, the epilogue may sound as anticlimactic as the East Coast collective’s final moments. Co-founder/in-house producer Swizz Beatz transitioned from super producer to mogul with ties to Aston Martin and then controversial share site Megaupload, Eve married a billionaire and all three members of The Lox thankfully held successful careers of their own. And that’s the good part. Flagship emcee DMX still battles drug addiction among other problems, Jin didn’t find greatness until becoming a Christian rapper and Cassidy always felt like wasted potential outside of his battle rap career. Somewhere in middle was Drag-On.
Never reaching the heights of his peers on the label, Drag-On had more than his fair share of good moments. His debut, The Opposite Of H2O, was RIAA certified gold but, it was his supporting verses along with tracks from DMX, The Lox, Big Pun and Eve seemed more acclaimed than any solo offering. There was even that short lived movie career, mainly providing backup for DMX vehicles Exit Wounds and Cradle 2 The Grave.
Between then and now, Drag-On released several under-the-radar projects. Attempting to rebrand himself, he’s pushed forward with his own label, Hood Environment Records. For his upcoming project set to release eventually, he’s made a big push for his latest single “N.R.G” which, hit the net in March. The actual chances of a true comeback may be uncertain but, that’s not stopping Drag-On from pushing forward like it’s 2000 again.
Speaking with DX, Mel Smalls talks being the boss of Hood Environment Records, watching the downfall of Ruff Ryder Entertainment and his relationship with DMX.
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Drag-On Explains Hood Environment Records & His Failed Kickstarter Campaign
DX: You dropped the “N.R.G.” in March with Juice. Where did the track’s conception come from?
Drag-On: The “NRG” joint is one that I really wanted to put out there to the streets just to let people know. I hear a lot of people that be trying their best to imitate that flow and really get that balance. A lot of people did it and I definitely congratulate them on doing it. I feel as though it was my job just to let my fans and let people that don’t know: “Oh, this is what this flow really sounds like, right here, this is where they got it from, right here.” I had to let them know. “N.R.G.” New rap God. New Drag. New day. New money out here to get.
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DX: Between your time with the Ruff Ryders and projects here and there, what made you want to make the type of push you’re making now?
Drag-On:My push always has been there. My die hard fans know that I never stopped working. I never left the studio. I was just under a big umbrella that I wasn’t underneath anymore. I started my own record label and it’s called Hood Environment Entertainment. I also had my daughter too so I just had be a good father just to make sure she know who Daddy is because that was just more important to me at that time. My daughter’s like seven years old now and it just is what it is. I never really stopped. I never stopped putting out music. I got a bunch of songs on audiomack.com and I have been putting out a bunch of mixtapes here and there. We did plenty of mixtapes called The Crazies Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. I never stopped working. I was just mainly focused on my daughter. Now that I got everything straight, I ain’t skip a beat. I am still nicer than 90% of these niggas out here.
DX: Where does this lead into an album?
Drag-On: As far as an album, I ain’t even warmed up yet. I’m just now starting to get the people warmed back up to me. Yeah, I’m working on an album but the album ain’t coming no time soon. I’m probably going to drop a mixtape before that but until then, I’m going to eat them up off these singles. My next single is already done. We just pushing this thing, “N.R.G.,” because once we know 90% of the game can’t fuck with it right now.
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DX: You had a Kickstarter Campaign to help fund the album. Why’d it fail?
Drag-On:: With the Kickstarter situation I just tried to come up with an idea where I can get my fans. Just to get my real die hard fans involved with my next project that I am doing with the mixtape/album that I am doing. I was just trying to get a way where I can get them involved in what I am doing. My record label is called Hood Environment. How I came up with my name; everything we do we trying our best to keep the hood involved. So, I tried to figure out a way with my comeback; my whole campaign and my comeback. How can I get my people really involved in what I am doing? I know, I ain’t really got no budget to really promote the Kickstarter and all that but let me just use my social media and let my people know that I really want my fans involved in my next situation. That’s just the way I’m doing it. I already have my distribution deal. I got my deal already. I just wanted that to be a part where my fans are coming and really being involved in my situation and make it bigger.
Drag-On Calls The Ruff Ryders A “Stepping Stool” To Chase His Dreams
DX: A lot has changed in your career between your time in the limelight and now. Where are you in regards to your fan-base?
Drag-On: Right now, I’m just blessed. Right now, I’m not even just excited to be back on the scene or just to be back in the game. I’m excited a lot of my fans are excited. I’m excited the people are excited that. Oh shit! This nigga Drag is back. And also he’s back on his bull shit! I’m excited that the people is excited. That’s what really excites me more than anything.
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DX: What was it like to see the rise and fall of the Ruff Ryders?
Drag-On:: Me being with the Ruff Ryders was a blessing. At the end of the day we remain family and we’re all still in contact with each other. We all used the Ruff Ryder as the stepping stool to chase our dreams. That’s one of the reasons why I respect the big homie Meek Mill because he really put that part out there. You really got to chase your dream out here. For real. That’s why all of the Dream Chasing joints that Meek Mill muthafuckin put out, I made sure I went out and got all them shits. That’s what this Hip Hop shit is about. Ruff Ryder was a stepping stool for me, DMX, L.O.X., Eve, and a bunch of other people too. Cassidy, Uncle Murder…for a lot of other people to do their thing. The bottom line is to really chase your dream.
DX: One of my favorite action movies were Exit Wounds and Cradle To The Grave? Think about eventually getting back to acting?
Drag-On: Yeah. Once I come for my passion first, then I am definitely getting into something that I love to do and that’s acting. My passion, my real love is my music. I just want to touch my fans again that’s my baby. My main focus is my fans as well as open up the doors for this new fan base that I am already touching.
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DX: How do you feel about rappers being more accepted into the film industry?
Drag-On: I love the idea of rappers getting into acting because it has been successful for a lot of different people. One of my favorite rapper-actors is LL Cool J. I think he is an incredible actor. The number one of my favorites is DMX. I love Aaliyah. Rest in peace. I loved Aaliyah’s muthafuckin acting in the Romeo Must Die. It works for a lot of different people. Mos Def is a great, great actor. Common is another one. It’s just been so successful for a lot of black entrepreneurs and that’s just what I am about. I like to see us people grow so I am loving it.
Drag-On Explains Relationship With DMX & New York Hip Hop
DX: Any thoughts on DMX’s issues with the unauthorized Redemption Of The Beast project.
Drag-On:When me and X talk, we don’t really talk about each other’s personal business and stuff like that. X is the boss. If there’s any problems, trust me, it’s about to get handled or it’s already handled already. When I’m with X, we kicking as brothers. That’s still my older brother in the game. We don’t talk about that unless it’s something real big to joke about. That’s something that I know for a fact that has been handled already.
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DX: Did you get a chance to listen to it?
Drag-On: Nah. I ain’t really get a chance to listen to it. I ain’t gonna front. I really started this whole campaign with these next couple of singles that I am about to drop. So, I’ve really been in the studio heavy. I’m out here in Connecticut right now and I am running my business and everything out here. I pretty much have been in my own world just getting my shit together but me and X about to get back in the studio too.
DX: What would you say is your favorite DMX collaboration?
Drag-On: My favorite collabo was with DMX, “Ain’t No Love For Me.” The reason I say that is because X was at a prime of his life where he was like, “Damn, they’re selling more records than rock n roll stars.” For him to shout me out the way he shouted me out on that song, where he says, “I fuck with Drag’On. Don’t forget the name Drag-On muthafucka, don’t forget the name!” Dog listen. That was just so big for me! I keep it that real. Yeah that’s my big homie. That’s my mentor but he don’t owe me nothing. He didn’t have to do that. Just him putting me on his song was good enough. When I did songs with Jadakiss and Styles P, just them putting me on a song is good enough for me. On top of that, I have some rock star status rapper talking about, “Yo, I fuck with Drag’On. Don’t forget the name Drag’On muthafucka, don’t forget the name!” That right there…mind your mental, I didn’t hear him when he was writing that so I didn’t know he was even gonna say that until he was just in the booth and he said that, I’m like, “Oooh shit! I’m about to get me a lot of pussy now!” I’m joking. But on some real shit, I was just excited for that because I wasn’t expecting that and he didn’t have to do that. He already showed me so much love.
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DX: You were on that track right?
Drag-On: Yup.
DX: What was it like spitting next to X? What was that moment like and what was going through your mind when you’re like, “Uh oh, I’m next.”
Drag-On: To be in the studio with them – because when I was working with them, they were pioneers already. L.O.X. was already pioneers. It was just a blessing. I was more amazed than anything. I was like, “Oh, shit! I’m working with probably one of the greatest rappers right now to ever do it.” I was more just humbled and just amazed to be doing that. Amazed to be working with Jadakiss. I was just amazed to be working with anybody that has worked with Biggie Smalls the way the L.O.X. did and has that type of respect in the game the way DMX did. I was just honored to even be in their circle.
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DX: Some feel New York Hip Hop doesn’t have its own sound anymore. Do you think the area’s scene has an identity crisis?
Drag-On: Me, I don’t really know because I was never really one of those artists that got into the whole East, South, West, shit. Me? I love South music just as much as I love East Coast music. I love West Coast music just as much as I love East and South music. Me? I just go by the talent. I’m a Hip Hop head and I’m all for Hip Hop. I know a lot of East Coast artists, you might hear them say, “Oh, Hip Hop is dead. The South is doing well right now.” I’m all for Hip Hop. I love that the South is as big as it is right now. When I first came out I did songs with me and Petey Pablo, me and Juice, me and Baby, me and Cash Money. I even did a song with the Mid-West…me and Twista. I always had a national thinking as far as music. I’m not interested in East, South and West. I never just thought about it like that. I love to see that Hip Hop is growing. 10-15 years ago we would have never thought there would be a Hip Hop artist from Canada is one of the biggest artists in the world right now. Which is Drake. I’m proud of that because that’s showing me that 20 years ago when they were trying to talk about, “We trying to get rid of rap and ban rap.” That just letting me know that rap is getting bigger. I’m a Hip Hop head and I’m all for the growth of Hip Hop.
DX: Compared to your earlier years with the Ruff Ryders, the internet and social media weren’t around. What’s it like to be in this environment?
Drag-On: I like it because it’s a little bit – before the work ethic was good that you really had to work, work, work hard. Now, it’s like you really, really, really got to work hard. The reason I like it now is because of the independency of it now. I love that you don’t necessarily need a record label right now you can actually chase your dream with or without a voucher or pat on a back. I love that. You can actually create your own fanbase and touch 20,000, 10,000, 100,000, two million people on your own. That’s the part that I really love about working with the artists now because we have that now. We got that outlet. We got the Instagram. The Twitter, Facebook, Glide, Vine, we got all that shit to be more in contact with our fans and our supporters.
