Due to label issues and what appears to be at least one internal rift within the Diplomats, Juelz Santana hasn’t released a full-length studio album since 2005. His sophomore effort, What the Game’s Been Missing!, peaked at number one on Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart during the height of Diplomat popularity. Now, with his own Skull Gang crew in tow, and a renegotiated deal with Def Jam [click to read], Juelz speaks to HipHopDX about his future plans.
“I’m just gearing up and prepping everybody,”Juelz tells HipHopDX. “The Takeover mixtape is in the streets, so be on the lookout for that Takeover DVD. We’re doing videos for all them joints. I’m about to put out my solo mixtape, which is The Reagan Era. Right after that, we’re dropping another Skull Gang mixtape called The Takeover Continues. It’s actually done already, but we’re just waiting to give ‘em my mixtape first. I got my Skull Gang artists involved with my mixtape a little bit more. A little while after that, I’m gonna drop my solo album, which is called Born to Lose Built to Win.”
Santana also notes that getting his business right with Def Jam is only partially responsible for his hiatus, and he wants to make sure his releases were properly planned.
“I do feel like I’ve been away for a while,”Juelz admits. “To just come back and drop a 12-song album after being away for so long is not what I do. I do mixtapes, and I give people more than that. I put my groundwork in and planting these seeds, so I can watch ‘em bloom and blossom.”
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As for his collaborative effort with Lil Wayne, which is beginning to rival Detox for the title of most-delayed album, Juelz assures everyone it’s still coming.
“I Can’t Feel My Face with me and Wayne is still happening,”Juelz says. “I’m about to call him back and chop it up with him in a minute. The good thing I tell everybody about me and him is that the music is already done. If you were to come to my studio right now, I could play you 35 records from me and Wayne.”
In the meantime, Juelz has joined Jim Jones and comedian/actor Mike Epps for the Bad Santa tribute mixtape. The pair are also working together on the Skull Gang track “Body Like a Maserati,” which will be on the aforementioned DVD. Footage from the video shoot is below.
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