Interview by TheLionWords:

I know we took forever to drop the second installment of DopeForDummies. Thats my fault it won’t happen again. Lets get right into it.

Push! Montana featuring Maino “Last of the Mohicans” off When Push! Comes to Shove Vol.2

I’M RESPECTED LIKE SONNY FROM BRONX TALE/ BK’S VERSION OF BARKSDALE/ BUT I WAS TOO BRIGHT FOR THAT DARK CELL/ I BOUGHT A BLUE BENZ OFF OF HARD SALES/ I WAS 19 STUNTIN IN MY CL/ CUTTIN THAT COKE WITH THE B-12 / IF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF E-VIL/ IMA BURN THAT PAPER WHEN I REACH HELL/ GOTTA MAKE SURE THE FAM NEVER NEED FOR NUTHIN/ IF U GET IN THE WAY OF THAT, I’M LEANIN SUMTHIN/ DON’T TRUST THESE PART TIME G’Z, WHO WILL KILL BUT AINT WILLING TO BLEED FOR NUTHIN/ I’LL PULL UP LIKE A BARTENDER, WITH ENOUGH HEAT TO LIVE THRU A HARSH WINTER/ 2 ARMS UP LIKE JOEY JIHAD, I’LL SEND U TO ALLAH QUICKER/ I’M THE A-TEAM’S LOST MEMBER/ BUT DUE TO MY FAST PACED LIFESTYLE, MY SIDE CHICKS IS MY WIFE NOW/ SPENDIN ALL MY TIME OUT ON THESE STREETS/ BUT I STILL PROVIDE WHEN ITS TIME TO EAT/ GOTTA LIVE MY LIFE LIKE A ROLLIN STONE, ABOUT 2 MILLION IN MY MOBILE PHONE/ I HAD A DREAM LIKE MARTIN LUTHER, BUT THEY SHOT HIM SO I HOLD THE CHROME/ I’M TRYNA BE LIKE “JAY” AND “BIG POPPA”/ THEY MIGHT “JMJ”, “BIG”, “PAC” YA/ THEY FOULER THAN MJ’S DOCTOR/ BUT KEEP THE FAITH DON’T LET THESE NIGGAS STOP YA/ GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN SOLDIER/ CHROME 50 TO TIP NIGGAS OVER/ I’M LIKE 80 SITTIN IN THAT ROVER/ I’M LIKE JAY AND TWO, I’LL NEVER FOLD UP! DEATH B4 DISHONOR.

How far into the tape were you when you and maino did “Last of the Mohicans”?

IT WAS DONE IN THE LAST SESSION. I CAME UP WIT THE HOOK THE FIRST TIME I LISTENED 2 THE BEAT. BUT I DIDN’T HAVE A VERSE. I SENT IT 2 MAINO WITH THE HOOK ON IT CUZ I KNEW HE WOULD KILL IT. I KNO THE KINDA BEATS AND TOPICS HE WOULD JUST BODYYYY! HE SENT IT BACK AND I WENT IN RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT. AND HISTORY WAS MADE !

Describe the atmosphere in the studio you like to have when you’re recording music like “Last of the Mohicans” and name three things you need when you’re in the studio.

THAT DAY I HAD THE WHOLE TEAM IN THE STUDIO. IT WAS THE LAST DAY OF MIXING SO I WANTED EVERYBODY 2 HEAR THE TAPE STRAIGHT THRU. AND WE MUSTVE PLAYED “MOHICANS” ABOUT 50 TIMES IN A ROW! LOLL NIGGAS WAS AMPED UP ! WHEN IT COME FROM THE HEART U FEEL IT IN YA BONES WHEN U RAPPIN IT. I DON’T NEED MUCH MAN. SOME BOTTLED WATER, WELCHS FRUIT SNACKS AND A BAD BITCH DON’T HURT. FOR INSPIRATION YA KNOW. LOL

“Don’t trust these fake thugs that’ll kill but won’t bleed for nothing”. Break that down for us.

WATCH OUT 4 THEM DUDES MAN. THEY CAN BE IN YOUR CIRCLE RIGHT NOW! THEY CAN APPEAR TO BE LIVE NIGGAS TO MOST BECAUSE THEY GET BUSY. BUT IF THEY NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE OR BLEED FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN’T TRUST THEM. A MAN OF HONOR IS WILLING TO DIE FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN. TOO MANY HALFWAY CROOKS WHO ARE ONLY PREPARED AND WILLING TO PLAY OFFENSE. BUT WHEN SITUATIONS ARE REVERSED THEY SWITCH UP. THAT’S WHY ITS SOO MANY SNITCHES OUT HERE. BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE NO BACKBONE OR SET OF MORALS.

How do you decide which verses or songs will make the final cut for this tape?

WELL I SELECT THE BEATS I WANNA USE AND COME UP WITH CONCEPTS FOR THEM. THEN I WRITE UP A TENTATIVE LIST OF SONGS IN THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY WOULD BE ON THE TAPE. THEN ONCE I START RECORDING, USUALLY NEW IDEAS AND RECORDS COME TO ME OUT OF NOWHERE. THEN I JUST ADD AND REMOVE SONGS. BUT THIS MIXTAPE WAS DONE IN 3 SESSIONS.

Your delivery was more aggressive on this record compared to your usual. What you do five pushups before laying your verse?

HAHAHA NAH SHUN. JUST HAD TO GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE LIKE THAT. IT ALL CAME FROM THE HEART AND EVERY WORD ON THAT SONG IS THE TRUTH. WE REALLY THE LAST OF A DYING BREED.

“Due to my fast pace lifestyle my sidechicks is my wife now” a lot of people more than likely just skipped past that line thinking they understood it. Break that line down a little.

MAN THAT SH!T IS REAL. THAT’S ONE OF THOSE LINES YA NIGGAS BE LIKE “DAMN BRO!! THAT SHIT TRUE LIKE A MUTHAFUCKA, BUT I CAN’T LET WIFEY HEAR THAT!” HAHAHAHA. BUT REAL RAP. I KNOW THIS FROM EXPERIENCE. YOU MAY BE OUTSIDE TRYING TO GET THIS PAPER AND DOING WHAT U GOTTA DO FOR YOUR FAMILY. AND YOUR WORK KEEPING YOU AWAY FROM HOME MORE AND MORE. BUT YOU MAY HAVE YOUR SIDE CHICK DRIVING FOR YOU OR USING HER CRIB AS A STASH SPOT. SO NOW YOU SEEING HER MORE THAN WIFEY BECAUSE YALL DAMN NEAR WORK TOGETHER EVERYDAY. SO THAT RELATIONSHIP GETS MORE INTENSE AND MEANS JUST AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE THAN YOUR MAIN SITUATION AT HOME. ITS NOT DONE ON PURPOSE. BUT IT HAPPENS LIKE THAT SOMETIMES.

You reference Martin Luther King in this verse. Do you identify more w/MLK or Malcom X’s ideologies?

MALCOLM X. I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF MLK IN MY THOUGHTS. BUT I BELIEVE HE WAS FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING THAT’LL NEVER HAPPEN. I DON’T THINK WE’LL EVER BE CONSIDERED EQUALS. THIS COUNTRY OWE US TOO MUCH AND I KNOW THEY DON’T PLAN ON GIVING US WHAT WE DESERVE.

Seems like Maino is one of those guys that when you collab with, your chemistry is always on point. Is that from you two having a history that expands past rap, or him being an artist you respect so you always want to bring your A game when you’re working together?

YEA MAN IT’S BOTH. WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER ITS ALWAYS GOING TO BE MAGICAL. THERE AINT TOO MUCH WE DON’T AGREE ON. THAT’S REALLY MY BROTHER FROM ANOTHER SHUN. AND I LOVE AND ADMIRE MY BROTHER FOR WHAT HE’S DONE FOR HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY. I ASPIRE TO INSPIRE THE YOUNG HOMIES THE SAME WAY HE INSPIRES ME.

PUSH! Montana: When PUSH! Comes to Shove Vol.2 Gangsta Grillz Edition link:

http://vibedeck.com/push-montana/when-push-comes-to-shove-vol-2-gangsta-grillz-edition-with-dj-drama#order