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| by kenn on 10/21/2003 12:55:00 PM |
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The Ranjahz Speak on Jay-Z, Debut Album
Most heads remember The Ranjahz for their star-making cameo on Jay-Z's "If I Should Die" from 1998's Hard Knock Life. Shortly after, the Brooklyn duo signed to Jay-Z's Carter Faculty record label. Though the label quickly faltered, Wais and Dark Haph have kept busy, appearing on mixtapes and releasing a single with Hov. As they finally prepare to drop their debut LP, The Ranjahz speak on their failed deal with the defunct Carter Faculty, their own label and the album's long process.
"Jay had little to do with the label [Carter Faculty]. He was co-signing and B-High and Tata were doing the administration. It just didn't work out. It had bad management so it went down the drain. We left before it actually fell," Dark Haph told SOHH.com via phone.
Though there's no trace of Jay-Z on the LP, Haph assures there's no bad blood between the BK emcees. "We cool with each other. It's more than rap. It's still family. We go to their family's house," Haph shared.
Though the Ranjahz' can easily be classified among New York's gritty wordsmiths, their penchant for introspection and musicianship sets them apart. "I'm the cat into the guitar and keyboards. I get bored of rapping sometimes as opposed to Wais. He's the one that keeps me going. I basically taught myself in like a year and now I'm at the point where I'm producing, laying sh!t down," Haph revealed regarding his autodidact guitar playing.
With Haph's newfound strumming in tow, the Ranjahz became self-produced, locked themselves in their studio and came up with roughly 50 songs. Out of the bunch, the two picked 19 cuts to craft Who Feels It Knows, The Ranjahz' debut set for release on their own Killagraffi/Villa Records. "It's more of a partnership. We make our own moves. Killagraffi, we pretty much shaped our own destiny," Wais said.
The Ranjahz have finally arrived, but they now face the task of standing out in a game saturated with studio thugs. "They [other rappers] are putting out albums that sound like mixtapes. We're putting out puzzles. We're going to give you street records, conceptual records, love, hate songs. Sometimes people want to party. Sometimes they don't want to hear that type of record. They want music to make you think," Wais explained.
Yet, perhaps even more crucial to The Ranjahz' success is their drive. "It's all about staying up, hold your head and being motivated. This is our life, our livelihood," Haph shared. "We're not just rappers. We're businessmen. If we don't rap, what are we going to do. We got to do this. We got no choice."
The Ranjahz' Who Feels It Knows featuring production from DJ Premier and guest Appearances from Cee-Lo and Raekwon hits stores today.
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