LeftBack: Moving Forward with Little Brother

They’ve become one of hip-hop’s most endeared groups of all time, bulding a legacy through righteous lyrics, brutally honest subject matters and an astounding musical talent. They are the essence of what true Hip Hop embodies, and despite parting ways from the Little Brother moniker, they’ve made certain their personal relationship will remain intact. Phone and Big Pooh took some time out share with us some insight on their current roles and thoughts as musicians, and the culture moving forward in Hip Hop. See the full interview after the jump.

So tell us about the creation process and some of the influences
behind your new Leftback album?

Big Pooh: The nature of this project is basically just me and tay just making Jams. It was kind of a freeflowing thing, and we would hear beats and he’d be like “yo what you think of this?” I was like “yo I’d fuck with it” then we’d go make a joint to it and vice versa. It wasn’t really nothing intricate, it wasn’t nothing you know, different then how we make jams these days so, it’s just one of them things we were freeflowing with it.

Phonte: I can’t really say, I think we pretty much did us. It wasn’t like I was influenced by no particular artists. It was just Me and Pooh, went in and did songs.

What made you guys decide that this will be your last and final
album? What was the motivation behind that, and can fans expect to
hear any other projects in the future?

Big Pooh: the main motivation was valuing personal relationships over the business relationships, seeing that we were still reading the same book but wasn’t necessarily reading the same chapter no more. We decided to go ahead and have a day to day business relationship in order to preserve our personal relationship. You know we still work together still do songs together,Phonte will be part of my solo project and whenever he needs assistance over there for his album or somebody in the Foreign Exchange I’ll gladly lend my assistance. It’s not one of things we just don’t talk to each no more, or work with each other no more, we just decided to end the Little Brother portion of our careers, but there’s definitely music on the horizon you know we’re not retired from making music, we’re just retired from making music under the Little Brother moniker.

Phonte: We pretty much said all we wanted to say as a group. It’s just better to end things on a good note than to continue trying to force something you know what I’m saying? Right now I’m just focused on building the Foreign Exchange music brand with Nicolay me and him right now are just producing records. Our artist YahZarah, her album just came out today and is being incredibly well received, and we also have my man zoe coming out july 22nd. Then you got foreign exchange album coming out in October, then my record is coming out sometime next year. I’m just always working man, but more music is coming.

You guys have more or less carried the torch for “alternative Hip
Hop” into this new generation from pioneers like Tribe Called Quest,
Dela Soul and The Pharcyde just to name a few, do you feel there is anyone worthy to pass the torch to now for future generations to come?

Big Pooh: There’s plenty of cats out there, you got Pac Div, Jay Electronica, Tanya Morgran, J.Cole, Drake, I mean the list goes on, There’s just plenty of cats that’s telling their story and doing it well, and their making fresh music. You know its something just watching some of these cats and hearing some of their music, for me as a fan of music, it’s something to get excited about.

What are you thoughts on the current state of hip hop, and where do
you see it going?

Big Pooh: I mean things always change man, that’s the one thing about life, nothing ever stays the same forever. So I just think Hip Hop is in a place where it’s a lot of accessibility, where there’s a lot of room and a lot of space where many different artists that can get on and find their own niche in Hip Hop. And you know I can see cats continuing to do that, and continuing to get on by not necessarily signing to a major label and being a megastar anymore. Now its about if I can get 10-20 thousand people that can organically go out and buy everything I put out and revere what I do, then I’m good. And that’s kind of where we are now with Hip Hop, and who knows where it’s going to go next.

Phonte: I just don’t know, I think there will always be people who enjoy hip hop to some degree you know I’m saying. I don’t know if hip hop is going to be the same force as it has been in the past you know what I’m saying.I just don’t know financially, I think it’s peaked to some degree. And as far as hip hop being a kind of advanced cultural influence that it once had, in the future I don’t know if that’s going to be the same. And I think the proof of that is seeing most of the rappers now, and most of the rappers are singing so you know (laughs) You don’t need the “big” rappers now, like look at cats like Drake, B.o.B., Cudi you kno what I’m saying even Lupe to some degree. But most of the rappers now are trying to add other elements of music into their music. I just see Hip Hop and just rap music just really slipping in terms of overall general popularity, and it’ll probably go back to just being more of an underground thing just in a sense of a small dedicated audience that supports it. That’s what I feel.

What legacy would you like to be remembered for in hip hop?

Big Pooh: I just hope that we’ll be remembered for always being honest, always bearing out truth and feelings, and always, last but definitely not least, putting out dope music on a consistent basis, and I think we were able to accomplish that and I think our place is firm in the Hip Hop manual.

What advice would you give a new producer, or musician coming into
the music game in this day and age of digital technology?

Phonte: I would just tell them to just make best music they can make and not worry about little things because everything will take care of itself you know what I’m saying? So much of the artists during this era of technology is much focused on creating content and staying “relevant” that they forget to write great songs you know I saying? And you can tweet all you want, and make you tube videos all you want, and just do all that and create all the media you want. But ultimately it’s great songs that’s going to keep people interested in what you do. I would just say focus making great songs instead of always focusing on general content. Cause I’ve seen artists in this era who get caught up in that kind of race, that rat race.

Any final words for the fans who’ve been loyal to Little
Brother since day one?

Big Pooh: Thank yall for your support, continue to support and thank yall for always listening and we hope yall continue to support.

Little brother’s album LeftBack is currently out now!