Bay Area rapper E-40 talks with Carl Lamarre — Billboard‘s deputy director of R&B/hip-hop — about his new album Rule of Thumb: Rule 1, collaborating with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Gucci Mane and Too Short on the album, almost working with Nipsey Hussle, his favorite memories of Tupac, his entrepreneurship side hustles such as his cookbook with Snoop Dogg and more!
Carl Lamarre:Happy birthday, brother E-40!
E-40:Thank you. Appreciate it, brother.
Carl Lamarre:We have these complimentary birthday shots — any word you want to say.
E-40:I ain’t above you.
Carl Lamarre:I ain’t above you.
E-40:I ain’t below you.
Carl Lamarre:I ain’t below you.
E-40:But I’m right beside you …
Carl Lamarre:But I’m right beside you.
E-40:Cheers, playa.
Carl Lamarre:Cheers, playa playa!
What’s really going on, y’all? I’m Billboard Deputy Director of R&B/Hip-Hop, Mr. Carl Lamarre, and we are here with brother E-40. How are you? How are you feeling overall, man?
E-40:I feel good, man. I really feel good. I’m happy. I’m in a happy space. God is great.
Carl Lamarre:This year … 50 years of hip-hop. You’ve been celebrating a lot of wins, but I’m just curious: Overall, what does 50 years of hip-hop mean to you?
E-40Um, it means everything. They didn’t think to get this far, you know? Now it’s the No. 1 genre of music. Hip-hop, man, you see it in commercials, you see it in movies, you see it everywhere. It’s all related to sports and entertainment, and from the urban community. And look at it now! It even became even suburbian — it’s everywhere like air. You can’t get away from it, man! Fifty years — shoutout to … Kool Herc and the founders of hip-hop. Thank you!
Watch the full interview above!
