SHOOTIN THE 5 with: O.Y.G. REDRUM781

Before March 9th 1993, it would’ve been damn near impossible to picture a Blood and a Crip standing next to each other let alone on the same project. 

But that dream came to reality after the L.A. Riot and a peace treaty happened between the two factions. With that unification an album, Bangin On Wax, was produced to prove that the treaty was a reality. The project was released on Dangerous records and sold over 500,000 copies.   It gave way for more collaborations between various sets.  Nowadays, it is normal to see Red and Blue on the same cut.  Thanks to all the participants of a classic record.

One of the man responsible for that album was Avenue Piru Gang member and West Coast rap veteran O.Y.G. RedRum781. We have reached out to him for a quick drive through memory lane and reminisce about that moment that changed a whole era.

1- How did you reach out to Tweety Bird Loc to discuss and create that album?

WhoooooooP ,WEST UPPER wit my potna ????? Well there wasn’t an initial reach out. We met at a rap contest in Ventura,California ……. i met him and Robert Lewis (the person who put out REP YOUR SET) on location. I took overall 3rd place BUT was the REAL CROWD FAVORITE ……We hooked up from that day forth and hit the lab. The idea was MINE and TWEETY BIRDs only. We presented it to Robert Lewis who in turn introduced us to RONNIE RON bitch made snake ass. The plan was laid out and then the plays were put into effect …… recruitment began. I personally recruited ALL THE RED TEAM except the producers GEEK and NOISE. TWEETY BIRD went back to Compton and recruited his potnas….except for BATTLECAT

2- The first time it was Bloods and Crips in the studio, what was the atmosphere?

Well seeing that the tensions were already high and the streets were active as hell we had to be on guard. The secret sauce was we were from different cities so the conflict was minimum. Soon as the song concepts and beats were made we went to work …..THATS where we got EARFULLS of dissing ….FUCK CRABS / FUCK SLOBS !!!!!!!! We had to be better than wild animals and not go into attack mode. SO we TORE THEM BEATS THE FUCK UP INSTEAD.

3- Almost 25 years later, the influence of that treaty is still felt (from Game and Snoop Dogg to YG and Nipsey Hussle to even the East Coast with Jim Jones and Dave East). Did you believe it would have went back to worst at any point?

Yes its true i see a CONVOY LOAD of successful blueprint biters the PAY NO HOMAGE but ride the wave. Without the path we paved the road would still probably be underdeveloped and destroying our culture and communities and minds and lives even more. There are DAMU rappers before the BANGIN ON WAX era that mixed the cement but WE were the HARD LABORERS that eventually built the structure. LMAO , hella mainstream DAMU rappers have been interviewed and asked WHO their musical inspirations are and NOT ONE mentioned ANY of the ORIGINALS or the BANGIN ON WAX members. Without the contribution we gave i don’t think the music or street relationships would have evolved the way it did. I may be wrong tho.

4- Gangsta Rap, or Reality Rap to me, is the journal to the ghettos. Do you feel that rap music is still that way today?

NO ……my personal opinion is that our music has been compromised for a LONG ASS TIME !!!!!!! They fucked up the education system which fucks up the youth who in turn eventually become menaces to society. Match todays youthful music up to their level of education…… Match the music with the mentality and actions of the youth……Match the music with the drugs and mumble shit and excessive ignorance…… WHAT other genre does the government control as much as ours ???? ITS A WEAPON AGAINST US NOW, A HUNDRED FOLD …… LIKE OUR ANCESTORS USED AGAINST THEM TO COMMUNICATE !!!!!!! Our music is an instruction booklet with melodies telling and showing us HOW to continue the cycle of destruction…… THE PIED PIPER EFFECT

5- You probably seen it all and did it all in this business and in life. What is left to accomplish for O.Y.G. RedRum781?

AHHH ……I would say live longer and be successful…..and continue fixing the damage that BANGIN ON WAX done to the community and lives. It wasn’t made for that. WAS MADE FOR UNITY and ANTHEMS BUT WARPED INTO THEMES FOR GANG WARFARE.