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Remember Lil Wayne’s classic “Prostitute Flange” record? If it never got leaked, I could’ve seen it being on Tha Carter III. It had it all from a nice beat produced by Maestro to an experimental feel. Now, remember the guy who talked on it during the little interlude? Ten points if you know who it is. Yes, Boo Sledge (formerly known as Boo). That wasn’t his first big taste of fame though. His history stretches along a decade from the streets of the Chi to being a Cash Money signed artist and even the solo career he now follows. In this exclusive interview, we’ll learn a lot about Boo Sledge from how he met R. Kelly and ended up working with him to his reasoning behind leaving one of the most known labels in the game. Also expect his new mixtape, Red Rum, to drop next week with features from Curren$y, GLC, Mack Maine and more. (Grab the first single here)
Let’s start off with a history lesson for the folks reading. You got your first big break in 1999 when you met R. Kelly and later featured on numerous records like “Fiesta”, “I Wish (Remix)” and “We Ride”. How were you able to make that connection with Kels to get on such big records?
Actually I met him (R. Kelly) at a McDonalds in downtown Chicago. He told me he can see me being a rapper or entertainer of some sort, gave me his contacts and it was basically a wrap from there. We were in the studio everyday for like for three years straight!
Linking up with R. Kelly lead to you catching attention of Jermaine Dupri, Ja Rule and ultimately, Cash Money. This is during the pinnacle of the CM Era. Then three years after your deal in 2004, you released Perfect Timing with Gotti. After waiting to drop, what influenced your decision to do the joint album with your longtime friend Gotti?
Being from the same neighborhood, we knew a lot of same people so it was kind of a must that we stick together rep our city. Also there weren’t really any duo groups out from the chi at that time.
This was the only album between you two. The fans haven’t heard any music from the two of you in years now. What happened?
Honestly, poor sales! It wasn’t a reason for us to be back out. We had to man up and go back to the drawing board. We couldn’t handle low success good cause everything we was a part of before that was a hit!
Do you have any sort of relationship with Gotti right now?
Of course! He’s like a family member you can’t say my name without saying his and vise verse. We talk often and keep it Chuuurch!!
In 2004, you requested to be released from Cash Money despite seeing such great success with Perfect Timing. What was going through your mind when you decided it was time to leave?
At that time I started cliquing wit Lil Wayne heavy. We felt I would be a cool fit to his company (Young Money), so I was hitting the road and being in the studio with him for about another two and half to three years straight.
Even after you left, your relationship with Lil Wayne grew as you continued to appear on records alongside him including “Prostitute Flange”, “Bitch Get Off Me” and more. As you mentioned, he wanted you on Young Money. Why didn’t it ever happen?
That was the plan. To me I’m always a part of YM. That was some of the illest times I had in this music shit. So me being my worst enemy is the reason I’m not physically there.
Can you go a little more in depth on you being your own worst enemy?
I have no fingers to point because I didn’t think about nobody else except me. In reality I was my own reason for not being there. No matter what, I think u always want to stay with one affiliation. Nobody wants to clique hop, well at least boo don’t.
Moving on to your 2009 solo album titled 48 Minutes. So after being a year and couple months since it was released, what did you enjoy most about creating the album and what would you have changed or added?
I enjoyed the fact that I was solely hands on from production, hooks, verses, mixing sessions, etc. I was there 100 percent. Real talk, the only thing I would do different is let my music speak before me.
Present time and you have Red Rum coming real soon. We all know that Red Rum backwards spells murder. Is this your reasoning behind the title or do you actually enjoy some Red Rum from time to time?
I actually enjoy having Red Rum from time to time.
Let’s start off with a history lesson for the folks reading. You got your first big break in 1999 when you met R. Kelly and later featured on numerous records like “Fiesta”, “I Wish (Remix)” and “We Ride”. How were you able to make that connection with Kels to get on such big records?
Actually I met him (R. Kelly) at a McDonalds in downtown Chicago. He told me he can see me being a rapper or entertainer of some sort, gave me his contacts and it was basically a wrap from there. We were in the studio everyday for like for three years straight!
Linking up with R. Kelly lead to you catching attention of Jermaine Dupri, Ja Rule and ultimately, Cash Money. This is during the pinnacle of the CM Era. Then three years after your deal in 2004, you released Perfect Timing with Gotti. After waiting to drop, what influenced your decision to do the joint album with your longtime friend Gotti?
Being from the same neighborhood, we knew a lot of same people so it was kind of a must that we stick together rep our city. Also there weren’t really any duo groups out from the chi at that time.
This was the only album between you two. The fans haven’t heard any music from the two of you in years now. What happened?
Honestly, poor sales! It wasn’t a reason for us to be back out. We had to man up and go back to the drawing board. We couldn’t handle low success good cause everything we was a part of before that was a hit!
Do you have any sort of relationship with Gotti right now?
Of course! He’s like a family member you can’t say my name without saying his and vise verse. We talk often and keep it Chuuurch!!
In 2004, you requested to be released from Cash Money despite seeing such great success with Perfect Timing. What was going through your mind when you decided it was time to leave?
At that time I started cliquing wit Lil Wayne heavy. We felt I would be a cool fit to his company (Young Money), so I was hitting the road and being in the studio with him for about another two and half to three years straight.
Even after you left, your relationship with Lil Wayne grew as you continued to appear on records alongside him including “Prostitute Flange”, “Bitch Get Off Me” and more. As you mentioned, he wanted you on Young Money. Why didn’t it ever happen?
That was the plan. To me I’m always a part of YM. That was some of the illest times I had in this music shit. So me being my worst enemy is the reason I’m not physically there.
Can you go a little more in depth on you being your own worst enemy?
I have no fingers to point because I didn’t think about nobody else except me. In reality I was my own reason for not being there. No matter what, I think u always want to stay with one affiliation. Nobody wants to clique hop, well at least boo don’t.
Moving on to your 2009 solo album titled 48 Minutes. So after being a year and couple months since it was released, what did you enjoy most about creating the album and what would you have changed or added?
I enjoyed the fact that I was solely hands on from production, hooks, verses, mixing sessions, etc. I was there 100 percent. Real talk, the only thing I would do different is let my music speak before me.
Present time and you have Red Rum coming real soon. We all know that Red Rum backwards spells murder. Is this your reasoning behind the title or do you actually enjoy some Red Rum from time to time?
I actually enjoy having Red Rum from time to time.
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