Kinfolk Thugs – We Don’t Play That

“It was love! Universal Records flew us to NYC because they wanted to sign us. They couldn’t understand why our music aint runnin the radio in Memphis.” In the MemphisRap.com interview with Kinfolk Thugs’ GC Internal and Mr.Tyme Bomb, speak about their accomplishments and why they just don’t seem to get the same love from local DJ’s as they get elsewhere.

“It was love! Universal Records flew us to NYC because they wanted to sign us. They couldn’t understand why our music aint runnin the radio in Memphis.” That’s what the Memphis rap group Kinfolk Thugs had to say in a recent interview with MemphisRap.com. Though many may not have heard the name, Kinfolk Thugs, many should have by now! They have only been on Source Magazine’s “Best of the Best,” Eminem’s Sirrus radio show “Shade 45”, and on BET’s 106 and Park. If there was a list of true independent hustlers with real accomplishments in this Industry, then Kinfolks Thugs should be on that list along with a number of others.

But as with many others, they are not on that list, and why the hell not? Well they’re officially on that list now, because MemphisRap.com is putting them there. Congratulations, Kinfolk Thugs, you’re now officially on the list of ‘true independent hustlers with real accomplishments in the Industry’ so it be written, so it be done!

In the MemphisRap.com interview with Kinfolk Thugs’ GC Internal and Mr.Tyme Bomb, speak about their accomplishments and why they just don’t seem to get the same love from local DJ’s as they get elsewhere. As GC puts it, “They (Universal Records) flew us up there (NYC to Eminem show) on the simple fact that our music sounded great to them. They couldn’t understand why our music aint runnin the radio in Memphis.” The group also talks about their latest single “VVS” (off album We Don’t Play That Vol. 3), their upcoming album projects, and more. Check out the full interview at http://interviews.memphisrap.com.

MemphisRap.com: So what’s poppin with the whole Kinfolk Thugs?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC Eternal: S**t we just out here trying to get our music in everyone’s hands. Once you hear our s**t you instantly know that we the best Memphis has to offer. We aint dancin and all that s**t. Our s**t sounds like no one else in the M. We have a sound thats never been heard in Memphis, but we the most versatile as well.

Mr.Tyme Bomb: Yeah we just tryin to get all the local DJ’s to constantly spin our s**t. We have a real movement but its takes real street ni**as to know that. Some of these ni**as that spin records done showed me that they aint no street ni**a. Most these ni**as followers. Where you think you gon get as a DJ if you do and play the same s**t everyone else does. You will never have a real name for yourself. The streets know what the truth is and we definitely got the streets. We just want everyone to know what we have accomplished for ourselves and the city of Memphis as independents. We ain’t no f**kin gimmick.

MemphisRap.com: Tell us what’s your role with Kinfolk Thugs?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC: We both just get together and come up with that hot s**t, I do the majority of our production work as well.

MemphisRap.com: Tell everybody a little more about Kinfolk Thugs aand how it all began?

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: Kinfolk Thugs is real family! When Kinfolk Thug started it wasn’t on no rap s**t! My Uncle is “The Villain” who use to rap with Gangsta Pat back in the deadly verses days. He started Kinfolk Thugs back in the early 90’s and it was some real street s**t. Kinfolk Thugs was the ni**as robbin, whoopin ni**as a**es and f**kin b**ches in the streets of South Memphis. We grew up in the s**t and ended up taking it to another level. All the OG’s that did time in the name of Kinfolk Thugs is back on the block after some baseball numbers and we ready to terrorize again.

MemphisRap.com: Aight, dig dat, so you all had a couple of mixtapes come out, how’s that going?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC Eternal: That s**t has been love bruh. We were already featured in The Source Magazine “Best of the Best..” for having one of the best mixtapes in the country! In the country Ni**a!

Bomb: Yeah, ni**as need to start acting like they know. Don’t treat us like no anybody, we doin major s**t without a major label behind us.

GC Eternal: Our mixtapes really be albums mayne! 90 percent of our s**t be original production. Its really like we putting out full length albums and we givin it away at that. The sh** is really catchin on now. Drum Squad produced most of Vol.3 with original beats for us so it aint your average mixtape cause you aint never heard most of the beats.

MemphisRap.com: So what are you all currently working on?

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: Right now we just bought our own studio and we setting up over at Universal Productions to record. We finishing up another mixtape right now. This one is gonna make it all the way official.

GC Eternal: Yeah we thinkin about callin it “The Pushback” cause when it drops, ni**as better push back they release dates cuz we gon have the peoples ear for a long time.

Bomb: Also we got deals on the table so our manager Trey Tymes is working on structuring those the best way possible and we’ll see what happens.

GC: I’m also workin on producing “Scat Cat The Villain” (The Villain now goes by Scat Cat) album along with Al Kapone, my mane Chicken and LC of Thoroughbred Hustlers. We all family and got that studio, its gonna be the spot where everyone records when they come into town.

MemphisRap.com: The last single I heard was VVS, is this the latest single?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC Eternal: Hell yeah and its fire. It’s gonna be the biggest song in Memphis for the summer! Its all about being posted on the block with your white tee. Now what ni**a don’t feel that! Check our Myspace comments if you want an unbiased opinion on the song. Everyone loves it.

Bomb: It’s produced by Drumma Boy of Drum Squad and its been getting much love around the mid-south. The streets love it so hopefully the Memphis DJ’s will show it a lot of love. We poppin in the ATL.

MemphisRap.com: Are you gonna do a video for that latest single?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC Eternal: Most likely, we have been choppin things up with Carlos McClinton of Artigraphs on that. He wants to do it.

MemphisRap.com: So you all are still Fly Paper Ent., what’s changed most over time?

Kinfolk Thugs: Mr. Tyme Bomb: Yeah FlyPaper Entertainment is our label that we own with our Manager Trey Tymes. We do our thing and he runs the day to day operations. The only thing thats changed is that some of these DJ’s didnt think we were gonna have some sh** after our first single “We Don’t Play That”. I don’t think they knew we were as good as we are.

GC Eternal: It’s time for our DJ’s to do their part. Which is break new music, especially your hometown. The artists in Memphis have been doin their part for a long time. Its time for the DJ’s to step up and do their part, and it starts with Kinfolk Thugs.

MemphisRap.com: You all been catching a few ears I’ve heard lately. Are you all more interested in getting a record deal or a big distribution deal?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC Eternal: Really, whatever looks best on paper. You can make money both ways.

Mr. Tyme Bomb: Right now we enjoyin our freedom and focused on doing us though. We know that song for song no one is f**kin wit us. It just takes some time for others to see it.

MemphisRap.com: You recently appeared on Eminem’s Sirrus radio show Shade 45, what was that like?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC: It was love! Universal Records flew us to NYC because they wanted to sign us. They put us up in a 5 star hotel for two nights and took us everywhere. We met with Bruce Carbone who is the head over there, and just to keep it all the way real, they didnt end up signing us because they couldn’t understand why our city wasn’t behind our music enough. They flew us up there on the simple fact that our music sounded great to them. They couldn’t understand why our music aint runnin the radio in Memphis. On some real sh**, the Memphis attitude lost us that deal. But everything happens for a reason and they still watchin us, and at the end of the day you can’t stop Gods Plan, and he got a plan for us.

Bomb: We was on the “All Out Show” with Lord Sear and Rude Jude. We were the third independent act to ever be interviewed on Shade 45. The other two were Trick Trick (now signed with Universal) and Bishop Lamont (now signed with Aftermath) so what does that tell you?

GC: They played 3 of our songs and even had listeners calling in to win the sh**.

MemphisRap.com: Weren’t you all on BET also? Was Jalissa on there then and does she look as fine as she does on TV in person?

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: Yeah on 106 & Park, and thats what makes it hard to smile at some of these ni**as that aint playin our sh**. We get more love from the DJ’s out of town. I’m like “how you gonna act like you aint seein the sh** we doin”. Hands down we are accomplishing things as independents that no one in Memphis ever has. Ever, but yeah Jalissa fine.

GC: She too skinny for me!

MemphisRap.com: Dig dat. So who in the group is more business minded?

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: I think we both pretty much have the same way of thinking, but we are a real family and we let everyone do what they do best. Trey is a great business mind, and we make great music. We all come together and meet and then we make decisions as a family.

MemphisRap.com: How about who has the worst temper?

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: GC definitely and someone is gonna end up gettin they a** whooped soon!

GC: Yeah we done tried all that nice sh** with these ni**as. Ni**as actin like we aint press up 10,000 copies of Vol. 3 and give them away for free. We aint got no major label budget for that sh**. Respect that s**t. We out here mayne. Play our music DJ’s

MemphisRap.com: What can we expect in the future from Kinfolk Thugs?

Kinfolk Thugs: GC: More great music for the streets.

Bomb: We gonna keep it street. One thing we will never do is sacrifice who we are just to get some radio spins. We not gonna make some booty dancing song just to get on the radio. VVS is gonna prove that you can keep it street and get these spins. A lot of ni**as settin themselves up for short careers cause they come out with them type songs and then try to get back street. Real street ni**as don’t forget what you did.

GC: Expect to see ni**as get they a** whooped too if they aint f**kin wit us. We rep South Memphis and we doin this for Memphis. So how Memphis gonna not f**k wit us. Expect to see us on a lot of mixtapes. We got like 50 new songs done just itchin to drop. It’s gonna be a wrap.

Bomb: Yeah pick up the new DJ OG Ron C and The Wreckin Yard “Straight Gangsta Vol.3” on Chamilitary Records, we on that s**t. We ain’t goin nowhere so get use to us.

MemphisRap.com: Anything you would like to say to fans before we end?

Kinfolk Thugs: Yall all we got. We do this for yall and we appreciate all your support. Fans don’t hate on you. It be these other ni**as scared of our movement. Call the radio stations and request “VVS” all f**kin day. Check us out on myspace at www.myspace.com/kinfolkthugs We update new music all the time! You can purchase “We Don’t Play That Vol.3” on MemphisRap.com or www.cdbaby.com/kinfolkthugs2 . If it ain’t Kinfolk Thugs then F**k what it was!

MemphisRap.com: MemphisRap.com thanks you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with us. We’re looking forward to catching up with you again.

Kinfolk Thugs: Bomb: Its cause of real ni**as like Memphis Rap that real ni**as like us get an outlet to touch our fans. So thank you

GC: Fa sho!

Fly Paper Ent. – 2006