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Dubcnn: When did your love for music first begin?
Hayes: From the first time I ever heard music, I was hooked. It goes back as long as I can remember. As soon as I heard music, I felt it in my blood and knew it was a part of me.
Dubcnn: So then, you knew from pretty much early on that music was your destiny?
Hayes: Hell YEAH!
Dubcnn: Coming out of Detroit, Michigan, whose sound(s) did you grow up listening to?
Hayes: Whoever I grew up around, who I looked up to, and whatever was going on around my (way), was my influences. I got my style from what was going on around me in my life, and what was going on in Detroit.
Dubcnn: Define what exactly it is that you do when you pick up a microphone?
Hayes: I just say it’s good, interesting, and I hope you all like it. I don’t know how to explain it more than that, but I really hope you like it!
Dubcnn: How did you actually manage to get two of the best producers in the biz,
Dr. Dre and
Timbaland, to take notice, and ultimately jointly sign you to both of their respective imprints; Aftermath Entertainment and Mosley Music Group, through Interscope Records?
Hayes: I've known
Tim and
Dre for a long time. Me and
Dre was on
Detox, and one day we was just chilling, we was sitting on the couch -- I don’t know if we was watching a football game or a basketball game -- and Dre was like, “Yo, I was thinking ‘bout signing you, you want a record deal?” I said, “Yeah, my nigga, YES I do!” And then, me and him was out shooting dice one night at Jimmy’s club, and
Tim came in and asked us, “Hey, what the fuck are you guys doing?” And
Dre said, "We were about to do an album together." And Tim said, ‘I’ll fuck with
Hayes. Let’s do it together, we’ll make it huge,
Dre!’ And after that, we started working, and it’s been going on ever since. I couldn’t believe it was happening.
Dubcnn: Damn, that's amazing! Now, as a precursor of sorts to your “official” solo offering, you just dropped your 3rd street-tape, The First 48. For someone who has not heard it yet, what would you say can be expected from it?
Hayes: I would say get you a copy, check it out, and let me know what you think of it. It’s available for free download on my website,
www.iamhayes.comDubcnn: Oh, okay. So, have you titled your highly anticipated, forthcoming Aftermath Entertainment/Mosley Music Group/Interscope Records' debut yet?
Hayes: I haven’t titled it yet. It’s a work in progress.
Dubcnn: Will
Dre and
Tim be handling/sharing all of the album’s production?
Hayes:
Dr. Dre will be doing half the production, and
Timbaland will be doing the second half.
Dubcnn: Nice! Well, what has it been like working in the lab with these two studio geniuses/living legends?
Hayes: It’s been beautiful. They are both brilliant. They both have their own style, and they both come up with the craziest, most original material. It’s amazing.
Dubcnn: I bet! So, describe a typical studio session when working with
Dre and
Tim? Are they both very different when it comes to crafting in the lab?
Hayes: Great is great. You spell it the same way every night. There is no difference between great and great. They both do things that you wouldn’t hear or see. It’s always unpredictable. Exciting and unpredictable, always a pleasure.
Dubcnn: Are there any special cameo appearances to look out for?
Hayes: I love so many artists that I’m gonna take it how it comes. I know
Dre and
Tim got their own vision. I have a wish list, but it’s too long. I just love everybody that’s talented, and there are so many great artists I’m going to let it fall into place.
Dubcnn: What has been the key to your success so far?
Hayes: God. I don’t never make any choices on my own, I trust the eyes of faith. When you do that, it can go anyway. God is stronger than me, to take me where I’m going. I just sit back and let the Powers that Be lead me to where they want me to go. And then, everything always works out right.
Dubcnn: That definitely seems to be working in your favor! With that being said, what is your 5 to 10 year plan in entertainment?
Hayes: I’ll probably be doing whatever I love. And this is the crazy thing about doing what you love: If you ask the average person what they want to be doing in 5 to 10 years, they will probably tell you they want to do something they not doing. Why wait 5 to 10 years to do what you want to do now? You can do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it. I love music, and I love being creative. So, I’ll be doing something creative, and something I love, 5 to 10 years from now.
Dubcnn: Makes sense! Well, you've been on the road quite a bit lately with
Timbaland, so what’s the live show element actually like?
Hayes: It’s like praying not to get booed! It’s like a constant prayer to not get booed off stage. *
Hayes chuckles* I like performing. I’ll probably be an artist that performs with just a mic attached to me. I like to take the accessories away, so I feel like I’m really interacting with the people.
Dubcnn: I hear you’ve been writing and assisting with
Dr. Dre on his long overdue, anxiously awaited DETOX LP. How much involvement do you have? What can you divulge or reveal about this top secret, years-in-the-making opus?
Hayes: I work with
Dre everyday, that’s my man, so I don’t have nothing to reveal at all.
Dubcnn: Damn, more secrets! Well, are there any other mixtapes or cameos on others works to look out for from you in the meantime?
Hayes: No, me and
Dre finishing the first single from my album. Be on the look-out for that in the next couple weeks.
Dubcnn: Do you have any closing thoughts?
Hayes: Yeah, Life is all about living. And, Life is short. So, do what you love and LIVE now! (
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