Cap.One (or Cap-1) is a newcomer with a veteran’s outlook towards the music business. His debut LP on Motown Records “Through The Eyes Of A Don” shined some light on Chicago. Now, Cap.One is back and with complete control. He just started his own label (40 Thieves), has new talent, and has full creative control. The young boy from Chicago is now a man with an intense hunger to succeed and a fierce and fresh outlook towards the music business.

T.JONES: “How are you doing?
CAP-1: “What’s cracking, cuz! Ain’t nothing! I’m chilling, man! Waiting to take over the streets! What’s up my nigga? I’m doing good, just grinding’ I finished the first volume of my mix-tape called ‘Extortion’ which is basically me just rapping over all the hottest beats, killing the land with it.”

T.JONES: “You have a brand new single out now. Tell us about it.”
CAP-1: “It’s called ‘C.A.P.-1’. It’s the Cap song. My man Extra produced it. He’s from Chicago.”

T.JONES: “You also have a song called ‘Ghetto Love’.”
CAP-1: “That’s a b-side. That was going to be the first single but people were feeling the CAP song more because there is a more club/street air to it. ‘Ghetto Love’ is more laid back. It may be a second single. It’s more commercial popcorn-ish. On ‘Ghetto Love’, I got my R&B artists. One of them is my man Tre and the other is my father, singing background vocals.”

T.JONES: “Who is the other artist on ‘Get Buck’?”
CAP-1: “That’s another artists on my new label. His name is Payroll.”

T.JONES: “Tell us about the meaning behind the name.”
CAP-1: “The name Cap-1 stands for Capone. Basically, my Chicago upbringing tied in with the street life out here. Capone was a name that I used to tag when I was a shorty. Getting into the game, I couldn’t get the rights to the name due to the Capone-N-Noreaga thing. I had to figure out a way to flip the name but keep the same meaning, being that I’m from Chicago. So, I put the period between the P and the O. That’s Cap.One.”

T.JONES: “I heard you had a little trouble with Capone from Capone-N-Noreaga. What happened and is it all finished?”
CAP-1: “I wouldn’t say that it was trouble. I never thought of it as a threatening situation. There was a little drama behind the name. It was cool because I reached out to Nore. I holla’d at Nore and we peace'd that sh*t. It’s nothing. They make good music. I’m a fan of their music. It’s all love.”

T.JONES: “Tell us about the new album”
CAP-1: “The new album is called ‘Theory Of Life’. Basically, it’s just my whole outlook on the game from my first album ‘Through The Eyes Of A Don’ until now. The game is more political. It’s more than just kicking rhymes and sh*t. On this album, I really peep the game and give my outlook on everything as a whole. I got club bangers. I got food for thought songs that make you reflect on different sh*t. I got gutter sh*t. On the album, I got music that will appeal to all different types of people.”

T.JONES: “What producers did you work with on the “Theory Of Life” LP?”
CAP-1: “I have Kayne West. I have Extra and X-Treme. I am supposed to get Jazzy Pha on a remix. He did some work on my first album. My man, Brian All Day Miller from Chicago is on there too. He got some fire. His name is definitely going to ring some bells.”

T.JONES: “How is the new album different from your debut album ‘Through The Eyes Of A Don’?”
CAP-1: “Maturity. My maturity, my lyrical content and the things I speak about. My stance in the game as a whole is different. I’m bringing more to the table. At first, I was just spitting hot 16’s. Now, I’m spitting hot 16’s with meanings. My first album to me, was a demo that went national to create my recognition. ‘Theory Of Life’ is my first album. That’s how I feel. Now, I have the right support behind me. I have the right backing. I’m here with family this time instead of being placed around people who really don’t have my best interest at heart..”

T.JONES: “Do you have a favorite song on the album?”
CAP-1: “The whole album!”

T.JONES: “What happened with the label Motown (the label who put your first LP out)?”
CAP-1: “Motown Records was not equipped to push a rap project. Being that I was one of the first rap projects, they didn’t have the clientele to go into a club. They didn’t have that connection to get with a Flex or a DJ Clue. They didn’t have the connections for a new rap artist like they did for R&B artists. It’s like selling crack on the weed block. You’re in the wrong area! You know what I’m saying? There was a lack of promotion. There were no marketing skills. There was nothing. The album was a classic! In the year 2000, my album was a classic, especially for a newcomer. My album was sh*tting on n*ggas that have been in the game for years. There was just not enough label support.”

T.JONES: “Did Motown Records try to dictate or control the sound and the direction of your album?”
CAP-1: “They gave a lot of creative control as an artist but they would suggest that we do a song a certain way or we should do R&B vocals on something else. I feel like they watered down my album. They made it more of an R&B / Rap album that a straight rap album itself. They gave me creative control on my writing and my verses but they made strong suggestions on the songs with what they were looking for.”

T.JONES: “So, you started your own label? How did you start it and what was it like?”
CAP-1: “Yeah. It’s my own label. 40 Thieves! Once again, going back to Chicago history, The 40 Thieves were Al Capone’s first street organization that really took over the city when they were racketeering. That was their movement. Basically, 40 Thieves is my movement. I’m trying to get Chicago that recognition we deserve. I think, right now, we got the wrong music representing Chicago. 40 Thieves is basically us grindin’ from the streets up, getting that following and taking over the city. We have to do that before we can go outside of our boundaries.”

T.JONES: “How did you get involved with the ‘Diary of A New Jack’ section in the Source magazine? Did you think you were represented well?”
CAP-1: “Big up to The Source and Alyiah King, the writer who did it. Also, big up to Lady Luck!  Basically, we were new artists that were signed. Since I was one of the first artists on Motown to do rap, there was a buzz on that. They wanted to do a following on a new rap artist. For 2000, we were the new hot names. We were newcomers to the game so they wanted to do a write-up. They followed us around and gave people an insight as a new jack coming in the game a s a freshman. It was a full year. They came to different spots and venues. It really let the public know what was going on behind the scenes. Everyday, you ain’t just kicking it or at a video shoot or in concert. There’s a lot of political sh*t that goes behind that. Even with Motown f*cking up, it still helped me create my buzz.”

T.JONES: “You worked with Canibus on a song called ‘Ladies And Willies’. How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
CAP-1: “Canibus is a cool n*gga, man. He’s very talented. Being that Universal Records and Motown are in the same building, our A&R’s were on the same floor. Chantay Page used to always blast my sh*t. Canibus was in the office with his A&R and they overheard the music. They came into Chantay’s office and asked who it was. Canibus was feeling it and wanted to be apart of that sh*t. He wanted to make it happen. We took out one of my verses and we reconstructed the song and we got down. He came into the studio one night with his laptop. He was real professional about and we did the damn thing!”

T.JONES: “What were some of your major influences in hip-hop? Emcees?”
CAP-1: “As a shorty, my influences are Run DMC and L.L. Slick Rick brought the flash into things. I always felt that Slick Rick was on some Don sh*t. I always looked up to slick because he was that n*gga when I was growing up. Big Daddy Kane too. I can’t forget Rakim either. I can’t pass him up. Now, Twista hasn’t blown nationally but he is a heavy hitter. Whatever was hot was an influence for me. I just loved hot music N.W.A.! Something of everything! I’m influenced by hot music as a whole, not just one person.”

T.JONES: “Drug of choice?”
CAP-1: “Weed, n*gga!”

T.JONES: “Favorite Alcohol beverage?”
CAP-1: “Remmy. But, I got this new drink that is so gangsta! Once I tell you, you will go get you a glass. This is the Cap-1 drink! Bacardi O. Barcardi Orange mixed with Papaya Punch and cranberry. Two of those sh*ts will have you on your ass!”

T.JONES: “Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?”
CAP-1: “Pro-Life.”

T.JONES: “Death penalty- For or against?”
CAP-1: “That’s a double standard, man. I’m against it because nobody should play the act of God and make a decision that causes life to end. At the same time, motherf*ckers that do foul sh*t got to pay the consequences. I’m in-between on that one. I have no concrete answer for that because I feel 2 ways about that situation.”

T.JONES: “Where were you on Sept 11th? How did you deal with it and how do you think it will affect hip-hop?”
CAP-1: “I was in Chicago, in the studio, working on my mix-tape. I was mad as f*ck that the coke prices went through the roof because these n*ggas killed game! Bin Laden f*cked the game up for the street hustlers! He made it so much harder for everybody to eat on the block. That’s a whole other angle but for the most part, I think it affected hip-hop because it brought us together more. It showed us that life is short. Now, we have a chance to voice ourselves. We need to do it and make a statement. We have to take that time that we got and be heard. We have to give a positive message. We have to be serious. We can unite and we can make paper together. As a unit, we can move more than an individual.”

T.JONES: “What was it like growing up in Chicago?”
CAP-1:  “A beautiful thing, man! There’s nothing like the ‘Chi’. It’s just real out here even outside all the gang things. There are a lot of gangs out here. There are a lot of territories and a lot of sh*t going on. N*ggas are getting killed over crazy sh*t over here. That’s everyday and that’s every way. Those are the problems of the world. Chicago is a whole other beautiful place. That’s what taught me the game now and I can spread that to anybody who ever asks.”

T.JONES: “The movie ‘First Time Felon’ with Omar Epps & Treach took place in Chicago and was about hustling drugs on the street, prison life, and gang life. Do you think that film was a realistic depiction of Chicago?”
CAP-1: “Yeah, no doubt! The drug scene is definitely real out here! For a lot of people out here, drugs are a major source of income. Sh*t, that’s throughout the world. Still, the drug scene here in Chicago is very serious along with the gang situation. N*ggas shouldn’t get Chicago twisted like it’s some off on the side, some country bumpkin ass little area. N*ggaz will bring it to your ass out here. It’s serious.”

T.JONES: “What kind of child were you?”
CAP-1: “I ain’t going to say I was bad. Everyone did some mischief. I had the proper guidance. At the age of 13 and on, I wanted to and began to doing the sh*t I want to do just like any other teenager. I lived a normal teenager life. I ditched school, smoked weed, and went to a girlfriend’s crib.”

T.JONES: “What producer would you like to work with in the future?”
CAP-1: “Timbaland.”

T.JONES: “What emcee or group would you like to work with in the future?”
CAP-1: “I don’t really know. Right now, I’m just trying to make my own music. I’m not getting caught up in who I would like to work with. I’m going to let them come to me. Right now, everybody has issues that I don’t want to be apart of. That doesn’t help me feed my daughter. There’s really nobody that I’m looking forward to working with because half the time, I’ll burn these motherf*ckers anyway.”

T. JONES: “How old is your daughter and how has being a father changed your approach to making hip-hop?”
CAP-1: “She’s one year old. I don’t think it changed my approach to hip-hop. It made me grind harder knowing that I have to buckle down, maintain, and stay focused because it’s not just about me. My daughter can’t eat posters and CDs. It made me buckle down on the business side because I am looking to provide for my family.”

T.JONES: “Since you own and run your new record label ’40 Thievez’, how much harder is it running things?”
CAP-1: “It’s 500 times more harder and more busy. With the help of my partner and my label-mates, I’m learning the proper business skills that I can take all the way to the grave. With those skills, I can try different avenues. So, it all works out for the best.”

T.JONES: “What brand new song or artists are you feeling right now?”
CAP-1: “Sean Paul’s ‘Gimme The Light’.”

T.JONES: “Twista was a part of your first album. How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
CAP-1: “Twista is one of Chicago’s pioneers in hip-hop. He’s no different than Rakim for a New York n*gga. He’s been one of our n*ggas that has always been on the forefront of Chicago’s music. Me being a major artist on the Motown label, I felt that it was only right for me to give back to one of our greats from my home. Twista is like one of the only n*ggas who was saying sh*t that I’m on and I wanted to get down with him. So, I reached out to his people Wendy Day and we made it happen.

T.JONES: “Do you have any advice for people who are just starting out in the hip-hop industry?”
CAP-1: “It doesn’t happen overnight. Take time to learn the business. It’s so political. 90% of it is business. The other 10% is the actual music. If the business is not right, it doesn’t matter what the f*ck you are rapping about.”

T.JONES: “Were you happy with your first album? What would you have done different?”
CAP-1: “As far as lyrical content and the production of my first album, I was totally satisfied. The album is a classic especially for a newcomer. The only thing that could have been done different and that I would do different is the promotion and marketing.

T.JONES: “Word Association time. I’m going to give you name of an artist or group and you say the first word that pops in your head. So, if I say ‘Chuck D’, you may say something like ‘Revolution. Okay?”
CAP-1: “Let’s do it!

T.JONES: “Redman”
CAP-1: “Grimey.”
T.JONES: “Common”
CAP-1: “Left-field”
T.JONES: “Eminem”
CAP-1: “Controversial.”
T.JONES: “Slick Rick”
CAP-1: “That N*gga.”
T.JONES: “Wyclef”
CAP-1: “I don’t know, cousin. I don’t know how to sum him up. You got me on that one. Rastafarian.”
T.JONES: “Slum Village”
CAP-1: “Movement.”
T.JONES: “Phife Dawg”
CAP-1: “Q-Tip’s sidekick.”
T.JONES: “Jay-Z”
CAP-1: “In my way.”
T.JONES: “Capital D of All Natural. (He's from Chicago too.)”
CAP-1: “I never heard of him.”
T.JONES: “Camp Lo.”
CAP-1: “They slick as hell. Coolyhigh meets 2002.”

T.JONES: “Besides Common, why do you think people haven’t opened up to Chicago in the hip-hop scene?”
CAP-1: “For one, we are too segregated as a whole out here. We have to get ourselves together before we can present our music to the world. Southside n*ggas may not like Westside n*ggas. Stone might not like Folk. So, we got too many different reasons not to stick together for the same cause. On top of that, we don’t have major outlets here. We don’t have all the labels here. We don’t have the outlets to run up in Def Jam or run up in Sony. The radio stations aren’t really jumping behind the artists like they should and giving us that full support. They rather would waste our Chicago time with bullsh*t that is going on in New York while Jigga and Nas is beefing while they should be playing 3 people from Chicago. We don’t have major outlets and that’s why nobody knows what really goes on in the ‘Chi’. People only know what is put in front of them.”

T.JONES: “What is the biggest mistake you have made in your career so far?”
CAP-1: “Not paying attention to the business side of things the first time around. I was focusing on just being an artist, thinking that everything was just going to fall into place. Being that I was on a major, I didn’t take those strategy meetings as important as I should have taken them.”

T.JONES: “What are some major misconceptions people have of Cap.One?”
CAP-1: “I think that people think that I’m a hot lyricist, cocky, arrogant, whatever. I think people can think whatever for whatever reason but it’s only because I’m making some noise, that’s all. People feel like I’m a hot artist and that I bring a lot to the table.

T.JONES: “What can we expect from Cap.One in the future?”
CAP-1: “Hits! A lot of em’!”

T.JONES: “What do you want on your epitaph (your gravestone)?”
CAP-1: “I was a good-hearted person who did whatever I could to help whoever I could. That’s my goal in life, to help people. I want people to think that I changed the game for Chicago’s music.”

T.JONES: “Would you have anything to add to Notorious BIG’s ’10 Crack Commandments’?”
CAP-1: “I think he pretty much summed it, man. The ’10 Crack Commandments’ was definitely the blueprint to many hustlers, dog! I would leave well enough alone. Biggie was a great thinker. Let’s leave his thoughts as what they were.”

T.JONES: “Since you were involved with hustling drugs and are now hustling music, did you find the transition difficult from hustling drugs on the street to selling records?”
CAP-1: “Who said I stopped?!? I feel you. They go hand in hand. Music ain’t nothing but the legal dope game. You got all of these motherf*ckers starting their label up with street money. You got all these CEO n*ggas like Suge Knight that use n*ggas like gang members and can pull rank. All of this sh*t is the legal dope game. It’s just a cleaner version of selling it on the street corner.”

T.JONES: “Any last words for the people who will be reading this?”
CAP-1: “Keep your eye open because Chicago has a lot of talent and we haven’t really got our proper shine yet. I guarantee you that the name Cap.One will be a household name in the next 6 months. My album is a classic. If any n*gga feels that they can see me, contact my people and put that paper up.”
 

Thank you for your patience CAP.ONE aka CAP-!
The new album “Theory Of Life” is coming out soon  everywhere on 40 Thieves Records!