“I’m very family oriented,” Obie says from chilly Detroit as we talked holiday plans. “There’s a little something missing with the passing of my mother recently but we’re trying to stay in the spirit around here.” Some artists wait to get introspective; since Cheers Obie Trice has been an open book. On album cut Don’t Come Down he talked of his sometimes rocky relationship with his recently departed mother during formative days. For him, though, the sharing is part of who he is.
“It’s something I don’t even really think about it. It just comes to me. If the music moves me in that direction I’m gonna express myself in that way. I don’t mind sharing that stuff with the public. I’m a sociable kind of guy anyway.” Obie’s penchant for mischief is clearly reflected in the liquor-soaked titles of his studio albums.
Heading to Oz for the upcoming HeatWave Festival, he is part of what is becoming an increasingly loaded lineup of performers. The stage at Sidney Myer Music Bowl will be blazed by a brigade of hip hop luminaries, many of whom haven’t been here for some time. Obie Trice will be sharing the stage with Mr. Day N’ Nite himself Kid Cudi, along with indie hip hop god Tech N9ne, fellow Detroit natives and labelmates D12 and the king of Ridin’ Dirty, Chamillionaire. Also joining the party are CrazyTown, the hip hop-inspired rockers behind the smash hit Butterfly. During the glory days of Shady, Obie made his first memorable visit to our shores. “They gave us this ritual thing at the hotel. The Aborigines did this ritual dance where they kind of had spears, they were chucking the spears at our crew. It was real cool, I got my first taste of Australia.”
Australia was also the site of another milestone for him. “I got a gold plaque [for the single Got Some Teeth], I went gold over there. I really enjoyed Australia.” Following what in hindsight is quite a landmark release in Cheers and its 2006 sequel, Second Rounds On Me, Obie took an apparent self-imposed exit from the spotlight. While it’s no longer heavily publicised, he actually has a bullet still lodged in his skull from a 2005 shooting incident. Obie’s name was brought back to prominence in 2009 with the release of Special Reserves, a collection of unreleased pre-Shady recordings.
A city with rich musical history, you could think of no better breeding ground than Detroit. In the macho hip hop world it has become an emblem for both authenticity and lyrical skills. “Being in Detroit, being in the hip hop scene around the city, being able to be a local and then being able to take my talents international, that was a blessing for me.” After the success and hit singles it would be understandable if the kid lost his hunger, but not so for Obie.
“I’ve calmed down a lot over the years. A lot of different things have changed for me personally and career-wise but I still have that determination to create music and a talent to create good music…great music, actually. It’s still there, I don’t think I’ll ever lose that.”
Now his, still hungry, eyes are set on Bottoms Up, his third studio effort, lead by the single Battle Cry. While he’s no longer with Shady, the album will still be released under the Universal Music umbrella, on his own Black Market Entertainment imprint. “I just turned the album in actually. It’s scheduled for release February 28.”
In addition to the major backing Obie has kept ties with his heavyweight mentors. “I’ve got Dr. Dre doing production on the album; Eminem is doing production on the album and performing also. We’ve got a song together on the record. I’ve got the late, great MC Breed on my album. Luckily before he passed we did a record together, I decided to keep that for the record.” He sounds equally passionate about his work with some newcomers. “I’ve also got a lot of up and coming producers that I’m working with like No Speakers, you’ll hear a lot about them in the future.” “It’s a real solid album; I’m proud of it. Being able to work with Dr. Dre and Eminem – it’s still family, even though I’m not on Shady anymore, it’s a great, great feeling.”
While record label politics threaten to always intervene, the bond between Obie and his former label bosses is still tight. “Shady, Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, G-Unit, these guys will forever be friends of mine.” In addition to the lifelong relationships, the major deal has also afforded him the opportunity to start his own movement independently, building on the name recognition he already established.
“It’s definitely been an experience and a help also to have been on Shady and to get my music distributed internationally in stores on my own, that’s a great feeling.” It all comes full circle as ten years after signing with Shady he will be joined by D12 on the same stage at HeatWave. “I can’t wait to get there and touch the people and reach the people, it’s exciting to be able to come there, I can’t wait.”
BY ANDREW ‘HAZARD’ HICKEY
