40 Cal: Harlem's Finest

 40 Cal should be mentioned among New York's best. After his work on Fight Klub, and his work with the Harlem Diplomats, 40 is set to make waves in the game, and as all of his Fight Klub opponents know, you better bring it correct if you want to test the God.

MixtapeKings.com (MTK): 40. Cal, one of the best from the Dip Set, I've got the new album, The Yellow Tape, I've listened to it through and I've got to say, its hard, raw and fire. One of the real pure grimy rap records, you know? The use of vocal samples in production (Dip Set style) is on point and there are great tracks on there. What were your thoughts when making this album, what were you trying to do with it?

40 Cal (40): First things first, The Yellow Tape, wasn't really an album. It is basically bonus tracks for the DVD. It is more like a soundtrack for the DVD. I mean, that's were I was going, it's a whole package, like DVD/CD. The DVD is the crazy part, I got some Fight Klub battles, I got some that they showed on TV that are unedited, and I got some that no one has ever seen.

MTK: You know I've got to ask about it, have Prodigy's remarks, straight talking down to the Dip founder Cam'Ron and Jim Jones, have they had an affect on the set? What about P? You got anything to say to him?

40: Prodigy's remarks? No, I heard about it, but it went on deaf ears kind of. It wasn't even enough for nobody to start talking about. He said what he said but I don't know, no one really paid attention. When I say something everybody hears it. I don't know what he was doing, he just dropped a bunch of names, and was talking shit before he went to jail. I mean I find it ironic that he did that right before he went in. 

MTK: Working with Dip Set and Skull Gang, do you have any word on the issues that have recently plagued Dip Set? Is Dip doing ok?

40: We are doing ok, but its not the same. It used to be a little tighter. At the end of the day we all love Dip Set, its like nothing changed. It's just that everybody wants to do more solo things, as a group you always want to do your own projects. We're like a super group. Look at any other group or crew they ain't do it like us. I mean, look at the Jackson 5, you could talk about Michael's and Janet's albums and that's about it. I mean some people could talk about Tito and Randy. With Wu-Tang its even like that, but us we are all real. Truthfully, I'm the newest member, you know, of the original Dipset, but my name is still relevant and still resonates. Everything is everything, and everybody is still yelling Dipset.

MTK: It's Dip Set's style to use vocal samples from old R&B, Soul, and Blues music. What impact have these styles of music, and specifically blues itself, had on your music and hip-hop as a whole?

40: Blues, has had an impact for sure. It's like, that's what they were rocking before we came through, I mean all music evolves, in 2020 there might be a new form of music. People will be looking at rap how we look at blues, blues has always paved the way, and it played a part in music in general. At the end of the day we use blues samples and samples from everywhere, backpack rappers use the more blues and the type of swag. Even like the sunglasses, all the old movies and old tapes, the musicians the real funky dudes always had the sunglasses on, and you see that now in hip-hop.

MTK: What were your influences growing up in Harlem?

40: My influences, Big L and Cam'ron, those are my influences. They lived around my block, Cam literally lived in my building and L used to hang on the block because he lived across the street from us.

MTK: Speaking on the late Big L, how did his passing affect you?

40: [silence]...It let me know that this rap game is real, I mean it was a tragedy.

MTK: Alright, 40, its been real. Any last words?

Well, I'm coming out a few months after The Yellow Tape with an album. I mean, I might be arguably the most consistent dude in the game. I got another project after that, I mean not to mention all my fellow cohorts albums, with the label, bla bla bla, I got crazy stuff coming out. You know, get The Yellow Tape, keep it locked for all Dipset stuff. Hit up myspace.com/40caldipset. Good look.