Thursday, December 23, 2010

Feelin' like Amil-lion bucks

 
 

 

 
Amil is a female rapper that used to be signed to Jay Z’s Roc-A-Fella record company. Her first and only album with Roc-A-Fellas came out in September of 2000 and named All Money Is Legal (AMIL) . Her fame was short lived and she was dropped from the label soon after her album was released.   
Before that happened Amil Whitehead was supposed to be Jay Z protégé, female face of the Roc-A-Fella family and the "Dynasty's Princess". She made a few famous collaborated singles including songs like “Can I get A” from the Rush hour sound track and “Nigga what, Nigga who” with Jay Z .  I think Amil might have been dropped from the label  for a few reasons. Her album All Money is Legal didn’t do that great but I think the other reason might explain her sudden disappearance from the label. A song “Quarrels” off her album proved to be quite revealing …

 
Yo, ever since I known you, you been out to get me
Acting like my peeps, but I know that's how you tricked me
Love to see me get high, love to see my tipsy
Heard you even wanna stick a little chip in me
You been trying to play me close ever since my shine
Wanna take me to dinner, feed me shrimp and swine
You said, "Amil I want you to meet a good friend of mine
His name is Money and we partners till the end of time"
Introduced me to your clique, hate, envy, lust and greed
Said you want the whole world in ya custody
And if I give you my soul you'll give me luxuries
Said you could hit me up wit power, it's just up to me
I turn you on when I'm in short skirts and tight jeans
You want my kids to write Santa and celebrate Halloween
Told me sell my people crack and get rich off fens
You love the number six but hate the number thirteen
Chorus:
We'll have some quarrels
Some disappointments
And a whole lot of problems
And you will except me

You wanna, be the one to pick me up when I fall

Told me hang Casear bojease on my living room wall
It was always something bout you that made my skin crawl
You turned me into a player and showed me how to ball
You give me rewards when I rob and steal
Want me to abort my babies and get on the pill
You put burners in the hood so each other we kill
I see your eye watching me on the dollar bills
When I got the scoop on you, it just made you mad
Cause I moved out your crib, packed all my bags
Them days I turned to you was the days you laughed
You used to smile every time I pledge allegiance to the flag
We speak now and then but we ain't smacking hands
You be up in the clubs asking me for a dance
Still trying to convince me to go cheat on my man
Begging me to please give you just one more chance
“Chorus”
When we was kids you was the one who taught me how to lie
Said I could always use you as my alibi
And you kept me from knowledge, wisdom, and the most high
Had me believe God had blonde hair and blue eyes
Our relationship went sour since I found the truth
You know you can't have me so you fuck with my youth
You got all my phones tapped, I gotta talk at booths
I learned an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
You built Sodom and Gomorra for us all to live in
When we was cool you used to tell me all your visions
Like how you gonna rule the nations under one religion
You got this New World order, it's like a big prison
You said you wanna be worshiped from noon to noon
Nothings gonna get better is what we all assumed
Cause nights is getting shorter and it's snowing in June
I see you working overtime cause you out of here soon

 

 
What do you guys think about that?  Amil who went from having quick fame and riches disappeared from the “game” as quickly as she showed up. Amil who is happy to be back in the “real world”  now lives in North Carolina, working a regular low paying job, raising a family and continues to rap. She gave an interview in 2007 to hiphopdx.com  titled “Where the hell have you been: Amil” and her response was “Feelin like amil-lion bucks”: 
The interview below also sheds some light on the dark side of the music industry

 
HHDX: Roc-A-Fella was a prestigious label and Jay-Z is now an icon. Most people think that the opportunity to work with that team is ideal. Where do you see yourself going, after already working with some of best and then having it taken away?
AMIL
: That’s people’s opinion. That’s not my opinion. You know what I mean? As far as working with the best- whatever. I’m me. You know what I’m sayin’? I’m not trying to be number one. I’m not trying to do that other stuff. I do my music and that’s that. They do them and I do me. I’m in a whole notha’ league. I’m not trying to be on the top 10 billboard and do things like that.

 
HHDX: Right, that’s cool. Let us know something about the industry that we wouldn’t know if were looking at it from the outside in.
AMIL
: People in the industry have to do whatever they have to do to stay on top and that’s not me. I’m completely different. I don’t strive to be in the industry (like that). I try to be low key and take care of my family. My family comes first. That’s all I care about. I’ll never put anything before my children. But then, there’s artist that don’t have children or don’t have family. Some people, who make music, make it their life and that’s their career.

HHDX: Do you think that’s something you learned after gaining experience from being in the industry or have you always felt like that?

AMIL
: Nah, after I got in the industry I discovered nothing was more important than my son (at that time I only had one son). People couldn’t respect that my son comes first then it wasn’t goin’ down. Nothing comes before my sons and when you’re on the road that’s ya life 24/7 and that’ll never be my life. Never.
 
HHDX: Are you still “Down 4 the fam” and everything that Roc-A-Fella stood for? Take away the people and are you still down for the concept?
AMIL
: I’m not down for nothin’ except for the Creator and my family. You know what I’m sayin'? Business is business and reality is reality.

 
HHDX: What made you want to stay in the game or to keep spittin’?
AMIL
: I don’t want to stay in the game. I didn’t want to stay in the game. I was doing songs before Roc-A-Fella and I’m doing songs after Roc-A-Fella. I put out songs for my fan base. Who ever wants to f*ck with it can fuck with it.

HHDX: How did you feel when you saw when you seen the Roc-A-Fella dynasty fall apart (a couple years back)?  Did it come as a surprise?

AMIL
: No. It wasn’t a surprise. Because, you know? It just wasn’t a surprise.

 
HHDX: (Laughs) Yeah, so do you ever find yourself reminiscing or rockin’ out to The Dynasty album or Hard Knock Life Vol.2?  
AMIL
: No.

 
HHDX: Well anything you want to say to the people or mention anything you think I left out? This is the opportunity.
AMIL
: I want people to understand that everybody is just human. I don’t want say I’m coming back to the game because I’m not. I don’t choose to be in the game (like that). I’m an artist and music is a part of my life. I’m not a character that is made up. These are real issues and I hope that it sends out a positive message. I know that there are a million people going through what I’m going through. I want people to know that they’re not alone.

 

 

 

 
 I think that pretty much wraps it up