Our history with Little Brother goes back quite a ways. We were lucky enough early on that when we started doing Smoking Sessions, Phonte was one of our firsts. Ever since, we’ve had a business and personal connection with them, showing our love & support as best and often as we could.

Even though Phonte & I have had plenty of informal conversations with them over the years, we figured it was time to have a more formal one. This marks a milestone for us as well because we’ve never done a follow-up/second interview really. But, from the heart, I can honestly say I couldn’t think of anyone I’d be more honored with whom to do one.

Currently touring (aren’t they always?) and putting the finishing touches on their next album The Getback, Little Brother, composed of Phonte and Big Pooh, took a few minutes before a recent Baltimore performance to give TSS Crew member Boney Starks the facts, their opinions…and even more.

TSS: How close is the album to being done?

Phonte: Finished.

Pooh: 100% Done

Phonte: Man, it’s been the hardest album I’ve ever worked on. I’m just glad its over.

TSS: Who do you have producing on the album?

Phonte: Nottz, Illmind, Khrysis…

Pooh: A couple other surprises. You know that’s all we got left.

TSS: Well I was going to ask what surprises do you have for the fans?

Phonte: Well of course, we kept it at home with our core group of producers, but the big internet news was that Lil’ Wayne was on the album, and that’s true. We’re confirming that Lil’ Wayne is on the album. We reached out to him and he turned it around in two days, on tour nahmean. Like he was much more professional than a lot of “real hip hop niggas” straight up and down.

TSS: Are ya’ll shootin’ a video for “Good Clothes”?

Pooh: Shhiittt

Phonte: We are but..

Pooh: We don’t know how that’s gonna’ come about…

Phonte: We fuckin’ with other people’s money…

TSS: What differences have you noticed in your album making process since The Listening? Have you noticed a change since then and now with The Getback?

Phonte: Not really. For me personally as a writer I used to be scared to go into a studio without something pre-written already, But now, for the past couple of years, I been pretty much doin’ my stuff on the spot. All my concepts have been worked on in the studio instead of writing at home, writing at work, writing in the car. I actually use the studio as my workplace. I’ve also been more into editing. We used to go and do a song in one night, but now I listen to a song and go back and redo the harmony. But we still have some joints where we knock out in one night.

Pooh: I’ve learned from every record as far as making songs, and I try to take what I learn from the previous record to the new record and always trying to better myself as a writer/song maker.

TSS: How do you juggle touring with recording and downtime?

Pooh: Just make it work. A long time ago someone told me “a busy person makes time” and that’s what you have to do. You gotta prioritize and make time. We work pretty fast anyway and we take our time. But we’re not like the Roots where we tour 275 days out of 365.

TSS: What was the experience going from an indie to a major and back to an indie?

Phonte: Nothing, because really we’ve been doin’ stuff on our own. Even when we were on Atlantic, it was stuff we had to put in motion ourselves for them to finally see it. Niggas workin’ on a six second delay. But really, it’s the same thing.

Pooh: We gon’ miss em’ when it’s tour time.

Phonte: Yeah they do cut a check for tour support, but other than that…shiittt.

TSS: Phonte you talk about your son a lot. Pooh, you speak on your Dad a lot. Where do you draw the line with your personal lives in your music?

Phonte: I personally don’t put my kids out there. You know, niggas be havin’ Myspace pages of they kids and they wives but I try to keep my family out the public eye. For one, my kids are young and they don’t know how many eyes are on them. They don’t really have in their mind what I do, so I don’t want kids to run up on them on the playground like “Hey I saw you on such and such!” That shit’s gay. Pretty much, I try to let them keep their privacy. I take all the heat because that ain’t for them to take.

Pooh: I’m pretty much the same way. I don’t have any children but as far as my relationship and family go, I keep them out the public eye. You know your family is proud of what you do and my father would tell people at his job and people started changing. People that weren’t talking to him started talking to him, and next thing you know he’s getting CDs handed to him. Next thing you know, he’s telling me “I had to stop telling people I was your father.” I pretty much keep my personal life personal, cause’ that’s all I got left.

TSS: Pooh do you still get the “other guy” comments a lot even though you’ve been putting hot shit out lately on mixtapes?

Pooh: Yeah I’ll prolly get those comments the rest of my career, it doesn’t affect me the way it did when I first started. I’m more confident of my abilities, and I had to realize that some people are just fuckin mad cause I’m in a position they ain’t in and it is what it is. I just take it for what it is and I get my entertainment out of it and I’m makin’ money and I’m still putting records out and you’re still buyin’ em.

TSS: What’s up with Foreign Exchange?

Phonte: Me and Nic we bout 8-9 songs into the new album. The name is called Leave It All Behind and it’s somewhat of a departure from the first record. The sound is still the signature sound but it’s a lot more variations and genres of music that we’re covering on this one. It’s gonna be an exciting record. We’re trying to finish it up and get it ready for the top of 08′. I just wanna give the Little Brother record the proper breathing room but I think what we have so far sounds wonderful but everyone will get their chance to listen in ’08.

TSS: Ya’ll still sending music over the internet?

Phonte: Yup, the same way. Nic actually moved to North Carolina, to Wilmington, which is like three hours away from us but we still do it the same way. If it ain’t broke…

TSS: Pooh, what’s up with Sleepers 2?

Phonte: Well it’s actually called Dirty Pretty Things. I’m working on it, probably about 30% done with it. I started it over a couple of times…I actually have a few things going on in 08′ and I’m gonna’ flood the market in 08′ and you’re really love me or hate me in 08′. I’m just havin’ fun just doin’ music.

TSS: Ya’ll putting any mixtapes out before The Getback?

Pooh: Nah it’s all about the record. We made a crucial mistake last time around in putting a mixtape out before the album came out. The thing about us is that people always get things late…

Phonte: We never have the big push behind our record, so we always have word of mouth about our shit so by the time word travel bout this shit we’ve moved on to something else.

TSS: Ok, so now its word association time. Micheal Vick…

Phonte: (laughs) Get at me dog.

Pooh: That nigga goin’ down!

TSS: David Beckham…

Phonte: I don’t follow sports. The tennis nigga right?

Pooh: (laughs) Nah that nigga play soccer!

Phonte: Oh the soccer nigga that’s right…”Bend it like Beckham”. They made a movie bout the nigga I guess he important.

TSS: NFL Training Camp…

Phonte: Direct all sports questions to that nigga. I hate sports. (Which I found funny because of all the football references Phonte uses in his rhymes)

Pooh: Between basketball and football season is the worst time. I’m excited, training camp is here. Let’s go football.

TSS: Touring (Europe vs. U.S.)…

Phonte: The crowds in Europe are a little more appreciative.

Pooh: But you always like being home. You can be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama but it’s a Wal-Mart there. People don’t realize that we big boys so you gotta over pack, so if you goin’ for three weeks you gotta’ pack for five. You ain’t finding no clothes that’ll fit you.

Phonte: Unless you in Finland or Norway where you can get shit where the Viking niggas be at. But regular nigga shit like 3x tees and draws, the crowds in Europe are nice but nothing like home.

TSS: Barack Obama…

Phonte: He’s as ready as he’s gonna be…

Pooh: It don’t matter, just somebody but Bush.

Phonte: It’s anybody’s game. They just so fed up they’re just ready for anyone.

Pooh: They gotta’ make a choice, it’s a black man or a woman.

TSS: Lindsay Lohan…

Phonte: Typical rich white girl behavior.

Pooh: Rebelling against what?

Phonte: Your rich and white! (Sings in key with “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse) “Trying to send Linsday to rehab, she said no noo nooo…I’m not goin to rehab, I don’t blow bloww bloww…That nigga was drivin, I said go goo gooo…”

Phonte: I don’t know what those folks are going through, but you know they don’t know what that life is like. I’m just being real. It’s hard for me to feel sorry for rich white people.

Pooh: You’re rich, and you’re white.

Phonte: (Sings “Best of Both Worlds” by R.Kelly) You’re rich and white? And female? I don’t wanna hear shit!

Pooh: She was actually talented…

Phonte: I’m sorry but rich white people don’t get much sympathy.

Pooh: I’m poor, I’m black and I’m male. I got three strikes.

TSS: T-Pain…

Phonte: (Comes to life) Aye look man let me tell you something, my nigga Talladega Pain is realest. Yo I’m fuckin’ with him…

Pooh: I fuck with Thelonius Pain.

Phonte: My nigga Terrycloth Pain, every hook he’s on…My nigga Teddy Pain does it. He got a good ear for melody.

Pooh: He actually can sing.

Phonte: Big ups to my nigga Theotis Pain. I fucks with the guy.

Pooh: Keep doin’ it Templeton Pain

TSS: Myspace…

Pooh: Addiction

Phonte: One of the greatest relationship-enders ever. I know some niggas that got caught up on that shit bruh. I know so many niggas that done got caught up on that shit…

Pooh: Relationship enderrrr

Phonte: You can’t be pimpin, cuz one of my niggas got caught up where a broad had taken a screenshot of the pictures. I’d be ready to choke a bitch! Just call the police station right now. Every nigga on that shit is rappin though.

Pooh: Niggas don’t read man, I’m not talkn bout books. It clearly states if you wanna send beats send it to a particular address, yougotbeats@gmail.com if the shit is full don’t be mad at me, be mad at all those other producers sending beats,2n I clearly said niggas don’t check pages to see if its hot or not. I’m not an A&R.

Phonte: If you come to a show, see a nigga in the street, you come up to me, you get love, give me your cd and your name, and etc. because we travel from city to city we listen to your city.

Pooh: I’m online to get porn, read email and check up on sports.

Phonte: All the cats on the grind, trying to get heard, by anyone not just little brother, and if you come to a show, keep a CD with you and if I ask for something and you ain’t got it you a joke, if you don’t have it with you what does that mean? Keep that with you?

TSS: Shop Boyz…

Pooh: One-hit wonders…

Phonte: “Totally dude…”

Pooh: I didn’t even know they record was out. And it’s been out.

Phonte: But you know what, real rap, I can’t even say they one hit wonders cause you never know. The first time I heard Ying Yang Twins’ “Whistle While You Twerk” I was like what the fuck but you know how they turned out.

Pooh: I hope they album got something else on it.

TSS: North Carolina…

Phonte: Hometown. Can’t wait to go back there…

Pooh: Go to sleep for once…

Little Brother’s new album The Getback drops on September 25 everywhere on ABB records. Check for them in your city right by viewing their show dates at www.myspace.com/littlebrother.

To view more pictures from the show click here.