Philly: Who is Filthy Rich and how did you become involved with music?
Filthy: For everyone that don’t know, my name is Filthy Rich. I am a rapper from the South suburbs of Chicago. I fell in love with music when I was a shorty. That’s the only thing that I ever really wanted to be a part of. If I can pinpoint one thing, It would have to be Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. Something reeled me in then because I’ve been loving it for a long time.
Philly: Ok, so you’re more into the golden era of rap and that’s basically what drew you in. Is that the type of music that influenced you like the Chronics, the Predators, and the west coast vibe at the time?
Filthy: Not exclusively. I’ve never really been attached to one coast. I appreciated Pac just like Big and the same thing goes as far as the old school vs. the new school. I still rock with Drake and Future, 2Chainz. I got a lot of respect for T.I and Rick Ross and a lot of the heavy weights today just like the old school cats too. I rock with all of them– Most of them anyways.
Philly: I did see that you did link up with DJ 3rdy baby, how did y’all link up and how does it feel with you linking up with him and music fiend as well.
Filthy: I met 30… He was referred to me by a couple of working artists that I know here in the city. I actually got plugged with him through Facebook strangely enough. I seen them working down there and really going hard with the promo and I just hollered at him. We did a little business and I liked the results I got out of it and the way he was open with me and the way we interacted was real smooth and just kind of build from there.
Philly: I was reading up on you and you have a really interesting story. Everyone is familiar with the background of Chicago, but you ended up graduating from Columbia College, how did college help you business-wise, music-wise, and even with life lessons and what was your major?
Filthy: My major was music business. Legal management to be specific. So, business-wise, it helped me incredibly. It taught me the business. Lot of legal classes and things like that. Trying to get the finances in order and just all the different roles you have to take especially out here being independent. You have to wear all of those hats at one point or another. It taught me how to operate under all those different titles and functions. Life lesson… You know, it taught me what it takes to be successful. It really instilled a grind in me like, this is the kind of work you have to put in to get the results you want and it kinda was a smack in the face at first but I grew to it and it stuck with me ever since.
Philly: How did it help you music-wise? How did the music tied into school?
Filthy: Well, I took some production classes in there so it kinda got me more in-tune with working in larger studios and things like that. The music just kinda came out of passion and work ethic. Now if you wanna say that I grew that work ethic out in college, I could see that. It helped me more in the business side of the music then actually making the music itself.
Philly: I did see that after graduating, you became a vice president of Ill State-of-Mind Records. What was an experience like that being a vice president in oppose to being an artist at that time?
Filthy: Some of the major difference of working on the major/label side vs being the artist is a.) Control. Somebody hits me for a verse or something I gotta do, I don’t have to push nobody to do nothing. I don’t have to work on anybody else’s schedule. I don’t have to wait on anybody for whatever reason, which is nice. The other big thing is: If you’ve ever been in management or been with a label, any time you’re dealing with artists, you know that a lot of it is ego-management. I do not miss that. Now, the only ego I have to deal with is my own and that’s just fine for me.
Philly: With you being independent, you have to play multiple roles. What other roles have you played or do play outside of being Vice President?
Filthy: Yea, the reason why the title of Vice President really came about is because it encompasses a little bit of everything. I’ve done street promotions, I’ve done online promotions, I’ve launched marketing campaigns. Not just for myself but for other artists as well. I’ve done management. I’ve done production to an extent. I guess you can say at times, I’ve served as an assistant to other people, making sure that all their “I’s” are dotted and “T’s” are crossed. I’ve done just about everything that you could really do with a record label..
Philly: I do know that of course post after the Ill State-of-Mind, you were working on the Gwap Chronicles in 2010. What was your thought process like working on that project and putting it together from and indie-artist perspectives from the production to the verse to the track list?
Filthy: The Gwap Chronicles was born out of necessity. Let me explain that to you. It came right after I split with Ill State-of-Mind. I was kinda off on my own. The way I looked at it was: I needed a product to push. So I began to create my own product. The thought process that went into the album beyond that was…. I just wanted to make a little something for everybody. Just a well-rounded album. I wanted it to have some soul and feel to it. Most importantly, whenever I do anything, I want it to be me–Something that is uniquely my own. It has to be honest and has me in it. That’s always very important to me in my music. I give people my story. I just got to work. I just kinda started rolling through beats. I picked the ones that struck me and I made the dopest records I could to them.
Philly: I did see that you do have some work with Paris Beuller, my question in regards to that situation is, with the chemistry of your two, what it is like when you link up working on music from productions to artistry.
Filthy: First off, S/O to Beuller and the band camp, they’re making noise out here too. Well respected. Rockin’ with Buller is a beautiful thing. The hardest part about getting with Beuller is getting with Beuller because he’s so busy. But once you can nail him down and get some time with him in the lab its super smooth. He’s a really good dude. He’s got everything you need. He works with you. It’s really easy to make records. For me personally, there is something in the tempos of the beats that he chooses that I could just ride those beats really really well. I really enjoy working with him.
Philly: What other producers and artists would you be interested in working within Chicago and nationally?
Filthy: On the producer side in Chicago, I have definitely worked with a lot of heavy-weights here. The one that has kinda gotten away would have to be Seasick. I actually plan on trying to set up a meeting with him in the near future and actually get that done. I’ve always been an admirer of dude’s work. He does really dope beats. Nationally, I really don’t know. I would work with just about any of the major cats would be dope. Mustard, or Justice League, Just Blaze has always been a favorite of mines. I wouldn’t mind trying to pull him out. I don’t know if he’s on retirement or what he’s on these days but I wouldn’t mind coppin’ one of those really deep soulful beats with the choir in the background and all of that. As far as rappers, locally I kinda stick to my own and I’ve worked with just about everybody I want to work with. On a national basis, I’d really like to do something with Pusha T., 2Chainz would be dope or Rick Ross. I think we could do a really dope record together.
Philly: So you are basically really heavy into the soul sound and the real elegant sound and just the real authentic side of hip hop from what it sounds like from the choice of production and even with the artist that you would like to work with, is that true to say?
Filthy: Yes. I do come from that sample era were the beats had a little bit more depth and feeling to them, so I do gravitate a little more towards those. If I could step outside tho… My versatility is one of my biggest assets. To be honest, any time that I sit down with a producer, I never know what I might say until I hear it. I’m not afraid to step outside of that comfort zone. If there is anything that I can do to make a dope record, i’ma do it.
Philly: I do know that you have experience on both sides with being and artist and businessman, what advice would you give to an up and coming businessman that actually want to get involved with the music industry?
Filthy: It would really even be advice. I would ask a question: Do you really love this? Because this is not an easy road, trust me. For most of us, it ain’t quick. Some of us kinda hit that lotto type move but most of us have to grind for a long time before we see what we want to see out of it. In order to really successfully complete that, you have to really love what you are doing. If you are just in it for the women or a little bit of fame or some cash, go do something else. Now, if you’re really committed to this, it’s really in your guts; then my advice is: Put it all on the line. Go in and stay down until you come up. Don’t let nobody shake you off of your business and just keep working no matter what. Don’t let nothing get in your way.
Philly: If you weren’t working on music, what could you see yourself doing?
Filthy: Nothing…I actually had a period where I was frustrated with things and I stepped away and I was miserable… There is no life without music for me. I don’t necessarily have to be rappin’ but I mean if I just walked away from everything; no management no promo no nothing… Just left it? There is not future beyond that. I don’t know and I don’t wanna know.
Philly: Knowing that you are a native of Chicago, what does Chicago mean to you?
Filthy: its home. It’s always gonna reflect on me like that. I’m always gonna have those types of taste, those types of mannerisms. It’s something that’s always gonna be a part of me no matter where I go or what I do. Outside of that, it’s love hate. I love my city. I love where i’m from. I love a lot of parts about it but there are some things that go on here… Some realities that are just tough to swallow some days. I’ve lost friends in the streets. I’ve lost friends friends to the prison system. Life can be hard out here and it can chew people up. I don’t know. It just kinda gives you a mixed feeling with it. But overall, I do love it. I’ll always be proud to say that i’m from here.
Philly: I do see that you do have your Soundcloud in full effect, what are some up and coming projects that you have coming up as well and can you also let us know how people can get in contact with you?
Filthy: Right now we are working through Soundcloud and audiomax. And that’s with my Tricks For Beats campaign. We’re just droppin a joint a week just to let people know what’s happening over here. All of that will be continuing in November with Trappy Holidays. We’re just gonna keep hittin’ them with these records. By December, we’re gonna start launching singles off the album Reservoir Dog which will be my 4th project, my 2nd LP which is coming in January. So in December, we’re gonna start gearing up for that. I don’t have an exact date yet but we’re definitely locked in on probably the second half of January to drop that. Then we’re just gonna keep dropping singles and videos and promoting man. We’re gonna get it into people’s hands. So if you’re interested in what i’m doing now, you can hit me on my IG @FilthyRich312 Twitter: @realfilthyrich. On Facebook, I got the Filthy Rich Fan Page. My for booking and other info, my gmail is filthyrich312@gmail.com If you got some business, holler at me. If you’re a fan or you just wanna say something, get at me. I’m out here.
Philly: How would you define your new Campaign Tricks for Beats?
Filthy: I kinda felt bad for a minute. I had to get some things together and get the plan in action. So, a lot of people hadn’t really heard me in a minute or maybe they never caught any of my other music to begin with. We have a lot of music coming. A lot of stuff is about to be dropped. It’s gonna be busy the grind is in full effect. This is just the first stop.
Check out Filthy Rich W.T.F.Y.W.4.
Check out Filthy Rich The Real Is Back
Interview by @PhillyBlocks
Transcribed by @BlaqKharma
Edited by @TheOneTrueAngel