TupacNation.net Exclusive
Part 1 of 3 (24-May-2007)
KadafiLegacy.com Exclusive interview with Yaasmyn Fula, Mother to Yaki Kadafi
(Outlaw), in Part 1 we catch up with Yaasmyn and the family. We learn about
Kadafi’s personal life and Pac’s decision to leave Deathrow Records.
KadafiLegacy.com: Thanks for taking the time out to make this interview possible
Yaasmyn. It’s our honour and pleasure to be conducting an interview with yourself; I know
a lot of people are looking forward to hearing what you have to say.
Yaasmyn Fula: The honor is mine, I assure you. I have declined interviews over the
years but felt a real responsibility to the fans who have kept alive the music of my son
and helped preserve the truth of his life. I can’t believe it has been 10 years.
KadafiLegacy.com: Ok, first off... how are things for yourself at the moment, family
life and business life - how are Valencia and Nyasia doing?
Yaasmyn Fula: Our family was a hard working family. I usually held down 2 jobs at a
time raising Yafeu, so we are use to struggling like most folks. We live in a time when
people are working so hard to take care of themselves due to the political climate.
The children are growing and in good health. When we did Son Rize Vol. 1 the girls were
just 7 years old. They appear on Son Rize Vol. 1 throughout… ”this is my daddy’s mixed
tape” – or you can hear them say “Kadafi lives on”.
Now their friends are recognizing them because the CD continues to live on with the
legacy. It’s a profound way for them to really understand how special their dad was in
the music world and we have the loyal fans to thank for that.
They were born after Yafeus’ demise so they depend on the legacy to really understand
who he was. That is why it is so important to me to have it recorded accurately – for
them. As far as business, I am managing Candyman187 and we are very excited about
his soon to be released album.
KadafiLegacy.com: What were the circumstances under which Kadafi started rapping?
Yaasmyn Fula: It was an irresistible time for a young man growing up in the literal
birthplace of hip hop – the Bronx. All of the young people were gravitating to hip hop; it
was the voice of their generation dealing with every issue that confronted them.
Tupac lived in the heat of the times, the South Bronx Projects, Africa Bambaataa, T. La
Rock, DJ Jazzy Jay, Kool Moe Dee, White Plains Road/Cross Bronx Expressway, Black
Panther Party –all of these cultural phenomenon’s were fusing into a musical tornado
that attracted every outlaw element, especially amongst the youth.
Many of the housing projects in the South Bronx is where we did a lot of our organizing
and so being in the nucleus and a witness to all the elements that were fusing together
made it impossible not to succumb to the lure of hip hop.
Tupac was imbued with a spirit of revolutionary consciousness from our Panther days so
he was instrumental in always keeping the elements of hip hop that flourished in the
Bronx alive in the household – b boy, DJ, MC, break dancing and graffiti. He understood
it very well and translated it constantly to Yafeu.
It was difficult for some of the older family to comprehend it… today it has become
incomprehensible, having lost its historical perspective… Yes, the Bronx was a virtual
Mecca for young boys dreaming about becoming a rap star.
KadafiLegacy.com: What were Kadafi’s dreams?
It’s hard for me to say since he was 19 years old when he died and you know 19 year
old boys hardly discuss dreams with their mom. Yafeu was fiercely independent and
strong willed. He excelled at everything that interested him. He had a natural aire of
control and confidence that came across in everything he did. He wanted to be
respected as a rapper and in his everyday life.
It wasn’t until his passing that I learned from the world how much they respected his
vibe in the songs and his presence. He was a born leader and I think he inherited that
from his father and I.
It is ironic to say that because though a well respected leader in the black liberation
movement his father has been incarcerated for 27 years for his political beliefs. He is a
political prisoner.
As for me well, I guess I am just a leader without a flock, a queen without a court
(laughs). But I know that Yafeu would have done some great work in his lifetime and it
probably would have taken him into other aspects of the art world besides hip hop.
He was always trying to help someone, always coming to their defense. In death we
have the potential to reclaim and re-unify an entire generation that admired his talents imagine the potential had he lived. This is a period of reclamation – as Harry Belafonte
said to Common, great poet and artist, in that wonderful interview in Ebony magazine
recently.
KadafiLegacy.com: Did Kadafi have a favourite song and film? If so, can you
remember which these were?
Yaasmyn Fula: As a youngster he was exposed to many of the classics, The King and
I, The Christmas Story, To Kill a Mockingbird, Star Wars, Shaka Zulu was a favorite - all
of the martial arts Bruce Lee movies.
I use to take him and Tupac to the old movies on 42nd street in New York City to see
Enter the Dragon and whatever matinee was playing. They use to jump up in the aisles
doing karate kicks. They were always doing karate moves and karate sounds. I can
hear them now, EOWWWeeee!! (Laughs).
Of course as he got older he watched Scarface, etc. but we lived in the South Bronx so
they had full exposure to the epic of hip hop in its birthplace. We encouraged Tupac and
Yafeu to read more than to watch TV. Tupac was a prolific reader. The Autobiography
of Malcolm X, Art of War were all books in our home.
KadafiLegacy.com: Kadafi makes references to religion in some of his songs, which
religion did Kadafi follow?
Yaasmyn Fula: Kadafi was taught about the hypocrisy and contradictions of all
religions. Though my grandmother was a respected member of the Episcopal Church in
NJ, my mother was not a religious person. Islam was a powerful presence in our
communities during the black power movement of the 60’s.
The Nation of Islam, the Black Panther Party all opened the eyes of the Black nation to
the possibility of worship in a way that respected their lives and the differences in all
men. Malcolm X learned during his trip to Mecca, right before his assassination, that
Islam was a religion that could free the black nation of the strangling Christian ethic
used to enslave and cripple a nation of African Americans.
So we always taught the truth of all religions. Sekou, Kadafis’ father is Muslim so he had
an influence on his son but never forced it on him. I think he was still making his
choices.
As far as I am concerned organized religion as fed to the masses has distorted the true
teachings of the scriptures whether it is the Torah, the Bible or the Koran. We use to say
in the Panther Party that religion was the opiate of the masses, those beliefs and
teachings never left me.
KadafiLegacy.com: Who were Kadafi's influences in life?
Yaasmyn Fula: Had his father Sekou, not been arrested in 1981 when Yafeu was only
4 years old, it would have definitely been his father. In lieu of his father it was definitely
Tupac.
Tupac was everything to Yaki from the day he was born, brother, father, all in one.
Tupac loved being the big man for Yafeu. He taught him everything, how to fight, how
to rap, how to play, how to succeed, how to live and at the end, how to die.
I say that because Tupac Amaru taught all of us many things but primarily when you live
your life with courage and conviction no matter what the consequences you have truly
set an example and you truly have lived a full life.
Tupac had the strongest influence and impact on my son’s life. He was always giving
him something, always preparing him for life… that is how Afeni raised Tupac to be a
responsible, proud, caring black man and he was all of that to those he loved.
KadafiLegacy.com: How was the relationship between Pac & Yak before MATW? Did
Pac think of him as his little brother whom he tried to protect?
Yaasmyn Fula: I am working on a photo book now which has all the pictures of them
growing up. Tupac was a formidable and positive influence on Yaki from the day he was
born. He looked upon him as a lil brother and never left his side.
He had been shopping the Outlawz since their days as Dramacydal and before that. Me
Against the World showcased Kadafi in a way that for once the labels had to recognize
his skills and not treat him as just Pac’s lil brother.
Tupac was always translating his experiences to Yaki, always trying to show him what he
has learned, mistakes he has made, so Yaki could survive the game.
KadafiLegacy.com: Was Yaki paid for his guest appearances on 2Pac tracks while Pac
was on Death Row?
Yaasmyn Fula: Yaki did not appear on Pac tracks as a guest appearance. He appeared
with Tupac’s group, the Outlawz. Tupac groomed and taught the Outlawz everything
they knew since childhood. When they performed as Dramacydal on ‘Me Against the
World’ up until his death he was always trying to get them a record deal.
In lieu of a record deal Pac would always look out for the group, they were his family.
They were going to be his first act that he signed on Makaveli, after his contract was up
with Death Row.
My son was an independent spirit and taught to be self reliant, always wanted his own
money and a contract for the group. He was not satisfied with just being taken care of
by Tupac. When he passed away, I expected Amaru and Interscope to compensate me in
some way, because they continued to put out Tupac and the Outlawz music.
I eventually had to sue Interscope, Amaru and the Outlawz. We ended up settling but I
felt deeply betrayed by the positions of my ‘family’. Everyone knew Yafeu was very
frustrated at having no money. He did not like to be financially dependent on anyone,
not even me.
When the attorney for Amaru, took the position that “rappers in hip hop write verses and
hooks without any expectation of getting paid artists royalties” I hit the roof. Someone
who didn’t even know Tupac dared to make such abhorrent statements on his behalf!!
The Outlawz sided with the lawyer for Amaru who incidentally was their lawyer as well.
Therefore Interscope and Amaru took the position that since the Outlawz had no
expectation of payment; Kadafi also looked for no compensation! Wow, Blood in My
Eye!!!
KadafiLegacy.com: What did you think of 2Pac’s move to Death Row and of Suge
Knight himself?
Yaasmyn Fula: Pac was in a much compromised position. He was incarcerated for the
sexual assault in New York. He was devastated at the verdict because he was innocent.
He was the main provider for his family.
Signing with Death Row was not the best decision business wise, but it was the best
decision because Pac saw himself in a desperate situation. Interscope were backpedaling
and not forthcoming with support. Money was running out. He would have signed with
Satan himself to get out of jail. Some say he did.
Many visited Pac in jail and begged him not to sign with Death Row. I wasn’t familiar
with Death Row and didn’t realize the complete situation until I came out to California in
1996 to run Tupac’s office, Euphanasia.
Tupac was loyal to Suge because he came and bailed him out of jail. The plan was to
fulfill his contract with Death Row and move on. 1996 was one hectic year. It was a
strategic move, not a business move, but one he thought he could control.
The Record Industry is a gangster business; it has historically been run, lock stock and
barrel by a gangster ethic. I knew that about the record industry and was not so happy
to be a part of it but it was the direction my son was going in and Tupac seemed to
always have a need for me to be involved so I agreed. It was ripe territory for folks who
also practiced a gangsta ethic to score both financially and on the charts.
So Suge didn’t write the rules, but he certainly played the game. The entire business is
shady so to say someone is a shady businessman or their company is shady, it’s like oh
well, business as usual.
KadafiLegacy.com: What were 2Pac’s plans after Death Row? Was he planning on
serving out his contract and then leaving?
Yaasmyn Fula: Yes he was leaving Death Row once his contact was up. It was in
August that I typed the letter to David Kenner, Death Row attorney, releasing him of his
services representing Tupac. I remember clearly the day I faxed it to Kenner, I
celebrated with a bottle of wine!
Tupac finally understood what I and others had been saying to him. David Kenner’s’
representation of Death Row and Tupac was a conflict of interest. It was like a cloud
was lifting from over us, especially as I began the process of interviewing other
attorneys in August 1996.
Everything was happening so fast and Tupac was under an enormous amount of
pressure. He was fulfilling his contract with Death Row and at the same time doing
movies, meeting with directors for future movies, videos, etc. making his plans to be
independent, something that was very important to a young solider.
In Part 2 we discuss how Yaasmyn and Kadafi dealt with the loss of Tupac
Shakur, Kadafi’s future plans, future Kadafi projects and a lot more. Be sure to
check http://www.kadafilegacy.com next week for an update on when Part 2
will be online.