TupacNation.net Exclusive
Part 2 of 3 (31-May-2007)
KadafiLegacy.com Exclusive interview with Yaasmyn Fula, Mother to Yaki Kadafi
(Outlaw), in Part 2 we have the chance to learn about how Kadafi dealt with the
loss of Tupac Shakur, Kadafi’s future plans, Son Rize: Volume 2 and the situation
between Yaasmyn and Afeni (Amaru).
Just before we get into the interview, I emailed Yaasmyn after Part 1
dropped, I sent her a few of the comments people made on Part 1, here’s the
reply – maidioso.
Wow son!
You made my day. The young people all over the world who seek truth and
live their lives with conviction give me courage to continue. Thank you for all
you have done in our name. You are the real hero.
In struggle!!
Yaasmyn.
KadafiLegacy.com: We all remember footage outside the hospital, where you see a lost
Yaki struggling, but how was it after Pac had died? How did Yaki react?
Yaasmyn Fula: My son was devastated. When I got to Vegas, he was laying on the
hospital floor, completely out of it. I had to break the news to Afeni, which was so hard
for me because I had to call her when Tupac was shot in New York.
The most shocking thing for me was the after having dedicated my life to the condition
of our people, to fighting oppression and racism only to have our own family attacked in
such a ruthless way. I couldn’t comprehend such hatred from our own people. I
couldn’t comprehend the continuous threats we were receiving while holding vigil at the
hospital.
There is a picture of Yaki in handcuffs on the curb outside the hospital. We were under
siege from all corners and still fighting back. I talk about that picture in the photo book
I am working on.
KadafiLegacy.com: What were the plans for Kadafi's nearby future? (Early '97)
Yaasmyn Fula: After Tupac was killed I begged the Outlawz not to sign with Death
Row. Of course they didn’t listen, they signed, Yaki was murdered shortly thereafter and
the Outlawz had to retain my attorney (whom I retained previously to sue them) to get
them out of their Death Row contract.
Yafeu was devastated and talked to me about going back to school. We didn’t have time
to really plan for his future before I got the call. We were still grieving for Pac.
KadafiLegacy.com: Does Kadafi have a lot of unheard tracks and verses left?
Yaasmyn Fula: Not that I know of. There are lots of rumors. I wish whoever has them
would send them to us so we can continue with Son Rize Vol. 2 – contact Candyman187
who is handling the project.
KadafiLegacy.com: Are there any plans to release any of these tracks in their original
form?
Yaasmyn Fula: I would have to listen to the tracks first, if they even exist. We want to
keep as much of the original flavor of my son and Tupac, the way they were, not conjure
up some mechanical machine melody to fit into a commercial studio version just to sell
records.
It’s more important to me to retain their original style of beat, lyric and flow than it is to
bring in a whole lot of people who had no spiritual connection to them when they were
alive. That to me is a disservice to their name.
I have no say in how Amaru defines Tupac’s legacy, but I sure would like a say so how
my sons legacy is defined. Heretofore, let’s just say I would have done it differently had
I had a voice.
KadafiLegacy.com: There is rumored to be enough recorded material of Fatal & Felony
for a complete album. Is this true? And will it ever see the light of day?
Yaasmyn Fula: I am not privy to inside information. I am the proverbial thorn in the
side of the shot callers.
I had some of the Fatal & Felony stuff which we used some of it on Son Rize: Vol. 1 but
both Kadafi & Fatal use to hang out a lot in Montclair, N.J. recording material all over the
place. I have heard that folks in Montclair have some stuff, I have asked for it but
nobody has contacted me.
When Tupac was incarcerated in 1995, he recognized that Kadafi and Fatal were the
strongest of the team lyrically with plenty street credibility and so, in his infinite wisdom,
knew they could carry on the legacy until he came home. When he got out on bail in the
fall of 1995 he just sent for them to work on the All Eyez on Me album.
Tupac had a lot of plans probably would have put them out on his Makaveli label but
Fatal kept getting into trouble that last year and being sent home so nothing was
concrete.
KadafiLegacy.com: Is there any unreleased Kadafi footage?
Yaasmyn Fula: I am sure there is floating around. Gobi was kind enough to provide us
with some and I am sure the powers that be have some but are unable to understand
the value of what they have because they don’t really see Kadafi as a money making
machine.
They fail to realize that Kadafi was the heart and soul of the Outlawz and to trivialize his
life and his powerful relationship to Tupac is to diminish in the eyes of the fans one of
the most important members of the group.
When you understand and honor the people who Tupac loved, only then can you really
fill the void left in the hearts of those who loved them and honor true hip hop.
KadafiLegacy.com: Is Son Rize: vol.2 planned or just rumored?
Yaasmyn Fula: I have attempted to contact Afeni to no avail regarding Vol. 2. So I
sent a letter to her lawyer, Dina LaPolt, outlining our request for acapellas. I even
wanted to have Amaru/Interscope produce Vol. 2 using our producers, i.e.,
Candyman187.
I got no response so I contacted Dina and she said Afeni turned it down. When I asked
why she said basically by granting my request it would put Afeni in a “compromised”
position with Interscope since all the songs we want for Vol. 2 are already licensed
through Interscope.
I guess the first insult is she speaks for Afeni, someone who I have known for over 30
years. Secondly, all things are negotiable in this business when it comes to money,
especially the music of Tupac and Kadafi. There was such a lack of interest and spirit of
cooperation in the conversation. It was a cold ass, flat ass NO.
I remember saying to myself while talking to Dina… ”Damn Pac, do you hear this lady
telling me your Moms has turned us down”???? I’m always talking to Pac and Yak… I
had to laugh about that. I won’t tell you what he said. (Laughs)
KadafiLegacy.com: If it is planned, who will handle it?
Yaasmyn Fula: WE are not deterred! I think the spirit of the music and the will of the
beloved fans will prevail. We have a team that is working with us on Candyman187s
album. It is a dynamic team of dedicated, talented, easy to work with artists with
maximum industry respect. They are the same team who produced Candyman’s soon to
be released album.
When you hear the heat from that CD -WOW, I envision the fans doing major petitions
and phone calls just like they did with Son Rize Vol. 1. The irony is a young man from
Scotland named Stephen Dunn contacted Dina Lapolt to try and find me.
I was on the serious down low. Dina put him in touch with me and thus he inspired me
to do Son Rize Vol. 1, especially after the fans from all over the globe did that petition.
Now how’s that for irony?
Had it not been for Dina, I probably would not have been in touch with the global village
that pulled me out of my grief to give Kadafi a fitting tribute in Vol. 1. I don’t even think
Afeni has even heard Vol. 1 because if she had it was such a tribute to our lives, to
Tupac’s life, to all our struggles… its hard for me to understand how she could turn down
Vol. 2 if she really heard Vol. 1.
There is spoken word on Vol. 1 from Malcolm X, Mutulu Shakur, my mother Vivian
Smith, Fannie Lou Hamer, (all women admired by Afeni and I), Sekou Odinga (Yafeus
father who named his first born daughter after Afeni) and so forth.
Afeni was our proud sister who stood up in our name. I only ask she do the same now.
KadafiLegacy.com: What will be improved on Son Rize: vol.2 when compared to the
first one?
Yaasmyn Fula: Candyman187 is in charge of the production so it will be raw and
creative but have a poetic flow much like Pacs’ stuff. It is going to have more guest
appearances and less sampling, more creative original beats.
We did the best we could with Vol. 1, cause even on that we again had no acapellas but I
did have some unreleased tracks on mini cassette tapes. We had to work real hard to
improve the quality. After we put it out we got a lot of feedback from artists who say
they would have loved to get on Vol. 1 so we promised Vol. 2 would be coming.
Kadafi was always sitting around in the house rapping to the micro cassette recorder. I
was fortunate to have saved that stuff. It is my hope Son Rize Vol. 2 helps hip hop turn
the corner of its present state of mediocrity and self indulgence.
We want to promote a national unity that addresses all the serious issues we are
confronted with today. The images perpetrated in the music of today of drugs, gang
banging, disrespect of women, bling bling has resulted in a stereotypical criminality of
black youth and denegration of women.
The deal makers and studios have no problem displaying those images. It is after all,
not their ancestors who are turning in the grave, not their mothers and daughters
maligned for all to see. The burden to change that is on us.
KadafiLegacy.com: Are there any indications that there will be unheard 2Pac vocals on
it?
Yaasmyn Fula: My focus is unheard vocals of Kadafi. If I can get that I will be real
happy. I am not privy to any other material of Tupac… if we have some I would be
honored to include it.
KadafiLegacy.com: When will it be released?
Yaasmyn Fula: After Candyman187 album drops. Once we get that out hopefully there
will be more reception and recognition of this young mans talent as well as an
appreciation to what we stand for musically and how we choose to honor the legacy of
not only Kadafi and Tupac but the movement for peace and dignity that was originally
ignited many years ago of which we are all a part of.
We never strayed from the original plan, its just the tracks of our tears derailed us for a
minute.
KadafiLegacy.com: How much will it cost?
Yaasmyn Fula: To be determined – we always want to make it affordable because the
majority of the fans I realize are youth or young people without a lot of funds. We are
not a record label. Son Rize Vol. 2 is a family effort.
I think many of the fans get me mixed up with Interscope and Amaru – My interests are
purely to give back to the fans some great Kadafi music to keep his legacy alive in a true
sense. Nothing more…
KadafiLegacy.com: Does Amaru support the project?
Yaasmyn Fula: Judging from the slump in the last two Tupac albums, they need to. It’s
funny because I didn’t realize Kadafi had so much love and support until I read the
petition that was circulated on the internet in 2003 – 2004 and I started receiving emails
from all over the globe. I said WOW, I have to honor this, I have a responsibility to the
fans to honor Kadafi’s name.
The young people were begging for more Kadafi music. They were disappointed in the
direction Amaru had taken Tupac’s music.
A Kadafi tribute album had not been done heretofore. I kept waiting for the Outlawz or
somebody to do it. I didn’t want to do it.
Representatives of Amaru did not support a tribute album. Afeni gave me her blessings
because I went straight to her for Son Rize: Vol. 1.
I would love to work with Amaru and Interscope on a joint Kadafi Tupac venture.
KadafiLegacy.com: If so, how? / If not, why?
Yaasmyn Fula: With Son Rize Vol. 2 I have been blocked from contacting Afeni and I
dare say her representatives have advised her erroneously it would be problematic if she
endorsed Vol. 2.
The problem stems from having lawyers, record labels, sycophants and all kinds of
predatory types of people making decisions in their own self interest and not the interest
of maintaining a dignified truth.
I know that in Afenis’ heart she supports a project to honor Kadafi, but enter her
“advisors” or those in her employ, the first thing they consider is not the principle, not
the integrity of this project - not that this is what Tupac would have wanted - but rather
they think first of their own position.
In this business no potential challenger can be permitted to gain a power base even if
that challenger is your family. It saddens me that our family has resorted to relying
upon outsiders and corporate “suits” to decide how the legacy of our sons will be played
out.
It’s sad because it could be done in a way that was profitable yet masterful in upholding
a standard of music similar to what Kadafi and Tupac gave us.
I look forward to folks reevaluating their positions and do what is the decent thing to do,
what Pac and Yaki would want us to do.
In Part 3 we discuss more on future projects Yaasmyn has in mind, more on the
relationship between Yaasmyn and Afeni, Kadafi’s kids (Valencia & Nyasia) and
plenty more. Be sure to check http://www.kadafilegacy.com next week for an
update on when Part 3 will be online.