UB Anniversary ReVisit: The R.L. ‘Hater N U’ Interview That Went Viral

Over the next few months, we’ll be spotlighting features from our e-zines from the last 25 years. T M H Entertainment, T M Hxone and Urban Bridgez.

As the longest running website for R&B online, since 1999 – We’ve been able to conduct some amazing interviews with R&B Royalty, as well Hip Hop Legends.

UB has also been blessed to speak with some of black cultures, biggest icons, in film, television and literature.

The UB internet that broke the internet…Before Katt Williams and now Mo’Nique, RL from the group NEXT went viral first for keeping it 100, in an interview he did with UB in October of 2006.

In the interview RL (a zodiac Aries) spoke with Aries (two Saint Paul, MN natives) and was very candid, about some of his issues within the music industry at that time.

That’s the thing I do love about coming from Minnesota, I mean we had to work twice as hard to get in the industry. We didn’t have a music scene at all. I mean we had Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but they haven’t did a lot for Minnesota at all.” – RL

RL took jabs at his former label J Records, Group member Tweet, Destiny’s Child, 112 and Jagged Edge to name a few.

The interview reached everyone mentioned, as the members of Jagged Edge did an interview with UB weeks later and responded to RL (those excerpts are below).

All ended well, since then RL has made peace (allegedly) with all of the artists he mentioned in the interview.

During that time RL released a diss song entitled “Hater N U,” which was towards Destiny’s Child, 112 and Jagged Edge, for various reasons.

What people seemed to have overlooked the first time, was Jaheim, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, caught strays as well.

A fun fact is the interview posted was edited at least four times and twice after it was published.

RL was given full control over the editing and kept asking us to remove or modify his responses.

So in a nutshell, there was a lot more!

RL first burst on to the music scene in 1997, with friends T-Low and Tweet as the group NEXT!

UB knew them previously as the group Straight 4 Ward, years before they signed with Kay-Gee.

NEXT came out the gate with major success; two gold singles “Butta Love” and “I Still Love You“, a platinum single “Too Close“, and a double-platinum debut album “Rated NEXT.”

The terrific trio went on to release two more albums and their last under J Records, the final was a commercial disappointment. Which resulted in the members working on solo projects.

Aries from UB spoke with RL, he speaks on the J Records situation as well as other issues plaguing NEXT. RL also discusses “Hater N U”, which samples Destiny’s Child’s hit, “Cater 2 U.”

RL appears to be taking shots at Destiny’s Child, Jagged Edge and 112. Everything isn’t always what it seems as RL explains the reason behind the song and the sample or in his words, the “jacking of their beat.”

So many questions RL fans have been wondering about, is he signed to G-Unit, does he have beef with Destiny’s Child as well as NEXT member Tweet who recorded a diss track aimed at RL? What made RL loose his love for Minneapolis when he was once our biggest promoter? Well sit back, pop open a can of Red Bull and be prepared to get all of those questions answered.

UrbanBridgez.com: What happened with J Records and the release of Next Episode?
RL: The people at the label. So many things went wrong and so many things wasn’t right. For that album, first we didn’t want “Imagine That” as the first single, it was a nice song, but we didn’t want that one to lead the album. I can’t stand behind that project. It’s like when an artist records an album, they may record like 40 songs and submit them to the label. Then the label gets to pick which songs out of those 40 make the album.

A lot of records came out that we didn’t love. Even with my solo project with J. I did love “Good Man” and had a chance to co-direct the video & come up with the treatment. But with J Records they could only work one project at a time and they picked Mario’s album over mine to promote. If you look back when they released our last album, NEXT, Deborah Cox, Tyrese and Busta Rhymes were all released at the same time (three literally on the same day). NEXT suffered a lot.

When Clive started J and left Arista, we were given a choice to stay at Arista or to come with Clive. We were very loyal to Clive so we came with him. But we didn’t know that once we did, L.A., my bad I mean people at Arista was going to be calling radio stations asking them to play Usher “Pop Your Collar” instead of NEXT. People don’t understand without promotion or marketing you’re album isn’t going to sell. I would rather tour than anything else. However unless your album is selling and your singles are charting high, you’re not going to be able to tour.

People also think you make money just from that and luckily for me I write, so my money comes in from publishing. I mean to be honest if it wasn’t for my publishing, I would be in Minnesota robbing people like I was before. I mean I love Clive, he’s like a second dad, I actually just talked to him the other day. With J, we were already established before we came there, they wanted to break new artists. I got $450,000 from J for my pocket when I started recording my solo album, they gave NEXT $150,000 for our pockets when we started recording the last album. I just donated my half.

Staying on that, man I went into a record store and just happened to see the album on the shelve I didn’t even know when it was being released. And on top of that, out of all the pictures we took at the album photo shoot, the one we told them not to use, was the album cover! The first $250,000 copies shipped out, all said featuring Jaheim on them and he wasn’t even on the album.

So in the end they dropped us, saying we wasn’t happy with them. Then turned around and offered me $350,000 to do another solo album. With me it’s not about the deal, but about the visual control. So I turned them down. People in Minnesota always come to me and ask me what have I did for Minnesota and why haven’t I put anybody on? But if you think about it nobody besides me talked about Minnesota on TV, but not no more. ATL is my home now, kats here show me mad love. I grind and it’s about hunger. I mean I will sing at a funeral, I use to work for McDonalds, I use to sneak to Flyte Tyme at night to record.

Back to J, I mean look at Fantasia, there is no reason why her album should of dropped before she even had a video out. Most artists get two singles before their album drops and she didn’t even have a video. Kats ain’t doing what they need to be at these labels. Why did Clay Akins sell more than Fantasia and Ruben? Matter of fact, where is Ruben? A lot of labels are downsizing. The thing most artists need to ask is how are they going to be promoted?

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell me about “Hater N U” and why you decided to record that song?
RL: Well first off, it’s not really a diss to Destiny’s Child. I love them. But I’m going to give you the real deal. With our first album we sold over 2 million copies, Destiny’s Child went Gold with their first. We did a record with them for their second album, didn’t charge them, we just wanted them on our next album. They agreed, so we was like cool. Kelly was a really good friend of mines, I mean if you look at her thank yous for their “Writings” CD she calls me her big brother. So Kelly told me that because Mathew was pushing Beyonce’ to the front, she wanted her vocals to shine on the duet. So I told Mathew that I wanted Kelly to sing the lead on the duet and he said no! So we never recorded the song. And of course after that, they blew up and the rest is history. So in “Hater N U” it’s like you jacked us, so we’re jacking your beat.

As for Jagged Edge and 112, to be honest the version that was put on MySpace page wasn’t suppose to be. But I listen to the radio and I’ve always loved 112. But over the years it’s like they switched lanes and started recording more sexual songs, like NEXT has done. When I hear those records from them, I’m like no! They are still one the most talented groups. Today most artists don’t create a sound that’s going to be remembered. I’m changing my sound constantly, I’m a lover so that’s what I write about. NEXT has always been freaky. Labels are selling out the artists to fit a certain sound. I mean why does 112 sound like NEXT, why does Jagged Edge sound like 112, I mean it’s crazy. NEXT never jacked anybody. It’s like a basketball game, two players playing against each other, everybody wants to win with what skills they got. I mean I’ve always been a fan of JE. We almost sold ourselves out, but we never did. I mean my publisher was saying to me the other day, that there is this kat that has some good music, he’s a cross between Justin Timberlake and Usher. It’s like why does he have to sound like anybody, why can’t he just be original?

That’s the thing I do love about coming from Minnesota, I mean we had to work twice as hard to get in the industry. We didn’t have a music scene at all. I mean we had Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but they haven’t did a lot for Minnesota at all. I mean they signed SOLO a group out of New York over signing us and signed Lo-Key the group that discovered us. And the only people from Minnesota they ever signed was The Sounds of Blackness and of course Mint Condition.

They made me be a business man. I don’t diss people on record, I mean I don’t need to do that to sell records. I mean but I will say some things about Jaheim. I mean I have given that man the two biggest hits of his career and he doesn’t come to me to work on his albums now? That makes no sense to me. I use to think this business was about loyalty. I mean I gave Kay Gee $100,000 when I did my solo album and he didn’t even work on it. But he brought me on. With me it is about loyalty.

“Anything” was actually for my album, but I gave it to Jaheim. I mean we all use to hang out, I liked him, so I decided to give him that song. I mean it hurt me, I mean I had love for Ja. I helped put him on, but not put on, but gave him the two biggest hits of his career still to this day (“Just In Case” & “Anything”) and I haven’t heard from that kat. There really isn’t no loyalty in this game. I’m still loyal to Destiny’s Child, Jagged Edge and 112. Some artists will always sell albums because people know even if its a few cuts on the album worth listening to, because of the artist track record they will buy it.

UrbanBridgez.com: There has always been a rumor that an RL & Monica song is out there, any truth to that rumor and if so will the fans ever hear it?
RL: Actually NEXT did, we recorded a song with her years ago, but were replaced at the last minute with 112. I guess 112 had a more crossover appeal. It was “Right Here Waiting” a Richard Marx classic. But we wasn’t trippin because we still got our check (laughs). Still not sure what really happened with that. As for a track with her and me, there might be one. I did a few tracks where they could’ve added her vocals from what I was told, but nothing that we actually recorded together besides that one song.

UrbanBridgez.com: I know Brandy is one of your favs, we’ve talked about that in the past, would you work with her if given the opportunity?
RL: Man it really depends. If I could get her into the studio and get her to sing about what really hurts her the most, I would be down. I just got done recording with this artist out of Miami, I can’t say who it is yet. But I did the hooks, but I can’t write for an artists unless I really know them and know what they are about as a person.

With Jamie Foxx, that was easy, I know Jamie. He was in one of my videos before, we’ve hung out many times, he’s invited me to parties, etc. So I know he’s a freak (laughs). If you notice in the beginning of the song he shouts out Minneapolis. But that’s the last time. I remember reading a lot of old articles that was written from a lot of the local papers, I never had a chance to read them back when they were written because we were always touring and working. But a lot of them were just dissing us for no reason. I mean who else from Minnesota was shouting out Minnesota on the American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, etc. besides me?

UrbanBridgez.com: Do you think NEXT gets the props they deserve? I may be a little bias because you guys are from my hood and I’ve known you for years. But I have to say you guys really set it off with “Butta Love” and “Too Close” and the success led a new breed of R&B; male groups, but NEXT never seems to get that credit.
RL: What many don’t know is we have the biggest hit from Minnesota in history. Bigger than “Purple Rain” with “Too Close.” With that whole thing about getting the credit we deserve, it’s like I agree but I can’t cry over spilled milk. I mean I still get a check for “Too Close” every month because I wrote it. I mean besides Montell Jordan, niggas wasn’t really buying albums from male artists for up-tempos. They wanted fuck tracks, so they was getting albums with the ballads and so forth for their girls. That song was very creative, it was about a niggas Penis getting hard on the dance floor. That song wasn’t suppose to get played on radio, we got over. But once people really paid attention to what we were saying in the song, it was too late because it was a hit! I’m ready to do that again, like with my new single, it features Ma$e on the hook. I have him on the hook because when I start promoting the single and performing it live, if he’s not there with me it makes no sense to perform it. I don’t understand why artists do that, so I got him on the hook, so I can perform it anywhere without him.

UrbanBridgez.com: What do you think of the current R&B; male groups out right now?
RL: This industry is crazy. Artists are not getting promoted like they should. I mean look at Jagged Edge, they’ve released two singles and still no album. The album should’ve been out by now. The game is really messed up right now. it’s like you have to get someone like Lil Jon on a record for it to be a hit. I mean I have Lil Jon on my album, but it’s not a club or up-tempo it’s really a mellow jam. It’s like these days you Chris Brown has a hit, so labels are trying to follow that blueprint, but Chris Brown is Chris Brown he’s talented. It’s like if you look at the industry, niggas only get one shot.

White artists can flop and regain them selves because they’re given another chance. Look at Chingy, he did great with his first album, his last one did poor, we most likely won’t hear from him anymore. With NEXT our second album was creative, production wise and vocally from our debut. With our third, again that album was so rushed, it wasn’t what we wanted. You can’t rush artistry. I mean so to answer your question, I’m trying to think who’s even out right now and hot? Pretty Ricky? Are you serious? I like great music, people want nice records. I’ve wrote some hits that will always be recognized as such. It’s like every summer, an artists will release a record that’s hot and will sell off of that, tour off of that and then that’s the end of that project.

Artists really aren’t making great music anymore. I mean I want to be like the Whispers and O’Jays, who have hit records, where they can still tour off of till this day and everybody knows the songs. Like with “Too Close” we can perform that anywhere and people know the song. I want more of that. Me & T-Low performed Over Seas recently and everybody knew the words. Not many groups are doing that. I know Usher has a group coming out (One Chance), maybe they might be the ones. That was the advantage of coming from Minnesota, we had an advantage because we never had to change what we was.

People have all these misconceptions about me, like I’m conceited, I’m rude, etc. Because I’m quiet, that comes from when I was growing up, I never had any real friends. People don’t know that I go to Schools and talk to kids, I give toys and things away to charities every Christmas, the media doesn’t know that because they don’t need to. It’s me and what I love doing to give back. But so many people have this misconception of me. It’s like people say I saw RL and he didn’t speak, well it’s like damn nigga do I know you? Or if someone says hi and I give a head nod or whatever, it’s like he’s so conceited, but that’s just not the case. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just being me.

UrbanBridgez.com: If you could work with anybody you haven’t yet, who would it be?
RL: Man that’s a hard question, who would you say? Matter of fact I know who. I would love to work with Prince. I wouldn’t change him or his sound from what he use to be, the original freak of Minnesota. I think right now he needs to embrace that. I turned on his video the other day for “Black Sweat” and it’s not him, he’s like turned into James Brown or something. I would turn him back into how he was, I mean I wouldn’t revisit the pants with his ass out, but the sound. I would have him on some sexual shit, playing his guitar. But I realize he’s more religious now, but that’s who I would work with. I’m trying to check out these young kats. I don’t like clubs, never have. But I’m checking out some of these new kats because I want to know what they’re doing as far as performing and what they’re coming up with.

UrbanBridgez.com: When can we expect the new RL and NEXT albums?
RL: Man when they show me the money! Man I was so bored I was writing songs for Augies (Strip Club in Minneapolis). I mean they’re some cool kats. I use to go there, I don’t drink anymore, but I would like bring my little sister or my girl or whatever. Just to chill out, so I started writing songs for some of the strippers, because I knew them. My guy is about to renew his vows and he’s having it at Disney Land so I’m writing a song for that. That’s my gift to him is writing this song. I want my music to mean something. The NEXT record is done, I got like two more songs for my album. I did some mixtape stuff, some of the songs on those are original songs. T-Low just stopped by, his nephew is doing some music, so he’s working on that. Let me tell you the difference between black and white.

White people will come together and just put their issues to the side in order to do business. Black people will let egos and business make it so they can’t feed their family. That don’t make no sense to me. Like with Tweet, yeah he did a record dissing me because he was mad. The thing about it is, you can be mad or whatever and as long as we keep it behind the scenes we can work on it, but he decided to make it public and once you do that, you can’t take it back. But because of business I said fuck it, I’m willing to put all that aside so we can do business. Even though he was wrong. I can’t sit and focus on the negative. T-Low didn’t turn his back either, that’s his brother, he’s upset, but he’s focused also.

It’s all about loyalty. Like with you, when everything drops, you’ll be the first one I do an interview with, because you got love for me. It’s like we go back and I don’t have anything out now, and you came to me now to do an interview with me and I ain’t at the top right now, that’s loyalty.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
RL: We don’t really call them fans, we call them friends. But I guess they are fans (laughs). Keep me cool!

Months after RL‘s interview, Aries from UB spoke to JE and got their response;
Jagged Edge (Kyle): We actually read the interview and listened to the song. We didn’t take it as he was saying we sounded like them, but we kind of took it like he was saying we were trying to be something else. We listened to the song and he makes a reference to us. The thing is JE is JE, we’ve been doing JE for over 10 years, so if he feels or anybody else that we’re trying to be them, it’s really an opinion. And the thing about it, is we won’t record a song and say anything about him, that’s not us, we’ll just wait to we see him and handle it like men. I mean it’s like if we have a problem with an artists, we’re not going to go public and make music about it, we’ll deal with it with them, unless he keeps making music about us and then we will make some about him.

In 2011 we spoke to JE again about the situation, after RL had made recent comments.

“Years ago UB conducted an interview with RL where he kind of took shots at you guys along with some other groups. Then when I spoke to you guys, you guys mentioned seeing the interview along with members of 112 on the site. RL recently spoke on being snubbed by one of the twins in an online interview. In recent years we were led to believe everything was squashed with you guys is there still some tension there and what do you guys think about what he had to say in his recent interview?”
Jagged Edge (Brandon): Nothing! Man we don’t even think about those guys. He is always trying to link himself with us some type of way. We don’t think about RL, the reason why my brother felt like I can’t fake it with this dude to take a picture with him, because over the years the man has always had something slick to say! Then he’ll be in your face trying to smile and take pictures with you. We ain’t cool like that and we ain’t on no thug sh*it like we’re not trying to beat the nig*ga up but we don’t kick it like that. And if I don’t like you…I just don’t like you! I’m not about to fake it and be in your face and as soon as you leave my company I got something slick to say.

Jagged Edge (Kyle): And it shows what type of man you are. Because if you’re a real man and you got a problem with me, I expect you to be a man and come to me with that. Don’t get on WorldStar and interrupt Jazze Pha’s interview. To try to make yourself look big and then turn around and want to take a picture with us. So it just really makes yourself look crazy and Jagged Edge don’t have any beef with anybody! We’re the type that will end it, we’re not going to put it on WorldStar or YouTube, we’ll just confront you with it. Hopefully you’ll learn next time how to handle it a whole lot better or think I should of handled it a whole lot better.