Hip Hop is not dead!! It just caught one in the head! Onyx is here!

Fredro Starr, Sonny Seeza and Sticky Fingaz are living proof that hip-hop is indeed alive and well. We all remember Onyx’s hard hitting beats and even harder hitting lyrics. Well, they’re back…to rapping, that is. And, man, have we missed them! Hip-hop has become mostly gimmicks, cotton candy and just plain…silly. What happened to gut wrenching tales from the streets—rhymes that meant something to listeners? Onyx is the answer to that query.

We’ve seen them on our screens over the years, now with the August 19^th release of Cold Case Files: Unsolved Murders, we get to hear them in our speakers. Compiled of all unreleased recordings that will feature deceased Onyx member X-1, this amazing release will prove to be timeless as most of the tracks were recorded some 15 years ago. It will also set the stage for Black Rock—which will be released in 2009. Black Rock will be a breath of fresh air for hip hop and Onyx fans alike; boasting the rocking musicality that will make sure Onyx continues to stand out.

Danielle Young

What are some of the things that your mentor Jam Master Jay taught you?

Fredro: Not many people know this, but Jam Master Jay was the reason why Run DMC dressed that way with the big rope chains, Adidas and all that. He was more than a mentor to us. He set the fashion and swagger for the whole hip hop game. We got the Jam Master Jay DVD coming out later his year, Two Turn Tables and a Microphone. I’m doing it with his cousin Stephon Watford (Phonz). We got so many artists featured on it--Snoop, Mary, Onyx--everybody is on it talking about Jay and his influence. Phonz came to me depressed and we came up with the idea for the DVD. We have a beautiful project. I don’t like the way they portrayed him after death, so we’re out to change that. And it will also help his family eat. But honestly, Jay is responsible for the best rap group out…Onyx.

What is more rewarding, acting or rapping?

Sticky: I appreciate both of them I can’t choose. That’s why we did the movie A Day in the Life. It’s coming out at the end of 2008. The cast is crazy. We got Mekhi Phieffer, Omar Epps, the list goes on. The whole dialogue is in rap. There are no regular parts in the movie, everything is rap. It’s a movement and the first of its kind.

What made you start Onyx records?

Sonny: So you can basically monitor and determine your fate in this music business. We understand what it is to be under a major label and if you leave it up to them, then you go dormant and have to fight to get to where you need to get to. We wanted to take the fight in our own hands to give our fans what we needed to give them. We got artists coming under us and projects coming up.

Fredro: We been had record labels and I will admit when you start in this game, you make mistakes. It’s about building a brand. We strayed from our brands when we did our solo thing. We came out with something to market our own name and brand. We want to build on the “Mad Face.”  Why start from scratch when we got our own name? This isn’t something that is happening immediately, but if we keep working, we’ll get there. It’s a family business, so we’re bringing our family in. Jay Z is a corporate dude and he’s built his career on the Roc. Hip hop wasn’t corporate when we first came out, now it is. We’re getting corporate and moving with the times.

Is there still beef between you and 50 Cent?

Fredro: When Biggie said beef, he said you losing sleep and I ain’t got beef with him. I got a problem with the n*gga. We all got a problem with him because he talking slick out his mouth and dissing my brand. He never called my phone and never reached out to me. The problem we have is the same. I’m not hurt physically from that night when he swung on me. I was hurt in pride. We gave him thug love and respect. When I gave him that, he didn’t have nothing. I was that n*gga at the time. We was platinum, riding around in the hot cars and we put him on.

It’s a small problem and I would like to make it entertaining. He pops a lot of sh*t. I got a crew, we can pop sh*t. Let’s market it. Let’s eat. I think he’s a smart business man that makes a lot of moves. While he was on top, doing his thing, I wasn’t going to fight that n*gga. Now G-Unit record sales ain’t the same. Now we on the same playing field and we can make it a lot of fun. I’m going to keep poking at him and letting him know that I got a problem. All we need the n*gga to do is respond with bullsh*t. I’m ready. Until he calls my phone and says he made a mistake, it’s a problem.

How successful were your solo careers above your careers as a group?

Sonny: We can’t tell yet. That’s forthcoming. We ain’t done with none of that yet. That remains to be seen. Our solos aren’t where Onyx was. We got the “Mad Face” and we’re engulfing the globe.

Sticky: I’m trying to sell more records than Onyx.

Fredro: You can’t sell more than Onyx because we are Onyx! So if someone sells more solo albums than Onyx, it makes us bigger. I got a “Mad Face” tattooed on my stomach, I can’t get away from it. We all rep Onyx. Forever Onyx baby.

How has the loss of one of your members, X-1 affected you?

Sticky: Death is a thing I can’t really tolerate. I’m in denial. With X-1, he did it to himself. So they say.

Fredro: That’s Sticky’s brother from another mother. I think X-1was one of the greatest rappers, to me. X-1 and 50 were battling all the time and look where X-1 is at. He had the look, the style, all that. Sometimes you get in situations you can’t control. On the Cold Case Files: Unsloved Murders album, you hear his voice and it’s a lot of memories and tears--the original crew. RIP X-1. Always missed, never forgotten. Big DS, Jay. Strong n*ggas bounce back. We will put out an X-1 tribute album, so his kids can eat because he never dropped his own album. It’s something that needs to be done. We’re going to put that out for Onyx.

After Big DS’s departure from the group what happened to Onyx?

Sonny: Yeah he left the group in 1994. He was always fam, but he wasn’t part of the business side. He left before he succumbed to his illness. I still talk to his mom and his family and we’re definitely going to rep my man. Big DS is one of the realest dudes I ever met. He had a big heart and was business minded, but death was calling. That’s where the fuel is coming from because we’re going to rep for our fallen comrades. In our honor and theirs.

Fredro: DS wasn’t the best rapper in the group, but he brought a dynamic. He was the Flavor Flav of Onyx. He brought the awkwardness of something that was so hard. He was important to us. We’re coming out with a movie that I’m writing called American Rapstars because Onyx was the Five Heartbeats of hip hop. We dealt with all of that substance abuse, jealousy, break ups.

Sonny: They are here in essence and a part of this project.

The NAACP once called you a “disgrace to blacks.” How did you handle that criticism?

Sticky: They called us that? When?

When you were involved in the whole assault on the airline thing.

Sticky: That was a case of self defense and the judge saw it that way too! They need to change their name and until they do that, then they can talk to me. Colored People! Who the f*ck are colored people? I lived in Africa for six months and colored people was just offensive. So maybe they should think about changing the “CP.”

With almost 20 years in the game, what is Onyx’s defining moment?

Fredro: When we signed the contract with Jay.

Sonny: For me, it was to see Gladys and Patti announce us for the Soul Train awards in 1993.

What can we anticipate hearing on your much awaited album Black Rock?

Sticky: It’s a hybrid of hip hop and rock and roll. I’m a hard core to the heart hip hop dude, so to like rock and roll, it needs to be hard. I think all genres of people will love it.

Fredro: It’s hard drums, guitars and energy. We’re speaking from the ghetto. It’s ghetto frustration. It’s real music on a different beat this time. It’s the same thing Onyx always represents. We keep the same standards and views on life. We’re going to do what we do.

What do you think hard core Onyx fans will have to say about Black Rock’s rock and roll influence?

Sonny: Thank you.

Fredro: They are going to say why didn’t you do this before?

Sticky: We did a show in Bulgaria a few weeks ago and people hit us up on myspace showing all kinds of love. That right there says that those fans are talking about Onyx and that’s not Bulgaria only, that’s Chile, Colombia, Africa, everywhere. It’s blood, sweat, tears and honor and we want to give it to them raw--the way they love it. It’s a gift and we giving it to you humbly, well not humbly. *Sticky laughs*

Is Cold Case Files: Unsolved Murders only lost studio recordings?

Sonny: We like to call it Onyx collectibles. It’s a collector’s edition. It’s a rare card. There is no new stuff on it. It’s not new to us, but it is new to everybody else. It’s going to be packaged like some real collector’s sh*t. It’s a grand opening and everybody’s invited.

Tell me more about the 100 Mad series.

Fredro: Back in the days, coming up, there were two dudes from Far Rockaway that had a group called 50 Mad and the name stuck in my head. Since we had “Mad Face” and those dudes never came out, I decided to play on the name. Sticky and I were mad about A&R not signing dudes, so we wanted to help out. What happened to the integrity? What happened to NYC? It’s not the same. So you know what, we started 100 Mad. We have a situation at Koch Records where we can put records out. These street dudes can’t get no deals and I’m the connect. We’re putting out four compilations a year. [For example] One compilation will have 10 artists and they got 50 n*ggas a piece, that’s 500 n*ggas right there. That will bring a lot of attention and their records can be in the stores and at the end of the day, they repping the “Mad Face.” Onyx is the main umbrella and 100 Mad is a way for young artists in the east cost to get their records heard. We ain’t holding no one up, so they can sign to wherever if it comes to that. It’s a way for artists to express themselves without being shut down. We’re letting them talk that east coast sh*t. It’s still a million rappers in the east coast that can’t get deals, you know? We’re uniting hoods together. It’s going to be a big army.

What is Onyx currently working on?

Sonny: We’re touring and working on the end of Black Rock. We’re also tying up these solo projects and letting people know where we’re coming and going.

Sticky: I got my solo project that I’m working on called Stickyfingaz.com and the single is called, “Debo the Game.” I don’t like where the game is going and all the bullsh*t and there needs to be a big change and I’m putting my foot down. And yes it’s a real website, so I’m promoting that too. It’s all marketing and that’s where we have to keep our minds.

Sonny: We’re marketing maniacs

Fredro: When we came in the game, it was about laying down tracks, smoking, whatever. We didn’t know the business of it. Now we know it’s about business and marketing. The rhyming and all that is to make the business run. Now, it’s time to invade corporate America.

What do you want people to know about Onyx?

Sticky: I just want people to know we got the Onyx documentary called 15 Years of Video, History and Violence in stores now and they can cop that today. If they can’t find it, go to www.stickyfingaz.com.