The Source caught up with Re-Up gang group member Ab-Liva to talk about his upcoming new project to a possible Re-Up Gang Reunion and everything in between. Check out the interview below
So how you been lately? What’s new in your world musically?
I’ve just been in a crazy creative space lately. I got a mixtape project i’m putting out and im just trying to attack it with hard street lyrics. Its all original beats and hooks. I have some notable producers on the project also.
What producers do you have?
I got Jahlil Beats, !llmind, Mr. Porter and S1 and a few other up and coming producers.
So what artist do you have appearing on the tape?
On the tape its alot of me because I wanted to keep it organic, but the cats I reached out to i’m a fan of and wanted to work with. So the one song i’m shooting a video for now is produced by !llmind and features Troy Ave and Pusha T. Its a crazy record. When I first heard the beat it had real New York street feel so it was only right. The title of the track is “It’s All Here”. Another feature I have is Bun B. He’s always been a fan of the Re-up and stuff I did with the Clipse. In addition, I have a crazy street record with Jadakiss on the project that’s crazy.
So you’re really bringing it all out for this tape?
Its funny I run into cats all the time that say they haven’t heard anything from me for a few years, not knowing i been kind of behind the scenes. I did writing on Yeezus and worked with him for Push album.
So at the end of the summer you attended the Made In America Festival in Philly. How did it feel hearing Skateboard P shout out Rosco P. Coldchain?
Man listen. It felt great to see P do that especially in Philly where Rosco is from. That’s my young boy even before Star trak. When P came to Philly and heard him spit in a cypher years ago he asked me who he was and I told him that’s my boy. The rest is pretty much history. We made a lot of crazy records that unfortunately the world will not hear because he’s incarcerated. So the fact P shouted him out and said when he gets out they will make records, put a smile on my face.
Have you heard a time as to when he will be released?
I heard sometime next year. What’s funny is I spoke to him a few weeks ago right before I heard he will be getting out next year. You know him and I speak very often. They move him around frequently from jail to jail so we speak as much as we can. He will always be family. Between me, Pharrell, Malice, Pusha T and him, we are all super tight.
So you mentioned you guys are close. So the fans want to know can we expect a Re-Up Gang reunion with all the members, including Malice?
Imma tell you what’s funny. We all had talks about it here and there so the possibility of it going down is very strong. Imma keep it real, when we put all those “We Got It For Cheap” mixtapes we were just having fun. It was really us, by ourselves with access to Pharrell’s studio picking all the beats we liked. We went in there and had fun and made what we wanted to make. Honestly from a Hip Hop standpoint, if we were able to put together something it can be very special.
That big to hear. I think the fans can definitely look forward to that. So earlier you were talking about working on Pusha T’s album and you appeared on the street record “Suicide”. How was it jumping on that record and seeing Push go through the process of making his debut album?
Imma tell you what’s funny. I was originally on the Nostalgia record in the beginning. At first it was just me and Pusha T, then Kendrick got on the record. When kendrick sent us a 32 bar verse we had 16’s so that kind of made the song a bit lopsided. We really didn’t want to alter it because that verse was so dope. So funny thing is, we had just started the Suicide record and everything I rapped on up till now in my career was a Pharrell production. So to me, Suicide was a perfect track to collaborate on and reunite with Pharrell.
For the people that don’t know. You were just on tour in Australia with Pusha T. How was that?
It was so fun. We been traveling around the world since the “Hot Damn” days. So it was great linking up with my brother again. Like being on tour with him and Ye’ was just crazy. It was a super cool atmosphere.
So you were just talking about atmospheres. What was the best place in Australia that you think totally was rocking to you guys?
Man, it has to go to Sydney. Sydney turned up and I think the second night was the best night. At one point I had to pull out my phone and capture everything that was going on.
So we got to ask you man. The fans want to know, what are some details regarding Push’s next album?
I’m so excited for my brother’s new project to get to the fans because I feel like there is a lot of growth. He’s been using and creating a lot beats you wouldn’t normally hear him on and that has to come when your expanding as an artist. I think with him being in the Good Music camp, it has helped him explore new things as an artist and is helping his album come along great.
So have you heard a timetable as to when the fans can expect a single?
I want to say in next few months. Expect to hear something that will catch you off guard. You know when he came in the game the sound was so different people were like “Yo what the hell is this”, so now he is taking that to the next level.
So what do you think will surprise fans on Push’s next album from your point of view?
The beat selection is well-rounded and musically its exactly where it needs to be. Push is in a crazy space right now. The fans will really be surprised when they hear this album.
So with Yeezy season approaching and you being super close to the camp, do you know any small details regarding his forthcoming album?
I will say this without saying too much. I have heard a lot of dope ideas that will turn into songs that the world will embrace. The ideas I heard are like super-forward thinking haha. What I respect about the camp is that they are always forward thinking. When you hear it you will be like “That came out of left field.”
Sounds like there is a lot of things brewing between Re Up Gang and G.O.O.D Music. Thanks for sitting down with us and looking forward to hearing your mixtape when it drops.
While Drew was conducting this interview he couldn’t help but to wonder if they pull off a “Re-Up Gang Reunion”, what will be the likelihood of getting another Clipse album?? –@Drewtheabstract
