In this VladTV interview, Harlem rapper G. Dep looks back on his early grind in the demo-tape era, from recording at 14 to battling Cam’ron alongside Ma$e and Bloodshed at Lakeview on 106.
He revisits DJ Premier’s influential New York Reality Check 101 compilation, the standout “Head Over Wheels,” and how that exposure helped lead to Gang Starr’s Moment of Truth. G. Dep also breaks down how Black Rob brought him into the Bad Boy Records orbit, recording at Henchmen studio near 21st Street in Manhattan before Sean “Diddy” Combs offered him a deal. Addressing Gene Deal’s claim that Puffy went around Black Rob to sign him, G. Dep says Rob knew what was happening and even advised him to accept the 50% publishing terms after negotiations stalled. He also reflects on signing a five-album, $350,000 contract as a new artist.
G. Dep then looks back on his rise at Bad Boy Records, from signing in 1998 to finally breaking through in 2001 with “Let’s Get It” and “Special Delivery.” In this VladTV interview, he reflects on appearing on The Notorious B.I.G.’s posthumous *Born Again* album, joining “Let Me Get Down,” and landing on Black Rob’s massive “Whoa” remix alongside Da Brat, Beanie Sigel, Rah Digga, and Lil Cease. He also explains how Diddy, then known as Puffy, used *The Saga Continues…* to build awareness for his music before his own singles took off. G. Dep discusses the “Special Delivery” remix featuring Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, and Craig Mack, and recalls what it felt like to finally reach mainstream success after years of chasing a rap career. A focused look at Bad Boy’s early-2000s run, hip-hop history, and a pivotal moment in G. Dep’s career.