How you doin' Flipsyde - introduce yourself to our readers please.
What up with it everybody - this ya boy FlipSyde aka The King Of The Flea Market aka The CandyMan straight outta the Windy City Chicago thru Central Texas.
Most people might know you from your appearance on Tommy Wright III's "Behind Closed Doors Soundtrack" - how did you hook up with him?
Yeah mane, hookin up with Tommy III was a big blessing as far as getting me out there on a nationwide level. I hooked up with him by sending him a early version of my "Still Gotta Win" cd after I seen him in MurderDog Magazine. He had his address in there for Street Smart Records. From there he hit me up, told me he was feelin my music and wanted to use the song "Bounce To Dis" for the Behind Closed Doors Soundtrack and from there it was on and crackin. There was some controversy over that song too that many people don't know about. I bought the tracks from these cats in the Source Magazine and it ended up being the beats from the "Killa Beats" cd outta Chicago and E.C. Illa aka Whitefolks hit up a partner of mines because they weren't given any credit on the inside jacket for the CD but, I squashed that with him and explained the situation and it worked out for the good of Chicago becuz we're in talks to do a track together in the future.
Are you still in contact with him? What is he doing right now?
Mane... me and Tommy had some big plans for me on Street Smart. I still have a halfway finished Street Smart album that I'm holdin because me and T3 talked and he was gonna get on some of the tracks. But then some stuff popped off on a personal level for Tommy and he had to handle some things. He been away from the rap game for a minute due to that but he was up at Select-O-Hits a few time this year talking to Blake and them about some new stuff. If he does pop off Street Smart again then you'll definitely see that FlipSyde album drop on Street Smart, if not I'm a just hold onto it.
You've released a couple of albums - give us a short overview abour your work up to this point.
I feel like my music is the 5th dimension of Rap, there's nobody out droppin' consistently like I do with not only twistin and flippin' but actually being lyrical on the tracks and having something real to say. I'm talkin about the system, the government, the baby mama drama, the Chi, the south, the cars, women and everything else that the average joe can relate to and it's over the craziest beats that nobody else jumps on. That's why it's the 5th Dimension becuz it's past what u hear on radio and TV. I got 8 CD's I dropped on my own, my own label since 96 plus another maxi-single that I got screwed out of by a label. But it's all good cuz I got all my masters and copyrights.
Which one of these do you consider as your best work - and why?
I think the best is yet to come but, everybody is saying "Enter The Darkness / CandyMan 2" because it was a long time coming and I gave them exactly what they wanted to hear, straight, no chaser. Double-disc that u can bump all the way thru on both discs. But, "Hellter Skellter" is the most sought after disc becuz it's the wicket rap CD. The re-release is droppin soon tho so, they might say that's the best one when it drop.
How come that your label Jam Star Records is located in Killeen/Texas while you originally hail from Chicago? Where do you dwell at right now?
Yeah... I was born and raised in Chicago, IL SouthSide, 35th and King Drive. I want that perfectly clear so, I'm a say it again, I was born and raised in Chicago on the SouthSide, graduated from Dunbar Vocational. That's why I'm a always claim the Windy City but, I been in Texas for nearly 10 years, that's why Jamstar Records is based in Texas cuz even tho I do go back to Chicago I still live in Texas.
Jamstar Records is clicked up with Playalistic Records from Memphis, what can you tell us about this connection?
Yeah, me and King JC go way back to right after me and Tommy Wright III. We exchanged some music becuz people kept tellin me about him and vice versa so, real recognized real and we had to do some stuff together. We gonna always keep this connection even tho he's based in New Mexico now, which makes it harder but we still doing stuff along with DJ Trick and Carly of P.U.R.
If I got things right you used to be have a little dispute with Snipah Loc out of Minnesota, what's the real story behind this occurence?
Yeah, that's a lil funny Jerry Springer thing right there. The truth is that this man was or is going around saying I dissed him for the review he gave my Still Gotta Win CD and he gave it a good review so, that right there already doesn't make sense. Truthfully, King JC told me that this man (Sniper) said the only reason he dissed me is to try to get noticed on a bigger scale. I offered to meet him when he took his lil trip to Memphis if it was real beef but, all the Memphis rappers wanted to get money out of him for verses and stuff like that. Anyway, he did his lil dis with another dude and I came back and murder'd him and his whole clique with "Game Over", which another Flip stole that title and ran with it but, I'll get into that later on. It never really was nothin and it's over tho with that cat tho becuz I got bigger fish to fry with a real beef that everybody will find out who's gettin the ax when my new CD "The 5th Dimension Of Rap" drops in November.
I guess you're already working on some new stuff - what can we expect in the further future?
Yeah mane, we got the "MurderMaster MixTape" droppin on my birthday Sep. 20. That right there is gonna be so crazy cuz we bringin the Dayton Family back out for that one! Some exclusive bump right there. I'm not even gonna get into who all else we got on there but, it's gonna be big. Then, right after that we droppin' the FlipSyde "5th Dimension Of Rap" cd. That's huge too because I got some big people on there holdin me down too and of course, I'm comin with that rapid-fire heat like always so, it's big bizness. Oh yeah, I forgot, on Halloween the "Hellter Skellter"-Director's Cut edition is droppin so, all ya'll who been askin for it, there ya'll go... and it's gonna be a big suprise on that one too.
Of course you're trying to go nationwide - give us an insight in your current efforts to achieve this goal.
Yeah, everybody tryin to go nationwide and right now I got that opportunity thanks to my manager Scott Bejda. I can't really discuss it tho due to the ink not dryin on the paper yet but, it is with a major.
Are there any homeboys you would like to involve in the process?
Yeah, it's a lot of people I wanna involve and continue to evolve with me like King JC, BlakHart, Carly, DJ Trick, Dolla $ign Gold and DJ Luis.
What's goin on in Chi-Town lately - what are your thought on the underground scene in town?
The underground scene in Chicago is thrivin thanks to spots like chibangin.com and thetipcds.com. We got guys like Bump J on Madden 2006 and Lupe Fiasco droppin on Atlantic. Then, of course you got the legends like CWAL still droppin artists like E.C. Illa, Traxster, Psychodrama and list goes on with Do or Die and The Flict. I just wish more spotlight was on guys like myself, Dude Nem, Father Tyme, DramaWard and guys just grindin it out without no big name backin'em just theyself tryin to get they own shine givin u the music u want and deserve to hear.
Which experiences do you consider as the highlights of your career so far?
My highlights definitely gotta be working with Tommy Wright 3, D-Fly of Da DramaWard and Archie Lee of Da SwishaHouse. Those guys are all legends in their regions and didn't owe me anything but, still showed love and helped open the door to some of their fans.
How would your life look like if you wouldn't stick to the rapping thing?
Probably still be similar just doing something else like a 9 to 5 job but, I'm a get mines 1 way or another.
Where can people buy your albums and get the latest info on your work?
As always.....you can always go to www.jamstar-records.com to get my music. Also, cdbaby.com, towerrecords.com too. It's an online store thru www.ugrap.de, too, where they have my music at as well. Or ya'll can just email me personally at flipsyde@tmail.com and I'll get ya'll whatever u need.
Ok, I think it's about time to give some shoutouts...
Yeah fa sho... shout outs to my manager Scott Bejda, C.O. The Bad! Black, Mony Karlo, Tommy Wright 3, King JC, Quicksta, Carly Of P.U.R., BlakHart, Misfit, D-Fly, Archie Lee, Komain, DJ Luis, Tim Patten, Dolla $ign Gold, A.T. Swanga, Noki Swazay, Grind Lab, Moni Johnson, and every fan that bought my music, listened to it or downloaded it. If I forgot about u sign here. Make sure ya'll get that "MurderMasters MixTape" on September 20, "Hellter Skellter-Directors Cut" on October 31 and "5th Dimension Of Rap" in November!

FlipSyde - 2 Hell And Back