Along with Brothers Percy “Master P” Miller and Vyshonne “Silkk the Shocker” Miller, Corey Miller aka C-Murder laid down the foundation for the independent rap game and its hold on the Hip Hop climate today. Going from unparalleled success to facing 25 to life, C-Murder has emerged from his overturned conviction for 2nd degree murder a strengthened and more determined individual than ever before. He is set to debut is new album Screaming for Vengeance along with a novel written while incarcerated named Death Around the Corner.

HHNLive.com sits down with C-Murder to discuss his current mindstate and legal troubles, rebuilding efforts following Katrina, Mystikal, America's assault on Hip-Hop culture and much more.

C-Murder on growing up in Calliope Projects: "When you are a kid, you don’t know what you are in the middle of...I know people are getting shot everyday and drugs was being sold. Policing raiding everyday. That was a part of life for me."

St. James: How you feeling??

C-Murder: I’m just chilling, grinding and working on this new record, ya heard me? Can’t wait to get it to my fans.

SJ: So what the latest with you fam? You’ve been out of the spotlight, how is C-Murder living??

CM: I’m living the same way. I’m all about my family, chilling with the ‘lil ones. At the crib shooting ball everyday, working out and getting right. Mainly I’ve been focusing on this TRU Records movement and working with my artists getting their stuff together to put out. Once I get done with this album, I’m going to sit back and CEO this thing because they are ripe and ready.

SJ: What are some of their names? Who are you working with?

CM: My album Screaming for Vengeance is going to drop and then I have the movie and DVD dropping Dec. 11th. Next you’ll be introduced to all of my artists. I’ve got the Cutt Boyz coming out. That consists of me, Versatile, and my homey G Dinero, they’re from Baton Rouge. Then after that Vers will drop his solo record and then I’ll drop Holiday from the CP3 then G Dinero. You know I’ve got a whole roster that is holding their own weight you heard me??

SJ: I want to go ahead and get to the obvious question on everybody’s mind and that’s how is your spirit in regards to the case? What are your feelings on the current situation?

CM: You know I’m still under oath, hold on that’s my lawyer calling, give me a minute……………………..(on hold)

You know my spirits are good, been good. I won’t ever let anything get to me too much where I let it take me out. You know I’ve been through too much coming up in the neighborhood I came up in. Growing up dirt poor, trying to figure out the next meal. So I am just taking everything one step at a time and keep moving on towards the goal I’m trying to accomplish. And never let anything get me down to the point where I can’t function.

SJ: Well we are all praying for you brother. I read that you are being allowed to work on the album and the book entitled Death Around the Corner. How is that coming along?

CM: The book is selling crucial. We have a movie deal in the works so I’m hoping all of that pans out. With the movie, I have the soundtrack and I have all types of writer’s credits which is more checks. Then I have another book coming out next year called Street Glory which is another crucial thing I have coming.

SJ: What is the focus and your motivation for the album (Screaming for Vengeance)? The first single is Posted on the Block right?


CM: Yeah that was the first single when I was dealing with Capitol, I left that situation and now I’m with Asylum. I’m in a better situation now and everything works out for a reason, you heard me? When we were going to push the Posted on the Block, I left so the single never got pushed. That’s why you never seen the video and stuff like that. We cut everything short. Now I have a new single that’s killing that one called “One False Move”. It just got mastered today so we’ll be shipping it out to the radio stations and all that shortly.

SJ: What label is it coming out on? What’s the status of No Limit?

CM: Well I really don’t know. I’m 100% TRU Records right now. I’m doing my thing and No Limit is doing their thing. You heard me? I don’t really know what’s poppin’ over there right now, I’m just so in depth with this TRU movement. 100% focused.

SJ: Tell us a little about the book.

CM: The book is crucial. It’s about this kid, Daquan, 5 years old, and he’s introduced to reality and the harshness of the world. He lives with his pops and his pops killed the man next door so he went to jail for life. He had to move to his grandmother’s house in the projects where he was introduced to all the traps. He starts to get into trouble, messing with the wrong crowd. Then his best friend turned out to be his worst enemy, which I know a lot of people can identify with. His sister died at birth but every time he is going to get into something she appears to try and guide him in the right direction. At the end of the day though he makes his own decisions. He’s in and out of jail. In the street riding and jacking, all of that. At the end of the book though there is a big message though bro. It’s a critical message for those trying to be in the game. It’s like at the end of the day, you won’t make it. That’s just the way it is.

SJ: You were also on the song on Luda’s Release Therapy with Pimp C and Beans called “Do Your Time”. Tell me about that experience.

CM: That was tight. Luda always held me down when I was gone. He never had to worry when he came to N.O. He had the “free Murder” t-shirts, on TV repping. Me and him were friends before I got locked up and stuff. He is a real a** dude so when I came home he had this hot song he wanted me to bless for him. It was like “sh*t”, we laced it up and did it.

SJ: As really a pioneer in the game to some degree, where do you feel the direction of Hip-Hop is headed?

CM: I feel like yeah we laid down the foundation and before that the foundation was laid by Rap-A-Lot. Everybody comes and does their thing to enhance it their own way. G-Unit did they thing you know everybody is headed in a crucial direction. Everybody is generating money and doing their thing. We are making a positive impact on society as far as showing people we can do more than sell drugs, jack and rob. It’s other avenues and that’s what it’s all about. It’s life. It’s a big ole hustle man.

SJ: Your original home, No Limit, really laid down the blueprint for the current model of being completely independent in the game. How does it feel to see your impact and replication on such a grand scale?

CM: It feels good dog. I always like to see another black man make it too. I never been a hater dog. I love to see a black man doing his thing, making an honest living. Made it from the streets and making it to 21. I’m proud of them all.

SJ: Another fellow native of New Orleans Lil Wayne is on fire right now. His claim is “The Best Rapper Alive”. It must be good to see your city shine right?

CM: It’s crazy. He’s straight from New Orleans, so to see him out there and being a crucial rapper and lyricist really holding it down...just like when T.I. came down here and I hollered at him and I just told him he was holding it down for the south and to keep doing what he was doing. This was before he got locked up. So all of those that are holding it down, I definitely make it my job to make sure they know the job they are doing. I know they don’t really get that. Somebody really sincere. Keep it on their head like it’s a real ni**a out here respecting the way they rock and hold it down straight up.

SJ: How do you feel about the whole Hip Hop vs. America feud in regards to your and perhaps say a T.I.’s situation?

CM: The sh*t is just blown out of proportion. You have a lot of people that blame Hip Hop for the problems of the world and it just doesn’t make sense. Hip Hop is nothing but entertainment. When we go in the studio or the booth we put out entertainment for whoever to buy the music. Just like you can buy a DVD. They are already against us. We are young, black, and making money so you know they are trying to say we are taking over the world. Influencing kids and their kids and things like that. It just doesn’t make sense. Blaming Hip Hop for the problems in the world…..Be a man and step your game up on your own. Trying to tell us what we can say in the music and what we can’t say? I ain’t having it. I ain’t having it for real. All I know is that I say what comes to my head and what I feel. I’m not trying to hurt anybody else. I just do what I do. I don’t care if 3 people buy it they will understand it’s me. That’s what you get. It’s nothing more than what has been given to me by society.

SJ: Your brother P and Romeo released an all clean album to the public entitled “Hip Hop History”. What do you feel about P’s motivations and aspirations for this project?

CM: If he’s sincere with it, then more power to him. Every man doing what they have to do. What they feel in their heart. If that’s what you feel go ahead and handle that, you heard me? That’s just balancing out everything that needs to be balanced. That’s how I see it. Everybody has different types of music they make because it comes from within. From the soul and what you feel inside is what you portray when you lay down that music.

SJ: How do you feel about the blogs/myspace/youtube reporting that goes on in hip hop? Do you feel it offers a fair and informed judgment on the artists and culture?

CM: I mean it is what it is. What artists should do is look at it and take advantage of that stuff. It’s just free press. You got to take advantage of it. Sometimes it helps. The good comes with the bad.

SJ: Let’s switch gears. You come from a famous first family of Hip-Hop but your struggles coming up have never really been documented. You named yourself C-Murder for reason. Tell us about your mind state growing up in Richmond, CA and the Calliope projects, New Orleans.

CM: Man, being a kid raised in such a wild environment and poor environment such as the Calliope…I mean it’s anywhere they have hoods everywhere just like that. When you are a kid, you don’t know what you are in the middle of. I didn’t know my hood was so rough and tough and all of that because I was raised like that. I didn’t know what was going on. I know people are getting shot everyday and drugs was being sold. Policing raiding everyday. That was a part of life for me. So I learned how to survive in it. And from the outside looking in and it’s like “how could this happen” but understand when you are involved in a situation and you are so young, you figure that’s the way life is supposed to be. So you develop survival skills and they kick in. That’s what it is. That’s the street life.

SJ: Tell these young fans and listeners who respect C-Murder what the finality of death is all about.

CM: I mean a lot of these guys, little kids………I just want them to know that it’s not about being hard or being tough and a gangster. You don’t have to portray yourself to be hood to survive. A lot of these dudes is born gangsters because of the element they come from. They had to be gangster just to make it past 14 or 15. A lot of these dudes though feel they have to be a certain way or have a certain swagger to fit in. That’s not what it is. Regardless of the media, I’ve never walked around with this swagger and out there thuggin’. That’s not me at all. Anyone that knows me knows I’m out here chilling. I go to the hood have fun, kick it, laugh and all of that. Don’t be blindsided by what you think should be going on. Thuggin’, fighting in the club and stuff like that. Be yourself, be cool. That’s what being real is. An individual. A real homey. Straight up. That’s what I want to tell them. It’s not about being gangster, it’s about being a motherf*cking man, you heard me?

SJ: I listened to a great speech from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan called “Justifiable Homicide”: Black Youth in Peril. He talked about the way we treat each other giving credence and permission to others to harm and treat us wrongly. He used the Jena 6 and Don Imus situations as examples. What would you say to that theory and the state of black youth??

CM: That’s what’s up. The folks on the outside looking in see our swagger and how we are tearing each other up. They use that as the excuse. We open that door for them to do us like that by the way we do ourselves. Like Don Imus, of course he’s going to jump on that bandwagon quick. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. But since he’s on the news he gets the attention and stuff like that. He doesn’t know what’s going on out in these streets and what took place to make people use the term. At the same time, there are people out there who are trying to hurt other people to gain strength. People with chips on their shoulders. Take the chip off of your shoulder and do what you got to do. Get out the streets.

SJ: You’ve been through a lot in life period. What has allowed you to continue on with the strength you’ve displayed facing what you have/are facing?

CM: I was trained…….where I come from in the streets, it’s for real. I’m not sitting here playing with it. So when sh*t happens I’m not sitting here crying and moping around. I deal with the situation and move on. I focus on how to better the situation and get to my family. If you are out there playing with it, or trying to make something happen, when something happens people start crying and boo hooing when the real hits you. Sometimes you have to understand that cats who want to be this or be that, when it gets time for the get down, those are the ones who will fold.

SJ: Switching gears. The New Orleans disaster touched you and your family directly. How is your family recovering?

CM: Everybody is straight. We had to rebuild a lot of houses. People had to move to different cities but everybody is almost back. As a matter of fact we almost got everybody back and the houses up. You know a lot of people aren’t so lucky because they didn’t have the finances and are waiting on help from the government. It’s just a real situation.

SJ: How do you feel the rebuilding phase is going from your perspective?

CM: From my perspective, from being there and seeing? A lot of people are still stranded in different cities and want to come home. In different cities people are like “You are from New Orleans? You must be a bunch of wild animals or something”. So they already give them the cold shoulder and people are trying to get home from that. People miss their home. You have people evacuated who are used to being in their house. So it’s real. I see a lot of people getting their money and getting things up. People are starting to come back. More jobs and seeing a lot of people working getting back to normal life. The government is on it now. I don’t care what they say about Mayor Nagin. He’s on it now. From what I see he’s handling his business, holding it down and making stuff happen.

SJ: How did it feel seeing FEMA deliver aid in Malibu for the wildfires within a short period vs. the Katrina situation?

CM: LOL being realistic about the situation, they weren’t ready for what hit us. They weren’t ready for it. It had never happened before. They thought it’d be a hurricane and that’s that but when the levy broke, it took everybody by surprise. There was no going back then. The whole city was under water. They didn’t really know what they were doing so we had all of that against us.

SJ: What’s good with Silkk? What is he on these days??

CM: Dude is chilling. He’s got Six Shot Ent. And he’s doing the movies now. He shot me a couple trailers and everything is tight. He has his production company and he’s really focusing on the movies. So you will hear a lot about him as far as the big screen soon. He’s the truth.

SJ: Heard anything about Mystikal?

CM: I talked to Mystikal a couple of months ago and he’s in the house with my homey Mac. He’s supposed to be out in a couple of months. He’s in a satellite camp to where they are going to out process him. He sounds good though, a lot of the homeys that were locked up with him said he was chilling. He did his time like a gangsta! They said he was in there throwing them things, doing what he had to do. He held it down like an O.G. When I talked to him he was in good spirits. Crazy as usual you heard me? I like that. Don’t let it get to you.

SJ: What do you hope to accomplish through your music?

CM: I just want the world to get this real music. Because man I’ve put so much effort into this album. I’ve recorded so many songs. I know the public and the streets are going to love it. I’ve been hitting cats in the hood like “come here and check this”. I don’t care where I am, I see a little dude I’m like “Come here, listen to this”. I get the real from them. It’s gangster but at the end of the day I’m telling a story, letting them know how real the world is. (Speaking to background) “Hold on, I’m doing an interview”

CM: That’s my grandmother.

SJ: How is she?

CM: She’s doing well. She’s doing real well.

SJ: What other ventures is the C Murder/Miller Family currently pursuing?


CM: I got the TRU publishing. I have another book coming out. I have the movie and DVD dropping Dec. 11th. The album is dropping. Then the CuttBoyz right after that. Then G Dinero, everybody! We are going to have the roster popping.

SJ: I know you proud of Romeo. He’s balling for USC. You get to see any games?

CM: Nah I haven’t seen any games but I know he has hella game. He learned from the best. I taught him everything he knows so of course he got game you heard me? He has a good chance to go to the league; he’s doing his thing on that court.

SJ: Tell the people something they don’t know about C-Murder.

CM: They already know I’m a real dude. At the same time, I’m approachable. I can have a conversation with you. I can have a conversation in the hood and I can have a conversation with the white collar. I just like to keep it real. It’s not anything you can just make up. I’m about my family 100% you heard me? The Lord means everything to me and that’s it.

SJ: Who do you admire in the game right now?

CM: The dudes doing they thing in this game on the business level. You know Jay-Z is doing his thing. 50 is doing his thing. Cats like that. I like what they are doing because those are some of the things I would like to be doing. In my CD changer? I’m bumping that Plies hard right now. He’s so gutta. When I say gutta, he’s street with it. Something a real dude can relate to. I can identify with his music. Things that myself or my homeys are going through.

SJ: Anything else you want to tell the fans who read hhnlive.com?

CM: I’m back! You are going to be hearing a lot from me. When you see the TRU logo, you know what you are going to get. You will be seeing a lot of me so get ready.