Features

Give us the low on Gotham Green? What do we need to know…

I'm a smoker, a writer and a New Yorker. I was born in 1982 in Queens and raised in Nassau County Long Island. I grew up on 90s New York rap, such as Biggie, Big Pun, Big L, Jay-Z etc. In 2002 I moved to Austin, TX and began rapping.  In 2005 I moved to Los Angeles to continue furthering my career. After a few releases and a couple years out there I decided to move back home to NY.

How did you and Quickie Mart link up? How did you guys begin working together... and after the two year hiatus from working with each other from 05 to 07 how was the chemistry back in the studio?

Quickie Mart and I met through a mutual friend and QM booked me for a Mardi Gras Show in 2003. QM produced several cuts on my debut album Chronic Fatigue.  The hiatus was caused by hurricane Katrina which caused QM to lose most of his belongings and his home forcing him to leave his hometown and eventually moving to Hollywood. When we finally linked back up, we jumped back into working together and it was as if we hadn't missed a beat (no pun intended). We've been smoking and recording ever since.

You’ve put out a solid catalogue of mixtapes since 04, which one would you tell people to listen to, to best get an idea of who Gotham is and what your sound is about?

I would say listen to em’ all, but I know most people aren't going to go do that, so I’d say definitely listen to Haze Diaries Vol. 3 and Volume 2 is pretty dope also. 

On the smoke tip... what’s your favorite method of smoking weed? Are you a blunt, bong or white paper kinda guy?  

If there's bud around I’m gonna smoke it regardless of method, but I’m partial to blunts.

Does the thought of possibly being pigeonholed as only a weed rapper concern you?

No, if you listen to my body of work there are tons of songs that aren't weed smoker anthems, I have songs for the ladies, songs about what I’ve been through, story raps, etc. But at the end of the day, it wouldn't be the worse thing in the world to be in the same category as B-Real, Method Man, Snoop and them guys.

Speaking of smoke, could you ever date a girl that wasn't into getting blazed?  

It wouldn't be as easy, but I would definitely date a girl who didn't smoke as long she was okay with me being a heavy smoker. 

So what did you make of Chapelle's character in Half Baked when he gives up weed for the girl in the end? How would you of played that? 

(Laughs) I’d have to see a Half Baked sequel for confirmation that he did actually give it up for her, but that's a tough question to answer. Let's just say I’ll cross that bridge if I ever get there... 

At the end of your latest single Tell Me Something, off of Haze Diaries 3 you make mention of the current state of hip hop, seems your not impressed, is that with the commercial side of things or its state at large?

Its not necessarily a commercial/underground thing anymore, I think it's just hip hop music as a whole has decreased quality wise. I think with the way the world is nowadays with the Internet being so vast and anybody now having the ability to get some 'fame' the quality control has gone out the window. Can it come back, I’m not too sure, but at the end of the day I’m not mad at anyone going for their dreams and trying to make something of themselves, just don't expect me to listen to it.

Haze Dairies 3 is now out. How many more in this series do you foresee?

We are in the beginning stages of volume 4 right now, so at least 4. (Laughs)  Na, I think I will always do Haze Diaries installments, similar to how Joe Budden does Mood Muzik. I will continue to release other material but will always have a Haze Diaries volume sprinkled around those other projects.

So you’re based out of LA now? Seems like as a city it's going through a creative renaissance in relation to the hip-hop community, what drew you out there?

What drew me to Cali was what Biggie said a long time ago, the women, weather and the weed. However I recently moved back to NY, but shout out to all my homies in LA killing it out there right now, LA definitely has some serious talent that has yet to be given a major outlet.  

What brought on the move back to New York? How does it feel to be back in the East?

It’s cool, it’s home, you know... I miss certain things about Cali, but being that Quickie Mart's out there I make it out there often enough.  New York is dope though, there's no place like it in the world, but I hate the cold weather.

So when are you visiting us out here in Australia?

I would love to visit Australia but I gotta get booked out there. Promoters holla at me!

When can we expect a new LP? What else should we be on the lookout for? Any shoutouts? 

HDv4 in January, I’m working on an untitled EP with a producer named B-Heat right now and also working on my LP ,Child Of An Immigrant, which should be out spring/summer of 2011. Shout out to everybody reading this interview. Shout out to DJ Quickie Mart, Jes Hudak, Malkovich, Jessica Webber, Freddie Gibbs, El Prez, Tunji and all my people man.

For more on Gotham Green and what he’s up to with his upcoming releases make sure you stay locked on his blog.