With everything that this New Orleans Third Ward rapper has been through, it is amazing to see him release an album, a book and a DVD all within a year. C-Murder is a TRU example of a man who can overcome adversity and persevere. He carries on his family heritage as being self-reliant by starting his own record label, TRU Records along with a few other companies to add to his groundbreaking empire. C-Murder also has an album that is set to be released on February 2008.

C-Murder tells HipHopClub about his new label, publishing company, non-profit organization, his upcoming album, the current status in New Orleans with the Hurricane Katrina situation and lets his fans know that he hasn’t forgotten about them.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Everybody is talking about your new DVD called “The Movement”. What will fans expect to see on it?

C-Murder: Man, they’re not going to see an ordinary DVD like all these dudes doing and trying to be gangsta and thug and just show, you know, the hood and how tough they are. It’s not about all that. But “The Movement” is about the things that I have been going through personally in my life, I’m going to introduce all of my fans to that, take them inside my world. Then I’m going to introduce you to all of my TRU Records artists and what we got planned for the future and what we got coming up. My TRU Publishing where I’m going to be putting out novels and different other authors that are going to be on the TRU publishing team you know what I’m sayin. I’m introducing them to my new movement that I’m doing, my organization, non-profit called “Help Me Help You”. You know, they’re going to see how the face Katrina still has on New Orleans, our city after two years and some change, you know. And basically you know you’re going to just see me just having fun and I’m hollerin at Mac, you different homies that have been incarcerated and stuff man. Basically just a movement and the progress of TRU Records and myself, ya heard me?

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Now that’s what’s up, man!

C-Murder: Yeah.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Yeah, I can’t wait to see it for real, it dropped on December 11^th right?

C-Murder: Yeah, that’s the day it dropped and I’ve been getting a lot of calls from a lot of people you know. They’re really enjoying it, you know.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: So what’s it like down there in New Orleans because I’m from St. Louis and we’re kind of like the sister city as far as Mardi Gras and everything. What’s the status of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina?

C-Murder: You know, I mean as far as all of the big major corporations and businesses they’re back on top you know. The Katrina devastated everyone but the ones with the money, they straight right now. You got the hoods, the projects, starting December 15^th everybody living in the projects and came back they ain’t going to have no where to live because they’re boarding them up and tearing them down on the 15^th so there’s a big old hoop-haw down here right now too, ya heard me? They talking about chaining themselves to the fences and not letting them through because rent is so high, people use to paying fifty and seventy dollars a month, no light and no electricity. Now they talking about they gotta live on the streets, you know they’re going to be homeless so I’m sure they’re real aggravated right now. You know, so there’s a lot of that going on in our communities and stuff so we’re just trying to figure it out and take it day by day, bruh.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: … Damn!

C-Murder: Yeah - -

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Your album, “Screaming 4 Vengeance” is due to hit stores next year. Why did you choose that title?

C-Murder: “Screaming 4 Vengeance” man, you know my music that’s my release, that’s my therapy when I get in that booth. I’ve been through a lot man, you know what I’m sayin. And I’m going to show you that pain and that emotion and that aggression through my music and through my lyrics. When you get this album, it’s gonna be like, “Yeah, I feel this dude right chea” bruh! That’s why I named it “Screaming 4 Vengeance” ya heard me?

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Yeah, man. The people’s already gonna feel it. You got a legacy dude. Laid it down for over 10 years.

C-Murder: Yeah. On top man. And I thank my fans and everybody, they’ve always been there for me through thick and thin. But you know, they understand me I’m just like them, you know. I’m in the streets, I’m just that dude. I’m just chillin. Ya heard me? Straight up, I keep it real, I keep it one hundred percent, I ain’t never been out there faking. So I got some loyalty from my fans. And so, that loyalty inspired me to get in that booth and give them what they want and not be tainted by what’s going on in society and Hip Hop with everybody trying to change us, you know what I mean? Our lyrical content and stuff like that, I ain’t having that, ya heard me?

St. Louis Ben Grimm: That’s what it is! Are there any featured artists on the album?

C-Murder: Yeah. All my homeboys that I’ve been hollerin at through thick and thin, they on there. Like Akon, Papoose, Krayzie Bone, Pimp C, my own artists The Cutt Boyz, which is the new group coming out after my album drop, and all of my TRU Records artists, G-Dinero, Verse, Sincere Sosa, Junie B., Tomeka, M-11, J-Lyric you know. Your going to get everybody on there that was down with your boy, and everybody that wasn’t down with me they ain’t on there, straight up.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: (laughs) Okay. So how does it feel to have an album, a DVD and a book released after everything you’ve been through?

C-Murder: It feels good. It just shows everybody that when the odds are against you and you’re down on your bet and at the worst situation at the time of your life you gotta keep pushing ahead man. Stay focused, stay alert and keep on moving, can’t give up. You know what I mean? Because I’m living testimony of that. You know, you gotta stand tall, be strong, be a man, handle your business. Keep doing what you gotta do with it. Doors gonna open for you, you know, you can be back on top, bruh!

St. Louis Ben Grimm: For those people who don’t know, your status is that you’re on house arrest, correct?

C-Murder: Yeah.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: So you’re still able to go to the studio and go out?

C-Murder: You know one thing I got it crucial. I got a studio at my crib. You know what I mean. I can wake up at three in the morning with an idea and go in there and lay it down. Ya heard me? So that’s what I do. Plus I got another studio out chea in New Orleans that I go to and I got a studio in Baton Rouge that I go to whenever. So you know, that’s how it is.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: I’m sure this question is on everybody’s mind. Will we ever see TRU reunited with another album soon?

C-Murder: I don’t know about that, but it ain’t going to be me on it. You know, No Limit doing they’re thing and TRU Records going a whole other way. You know, I’m doing my own thing, so I ain’t going to be on it, I ain’t going to be a part of that one. Ya heard me?

St. Louis Ben Grimm: So is there anything else that you would like the HipHopClub readers to know?

C-Murder: Yeah, I want them to know that everything that C-Murder and TRU Records about, it’s going to be official. It’s going to be one hundred percent top quality and the best music coming from our camp that you can possibly get because I’m co-signing it. Ya heard me? So be looking for the new artists coming out and I want to tell my fans that I appreciate them for being there for your boy and your boy ain’t going to let them down. Ya heard me?

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Cool. Any websites too?

C-Murder: Yeah, they can holla at me on trupublishing.com, myspace.com/cmurder and asylumrecords.com. And that’s official.

St. Louis Ben Grimm: Thank you for the interview! It’s about time we linked up and did this.

C-Murder: It’s all good man. Holla when you need me again. Ya heard me?

--By Marrio (St. Louis Ben Grimm) Gardner