By Rachel Nichols  |  Send to Friend

Malice and Ab-Liva sit comfortably on a leather couch in the lobby of the Double Tree Hotel. Two of four members of The Clipse present The Re-Up Gang, best well known for their independently driven mix tapes with a d-boy style. It’s nearing 10’o clock and they’re just finishing up what appears to be their hundredth interview of the day. As I near the couch the two stand up. Ab-Liva is a soft-spoken Philadelphia native and Malice a sweet talking Virginia-Beach type. They’re in town to push their upcoming album Re-Up Gang due out August 5, 2008.

RN: So you and Pusha T are from Virginia Beach, and you’re from Philly, right? Where’s the connection? How did the Re-Up Gang form?

 

 

 

Ab-Liva: Well, I came from a group called Major Figgas from around here and my friend Gillie was signed to Suave House records, that was back in ’99. Gillie was going to work with Pharrell, so I went with him because I was about to get signed. That’s where I met Clipse, with Pharrell; we would all just spit in the studio. That’s when they were recording Lord Willin’. There was a mutual respect from the start.

RN: Where was the Re-Up Gang album recorded?

Malice: In Virginia, in the Neptune’s studio.

RN: Would you say there's a Neptunes sound to the record?

Malice: It definitely has a Neptunes sound. But that’s not it, Maestro did a lot of songs, he did work on the Carter 3 album, some by Green Lantern, Scott Storch.

Ab Liva: And a number of up-and-coming producers.

Malice: We went to Storch’s crib in Miami, were just vibing, and that’s where we came up with “Fast Life”.

RN: Are there any producers or MCs who you like that you have yet to work with as a group?

 

Malice: I like T.I

RN: What was the writing process like for this new album?

Ab-Liva: We all go off on our own and write. When we get together in the studio I haven’t heard Malice or Pusha’s verses. When they get in the booth and you hear how good they are, I can’t wait to get in there and deliver. Everybody knows to bring their A-game.

Malice: This album is gonna be different. We experimented more, you know, we’ve pretty much got our cult following, and our fans who vibe with us and understand the Clipse. So we always try to keep the fan in mind while pushing for a bigger fan base.

Ab-Liva: I think the level of artistry that we perform at allows us to draw out on the street. We see all types of people as fans, college kids and hipsters. So, when you come to one of our shows there’s large array of people, if we could just keep building on that I would be happy. I love to look out all different people, everyone knowing and liking the music.

RN: It’s apparent that your music has been received by musicians of totally different genres doing mash-ups of your songs, like Girl Talk’s Wamp Wamp mixed with The Knife by Grizzly Bear, is that flattering to you guys?

 

 

 

Ab-Liva: I think it’s very flattering. The fact that someone would take something that you created and make a heightened version of it, to me that’s great. I would be open to meeting up with those musicians and throwing some ideas around.

 

Writer Rachel Nichols is just trying to keep it street. Guest photographer Katey McCurdy is just trying to get paid.