It's easy to consider Norfolk VA, native Fam-Lay a man on the outside looking in. Signed to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo's Star Trak Entertainment Record label since 2001, he's the only artist that has yet to make a solid contribution.

 He first appeared in 2002, on various albums as a featured performer. From The Clipse debut, Lord Willin', where he had a solo verse titled "Fam-Lay Freestyle", to The Neptunes compilation album, Neptunes Present... Clones. After the release of his song, "Rock 'N Roll" (which featured a remix with Lil Flip), the man born as Vernon Johnson seemed destined as the next artist to blast off from the Star Trak label.

His first album, Traintogo was slated to be released in March of 2004, through a joint venture between Star Trak and Def Jam Records. But with album delays, and other typical record label drama, his project failed to met its due date, and Fam-Lay was subsequently let out of his contractual obligations with Def Jam. But instead of waiting for hand-outs, he took the initiative by keeping his movement going until he got another chance to prove he belonged in the spot light along with his already-established l abel mates.     

Keeping his name alive through the independent circuit, he came out with a few mixtapes in between time of waiting for the next situation to come up. Towards the end of 2004, he released Star Trak Presents: Fam-Lay hosted by new New York's very own DJ Cipha Sounds of the popular radio station, Hot 97.

Then in 2005, he followed up with Grand Theft Ghetto (Shark City) which gained him even more attention. Now in 2007, he sets forth to release his new album, "Dat Missile" through Interscope/Star Trak Entertainment. What will be his outcome? Only time will tell.   
              

Is "No Time 4 No's" feat. The Clipse and Pharrell the first single for Dat Missile? 

Nah man, that just came out of nowhere. That's a record we did a minute ago, and people got their hands on it. But I heard they're feeling it.

What can people expect from Dat Missile, since fans didn't get to hear your first album?

No one heard my first album, but this one's in the same lane. It's what I've been doing. I'm still that dude from Virginia hustling, getting money, and putting music together.

Are you worried about recapturing your fan base, since you've been gone a while?   

Nah, I'm not really worried. That's not even a thought in my mind. I don't think I've been gone, I've been working this whole time. When I'm in the streets, people tell me they're looking for the album. So that keeps me motivated, and working. 

What complications caused your deal at Def Jam to fall through?  

The Def Jam deal [pauses] it was an issue about [them] playing musical chairs. When L.A. Reid came, [they]  switched the whole sh*t around. Kevin Lyles was who signed me, then [he] went to another label. 

Will you ever try to release material from Traintogo? 

There were songs that people were still asking about; so I kept a few from the old album. Some of them we couldn't get rid of. Like "No Time 4 No's", was on the first album.

Really? It was?

Yeah man, that song was on the first album.

Was it hard getting back in the studio to make another album after your layoff?  

Even with the Def Jam situation, I was still recording. I was doing sh*t for the radio out here, and recording songs. I was doing that when I was going through that sh*t. So I didn't feel it.  

Was it frustrating sitting on the sidelines for so long? 

Of course man, that was the most frustrating sh*t. You want people to hear your sh*t. You don't want to feel like you're doing songs for the hell of it; you want people to hear it. Even with the situation I was going through, it felt like a blessing in disguise. When L.A. Reid came to Def Jam, [he] wasn't feeling what we were doing. So we got with someone who believed in us, that's why we're with Interscope. It was frustrating, but now I'm with someone that knows what we're trying to do.

Any reason why it you three years to get back onto the music scene?

Before I got off Def Jam, we was trying to move to Interscope. I went through so much, with this music sh*t. I've been on both sides; when it's good and bad. But I honestly didn't know the difference between being signed and unsigned. The Clipse were going through some sh*t with Jive, around that time too. Me and Pusha would still go out and gamble, then go party in Atlanta. For a while, we was both going through sh*t. But we was still living, so it didn't seem long. 

What do you say to the people that think you're more of a featured artist, rather than someone who can carry an album?  

Those are the people I want paying attention to me. This whole time I've been a featured artist, but I've still been doing music. When they hear my records, they'll understand what's going on.

How much did your Grand Theft Ghetto mixtape keep you relevant?   

I was in the studio just doing sh*t and my manager was like "yo, just put a mixtape out, f**k it." That definitely helped. That wasn't something I wanted to do, because everybody was doing it. After I did eight freestyles, we  put it together.

Will this project feature outside production?   

The plan was for The Neptunes to produce it, I wasn't mad at that. Then Pharrell was like; "if there's producers you want to work with, go get them." "You're free to work with them." I was like "oh sh*t! that's cool!" A lot of artists on a producer's label can't rock like that. So I reached out to people like David Banner, DJ Tonk, Shawty Redd, and Three 6 Mafia. 

Are you worried about performing well, since you're on a high profiled label? 

Nah, the whole time I've been waiting, I've been getting better. I've been learning the "ins-and-outs." I'm just anxious. I feel like everything's falling into place.

What's the biggest misconception about you? 

That I'm a regular dude. I ain't a n***a  the label comes to and they're like "we need a gangsta n***a." Like I wear Dickies and Locs all day, I ain't that dude. I'm an everyday dude. Sometimes  I feel like the most gangsta n***a in the world, and other days I feel like the  flyest. When you see some artists in the streets, they have their [character] on. That's crazy to me, I don't want to look like that.

What's a major lesson you've learned in the music business?   

Patience....Nothing more, man. Just patience, and taking care of your business. When I first came in the game, I trusted people to do their job; so I can do what I do. Sometimes you can't do that, you have to be on everything.

So you're on top of things now?

Man, I'm on everything brah. EVERYTHING! [laughter] 

How did you stay motivated with all your set backs?

Just music period. I love making it, and I'm getting good responses from the people. Plus all my friends, like my homeboy Pharrell. Just being around them, makes you want to get motivated. I'm having fun, this ain't a job for me. Like this one time, I got this record from Pharrell, and I was trying too hard. He was like "calm down n***a!" When I settled in, I wrote the sh*t within the next hour. Like doing this interview with you is fun. You can't over think sh*t.