Back in 1995, the Hip-Hop community was taken by storm when Mobb Deep’s second album, The Infamous came into play. The album was filled with gritty New York street tales that vividly painted pictures of urban life from a Queens Bridge point of view. There were many memorable songs on the album, and although TaJaun Perry initially made his debut on Mobb Deep’s first record, Juvenile Hell on a song called "Stomp ‘Em Out", the man known to Queens Bridge aficionados as Big Noyd made a statement with his verse on "Give Up The Goods (Just Step)". After he uttering the lines: “Yo it’s the R-A Double-P/E-R-N-O-Y-D/n***as can’t f**k with me.” He was soon greeted  with a record deal worth $300,000.00.

His debut album Episodes Of A Hustla was released through Tommy Boy Records in 1996.

During this period, Noyd endured some jail time, which didn’t allow him to allow him to be fully hands-on with the project. Even with his absence, the album was still successful, and still remains a cult classic. From there it seemed like “The Bridge” had produced another talented MC to follow in the footsteps of those that came before him, but Noyd took a 7-year hiatus, finally returning in 2003, with Only The Strong.

Just as his first album, this project wa s again solid, but due to folding of his record label at the time, Landspeed Records (which soon reinvented itself as Traffic Entertainment) the project didn’t get the attention it needed to really flourish. But instead of pointing the finger, the longtime Mobb Deep affiliate went on his grind (literally) by releasing On The Grind back in 2004.

Now with a new situation and his own record company (Noyd Inc.) the Queens MC that first caught our attention back in 1996 is poised to do it again with his fourth album Illustrious. As he proves to the hardcore Hip-Hop fans he has plenty more episodes to go, before his show is cancelled.

What’s good? What have you been up to lately?

It ain’t nothing, just grinding it out right now.

I can dig that. So did you try anything new on this project? Or did you keep your formula the same?

I mean I kept it thoro, man I kept it “Noyd.” But the big difference with this one is that I got [Lil’] Fame from M.O.P. as the executive producer. So he’s going to change the sound in itself. There’s really no Mobb Deep tracks on there. No Havoc or Alchemist on there. I just wanted to step up the element with this one, just trying to do something a little different. My style of rap is still gangsta Queens Bridge status sh*t. But I didn’t want to give people the same thing. But I didn’t want to change my style up on some “Kanye West” sh*t. So I was like; “How can I change it without changing Noyd?” So what I did was just change the production a lot, know what I mean. I did a joint with Joell Ortiz, and really try to do joints with people that I never worked with before, you know.    

So that’s why you didn’t work with Mobb Deep and Alchemist this time around? You want to step into another light?

Yeah man, I just wanted to step into another light. There was one joint where I tried to get Havoc and “P” on, but there was a situation between G-Unit and KOCH, and all this other bullsh*t. But I did leak one of them to the streets. I knew there really wasn’t any way I could do a 360 with my style, so I just wanted another way to come at them so they’re not like; “Okay, this is the same old Noyd sh*t.” So what I did was just try and change it up production-wise.  

How did Lil’ Fame come to be the executive producer?

It’s crazy, I knew Fame for a while, but we just never did any collabos or any music together. I actually went to the studio one day, and he was there doing beats in the studio. And I heard some of his beats, and I was like; “Oh my God!” “This sh*t is CRACK!” And he was like; “Good lookin’” So what you doing?” And I was like; “I’M GETTING ON THAT BEAT RIGHT THERE!” And he was like; “Alright lets do it my n***a!” So we did that one joint, and after that we did like 10 joints, and we picked the best out of the 10, we picked like four joints.

Also he knew that I was listening to other beats, and he was like; “Do you mind if I sit-in, and help you choose some of the beats?” I was like; “Hell no n***a!” “Lets do it!” Fame is ill man. A lot of the joints that M.O.P. came out with, a lot of the hits, I never knew he did them. I thought Premo did them. So for him to be like; “Let me sit-in, and pick beats with you.” He also helped me with some concepts for a few songs, and helped me write a few hooks. He would sit there, and be like; “Nah I don’t like that son.” Or be like “Okay, I love this!” He was really hands-on with this project, and he really played a big role.            

Would you say that’s one part of your game that you had work on? Just getting hooks down packed?

I had it in the smash already, but when you get a lane sometimes, it’s just like B-ballin’. If your signature move is the “crossover” people know that you’re doing that, so they’re going to be prepared for it. I already had the hooks in the smash, but just right now I’m going at it with a different sound. Like I’m chopping it up a little different, or just harmonizing a little different. He came in with stuff like that, and pitched a couple of ideas. Just to make the album a little different than what I’m used to normally doing.      

For those that don’t know, what is actually the role of an executive producer?

An executive producer does more than just pick his own beats. He actually helps you pick beats from other artists. He also helps you connect with other artists like; “Yo, I hooked you up with Joell Ortiz.” He also helps you pick an engineer to help produce the sound. Like if you go in the studio and you mix your album with an engineer, he’s just going to do his job. He’s going to do the A-B-C’s. Somebody like Fame is going to be like; “Nah you gotta turn the high-hats down over here, and you gotta turn the base up on this side.” He really sits there and brings the element out the beat, or the element out the song.       

I was always lost on that a little myself. So your last album was released four years ago right?

Yeah..

Why such the long layoff?

It was just more of a situation where I was trying to get my feet wet again. Hip-Hop is my life, but I also got a family. Just dealing with situations like that. And just being with Mobb Deep so much, there were a lot of things that I didn’t have to worry about.

As far as getting into the studio, or just working with other artists. Mobb Deep already had that laid out. So this time around I was doing stuff on my own because I was building Noyd Inc., so I had to go and build the studio, and find somebody to build it. So after all that was said and done, I had to go and hire an engineer. So you wasn’t hearing from me, but I was doing a lot more behind the scenes things to get my label popping, and my own studio popping. So when I got myself situated to where everything was up-and-running, it was time for a “Noyd” album.       

Yeah but wasn’t it hard to jump back in the studio, and “go-in” after all that time off?

It was kind of hard, because I been out the loop for a while. I would do a song, and I’d be like; “I don’t like that.” Then I’d do another one, and I’d be like; “I don’t like that.” It took me a couple joints to really get back into my mojo. Then I was like; “Okay, now I’m happy with this one, it came out hot.” I didn’t want to just do anything, because anybody can rhyme over a beat, say a hook, and the song is done. But that don’t make it hot, you know what I’m saying. So I had to get back to where I was comfortable with myself, and not without even telling people I made [this] song yesterday, I would just play it for people so I could see their reaction. I would go to the local clubs around the way, and have the DJ spin it to see what the crowd felt about it. And when I got good feedback, I knew it was time and I was ready to get back into the flow of things.

That’s cool. You also tried your hand at acting. How was that like?

The movie was ill, that was a great experience, and I loved doing the movie-thing. It was definitely something completely different that I never done in my life, it was my first role. I didn’t play a part too different from the regular life I usually live, or used to live for that case. So I would like a challenge if I was to do another role, and do something that’s completely not me. But the acting sh*t was ill, I enjoyed myself a lot.     

Do you get tired changing hats from CEO to artist?

Definitely. You gotta pay the overhead at the studio, and you got a couple of people working for you, so you gotta make sure that they’re doing their job. If I’m doing my part in the studio making the music, then someone else is in the studio doing their part. Like they’re supposed to be answering the phones and they’re late. Once you slack in one position, it’s like a domino effect, and it affects everything else.

So for me to be up in the studio, until like 3 in morning, then have to make sure that somebody is there at 7 in the morning to answer the phones [Pauses] it’s a hard job. But at the same token, nothing comes easy, and plus I enjoy it. I can’t see myself doing anything else but something in this industry of Hip-Hop. It’s hard, but what makes it easy is because I enjoy it, know what I mean.  

I definitely know what you mean. So how do you feel about your career up to this point?  Do you think you’ve been moving in a positive direction?

I’m happy just to be in the game, to be honest. But I thought that I should’ve been bigger than the position I’m in right now. So just like they said, “It Was Written.” Maybe my position wasn’t for me to blow up and become an artist that sells millions of records. Maybe my position was to just get in the game, and become an artist. And maybe my entrepreneurship and my CEO skills will get me further than my rap career. So I don’t knock it, because people always want more and you’re never happy. You’re never content. Because once you conquer one thing, you want to move onto the next.

So either with money or no money one of the best things I get out of Hip-Hop is traveling. And that’s something that I probably would’ve never done if I was working a regular 9 to 5. I looked at my passport the other day, and I gotta renew it because I’m already booked out of it. So just traveling the world and seeing different cultures. Like I just came back from China.....me, Havoc and Alchemist. Its cool to just to see somebody recite my rhymes. Like sometimes I’ll be so drunk on stage, I’ll forget a line, and I can just stick the mic into the crowd and they’re right on point singing along.

So a lot comes with it than just money. I came from nothing, I came from a hole in the wall from Queens Bridge, and to be where I’m at right now is a blessing. That’s why I named my album Illustrious, because I’m a star in my own right. I may not be a star making millions of dollars, but statistic-wise I’m supposed to be dead or in jail right now. So for me to be where I’m at right now, I’m shining.    

So what does Big Noyd of 2008 know that the Big Noyd of 1996’s “Episodes Of A Hustla” didn’t know?

One of the major things that I learned man, is you gotta be hands-on with your own stuff. Because if you leave it up to someone else; you’re going to get nowhere. Nobody is going to care of you, your music, or your career the way that you would. And that’s what [we] did in the past together as “Mobb Deep.” We had an A&R pick the songs; we had Steve Rifkin at Loud Records pick what cities we would promote. Then I’d go out and meet fans, and they’d be like; “Why you never come here?” So it’s about realizing it’s not just where the “market” is, you have to go outside of that circle, and create new fans. That’s why I like to do in-stores, because when you’re hands-on, they respect you more.

For more on Big Noyd, please visit: 

www.mysapce.com/therealbignoyd