The Verdict

• Real Detroit Weekly
• February 15, 2008

Guilty Simpson is a beast on the mic. He’s dirty and raw and reeks of Detroit swagger, and, when all gears are grinding, he’s also one of the most dangerous MCs to arise in the last few years. Now on Stonesthrow Records, Guilty is blowing up worldwide and to help catapult the colossal rhymesayer into the cosmos, he’s making a video for his single, “Getting Bitches,” with Anthony Garth.

You’re shooting your first video?
It’s my first solo video — I was on Black Milk’s "Sound the Alarm," ya know. Anthony Garth looked out on that one, too. I’m really looking forward to making this video, I knew from day one that Garth was the dude I wanted to roll with.

Do you have some favorite music videos?
A lot of the older videos — Xzibit’s “What You See is What You Get,” was a real dope concept and Busta Rhymes always has dope videos and Wu-Tang’s “Triumph” is definitely up there, too. Hip-hop always pushes the envelope.

Are you out in Cali a lot now?
Quite a bit, finishing Ode To The Ghetto out there was important because I could dedicate a lot of time without any distraction. That’s really my second home.

Do you mind the label of being a storytelling rapper?
Since I started writing I’ve always liked that form, that element. Sometimes instead of rappin’ about plastic things, a story can really draw the listener in and guarantees that they have to listen to your song from beginning to end to get the whole story — it’s like sittin’ down and watching an episode of The Wire, you gotta watch the whole thing to get every detail that brings the story together. Kool G Rap, Scarface, Slick Rick — I always liked what they brought to the table.

“Foot Work” is a dope track — I heard a lot of Detroit in it.
Right! It goes back to the title of the CD, Ode To The Ghetto — it’s for Detroit, but I think people all over the world can vibe with it. I can send in a rhyme long distance, so even if I have a house somewhere else during the cold Detroit winter to drink good and smoke good, it’ll always be about Detroit. | RDW