Following the Foul Monday interview, fellow Killa Kidz member Ruc Da Jackel reached out to tell his story. Having been in the game since the age of twelve, Mr. QB has worked with Killa Sha, Nas and Ron Artest, and is currently preparing his debut solo album, I Am Queensbridge and just launched his I Am QB clothing line.
Robbie: What got you started in the rap game?
Ruc Da Jackel: It was just the element of Queensbridge. It’s always been around us, rap music has always been a part of our community. Having all them influences of hip-hop around me had me making raps up, banging on the lunchroom table. From there, just kept going.
How did you get your name?
I got the name Ruc just from being a little wild kid in Queensbridge – always into ruckus, always into drama. My man Lake The Kid gave the handle “The Jackal” when we were working on the 41st Side album. “Mr. Queensbridge” – I take on the title of the whole hood, now.
How did that project come about?
First I was down with Killa Kidz, that was made up with – rest in peace – my man Killa Sha. We all grew up on the same block, the 41st Side of Vernon, and their group was just starting. It was basically Baby Cham, my man Challice, Prince A.D., Supurb and Baby Cham brother, Third Surge. They were doing a couple of songs, recording, and me being friends and on the block and around, friends was just hyping me up. At that young age I was already hanging out with Challice and Prince A.D. so they were like, “Yo, what do you think about our group?” I went in front of their manager Tyrel – True Force at the time – and he was just feeling the kid. So we did maybe ten, fifteen tracks. We did the single “Time To Shine,” we did “‘96 Phenomenon” a couple of joints that made it to wax. We were just performing and really doing it and then the group kinda separated. Cham got signed to Busta’s Flipmode Squad, me and my little man Challice went over and started dealing with Nas, working on the QB’s Finest album.
At what point did you did you start dealing with Ron Artest?
After doing the song with Nas, that ripple effect into me working with Ron Artest and his record label, he had Tru Warier Records just on the come-up, me and my man Challice were travelling the world with Ron, doing a whole bunch of music and seeing things. He had signed the girl group Allure and we just went on the road. We went everywhere in the States and then we did it really big overseas, opening up for Fat Joe, that was awesome. Ron was on many different teams, so we went from state to state. We did mixtapes, DVD’s and appeared on Ron’s album.
Had you known Ron from the old days?
Queensbridge is a community so we always knew of each other, we’re just from different blocks. He’s nothing as they show him as, he’s very humble, the most down-to-earth athlete you could probably meet, ever.
What’s your best memory of Killa Sha?
I remember when we were cultivating songs we used to go to Killa Sha’s house, he had the DJ equipment set-up, he’d put them records on, make a beat out of some drops and some cuts. We’d just be in there, passing the microphone around, just rhyming as Killa Kidz with all crates of records lying around. We had a lot of fun doing a lot of things, but the element of the natural hip-hop with him and cultivating us as artists was really dope. Killa Sha was monumental in my life in giving me a shot and keeping me wanting to do music and keeping us inspired. When he started the group we were 14, 15 years old. He gave us direction, helped us focus and helped us build our craft. He believed in us and knew ahead of time where we were going. He had the vision.
He seemed like a real character.
It was always fun with Sha. You’re going to laugh, he always had a joke in there. He had a great spirit.
Foul Monday was saying he joined the crew towards the end?
Opportunities starred presenting themselves outside of the group. We had started making little separate groups within the click, we had Mud Brothers and then we had Crud Brothers. Mud Brothers was Foul Monday and Killa Sha, Crud Brothers was me and my man Chalice.
What was it like working with Nas on his project?
The song with Nas, “Real Niggas” was almost like a hood anthem, we named everybody in the projects so it was giving recognition to the people that make up the stories that were told. I remember recording that record, we was all in the studio and even people that really didn’t get along with each other inside the projects was up in the studio, listening to the song and just coming together and vibing. It was a real element of community and our power. That song really displayed that and brought me to the forefront. He did over a thousand songs for that project and only a few of them made the cut. I happened to be incarcerated when the call came in for the Killa Kidz. I was talkin’ to my man Challice, I called home, he was like “Yo we were just in the studio with Nas, we laid down two songs. We biggin’ you up.” When I got home I went straight to the studio every day, listening to the songs, watching Nas create. Then one day he came to me, “You ready? It’s your turn.” I went in the booth and I kicked a rhyme that I had and it just fit with the beat. The next day Nas was like, “Yo, can I get on that song with you?” So he laid his verse and then Mike Delorean from Bars ‘N Hooks had wrote the names down of everybody in the projects – I mean everybody – and Nas just recited everything and made it right.
What can you tell me about the I Am Queensbridge album?
It’s me, but it’s everybody. It’s featuring Blaq Poet, Tragedy Khadafi, Nature, Roxanne Shante, Marley Marl, Craig G, Bars ‘N Hooks, G.O.D. and Mobb Deep – showcasing everybody from Queensbridge. It’s almost like QB’s Finest all over again except that I’m on every song with them. I started real young, so it’s time for me to spread my wings and it wasn’t really hard for me to get this music from all these Queensbridge artists. Being from the community and being involved in music for so long I’ve met these people or even seen them just going to the store, as long as you keep yourself as a respectful person and they see what I’m doing in my craft and it’s not a talent being wasted? Then they’re going to support. This is our legacy.
robbie you should put together a QB mixtape dude. I’m sure you have some gems in the stash.