T: What’s the likelihood of a Ummah reunion, with the Tribe reunion and all?
JD: Awww naww! Not in this business, man. Everybody know you live and learn, it’s like life. What I was doing with the whole Ummah thing and my whole shit, you know me being a Tribe fan, it’s all like a dream un-folded to me. That’s someone I never ever thought I'd be able to hook-up with, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed. When we did the Ummah thing it was because the idea was good. Because at that time with the Trackmasters and a lot mutherfuckers ruling the radio, there wasn't that gutter shit ruling the radio. We was like: “Let’s try to get in the game like that,” but the way we did it the business wasn't handled right and the production credits…it got real sticky…a sticky situation. I wouldn't put myself in that position to be covered up like I was, I was puttin’ so much work into all of this music and still to this day a lot of people don't know I was doing a lot of their shit. Right now the money is cool and all of that shit but the respect and the name is more important for me, know what I'm sayin’? If I can walk in the office and I ain't gotta play nothing, I can just get work off my name, that’s more valuable to me than any amount of dollars. I'm just really trying to take this oppurtunity, with the time right now to get the name Jay Dee or J. Dilla, whatever you wanna call me, just get it back out there. You know, try to bring my thing to the table. I'm not trying to take over and all of that shit. I'm just trying to get in the game officially.

T: What about your label Flithy McNasty?
JD: Well, just kinda briefly, the whole McNasty thing was really me, Frank’N Dank, and the next muthafucka was gonna be Guilty Simpson. I tell people now I just did a joint with Madlib for Stones Throw, ‘JayLib’. We doing Part 2. The labels right now, it’s like, to me it seems like in two or three years shit’s only gonna be one label. It’s gettin’ so fucked up, and then it’s like with internet shit, people don't understand that all that downloading shit is cool and it’s lovely because it gets like not only people like me but it gets the underground out there. People be checking for that shit. I'm not one of the dudes that be online, I'm prehistoric with my shit, using cell phones and shit. They have to understand when it gets to the label side of the politics, the labels don't wanna hear nothing. There’s no more concept albums coming out, people don't do that shit. Like I mentioned the Musiq shit, Def Jam is taking a chance on that to me because people ain't doing concept albums. They worried about the record sales and what’s the hottest single. For a creative muthafucka its crazy because you gots to change your whole shit just to maybe get your shit played like Slum shit. That’s my heart, my foundation but the shit that the label is forcing them to put out is not Slum. It’s not what they really wanna do, it’s not what T3 wanna do. We always been on some going against the grain shit but it’s like they forced to do that shit or they'll be fucked. They won't have a deal next year or there won't be another album if they don't get some singles out and get some sales and shit. The internet and a lot of the crazy technology shit plays a big part on that tip as far as artist being able to do what they wants do. Thats why I'm fucking with these little independent labels, Stones Throw and BBE, they give a nigga a little creative freedom even though the numbers ain't the same. But cats don't really understand they can live off of that shit. I can go overseas and live like a king right now. Ain't shit popping off in the States. I mean it’s a total different world over there. I tell people this ain't it, you ain't just gotta try to get your shit on 106 & Park. You go over seas you can do that shit, you can do what you wanna do. I'm just trying to get my foot in the door get on this 50 shit or whatever I gotta do to change shit. I give thanks to Kanye and niggas that take chances, like Nas picking underground niggas for beats and even G-Unit fucking with Nottz and just crazy niggas. It ain't gotta be the regular shit. It’s time for the underdog to really come up.

T: Any other collab projects coming out soon?
JD: I don't know maybe like Kanye…but you know I ain't really feeling that right now. I gotta help myself first. I can't even think about clickin’ up with anybody right now.