The Return of Dehaven (Q&A)

via HipHopDX

On 2004’s “Justify My Thug,” Jay-Z warned listeners, critics and the streets that they did not want him to take it back to Reasonable Doubt. The pride of Marcy Projects was referring to his seminal 1996 debut album, which was largely based on over eight years of life in the streets, of a man ascending from apprentice to hustler to one of the most vivid storytellers and respected voices Hip Hop will ever know.

For Jay-Z though, perhaps Reasonable Doubt is an era in life that he too, prefers to keep in the past. As a teenager, Shawn Carter learned the codes of the streets and the science of the sale through a man only known as De-Haven, a once championed figure in the emcee’s lyrics, and a grand-scale dealer of the late ’80s and early ’90s. However, the man that “introduced him to the game” would fade from Jay’s circle as his career skyrocketed, and the former pusher battled the legal system and subsequently, felony incarceration.

Upon returning to civilian life over two years ago, De-Haven had trouble reaching the man he frequently refers to as his “little brother.” Resistance throughout family members, mutual friends and players of the old circle added to the frustration, ending up in a series of emotional, inflammatory and arguably damaging YouTube messages and interviews. Jay-Z battled back with less than savory lyrics and bold accusations throughout his American Gangster release.

Almost three years later, having not spoken to press, De-Haven clarifies his position. A calm, soft-spoken and nostalgic figure, this one-time mentor talks about his star apprentice with pride, and certainty of a resolution. With his own endeavors coming to fruition in entertainment, read this exclusive interview with HipHopDX on how De-Haven took Jay-Z to battle the Poor Righteous Teachers, the misunderstanding of those aforementioned clips, and his hopes of restoring the brotherhood that would shape history.

HipHopDX: I want to rewind it to the very beginning. Who was De-Haven in 1988? Because obviously, that’s the timeline that we’ve gotten on the rap side of things.
De-Haven: De-Haven was a young hustler that was making major moves out on the streets doing my own thing; holding down family and friends wherever I found myself. De-Haven was about money. If it didn’t make money, it didn’t make sense. De-Haven was chasing money across state lines in ‘88, going for that double or nothing type money. It wasn’t a game. I had moved out of state, [to] Trenton, New Jersey, and it was poppin’ like hot butter on popcorn. A couple months later, I came back for [Jay-Z], I let him know that it was all good, and he came out. My aunt was good people, and before you knew it, Jay never went back home. [At this point,] I had my homeboy with me, you couldn’t tell me nothing. Money was coming, chicks everywhere, and the road ahead was alright.

DX: In New Jersey or back in Brooklyn?
De-Haven: Jersey.

DX: East Trenton.
De-Haven: Yeah.

DX: People watch films like Paid In Full. There is all this talk about characters that end up on BET at 10 o’clock for better and worse. I want to ask you, from your perspective, how much of the depiction we get from that era, in that movement in the media today? Was it really like that?
De-Haven: Let me just say this: dudess are making money off of writing books and rapping about what they saw going on in the streets at that time, feel me? If they are getting paid from writing, filming, and rapping about it, imagine how it was to actually be getting the money from the streets back then.

DX: In your 2007 interviews, you mentioned the “code.” As a lifelong hustler, former hustler, whatever, what is the code of hustling to you?
De-Haven: Well, I was raised in the street by some old timers. So it’s only natural that I go by the old rules. At the same time, no one is perfect. And it is what it is.

DX: What was your relationship to Hip Hop, whether in ‘89, after or before?
De-Haven: I was involved with Hip Hop real hard because my man Jay-Z was in it. It was definitely a craft for him, and Jay-Z was the best at it. I advocated that fact [to the fullest] all the time. That is what I mean about friendship and loyalty. At that time, when we were livin’ in Jersey, Jay-Z was known as my little brother. Nobody could tell me that they were nicer than my little brother, as far as rhyme skills— that was impossible. Whoever was the nicest in their hood, I would say, “Let me go get my little brother. I’ll be right back.” Jay-Z would come out and destroy them. You remember that Brooklyn footage when they used to show Notorious B.I.G. battle-rhyming on the streets? Jay-Z was known as the nicest on the microphone like that too.

DX: Wow…
De-Haven: Yes, back then, that’s when it all was good. I remember a time when I went back and got Jay-Z to rip a mic cipher. If you can recall the Poor Righteous Teachers, I went back and got Jay-Z for a battle with Wise Intelligent, and that was one of the greatest battles I’d ever seen. Jay had complications with it – but he won it though. Jay came out of it and said, “That boy [Wise Intelligent] right there is gonna’ be something.” Sho’ nuff, they ended up with at least [four albums] and getting major music industry,and Hip Hop culture respect. That’s how I felt about [Jay-Z] then. We were basically livin’ out of the same closet. That is how real that was. When people get it twisted is [saying] it was just a friendship… it was way more than just a friendship it was fam! Brothers.

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~ by streetknowledge on January 16, 2009.