John Payne, Senior Vice President of WIDEawake Death Row Entertainment, shared his thoughts on Snoop Dogg's October 13th release. The public is highly anticipating the release of Snoop Dogg's, The Lost Sessions Volume 1, which contains previously unreleased material from the years 1992 through 1997. Guests on The Lost Sessions Volume 1 include Tha Dogg Pound, Tray Deee, and George Clinton.

In this interview, Mr. Payne also talked about the September release of Dr. Dre's, The Chronic Re-Lit, and the pure sound of Snoop Dogg's material within The Lost Sessions Volume 1. Payne also spoke about Tupac Shakur, President Obama's election, the "more harmonious" days of Death Row, Snoop Dogg's music, and what he himself has learned from his thirty year career within the music industry. During Payne's career, he has worked with artists such as Babyface, Snoop Dogg, and The Rolling Stones, among many others.

Ok, it's a privilege to speak with you today John and I know that everyone's really excited about the upcoming Snoop Dogg release. So before we get to Snoop, I wanted to learn a little bit more about you. I know that you wear a lot of hats. You've said before that you're a music engineer, producer, executive, and mentor -- what's your favorite part of the business?

My favorite part of the business -- I think it varies from day-to-day. On some days, my favorite part is when I meet new artists and people fresh in the business, and I can help them and share a little bit of my wisdom with them. Other days, I'm sitting at the studio, and my favorite part is creating a really good song. You know, it varies from day-to-day.

Oh ok.

I would say that if it was one thing in particular, then I probably wouldn't have lasted in the business this long because I wouldn't have had as much passion about it. So pretty much, I enjoy everything.

I don't know if you've ever gotten this question, but have you ever thought about being a rapper?

Actually, no -- I've never considered being on the other side of the mic or being on the other side of the camera. I kind of like the side that I'm on -- where I can help put things together. I don't have...the personality, the ego, or the need to be up front. And this is not putting down the artists or anything like that, but it's just not me.

And what were you doing before you became the Senior VP of WIDEawake Entertainment Group?

Before I became the Senior VP of WIDEawake -- I consulted companies, I've engineered for a lot of people, I've done a lot of traveling around the world, I've helped friends in other countries to start labels and get noticed.  I give a lot of my time and I try to give back.

Ok, and could you tell us about one of the nonprofits you've been involved with?

The nonprofits are more like things in my travels -- when I run across various artists and groups -- just trying to give my wisdom and share my time freely. I've mastered and mixed records for people for free and I've gone on the radio. In Australia I have some friends who are aboriginals and I've done stuff with them and tried to help them. And I've also helped other artists as well.

That is so cool. And now onto the topic of the hour, I know everyone's real excited about the upcoming Snoop Dogg release and that some of his songs are seventeen years old. How does it feel for you -- being an original Death Row member -- to finally watch this music see the light of day?

Actually, it always feels good, especially being there at the beginning. I think, it was a more harmonious time then, everyone was just starting out -- a little green. There was much more positivity and it was more of a passionate mission than a job at that time cause everyone was learning. So to see these songs come to light -- as well as watch some of the people who never got heard, finally be heard...and when you listen to these songs, you can hear what it was like during that time. It's like I've come full circle. I feel good that I've been able to help in terms of getting the music out and not letting it come out where it's been distorting, or remixed, or changed in anyway. So I feel good in knowing that I have a hand in keeping it in its original state. This is really good for me and I hope that it's equally as good for the artists.

So you're really the one keeping it real and making sure that the music is all going to remain as pure as it can be?

I take full responsibility for that. We have a team of people, but I would rather that burden be placed on my head. Because I'm the one who goes to the vault and gets it out, and I go through the entire production process from start to finish. We pull it out of the vault and make sure that it's in good physical condition...and then all we've done is re-mastered. We've changed nothing, for that Snoop release and the Re-Lit that we did on Dre -- I take the full responsibility. So if anyone has any complaints or problems, blame me.

You say that it's in its purest state -- would you say that these new Snoop songs about to be released are reflective of the original West Coast gangsta rap sound? Or is there something a little bit unique and different about this music that we haven't heard yet?

I would say that they're reflective, but due to the fact that it's been roughly fifteen to seventeen years since -- it brings about a uniqueness in and of itself. Because things have changed and evolved in a slightly different direction...people will find it unique and it pretty much gives you an idea of how things have evolved. So it's a good place to go back to because the songs that we picked are actually quite good and they should've gone on records -- but it could've been due to maybe not having enough room on the album. And at the time sampling was an issue, so it could've been due to the fact that at the time the samples couldn't be used. But now the people get a chance to hear this music-- so it's a good thing.

And John -- what would you say is the underlying message that Snoop's soon-to-be-released material will be sending to the public?

I cannot speak for what Snoop's message was...everyone could probably interpret it differently. I'll just say this -- it's consistent with the Snoop Doggy Dogg of the early 90s...he could be talking about gangsters and all this stuff, but when you know Snoop at his heart -- you know that's not really him per se. I can't give you his message, but let's just say that it's vintage Snoop Doggy Dogg, I like it, and I hope that everyone else will like it as well.

And speaking of the real Snoop -- have you watched his reality TV show at all?

I've seen a few of his shows and uh [laughs]. Yeah, I find it to be humorous -- but yes it's Snoop...Snoop's a family man. Snoop is Snoop.

Snoop's kids are pretty cute -- do you have kids

Actually, I don't.

Ok.

My kids are the music and a lot of people in my career that I've been involved with. In essence, I dedicated my life to that. I think if I really would've had kids and a family, I probably wouldn't be able to do what I do as whole heartedly and apply the time. So I made the decision that -- right now this is what I'm doing. I mean, it's never too late but at my point, it'd be an either/or thing.

And when you say you're a mentor -- were you really close to Snoop?

At the very beginning, starting out, I was actually close to all the artists-- even Dre and even Suge. I was the only one at the time that actually had more experience in the business. At that point, I had been in the business maybe ten or twelve years.

Oh my goodness...

So at that time, I was coming out of the S.O.L.A.R Records days, where I was the one mixing the Lakeside, Babyface, Shalamar, and Midnight Star -- so I had been around longer.

And which artist would you say you served as the biggest mentor for?

You know what, I can't say. I think that's a question they could answer better. I tried to talk to them all and help them all in any way I could. So I had individual relationships with each artist but it was almost like a parent -- you know, when you have several kids -- you deal with them all differently, you advise them all differently, and I learn as much from them as they learned from me. The mentoring went both ways. I just had more experience in the arena that they were about to go into.

I know you've talked about the camaraderie and family nature of Death Row -- can you think of a particular story that reflects this spirit of camaraderie?

Well, starting out we were all together -- all the time. We were at the studio together, eating together, and working on records together basically every day. Up until my departure, everyone was always together. So that was the family as well as the extended family -- the friends of the artists all became part of the family too. We were all there with the same mission. There wasn't really a lot of money at the time, but everyone was very dedicated to the mission of bringing Death Row to life and bringing the music to life. That's where it all came about and that's why we all stood together.

Have you worked closely with Snoop on the upcoming release?

Well in this case, we pulled it out of the vault to find out what was bad and what was good -- and then we picked it. But as far as him actually being there -- No, but I do believe that communication had been made to Snoop and his camp so that they knew what was going on. We would never want to alienate them at all.

Yeah, well I can see why!

They've been fully aware from the start, but in the selection process -- I can say that I don't believe they were really involved. But after what we've done, I don't think we've gotten any objections as of yet.

Ok. Also, can you please tell us about some of the next releases Death Row is planning on putting out?

I first wanna talk about the one we just put out which is The Chronic Re-Lit. I am very, very pleased with it -- we did the original Chronic and all we did was re-master that. We added a DVD that has all of the videos and an interview with Dre, we added seven songs from that era, and we released that at the beginning of September -- last month. I'm very pleased with that! And then coming up with November, we have a 4 disc box set which is gonna have greatest hits and a sampling of a lot of the Death Row artists that you know --and a few that you may not have heard -- and that's all gonna be unreleased and there will be a DVD accompanying that as well.

Nice! Also, I know that everyone's wondering -- is WIDEawake planning on resigning any of the original Death Row artists?

That's something that time will tell...as we go a little bit further. Right now, a lot of people need to understand that we just acquired this company about seven months ago so we still have some legal issues to go over to make sure what our rights are so that we can negotiate with the artists correctly. But it would be a good thing...it would be nice to put out some new stuff as well as the old stuff.

And John, you talked about working with Babyface, Snoop, and the Rolling Stones -- how would you say your thirty years in the industry have changed you as a person.

Well, let me see -- my hair is greyer [laughs].

[Laughs] Maybe one or two more stomach ulcers...

Little things like that. But I think that I've learned a lot, and actually I think overtime I've become calmer and more forgiving. I've sat back and watched a lot of things come and go. I just think that maybe this is what I was supposed to do because it works for me. But in terms of changing, that's something that someone else could probably answer better than I could. Because looking at myself, I don't really see myself as any different than who I was when I was seven. But other people would probably tell you differently.

And looking back at all your experiences, what would you say is your greatest source of pride in your career?

My greatest source of pride is actually the fact that I can still get up every day and go into various studios or different meetings, and my name is still good. I get along and understand the artists...I'm proud of what a lot of the artists I've worked with have become...but I'm just happy that I still love it! I take pride in the fact that something was obviously done right, that I'm still around, and that I still wanna be around.

And this is a clarification question for me -- when I was going to Beverly Hills High School -- everyone was riding around in their cars singing: "There's so much drama in the l-b-c" -- can you please explain to me what that means?

[Laughs] Well, actually since Snoop wrote it, he could probably explain it better than I could. But it's just drama -- driving down the streets -- there could be some people arguing, or people having a party, or people fighting -- just drama.

And the l-b-c...what is the l-b-c?

Long Beach -- Long Beach, California!

Oh, ok...Got it! [Laughs] And this is my last question, if you could make one wish for the future of WIDEawake Entertainment, what would that wish be?

Well, actually I'm going to make it come true -- what we'd like to do is really regain the trust of the audience and the artists as we develop the company so we can do good things and get a chance to get people heard and get artists paid. So my one wish is to see through our mission and that's really it. That's my one wish and I'm very happy with the team that we have and I think that we're capable of doing anything -- I just wanna see it through.

And can I ask one more question because I lied about it being the last question before [laughs].

You can ask as many questions as you like -- as many as you like.

I heard you're from Detroit Michigan -- my parents actually met in Michigan -- and that you've also traveled all over the world. What would you say is your favorite place in the entire world?

Um, my favorite place is generally where I'm standing at the moment. I actually love everywhere I go, but I have found a sincere fondness in my heart for Australia. I love it there! I spend a lot of time there and I really like the people there -- so Australia may be it. But wherever I'm standing...you know, I'm from Detroit, so I've gotta say I love it there too -- but I'm pretty much happy wherever I go.

Aaaw, that's nice. And this is really the last question -- and then I'm really done. In Tupac's song Changes, he says that "We ain't ready to see a black President" -- what were you thinking when Obama got elected in light of Death Row's music and Tupac's statement?

Actually, I was very happy for Obama and I was hoping the best for the company. I think it would've been nice if Pac could've seen it, but I was just happy. You know, change is good. And all it did was make me hope for the best. I had faith in Obama. I was with a lot of people when it happened, and we were probably celebrating for numerous reasons.

- By Jackie Shaprow