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Naughty By Nature Talk Upcoming 'Anthem Inc.' Album

Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:45PM by Nia Beckwith
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Johnny Nunez, WireImage

As part of their own imprint, Illtown Records, Naughty By Nature-comprised of Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee-have remained pro-active in their careers, but recently the trio re-joined forces with Tom Silverman and their former label, Tommy Boy Records, to sign a distribution deal. As part of the collaboration, they've released an EP promoting two new singles: 'Get To Know Me Better' and 'I Gotta Alotta.' The tracks are off of their new album, 'Anthem Inc.' due out later this year.

"We always kept in touch with Tom Silverman," Vin Rock tells The Boombox. "We have a healthy post-label relationship with him. He came to us and was like, 'You guys are at a point in your career where you should be in the Jimmy Buffet business. The music industry is changing and it's all about branding so you guys should be partnering up with corporate America."

Silverman informed Vin Rock and his team that the business they were once in had drastically changed, though the group was well aware of the industry's ups and downs. "We're not in the music business now, we're in the Naughty By Nature business," Vin says. "[Tom] was like, 'I want to be on the team and partner up with you guys. So we finally just figured out what the relationship would be and we just started. This first distribution deal is the first part of it."

The group's new single, 'Get To Know Me Better,' is part of that deal. Known for creating party anthems such as 'Hip Hop Hooray' and 'O.P.P.,' they decided to try something different this time around. "We knew some [people] would get it, some wouldn't," Vin shares. "We decided to back it up with a B-side which was 'I Got Alotta.' [We decided to] put both records out there and see what the people feel."

A benefit of their new project is the freedom to experiment with new sounds and new ideas. "One of the great things about us being independent is that we can try different things that are untraditional," Vin Rock continues. "Get out the box and just try to do something a little different. If it works it works if it doesn't it doesn't, but that's what music is about – creating."

As for the remainder of Naughty By Nature's new album, they are taking the same approach. Treach says that while experimenting with different style of music, they often test out new songs while on tour to see the reaction from their fans.

"The album is basically what people have been asking for," Treach says. "We don't come out and talk about how the game is and all the rest of the propaganda. We just do what we feel is missing. We always stay on the road, so we always perform new songs and try them on people. We throw it at the people and if they accept it the way they been, and not just on the stage but worldwide, we know we're working [in the right] direction."