EXCLUSIVE: G. Dep Talks Diddy Woes & Their Reunion For First Time
In a powerful and revealing sit-down, Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and DJ Thoro chop it up with the legendary G. Dep as he opens up about his life, career and journey through the highs and lows. Fresh out of a nearly 14-year stint behind bars, G. Dep reflects on his time locked up, dropping gems on everything from the current state of Hip-Hop to his personal path toward redemption.
Diddy and G. Dep recently reunited, right before the embattled mogul was arrested on a myriad of federal charges. The move sparked both celebration and controversy. The reconnection came six months following Dep’s release from prison earlier this year. The two were seen embracing, slapping hands in their hometown of Harlem in a video posted by Diddy’s son Justin Combs. The reunion was memorialized by a nostalgic photo of the two sitting together on a stoop. It was the first time the “Let’s Get It” collaborators linked since Dep’s 14-year incarceration.
Despite his personal reflections and newfound freedom, G. Dep’s reunion with Diddy hasn’t been free of criticism. During the interview, Dep talks—for the first time—about his views on the arrest, the reunion and his time at Bad Boy Records. In the full video, seen below, the former Bad Boy artist doesn’t hold back as he discusses the impact of his past actions, including the life-altering decision to confess to a crime that left him facing serious time. But it’s not all about the past—Dep is focused on his future. He dives into his creative process, revealing that he’s been stacking up tracks, with plans to drop new heat and continue his legacy in the game.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Thanks for coming on the platform. This isn’t your first time technically, since we spoke while you were behind the walls, but now we can get into everything. First off, how are you doing?
G. Dep: I’m straight, man. Praise the Creator. It’s great to be back on this side of things, you know what I mean?
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Yeah, man. So we’re going to do this a bit differently than usual. There’s a lot going on right now, and I want to get the elephant in the room out of the way before we dive deeper into your story. The Diddy situation is sweeping across the world, beyond just Hip-Hip. You made a lot of ripples when you posted on Instagram, “Is this what y’all wanted? Congratulations.” That post was widely reposted. What made you put that up at that moment? Everyone seems to have mixed feelings, strong feelings, pretty much everything.
G. Dep: Yeah, man. Being incarcerated myself, when I saw him getting prosecuted or locked up, it just seemed like the right thing to say, you know? It felt like people were cheering it on, not realizing this might be the end result. That was just my feeling at the time. I really couldn’t condone celebrating that.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Yeah, I feel you. Yesterday, I did a long, two-and-a-half-hour interview with a friend who has a podcast, and he was saying the same thing—celebrating something like this feels off. Is that how you felt, especially with your own experience of being in prison for over 13 years?
G. Dep: Exactly. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through. To wish that on somebody, without even knowing what’s really going on, is crazy to me. I understood the clowning, but now it’s real. This dude is wanted, you know what I’m saying?
DJ Thoro: Right before he got apprehended, you guys actually had a meeting. I saw on the internet that y’all met up and dapped each other. Was that planned, or how did that come about?
G. Dep: Nah, it wasn’t planned. They hollered at me, said they were in town, and just showed up at the spot. It was a surprise. I didn’t even know they were coming.
DJ Thoro: What was the conversation like?
G. Dep: It was just regular, man. Like seeing an old friend after 15 years. It was good to see him. He was trying to stay positive, you know? Trying to keep a positive outlook.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: How long did y’all talk?
G. Dep: We kicked it for about an hour, just chopping it up.
DJ Thoro: Any talks of putting out music? I’m sure you’ve got some in the vaults.
G. Dep: Yeah, man, I was playing music for him. He wanted to hear what I’ve got. We were talking about putting some stuff together. That’s what we do—make music. He was saying, “Yeah, I’ll probably put out more music.” So we’ll see.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Hopefully, he’ll open the vault and give you some beats, or something. Maybe some instrumentals or acapellas.
G. Dep: Yeah, I hope so.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: I heard you had around 400 songs you were pitching at one point. Is that true?
G. Dep: Yeah, man. I knew I needed distribution. That’s what I was trying to hint at. I’ve got all these songs sitting around, and I needed help. So, I inquired with him about that.
DJ Thoro: Did you write those 400 songs while incarcerated, or in general?
G. Dep: Yeah, most of them were written while I was incarcerated. There’s a lot—just a lot.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Right. Another thing people are reposting a lot is that line from “Let’s Get It”—“Tell the cops, the DA, the feds to come get me. Cats won’t leave me for dead; they’re coming with me.” It’s kind of like a Nino Brown statement.
DJ Thoro: Yeah, it definitely has that Nino Brown vibe.
More from this interview soon!