Fong Sai U is a veteran MC in Hip-Hop. He has been quietly lately until a nearly three weeks ago when a new Gang Starr album was released. Fong Sai U comes into conversation because a song that he did with Guru appears on Gang Starr’s new album, ‘One of The Best Yet’.
The Guru verse appears on Fong Sai U’s album that was released in 2015. The veteran MC spoke to SpitFireHipHop about the stolen verse.
How are things with you?
Man… it’s been crazy the last two weeks. They have been filled with (bs) and drama for my team surrounding this Gang Starr album.
Speaking of the album. The internet is buzzing about this DJ Premier and Guru song and that it may have been stolen. What can you tell me about the song?
Ok, basically DJ Premier purchased some of Guru’s vocals from Solar (why would he trust this n*gga) after all the dirt he has done; I don’t know. Anyway, with in the vocals he purchased… it was my whole damn song “What’s Real” featuring Guru. This is a song I 100% own the rights to – the verse Guru did on my song was payment for the beat I did on the Bald Head Slick And da Click album (og talk) under my attribute DIVINE.
What people don’t know is I penned Guru’s verse except when he said “oh boy,” because he was too drunk to come up with some heat. I’m not the first person that helped him with his pen due to how drunk he use to get in the lab back then.
I understand that there may have been a third-party involved in the unauthorized sale of the song. Who sold it and how did this person get a copy of the song?
That devil snake in the grass Solar sold it to Premier with the other vocals he had, but he lied to them (DJ Premier‘s team) because Solar wasn’t even around until 2005. We made that song in Montez studio 2001… pardon me the b*tch n*gga was around on the out skirts.
Guru wasn’t fucking with that n*gga at all then. I remember we saw Solar somewhere when we were out and Ru was like, that n*gga 730 (meaning crazy) he nodded and we walked pass that punk. He (Solar) is a b*tch and is going to die a b*tch.
Take me back to the beginning. How and when did you meet Guru?
We were on the Okplayer tour… it was 2000. I was invited by big bro Black Thought… that’s how I got to a lot of things. He is like my mentor. He new me sense 16 years old. Any way it’s guru Phat Garry his road manager and Mendoza back then. I got drunk too a lot so me and Guru would go and get f*cked up before the show and after.
When we stopped in New Mexico, Mendoza had got locked up cause he had warrants in New York. So he had to stay there until New York came and got him… so the tour had to keep going and I became Guru’s hype man for the rest of the tour by default and still did my set with dice in jaguar.
What was your relationship like with Guru?
This is a touchy subject because it upsets me the way he went out. Guru was like a blessing after the tour was over. I would call him he’d be like come up. I would catch the train to New York and he would pick me up in his Benz truck. We would hit a party then hit the studio.
That was my friend to the point where I really want to f*ck Solar up today. I can’t forget Phat Gary. I can be a pain in the ass some time but he was always my voice of reason even when Guru got too drunk and uncontrollable at times. And to keep it a million with you, I hear everyone talking – oh that was my man and so forth the only n*gga I seen holding that n*gga down was Phat Gary between 2000 and 2001 – when I was around and trying to keep the freeloaders away because Guru would let people hang with him that wasn’t no good to be around how you think Solar got in his head years later.
Did you work out lyrically together?
That was the problem, it was always party time in the studio… girls liquor bullshit nothing got done especially during the sessions for the Bald Head Slick And da Click album. The alcohol was destroying him to the point where Guru stopped penning his own rhymes. And don’t get it f*cked up, it was very rare that I saw this. It wasn’t because he couldn’t… his focus would be everywhere else, but on the paper. I remember me, him and Mendoza was in a studio on Sunset out Cali. Me and Doza got hookers in the back room that a pimp (Guru knew) brought up there. Eight hours went buy and not one song got done.
I remember my session for my song. I was piss because it took him forever to get in the booth…once again girls and alcohol. Since I was a heavy drinker then, I would be down for it but that night; I was like I gave you the beat now it’s your turn to pay what we agreed on paper. Long story short, I wrote the verse for him on my damn song. The only thing he contributed was “oh boy.” This is why I was so pissed when I heard that shit on the new Gang Starr album. That verse is the last memory I have of my brother.
Did he share valuable information about the industry with you? If so, what was it?
All the time. He took a chance on my production.. that was the first album (Bald Head Slick And da Click) I ever got a placement on. I was so proud when it came out. I was like ma look I made this beat. Guru always stayed in my ear; I mean I produced a beat for Black Thought’s solo album that he shelved back then. I got paid but it never came out – It was supposed to be called “Master Piece Theater.”
How much time were you spending with Guru? Was it a situation where you were you eating at house, etc.?
No. Back then Guru spent most of his time at the studio or he would drive to his house outside of New York.
How long were you in the camp with Guru?
I was there from 2000 to 2001 a lil 2002.
What happened to cause you to leave the camp?
I went back down to Atlanta and got locked up. I was in and out doing dumb shit being a knuckle head. That’s what pulled me away from music period. The streets! Right now my lil brother is doing 45 years for a murder. He went in at 16 and he is only 22 now. My best friend just caught a kingpin charge and he pleaded out to 10 years. They want to give him 30 years and he’s 48. He just turned himself in last week I was the only one doing music back then other then my team coop and my cousin c.porter
Do you believe there were people in Guru’s circle that should not have been there?
Hell yeah! For the most part, Phat Gary did a good job with trying to keep that sh*t to a minimum. He would stay in his (Guru) ear. What do you think happened when he got mad at Gary and pushed him away? The one person who genuinely got your back. The f*cking snakes and vultures swoop in for the kill – exhibit A “the devil in the flesh, Solar.
Do you believe Guru was vulnerable and thought he needed these people around?
Like I said everyone that’s really there to protect you from that shit is gone. Solar knew he could get in Guru’s head because there was no one around – to be like, f*ck off n*gga. Then once he so called helped Guru get sober; he used that shit to control him and black male him.
DJ Premier seems like an upstanding guy. Is it possibility he did not know to contact you?
Maaaan my lawyer talked to his lawyer and because it’s a legal issue, I can’t say to much.
What would you say to people that say you are another in the long line of clout chasers? That you are trying to gain from this situation.
Can’t be a clout chaser because I really didn’t want this situation to be a big circus. I’m very quiet and reserved until something pops off. Ain’t shit to gain, it’s my song you can go hear it on my ‘Ballads of A Massacre‘ album I drop 2015.
How do you protect yourself from things like this going forward?
Make sure all your paperwork is in front of your eyes and you good.
Where does the situation stand currently?
Right now we are at the table.
Will there be any legal action taken on your part?
We are at the table and that is all I can say. DJ Premier isn’t a bad guy. Solar is the devil!
